James Hansen

senior managing editor, 🎾 @theathletic • previous editing and writing in the drift, dirt, vittles, bon appétit, eater london • he/him

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

We're delighted to launch the expansion of tennis on @TheAthletic, taking you beyond the baseline.

The brilliant @CDEccleshare and @MattFutterman will bring you the biggest moments, exploring how tennis and culture shape each other, now and in the future https://t.co/ZcnkQ0aMOi

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

doubles wild card for serena. savvy by the tournament not to specify

[Berlin Tennis Open @berlin_tennis]

The tennis icon returns! 💥 We can’t wait to welcome the legend herself @serenawilliams on our grass court!

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

andreeva's trust in and execution on backhand line is probably going to be the win or lose determination

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

chwalińska's game is going to be a huge test of not just andreeva's patience, but her ability to accelerate and be aggressive when she is the overwhelming favorite ... a fascinating final

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

chwalińska's end-range defense — in terms of how she makes shnaider play a neutral or difficult ball, not just one she can attack — is bordering on the absurd

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

good to see andreeva actually going after her forehand when she gets onto the baseline instead of going all loop

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

have grand slams gone to the dogs? tennis players aren't complaining

@avarwallace

https://t.co/hkjUAm328a

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

@vanshv2k An infinite number ... I'm being a little bit dramatic because the sharp turn toward Sabalenka when not one statistic backs it up had been getting on the ol' nerves

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

the last two french opens really ought to put the final stake in the "greatest player of the generation" debate

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

@LukasFCB321 there isn't and wasn't but when the noise gets loud the mic sometimes needs turning off

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

well, nevertheless

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

given the way sabalenka is still affected by the wind, shnaider's decision to go back behind her with the entire court open for 5-4* may haunt her dreams

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

given the way sabalenka is still affected by the wind, shnaider's decision to go back behind her with the entire court open for 5-4* may haunt her dreams

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

aryna sabalenka (1) 1-3* maja chwalińska (q) on a wind-buffeted court philippe-chatrier is going to hit so hard before sabalenka adjusts and wins 6-3 6-2

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

the roland garros spirit of jazda lives on

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

chwalińska in grey and windy conditions always had the potential to be nightmare fuel for kalinskaya ...

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

kalinskaya has adjusted the past few games and chwalińska has made the — i think — mistake of responding to that by playing with less changes in height and depth rather than more

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

chwalińska in grey and windy conditions always had the potential to be nightmare fuel for kalinskaya ...

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

chwalińska in grey and windy conditions always had the potential to be nightmare fuel for kalinskaya ...

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

@QGaslighter working theory is that both high bounce and slow speed are helpful to him and the former outweighed any increase in ball speed coming in from his opponents. haven't noticed an obvious technical tweak

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

as for the semifinal ... menšík has the bravery and front-court game to test zverev. if conditions are slow enough his forehand should hold up. the endurance is a concern

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

fonseca ultimately too sloppy and got himself into a high-variance situation that was weighted against him instead of holding to take the third set

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

świątek 🤝 fonseca

refusing to hit inside-in
forehands against players
who love their backhands

[James Hansen @jameskhansen]

menšík has played great and fully deserves the two-set lead. it's a shame that it's been assisted by artificial conditions that weren't required on what has been an entirely sunny evening and clear night in paris