James Hansen

Tennis players and coaches: The telepathy of tactics, emotional support – and jawing Some players want ceaseless encouragement; some want silence; some want to vent — and it can change from point to point.

“I just expect them to read my mind.”

On the telepathy of tennis coaching ⬇️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

Alexander Zverev deciding to accept variance in the fourth set of a match in which he just steamrolled a 20-year-old in their first Grand Slam quarterfinal? It checks out

Weird, weird, weird approach shot from Zverev at 5-5

Women’s tennis tour to investigate misconduct allegations against Peyton Stearns’ coach They concern Rafael Font de Mora’s alleged misconduct and inappropriate relationships with players during his previous time on the tour.

WTA to investigate misconduct allegations against Peyton Stearns' new coach, Rafael Font de Mora.

Font de Mora denies wrongdoing.

Exclusive by @mattfutterman.bsky.social and @cdeccleshare.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

Incredible performance by Learner Tien to defenestrate Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev's ball did zero damage and Tien's did 100.

The fascinating part is that this feels seismic on both sides ... But the matchup is so specific that it probably isn't

Something striking about Mboko, Jović, Valentová and Bartůňková is how in tune with their strengths they are.

They so rarely try and force something that isn't in their interest on the court. They know what they are good at and they build their matches around it.

Mboko thinks she's hit an ace T, misses same-direction second serve way wide, cleans the line with a short backhand gets to net to take it.

A super match

Not only is Nikola Bartůňková a frighteningly good Muchová / Andreeva composite ... She has twice been bageled in the second set of matches, by vastly more experienced players, at her first Grand Slam, at 19 ... And has won them both.

Incredible match. Valentová looked like she would run away with the third set, Fruhvirtová pegged her back, then Valentová went supernova down the stretch to take it

Valentová vs. Fruhvirtová is a future major final in-waiting if there is any tennis justice in the world. Incredible quality and point construction. Don't learn to serve too quickly please

Mirra Andreeva is absolutely hooping right now

Madison Keys returns to Australian Open and finds her clutch tennis right where she left it

On that great Keys-Oliynykova match:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

Coco Gauff's serve may still be kind of all over the place in general but her slice to deuce court absolutely rips

impeccable celebration no notes

4-2, 40-0 up on No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev, Gabriel Diallo misses a regulation volley. It gets in his head and a double fault and two forehand shanks later, back on serve

Yulia Putintseva into a third set against a hostile crowd in the shape of Beatriz Haddad-Maia's Brazilian fans? It's going to be cinema

Will someone on her team please tell Victoria Mboko that she can slow down between pressure points

Tennis hangs on Roger Federer's every move. In Melbourne, he is holding court

I wrote about an up-and-coming Swiss the mainstream is not yet aware of:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/697...

'It’s tough to say because I know the ending': Jannik Sinner's return to a tournament of triumph and turmoil

I'll be doing some work for The Athletic during the Australian Open! I asked Jannik Sinner to reflect on the moment he considered quitting tennis today, and spun that into my first piece for them:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/697...

Tension at the top of the women's draw is so interesting. Aryna Sabalenka, master of consistency but wrestling still with finals, has the kinder run than Iga Świątek, who is wrestling with her game but a master of finals

Sebástian Báez inheriting Jaume Munar's “wait, on hard courts???” role for 2026

You don't want to go the other way and make everything 100 percent tactics and skills because the mental side is of course important. But too many people are starting from a fundamental misunderstanding of pressure.

The vibes-based analysis of the Świątek vs. Gauff head-to-head flip is getting worse and worse. Tennis fans deserve better than guff about mentality which doesn't even get the dynamics right!

Three of Grand Slams and ATP, WTA hold secret London meetings over player lawsuit The discussions are the latest installment in the sport's slow path toward meaningful change.

In the wake of Tennis Australia's deal with a Novak Djokovic-less PTPA, the other three majors met with the ATP and WTA behind closed doors to try and chart a way forward.

Exclusive from @mattfutterman.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

Well, nevertheless

Marie Bouzková low-key hooping to open 2025...

Feels like the concept of the "big hitter" is becoming increasingly obsolete or at least insufficiently analytical in women's tennis. The style clash at top of WTA Tour but also further down now is so compelling and it goes well beyond pure power

Lys is redlining like crazy and Swiatek looks rusty, but the long overdue conversation about Tomasz Wiktorowski and his effect on the measuredness of Swiatek's game is getting closer!

Nice win for Sara Bejlek at the Auckland Open over Panna Udvardy. Another young Czech player with a bright WTA future alongside Tereza Valentová, the Fruhvirtova sisters, Nicola Bartůňková...

Flavio Cobolli playing some increasingly silly tennis while Stan Wawrinka just joysticks him around the court with side-to-side and short chips