Steve Tignor

5 days ago | tennis.com | Steve Tignor

The 18-year-old Canadian showed she can hold her own in the big leagues. Published May 09, 2025Coco Gauff won her first meeting with 18-year-old Canadian qualifier Victoria Mboko, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, in Rome on Friday evening. The result wasn’t a surprise. Gauff is ranked No. 3; Mboko is No. 156. Gauff, at 21, is a six-year tour veteran with a Grand Slam title to her name. Mboko is a rookie who has spent spent almost all of her time at the ITF level, a step down from the WTA.

1 week ago | tennis.com | Steve Tignor

Badosa is just 27. She has recently returned to the Top 10 after a long battle against injury and lost confidence. Yet this week she has talked about how she might have to “retire young” because of a back problem. The ailment short-circuited her comeback just when it was gaining steam this spring, forcing the Spaniard out of her home-country event in Madrid two weeks ago. But she’ll give it a go Thursday against Osaka, another player who knows something about layoffs and comebacks.

1 week ago | tennis.com | Steve Tignor

Is the world No. 1 playing well enough for a Madrid-Rome double? It's one of three storylines to follow. Published May 05, 2025After three years as the No. 2 to Iga Swiatek’s No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka has finally, fully flipped that script in 2025. Now comes the biggest test of her new superiority: Can she extend it to clay, where Swiatek has dominated for half a decade?

1 week ago | tennis.com | Steve Tignor

Three storylines to watch, including the world No. 1’s return in front of his home fans, over the next fortnight at the Foro Italico. Published May 05, 2025Jannik Sinner returns from doping ban at Internazionali BNL d'Italia | The BreakNormally, when two big tournaments run back-to-back—Miami and Indian Wells or Canada and Cincinnati—the second one comes with a strong sense of déja vu. The surface is the same, the field is the same, the points and stakes are the same.

1 week ago | tennis.com | Steve Tignor

With his ranking dropping, Ruud sought mental health help. On Sunday, he won his biggest title, and showed how tough losses in past finals can help in the future. Published May 04, 2025In my preview of the Madrid men’s final between Casper Ruud and Jack Draper this weekend, I wondered whether the conditions at the Caja Magica might make the difference in the outcome. Ruud was clearly the more accomplished clay-courter; he had 11 titles on the surface, to none for Draper.