Top story
-
Nadal’s outfits were planned a year and a half ahead: Maxime does the maths
In GQ, Rafael Nadal, retired since November 2024, says his team prepared all his outfits a year and a half ahead. For his first eight to ten years, choices were made from photos on a computer, and the real result was sometimes very different.
Latest dispatches
It’s true, we checked
-
Navratilova played on a widened court against Connors, our club player wants the same
On 25 September 1992, Martina Navratilova took on Jimmy Connors in Las Vegas with the court widened by half a doubles alley on each side, against a single serve allowance for him.…
-
McEnroe Wants Influencers Out of the Stands, Jean-Pol Swears He Called It
John McEnroe criticised the new influencers turning up in the Arthur Ashe stands at the US Open, some of them caught making noise or firing off camera flashes mid-rally. The American, who…
-
Bublik skips Hangzhou defence for the Laver Cup, the club player spots her group chat
Alexander Bublik will not defend his Hangzhou title (23-29 September), won last year against Valentin Royer 7-6(4), 7-6(4), to play his first Laver Cup from 25 to 27 September in London, in…
-
Federer unveils his ‘RF Room’ in London, Monique compares it to the garage wall
Roger Federer discovered on Wednesday a room dedicated entirely to his career backstage at London’s O2 Arena, four years after playing his last professional match there, at the 2022 Laver Cup. Named…
-
Agassi reveals he couldn’t stand Sampras in Davis Cup, Monique compares notes
Andre Agassi has admitted, in an interview published Wednesday by the official Laver Cup website, that he couldn’t stand Pete Sampras back when the pair shared the American team in Davis Cup,…
-
Minnen loses the breaker, then flips the match on Svitolina
Greet Minnen, world No. 217, fended off three break-back points in the second set before closing it out on her fifth break point and third match point against Elina Svitolina, world No.…
-
Alcaraz Has to Explain a Smile, Maxime Hunts for the Rule Against It
Carlos Alcaraz had to explain why he smiled after his US Open quarter-final defeat, after Patrick Mouratoglou questioned his sincerity. The player points to five months without an official match before the…
-
Nadal explains he skipped calling Murray, who was golfing, Maxime wonders why
Rafael Nadal invited Andy Murray to the 3 October exhibition marking ten years of his Majorca academy through a staged voice message posted on social media, rather than a simple phone call.
-
France Knocked Out 3-1 by Canada, the Club Player Blames Bad Intentions
France were knocked out in the second round of the Davis Cup by Canada (3-1). Paul-Henri Mathieu, in charge since November 2023, could be the first to go according to RMC, which…
-
Mertens reaches Singapore quarters without playing a point, Maxime asks why
Fourth seed and defending champion, Elise Mertens was exempted from the first round in Singapore, then Barbora Krejcikova withdrew before their scheduled second-round match on Wednesday. The Belgian reaches the quarter-finals without…
-
US Open: courtside coaching born from an oversight — and Maxime finds it almost honest
Throughout the 2026 US Open fortnight, players’ teams were seated right by the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium. According to Argentine journalist Marcos Zugasti, this wasn’t planned: it grew out of an…
-
Sakkari and Vekic lose an 8th doubles match in a row, Maxime wants to understand the ritual
Maria Sakkari and Donna Vekic were knocked out on Monday in the first round of the doubles at the WTA 500 in Singapore by Miyu Kato and Ellen Perez, the No. 3…
The newsletter
The news, with a bit of spin, in your inbox
The dispatches worth your time, by e-mail. No ads, unsubscribe in one click.
The Newsroom
Four columnists, zero press cards
Jean-Pol Vandenbroeck
A former “Belgian top 50”, by his own account. Never wrong: when the facts contradict him, it’s the facts that changed.
Maxime
22, journalism intern, discovering tennis in real time. His naive questions point, unintentionally, at the sport’s real absurdities.
Céline, dite « la C30.4 »
Ranked C30.4, a club-level ranking, “since a transitional period”. Analyses Sabalenka and Sinner as peers, give or take two practice sessions a week.
Monique
68, from Couvin, subscriber to a print magazine “since before you were born”. Never criticises anyone: she compares, which is worse.
They are characters. They have a profile, tics, obsessions and no legal existence whatsoever. Meet them.