Welcome to Monday's tennis briefing Athletic We'll explain the story behind last week's story at court.
This week, the Miami Open crowned the champions along with Alina Sabalenka and Jakubumensik. Shoot the single title. Elsewhere, the No. 1 men's world Jannik Sinner made a big hard court swing while playing only one tournament.
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How did Thinner's absence leave him untreated as the world's number one?
This is the total of the ranking points earned by male players at this year's Australia Open, BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open. The big ATP winner in the first Grand Slam of 2025, and the post-Melbourne “Sunshine Double” in California and Florida, was a sinner, and he didn't play either of the latter two tournaments due to a three-month doping ban.
The back-to-back Australian Open Champions had acquired training personnel before returning to tour in May, but all his rivals were unable to take advantage of his absence. It is almost guaranteed that the sinner will still be number one when he starts his comeback in five weeks at home clay at the Italian open in Rome.
Alexander Zverev from Nominal World No. 2 was also last seen playing proper tennis in Melbourne. The difference between him and the sinner is that he played in five events. However, the Germans looked like their own shadow from the moment Thinner beat him in the Australian Open Finals, losing his first match at Indian Wells, and heading out to Arthur Phil in the 16th Miami Open Round, despite breaking up in the final set.
Thinner's main rival, Carlos Alcaraz, was beaten in his first match in Miami. At Indian Wells, he was unable to recover from the horror show on his first set in the semi-finals, losing to ultimate champion Jack Draper. Alkaraz seemed lost at times in both matches, just as he did when he lost to injured Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open Quarter Finals.
Djokovic looked refreshed in Miami after an early exit at the Indian Wells, but did not have to beat the top 14 players to reach the final. When he got there he lost exactly the kind of match that he made a career to win. His opponent in that final was superior in a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) victory, but neutralizing the big server and winning tiebreak was two of Djokovic's call cards.
The 19-year-old Mensiek held groundbreaking tournaments, as did the Indian Wells drapers, but among thinner's established rivals, it was generally a rather challenging month.
Sports brings when the most useful outcomes for the player are not present.
In March 2025, he undoubtedly strengthened the position of the sinner at the pinnacle of male tennis without playing a single point.
Charlie Eccleshare
How does Andreeva use doubles to maintain ground?
For Andreva, he followed the title of the Indian Wells Singles, which won the Miami Open Doubles, and along with his best friend and compatriot Diana Schneider, was the Sunshine Double.
The 17-year-old Russian Andreva may last for a long time, a rare and rare addition to the world's top 10 by continuing to play normal doubles.
She and 20-year-old Schneider play along with a kind of lightness that is not commonly present in single-on-one combat, only beneficial to the fact that two young people can grab onto professional tennis grinds. The WTA Tour timeline is filled with geniuses as sports suffocate.
The pair's sense of humor suspended Japan's Miyamizu on Sunday, 6-3, 6-7 (5) during a long rainy delay that suspended Sunday's final victory, 6-3, 6-7 (5) and 10-2.
It was the second title to partners between Andreeva and Shnaider, and first joined forces in August when he laughed at his path to Olympic silver medals. Since then, they've talked about how much they both enjoy playing together and how it benefits them.
Double Strophy with Diana Schneider and Mira Andreva. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
“When we do doubles, we both get very nervous, we don't like either,” Andreva said in an interview in Melbourne Park in January. “For example, when the score is 5-4 and it helps in a match, we try to make jokes and chill a bit at the same time.
“We're always teasing ourselves, so if she hits a great shot, I'm like, 'Have you seen it? Are you Roger Federer? I mean, come on, stop it.' And then I feel like she's fired and when she makes even better shots, she always says, 'My God, what am I doing?'
Schneider, who has had a tricky singles season after the 2024 breakthrough, felt profitable, saying in an interview in New York before the US opening last year: “”You need a joke in court. You need a smile. You need to have some discussions with a partner who enjoys doubles. Because for me, I've just been relieved of some stress and some tension.
“And I knew she was a very open person. She's very emotional. She loves to talk, loves jokes, loves smiles.
Before the doubles won in Miami, Andreva endured a stressful singles defeat to Amanda Anisimova in the third round, and Schneider lost to Anna Brinkova in the second.
They may have packed Miami and left for rest or practice. Instead, they both found something more valuable in the Doubles Court.
Charlie Eccleshare
It's not the “double sunshine” that Americans wanted.
A few months ago, this seemed to be a very special Indian well and Miami swing for American men.
With the world's number one sinner on the sidelines, and the greatest Djokovic ever in the sport is like a question mark, and about to turn 38, it seemed there was an opening for a group of rivals who are often at their best in their home soil. Top Americans are hard court players who aim to make hay during North American hard court swings. Especially before a three-month trip to Europe and its organic surface.
Ben Shelton was in the Australian Open semi-finals. Taylor Fritz wasn't far from becoming a finalist at last year's US Open. Tommy Paul was the top 10 player. Francis Tiafoe is always fired for home fans.
When that was finished, Fritz was still battling a right abdominal injury, making his best show in two events and fell on Mensiek in the semi-finals of Miami with a three-set tiebreaker. He managed to lose while not breaking his serve all night. A few bad decisions in the first and third tied tie breaks kept him out of the finals.
Shelton fell into the Indian Wells quarters by the final champion draper. Not bad, he seemed to have found his groove on California's rough, kicking hard court. But then in Miami he lost his opening match against Hong Kong's wild card Coleman Wong.
Paul disappeared in the round of 16 matches at Indian Wells against Danil Medvedev. In Miami, he lost his second match against Francisco Cerundo. He's 7-4 since entering the top 10. Tearfoe? He went 2-2 in the Sunshine Double, losing to Phil and Watanabe Kiyosuke.
And I went to that.
The learner, Tien, did not win the match. Alex Michaelsen won only one.
The weather is not good for home players in March.
Matt Foterman
Daniel Collins wins
Daniel Collins was unable to maintain her title in Miami, but eventually won a different kind of trophy.
Collins encounters a dog attacked by a car while in town. She pulled and took the animal to a local veterinary hospital and saw that she was receiving the necessary care throughout the five days of surgery and oxygen.
When the puppy pulled out, Collins announced that he adopted it and named it “Crash.”
“His breathing has returned to normal, his wounds are healed and he definitely enjoys all the love he is receiving,” Collins shared on Instagram, showing that the latest addition to her family is cuddled in bed with her. Crush joins Quincy, who has accompanied Collins on tour for a while.
“He is curious, loving and grateful for his second chance in his life. It was so painful to see a dog after hitting the car.
Probably not another trophy. But maybe something good. And that's good for Crash, who decided not to retire earlier this season.
Currently, she has another title to defend this week in Charleston, South Carolina. There, he remains in the top 32 in the world and is about to acquire the seed for his next Grand Slam in Paris next month.
Matt Foterman
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🏆 Winners of the Week
🎾 ATP:
🏆 Menshik def. Djokovic (4) 7-6 (4) and 7-6 (4) win Miami Open (1,000) In Miami. His first ATP titles.
🎾 WTA:
🏆 Sabalenka (1) def. Pegra (4) Win 7-5, 6-2 Miami Open (1,000) In Miami. This is Belarus' 19th WTA tour title.
📈📉 Rise/Down
📈 Eala After running to the Miami Open semi-finals, he moved from 140th to 140th to 75th place.
📈 Menshik After winning the Miami Open, he climbed 30 spots from 54 to 24.
📈 Tereza Valentová No after winning the ITF W75 event at Murska Sobota in Slovenia. From 211, he reached 41st place, a career-high of 170 No. 170.
📉 Medvedev From 8th to 11th to 11th, it will be the first ATP top 10 since 2019.
📉 Caroline Garcia He dropped 27 places from 74th to No. 101, leaving the WTA top 100 for the first time since 2013.
📉 Thiago Seibos Wild Falls 15 spots from 96 to 111 to 111, leaving the top 100 in ATP.
📅 It's approaching
🎾 ATP
📍Houstton: US Men's Clay Court Championship (250) Featuring Paul, Tierfoe, Michaelsen and Tien.
📍Marrakech, Morroco: Grand Prix Hassan II (250) Featuring Tallon Griekspoor, Lorenzo Sonego, Otto Virtanen and Pavel Kotov.
📍Bucharest, Romania: Tiriac Open (250) Featuring Sebastian Baez, Gabriel Diallo, Botic van des Zandeschurp and Nisshu Basavared.
📺 UK: Sky Sports; US: Tennis Channel 💻
🎾 WTA
📍Charleston, South Carolina: Charleston Open (500) Featuring Pegula, Madison Keys, Zheng Qinwen and Belinda Benchic.
📍Bogota, Colombia: Copa Corsanitas Zurich (250) Featuring Marie Buzkova, Camilla Osorio, Iva Jovic and Alicia Parks.
📺 UK: Sky Sports; Us:
What you noticed this week in the comments below that the boys and women's tours continue.
(Photo above: Patrick Hamilton via Getty Images/AFP; Design: Eamondalton)
