The First Serve

WTA chair Valerie Camillo attending the US Open. (Getty/Michael Mooney) Despite the women's circuit experiencing one of its most exciting eras, with Grand Slam winners harder to predict than ever, worrying news is coming from off court. A report by The Telegraph's Simon Briggs states that the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) is expected to have around USD$15 million in cash at the end of 2026, while projecting operational losses as high as USD$23 million for the year. If the concerning trend...

(Getty/Mark Metcalfe) New Tennis Australia CEO Andrew Abdo believes it is important to "connect with young people", as he outlines his vision to make tennis Australia's No.1 participated sport. Abdo, who ended his role as NRL CEO to replace Craig Tiley at Tennis Australia earlier this year, will lead the Australian Open for the first time in January 2027. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's only dedicated weekly tennis...

(Getty/Clive Brunskill) The tournament may have concluded a couple of months ago, but Wimbledon have stepped in early to avoid an inundation of influencers amid concerns at the US Open. Wimbledon organisers have also planned to confiscate items such as ring lights to minimise the risk of disrupting matches. Listen to The First Serve Live every Monday at 8pm AEST in its 18th year on the SEN Network/App, Australia's only dedicated weekly tennis program on commercial radio running through till...

Aryna Sabalenka and Serena Williams at the US Open. (Getty/Julian Finney/Robert Prange) The International Integrity Agency (ITIA) is currently investigating a US Open promotional party involving a gambling company, which could result in players receiving a warning. Prominent tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg reported the story Friday morning (AEST), uncovering details about DraftKings event host Dave Grutman, who is regarded as a "well-connected Miami nightlife impresario". Listen to The First...

Some of the world's top players have had their say on the hot topic of influencers swarming the US Open, with one particular match forced to stop because of a ring light. During Naomi Osaka's first round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the chair umpire had to intervene because a group of influencers were making content while causing a disturbance due to noise and the portable ring light flash. "Guys, please, in the suite behind me, please, thank you guys, please take your seat," said the...