Jessica Pegula playing defense at the 2022 US Open Alright, alright, alright. When I started writing these player-themed pieces more than a year ago, Jessica Pegula was at the top of my list. One of my goals is to demystify the factors that cause each player’s success, or lack thereof. Pegula has had plenty of…

Coco Gauff is through to the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open. In a rematch of the semifinal that sent her home in 2024, the American defeated Maria Sakkari 7-6(1) 6-2. It was not a comfortable victory for Gauff, who served nine double faults. While not a great stat on its own, this…

Nick Kyrgios took a cheeky shot at Iga Swiatek, sarcastically calling the Pole “a clean player” after she returned to play a ball that appeared to hit the surface twice before she hit it. On Sunday, the defending champion made light work of Dayana Yastremska 6-0 6-2 to progress into the Indian Wells round-of-16. While…

Carlos Alcaraz will compete in the last 16 in Indian Wells. The two-time defending champion faced Denis Shapovalov in the third round and earned a 6-2, 6-4 victory in an hour and 23 minutes. Thus, the Spaniard extended his streak in the desert.  It was their second duel, and the Spaniard provided his second victory.…

Coco Gauff acknowledges she is perfectly aware that the strategy against her is to target her forehand side but also adds that she has upped her aggressiveness on that side so her rivals don’t feel as comfortable doing that.  When the American was going through a crisis in 2023, many identified her forehand as the…

Home favorite Emma Navarro created a miraculous comeback in her Indian Wells opener but didn’t manage to do so against Donna Vekic as the No. 19 seed claimed a 7-6 (5) 6-1 win.  After saving two consecutive match points and recovering from a 3-5 third-set deficit against Sorana Cirstea, the American struggled heavily on her…

Zheng Qinwen didn’t have to think much when asked if she would rather win a Grand Slam or reach the world No. 1 title as the 22-year-old admitted that as a kid she only dreamed of lifting a Major title and nothing else. At the start of 2024, the Chinese tennis star came only one…

Mirra Andreeva may have beaten Elena Rybakina just last month but the 17-year-old doesn’t expect to have an easy job at all when they meet again in Indian Wells. In a rematch of last month’s WTA 1000 final in Dubai, the Russian destroyed Clara Tauson 6-3 6-0. Now in the Indian Wells round-of-16, the 17-year-old…

Karl Vilips, in just his fourth competition on the PGA Tour, the third of the season, won his first title on the circuit by winning the Puerto Rico Open with 262 (65 67 66 64, -26), beating by three shots the Danish Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, second with 265 (-23) and Joseph Bramlett, third with 267 (-21).…

Aryna Sabalenka suggests she would prefer to have a shorter gap between the Australian Open and the French Open, a move which would at the same time make a bigger between Roland Garros and Wimbledon.  After losing the Australian Open final to Madison Keys, the world No. 1 competed in the opening two WTA 1000…