Tennis Today: A ‘veiled swipe’ from Lleyton Hewitt and a ‘startling’ claim about Novak Djokovic

Shahida Jacobs
February 14, 2019

In Tennis Today, love is not in the air when it comes to Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic, while we are not too sure if a “startling admission” about Novak Djokovic is actually so startling.

What’s on the site
Today is a very special day. No, we are not talking about Valentine’s Day, but it is Davis Cup Finals draw day. Here is Andy Schooler’s rundown ahead of the draw.

In case you missed it, here is Johnny Nic’s take on match-fixing in tennis as he suggests that the sport becomes, at least for a while, as corrupt as the corrupters.

Results round-up:
WTA Doha
ATP Rotterdam
ATP New York
ATP Buenos Aires

Still have a few minutes to spare? Why don’t you take our quiz on the history of the Rotterdam Open?

What’s in the news
It has been a while since we had something about the Lleyton Hewitt-Bernard Tomic feud. And by “a while” we mean a week or so.

And the media (no not us, we promise) is certainly looking to keep it in the news.

Australia’s 7 Sport / Yahoo Australia reports that Hewitt was asked at the New York Open if he would watch Tomic’s clash against John Isner.

They add that “according to Tennis.com reporter Cody Fitzpatrick, Hewitt replied with a veiled swipe at Tomic”.

Asked Lleyton Hewitt, who just played a doubles match, whether he’d be watching Tomic-Isner tonight

Lleyton: I may keep an eye out because Jordan Thompson plays the winner

— Cody Fitzpatrick (@CodyFitz96) February 13, 2019

We are not too sure that’s really a “veiled swipe”.

Then there is a “startling admission” from Rafael Nadal’s coach Carlos Moya about Novak Djokovic in Express Sport.

We know you are wondering what is this “startling admission”?

“Mentally he is the most similar to Rafa on the whole tour,” Moya said.

“Rafa does not beat Djokovic mentally like it generally happens with his colleagues.”

Second seed Karolina Pliskova pulled out of the Qatar Open on Wednesday as she was “super-tired” with The Independent quoting her as saying: “Fed Cup can destroy you, because to travel the day after when you have played a three-hour match against Halep, it’s not the best, for sure – not the best for my body, not the best for my career, not the best for this tournament.”

What’s on social media
A Valentine’s Day special from Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina.

View this post on Instagram

“By my side, on my side, in this together” 🧩🧩 #happyvalentinesday

A post shared by G.E.M.S (@g.e.m.s.life) on Feb 13, 2019 at 11:56pm PST

Valentine’s Day stories from ATP players including John Isner, Mischa Zverev and Matthew Ebden.

Eugenie Bouchard still having fun with the camels.

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Told myself I’d never post a pic with cameltoe ??

A post shared by Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) on Feb 13, 2019 at 6:12am PST

Here is fresh-faced Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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Two years ago, a fresh-faced @stefanostsitsipas98 played his first-ever match on the @atptour as a wildcard in Rotterdam. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Today, he was back where it all began ⏮ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (🎥: @tennistv)

A post shared by Mouratoglou Tennis Academy 🎾 (@mouratoglou_tennis_academy) on Feb 13, 2019 at 12:30pm PST