Even Without Fans in the Stands, 2021 @VolvoCarOpen Should Be One to Remember

Posted by Admin on February 4, 2021
Posted in: Charleston, Volvo Car Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment
Better Times

VOLVO CAR OPEN TO BE CONDUCTED WITHOUT FANS

Tournament to be held as made-for-TV event, April 3 – 11, 2021

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Volvo Car Open, the premier women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America, will be held as scheduled, April 3-11, 2021, in Charleston, SC without fans. With public health and safety as the event’s top priority, the tournament will forgo its traditional on site fan environment to create a made-for-TV tennis event instead. This change will allow the Volvo Car Open to still operate in 2021, providing tennis players an opportunity to compete and earn a living and offering fans a unique and engaging broadcast experience they can enjoy from home.  

The tournament reached this decision after closely monitoring the rise in COVID-19 cases and consulting with local government and health officials. Ticket holders will receive communication from the Volvo Car Open’s ticketing department on processing ticket refunds.

“After much deliberation, our team has made the difficult but necessary decision to host the 2021 Volvo Car Open without fans,” said Bob Moran, Volvo Car Open Tournament Director. “We delayed this decision as long as we possibly could in hopes that the end result may be different. But, in order to successfully execute a fan experience that complies with all guidelines and requirements given by local government and health officials, we would need to begin building our event facilities this week. Unfortunately, with the ongoing high positivity numbers and the potential of unknown restrictions on travel to the U.S., we have concluded that the creation of a made-for-TV tournament is the best possible outcome for the 2021 Volvo Car Open.”

Both Tennis Channel and WTA Media have agreed to broadcast the 2021 Volvo Car Open, providing a full week of coverage for fans both in the U.S. and abroad.

The tournament is actively working in partnership with the WTA and the Medical University of South Carolina on the development of health and safety protocols for the event, which will allow the team to create a safe atmosphere for players, essential staff and operational partners.

The Volvo Car Open was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since 1973, the tournament has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports, paving the path for female tennis players to receive equal recognition, respect and pay in the industry. Originally held on Hilton Head Island, the event moved to Charleston in 2001 and is now played on Daniel Island at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center, home to the Volvo Car Stadium.

Charleston Tennis, LLC, which manages the Volvo Car Stadium under a lease from the City of Charleston, recently announced plans to renovate and modernize the 20-year-old Volvo Car Stadium. The city-owned facility will undergo upgrades to enhance the stadium experience for patrons, performers, tennis players and event management, allowing the venue to attract world-class athletes and talent to Daniel Island.

Fanny Stollar, 2018 Volvo Car Open

“Although we are disappointed by our recent event updates, we are already looking ahead to the future”, said Moran. “We are making great progress with the Volvo Car Stadium renovations and are excited to unveil this reimagined space at the celebration of our 50th tennis event in 2022. Our upgraded venue will continue to provide unforgettable entertainment experiences with new state-of-the-art features and elevated patron services.”

For more information on the Volvo Car Open, visit volvocaropen.com or call 843.856.7900.

American @LaurenDavis93 Agrees to Sponsorship Deal With @NeuroTennis

Posted by Admin on February 4, 2021
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NeuroTennis Signs WTA Player Lauren Davis To Official Sponsorship Deal For 2021

Arlington, Va., February 4, 2021 – Tennis players around the world can now “Do It Like Davis” as smart tennis wristband company NeuroTennis, Inc., has announced that American WTA player Lauren Davis has been signed to an official sponsorship deal to represent the popular wearable in 2021.

Currently ranked No. 75 in the WTA World Tour rankings, the 27-year-old Davis has landed Down Under in advance of this year’s first Grand Slam, the 2021 Australian Open to be played Feb. 8-21 in Melbourne.

Using the NeuroTennis wristband, professional, collegiate, junior and even recreational players can take part in a virtual tennis lesson with Davis called “Do It Like Davis.” The lesson is composed of five drills, including:

1) Laurentating forehands (She calls out the shots she wants you to hit)

2) King Kong Backhands

3) Cardiac Arrest (High low drill)

4) Serving Shouldn’t Be Nerving

5) Rapid Fire Volley Drill

All instructions within NeuroTennis can be downloaded using Davis’ voice. Each of her specific instructions come with a video of her explaining what each instruction means.

“In preparation for the Australian Open I’ve incorporated the NeuroTennis technologies into my training and workouts,” said Davis, who is based in Jupiter, Fla., and coached by Eddie Elliott of WOW Sports, Inc. “The NeuroTennis wristband trains you to focus, react quickly and work on specific improvements in your game. It’s been a nice added feature to mix in with my workouts as I prepared for the 2021 season.”

Originally from Gates Mills, Ohio, the speedy and aggressive playing Davis ascended to a WTA career-high world ranking of No. 26 in 2017. She has reached the third round three times at the Australian Open, and twice at Wimbledon. A lucky loser in 2019 at the All-England Club, Davis upset defending champion Angelique Kerber in three sets in the second round.

At the 2018 Australian Open, Davis played one of the most memorable matches over the past several years as she held match points against world No. 1 and eventual champion Simona Halep before falling in the third round 15-13 in the final set in nearly four hours and tying a tournament record for most games played in a match at 48.

“If you are serious about improving your tennis…NeuroTennis is for you,” said NeuroTennis COO Cameron Lickle.

NeuroTennis is available now at NeuroTennis.com and sells as a pair for $329. For more information on how to train your brain and raise your game, visit NeuroTennis.com.

2-4-8! Who Do We Appreciate? Three Seeded Players In @DelrayBeachOpen Quarterfinal Play Today

Posted by Admin on January 11, 2021
Posted in: ATP, Delray Beach. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2-4-8! Who Do We Appreciate? Three Seeded Players In Delray Beach Open Quarterfinal Play Today

Steve Fogleman in Delray Beach

January 11–-John Isner, Hubert Hurkacz and Frances Tiafoe are clearly the ones to beat in this tournament at the moment. Those seeded Delray Beach Open seeds have a lot of contenders at their tails. Sebastian Korda, who beat John Isner at Roland Garros last year, is set for the challenge against the second seed nig man Isner.

Roberto Quiroz, the 28-year-old Ecuadorean with deep pro tennis roots and in his first ever ATP quarterfinal, will square off against the 4 seed, Hubert Hurkacz. Hurkacz hopes to be the 7th 4 seed to win this tournament. It’s been tours since his last semifinal berth, but former Texas Christian University standout Cameron Norrie will do his best to move on against 8 seed and 2018 champion Frances Tiafoe.

Finally, you’ve got a match this afternoon that will result in an automatic underdog advancing to the semifinals between Christian Harrison and Gianluca Mager. This is Harrison’s first quarterfinal and Mager beat his brother Ryan to open the main draw of the tournament. In fact, Mager is looking to defeat his third American in a row after a win over Sam Querrey in the second round.

I’ve said it many times and it seems to hold true. At the lower level tournaments, seeding means little.The experience and confidence the players earn on the courts prior to the main draw are often enormously valuable.

As far as coronavirus and social distancing protocols here, there seems to be a ramped-up enforcement. With fewer fans in attendance on Friday, there were more groups together in the upper areas of the stadium and plenty of chin-strapping. I looked at the ushers on the concourse below and was worried that these mature-aged volunteers wouldn’t be up to the task. Meanwhile, Delray Beach Police Officers were all over the facility and didn’t seem interested in managing the new rules. By the weekend, that had changed. Frequent announcements were made that all fans were required to be in their assigned seats and that ushers would be coming around to check those seat assignments. Seats were sold in blocks of 2 or 4 with alternating rows and the protocols appeared to be enforced more stringently. Though it’s completely understandable, my heart sunk a little during announcements that fans were prohibited from asking for selfies or autographs from the players. And that photo of Frances Tiafoe above? He says he requested it. The only reason his mask was down was because he’d just finished answering a few questions for me twelve feet away. Throughout the weekend, the announcer made a point to inform the fans that they were about to be part of a national telecast on Tennis Channel, as if to remind them that they didn’t want to give their own town a bad look on TV. Maybe that was the trick.

More @DelrayBeachOpen Seeds Fall on Saturday; Four Quarterfinal Spots Left

Posted by Admin on January 10, 2021
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More Delray Beach Open Seeds Fall on Saturday; Four Quarterfinal Spots Left

Steve Fogleman in Delray Beach

January 10, 2021–The seeds kept dropping on Saturday at the Delray Beach Open in Delray Beach, Florida. Gianluca Magher, the man who defeated Rio Open top seed Dominic Thiem last March, continued his underdog magic with a rude dismissal of #6 seed Sam Querrey, 7-6(8), 6-1.

Next up was Christian Harrison, and Christian’s Mission continued as he handled the tournament’s top seed Cristian Garin, 7-6, 6-2. He continues to marvel at his run in Delray Beach, where as a child he first saw pro tennis played in person.

Following up on Harrison’s heroics, Sebastian Korda advanced over #5 seed Tommy Paul. The tournament’s highest remaining ranked player, John Isner, served his way past Thiago Monteira in the night cap in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6(4).

Those results set up a quarterfinal square-off between Magher and Harrison and an All-American match with Isner and Korda. The top half of the singles draw has now lost two of its seeded players, leaving only #4 Hubert Hurkacz in the driver’s seat. In that top half, either Harrison or Magher will reach the semifinals and play on Tuesday. All eyes will be on Hurkacz in today’s day session when he will play his first ever match at Delray Beach following his first round bye.

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

STADIUM – start 11:00 am

[WC] C. Harrison (USA)/R. Harrison (USA) vs O. Marach (AUT)/L.D. Martinez (VEN)

Not before 12:30 pm

[4] H. Hurkacz (POL) vs D.E. Galan (COL)

Not before 2:30 pm

[8] F. Tiafoe (USA) vs B. Fratangelo (USA)

Night Session – Not before 6:00 pm

[Q] R. Quiroz (ECU) vs I. Karlovic (CRO)

Not before 8:00 pm

C. Norrie (GBR) vs [3] A. Mannarino (FRA)

Court 1 – start 2:00 pm

A. Krajicek (USA)/S. Querrey (USA) vs A. Molteni (ARG)/H. Nys (MON)

Not before 4:00 pm

N. Monroe (USA)/F. Tiafoe (USA) vs [PR] M. McDonald (USA)/T. Paul (USA)

Christian’s On A Mission: @CHarrison94 Sets Up @DelrayBeachOpen Clash with Top Seed @Garin_Cris

Posted by Admin on January 9, 2021
Posted in: ATP, ATP Qualifying, Delray Beach. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Christian’s On A Mission: Harrison Sets Up Clash with Top Seed Cristian Garin

Steve Fogleman in Delray Beach

January 9. 2021–-For years, it was young Cristian Harrison who came to Delray Beach to watch his older brother, Ryan, compete in this ATP 250 tournament tucked inside this idyllic beach town. Yesterday, as Cristian Harrison warmed up on the outer court for his first round main draw match, there were only a few fans scattered around the bleachers. Among them was Ryan Harrison, who’d been eliminated from the singles draw on the opening day of the event.

“I’m feeling good. I’m playing a lot of qualies because I don’t have much of a ranking right now,” the younger Harrison said after his straight sets win over Tomas Etcheverry, 6-4, 6-2. After seasons of injuries and more surgeries than you can count on one hand, he knows that court time is precious. “It’s very special,” he told me after the match. “Honestly, to do it in Delray just because some of my first pro tennis memories when I was 13 or 14, coming to this tournament to watch my brother play. I love it here, I love Atlantic Avenue. It sucks that we can’t see it this year with everything going on. It’s special to this in Florida, where I live.”

After getting through the qualifying final in a tiebreak, he breezed through the first round yesterday. Harrison opened the qualifying tournament by knocking out Chile’s Marcelo Barrios Vera. Today, he’ll face the Open’s top seed and #1 Chilean, Cristian Garin, who is currently ranked #22 in the world. “I’ve obviously never played him, but I’ve seen him a lot, in a lot of other tournaments,” he told me. “I don’t think we’ve ever practiced but he’s had a lot of good results.”

He expounded on his fraternal bond with Ryan. “I know how he always wanted it for me, so it sucked for him whenever I was out a lot,” he said. “He could feel my pain when I couldn’t play these tournaments. Now that we’re getting theses chances to be in the same place, we’re making the most of it.”

Indeed, they made the most of it yesterday. After Christian’s singles win, the pair defeated the Texas Twins—Hunter and Yates Johnson, 6-4, 7-6(2), to advance to the quarterfinals in doubles.

SAT., JAN 9 ~ Day Session

11:00am: (2) M. Daniell (NZL) / P. Oswald (AUT) vs A. Molteni (ARG) / H. Nys (MON)

12:30pm: (6) Sam Querrey (USA) vs G. Mager (ITA)2:30pm: (1) Cristian Garin (CHI) vs C. Harrison (USA)


SAT., JAN 9 ~ Evening Session

6:00pm: (5) Tommy Paul (USA) vs S. Korda (USA)

8:00pm: (2) John Isner (USA) vs T. Monteiro (BRA)

2021 @BNPPARIBASOPEN Pulls March Dates; Organizers Hope to Reschedule

Posted by Admin on December 29, 2020
Posted in: ATP, BNP Paribas Open. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

STATEMENT REGARDING THE 2021 BNP PARIBAS OPEN 

2021 BNP Paribas Open Pulls March Dates; Organizers Hope to Reschedule


INDIAN WELLS, Calif., December 29, 2020 – The BNP Paribas Open will not be held March 8-21, 2021 as originally scheduled. The tournament is proactively working with the ATP and WTA Tours as well as title sponsor BNP Paribas to confirm dates later in the year to hold the event. Details will be released in the near future as plans are finalized.


This decision was made after thorough consultation with state and local health authorities and tournament owner Larry Ellison.

—M. Van Tuinen, BNP Parisbas Open

A @DelrayBeachOpen Wild Card for @Andy_Murray Strengthens the Field for Western Hemisphere’s First Tournament of 2021

Posted by Admin on December 29, 2020
Posted in: ATP, Delray Beach. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment
Andy Murray (Photo: Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

A Delray Beach Open Wild Card for Andy Murray Strengthens the Field for Western Hemisphere’s First Tournament of 2021

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Andy Murray, a 46-time winner on the ATP Tour who has been ranked No. 1 in the world, has been awarded a wild card for the season-opening Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com that will take place January 4-13.

The three-time Major champion joins four former tournament winners – Reilly Opelka (2020), Frances Tiafoe (2018), Sam Querrey (2017) and Kei Nishikori (2008) – in the field.

Murray will make his Delray Beach Open debut during Session 8, which will take place Friday night, Jan. 8. Additional headline matches have also been announced, including Opelka beginning his title defense on Thursday night, Jan. 7. The top-ranked American, John Isner, will headline the Saturday night session on Jan. 9, while Milos Raonic, who is projected to be the top seed, will play on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 10.

“I am looking forward to starting the 2021 season in Delray Beach.”  Murray said. “This event will be a good test for me and I’m excited to be back playing on the tour”

Murray will be the 11th of the 26 players to have ever held the ATP’s No. 1 ranking to play the Delray Beach Open, joining Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Jim Courier, Lleyton Hewitt, Ivan Lendl, Carlos Moya, Pat Rafter, Marcelo Rios, Andy Roddick and Mats Wilander.

“We are looking forward to Andy joining us for our season-opening tournament,” said Tournament Director Mark Baron. “He is a champion at every level and among the greatest fighters our sport has ever seen. It will be thrilling to see him play here.”

Murray has won his 46 ATP titles from 68 finals during his career. Those tournament wins include being a two-time champion at both Wimbledon (2013, 2016) and the Olympics (2012, 2016). He was also the winner at the 2012 US Open and in 2016 at the ATP Finals, which was his ninth title of that season.

During his career, Murray has spent 41 weeks ranked as the World No. 1. At the end of January 2019, he underwent a hip resurfacing surgery. In June of that year, he returned to the Tour and immediately won the doubles title at Queen’s Club in London. He returned to singles action in August, and in October, won the title at Antwerp.

The 33-year-old and his wife, Kim, have two daughters and one son. Last year, he was knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

His brother Jamie, who is one year older, has been ranked No. 1 in doubles and won the 2008 Delray Beach title.

Originally scheduled for February, the 2021 Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com will now take place January 4-13. The ATP Champions Tour legends event will begin the action Jan. 4-6. ATP 250 qualifying matches will take place Jan. 5-6. The main draw for the ATP 250 tournament, which will feature 16 doubles teams in addition to the 28-player singles field, will begin Thursday, Jan. 7 with two sessions each day until the finals are contested during a single session on Wednesday, Jan. 13.

All tickets for the “Physically Distanced, Forever Social” event at the historic downtown tennis center are on sale now at www.yellowtennisball.com or by phone at +1 561-330-6000. In order to accommodate spacious conditions in the stadium and throughout the venue, attendance for each session at the 2021 tournament will be capped at 2,000 people, just under 25 percent of the outdoor stadium’s total capacity.

Fans who act quickly can take advantage of a special Holiday Sale on tickets if purchasing before midnight on Dec. 31. Using the promo code CHAMPION, a discount of 30% will be applied to individual box and reserved seats for Sessions 1-4 (ATP Champions Tour matches). For discounted tickets to see the ATP 250 matches, fans can use the code JINGLE to get 10% off individual box seats for Sessions 5-14 (excluding Session 8), while the code BELLS will provide a 20% discount on individual reserved seats for Sessions 5-14 (excluding Session 8).

Last year, Delray Beach resident Opelka served a tournament record 99 aces during the week in which he won his second career ATP Tour title. In doubles Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan captured their sixth Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com title and their 119th as a team. It was the final tournament for the twin brothers who announced their retirement in August. In the opening weekend’s ATP Champions Tour matches, Team Europe, led by Tommy Haas and David Ferrer, earned a 5-2 win over the James Blake-led Team World. This marked the third straight defeat for the home nation in ATP Champions Tour competition at Delray Beach.

In an ever-changing world the tournament will maintain the highest level of health and safety standards for fans, players and staff alike. Please remain updated on our measures at https://yellowtennisball.com/faq/

—Delray Beach Open

2021 @DelrayBeachOpen Kicks Off Tour With @MilosRaonic and Former Champs @KeiNishikori @FTiafoe @ReillyOpelka @SamQuerrey

Posted by Admin on December 24, 2020
Posted in: ATP, Australian Open, Delray Beach. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

2021 Delray Beach Open Kicks Off Tour With Milos Raonic and Former Champs Kei Nishikori, Frances Tiafoe, Reilly Opelka and Sam Querrey

Seriously. It’s been too long. The last time we saw the men duke it out for an outdoor title was at the 2019 US Open. Our pale skin will be tested under the sun at the Delray Beach Open, the ATP 250 tournament taking place on January 4-13 in Delray Beach, Florida. The event marks the first time in decades that the men’s tour begins in the United States, with the Australian Open’s retreat into February setting the stage for Delray Beach and Antalya, Turkey having the honors of serving as the inaugural events on the annual calendar.

Fans will be held at 25% capacity along with mandatory mask use throughout the grounds.. Tickets must be purchased in isolated blocks of 2 to promote distancing between members of different households. If you are thinking about attending the tournament, you would be well advised to purchase tickets now, I have an unadvertised tip to relate: Due to COVID-19, all former general admission seats are now reserved seating and available for about $25 a piece.

It’s a strong 250 field, with former champion Kei Nishikori and former finalist Milos Raonic headlining, joined in the hunt by the American platoon of Isner and former champions Opelka, Tiafoe and Querrey.

The Delray Beach Open was slated to start in mid-February, so tournament organizers are scrambling at break-neck speed to advance an international event by a staggering 5 weeks. That’s an impressive feat even without the threat of a global pandemic.

This news is a gift to American fans after the year we’ve had.

—S. Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

The Future in Time for the Holidays: @NeuroTennis Smart Tennis Wristbands Coach You While You Play

Posted by Admin on November 30, 2020
Posted in: ATP, Tennis Lessons and Instruction, WTA. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Arlington, Va., November 18, 2020 — NeuroTennis, Inc. today announced the release of its smart tennis wristbands. Two key differences make this wearable technology so different from other smart tennis devices on the market.

“One major difference is that NeuroTennis coaches you while you play,” said NeuroTennis CEO, Alain Cohen. “Other tennis trackers just report statistics on speed, spin, and stroke counts, without much actionable information. NeuroTennis, on the other hand, provides coaching instructions that are synchronized with the rhythm of your hitting, as you play.

Cohen stated the second revolutionary aspect of the technology is that it wirelessly connects the wristbands of two players across the court, in order to pinpoint the timing of audible coaching instructions, precisely when your opponent hits the ball.

Former world No. 1 Mats Wilander was an integral part of designing NeuroTennis. “To reach the next level, I believe in modifying your game and not just measuring it,” Wilander said. “I believe that to reach your full potential, you need to train your brain just as hard as your skills and fitness.”

Features and benefits of NeuroTennis include:

  • Two player or solo mode – NeuroTennis is most typically used in a two-player mode, meaning that the sensors in each device communicate with each other, across the court.
  • NeuroTennnis App – The feature-rich app allows you to select lessons and drills from an extensive library designed by world-class coaches, including Mats Wilander. Taking it to the next level, you or your coach can easily customize content to specifically address your goals. Available for iPhone and Android.
  • Game Modifying Technology™ – While other wearable tennis products just measure physical results, like speed and spin, NeuroTennis is about ingraining better habits and accessing your tennis skills consistently so you can raise your game while you practice. Training at higher levels leads to playing at higher levels.

NeuroTennis is available now at NeuroTennis.com and sells as a pair for $269. For more information on how to train your brain and raise your game, visit NeuroTennis.com.

About NeuroTennis: NeuroTennis has been recently featured on https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2020/07/30/neurotennis/ and https://www.myhealthyapple.com/neurotennis-a-must-have-wristband-for-serious-tennis-players/

It’s Azarenka’s With Asterisks: Vika Wins @CincyTennis Title After Osaka Withdraws

Posted by Admin on August 29, 2020
Posted in: Cincinnati, Western & Southern Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

2012 Winston-Salem Open, Copyright Lindsay Gibbs

It’s Azarenka’s With Asterisks: Vika Wins @CincyTennis Title After Osaka Withdraws

The hot mess that is the 2020 Western & Southern Open has reached its exciting conclusion: with the withdrawal of Naomi Osaka, suffering from a left hamstring injury which occurred in Saturday’s semifinal against Johanna Konta. Vika Azarenka is your women’s singles champion.

In a statement from the tournament, Osaka said that “this has been an emotional week and I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support.” Osaka’s initial announcement on Thursday  that she would be withdrawing from the Western & Southern Open taught us a lot about who she is as a person, and even more about tournament organizers clumsiness in responding to off-court issues.

Before American tennis’ governing body even had a chance to decide if it was sufficiently woke, it postponed all play on Friday at the tournament in Queens. According to reports from Tennis.com and ESPN, Osaka tweeted her decision not to play and in less than two hours, the USTA announced that all play would be suspended. Osaka’s courage to make her decision was effectively co-opted by the USTA for their gain. Their Come-to-Jesus moment is not one to be celebrated, as it was only made after Osaka’s decision. The tournament-wide postponement would never have happened if there had been paying ticket holders in the stands and it most certainly would not have happened if the tournament were held in its ancestral home of Mason, Ohio. If Donald Young had announced his intention to withdraw from the first round of the event, would the USTA have postponed 32 matches on a Monday? It’s clear that Osaka’s star power carries enormous weight.

While I continue to consider Osaka’s decision a bold one, her fellow players didn’t ask for a day off. This is unprecedented, and as you know, horrible injustices occur against minorities and the poor every single day of the year. I don’t pretend to know how to eliminate police brutality and social injustice, but I wonder if a precedent is now set: that if something horrible happens to an individual somewhere, that a single athlete can put an entire tournament on hold. I pray that we never lose another human being to police brutality, but in a country of 329 million people, it will sadly happen again. Maybe there is a better way to seek redress for these injustices. To beat the USTA at their own game of glomming on to Osaka’s decision as if it were their own original thought, Osaka should have continued to do the right thing and bowed out of the tournament. We always knew there would be an asterisk next to this year’s Western & Southern Open in the record books, but we didn’t know there would be a ball basket full on the women’s side. Now we’ll remember it for Osaka’s courageous leadership, her left hamstring and virtually nothing else.