It’s rare that we get to see former women’s tennis star Anna Kournikova, who retired way back in 2003 — even on her Instagram page, there’s the rare appearance, although she posted a sweet Father’s Day message to husband Enrique Iglesias, with whom she has three kids together including twins.
So people are all about the photos snapped recently that people are flipping out about — she’s in a wheelchair with a boot on her foot. So maybe she suffered an injury recently that she’s now recovering from.
That’s all we know. Hope she’s doing OK and hope the family is doing well.
Former Florida tennis star Ben Shelton was one of the final four standing at the Australian Open this weekend, and he’s climbing the rankings as a result.
Former Florida tennis star [autotag]Ben Shelton[/autotag] is one of the young American stars in the sport, and he’s back up to No. 14 in the ATP rankings following a semi-final loss to top-ranked Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open on Saturday.
It’s not quite a career-high mark after spending two weeks at No. 13 last year, but Shelton hasn’t been ranked inside the top 15 since a disappointing finish at the US Open in September.
In fact, it’s Shelton’s best Grand Slam finish since a semi-final appearance at the 2023 US Open. Although he failed to advance beyond the fourth round at all four majors last season, he still had a consistent and healthy year inside the top 25, including 12 weeks at No. 14 overall.
Ben Shelton at the 2025 Australian Open
Shelton cruised to the round of 16, dropping just two sets across three wins. He beat No. 15 Lorenzo Musetti in four sets to advance past the round of 32 and qualified for the quarter-finals after No. 41 Gael Monfils retired in the fourth set of a battle.
Monfils and Shelton went to a tiebreak in each of the first three sets, but a bad back forced the Frenchman to call the match after nearly three hours of play.
Shelton defeated Lorenzo Sonego in four sets to return to the semi-finals. He pushed Sinner to a tiebreak in the first round of the matchup but lost the next two sets 6-2. Sinner ultimately won the tournament, defeating Alexander Zverev in straight sets. Novak Djokovic retired in the other semi-final to set up the trophy game.
What’s next for Ben Shelton?
There are no 1,000-level events in February, but Shelton usually plays a few tournaments back in the Americas to keep fresh for Indian Wells and Miami in March.
The Dallas 250 is next week, and Shelton finished in the semi-finals there last year, so look for him to make a run. The Acapulco 500 is another option at the end of the month. He made the quarter-finals there last year.
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Lady Vols advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship after defeating Ohio State.
No. 18 Tennessee (4-0) defeated No. 15 Ohio State (3-1), 4-3, on Saturday at Goodfriend Tennis Center in the second round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend.
The Lady Vols advance to ITA National Team Indoor Championship Feb. 7-11.
“That’s what college tennis is all about,” Tennessee assistant coach Elizabeth Scotty said. “You love to see those moments when both teams put it all out on the line. Ohio State came out massive after that doubles point. For the team, for Tennessee, we just rallied behind one another and slowly inched our way back into it. It was incredible.”
No. 14 Tennessee defeats Illinois in the ITA Kickoff Weekend at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
No. 14 Tennessee (4-1) defeated Illinois (0-1), 4-2, on Saturday at Goodfriend Tennis Center in the ITA Kickoff Weekend.
Alejandro Moreno earned a win for Tennessee with a, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, victory on court five.
The Vols will next play in the ITA Kickoff Weekend Championship on Sunday against Auburn or Michigan. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. EST at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
The dude is a great tennis player. He’s also just, generally, a jerk. It is what it is. That’s how he’s always been and that’s how he always will be.
But still, he didn’t deserve the boos he got from the Australian Open crowd after getting injured.
Djokovic retired early from his match against Alex Zverev. He’s been battling a nagging muscle tear in his leg, at least, since his match in the quarterfinals on Tuesday against Carlos Alcaraz. He confirmed it following his win earlier in the week.
He attempted to manage the injury for the semifinal but, obviously, it didn’t work. Whatever pain he was in worsened to the point where he had to retire early from the match after one single set.
The Australian Open crowd didn’t like it. So they booed. All Djokovic could do was give a thumbs-up on his way through the tunnel.
That was such a cringey moment. It felt so unnecessary. Salute to Alexander Zverev for coming to his defense. He shouldn’t have had to do that. He also didn’t have to do it. But he did it, anyway. That’s awesome.
And, look, I get it. Djokovic is a jerk. He also left at a convenient time, just as the match seemingly got rolling. It was an injury he’d played through before, so people are likely questioning why he couldn’t do the same thing here.
But, regardless of how you feel about him or what you think about him bowing out, nobody — not even Novak Djokovic — deserves to be booed for being injured. You don’t have to like him. You can absolutely root against him. You can boo him when he’s healthy.
But booing someone when they’re hurt and can’t play? That’s wack, man. We’re better than that as a sports-viewing public. Or, at least, we should be, anyway.
Mark Andrews speaks
Everyone has been waiting for Mark Andrews to say something after dropping a potential game-tying catch on Sunday against the Bills. The Ravens would’ve had another shot to get to the AFC title game.
Instead, they’re at home and Andrews has to live with his mistake.
“Even though the shock and disappointment are unlike anything I’ve ever felt before, I refuse to let the situation define me,” Andrews said.
There ya go. That’s how you do it. Get back up off the turf and try it again next year. It’ll be a tough pill to swallow, but taking the challenge head-on is the best way to go about it.
Salute to Andrews for committing to that.
Ichiro is a better man than me
Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Because ain’t no way I’m sitting down and kicking it with my biggest hater.
He said that he wants to have a drink with the lone Hall of Fame voter who left him off of their ballot. Andrew Joseph has more here.
“Ichiro said that he would like to have a drink with that voter, which was a gracious approach to someone who honestly deserves to have their voting privileges revoked.
To this day, Mariano Rivera is the lone player to reach the Hall of Fame through a unanimous vote. Ichiro surely deserved to be the first position player to have that honor.
But really, you have to love that response from Ichiro. It was all class.”
Andrew is right. That’s super classy. Ichiro seems like a very nice, stand-up guy.
But, again, couldn’t be me.
Photo Friday: The other side of sports
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The anguish of sports is never celebrated, but it certainly exists. We see it plainly here through David Montgomery as he goes back to the Lions’ locker room after an upset loss against the Commanders.
Quick hits: Starters and snubs … The NBA in Paris … and more
Sometimes, you can’t describe what just happened when you do incredible things, like beating No.2 Iga Swiatek to punch your ticket to the Australian Open Finals.
For Madison Keys, she was seemingly bereft of words.
Keys did the unthinkable on Thursday. After staring match point in the face at one point, she rallied back and eventually rattled off four of the final five points of a super tiebreak set for a chance at an Australian Open title.
What a comeback. It’s even more special when you realize Keys lost in the semi-final rounds in 2015 and 2022.
This might also explain why Keys flatly said, “Yeah” (while stifling a laugh) when asked about the moment and if it felt good to put herself back in such a position for the second time in her career. As she rationalized in real-time what just happened on the court, she giddily said, “Yeah. I’m in the finals!” That’s the kind of wholesome activity we love to see.
If I ever lost to my friend at the Australian Open, I would dramatically never show my face again.
Why? Because if my friend was tennis star Aryna Sabalenka and she beat me at the Australian Open, I would need consoling and privacy. (Nobody talk to me. I need a moment.) Not only did I lose, but Ayrna had to do it to me on one of tennis’ biggest stages.
Thankfully, it seems Aryna is aware of what it must feel like to be in that sort of predicament. On Thursday, she faced her friend and fellow tennis player Paula Badosa in the Australian Open, beating her in straight sets.
Afterward, she offered one of the best remedies for that situation—SHOPPING.
“I’m sure she [hates] me for the next—I don’t know, hour, day [or] two. I’m okay with that. [I] can handle that. And after that, I think we’re back [to being] friends … I promise, Paula, we [will] go shopping, and [I’ll] pay for whatever she wants. Whatever you want.”
Aryna Sabalenka after beating Paula Badosa to reach Australian Open Final:
“I hope she’s still my friend… I promise Paula we will go shopping and I’ll pay for whatever you want”
Britez Risso, a junior, was the first player to earn the honor in 2025 after Tennessee’s victories against East Carolina and Wake Forest.
In Tennessee’s, 4-3, victory over the Demon Deacons, Britez Risso earned the Lady Vols’ first point of the match, defeating Brianna Baldi, 6-3, 6-1.
Britez Risso’s singles win came after her and doubles partner Catherine Aulia played Wake Forest’s tandem of Nevena Carton and Kady Tannenbaum, ranked No. 44 in the nation, and led, 6-5, in a match that was not concluded before the Demon Deacons claimed the doubles point.
In the Lady Vols’, 4-0, victory over the Buccaneers, Britez Brisso and Aulia defeated Isabella Rivera and Lilly Lancaster, 6-0, at No. 2 doubles.
Britez Risso also won at No. 4 singles, earning a 6-1,6-1, victory over the Buccaneers’ Anne Lou Champion.
Lady Vols open 2025 tennis season with two road wins.
No. 18 Tennessee (2-0) opened its 2025 women’s tennis season with two victories on Saturday. Both matches were contested at Wake Forest Tennis Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The Lady Vols defeated Wake Forest, 4-3, in its first match. Tennessee concluded play with a, 4-0, victory against East Carolina.
Tennessee will next play Texas Tech on Friday at Goodfriend Tennis Center. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST.
Tennessee-Wake Forest tennis results
Doubles
Mills/Blanch def. Tomase/Yan 5-7 (UT)
Aulia/Britez Risso (UT) vs. #44 Carton/Tannebaum 6-5 (UF)
The Vols defeated Middle Tennessee State (0-1), 5-2, on Thursday at Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Tennessee has recorded wins against Tennessee Tech, Belmont and the Blue Raiders.
Tennessee will next play on Sunday at Wake Forest. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. EST in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Tennessee-MTSU tennis results
Doubles
1. Karim Al-Amin/Ondrej Horak (MTSU) def. Alan Jesudason/Jan Kobierski (TENN) 6-2
2. Shunsuke Mitsui/James Newton (TENN) def. Shu Matsuoka/Jakub Kroslak (MTSU) 6-4
3. Alex Kotzen/Jose Garcia (TENN) def. Rostislav Halfinger/Kacper Szymkowiak (MTSU) 6-1
Order of finish: 3,1,2
Singles
1. Alex Kotzen (TENN) def. Karim Al-Amin (MTSU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Shunsuke Mitsui (TENN) def. Jakub Kroslak (MTSU) 7-6(4), 6-2
3. Shu Matsuoka (MTSU) def. Alan Jesudason (TENN) 6-2, 7-5
4. Jose Garcia (TENN) def. Ondrej Horak (MTSU) 7-6(1), 6-4
5. Kacper Szymkowiak (MTSU) def. Jan Kobierski (TENN) 6-2, 6-1
6. Ian Cruz (TENN) def. Rostislav Halfinger (MTSU) 7-6(4), 6-3
