WASHINGTON, December 16, 2020 (by Michael Dickens)
While the tennis world awaits official confirmation from Melbourne that the 2021 Australian Open will take place from Feb. 8-21, one player who has made definite plans to be Down Under is World No. 2 Rafael Nadal.
“Rafa is confirmed he is traveling to Melbourne and playing in the Australian Open,” Nadal’s manager Benito Pérez-Barbadian told Melbourne’s The Age.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, who won the Australian Open in 2009 and reached the finals four other times, is ready to endure the mandatory 14-day quarantine period upon arrival. His commitment to play in the first major of 2021, no doubt, is a relief to the organizers.
Nadal reached the quarterfinals of the 2020 Australian Open before losing to Dominic Thiem.
Activen el sonido 🔉 😍 @RafaelNadal preparándose para el 2021 en la @rnadalacademy pic.twitter.com/jzoWwm4rDQ
— ATP Tour en Español (@ATPTour_ES) December 15, 2020
Decision on Miami Open may be holding up Q1 ATP calendar
Sports Illustrated tennis writer and Tennis Channel insider Jon Wertheim always seems to have a good pulse on what’s going on in tennis. Thus, there’s something to be learned from a couple of tweets he shared on Tuesday:
Hearing @atptour awaiting board approval and a firm @MiamiOpen decision before releasing Q1 schedule. But there will be multiple events- and @AustralianOpen qualifying- to start 2021. And likely a pared down ATP Cup week before AO…long may this level of resourcefulness continue
— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) December 15, 2020
From @AustralianOpen to players:
“The following events have been proposed to be held in Australia this summer:”
– Week 5 (w/c 1 February): ATP Cup and 2x ATP 250
2 x WTA 500
– Week 6-7 (w/c 8-21 February): Australian Open
– Week 7 (w/c 15 February): WTA 250″— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) December 15, 2020
Women’s match of the year? Osaka vs. Brady, US Open semifinal
Steve Tignor of Tennis.com looks back on his choice for 2020 Women’s Match of the Year, between Naomi Osaka and Jennifer Brady in the semifinals of the US Open. “Osaka gave herself the weightiest of ambitions, and fulfilled them,” Tignor writes.
From last week, my 2020 Match of the Year: Naomi Osaka’s bigger-than-tennis win over Jen Brady in the US Open semifinals. Osaka gave herself the weightiest of ambitions, and fulfilled them. https://t.co/DEUQkrqGAG
— Steve Tignor (@SteveTignor) December 14, 2020
Jack Sock gets married
American Jack Sock was married last Saturday to Laura Little in Kiawah, South Carolina, south of Charleston. Among those attending the wedding were Sock’s fellow U.S. Davis Cup teammate John Isner, as well as Nick Monroe and Neal Skupski.
.@JackSock tied the knot! 💍
The 28-year-old married Laura Little at the The Ocean Course Clubhouse on the barrier Island of Kiawah.
MORE 👇🏼https://t.co/xx7XzWBmKP
— TENNIS (@Tennis) December 15, 2020
An observation about Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev’s strokes are fascinating. Seemingly so many opportunities for things to go wrong. And yet he hits it so clean with so little margin for error. Crazy talent. pic.twitter.com/u50INNiIVn
— Blair Henley (@BlairHenley) December 13, 2020
ATP Tour: This is every surface
This is every surface. Every shot. Every emotion. Everywhere.
#ThisIsTennis pic.twitter.com/OqNEKa5302— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 9, 2020
What they’re saying
If there is one thing that this pandemic taught me is to focus on other people and provide compassion.
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) December 14, 2020
What they’re podcasting
On the latest Tennis.com podcast, Hall of Fame nominee Lisa Raymond joins hosts Nina Pantic and Irina Falconi.
.@lisaraymond73 is an absolute legend and appropriately nominated for induction into the @TennisHalloFame in 2021.
Irina and I got to catch up with her: https://t.co/ZS491WHnf2 pic.twitter.com/lyFPgXQUpm
— Nina Pantic (@NinaPantic1) December 11, 2020
What they’re sharing on social media
Petra Kvitova / Getting dressed up
Not too often we get to dress up these days 😊 pic.twitter.com/ku1LzPKjcL
— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) December 14, 2020
