I did not know this match had started untill my houseboy told me by radio just now. I was out on the North 40 repairing my electric fence that keeps out the Hyenas out of my asparagus crops. I will give my expert prediction after I go over the facts and figures of these 2 players with Hansook, my houseboy. I had thought Monfils retired a couple of years ago because I know he can't play tennis anymore.
A tennis player's income depends solely on his sporting results. In the event of injury, the daily life of those far from the Top 100 can become extremely complicated.
Since February 2022 and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Ukrainian sport has been heavily affected by human, structural and economic losses.
Tennis has, of course, not been spared.
While Ukrainian athletes have had to rethink their entire organization, an entire country, behind the scenes, has had to adapt and change its training conditions. This extends all the way to the highest level, where professional players have spoken out, trying as best they can to help their nation.
As federations struggle to reinvent themselves, private academies are capturing talent… but also families able to invest tens of thousands of euros a year. A system that is increasingly effective, but also increasingly unequal.
Born almost by accident in an Acapulco garden, padel has in fifty years become a global phenomenon that both fascinates and worries tennis. Its meteoric rise is already reshaping the landscape of racket sports.
The Auckland tournament promises to be thrilling: Ben Shelton will lead the way, but the spotlight will be on Gaël Monfils, the defending champion, and Stan Wawrinka, prestigious invitees.
In an emotional interview, Monfils discusses fatigue, his family, but also the difficulty of announcing his retirement to the one who has always supported him: his father.
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