We’ve already seen some MASSIVE upsets in the sunshine state. Plus, a new legal challenge may have big implications for the future of the pro tours. 

As always, there is plenty to discuss, so let’s get into this week’s topics!

New Videos!!

We have two brand new videos on our channel this week!

Both videos cover what was one of the most CHAOTIC 1000 events in recent memory. 

The first covers last week as a whole, while the 2nd dives into what some of the stunning losses could mean for the top players who suffered them.

Check them out and let us know what you think!

What Happened Last Week?

The first week of this year’s Miami Open has already given us some instant classics.

Two top 8 seeds are already gone on the men’s side. 

#7 Daniil Medvedev went down to Jaume Munar in straight sets 6-2 6-3. 

David Goffin’s 5-7 6-4 6-3 win over #2 Carlos Alcaraz is an early contender for upset of the tournament.

Other seeds that went down in week 1 included #13 Ben Shelton, #26 Jiri Lehecka, & #32 Alex Michelsen.

6 American men are still alive, led by #3 Taylor Fritz.

In the women’s draw, the number of upsets are stacking up quickly. 

12 of the 32 seeds lost their opening matches. That’s almost 40%! 

Some of the biggest names out so far include #7 Elena Rybakina, #8 Emma Navarro, #12 Daria Kasatkina, & #25 Jelena Ostapenko.

Despite Navarro’s loss, the American women are still doing quite well with 9 making their way into the third round. 

Live Ranking Update: The Biggest Movers Of The Week

WTA:

117. Alexandra Eala (+23) [NCH]

88. Elena-Gabriela Ruse (+14)

88. Hailey Baptiste (+9) 

34. Ashlyn Krueger (+6) [NCH]

42. McCartney Kessler (+6) [NCH]

It’s another good week for some new career high rankings.

Elena-Gabriela Ruse & McCartney Kessler lost in the third round in Miami, but leave the tournament with solid ranking moves. 

Hailey Baptiste is 9 spots off her career high, but made a good jump thanks to a third round showing.

Alexandra Eala & Ashlyn Krueger are into the 4th round, with an opportunity to keep rising in the ranks. 

ATP:

167. Coleman Wong (+15)

73. Jacob Fearnley (+10) [NCH]

50. Jakub Mensik (+4)

49. Zizou Bergs (+2) [NCH]

58. Joao Fonseca (+2) [NCH]

The men’s tournament has also seen some great breakthrough performances.

Jacob Fearnley came through qualifying, won a round in the main draw, and was rewarded with a top 75 debut. 

Jakub Mensik, Zizou Bergs, & Joao Fonseca are all very close in ranking, so it will be interesting to see who does or doesn’t make it to the 4th round in Miami.

Coleman Wong has been a feel-good story this week, and is making really good use of his wildcard this week.

Major Tournament Updates:

Here’s a quick look ahead to what’s coming up this week:

• ATP/WTA Miami Open (March 18 - March 30)

The Miami Open continues with the final rounds of the sunshine double taking place this week.

Watch Out For These Players

Coleman Wong:

This 20-year old picked up the biggest win of his young career in Miami this week.

Ranked no. 182 in the world, Wong became the first man representing Hong Kong to defeat a top 20 player, since the ATP rankings were introduced in 1973!

Coleman got the job done against #13 seed Ben Shelton, defeating the American in three tough sets 7-6 (3) 2-6 7-6 (5) in the 2nd round.

Wong trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy, and refers to the Spaniard as his “idol”. He has trained there since he was 17 and has been a hitting partner for pros, giving him some great experience.

While he made his Tour debut last spring in Miami, and won his first tour-level match last fall, he has struggled to replicate the consistency he had on the Challenger Tour on the main stage. 

Wong credits the support he gets from his team, his parents, and Rafa himself for his success.

“My parents, my coaches, my team. They really helped me a lot from highs and lows. They know that I’m struggling and came in here, [it was] not easy,” Wong said after the match.

“I always trust myself to play in these big stages…I had a tough time [during] COVID. I didn’t play for a year and a half and I’m really lucky my team keeps supporting me. I’m really happy.”

Wong couldn’t back up the big win, falling to Adam Walton in round 3, but this tournament should stand out as a big milestone and growth moment for the talented youngster.

Alexandra Eala:

Another youngster having a career-changing week is this 19-year old. 

This big-hitting teen from the Philippines has the biggest upset on the women’s side so far with a comfortable 6-4 6-2 win over #5 Madison Keys.

Eala is also a Rafa Nadal Academy product, AND she is dating Coleman Wong! Talk about a power couple.

Eala spent 7 years at the academy, and graduated from there in 2023. 

She also credits the Academy for much of her success, “My family should take credit for the foundation that they laid out before they sent me there. But of course, the academy was able to build on that foundation in such a way that I’m able to be where I am now.”

The way Eala has approached her career is one of the biggest reasons for her continued success.

She treats the big moments in her career as ‘steps’ in the journey that us her career. She also has an incredibly positive mentality on court, and does not get too high or too low emotionally. 

Eala also hopes that she will inspire young players in the Philippines by exemplifying her grit and work ethic on the court. 

She will need all of the grit she can muster up when she takes on Paula Badosa in the 4th round. 

Off The Court

PTPA Files Lawsuit vs. ATP, WTA, & Others:

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and 22 players have filed multiple lawsuits across several global jurisdictions against the ATP, WTA, ITF, & ITIA. 

The suits allege anti-competitive business practices, monopolizing of professional tennis and systemic abuse.

PTPA executive director Ahmad Nassar said in a statement that, “tennis is broken. Behind the glamorous veneer that the defendants promote, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardizes their health and safety.”

Legal action has been taken in the UK, European Union, and the United States.

In the U.S. filing, twelve players are listed as plaintiffs, including PTPA co-founder Vasek Pospisil, Nick Kyrgios, Reilly Opelka, & Sorana Cirstea. 

The 162-page complaint accuses the ATP, WTA, ITF, & ITIA of working together as a “cartel” and colluding with one another to reduce competition and fix prize money.

The ATP & WTA have released individual statements, both vowing to “vigorously defend” their positions, and calling the suit “misguided”. 

The ITIA’s statement said that it welcomes the chance to engage with players about the sport’s anti-doping programs. 

The ITF has not responded yet, saying it will take the “appropriate time” to consider a response.

Raducanu Splits With Coach…Again:

Emma Raducanu has split with her 8th coach in four years. 

Her newest partnership with Vladimir Platenik has ended after just 14 days. The pair started working together shortly before Indian Wells on a trial basis.

Her management team confirmed the split, stating, “ Emma and Vlado have parted ways. Emma has the utmost respect for Vlado and the work they started, but it wasn’t quite heading in the right direction. Emma is now focused on doing as well as she can here in Miami… and will continue looking for the right coach.”

The partnership was originally supposed to run through Roland Garros in May.

Emma is through to the 4th round of Miami after an upset win over Emma Navarro in round two and a retirement win over McCartney Kessler.

In Case You Missed It…

Collins Rescuses Injured Dog; Intends On Adoption:

Danielle Collins is working on adopting her second dog.

But there’s a lot more to this story.

In an on-court interview following her 2nd round win, Danielle revealed that she came across an injured dog lying in the street after she left Hard Rock Stadium one day last week. 

The dog had been hit by a car.

“I was like, ‘we have to pull over, we have to get the dog. We took him out of the street…he’s been in the hospital now for two days.” Collins said.

She has aptly named him Crash because he survived a car crash. His middle name is Marino, after the football player Dan Marino, and his last name is obviously Collins. 

Danielle encouraged everyone in the crowd to send “good energy” to her “little baby”.

Collins posted an update on Crash to her Instagram story Sunday evening:

Hoping for a speedy recovery for the newest member of the Collins family!

Highlights Of The Week

Check out some of the best shots from the first week of the Miami Open!