”Sports have always been a very powerful tool for social change.”

The tenth episode of Tennis United features a powerful discussion between James Blake and Martina Navratilova about equality in tennis.

“Younger people are starting to lead the way… about having inclusivity and being together and Tennis United is a great platform for that. With so many young players on Tour, they are the ones who are so much more open-minded and you’re not dealing with the status quo,” Blake said. “So many barriers got shattered and I feel like at times it was cracks, cracks, cracks and then shattered by people like Martina, by people like Serena and Venus, by Arthur Ashe, by Althea Gibson.”

Former WTA World No. 1 Navratilova has long championed equal rights, and she is happy with progress that has been made in the sport in recent years.

“It’s just gradually come to where gay people come out, and less and less attention is being paid to that. This is what the whole idea was,” Navratilova said. “I was marching so that one day we don’t have to march at all. We’re still marching, but it’s so nice to have those steps forward where people don’t care.”

Also in this episode, 1996 Wimbledon finalist MaliVai Washington chats about the work his MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation does in Florida. The foundation utilises tennis, daily homework help and a life skills curriculum to engage local youth.

Gustavo Kuerten and Mary Pierce also join the show to share memories of their love affair with Roland Garros. Kuerten lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires on three occasions, while Pierce emerged victorious in 2000.

“You’re not my tennis coach!”

I live in Paris with my wife, Carine, and our sons, Timothée and Valentin. But when everything started to close because of the coronavirus pandemic, we decided to self-isolate in southern France. The house we stayed at has a tennis court in the backyard, so there was a lot of tennis with the kids. My older son, Timothée, who is 10, likes to remind me that I’m not actually his coach when I tell him something on the court!

That’s how he’s been from the start, so I never got involved with his tennis much. But sometimes he’s happy to play with me because he remembers that I’m a tennis player and thinks maybe I actually know something!

We don’t spend a lot of time at home as tennis players, so unfortunately I’ve missed a lot of things with my kids. Sometimes you leave for a tournament and they are crawling. When you come back, they are walking! You feel like, ‘Oh no, I missed something there.’ But I knew that was the case from the start. When Timothée is 15, I will be 40, so I’ll still be able to do many things with him. I’m 35 now and still competing, so if I waited until the end of my career to start a family, it would’ve been too late.

During normal time, when I am home for a week off, I really want to focus on things with my kids. But unfortunately, at some point, I have to leave to travel again. That’s what has been so nice about these months. It’s been great to have all this time so I could really work on some things that I wanted to help with, like school for the big one and other things for the little one.

I’ve actually been a teacher more than anything else during the ATP Tour’s suspension. At the beginning it was difficult balancing everything, from helping with school to playing tennis with the kids and handling everything else. But as time went on, it got really good and was a lot of fun. I think it was easier for Timothée to accept that I was teaching him something, because he had no other choice! In general, I try to stay away from their tennis. I watch everything, but I never say anything. I’m always in the background.

It’s funny, but it was not so good on the court by the end for Timothée. He was ready to play with someone else! Even so, I was happy to have the chance to spend a lot of time with him. Now, our club just began opening up, so I was able to bring my kids for their first lesson since the coronavirus started spreading. They are happy — they are not stuck with their father as their coach!

I haven’t played much myself even with the court in our backyard. I’m the kind of person who needs to know when I’m going to start again to make preparations. I’m not young anymore. It’s not like I can go and practise full-on for four months. I just can’t do it. If I did start like that, I’d be dead and get injured.

My idea was to rest and to try to stay healthy and in good shape and then to have two months to prepare when tournaments begin. I just started two weeks ago very slowly and I’m trying to practise again and I’m going to go more and more.

When the tour resumes, I won’t worry about any specific results. I’m 35, and to me the results are not the most important thing anymore. The main goal is to be happy on the court. I would like to take even more pleasure during the matches. I like to play tennis, I like to practise. This is the sport I will love forever. I often say I might be the person who loves tennis more than anybody. I can watch it at all levels, and I believe everything about the sport is interesting. The only problem is when I play matches.

I have the will to perform as best I can to achieve good things, and sometimes because of that stress and the pressure to play well, the pleasure sometimes disappears. I have too many thoughts of, ‘Hey I want to win. I want to accomplish this, I want to do that.’ I would like to spend more time in the match enjoying what I’m doing.

This is the time in my life when I’m super good at tennis, and that’s a great thing. I need to try to forget the rest. That’s the last goal I have on the tennis court. The results will come, or they will not. But I’m pretty confident if I do things the right way I will have great results. If I don’t, it will almost be the end of my career. Maybe I’ll say, ‘I’ve suffered enough.’

– as told to Andrew Eichenholz

One of Tommy Haas’ most memorable wins was his last victory.

The former World No. 2 was 39 when he competed at the 2017 MercedesCup in Stuttgart. Haas had undergone his ninth surgery the previous April and he entered the tournament searching for form during his final season. The German had not won back-to-back matches since 2014 Rome.

After winning his first-round match against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Haas knew he faced a tough challenge in the second round against Roger Federer. The Swiss had won 12 of their past 13 ATP Head2Head meetings.

But Haas found some of the magic that helped him win 15 ATP Tour titles, saving a match point to stun the top-seeded Federer 2-6, 7-6(8), 6-4.

“I’m a little bit speechless that I beat him today,” Haas said. “It’s been a while since I have won back-to-back matches and to do it today against Roger is obviously one of my career highlights. It’s a very special feeling.”

Federer won nine more points than his friend, 105 to 96. Haas withstood 23 aces from the Swiss and saved nine of 12 break points to advance to the quarter-finals. At 7/8 in the second-set tie-break, Haas had to deliver a second serve, but Federer did not convert his match point, lifting a backhand long.

“Tommy definitely played well when he had to,” Federer said.

Haas, who tore a ligament in his right foot the previous year, worked hard for moments like this. The veteran didn’t win a title by shocking Federer, but the German created a memory he’ll never forget.

“This is my last phase, so the emotions are different from what they would have been a few years ago,” Haas said. “I was happy to be out there in front of a German crowd playing against a friend, an idol, a legend, the greatest ever. It’s fantastic.”

That proved to be the German’s final victory. Haas lost in the quarter-finals against Mischa Zverev, and also dropped his next five matches after that. He competed for the final time in Kitzbühel at the Generali Open.

Did You Know?
The only other player to defeat Federer for his final tour-level win was James Sekulov at 2000 Indianapolis.

– With assistance from Joshua Rey

Hey Kids!

We know that you have been missing the on-court action during the suspension of the tennis tour.

We hope to be back on court soon. In the meantime, you can still connect in a small way with the iconic cities that host famous tennis events by downloading the cityscapes and colouring them in.

Download Colouring Sheets (PDF)

Did you see our first colouring activity?

Don’t forget to check out all the great activities in the Emirates ATP Kids Hub

It’s not often that you save a match point and go on to win the match. It’s more rare to do that and go on to capture the title, but that’s exactly what Lucas Pouille did at the 2017 MercedesCup.

Home favourite Jan-Lennard Struff served at 8/7 in the final-set tie-break of their second-round match in Stuttgart. During the point, the Frenchman tracked down a brilliant drop shot and then flicked back two reflex volleys. He was so close to the net that he had to be careful not to run into it. Pouille hit a clean winner on his second volley, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Pouille used that momentum to power through the next two points and prevail 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(8). The fourth seed then defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber, Benoit Paire and Feliciano Lopez to win his second of three titles that season.

Twelve tour-level titlists saved at least one match point en route to lifting a trophy in 2017. Pouille fell on the other side of the equation that season, too, as Rafael Nadal saved two match points against the Frenchman in the first round of the China Open before emerging from the ATP 500 victorious.

After skipping the clay-court season, Roger Federer arrived at the 2018 MercedesCup following an 11-week hiatus. The Swiss star immediately had to find his top gear, as World No. 1 was at stake. If Federer reached the Stuttgart final, he would pass Rafael Nadal for top spot.

“I think that’s a bit of extra motivation,” Federer said ahead of the ATP 250. “But then again, having lost here last year in the [opening] round, for me, it resets the goals.”

Federer was riding a two-match Stuttgart losing streak. Dominic Thiem saved two match points to oust the Swiss in the 2016 semi-finals, and Tommy Haas saved one match point in a second-round upset of Federer in 2017.

The 36-year-old lost his first set of the 2018 tournament against Mischa Zverev. But then Federer found his form, rallying past the German and ousting Guido Pella to set a semi-final clash against Nick Kyrgios. The stakes were clear: Win, and clinch a return to World No. 1 for the third time that season.

Federer played steadier tennis than the dynamic Aussie in a 6-7(2), 6-2, 7-6(5) triumph, securing No. 1 and reaching the championship match.

“I’m very happy, very relieved. I thought it was a tough match [like] I expected against Nick. We’ve played so many breakers already, I’m losing count,” Federer said. “It was close. It could have gone either way, naturally. But I’m happy I got it and get back to World No. 1 next Monday, so it’s very exciting. And I’ve got another final, so it’s great news.”

Federer had lost two of his previous three matches against his next opponent, Milos Raonic. But the Swiss claimed his 18th tour-level grass-court crown with a 6-4, 7-6(3) victory against the Canadian.

“I’m really happy. I thought it was a good final from my side. I think I played very well throughout the tournament, actually, having not played for a while. It’s a great comeback for me,” Federer said.

Federer only lost his serve twice all week, triumphing in Stuttgart for the first time on his third appearance. His efforts allowed him to reclaim World No. 1 for one week — Nadal took back top spot — which was the last week Federer spent atop tennis’ mountain.

Who is the most difficult opponent on the ATP Tour?

The answer is different depending on whom you ask. Some players are uncomfortable facing powerful opponents, while others don’t like competing against someone with an unorthodox game.

In an Instagram Live session Thursday sponsored by Lavazza, Jannik Sinner and Karen Khachanov revealed that their toughest opponents have very different games.

“For me the most difficult one was Medvedev,” Sinner said, leading Khachanov to crack a massive smile.

“Daniil, my friend!” the Russian exclaimed.

Sinner played Medvedev in February at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille. The Italian raced through the first set, but Medvedev flipped the script for a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory.

“[My match against Medvedev] was so strange. I won the first set easily, and then he changed something. I didn’t understand what it was, and the other two sets went so fast,” Sinner said. “He has such a strange ball, especially with his backhand, which is basically coming with backspin.

“I left the court [after the match] and I said, ‘Okay, I didn’t understand anything from the match.’”

Khachanov is six years older than Sinner. He has much more experience than the rising Italian, and he was happy to give the teen some advice: those tough matches happen.

“There are some players that you feel uncomfortable playing,” Khachanov said. “Sometimes in some matches, something quickly turns and then you don’t understand how you lost.”

Khachanov said his toughest opponent is Rafael Nadal, against whom he owns an 0-7 ATP Head2Head record. Their most memorable meeting came at the 2018 US Open, where Nadal needed four sets to beat Khachanov after four hours and 23 minutes.

“The past four matches were really close, a good level. I remember I was just a few points away from winning,” Khachanov said. “But for me, that’s why it makes it so difficult to beat him, because he’s always there. Somehow in the last moment… he turns around the situation.

“Even if you [are] leading, he’s a guy who can come back and still get the win.”