tennis – Page 75

Exasperated Columnist Begs Australia To Please, Please Ignore Nick Kyrgios

Here are the values at risk if you find Nick Kyrgios interesting, or, worse, deign to root for him: “self-respect,” “the surrender of your pride,” “Australia’s moral bottom line,” “our national sporting principles.”

Nick Kyrgios Is Now A Used Car Salesman

Many athletes enjoy an enormous platform, capable of reaching millions. This platform can be used for platitudes about working hard and competing, or, in the case of tennis player Nick Kyrgios, for selling a used car.

Reporter Congratulates Loser Rafael Nadal On Win

Right after losing the Miami Open title to Roger Federer in straight sets Sunday, Rafael Nadal was asked how he felt about his “win.”

Roger Federer Can't Be Stopped By Rafael Nadal, Or Anyone Else

Two famous rivals named Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both got hurt, and both entered rehab cocoons for most of 2016, biding their time until this January. One emerged a radiant butterfly, posting a 19-5 record on the season, playing in two championship matches—a lovely comeback by any metric. But the other one…

Diminutive Tennis Player's Entertaining Hot Streak Ends With ACL Tear

If you were to flesh out the cohort of the next generation of tennis, the first few picks would be easy: Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Zverev are the sure shots; Dominic Thiem and Lucas Pouille are a little older but have got to be in the mix; and from the U.S. there’s Jack Sock and hopefully Frances Tiafoe, too. But…

Good Lord, These Moody Man-Children Can Play Tennis

Nick Kyrgios’s win over Alexander Zverev in Miami Thursday was one of my favorite men’s matches this year, but the whole thing felt like a devil’s bargain: for every point of absolute gold, the public was taxed one drawn-out tantrum. A frustrating proposal for some—definitely for the chair ump and linesmen, who were…

Jittery Roger Federer Gets An Ugly Win

Today Roger Federer let slip, like an ill-timed fart, perhaps the worst four-point sequence ever seen on his serve.

Venus Williams Is Going For It

Venus Williams defeated world No. 1 Angelique Kerber in straight sets last night to advance to the semifinals of the Miami Open. By downing Kerber, the 36-year-old became the oldest player to defeat a world No. 1, but she has no desire to rest on that accomplishment.

Nick Kyrgios And Alexander Zverev Meet Again

Both kids passed their tests Tuesday in Miami, and now they’ll play each other for the second time ever.

These Roger Federer Volleys Almost Hurt To Watch

Roberto Batista Agut did about as well as you can do against the greatest these days, pushing him to two tiebreaks in the fourth round of the Miami Open, but, just, c’mon—these fucking nonchalant volleys.

Two Of Tennis's Best Young Guns Dismantled A Pair Of Hard-Serving Robots

Both Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Zverev, the two most promising players aged 21 or under, survived their third-round tests yesterday against two aging serve-bots. Neither win came easy. When your competition moves around the court with the grace of a mannequin but can still regularly whoop 130 mph aces right by you,…

Frances Tiafoe Gave Roger Federer A Scare, And America Some Hope

American tennis fans should take heart: their 19-year-old prodigy Frances Tiafoe caused the GOAT some woe, at least for a little while. Tiafoe, who is creeping closer to a breakout victory over a top player, took Roger Federer to a first-set tiebreak in their second-round match at the Miami Open before falling 7-6(2),…

Jirí Veselý Goes Between The Legs For Winner

American Jack Sock took the first set against Jirí Veselý tonight, but even if the Czech loses their Miami Open match he’ll go home knowing he delivered the highlight of the match: a between-the-legs winner off what was a near perfect lob volley from Sock. Don’t try this at home.

Roger Federer Did This On Purpose

Have something you think we should know? Email us at tips@deadspin.com, call our confidential tips hotline at (347) 746-8471, or contact our writers directly, or use our SecureDrop system. You can also follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter!

French Tennis Guy Benoit Paire Is An Expert At Smashing Tennis Rackets

French hothead and World No. 39 Benoit Paire defeated Martin Klizan 7-6(4), 6-3 in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday. As you might expect from a volatile head case, there were a couple racket casualties along the way.

Extra-Cool Iguana Is Now The King Of This Tennis Court

There is, supposedly, tennis being played at the Miami Open today. However, all the footage I’ve seen from the tournament indicates that some sort of benevolent reptile takeover is going down.

The Two Cinderellas Of Indian Wells Have An Early Dance In Miami

Of all the reasons Yoshihito Nishioka’s Indian Wells run to the fourth round felt like the high point of the tournament, the obvious was that he stands just 5-foot-7 in a game of bigs. Even if you knew nothing about the sport, your eyes told you he was an underdog. The 21-year-old came in unheralded with a No. 70…

Roger Federer's Back On Offense, Winning Everything That Matters

“He’s laughing, he’s an asshole,” said Stan Wawrinka, clutching a runner-up trophy, crying, and looking at Roger Federer, who was, yes, laughing. That’s a playful jab between guys who go way back, ever since Federer came to hit with teenage Stan at the national tennis center in their native Switzerland, but surely…

Nick Kyrgios Won't Play Roger Federer, Cites Food Poisoning

If you were looking forward to the heady mix of Nick Kyrgios, tennis’s Four Loko, and Roger Federer, aging like a fine wine, my condolences. Indian Wells will stay dry tonight, since Kyrgios just pulled out of this anticipated quarterfinal due to an unspecified illness.

Don't Call This Vintage Federer, He's Got A Brand-New Weapon

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—Forget any bluster about age, resilience, rehabilitation: The story here is that Roger Federer may have solved Rafael Nadal. It’s never too late to iron out your flaws, especially if you have only one to speak of.

The Quarter Of Death Is Shaping Up At Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—Juan Martin del Potro is a teddy bear with a heavy brow and a shotgun forehand, and when he gets mad in public, apparently, he hugs whoever happens to be around. Because he is a professional tennis player that person is usually a line judge. That’s what he did in a fit of rage three years ago, and…

Nick Kyrgios Is Hitting Tweeners And Talking Shit, As Usual

Nick Kyrgios was up 5-3 in the first set against Alexander Zverev, fellow member of men’s tennis’s new guard, when the sport’s favorite hothead hit an unusual, in-character approach shot.

Size Isn't Everything As Long As You've Got A Reliable Backhand

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.— The little guy had a problem, and knew it, running a hand through his sweat-damp sienna hair. All of 21 years old Yoshihito Nishioka is listed at 5-foot-7 and 141 pounds, straining credibility on both counts, and on Monday a heavy bandage swaddled something hurt under his right knee. Ranked No.…

Gael Monfils Is Half Tennis Genius, Half Slapstick Comedian

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—Last night Gael Monfils had the whole arena in his palm, and he had his neon soles skidding across the whole arena. I can’t explain how how he does that on hardcourt baked dry in the desert sun—someone study his ankles and whatever they’re made of—but skidding was surely the precise verb, as he…

Nick Kyrgios In Sun And Shade

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—The camera strips so much from tennis. We know this, clearly, since we pay good money and haul our bodies into discomfort just to see it up close. Part of what it removes is all the little interstitial, untelevised moments that might give flesh to the personalities on court. Moments like these…

Andy Murray Will Just Relax And Giggle While His Rivals Tear Each Other Apart

Andy Murray is a lucky motherfucker at Indian Wells, and he knows it. While all his foes try to slit each others’ throats in the bottom quarter of the draw—home to Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro, and Nick Kyrgios—the top seed plans to enjoy the gladiator games from his relaxing…

The Tennis Dogs Are Snatching Balls And Dropping Dung

The Brazil Open brought rescue dogs on court to retrieve tennis balls, in an effort to promote local animal shelters in Sao Paulo. Just like last year, the practice—like the dogs—was very good. This year’s crop of pups: Cindy, Nanda, Pretinha, Mia, Arlete and Ovelha. I couldn’t tell you which one of them was caught…

The Indian Wells Men's Draw Is One Big Clusterfuck

Today, out in the Coachella Valley, the Indian Wells Masters will begin. It’s the highest-profile tennis tournament in the world after the four Grand Slams, dropping a fat bounty of 1000 ranking points on its winners. Everyone in the tennis universe should be excited, except for Serena Williams and all her fans, after…

Will Serena Williams Be Ready For The French Open?

It’s only March and the French Open isn’t until the end of May, but there’s reason to wonder (or in my case, as a devoted Serena disciple, worry) if Serena Williams will be ready to win the next grand slam of the year. She hasn’t played a competitive match since her Australian Open win and she announced Monday that…

When Nick Kyrgios Gives A Shit, He's The Future Of Tennis

Bless Nick Kyrgios for doing so much without ever really seeming to care. I’m not referring to those especially dumb, fringe cases—the forehands sliced for no reason, or the shameless tweeners during high-tension rallies—although he does plenty of that. I just mean just the way he hits the average ball.