(Getty/Emilee Chinn) Top seed Alex de Minaur has kept his Washington title defence alive after getting past Aussie teenager Cruz Hewitt in what was a "weird" experience. The world No.5 was broken once throughout the contest as he sealed his progression to the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event with a routine 6-2, 6-3 win. All the pre-game talk centred on the duo's relationship, dating back over a decade, with photos circulating on social media. Listen to The First Serve Live

INTENNSE Tennis arena in Georgia. INTENNSE Tennis is a US professional tennis league that transforms the traditional tennis playing and viewing experience into a fast-paced, excitement-packed co-ed team adventure during the American summer months. Played in a custom-built arena at Assembly Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, INTENNSE lives up to its name by creating a new tennis culture that provides extended opportunities for players to compete and earn prize money outside of the

Cruz Hewitt and Edward Winter (Getty/Emilee Chinn, Matthew Stockman) Cruz Hewitt and Edward Winter tasted a first ATP Tour-level victory on the same day in different tournaments, as the North American swing kicks into full gear. Hewitt, 17, took down world No.85 American Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the ATP 500 Washington Open without conceding a break point chance. Having recently reached the final of the Wimbledon Boys' final, the Sydneysider is continuing hi

(Getty/David Ramos) The WTA has introduced mandatory genetic testing for every player seeking to compete on the women's professional tour. The policy has largely been discussed through the lens of transgender participation in sport, But the athletes most likely to receive an unexpected result may not be transgender women. They may be women who have always lived and competed as women, but unknowingly have an intersex variation. Under the new policy, players must complete a one

The USTA has confirmed the initial list of star-studded teams entered into the second edition of the reimagined US Open Mixed Doubles Championships. Aryna Sabalenka/Novak Djokovic Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz Mirra Andreeva/Andrey Rublev Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli Diana Shnaider/Daniil Medvedev Amanda Anisimova/Learner Tien Alex Eala/Felix Auger-Aliassime Leylah Fernandez/Frances Tiafoe Taylor Townsend/Alexander Zverev Elena Gabriela Ruse/Nuno Borges

There was a time when preparing for an opponent meant little more than watching a few matches and listening to a coach's observations. Today, professional tennis players walk onto the court armed with pages of scouting reports, heat maps, serving tendencies, return patterns and video analysis. Data has become one of the sport's most powerful competitive tools. But as tennis becomes increasingly analytical, it raises an intriguing question: are players becoming better decisio

(Getty/Yagiz Gurtug) Whenever a story emerges about wildcards in tennis, it almost always creates a divisive discussion. Those fortunate enough to receive a wildcard are often questioned about whether they are deserving. Those responsible for handing them out are questioned about their criteria and selection process. Those on the outside question if they are even necessary. Controversy struck four years ago when an investigative exclusive by The First Serve detailed the frust

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Tennis Event will expand from nine to 10 days and will be held from Wednesday 19 until Friday 28 July 2028. The event will take place just after Wimbledon, with the LA28 opening ceremony being held on Friday 14 July, while Wimbledon is still going. The event will be played at Carson Courts in the Carson Zone. Eleven outdoor hard courts will be used: a 10,000-capacity permanent Centre Court; two temporary show courts – Court 1 and Court 2; and

(Getty/Nicolò Campo) Doubles tennis is at an inflection point: with new proposals under discussion, the future of the discipline is uncertain, and a war is set to erupt between the players and the governing bodies. There are certainly a few problems to be solved, with the watchability of men's doubles increasingly becoming an issue, as I have argued in the past. This problem perhaps reached breaking point at Wimbledon this year, with Henry Patten and Harri Heliövaara winning

(Getty/Morgan Hancock) The 2027 Australian Open will implement an unprecedented change for ground passes, but clarity has been issued amid questions from fans. On Tuesday morning, it was announced that ground passes for January's event will be limited. It comes after backlash from tennis fans during the 2026 Australian Open, with many left frustrated by long queues and difficulty in finding a seat on the outside courts. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST

(Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images) The men's and women's singles entry lists have been confirmed for the US Open, announced after Monday's six-week cutoff with the latest rankings updated. The women's cutoff was No.102, while the men's cutoff was No.101. World No.1s and past US Open Champions Aryna Sabalenka (2024 and 2025) and Jannik Sinner (2024) lead their respective fields, with Sabalenka aiming to become the first woman to win three consecutive US Open sin

Craig Tiley speaking at Melbourne Park. (Getty/Daniel Pockett) Ex-Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley has commenced his first day in office as the new United States Tennis Association (USTA) CEO, five months after being appointed. The 65-year-old decided to leave Tennis Australia after 21 years, serving as both the CEO and Australian Open tournament director since 2013. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's

(Getty/Robert Prange) A new policy established by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) will require all players on the women's circuit to be genetically sex tested to remain eligible to compete. The breaking news story, reported by Ben Rothenberg at Bounces, reveals that although there are no known transgender women on the WTA Tour, the Board has decided to take precautionary measures to protect the sport's integrity amid a "phantom threat of trans women in women's sport", as

(Getty/Francois Nel) Carlos Alcaraz sprinting full speed into the doubles alley, sliding into the advertising boards before somehow flicking a forehand winner back into play, has become one of the defining images of modern tennis. It truly is breathtaking to watch. But with the Spaniard sidelined since April, it also raises an important question. Has professional tennis reached the point where the human body is struggling to keep up? The game has never been faster, stronger

(Karolína Muchová/Instagram) Recent Wimbledon runner-up Karolína Muchová has confirmed she will miss "a few weeks" after undergoing a "small surgery". This time last week, the world No.6 lost the Wimbledon final to Czech compatriot Linda Nosková in three sets. "I had to undergo a small surgery that will keep me off the court for a few weeks," said Muchová. "Everything went well, and I'm already working on my recovery." Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST i

The state-of-the-art Jim Elphick Tennis Centre in Wagga Wagga. The 2026 NSW Country Closed Open and Junior Championships produced some incredible tennis and crowned new champions across a variety of singles, doubles and mixed doubles events. The Open events featured an increased total prize pool of over $17,000. “The 2026 NSW Country Championships have once again showcased everything that makes country tennis so special – exceptional competition, outstanding sportsmanship a

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten lift the 2025 ATP Finals trophy. (Getty/Jon Buckle) The ATP Tour's proposed changes to doubles have sparked one of tennis' biggest debates in years. Much of the discussion has focused on reported plans to reduce draw sizes and prize money from 2028. But throughout the debate, another criticism has repeatedly emerged from players and coaches: the ATP simply does not do enough to promote doubles. To examine those claims, The First Serve has ana

(Getty/Matthew Stockman) Argentinian tennis player Facundo Bagnis has accepted a 12-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance. The 36-year-old, who hasn't competed on Tour since September last year, was found to have taken hydrochlorothiazide, which is used to treat high blood pressure and fluid retention caused by heart, kidney, or liver conditions. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's only

Endorsed by Matteo Berrettini and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the new HEAD Extreme 2026 tennis racquet series is engineered for players who attack with heavy topspin, sharp angles, and explosive power. Power is not just physical. It is the feeling of an unstoppable shot, the confidence to alter momentum, and the competitive edge to dominate on court. The HEAD Extreme 2026 series is built to deliver all of this. Powerful spin is the defining quality of the Extreme range. Ever

(Getty/Kirill Kudryavtsev) Australia's Alex de Minaur is a few results shy of reaching a new career high, but he will have to wait nervously. Having entered this Wimbledon as the fifth seed due to the withdrawal of world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz, de Minaur yet again had a tournament go begging after a fourth round exit to world No.10 and recent Roland Garros finalist Flavio Cobolli in straight sets. "I'm broken inside. That's the reality," a dejected de Minaur shared post-match. "