Carol J. Kelly

Musings on tennis & random topics from award-winning writer/editor, @WSJ alum, and word nerd. Loves art, books, storytelling & theater. 🇯🇲 @MaynardInst Fellow

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

You can check out my essay on traditional Cuban music in “Wandering in Cuba,” an anthology of vibrant travel stories. Previous essays are published in “Venturing in Italy: Travels in Puglia, Land Between Two Seas." Both books available on Amazon.

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

@audiolympics @EduardoVarelaTV 2 Grand Slams!

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

Numero Uno!
Felicitación 🙌🏽

[US Open Tennis @usopen]

One of Carlos' biggest goals? Get back to No. 1.

And he did.

[The Tennis Letter @TheTennisLetter]

An American woman has been in the final of every single Grand Slam this season.

Madison Keys - Australian Open.

Coco Gauff - Roland Garros.

Amanda Anisimova - Wimbledon.

Amanda Anisimova - US Open.

Another strong era for American women’s tennis.

🇺🇸❤️

[Kevin Chiang, MD, MEd, FAAP @KevinCChiang]

Tennis major post-championship speeches from the players are so much better when you let them speak freely and uninterrupted. Not sure why the US Open speeches are being done this way, with rushed questions and Mary Carillo cutting them off before they can even thank their teams.

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

@backhanderer @rafasbodyguard So true. Carillo rushed the “interview” and insulted both women!

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

@rafasbodyguard It was horrible! The US Open usually gives the finalist & the champion a few minutes to say whatever they want in a speech. This interview format sucked! Mary Carillo cut both women off before they could thank their teams. Luckily, Amanda & Aryna requested more time at the mic.

[Emily @sportyandhot]

the only players to take a set off Jannik Sinner before the final at USO 2025 were both from canada

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

The rivalry continues… ⛳️

[Rafa Nadal @RafaelNadal]

🏌🏼‍♂️ #Fedal ✅

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

@Jeniestra @TheTennisLetter This conflict of interest always bothered me. I felt the same way about Brad Gilbert while he was coaching Coco.

[Billie Jean King @BillieJeanKing]

68 years ago today, on July 6, 1957, Althea Gibson became the first Black player to win at #Wimbledon .

She turned in a dominant performance that lasted just 50 minutes.

Cannot wait to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Althea breaking the color barrier at the 1950 U.S. National Championships, the predecessor of the US Open, later this year.

📷: Alamy

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

@ThinkInPeach Where? Didn’t see your DM. I know that you work with guys, but I’d love to check out your openers to get a few ideas for myself — need to be more strategic. ;)

[Maybe: Travis @travisfromdabk_]

‘PURPOSE’ wins a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony award in the same year! And it was directed by Phylicia Rashad! #TonyAwards

[Athena @tarmactorque]

Best weekend in sports that I’ve had in a very long time. My heart is so full.

Bravo @CocoGauff & @carlosalcaraz

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

What a comeback! Congrats, Carlos.

[Bill Madden @maddenifico]

Carlos Alcaraz celebrating his French Open win with the ball kids is everything. 🥰😊👇

[TNT Sports @tntsports]

"When you were chanting her name, I was saying to myself my name!" 😅

Coco Gauff explains how she dealt with the atmosphere playing against home favourite Lois Boisson in a buzzing Paris crowd🗣️

#RolandGarros

[US Open Tennis @usopen]

Elina Svitolina is back in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros! 👊

[Billie Jean King @BillieJeanKing]

69 years ago this week, Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to win a major singles title, defeating the U.K.'s Angela Mortimer in the Women's Singles Final of the French Championships.

Thinking of my Shero and all she's done to break barriers.

[Carol J. Kelly @cjkel]

Life lessons…
@RafaelNadal

[The Tennis Letter @TheTennisLetter]

Rafa Nadal had a beautiful quote in press about treating people with kindness

“You gained the hearts of people with your results as a champion but also as the human being you are. When we speak with the ball kids, with drivers.. they all say you were the most respectful player. Always nice to everyone. Is this something you’re maybe as proud of as your results?”

Rafa: “Of course. I always say the same. The results are results. Of course I’ll be remembered for what I did on court. That’s gonna stay there, without a doubt. To the bigger audience, you can in some way lie, but you can’t lie to the people who are next to you every single day. I’m not talking about family. I talk about team. People who work behind the scenes. They are able to see you every single day, how you react. How you are after losing, after winning. How you behave during all these moments. The drivers. The ball kids. At the end, I want to be remembered as a guy that people are happy when I come back to the places. To see me again. That’s the thing. That’s the important thing. When you are retired and you don’t go to the places for a while, if you feel that people who are working behind the scenes, that they know how you are in real life.. these people want to see you again and they’re happy to see you again.. it’s good news. And I had that feeling in almost every place.” 🥹

(via Roland Garros Press)