Tennis Related - Off Court Serious Issues

[Owendonovan]

If there is food I consider weird for me, then it's weird for me. It's not insulting, and not meant to be insulting. It's just something weird for me. It may not be weird after trying it, or it might remain weird.

[ponchi101]

Weird food: chocolate with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
Problem is: that is like aztecs had it. So they have history on their side.
I always put a good tablespoon of it in my chocolate cake.

[ti-amie]

[dryrunguy]

I can't remember where doping news goes. I guess I'll put this here.
::

Tennis player who used ‘kissing’ as anti-doping defense suspended for four years

A tennis player who used kissing as his defense in an anti-doping case has been suspended for four years.

Gonçalo Oliveira, a Portuguese-born player who represents Venezuela, was provisionally suspended in January after testing positive for methamphetamine in November 2024, at a ATP Tour Challenger event in Manzanillo, Mexico.

After the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) notified Oliveira of his being provisionally suspended, he requested that a woman, whose name is redacted in the ITIA’s full decision in Oliveira’s case, provide a witness statement.

She testified that she met Oliveira at a bar in Manzanillo, and that they “ended up kissing” a little after she “consumed a pill which made me feel euphoria, agitation, confidence to socialize and in the moment a a feeling of energy and joy.” In a later interview with an ITIA investigator, she confirmed this account, but declined to name the drug out of privacy.

Oliveira used her testimony, as well as his own that they spent an extensive amount of time kissing at the bar, during the ITIA’s investigation into his case. When it issued a decision that he should be suspended for four years, Oliveira requested a hearing with an independent tribunal.

After taking into account the testimony of the player and the woman, as well as submissions from experts provided by the ITIA and Oliveira, the tribunal ruled that, on the balance of probabilities, Oliveira did not successfully prove that kissing was the source of amphetamine contamination, and upheld the ITIA’s four-year ban. A director of a doping control laboratory in Québec, Canada, who was cited by the ITIA, said that the amount of methamphetamine in Oliveira’s sample was between “four and 36” times too much to have been transferred by kissing.

Oliveira will be eligible to compete in January 2029, thanks to credit from his time provisionally suspended. He is not the first tennis player to argue that kissing was the source of an anti-doping violation. In 2009, Richard Gasquet was provisionally suspended for testing positive for cocaine, but successfully argued that it was the result of kissing a woman in a Miami nightclub.

James Hansen
by James Hansen
Senior Tennis Editor

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/670716 ... d=18424251

[ti-amie]

But...Gasquet and Pamela

And Yastremska and her hockey player then boyfriend...

[ti-amie]

[ti-amie]

International Tennis Federation to become World Tennis in 2026

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will become ‘World Tennis’ in 2026, following an overwhelming majority vote from its member national tennis associations in favour of the proposal at the ITF Annual General Meeting today.

Recommended by the ITF Board and Executive, the name change is designed to better reflect the organisation’s role as the sport’s global governing body and guardian, as well as the essential role it plays alongside its member nations to grow and develop tennis worldwide.

The name World Tennis has been chosen following an extensive period of research and interviews with stakeholders across the sport, which confirmed the need for a name that more effectively captured the magnitude of the organisation’s role and relevance to the tennis ecosystem through its 213 member national associations.

The change will provide a clearer identity that is more relevant to players, fans, partners and tennis stakeholders around the world, and brings the brand in line with a majority of sport’s most prominent global governing bodies.

The name change forms part of a gradual evolution of the organisation’s brand which has progressed in recent years with the growth of sub-brands such as the World Tennis Tour and World Tennis Number.

It is also part of a long-term strategy that aims to unlock greater engagement, recognition and investment across all areas of tennis – from grassroots participation to elite competitions.

“After more than 110 years of proud history as the ITF, I’m truly excited for our future as World Tennis as we continue to grow our contribution to the development of the game in all corners of the globe," said ITF President David Haggerty.

"World Tennis better reflects who we are today; the global governing body and guardian of tennis, working hard with our members to deliver tennis for life.

“This evolution follows extensive consultation across the global tennis community and reflects our shared ambition to strengthen, unify and grow the game worldwide. We look forward to revealing our new identity and wider plans in the coming months.”

Founded as the International Lawn Tennis Federation in Paris in 1913, the organisation became the International Tennis Federation in 1977.

The ITF’s trading name will be updated on 1st January 2026, and the new World Tennis brand will be launched in summer 2026 as part of a phased rollout plan.


https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-m ... s-in-2026/

[ti-amie]

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

International has the same connotation as "world" so why the change?

[ashkor87]

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

International has the same connotation as "world" so why the change?

how else would they justify all the parties they are having?

[ponchi101]

It is not a big deal, but ITF had legacy behind it.
As long as they do not call it the World Tennis Federation...

[Owendonovan]

International Tennis Federation to become World Tennis in 2026

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will become ‘World Tennis’ in 2026, following an overwhelming majority vote from its member national tennis associations in favour of the proposal at the ITF Annual General Meeting today.

Recommended by the ITF Board and Executive, the name change is designed to better reflect the organisation’s role as the sport’s global governing body and guardian, as well as the essential role it plays alongside its member nations to grow and develop tennis worldwide.

The name World Tennis has been chosen following an extensive period of research and interviews with stakeholders across the sport, which confirmed the need for a name that more effectively captured the magnitude of the organisation’s role and relevance to the tennis ecosystem through its 213 member national associations.

The change will provide a clearer identity that is more relevant to players, fans, partners and tennis stakeholders around the world, and brings the brand in line with a majority of sport’s most prominent global governing bodies.

The name change forms part of a gradual evolution of the organisation’s brand which has progressed in recent years with the growth of sub-brands such as the World Tennis Tour and World Tennis Number.

It is also part of a long-term strategy that aims to unlock greater engagement, recognition and investment across all areas of tennis – from grassroots participation to elite competitions.

“After more than 110 years of proud history as the ITF, I’m truly excited for our future as World Tennis as we continue to grow our contribution to the development of the game in all corners of the globe," said ITF President David Haggerty.

"World Tennis better reflects who we are today; the global governing body and guardian of tennis, working hard with our members to deliver tennis for life.

“This evolution follows extensive consultation across the global tennis community and reflects our shared ambition to strengthen, unify and grow the game worldwide. We look forward to revealing our new identity and wider plans in the coming months.”

Founded as the International Lawn Tennis Federation in Paris in 1913, the organisation became the International Tennis Federation in 1977.

The ITF’s trading name will be updated on 1st January 2026, and the new World Tennis brand will be launched in summer 2026 as part of a phased rollout plan.


https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-m ... s-in-2026/

Someone is being called "brilliant" for this. Sigh.

[ponchi101]

The standards have been lowered in recent decades.
You know. The overuse of words like "amazing". "Special". "Incredible".
Everything is dialed up to 11, when in reality it is like a 4 with the Dolby filter turned off.

[ti-amie]

PIF's Surj Sports Investment partners with ATP in first-ever expansion of the Masters 1000 category in ATP Tour's 35-year history
Saudi Arabia will become the 10th ATP Masters 1000 host
October 23, 2025


Pictured from left to right: Yazeed A. Al-Humied, Deputy Governor and Head of MENA Investments at PIF; Andrea Gaudenzi, Chairman of the ATP; His Excellency Yasir O. Al-Rumayyan, Governor of PIF; Danny Townsend, CEO of SURJ Sports Investment; and Bandar Mogren, Chairman of SURJ Sports Investment and COO of PIF, gather in Paris, France, to sign a new partnership to bring a 10th ATP Masters 1000 event to Saudi Arabia. By Press Release

ATP and SURJ Sports Investment, a PIF company, have today announced the launch of an all-new ATP Masters 1000 tournament, to be hosted in Saudi Arabia.

In what is the first-ever expansion of the tournament category, Saudi Arabia will become the tenth ATP Masters 1000 host, joining the existing nine tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Toronto/Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris. The Saudi tournament will begin as early as 2028.

The agreement marks a new era for global tennis and a major sports transformation in Saudi Arabia, bringing the most celebrated names in the sport to the country and delivering an unforgettable experience for fans.

The hosting of the tenth ATP Masters 1000 event underscores PIF’s long-term commitment to shaping the future of international tennis and global sport, and elevating Saudi Arabia’s position as a premier global sports and entertainment hub. The deal builds on the existing strategic partnership between PIF and ATP, which includes PIF as the official naming partner of the PIF ATP Rankings (as well as the WTA rankings), partnering on several key ATP Tour events and the recent launch of a next-generation technology platform, ATP Tennis IQ Powered by PIF. As part of the agreement, the new event will join ATP and the existing Masters 1000 tournaments as a shareholder in ATP Media, the Tour’s global broadcast and media arm.

The tournament will also focus on accelerating the growth of the game at all levels. A nationwide grassroots programme, developed in partnership with the Saudi Tennis Federation, will promote inclusivity, accessibility, and talent development, inspiring the next generation of Saudi athletes and champions and creating robust pathways for participation. This supports part of PIF’s broader ambition to grow sport at all levels, and to help drive the development of tennis across both the men’s and women’s game.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, commented: "This is a proud moment for us and the result of a journey that’s been years in the making. Saudi Arabia has shown a genuine commitment to tennis – not just at the professional level, but also in growing the game more broadly at all levels. PIF’s ambition for the sport is clear, and we believe fans and players alike will be amazed by what’s coming. Strengthening our premium events is driving record growth and transformation across the Tour, and we’re grateful to our partners at PIF and SURJ for helping deliver that growth and sharing in this vision.”

Bander Bin Mogren, Chairman of SURJ Sports Investment, said: “Bringing an ATP Masters 1000 event to Saudi Arabia is a major step forward for tennis in the region and a reflection of our shared commitment with ATP to the growth of the game around the world. This announcement underscores Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a major destination for world-class sport and strengthens our ambition to support athletes, fans, and the wider tennis community for years to come. We are proud to be leading this effort with our partners, and we are committed to delivering a tournament that leaves a lasting legacy for the sport.”

Danny Townsend, CEO of SURJ Sports Investment, added: "The launch of an ATP Masters 1000 in Saudi Arabia is a defining moment in our journey to enhance the sports landscape. This tournament is more than an event; it is a statement of ambition, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s role as a global sports hub. In partnership with ATP, we are committed to creating an extraordinary experience for players and fans, while advancing our mission to develop sport at every level.”

Sports is a key strategic sector for PIF, unlocking opportunities and enriching lives while establishing Saudi Arabia as a global destination for sports and a driver of long-term economic growth. PIF supports a wide range of sports globally and domestically, including football/soccer, tennis, golf, electric motorsports, combat sports and esports both to drive sports’ global growth and encourage participation domestically.

With Riyadh having hosted the WTA Finals since 2024 and Jeddah as the home of the Next Gen ATP Finals since 2023, this latest announcement is set to strengthen the country’s connection with tennis and inspire an emerging fanbase with yet another glimpse of the world’s best players.

More details on the tournament venue and dates will be announced in due course.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/saudi-a ... tober-2025

[ponchi101]

And WHEN can they fit this in the calendar?
I wonder which smaller tournaments will have to go.

[skatingfan]

And WHEN can they fit this in the calendar?
I wonder which smaller tournaments will have to go.

It's going to be scheduled in February so probably some of the hard court events in North America (Delray Beach, Dallas, Acapulco), and Europe (Rotterdam, Marseille). It will have two lead in events that are in the Middle East already (Doha, Dubai), and the money to pay large appearance fees to lure the top players away from the other tournaments. I know that for now it's in the same category as Monte Carlo, but we have to know that they will be pushing to make it a 12-day mandatory event in the future.