Monday, August 5th
It was a day of mourning, in the US. After the El Paso (Texas) mass shooting, another one occurred in Dayton (Ohio). In total, 31 people were killed and more than sixty were injured. In a much less tragic way, but in a more metaphorical way, Stefanos Tsitsipas used his « weapon », his right arm, to reach the fifth spot at the ATP ranking while Nick Kyrgios went up 25 spots and is now the world number 27. In the women’s WTA ranking, the world number 38 Zheng Saisai went up 17 spots, while the world number 9 Aryna Sabalenka reached the Top 10 for the first time ever.
Tuesday, August 6th
A day of mourning in the US, second act. Toni Morrison passed away in the night between Monday and Tuesday. The novelist had begun her love story with life 88 years ago. In order to change her mind, Ashleigh Barty decided to play tennis in Toronto but was knocked out in the first round of the tournament by Sofia Kenin. The result? Naomi Osaka only needs to reach the third round to see the throne of the WTA change nationality, and become Japanese. Careful, the queen could lose her crown.
Wednesday, August 7th
No, professional tennis is not a hobby. Yes, you should play seriously at all times. The proof with this incredible point lost by the pair Andy Murray-Feliciano López, while playing in the doubles against the pair ?ukasz Kubot-Marcelo Melo: as the ball was going out, the Spaniard hit it before it touched the ground. Which ended up with his opponents winning the game. In the end, Kubot and Melo still ended up losing against the unlucky pair of the day. By the way, did you know that from now on, beggars in the Swedish town of Eskilstuna must pay a 23 euro-tax four times a year?
Thursday, August 8th
It was a day of mourning, in France this time. After Toni Morrison, Jean Pierre Mocky passed away. The filmmaker had begun his love story with life 86 years ago. A nice number, which Roger Federer and Félix Auger-Aliassime would probably like to reach, as they both celebrate their birthdays. The Swiss turned 38, while the Canadian turned 19: yes, one of them is twice as old as the other.
Friday, August 9th
379: That’s the number of Masters 1000 matches won by Rafael Nadal, who set a new record, overtaking Roger Federer, after defeating Guido Pella. 1: that’s Naomi Osaka’s future rank at the WTA ranking, as she will overtake Barty following Karolina Pliskova’s defeat against Bianca Andreescu. 15: that’s the number of years during which a man from Haute-Savoie, France, who was recently arrested for speeding, was driving like a « madman », according to himself, as he later sent a letter to the policemen who arrested him. Which he thanked for their intervention, a « revelation » which « made him realize that the danger on the road wasn’t the others » but himself. Congratulations.
Saturday, August 10th
Phew, Murray will come back in the singles! The Brit will face Richard Gasquet in the singles at the Cincinnati Open. Meanwhile, the Montreal Masters 1000 carried on despite the rain, which postponed the quarter-final between Gaël Monfils and Roberto Bautista-Agut. The match was stopped… during the first game, as the Frenchman lead 30-0. Not too far from there, a 45-year old woman named Dee Gallant scared a puma away by playing a Metallica song very loud, on the Vancouver Island. The name of the song? Don’t tread on me. Logical.
Sunday, August 11th
Say hello to greenwashing! Welcome to McDonalds, where the straws which have been marketed as recyclable are, in fact, not at all recyclable, and burned after a single use. Still with scientific truths, Japanese researchers have proven that cats can actually recognize their names. Nadal probably won’t forget his own name, as he keeps on hearing it coming from loudspeakers on central courts, just like today as he played his 51st Masters 1000 final - a new record as he overtook Federer, of course - in Montreal. Which he won, unlike Serena Williams who was in tears in Toronto, as she saw Andreescu lift the trophy. It’s truly impossible to forget these two, isn’t it?
By Florian Cadu
