Clay chaos, surprise champs, and a 48-ball banger

Love-Love Letter | April 4-10

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?

Clay season is officially in session — pack the sunscreen and slide responsibly.

[ATP] Monte-Carlo Masters (Monaco): An ATP Masters 1000 event, which means 1,000 points for the winner and big names everywhere. Think red clay, royal boxes, yachts in the harbor, and Stefanos Tsitsipas in flowy linen.
📌 What’s happening: Ongoing this week — top seeds, including Zverev, are dropping like flies.

[WTA] Charleston Open (USA): A WTA 500 event on green clay (yes, it’s a thing). Players say it’s slick. We say it’s unpredictable.
📌 What’s happening: Wrapped Sunday — Jessica Pegula grabbed her first clay title and Sofia Kenin made a surprise run to the final. A strong week for American women.

[WTA] Copa Colsanitas (Bogotá, Colombia): A WTA 250 with altitude and attitude. Red clay. Tough conditions. Unexpected wins.
📌 What’s happening: Also wrapped Sunday — Camila Osorio, Colombia’s top-ranked player and hometown favorite, won the title in front of a roaring crowd.

✅ Results You Should Know

Jessica Pegula def. Sofia Kenin – 6-3, 7-5 (Final, Charleston)
💡Why it matters: Pegula just snagged her first clay title — on a surface she “doesn’t like.” Okay, liar. This win bumps her to world No.3 and back ahead of Gauff as the top-ranked American.

Jenson Brooksby def. Frances Tiafoe – 6-4, 6-2 (Final, Houston)
💡Why it matters: Brooksby was ranked No. 507 two weeks ago. He got into Houston as a wild card, beat a bunch of solid players, and took out Tiafoe in the final. Oh, and he’s been out for over a year — recovering from wrist surgery and serving a suspension for missed drug tests. Casual comeback.

Stefanos Tsitsipas def. Jordan Thompson – 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 (Second Round, Monte-Carlo)
💡Why it matters: Stef is 21–3 lifetime in Monte Carlo. He’s already a two-time champ here and clearly vibes with this venue. Call it his tennis comfort food.

Matteo Berrettini def. Alexander Zverev – 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 (Second Round, Monte-Carlo)
💡Why it matters: Berrettini beat world No.2 Zverev with a massive third-set comeback — his biggest win in a long while. Meanwhile, Zverev’s loss opens the door for Alcaraz to slide up in the rankings.

📰 Off-Court Happenings

Coco Gauff has entered her boss era.
She’s left Roger Federer’s Team8 and launched her own management company — run with her mom. Independence, activated. The name hasn’t dropped yet, but we’re taking bets. “40-Love & Co.”?

Billie Jean King got her own Hollywood star.
Literally. She’s now on the Walk of Fame — the first woman in the “sports entertainment” category. Trailblazing on and off the court. Sneakers and all.

Top players are pushing for more say at the Slams.
Led by Novak Djokovic and the PTPA, players want more transparency and a bigger piece of the Grand Slam revenue pie — especially for those outside the top 20. Tennis is finally catching up to the athlete empowerment era.

🔥 Can’t-Miss Highlights

🎥 Berrettini vs. Zverev – 48-Shot Rally at 5–5, Deuce
An epic 48-shot rally at 5–5, deuce in the third set between Matteo Berrettini and Alexander Zverev in the second round of the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Berrettini's patience and precision ultimately earned him the crucial break.
▶️ Watch the rally

🎥 Brooksby’s Hustle in Houston
From deep in the court to delicate drop shots, he made it weird — and it worked.
▶️ Watch an epic first set point (start at 4:14)

🎥 Pegula’s Precision in Charleston
Jessica Pegula's angles and aggression were on full display in her semifinal run at Charleston — especially in this point.
▶️ Watch the point (start at 1:42)

📆 What to Watch For

Monte Carlo Madness (April 10–14)
Zverev’s out, Alcaraz is heating up, and Tsitsipas might just win this thing again.

Matches to watch:
👀 Carlos Alcaraz vs. Arthur Fils – Friday, April 11 at approx. 1:00 PM CET
Alcaraz is chasing his first Monte Carlo title and a return to World No.2. Fils is playing fearless tennis.
👀 Davidovich Fokina vs. Alexei Popyrin – Friday, April 11 at 11:00 AM CET
A former finalist vs. a wildcard wrecking ball — chaos potential high.

Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers (April 10–13)
National squads go head-to-head.

Matches to watch:
👀 Spain vs. Netherlands – Friday, April 12 at 11:00 AM CET
Spain’s doubles team is hot off a Bogotá win and looking to carry that form.

📬 Think “lucky loser” is an insult? It’s actually a tournament rule.
We’ll explain it all — Fan Q&A is coming.