From Clay to Centre Court

Love-Love Letter #15 | June 9-29

Your tennis cheat sheet — for fans who like the game, but don’t want to live on Tennis Twitter.

🌍 Where in the World Are We?

After a bit of a hiatus (from me, not the tour), we are in the final two weeks of a whirlwind five-week grass-court season with today’s kickoff of Wimbledon, the third major of the year. Grass is the fastest, slickest surface on tour - balls skid and stay low, so big servers and slice artists feast, but it punishes sloppy footwork. Unlike clay’s higher, slower bounce or hard court’s predictable “boing,” grass demands quick reactions and light steps.

What’s happening: The last three weeks have been marked by surprise champions on the women’s side - from veteran Tatjana Maria in London to rising star Maya Joint in Eastbourne and former Wimbledon winner Markéta Vondroušová in Berlin - while on the men’s side Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and Alexander Bublik each took home tune-up titles. Now it’s time for Wimbledon’s manicured lawns to take center stage.

✅ Results You Should Know

Tatjana Maria def. Amanda Anisimova 6–3, 6–4 (HSBC Women’s Championship at Queen’s Club, June 15)
💡 Why it matters: Maria’s game isn’t your textbook grass-court style - she thrives on heavy backspin slices, low-trajectory drop shots, and sudden pace changes that force opponents into uncomfortable footing. At 37, her unconventional arsenal sliced through a top-20 field to snag her first grass title of the season, proving that variety and guile can still outfox pure power on slippery turf.

Maya Joint def. Alexandra Eala 6–4, 1–6, 7–6(10) (Lexus Eastbourne Open, June 29)
💡 Why it matters: The 19-year-old Australian saved four championship points in a nerve-shredding tiebreak to lift her second WTA trophy in as many months - an under-the-radar run that cements her as a genuine grass-court threat.

Markéta Vondroušová def. Wang Xinyu 7–6(10), 4–6, 6–2 (Berlin Tennis Open, June 22)
💡 Why it matters: The 2023 Wimbledon champion shrugged off injury rust and six set points to reclaim a grass-court crown - her first title since lifting the Wimbledon trophy, suggesting her best tennis on grass may still lie ahead.

Carlos Alcaraz def. Jiří Lehečka 7–5, 6–7(5), 6–2 (Queen’s Club Final, June 23)
💡 Why it matters: Fresh off his French Open defense, Alcaraz joined an elite club by adding the Queen’s Club trophy - becoming one of the few players to win both Paris and London warm-up titles in the same season and underlining his adaptability across all surfaces.

Taylor Fritz def. Alexander Zverev 6–4, 7–6(7) (BOSS Open Final, Stuttgart, June 15)
💡 Why it matters: Fritz’s perfectly timed backhand slice and clutch serving under pressure earned him Stuttgart glory - his first grass title of 2025 and a timely confidence boost heading into Wimbledon.

Alexander Bublik def. Daniil Medvedev 6–3, 7–6(4) (Halle Final, June 22)
💡 Why it matters: Adding Halle to his trophy case, Bublik’s big serve and charismatic on-court flair continue to pay dividends. This grass-court title not only cushions a rebound from Roland Garros but also marks the biggest milestone in his career to date - proof that his unique style can translate into silverware on a big stage.

🔥 Can’t-Miss Highlights

🎥 Unorthodox…. to say the least
Watch Tatjana Maria win at London with a very different style of play… definitely entertaining.
▶️ Watch here

📆 What to Watch For

Here’s where to watch Wimbledon in the U.S.:

• Live Coverage: ESPN+ streams every match across all courts starting at 6 a.m. ET daily.

• Cable & Broadcast: Early rounds on ESPN and ESPN2 beginning at 1 p.m. ET, with marquee Centre Court matches on ABC on select days.

• Replays & Highlights: Tennis Channel airs daily highlights at 8 p.m. ET, and ESPN’s “Morning Line” recap runs at 7 a.m. ET.

Here are four must-see first-round matchups on Tuesday, July 1:

• Jannik Sinner vs. Luca Nardi (Centre Court, not before 6 a.m. ET)
  The world No. 1 kicks off his bid against fellow Italian Nardi - a classic clay -court rival turned grass-court test. Can Sinner’s fearless all-court aggression translate to the lawns?

• Novak Djokovic vs. Alexandre Müller (Court 1, not before 3 a.m. ET)
  The seven-time Wimbledon champ meets a motivated Frenchman who’s eager to prove himself. Djokovic’s precision will be under the microscope right out of the gate.

• Coco Gauff vs. Dayana Yastremska (Centre Court, following Sinner/Nardi)
  Fresh off her French Open breakthrough, Gauff faces the big-hitting Ukrainian to see if her newfound confidence can withstand another power player.

• Barbora Krejčíková vs. Alexandra Eala (Court 1, following Djokovic/Müller)
  Last year’s surprise champion opens against the rising Filipino star - an intriguing clash of defending poise versus fearless ambition.

📰 Off-Court Happenings

“Bra Drama” at Wimbledon
The All England Club’s strict all-white dress code hit a snag this year when female players were briefly forced to ditch their bras—and even white-underwear slips—before matches, sparking on-court wardrobe changes and widespread frustration about comfort and performance under pressure.

Gauff & Sabalenka’s Centre Court Dance-Off
Weeks after their rocky French Open finale, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka squashed rumors of a feud by posting a lighthearted TikTok duet—dancing arm-in-arm on the grass to “Everybody Dance Now.” Their playful video is the perfect reminder that sometimes the best rivalries are grounded in respect (and killer footwork).

arynasabalenka

3M followers

View more on Instagram

👗 An Outfit Worth Seeing

We’re just getting started, but for now a bit of background: Wimbledon’s famously strict all-white dress code isn’t just tradition - it’s a runway rulebook. Players must be head-to-toe white (including shoes, socks, hats, and even undergarments), with no more than a whisper of trim, which turns every match into its own fashion show. That pristine palette challenges athletes and designers alike to find fresh ways to stand out—whether it’s a subtle texture, a clever cut, or a flash of fun detailing—making this the most stylish stop on tour.