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Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have long been rivals on the tennis court but Rafa recently conceded after Novak won the US Open and claimed his 24th Grand Slam title (Rafa’s record stands at 22 Grand Slams).

“I believe that numbers are numbers and statistics are statistics and, in that sense, I think he has better numbers than mine and that is indisputable,” Rafa shared with Spanish daily sports newspaper AS. “It is not beneath me nor do I have an ego big enough to try to disguise a reality that is not. This is the truth.”

Rafa added, “The rest are tastes, inspiration, sensations that one player or the other may transmit to you, that you may like one or the other more. I think that with respect to titles, Djokovic is the best in history and there is nothing to discuss in that.” (Novak is currently tied with Margaret Court for the all-time record for Grand Slams in the Open era.

Unfortunately, Rafa has been on the mend from injuries the last few seasons and 2024 may be his last year on tour. He shared, “As always, everyone can see the story as they wish, saying that I suffered many injuries. Bad luck for me or bad luck that I had my body this way. He has had another one, and in some ways that is also part of the sport. I congratulate him for everything he is achieving, and it doesn’t cause me any kind of frustration.”

Rafa finished off, saying, “What is, is, and what is not, is not. I say this: I am very satisfied with everything that I have done.”

Unless you’re a top-ranked or high profile tennis player like Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Serena Williams, and Naomi Osaka — it’s nearly impossible to make a living with income from tennis alone. So why is it so hard for professional tennis players to make a living than in almost any other sport?

Vox spoke to with Ahmad Nassar, Executive Director of the Professional Tennis Players Association as well as pro tennis players Hubert Hurkacz, Taylor Townsend (USA) and Alycia Parks (USA) to talk about the hot topic.

“Many of the people in the top 100 are barely breaking even, sometimes in the red.” Taylor shared. “As a player, sometimes it is frustrating because you know that you’re the talent and you know that you’re bringing this certain level of entertainment to all of these different places around the world and not being compensated for it.”

She even shared a very concerning story: “A good friend of mine, Dustin Brown, a very, very good player. He literally was living out of his car. He was stringing rackets for the players at the tournament to make money. And sometimes the amount that he was making to string rackets was more than he made in his prize money. And he beat [Rafael] Nadal at Wimbledon. Like, played one of the most epic matches.”

“If you’re not playing at Grand Slams consistently and doing well, you are struggling,” Ahmad added.

Watch the full video below on why there’s such a huge pay disparity when compared with other global sports!

Click inside for more videos on the tennis pay disparity…More Here! »

Simona Halep, who was at one point the number one female tennis player in the world, has been suspended from the game for four years.

The 31-year-old Romanian athlete was previously suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency back in October 2022 after she tested positive for the anti-anemia drug Roxadustat at the US Open.

Now, the ITIA has announced that Simona will be ineligible to play professional tennis until October 2026.

Simona has announced plans to appeal the decision and she will take legal action against the supplement company that she claims gave her contaminated goods. She said in a lengthy statement, “I refuse to accept their decision of a four-year ban… I am continuing to train and do everything in my power to clear my name of these false allegations and return to the court.”

Serena Williams, who was defeated by Simona at Wimbledon in 2019, has seemingly reacted to the news and she appears to be throwing some serious shade.

Keep reading to find out more…More Here! »

Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam title in front of so many celebrity onlookers!

The 19-year-old tennis phenom emerged victorious in a match against competitor Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to win the Women’s Singles Final during the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Saturday (September 9).

She did so with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Amanda Seyfried, Diane Keaton and Ariana Debose cheering her on in the stands.

Keep reading to find out more…More Here! »

USA’s Coco Gauff defeats Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during their Women’s Singles Final match at the 2023 US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Saturday (September 9) in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

The 19-year-old tennis phenom won her first Grand Slam title, coming back from a set down, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. She’s the first teenager to win the US Open Women’s Singles title since Serena Williams in 1999.

Coco, who is from Delray Beach, Florida, will become the highest ranked American woman and reach a career high of #3 in the world. She’s the third American teen to win the US Open, after Serena in 1999 and Tracy Austin in 1979 and 1981.

Coco also collected $3 million in prize money. Incredible match from an incredible champion. Watch the highlights below!

UPDATE: Coco Gauff beat Karolina Muchova in the match with a final score line of 6-4 7-5. She will play Madison Keys or Aryna Sabalenka in the finals on Saturday.

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A climate change protest during the semifinal match against Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova at the US Open on Thursday night (September 7) temporarily delayed the game.

According to ABC 7, multiple protesters were involved in a stunt that took place in the midst of the match at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

Read more about the protest that delayed the game…More Here! »

Carlos Alcaraz made history when he won the US Open in 2022, and he celebrated the special occasion with a tattoo.

The 20-year-old Spanish tennis pro became the youngest No. 1 tennis player in history when he pulled off the win on September 11. He’s only continued soaring to new heights since then, securing his 100th win in March 2023 and emerging victorious at Wimbledon in July.

In a new interview, Carlos revealed the special way that he celebrated his win at the US Open and teased similar plans for if he were to secure the win again this year.

Head inside to see Carlos Alcaraz’s tattoo to commemorate his win…More Here! »