Matt Cronin

Author/Journalist/ of and Ticker,

[Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 @christophclarey]

Maja Chwalinska, the most surprising #tennis player of 2026. When you least expect her, expect her!

https://t.co/rkbmfqeovM

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

We hear that in the 2027 Hall of Fame, it could be Ash Barty (3 Slams), Juan Martín del Potro (1 Slam) and Svetlana Kuznetsova, (2 Slams). The two women are locked in, but with del Potro, maybe not.

[Simon Cambers @scambers73]

This is such sad news.

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Good, luck!

[David Kane @DKTNNS]

An update from me 🎾

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

That was a terrific week, when Alejandro
Davidovich Fokine won Shanghai. “When the road takes a turn for the worse and the results you were hoping for don’t come, to terms with the frustration, recognize your own limits, but keep believing that your moment will come.”

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

A marathon by Swiatek, who beat Vekic 46 7-6 (0) 62 in 2 hours, 40 minutes. In the third set, she hit some amazing shots, very deep. "Later on in the 2nd set I was playing more brave and more aggressive, changing more down the line. It's what changed the rhythm of the match.”

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Carlos Alcaraz looks good, beating Munar 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. Later, he was much more consistent and more powerful, too. “I don’t know what happened in the first set. I started the match well. It seems that I’m struggling in every first set… But I've come back every time.”

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Novak Djokovic has risen fast, so much better than two weeks ago, and he took it after Daniil Medvedev threw his racket and he defaulted, 7-5, 5-3. Ouch. “I also feel sorry for Daniil. I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified at the 2020 US Open for similar circumstances."

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Ouch

[Sky Sports Tennis @SkySportsTennis]

Daniil Medvedev was defaulted for hitting a spectator with a ball during his semi-final against Novak Djokovic at the China Open

[Steve Tignor @SteveTignor]

Tokyo and Beijing Final Previews

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have each gone a surprisingly long time without a title. Can they end those dry spells on Tuesday in Asia?

At First Ball In (Link in next tweet)

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Qinwen Zheng won in a tough match in Beijing, and she also reached into the quarters at the US Open, beating Iga Swiatek, and then she lost against Rybakina 6-4 in the 3rd. She is healthy again, and if she can be more patient, she coulda go into the top 20 in the fall. Maybe…

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

In the third set, Alcaraz rose, and he was much better in the backcourt, beating the good American Alex Michelsen , 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-1. “ I’m just really happy to accept and understand how I had to play, and to get the win at the end. It was really important to have this feeling.”

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Ben Shelton:  "I'm motivated. Disappointed with how today went. Excited with the progress that I feel that I've made, but this one stings 100%. Try to keep getting better and show up in Australia even stronger than I showed up here."

[Daniel Kaplan @KaplanSportsBiz]

Sunday’s US Open Men’s final between Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev had an average audience of 3.2M viewers on ABC, the largest viewership since ESPN began televising the tournament in ‘09. Saturday’s Women’s final won by Elena Rybakina over Aryna Sabalenka, averaged 2.7M

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Good for the WTA Finals in the U.S during the fall, at Charlotte, North Carolina at the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, from 2027 through 2029.

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

...to go up, like Alex De Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Arthur Fils, or Novak Djokovic, who might not play thus year.

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

The Race at the 2026 ATP Finals, only 8 players, in a couple months. Yes already with Sinner (if he will be able to play again), Zverev, Alcaraz , Shelton, and the last 4, like maybe Auger-Aliassime, Medvedev, Cobolli and Tiafoe. However, in the fall, it will change...

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

The No. 1 Elena Rybakina: “I’m sometimes trying to zone out and just focus on each movement. Like if it's my serve, I'm just counting in my head, because it's about the timing. Just focus on these little details, and not focus too much ahead about the rally. One point at a time."

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Shelton lost in the final a6 the US Open against Zverev, but the American was upset, but he does want to play better each month. “That it's an ongoing process for me. I don't think I'm anywhere near the player that I want to be. I'm a great competitor. I compete really well.”

[Matt Cronin @TennisReporters]

Zverev won the U.S. Open, beating Shelton 63 7-6 (2) 57 62. He was so consistent, rock solid, on the backcourt, nailing it. He was so on top of the ball, as his serve is phenomenal. Zverev is much better this year, and he improved a lot. Shelton looked good, but not good enough.