🌮 Guadalajara Open loses big names

The WTA 1000 event is beginning to look more like a WTA 250 event with more top players opting not to play in this year’s tournament. With some big names in women's tennis deciding to skip the 2023 Guadalajara Open, fans and organisers are left puzzled.

Here’s the notable absences and what this means for the tournament.

No no for Coco
World No. 3 Coco Gauff, fresh off her US Open victory, won't be gracing Guadalajara with her presence this time. Gauff's for sure was a big drawcard and her absence is undoubtedly a disappointment for fans.

Sabalenka and More Missing
New world no.1 Aryna Sabalenka, will also be absent. Alongside her, Karolina Muchova, who impressed with her semifinal run at the US Open, and Marketa Vondrousova, a quarterfinalist at the same tournament won’t be seen.

Defending champ out
Last year's Guadalajara champion, Jessica Pegula, won't be defending her title either. She expressed her regret on Instagram, reminiscing about the "bracelets from the fans" she collected during her triumphant run in 2022.

Swiatek's Wise Decision
World No. 2, Iga Swiatek, cited scheduling concerns and the risk of injury as the reasons for her absence. Swiatek made the decision to prioritise her health and long-term performance over playing in Mexico.

Other Top Players Opting Out
It's not just the top who have chosen to skip the event. Several other top-50 players have decided to sit this one out…

Who’s left then? 
With the top six players out of the picture, World No. 7 Ons Jabeur will be the star attraction this year. Jabeur is coming off an early exit from the WTA 500 San Diego Open. However, she now has an excellent opportunity to shine in Guadalajara.

World No. 9 Maria Sakkari and World No. 10 Caroline Garcia both of whom faced challenges during the North American hardcourt swing, will also be looking to seize this chance and make their mark.

What does this mean for the tournament?
The Guadalajara Open started last year as a substitute for tournaments in China, which were temporarily suspended, but for sure this year will undoubtably be a different flavour for fans. While these star absences may disappoint some, they also create an exciting opportunity for rising stars and underdogs to stand-up on the big stage. Everyone will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on how this unique WTA 1000 tournament unfolds.

 🌯 Davis Cup Wrap-up

Davis Cup day four saw the return of Novak Djokovic to action as several teams kept their hopes alive.

Here’s what went down…

Djokovic Dominates, Serbia Secures Davis Cup Final 8 Spot
Novak Djokovic, fresh off his 24th Grand Slam win, continued his winning streak by defeating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Davis Cup. Djokovic's victory secured Serbia's place in the Davis Cup Final 8.

Djokovic faced a 1-4 deficit in the second set but rallied to win five consecutive games.

Serbia's Laslo Djere and the doubles team of Nikola Cacic and Miomir Kecmanovic also secured wins, making it a 3-0 sweep against Spain.

Finland Triumphs over Croatia
Finland, with wins from Otto Virtanen and Emil Ruusuvuori, set up a knockout tie against the United States after defeating Croatia.

Italy's Comeback Victory
Italy also secured a hard fought comeback victory against Chile with Matteo Arnaldi and Lorenzo Sonego securing 3 set wins in the singles. Both teams now stand at 1-1 in Group A.

Great Britain's Emotional Victory
Andy Murray's emotional win against Switzerland's Leandro Riedi was dedicated to his late grandmother. Stan Wawrinka levelled the tie with a 7-5, 6-4 win against Cameron Norrie, before Evans and Skupski clinched victory for the hosts with a win against Dominic Stricker and Wawrinka.

"Gran, that one's for you" 🙏 

 ⏰ Shot clock

😟 Former French player raped 400 times. Testifying in French parliament, Angelique Cauchy revealed that her coach raped her 400 times from the age of 12. Andrew Geddes who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of four young girls in 2021.

🤔 Patrick Rafter thinks Kyrgios can rise again. Despite their rocky past, Rafter thinks Kyrgios can comeback to the level seen during the 2022 season. At the same time the Aussie confirmed Djokovic as his definitive pick for GOAT.

🦘 Brisbane International to return. The combined ATP 250 & WTA 500 Queensland event will make a return to the season calendar having been absent since the outbreak of Covid in 2019.

🥕 Jannik Sinner commitment in question. With the Italian team in trouble the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, has questioned Sinner’s commitment to the national team. It’s not his first absence from the team, which includes Tokyo 2021 and three other missed appearances in Davis Cup.

🏊‍♂️ Nadal in the pool, training. 22 GS winner, Rafael Nadal posted on his Instagram pictures of him swimming with the caption “working”. The spaniard is aiming to return for the Australian Open 2024.

🙅‍♀️ Alizé Cornet refuses to play in China. The former world no.11 posted on her social media that she would not play in China due to “staying true to her convictions”. Cornet’s stance is related to China’s treatment of Shuai Peng, who went missing in 2022 after accusing the vice prime minister of rape.

😆 Happy weekend

Professionals aren’t always professional. To make you feel good about yourself and your tennis before the weekend, here’s a 10 minutes of players being…well…human.