We Are Tennis by BNP Paribas brings you the best of the past week, on and off the courts, day after day. A week marked by Federer’s 100th title, Kyrgios’ Mexican feat, a python hidden in a slipper and a leopard in the wild.

Monday, February 25th

Two firsts instead of one. Thanks to his win at the Delray Beach Open after saving three match points against Daniel Evans (6-3, 3-6, 6-7), Radu Albot lifted the first trophy of his career, which was also the first trophy won in the history of Moldavian tennis. The Scot Moira Boxall, on her side, is surely the first tourist to find a python hidden in her suitcase - in a slipper, to be precise - after coming back from a trip in Australia. Meanwhile, Roger Federer marked his return to competition with a win against Philipp Kohlschreiber in the first round of the Dubai Open (6-4, 3-6, 6-1). Where Milos Raonic, who was defeated by Jan-Lennard Struff (4-6, 7-5, 4-6), and Karen Khachanov, who lost against Nikoloz Basilashvili (4-6, 1-6), won’t be able to slow him down in his quest to win his 100th trophy. Which is still a dream at this point…

Tuesday, February 26th

The best story of the week so far. For a few weeks now, a Frenchman living in the Eastside of the country has been receiving parking tickets tracing back to… his tractor, which is in Marseille. A city in which he’s never even set foot. Flustered by this information, Daniil Medvedev and Marin Cilic lost their tennis in Dubai (they respectively lost 3-6, 3-6 against Ričardas Berankis and 3-6, 6-4, 0-6 against Gaël Monfils). Two other dangerous contenders gone for Federer.

Wednesday, February 27th

Federer carried on with his winning streak, as the unlucky Verdasco became his latest victim in the fourth round (6-3, 3-6, 6-3). Another player who’s getting back to serious matters in Rafael Nadal: the Spaniard easily defeated Misha Zverev in Acapulco (6-3, 6-3). On his side, the top seed in the United Arab Emirates, Kei Nishikori, was too moved to defeat Hubert Hurkacz (5-7, 7-5, 2-6): one of his (very) young fellow countryman, the lightest baby in the world (268 grams!) left the hospital being healthy after being born after only 22 weeks of pregnancy. A precocious child, for sure.

Thursday, February 28th

Here’s the fight of the week. Despite getting three match points, Nadal lost against Kyrgios who was booed during the whole match by the Mexican crowd (6-3, 6-7, 6-7). This Thursday was definitely not a good day for the Spaniards, as David Ferrer also lost against Alexander Zverev (6-7, 1-6) and said goodbye to the tournament. Everything is however going well for Federer, who qualified for the semi-finals in Dubai after crushing Márton Fucsovics (7-6, 6-4). Only two matches to go to win his 100th…

Friday, March 1st

Only one, actually. The Swiss cruised against Borna Coric (6-2, 6-2) and qualified for the final. Kyrgios also qualified for the semi-finals in Acapulco, after knocking out Stan Wawrinka (7-5, 6-7, 6-4) despite facing a hostile crowd. The 23-year old is as unpredictable as the weather, which created an ice tsunami in the Jura Mountains, Switzerland. Improbable, to say the least.

Saturday, March 2nd

HE’S DONE IT! On this March, 2nd, 2019, Federer won his 100th ATP trophy after defeating Stéfanos Tsitsipás (6-4, 6-4). Only Jimmy Connors has won more in the history of tennis (108). « Glad to have the company », said the record-holder on Twitter, as he was « starting to feel a bit lonely ». But RF is not done yet, and he announced his presence in Dubai in 2020: « I wanted to let the fans know that I will be back here next year. It’s the plan, it’s what we’ve decided with the organizers of the tournament. I told them « Ok, let’s do it ! » » A phenomenon. Speaking of which, a leopard named Fêno is running free in the streets of Caen, in France. If you see something, say something…

Sunday, March 3rd

It’s always complicated to come after Federer. But let’s give a big round of applause to the other heroes of the weekend. Congratulations to… Kyrgios, who won the title in Mexico after his win against Zverev, marking the end of an incredible week (6-3, 6-4). To Wang Yafan, who won the same competition in women’s tennis, lifting the first trophy of her career in the process (2-6, 6-3, 7-5 against Sofia Kenin). To Guido Pella aswell, who stepped on the highest point of the podium for the first time in São Paulo (7-5, 6-3 against Christian Garín). And for this 59-year old Danish man who thought he had a cold when in fact, a tooth was growing in his nose. Different fates, for different people.