Tennis Dominates as Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka Win Laureus Awards

 

It was a big night for my one and only sport at the Laureus Awards, where Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka picked up the top honors in Madrid -- he as Sportsman of the Year, she as Sportswoman of the Year -- capping off dominant 2025 campaigns.

Alcaraz, who showed up with his wrist very much a topic of conversation, reflected on the highs (multiple majors) while keeping one eye on getting back in shape for Roland Garros, while Sabalenka called her whirlwind season “crazy,” full of lessons and big wins.

Elsewhere, the ceremony spread the love to the likes of Lando Norris (breakthrough), Rory McIlroy (comeback) and Paris Saint-Germain (team of the year), but tennis was definitely the star of the show.

Full red-carpet glory -- including proof that Lorenzo Musetti and Joao Fonseca are two of the sexiest men alive -- BELOW.

Simply the Best?

 

I’m not sure what a “British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules,” as Radio Times is described, knows about tennis. But I do know that lists like this exist solely to stir up discontent. Case in point: If you’re going to mix eras -- including Rod Laver -- then John McEnroe absolutely deserves to be above Andy Murray, as would Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Mats Wilander and even six-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz. Ivan Lendl probably deserves to be above Andre Agassi, who trails in majors, total titles, year-end championship wins, year-end No. 1 finishes and overall weeks at No. 1. And as much as I respect and adore Bjorn Borg -- whose ability to win the French and Wimbledon back-to-back is unparalleled -- he surely belongs under Pete Sampras. Yes, he retired much sooner. But the list should be based on what a player accomplished, not what they might have, and Pete has three more majors and more than double the number of weeks at No. 1.

And this is the Radio Times women’s list, which I don’t have any strong quibbles with: 

But along the Bjorn lines, Monica Seles should probably also be placed based on what she accomplished -- putting her after Billie Jean King and Margaret Court -- rather than on what we assume she would have achieved had she not been stabbed. (Talk to Little Mo about "would haves.") And calendar Slam winner Margaret belongs ahead of Billie Jean, who has half her majors in singles and trails by six in their head-to-head. (Even if you erase all of Margaret's Aussie Open crowns, she still has more majors than BJK.) And a case could be made for any of the top three to sit at No. 1 -- Serena Williams with the most majors (23), Steffi Graf with just one fewer (having retired a decade younger than Serena) and the only one of the three to win the calendar Grand Slam (with the corresponding Olympic gold medal), most weeks at No. 1 and most year-end No. 1 finishes, and Martina Navratilova for the most combined majors (59), including 18 singles titles despite playing in an era when two of the four Slams weren't routinely contested, plus the most WTA titles (167 to Serena's 73), the most match wins (1,661 to Serena's 858), and more weeks at world No. 1 than Serena. But even as an ardent Steffi/Chrissie Evert fan, this feels about right.

Leg Day in Toronto

Clearly I missed my calling as an ATP cameraman. More to lust BELOW.

Artificial Negligence?

This was fun to see until I quickly realized something -- some things -- was terribly wrong. 

Off the top of my head I'm wondering:

Where is Serena Williams, who was 17 years and 350 days when she won the 1999 U.S. Open? 

Steffi Graf, who was 17 years and 357 days when she won the 1987 French Open? 

And a quick search tells me that Martina Hingis was actually 16 years and 117 days when she won the 1997 Australian Open, so that's off by 60 days.

Also: It doesn't say first-time winners, so what about Monica Seles, who was 17 years and 55 days when she won the 1991 Australian Open, younger than everyone on this list except Hingis and Austin? (She should be on here twice.) 

And before the Open era:

Maureen Connolly, who was 17 years and 352 days when she won the 1951 U.S. National Championships?

So now I'm wondering why someone would even bother compiling this if they're not going to do it accurately? Are they trying to rewrite history? At the very least they could have labeled it "Youthful Grand Slam Winners" in general. 

Or is this just another product of AI, which has all but destroyed Google by populating it with illiterate, error-filled "results"? If so, we don't need any additional help from Silicon Valley in spreading misinformation. 

Brazilian Journeyman Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva Comes Out as Gay, a First for Men’s Tennis*

 

The gay internet is abuzz with the news that Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva -- a 24-year-old Brazilian tennis player currently ranked 367 in the world -- has revealed his homosexuality by wishing his boyfriend a happy birthday on Instagram. He's being called the first active male pro player to come out publicly. 

*Today's news is obviously a huge step forward -- the women's game has a number of out players, and only a handful of ATP players have come out even after retirement -- although it would be more newsworthy if he were playing on the ATP level rather than the tiers below it.

What is extremely newsworthy, however, is how hot he and his actor/model boyfriend are, which you can see for yourself BELOW.

Desert Climate

No Indian Wells predictions from me this year -- it's Novak's first since 2019(!) -- but there definitely seem to be a number of players capable of winning. 

The Athletic has an interesting article about Carlos -- that wisely points out that he's won two majors and been ranked No. 1 by 20 so will probably be just fine -- examining the quasi slump he's in, having not won a tournament in eight months after winning a lot of them before then.

P.S. 

P.S. Just in time for your trip to the Coachella Valley, check out the latest episode of the Ball Boys podcast -- "Net Flicks, and Chill" -- HERE. 

When Leslie Allen Made Tennis History 40 Years Ago Today

Nice to see this historic moment in tennis being remembered today, by none other than the woman who made it: American Leslie Allen -- who at 5-10 with an oversized Prince Pro -- was all legs and racket when I first saw her play as a kid.

She writes: 

Before Venus, Serena, or Naomi I made tennis history. With my historic victory at the Avon Championships of Detroit 40 years ago, on February 8, 1981, I became the first black woman to win a major tournament since Althea Gibson in 1958. At the time it was THE story in tennis. In 1981 I could only dream that black women would dominate tennis and never imagined we’d have the freedom to use our voice to highlight racial injustice. Proud to have played a role in changing the complexion and voice of tennis. 

The date of my victory, February 8, 1981, is seared in my mind not only for the historical significance -- it was also the opening night on Broadway and birthday for my mother who gave me my first tennis racquet. #TennisHistory #tennis #tennishistory #win4life

From HERE.

Note: This was not a cakewalk: Leslie beat Rosalyn Fairbank, 1978 French Open champ Virginia Ruzici, 1977 French Open champ Mima Jausovec, 1981 U.S. Open semifinalist Barbara Potter and the reigning (at the time)) Australian Open champ Hana Mandlikova to capture the title. 

It was fun that it happened at Cobo Hall in Detroit, where my family and I had attended the 1978 Virginia Slims and 1979 Avon Championships events before moving to Phoenix when I was 11. 

Longtime fans will remember that the Motor City was an annual stop on the famed indoor carpet circuit in the early days of professional women's tennis. 

Here's to Leslie -- who reached a career high of No. 17 in singles and was runner-up in the 1983 French Open mixed doubles* -- and all the other black tennis trailblazers of the previous generation, including Renee Blount, Kim Sands, Camille Benjamin and the late Andrea Buchanan.

Read what Allen had to say about Coco Gauff's activism HERE.

UPDATE:

*What should have been a cause for celebration was the scene of one of the most vile and racist incidents I have ever heard of in professional tennis.

Honoring the Original Nine of Women's Tennis

I don't know about you, but I have been absolutely loving the Tennis Channel's 11-part series celebrating the 50th anniversary of the "Original Nine," who first signed $1 pro contracts with Gladys Heldman to start a more equitable professional women's tennis circuit. While the videos aren’t all in one place to watch — way to go, Marketing Department! — if you dig around a bit you can find them on YouTube, Facebook and Tennis.com. I've heard the story dozens of times before -- the film "Battle of the Sexes" did an incredible job of depicting the earliest days -- yet I still get goosebumps each time I watch this historic moment unfold, which was truly about so much more than women’s sports. 

When it started to begin ...

1970 Houston Women's Invitational: I think most hardcore women's tennis fans know that the first Virginia Slims event was in Houston and that it was won by Rosie Casals. But who remembers that an injured Billie Jean King lost to Aussie Judy Dalton (the eventual runner-up who used the biggest check of her career to help pay off a new house in Melbourne)? That Julie Heldman was injured so wasn't able to compete, despite being an Original Niner? That Margaret Court -- who won the Grand Slam that year -- was scheduled to play but withdrew with injury, perhaps mental after losing to 15-year-old Chris Evert the week before in Charlotte, N.C? (Kristy Pigeon replaced her.) Or that there was a third-place playoff? 

The tributes got me thinking about my earliest days of fandom: Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals, Kerry Melville Reid and Valerie Ziegenfuss were still active on the tour when I got into the game in 1977, but Peaches Bartkowicz, Judy Tegart Dalton, Julie Heldman (Gladys's daughter), Kristy Pigeon and Nancy Richey were names I mostly only read about. When I look back, this illustration best sums up my "Original 6": Tracy Austin, Martina Navratilova, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Wendy Turnbull, Billie Jean King and Chris Evert, all of whom took the game to the "next level." 

As Billie Jean King said, “Without Gladys Heldman, there wouldn't be women's professional tennis. She was a passionate advocate for women tennis players and, as the driving force behind the start of the Virginia Slims Tour in 1970, she helped change the face of women's sports." Watch HERE.

 

Val Ziegenfuss's clip was especially interesting to me.

   

 Would you believe I still haven't read Julie's Tennis Mommie Dearest?

   

 Michiganders will notice that Peaches Bartkowicz is the most "Hamtramck" person ever!

The USTA also has in-depth interviews and videos. See all nine HERE.

Read all Original Nine posts HERE.

The Mullet Takes Manhattan

OK, not Manhattan. But in his U.S. Open debut in Queens, J.J. "Legs" Wolf upset Argentina's Guido Pella, 6-2, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the second round. It probably helped that Pella was forced to quarantine the past two weeks -- aka no practice -- because his physio tested positive for the coronavirus, which turned out to be a false positive. But nonetheless, a big congrats to former Ohio State player, who faces Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain in the next round.

P.S. I also got to see Andy Murray's epic win, coming from two sets down to defeat Yoshihito Nishioka, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-4. What an effort! 

The mullet moves on! 💁‍♂️

J. J. Wolf is headed to the @usopen 2R after defeating Pella in 4 sets 👊 pic.twitter.com/MLcH6ttNia

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 1, 2020

Sexpot J.J. Wolf Wins First Match in New York

J.J. "Legs" Wolf cruised through the first round of qualifying at the "Cincinnati" event going on in New York, defeating Igor Gerasimov 6-3, 6-1 to become the winner of the first completed ATP-level match in 178 days. 

And his new look didn't go unnoticed. Baseline blog wrote that the Ohio native is channeling the 1990s version of his favorite player, Andre Agassi, by rocking a full-blown mullet, complete with blond highlights. Though Wolf -- who only hangs out with guys WHO ARE AS HOT as he is -- has yet to compete in an ATP main draw, he’s more than ready to finally make his mark on the big leagues beyond his flash hairstyle. After his dominant performance Thursday morning, Wolf will face off against Jaume Munar next.

UPDATE:

 J.J. outlasted Jaume Munar on Friday.

Make Some Racket

Apparently it’s #BatAppreciationDay so here’s a picture of my very first real one: A Wilson Jack Kramer Junior Autograph, chosen to be like Tracy Austin, of course. (She was tiny too, but used the standard model!) As I recall, my family was visiting my mother's aunt and uncle in Potomac, Maryland, in 1978 when we happened upon a pro shop in nearby Rockville. Although my stepfather was notoriously cheap, my mom took one look at Billy, Terence and me marveling over the selection of professional level tennis equipment -- as opposed to the stuff we had from Korvettes -- and persuaded Gary to let each of us pick out the one racket we really desired.

Bill chose the Donnay FiberWood. I think he wanted to be like Bjorn Borg, but had a theory that the fiberglass component was a better fit for his game than Bjorn's AllWood. (The Borg Pro hadn't come along yet. They also made a LadyWood, but somehow I resisted getting it!) Terence got the Head Junior. I can't (yet) find a photo of it, but it was smaller, like mine, but made of aluminum with a yellow yoke.

I got all excited to look at everyone else's #BatAppreciatioiotnDay submissions, but so far the only one I see is Judy Murray's. (It turns out she was just being "cheeky.") If you played tennis, please tell me what your first bat was.

(I wrote a history of my rackets HERE.) 

Thursday Ad Watch

Anyone suddenly interested in the Grass Court collection?

Read about Jamie Murray's appointment as global ambassador HERE.

Thursday Ad Watch

Saints preserved! Apparently this is for those looking for someone to PLAY WITH. (Tennis, I think.) 

A Long Time Ago, Baby!

Love this Throwback Thursday photo from the former Mrs. Larry King. I know the answer -- because I went to the stop in RICHMOND!

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Two weeks ago, Pablo Andujar defeated Benoit Paire in the final of Marbella Challenger, building the momentum before Marrakech where he was the defending champion after a great run in 2018. 

The Spaniard and the Frenchman advanced into another title match and this time it was the hunky Frenchman who had the upper hand, scoring a 6-2, 6-3 triumph in just 65 minutes for only the second ATP crown after Bastad 2015. 

 Competing in Marrakech and awaiting entry into the Monte Carlo Masters main draw (he wouldn't get it), it was Paire's sixth ATP final and just his second title. 

Christian Garin became the first Chilean to win an ATP Tour title in 10 years when he beat Norway’s Casper Ruud 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3 at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston on Sunday. The victory was Garin’s second over the Norwegian in a month. He also defeat Ruud in the Brasil Open semifinals. The 22-year-old became the first Chilean to win an ATP Tour title since Fernando Gonzalez in Vina del Mar in 2009. (Norway remains title-free.) 

Dennis Novak from Austria claimed his maiden title on the ATP Challenger Tour, winning the $162,480 Taiwan Santaizi Challenger held on hard courts at the Taipei Tennis Center. The 25-year-old upset No. 3 seed Sergiy Stakhovsky from the Ukraine 6-2, 6-4 in Sunday’s singles final.  

Meanwhile, the WTA reports that "American" teenager Amanda Anisimova clinched her first-ever singles title at the Claro Open Colsanitas on Sunday, engineering a comeback from a set and a break down to quell the breakthrough week of Astra Sharma of Australia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. No.6 seed Anisimova was two games away from defeat at 6-4, 4-4, but the 17-year-old used the steeliness that has been evident all week to claim a third straight three-set win and clinch her maiden trophy in one hour and 43 minutes.

And speaking of 17-year-olds: Polona Hercog beat 17-year-old Iga Swiatek 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a rain-delayed Samsung Open final on Sunday, to capture her first title since 2012. 

In the 18th singles final on the WTA tour this season, Hercog was the 18th different player to lift a trophy. BTW: The men have had 21 different winners in 22 tournaments -- some guy named Roger Federer won twice!

Social butterflies ...

Bet you can guess who this little cutie is!

Not sure what this says about Andreas Seppi ...

but I know I like it ...

And finally, action is already underway in Monte Carlo -- where Dominic Thiem's ass was caught in the HOTTEST PIC yet.

(With wire services)