💃 Dazzling Doubles 💃@Venuseswilliams and Diana Shnaider pick up the win in their first match together as a team!#MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/3RVLEs6rQ0

— Mubadala DC Open (@mubadaladcopen) July 27, 2026

The 46-year-old Williams was originally scheduled to play doubles at the Mubadala DC Open with Alexandra Eala, but the Filipina unexpectedly opted out in order to focus on singles, explaining that she is currently unable to give her full physical, emotional and mental commitment to competing in both disciplines.

GSM Williams/Shnaider!

Venus & Diana are into the QFs of DC taking down Eikeri/Gleason 6-3, 6-4.

Venus would face USO doubles partner Leylah Fernandez next if the Canadian and her partner Anna Danilina win their opening match. pic.twitter.com/fANpVeG80I

— Christian’s Court (@christianscourt) July 27, 2026

Monday’s victory marked Williams’ third doubles win of the 2026 season, with her previous two coming in partnerships with Eala and Katie Boulter. Her next opponents in Washington could include her US Open doubles partner Leylah Fernandez, if the Canadian and Anna Danilina advance through their opening-round match.

Williams is still searching for her first singles victory of 2026. Her Tuesday clash with Anastasia Potapova will be her ninth attempt to finally secure a singles win this season.

The second edition of the reimagined and elevated Championship will build on the success of its record-setting 2025 season with an even stronger lineup of players, an expanded format that includes qualifying, worldwide broadcast coverage and a prime-time showcase on ESPN. The initial wave of entries features the following teams, listed by their combined singles rankings:

Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic
Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz
Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev
Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud
Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli
Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev
Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien
Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime
Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe
Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev
Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Nuno Borges
Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper
Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori (defending champions)
Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten
Peyton Stearns and Preston Stearns

The entry deadline is set for noon on August 17, after which the six teams with the strongest combined singles rankings will earn direct spots in the main draw. Eight additional teams will be selected via wildcards, while the final two main-draw places will be awarded to teams emerging from an eight-team qualifying event on August 24. The qualifying field will consist of six direct entries and two wildcard selections.

As previously mentioned, the 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship will be held August 24-26 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Fans will have the opportunity to watch selected matches free of charge, with Monday’s action at Grandstand and Tuesday’s matches at Louis Armstrong Stadium open to the public for free.

Highlighting the appeal of the event, USTA CEO Craig Tiley said the Championship showcases “tennis at its best” by bringing women and men together on the same team. He added that the innovative format “will engage new audiences and give our fans another opportunity to see the biggest stars compete together.”

If Alcaraz is attracted to confident women, Kostovic might just have the strongest case! Last month, during her Wimbledon debut, the Serbian teenager turned heads even before stepping onto Center Court against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. “Let’s see if she can deal with my power,” Kostovic said ahead of the clash. “Of course I can beat her.” While Sabalenka eventually proved too strong, winning 6-2 6-3, Kostovic walked away with her confidence untouched, boldly declaring that the Belarusian’s game was “not out of this world” and that she believed she could definitely beat her next time.

Over the weekend, Kostovic added a major achievement to her young career by winning the W100 Amstetten title on clay in Austria. The triumph lifted her 25 spots to a career-high ranking of No. 146, officially making her the highest-ranked Serbian player on the WTA Tour, ahead of Lola Radivojevic (No. 154), Mia Ristic (No. 224) and Olga Danilovic (No. 264).

Celebrating her latest title while still wearing her Yonex tennis dress, Kostovic went to a supermarket, grabbed a yogurt featuring Alcaraz’s face on the packaging, kissed it, and documented the hilarious moment on Instagram. She even tagged the ATP star and the yogurt brand!

Soon after, Kostovic’s answer from a recent interview surfaced on Reddit. When asked about her favorite ATP players to watch, she simply replied:

Carlos Alcaraz. I really love him, and hopefully one day I will marry him.

What’s more, she celebrated her Amstetten title in typical Kostovic fashion, proudly showing off her trophy while using Kanye West’s famous sound:

Everybody want to know what I would do if I didn’t win… I guess we’ll never know.

Kostovic is a true gem of the new generation. Anxiety fears her! When she reaches greater heights, she will become a media favorite, or perhaps one of the most polarizing players. There will be no neutral opinions about her, for sure.

After victories over Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva (via retirement), Julia Stusek, No. 2 seed Anhelina Kalinina and Mayar Sherif (via retirement), Korpatsch capped her run by defeating Bondar 6-3 6-3 to become the first German champion at Am Rothenbaum since Steffi Graf’s historic six-title streak from 1987 to 1992.

After an 18-year absence from the WTA calendar, the Hamburg clay-court tournament returned in 2021 and finally crowned a homegrown champion following a 34-year wait. To make the victory even more special, Korpatsch is not only German — she was born in Hamburg as well.

The MSC Hamburg Ladies Open marks the German’s second career WTA title, following her triumph at the 2023 Cluj-Napoca Open on hard court, where she defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the final. With the victory, Korpatsch will surge past her previous career-high position in the PIF WTA Rankings on Monday, breaking into the Top 50 for the first time at age 31. Her previous best ranking was No. 71, achieved in October 2023.

Making her tournament debut at the Livesport Prague Open, Lilli Tagger completed a dream run by defeating Gao Xinyu, Mai Hontama, No. 3 seed Sara Bejlek and No. 2 seed Barbora Krejcikova before rallying from a 5-2 deficit in the opening set to defeat eighth seed Daria Snigur in the final, 7-6(3) 6-2.

The youngest player currently ranked inside the Top 100 on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, Tagger has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the past year. This time last season, she was ranked No. 513, but after her amazing title run, she is projected to break into the Top 50 for the first time when the WTA Rankings are updated on Monday.

Williams and the fast-rising Filipina star Eala had been awarded a wildcard into the doubles event. The 14-time Grand Slam doubles champion and the 21-year-old had already joined forces last month at the WTA 500 Bad Homburg Open in Germany, where they won their opening match against Alexandra Osborne and Catherine Harrison before falling in the quarterfinals.

Inspiring multiple generations 🤩#mubadaladcopen pic.twitter.com/n3jPow6ZGb

— Mubadala DC Open (@mubadaladcopen) July 24, 2026

Just days ago, the Mubadala DC Open shared photos and a video of Williams and Eala practicing together in Washington, leaving fans puzzled when the doubles draw listed Shnaider as Williams’ partner instead.

No official explanation has been given for the change in partnership, but Williams briefly addressed the situation to the press in Washington:

We had a great time playing at Bad Homburg so we were looking forward to playing again. Didn’t work out this time. Would love for there to be future times. We’ll see what happens.

Eala remains in the singles draw, where she opens against Zheng Qinwen. A victory would set up a second-round meeting with defending champion Leylah Fernandez or Magda Linette.

Williams is also competing in singles as a wildcard, where she will face Anastasia Potapova in the opening round. Interestingly, if she finally records her first main-draw singles victory of the 2026 season, her second-round opponent would be her doubles partner Shnaider, who is the fourth seed and received a first-round bye. Washington holds special significance for the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, as it was the site of her comeback a year ago after a 16-month absence from the tour.

Update: Eala later explained to the media in Washington why she decided to opt out of playing doubles with Williams.

“I have so much respect for Venus. I am so grateful for every opportunity that I have to be around her, to learn from her, to hit with her. But I do think this is my first week coming back, and I think that Venus is someone who deserves a partner who can give their all physically, emotionally, mentally when they’re on court with her.

I think right now I think I can only do that for singles. I don’t have the capacity yet to be able to give that in both singles and doubles. I’m really grateful for the opportunity that I had, or have, and hopefully we see more of it in the future.”

Muchova and Noskova with the Czech president in the Prague castle today! pic.twitter.com/hEDkTdhdNI

— Magda (@doublefauIts) July 24, 2026

🇨🇿 Petr Pavel, prezydent Czech, spotkał się dziś z Lindą Noskovą i Karoliną Muchovą.

Finalistki Wimbledonu zostały docenione przez głowę państwa 🤝#zkortu pic.twitter.com/rbiE8y8GyM

— Z kortu – informacje tenisowe (@z_kortu) July 24, 2026

Earlier this month at Wimbledon, in the first all-Czech women’s Grand Slam final of the Open Era, Noskova captured her maiden Grand Slam title with a thrilling 6-2 5-7 6-3 victory over compatriot Muchova.

For the meeting with the head of state, Noskova brought her replica of the Venus Rosewater Dish, while Muchova proudly displayed her runner-up plate. The new Wimbledon champion opted for a tailored cobalt-blue pantsuit featuring a structured blazer and wide-leg trousers, paired with a light-colored top, delicate jewelry, and loose wavy hair. Muchova chose an elegant all-black ensemble consisting of a sleeveless peplum-style top and flowing barrel-leg trousers. President Pavel embraced the occasion by wearing a Wimbledon cap.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Barbora Strycova🐝 (@barborastrycova)

Retired Czech Grand Slam doubles champions Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova were also in attendance.

Avec son jeu puissant, Alisa Oktiabreva n’a laissé aucune chance à Xinran Sun en finale ↘️#RolandGarros https://t.co/rFhNDpTiev

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2026

Oktiabreva was born in Moscow in 2008 but moved to Prague with her family when she was just a toddler. Since then, Prague has been her home and the place where she first picked up a tennis racquet. She has barely visited Russia, making the Czech Republic the country she truly identifies with.

“Honestly, I consider myself Czech. That’s actually why I struggle with Russian – I went to school in Prague, my friends are there, my coaches are Czech, everything in my life has been in Czech. Prague is home to me. When I say I’m going home, I mean Prague. Training there isn’t always easy because of the weather, but it will always be my home. In my entire life, I’ve only been to Russia once – for the Christmas Cup under-14 tournament,” Oktiabreva previously told Sports.ru.

Oktiabreva’s application for Czech citizenship was supported by her tennis club, which has a proud history of developing some of the country’s greatest players, including Hana Mandlikova, Petra Kvitova, Karolina Pliskova, Katerina Siniakova, and many others.

“She has been part of our club since childhood,” TK Sparta Prague director Miroslav Maly told Tenisovy Svet earlier this year. “Starting at the age of four in our tennis school, where she learned the game and gradually developed into the player she is today. That is why we fully supported and assisted her in her efforts to obtain Czech citizenship, which was a logical step in her life.”

This week, the world No. 403 Oktiabreva played the Livesport Prague Open as a wildcard, but lost to France’s Oceane Dodin in the first round. (source: Tennis World USA)

World No. 1s Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner headline the 2026 US Open singles fields. Sabalenka, the reigning two-time US Open champion (2024, 2025), will be chasing a third consecutive title, a feat last achieved by Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014. Sinner, meanwhile, returns as the 2024 men’s champion.

Joining them are world No. 2s Elena Rybakina, the reigning Australian Open champion, and Alexander Zverev, who captured the 2026 French Open title. World No. 3s Carlos Alcaraz, a two-time US Open champion, and 2024 US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula also feature among the tournament favorites.

The singles fields include 17 former Grand Slam champions—11 women and six men—including 10 players who have previously lifted the US Open trophy.

The United States leads all nations with 28 players earning direct entry into the main draw, evenly split between 14 women and 14 men.

Headlined by Pegula, world No. 4 Coco Gauff and world No. 9 Amanda Anisimova, the American women’s contingent also features Iva Jovic, Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, Ann Li, McCartney Kessler, Caty McNally, Peyton Stearns, Ashlyn Krueger, Alycia Parks, Taylor Townsend and Katie Volynets. On the men’s side, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz headline the U.S. contingent.

Eight players—five women and three men—have entered the tournament using special or protected rankings. They include Lois Boisson (No. 38), Juncheng Shang (No. 56), Irina-Camelia Begu (No. 82) and Thanasi Kokkinakis (No. 84).

The entry lists are based on the ATP and WTA rankings published on July 20. The cutoff for direct entry was No. 102 in the women’s draw and No. 101 in the men’s draw.

The 2026 US Open will be held from August 23 to September 13, with the singles main draw beginning on Sunday, August 30.

Although negotiations are still ongoing, Roland Garros officials presented the proposal to players’ representative Larry Scott during discussions held at Wimbledon two weeks ago. If finalized, the agreement would distinguish the French Open from the other three Grand Slam events by introducing a formal revenue-sharing system to determine prize money.

Players have been pushing for a long-term arrangement that guarantees a fixed percentage of tournament income. Their proposal calls for 16% of Grand Slam revenues to be distributed as prize money immediately, with that figure gradually increasing to 22% by 2030. While tournament organizers have raised prize funds considerably in recent years, players argue that annual discretionary increases do not provide the transparency or certainty offered by a revenue-based formula.

The French Open’s proposal extends beyond prize money. Tournament organizers have also indicated they are willing to contribute toward player pension schemes, improve healthcare support, and involve players more directly in governance and decision-making.

This cooperative approach contrasts sharply with the stance taken by the All England Club. Last month, chair Debbie Jevans dismissed the idea of calculating prize money as a share of tournament revenue, saying such a system “made no sense.” Her comments prompted players to consider refusing media interviews during the opening week of Wimbledon, although the planned protest was ultimately withdrawn.

Attention is now shifting to the US Open, which is expected to reveal this year’s prize money at the beginning of next month. The tournament faces growing pressure because discussions with players have been ongoing for longer, and a new chief executive, Craig Tiley, has taken charge of the US Tennis Association.

Several leading players, among them world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, have warned they may skip the mixed doubles competition held before the singles tournament at Flushing Meadows unless meaningful progress is achieved in negotiations over player compensation.

The US Open awarded a record $90 million in prize money last year, representing a 20% increase from the previous year’s $75 million. If organizers approve another comparable rise this season, the total prize fund would surpass $100 million for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Shopping links in this article are affiliate links, meaning that we will earn a commission if you purchase something through those links, while there will be no additional cost to you.

Leading the collection is a body-hugging sleeveless dress featuring a front half-zip entry and a bold circular cutout at the back, revealing the shape of your bra underneath. The skirt has a flared silhouette with laser-cut perforations along the sides, while a matching shortie with practical side pockets completes the look. The pieces come in light pink, classic black, and beige with a subtle leopard print.

That said, the overall aesthetic feels very familiar, as the designs closely resemble last year’s summer collection, which is now available at discounted prices. The new pieces maintain Stella McCartney’s signature sporty-meets-fashion-forward style.

Mesh inserts are a common functional and aesthetic feature in sportswear, but Stella McCartney pushes the concept further with sheer panels at the bust that subtly reveal the lower chest area while providing ventilation in a high-sweat zone. Crafted from soft, supportive ADISOFT fabric, this statement bra is available in classic black and light pink.

When it comes to shorts, the collection offers a practical 2-in-1 design. The long compression short features functional side pockets and is layered beneath a lightweight woven outer short that moves freely with every step. The fluttering overlay adds extra coverage while maintaining breathability and comfort.

The skirt is a pleated style with a breathable mesh elastic waistband, but the pleats are more distinctive on the back and sides rather than following the more common all-around design. For functional coverage on slightly colder days, the collection offers the Fall Midlayer Full Zip, featuring laser-cut perforations and thumbholes on the sleeves. A standout detail is the mesh-lined zippered pocket at the back waist, adding practical storage while maintaining breathability. The item is available in baby pink and black.

Visors, hats, and a tote bag complete the collection.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ana Ivanović (@anaivanovic)

Ivanovic treated fans to a series of sun-soaked snapshots from the trip, showcasing chic summer fashion against Capri’s postcard-perfect backdrop. The group wandered through the island’s charming streets, admired breathtaking coastal views, browsed local farmers’ markets, relaxed on the beach, and spent evenings at stylish rooftop lounges. It was a picture-perfect weekend filled with laughter and friendship.

The bond between Ivanovic and Kerber stretches back to their teenage years on the junior circuit. Over time, their connection has grown into a close friendship, strengthened by shared values and similar outlooks on life.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ana Ivanović (@anaivanovic)

Just last month, Kerber invited Ivanovic to join her for a special exhibition match on grass in Bad Homburg, Germany, where the three-time Grand Slam champion officially bid farewell to professional tennis and her home fans.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ana Ivanović (@anaivanovic)

After welcoming daughter Liana in February 2023, Kerber returned to competition and played her final official match at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she fell to Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals. She gave birth to her second child, son Ben, in June 2025 and, aside from a handful of legends’ exhibition appearances following her retirement from the WTA Tour, Bad Homburg marked her ceremonial goodbye to the sport. Meanwhile, Ivanovic retired in December 2016 and is now a proud mother of three sons, aged three to eight.

On the court, Ivanovic held a 5-2 head-to-head advantage over her close friend. Their final meeting came in the 2014 Tokyo semifinals, where the Serbian prevailed before going on to lift the title.

More video from Asia Muhammad and James Cross’s wedding. 🥰❤️💞 pic.twitter.com/VqgwbK0wd8

— LaWanda (@lawanda50) July 20, 2026

Doubles standout Asia Muhammad married her fiancé James Cross on July 18 in Vancouver, surrounded by family, friends, and several familiar faces from the tennis world.

Some video from Asia Muhammad and James Cross’s wedding. ❤️ Wish them every happiness. 🥰💞 From Gugu Olmos’s Instagram story. pic.twitter.com/BvLNGI2niw

— LaWanda (@lawanda50) July 19, 2026

The 35-year-old Muhammad first announced her engagement in September 2025, sharing the happy news on Instagram with a glowing selfie from Kentucky Alleyne Provincial Park. The American player proudly displayed her engagement ring alongside Cross, joking in the caption:

“When the engagement makes it out of the group chat!!!”

The wedding brought together a number of WTA stars, with Genie Bouchard, Desirae Krawczyk, Alexa Guarachi Bruner, Naomi Broady, Jessica Pegula, and Jennifer Brady among those celebrating the special occasion with the newlyweds.

Already a back-to-back year-end world No. 1 (in 2024 and 2025), Sabalenka has built one of the most sustained runs at the top of the women’s game. The 28-year-old has now joined another elite club, with only Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Chris Evert, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Iga Swiatek, Ashleigh Barty, and Justine Henin having spent more weeks at No. 1.

When it comes to consecutive weeks at the top, Sabalenka is impressive in that aspect as well, having now spent 92 consecutive weeks as No. 1. That moves her past Seles for the sixth-longest uninterrupted reign since the WTA rankings were introduced, with only Graf, Williams, Navratilova, Barty, and Evert having recorded longer streaks.

Sabalenka’s No. 1 ranking could come under threat during the North American hard-court swing, with Elena Rybakina closing the gap after a strong start to the season. The Belarusian currently leads by just over 400 points, and the Kazakhstani could challenge for the top spot if she gains ground in Canada, Cincinnati, and at the US Open. However, Sabalenka has fewer points to defend before New York and has been dominant at Flushing Meadows in recent years, winning back-to-back titles and reaching three finals in the last four editions. (source: WTA, photo: Jimmie48)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Vanda Pharmaceuticals Athens Open (@athensopen)

On Sunday, Sakkari fell to Czech star Barbora Krejcikova 7-6(5) 6-3 in the championship match, unable to complete the fairytale run in front of her home fans. The hard-court tournament marked the WTA Tour’s return to Athens for the first time since 1990, ending a 35-year absence from the Greek capital. For Sakkari, it was a rare opportunity to compete at the highest level on home soil, and in the very stadium where she had once watched her mother play.

Wearing the light purple version of the Adidas London Pro Dress, the former world No. 3 embraced the moment throughout the week, winning her first four matches in straight sets to book a place in the WTA 250 final. Although she came up short against Krejcikova, the week became one of the most meaningful of her career.

Una conexión especial❤️

La WTA llegó a Atenas en 1986 con Angeliki Kanellopoulou🇬🇷 jugando la final

📌35 años despues la capital griega vuelve a ser sede de un torneo WTA y Maria Sakkari🇬🇷, hija de Kanellopoulou, llega a la final para ilusionar al público con una campeona local pic.twitter.com/Ihu6T8YtxF

— Iván Aguilar (@ivabianconero) July 18, 2026

Overcome with emotion during the trophy ceremony, Sakkari thanked the fans: “You made me love tennis even more this week. I never expected that in this stadium, where I used to watch Lena before, that I would one day fight for our country, play in a tournament like this, and that you would offer me all these emotions this week. I really never expected it.”

The runner-up finish was Sakkari’s first appearance in a WTA final since Indian Wells in 2024.

In this week's edition of Sports Are Scripted:

Maria Sakkari's mother Angeliki Kanellopoulou was runner-up of the Athens Open in 1986, where she lost 7-5 6-1 in the final…

40 years later, Maria Sakkari won 6-1 7-5 to reach the final of the Athens Open, where she was runner-up. pic.twitter.com/Yj11aVsMjn

— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) July 20, 2026

“I never thought that I would be standing here today, playing in front of this crowd,” Sakkari thanked the audience and her family. “You made me a player. You and, of course, my family, my grandfather and everyone. You made this career possible, so thank you. Thank you for believing in me like no one else.”

Following Monday’s WTA rankings update, Sakkari has climbed four spots from No. 37 to No. 33. (via Tennis World USA)

Sherif arrived in Iasi riding the momentum of last week’s WTA 125 clay-court title in Contrexeville. She extended her winning streak with victories over Dalma Galfi, Kaitlin Quevedo, ninth seed Yulia Putintseva, third seed Oleksandra Oliynykova, and finally Badosa, who was also in top form after capturing this month’s WTA 125 clay-court title in Bastad. In the rain-delayed final, Badosa retired while trailing 6-4 4-0 and ended her 9-0 winning streak.

All four of Sherif’s career WTA finals have come on clay. Her only previous WTA title came at the 2022 Parma Open, where she defeated Maria Sakkari in the final.

Pera shared glimpses of the celebration on her Instagram Stories, offering fans a look at the elegant waterfront venue. Among the guests was fellow tennis star Kristina Mladenovic, who arrived fresh off her Wimbledon women’s doubles triumph.

The couple announced their engagement in December 2025, sharing the happy news with a selfie taken in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Krajina, a Croatian professional basketball player, currently plays for the Kaohsiung Aquas in Taiwan’s Professional Basketball League (TPBL), explaining the location of their engagement announcement.

Although born in Croatia, the 31-year-old Pera represents the United States on the WTA Tour. The former world No. 27 enjoyed the best season of her career in 2022, winning her only two WTA singles titles in consecutive weeks at the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Hamburg European Open.

Making her Athens debut as the only Grand Slam singles champion in the draw, Krejcikova overcame an early 4-1 deficit in the opening set to force a tiebreak and edge it 7-5, then rallied after Sakkari broke her serve for a 2-1 lead in the second by winning five of the final six games to claim her ninth career title and first since her 2024 Wimbledon triumph.

Krejcikova captured the title after a successful run through the WTA 250 draw, defeating Viktoriya Tomova, Carole Monnet, Zheng Qinwen, top seed Clara Tauson, and finally home favorite Sakkari in the championship match.

Women’s tennis has not had any known transgender athletes competing at the professional level since Renee Richards in the 1970s. Regardless, starting this month, the WTA is taking the step of requiring all players to undergo genetic testing to identify whether they carry specific genetic markers associated with male biology. Players who refuse to undergo this once-in-a-lifetime test will be ineligible to compete for a certain period and face disciplinary action.

This represents a major change from the WTA’s previous, inclusive policy. Until now, transgender women were technically eligible to compete as long as they met the organization’s requirements, including maintaining the required low testosterone levels through regular monitoring. The reported introduction of mandatory genetic testing would change the way eligibility is determined, with athletes who are found to have certain genetic markers associated with male biology becoming ineligible to compete on the WTA Tour.

The screening would primarily focus on identifying the presence of the SRY gene, a genetic marker associated with male development. Because an individual’s genetic makeup does not change over their lifetime, players would only be required to complete the cheek swab once.

The push for SRY screening is not only about transgender athletes but also about rare differences of sex development. In some cases, individuals with XY chromosomes may be assigned female at birth because external male characteristics do not fully develop, while internal testes can still produce testosterone and lead to male-typical puberty. Sports organizations that support such testing argue that these differences can create eligibility concerns in the female category.

“Plot twist,” Muchova wrote, sharing the latest unexpected turn in her life. Posting a photo from her hospital bed, the world No. 6 revealed that she had undergone a minor surgical procedure that will keep her off the court for a few weeks. While she did not disclose details about the operation, she assured fans that everything went well and that she has already begun her recovery.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Karolína Muchová (@karolinamuchova)

Muchova finished runner-up to fellow Czech Linda Noskova in a dramatic three-set Wimbledon final earlier this month. The 29-year-old, who has battled multiple wrist injuries throughout her career, confirmed that she will miss the Canadian Open in Toronto, which begins on August 1. However, she is focused on recovering in time for the US Open, scheduled to start on August 23.

Dumitrache wore a light grey suit paired with a matching bow tie, while Samsonova chose an ivory bridal ensemble featuring wide-leg trousers with a flowing overskirt, sheer long lace sleeves, and a high illusion neckline. She completed the look with an elegant white bridal bouquet.

Samsonova and Dumitrache have been together since 2020. He has also served as her coach. The couple announced their engagement in December 2025 following a breakthrough season for the Russian, highlighted by her first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon. Samsonova revealed the news by posting a photo from an airplane that prominently displayed her engagement ring, captioning it with a message about beginning a new chapter while tagging Dumitrache.

Born on January 1, 1992, in Italy, Dumitrache briefly competed on the ITF Tour before transitioning into coaching. The 34-year-old is also an ambassador for sportswear brand Asics, according to his Instagram profile.

Samsonova, whose career-high ranking is world No. 12, is fluent in Italian, Russian, and English. Although she was born on November 11, 1998, in Olenegorsk, Russia, she moved to Italy as an infant. At the age of six, she began training at the Piatti Tennis Centre in Bordighera after receiving financial support from the local tennis federation. During her time there, she trained alongside future world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

From 2014 to 2018, Samsonova represented Italy on the professional tour before switching allegiance to Russia. Explaining her decision, she said she was unable to obtain Italian citizenship and felt there was less pressure competing for her birth country.

“I’m the last one [in the rankings],” she joked about representing Russia. “They don’t care about me.”