WASHINGTON, December 13, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)
Dominic Thiem‘s tennis career came to an end in October, but his most important match has just begun.
This week, the 31-year-old Austrian was honored with the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award by the ATP Tour.
The prestigious award recognizes players for their humanitarian contributions. Past honorees, who left an impact both on and off the court, include Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Last year’s recipient was Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was recognized for his humanitarian work in Africa.
In receiving the 2024 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, Thiem is recognized for his dedication to projects involving sustainable energy.
A special message from the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award recipient! @domithiem | #ATPAwards pic.twitter.com/5iGTsFKKxW
— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 10, 2024
In an essay Thiem penned for the ATP Tour website, the 2020 US Open champion wrote:
“When I was told I would be named the recipient of the 2024 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, I looked at the list of champions who have won the honor before me. Arthur Ashe. Andre Agassi. Roger Federer. Rafael Nadal. Novak Djokovic. Those are just a few.
“That is just a small sample. They all have done amazing things and created really helpful projects to benefit many people around the world. I’m super proud that my name could even be mentioned alongside theirs.
“Funny enough I won the biggest title of my career, the 2020 US Open, inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. But to me, Arthur Ashe is always the person and the player, not the stadium. When I hear his name, I always think first about who he was as a human being and the great impact he had, and still has today on communities throughout the world.”
Thiem added: “Inspired by people like Arthur, I also want to give back in my own way. Many of you know that last month I played the final tournament of my career in Vienna. At 31, I am pretty young to retire given how long some people are playing tennis. But for a long time, my dream was to dive into something completely outside of the sport when it was time to hang up my racquet.
“That is why I am thankful to be super passionate about sustainability and helping educate people about it.”
Read Dominic Thiem’s compete essay.
Russell wins ATP Coach of the Year award
Michael Russell, who coached American Taylor Fritz to a career-best World No. 4 ranking in 2024, has been named ATP Coach of the Year.
This season, Fritz competed in his first major final at the US Open and reached the title match at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. He won a couple of ATP 250 titles, in Delray Beach on an outdoor hard court last February and in Eastbourne on grass last June. Fritz compiled a 53-23 win-loss record.
Fritz’s year-end finish in the PIF ATP Rankings was the highest by an American since James Blake reached No. 4 in 2006.
What a year it was for @MRusselltennis
#ATPAwards pic.twitter.com/W8fIw7IZYR
— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 11, 2024
“It’s amazing. I’m honored,” Russell said, quoted by the ATP Tour website. A former World No. 60, the 46-year-old Russell began working with Fritz late in the 2021 season. The following year, Fritz won his first Masters 1000 title and broke into the ATP Top 10.
“I’m humbled to be selected by my fellow stellar ATP coaches,” Russell added. “It means a lot. We all work so hard under the radar. We spend a lot of hours working for the players to be in the best position possible and to maximize their talent. So, it’s nice to really be recognized. And I’m very humbled and honored.”
The Ojai to host 2025 Big Ten Conference women’s championships
On Wednesday, the Big Ten Conference announced that next year’s Big Ten women’s tennis tournament would be held at the Ojai Valley Tennis Club in Ojai, Calif. The event will take place April 23-26, 2025 in conjunction with the 123rd annual Ojai Tennis Tournament.
The Big Ten Conference – the oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States – was founded in 1896, the same year as one of the nation’s oldest tennis tournaments. The Ojai is a classic event that is played under massive eucalyptus and oak trees, which dot the Libby Park landscape in downtown Ojai, located 82 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
It’s official the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament is coming to The Ojai in 2025
Read the press release ⬇️https://t.co/qBKW6NZWqe pic.twitter.com/FB39JLHe2M
— The Ojai (@TheOjai) December 11, 2024
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome the Big Ten Conference to The Ojai to stage their conference tournaments,” Ojai Valley Tennis Club President Carolyn Burke said in a statement. “We feel having the Big Ten schools coming to compete will only add to the legacy of our storied tournament.”
Becky Pany, Senior Vice President, Sports Administration for the Big Ten Conference, said in a statement: “We look forward to partnering with the Ojai Valley Tennis Club as they host the 2025 Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament. The Ojai will be an exciting post-season opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches and fans, both locally and from across the country.”
The top 12 teams from among the 18 Big Ten universities will earn direct entry and qualify to play at The Ojai.
Osaka earned style points for best on-court fashion in 2024
Looking back at the best in on-court fashion during the 2024 season, Japan’s Naomi Osaka earned major style points at this summer’s US Open. Although the former World No. 1 and winner of four Grand Slam singles titles was eliminated in the second round, Osaka garnered much attention for her “maximalist fit” inspired by Harajuku.
In a recent Tennis.com feature, it wrote about Osaka’s head-turning outfit, which was designed in collaboration with Nike and Japanese designer Yoon Ahn, founder of the Tokyo-based label Ambush:
NY I love you but you already knew that ☺️ pic.twitter.com/rXFJkD1oml
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) August 27, 2024
“After beating Jelena Ostapenko for the first Top 10 win of her comeback in the Tinkerbell-green version, Osaka showcased an alternate colorway, black and white, in her second-round loss to Karolina Muchova in an Arthur Ashe Stadium night session.
“Though the outfit wasn’t in New York for a long time, it was there for a good time, with Osaka saying that she pushed aside thoughts of the whole ensemble being ‘too much’ and crediting Ahn for embracing her vision.
“‘I definitely love to be involved in everything I do, whether it’s fashion or anything else,’ she said. ‘But I feel like being able to be a part of my tennis outfits gives me, I would say, a different strength.
“‘I think for me, when I put on the outfit it’s almost like a super suit, so I try to channel that.'”
By the numbers
According to the WTA Insider, Aryna Sabalenka produced a win rate of 94.7 percent in women’s singles at Grand Slams during the 2024 season, the best win rate at the majors since Serena Williams in 2015 (96.2 percent). The figure is based on playing in a minimum of 10 matches.
94.7 – Aryna Sabalenka registered a win rate of 94.7% in women’s singles at Grand Slams during the 2024 season, it is the best win rate at such events since Serena Williams in 2015 (96.2% – min. 10 matches played). Force. @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/uf7FvPlWuM
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) December 10, 2024
“Quotable …”
“Stacey Allaster’s strong leadership and creative ideas have transformed the US Open. As the first woman tournament director of the US Open, she championed equality and progress, and worked tirelessly to raise the bar for success in her role.
“Thank you, Stacey, for all you have done for our sport of tennis, and for inspiring so many of us to reach our full potential.”
– Hall of Famer Billie Jean King, writing on X (formerly Twitter).
Stacey Allaster’s strong leadership and creative ideas have transformed the U.S. Open.
As the first woman tournament director of the @usopen, she championed equality and progress, and worked tirelessly to raise the bar for success in her role.
Thank you, Stacey, for all you… pic.twitter.com/OxoRin51qn
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) December 11, 2024
