Tennis NRS: Wimbledon announces... everything

Welp, they cancelled it. No strawberries or cream. No prize money. No Grand Slam Tennis Tours House. No Milli’s brunch. It was not a surprise, but it was something that all of us were hoping might navigate a path where Wimbledon would still take place. 

But enough about the corona cancellations, let’s talk about something else. (We’re joking, obviously. There is nothing that remains untouched by this thing.)

• We can talk about how the USTA has converted the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center into a 350-bed temporary hospital, in a move USA Today playfully described as “stepping up to help New York hold serve in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.”
• We can also discuss three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, who might not win Wimbledon this year but will certainly compete for the top social media game amongst any top players. Here, he uses (and perhaps discovers) slo-mo to capture the beauty of his morning routine.
• We’re hearing rumors of pro tennis quarantine exhibitions! Two players, in isolation. Minimal footprint production team. No linespeople. Six-foot social distancing practices. Streamed without physical contact to a global audience around the world.
• Speaking of rumors, get this: the French Tennis Federation (FFT) obviously ruffled some feathers by making their unilateral rescheduling announcement and putting Roland Garros right on top of the Laver Cup (which, even though it doesn’t award points, is an official ATP event, and also one operated in partnership with Tennis Australia and the USTA). Needless to say, the ATP was a little pissed off, and they are considering the option of withholding ATP points from Roland Garros, which would take away the tournament’s spine and put a lot of pressure on them to rethink their decision to reschedule it.
• Player interviews are getting casual. Check out Reilly Opelka as he speaks with Tennis.com, while lounging on his couch.

Remember, balls will bounce again, just not on the grass this year. We are all looking ahead to the US Open, and we’re already noticing people booking for the Australian Open, looking to lock down front row seats for the 2021 season!

Tennis NRS is short for Tennis News, Rumors, and Speculation. This series is your place for tennis updates during the 2019–2020 coronavirus pandemic. Stay tuned for frequent briefs here and on social media: follow us on Facebook to hear when new posts are published.