Ben Rothenberg
benrothenberg.bsky.social
Ben Rothenberg
@benrothenberg.bsky.social
Please do check out my tennis writing, BOUNCES, at benrothenberg.com
Pinned
Changeover reading:

More details about Serena’s comeback, including the when, who (the former ATP player she’s been training with), and more.

This thing is happening, y’all:

www.benrothenberg.com/p/serena-wil...
Serena Williams' Comeback is Coming
Unpacking the latest evidence of Serena's planned unretirement and return to professional tennis.
www.benrothenberg.com
More news on the looming Serena comeback:

She recently practiced with a top-100 WTA player, Alycia Parks.

“She is in great shape, so I think she would kill it on tour,” Parks said of Serena.

www.tennismajors.com/wta-tour-new...
Alycia Parks “Serena Williams is in great shape”
Alycia Parks is through to the main draw of the WTA Qatar Open after two wins in qualifying and shared her thoughts on a possible Serena Williams comeback.
www.tennismajors.com
February 7, 2026 at 5:11 PM
Heckin’ huge effort by Ethan Quinn, saving four match points to beat Hungarian #1 Fabian Marozsan 13-11 in the third set tiebreak.

Quinn and Tommy Paul’s wins put the USA up 2-0 on the road on clay.

#DavisCup
February 7, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Mostly spending my day seething about what’s happening at the Post, but would be remiss not to mention how amazing that WTA 500 Abu Dhabi stadium full of Filipinos for Alex Eala just was.
February 4, 2026 at 5:21 PM
I read the Washington Post sports section on my way to school every morning as a kid, then called Post Haste—the old phone service the Post used to run in the pre-internet days—to find out what the late night west coast NHL scores had been.
February 4, 2026 at 4:02 PM
Was clear this was coming for weeks, but it’s no less devastating and unforgivable.

And that goes to the damage done to the rest of the Post as well, including their great Books section.

Democracy dies in darkness, indeed.
The layoffs at the Washington Post have begun, with newsroom leaders telling employees its sports and books sections will be 'eliminated in current forms' and its international coverage will be downsized
February 4, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Ben Rothenberg
Bezos isn't destroying the Washington Post because it isn't profitable. He's destroying the Washington Post because he's calculated that a robust free press threatens the ability of his class to warp society around their interests
February 4, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Back home in DC and even further preoccupied by the travesties of mismanagement befalling The Washington Post…wishing the best for all the great journalists and their readers, who both deserve so, so much better than what Bezos has done to the place in the last six months.
February 4, 2026 at 2:40 AM
After his Australian Open final loss, Novak Djokovic spoke bluntly and bleakly about his future in his Serbian press conference.

“I think I’ll come back. But whether you’ll see me here as an active player, we’ll see.”

Read the translation at Bounces:

www.benrothenberg.com/p/australian...
Novak Djokovic's Bleak Point
After an agonizing loss, the 24-time major champion was again blunt in Serbian with his uncertainties about playing onward.
www.benrothenberg.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:28 PM
At the Alcaraz-Djokovic Australian Open final on Sunday, it became ever clearer that the biggest moments in men's tennis are now property of an extremely exclusive circle of legends.

Free for all to read at Bounces:

www.benrothenberg.com/p/carlos-alc...
Legends Only
In the Australian Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, it became clear that mortals no longer need apply in men's tennis.
www.benrothenberg.com
February 1, 2026 at 8:37 PM
Reposted by Ben Rothenberg
The Australian Open men’s final chat at Bounces is now open and live! Come join us to join a community of awake people!

Alcaraz! Djokovic! You! Me!

bit.ly/3Oheq0n
Ben Rothenberg in Bounces
The Australian Open men’s final is here, and so is the final Bounces chat thread of the tournament! Djokovic going for a record-extending 25th major title, and to be the oldest man to ever win one. ...
bit.ly
February 1, 2026 at 8:38 AM
Honestly it’s the cringiest shit in tennis for me.
This LV unboxing of Norman is tacky af
February 1, 2026 at 8:38 AM
Reposted by Ben Rothenberg
Presented without comment
February 1, 2026 at 8:35 AM
The Australian Open men’s final chat at Bounces is now open and live! Come join us to join a community of awake people!

Alcaraz! Djokovic! You! Me!

bit.ly/3Oheq0n
Ben Rothenberg in Bounces
The Australian Open men’s final is here, and so is the final Bounces chat thread of the tournament! Djokovic going for a record-extending 25th major title, and to be the oldest man to ever win one. ...
bit.ly
February 1, 2026 at 8:38 AM
As Novak Djokovic gets ready to play for a record-extending 25th major men's singles title, I wanted to reshare a favorite story about an iconic moment from his 16th major win at Wimbledon 2019.

The story behind a famous finger, free at Bounces:

www.benrothenberg.com/p/wimbledon-...
The Woman Behind Wimbledon's Iconic Finger of Fate
An interview with the woman whose finger unwittingly created one of the most enduring images in modern Wimbledon history during the 2019 Djokovic-Federer final.
www.benrothenberg.com
February 1, 2026 at 7:59 AM
After her big win at the Australian Open, Elena Rybakina spoke of the investigation into her coach, Stefano Vukov—who received a trophy, too.

“Any situation like that knocks you off-balance. And it was a very unpleasant experience.”

Read at Bounces:

www.benrothenberg.com/p/australian...
Elena Rybakina Stood by Her Man
After her big win in Melbourne, the Australian Open champion spoke about the "very unpleasant experience" of the investigation into her coach Stefano Vukov.
www.benrothenberg.com
January 31, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Umpire: “Game, set, match!”

Rybakina: 🙂

A champ who very much does things her own way. And my gosh, what a match by her tonight.
January 31, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Bounces chat thread for the Australia Open women’s final is now open!

Come chat with your fellow awake tennis fans!

Rybakina! Sabalenka! Closed roof!

bit.ly/49RqrST
Ben Rothenberg in Bounces
The Australian Open women’s final is underway, and so is our Bounces chat thread! Elena Rybakina! Aryna Sabalenka! Insomniacs from around the globe! Join us! The roof is closed and the power should...
bit.ly
January 31, 2026 at 8:42 AM
It sure took a while, but the 2026 Australian Open finally served up a couple classic matches.

Read at Bounces:

www.benrothenberg.com/p/australian...
Slow-Cooked Classics for Alcaraz and Djokovic
After an unsatisfying start to the Australian Open, the men's semifinals delivered two feasts.
www.benrothenberg.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:24 PM
New NCR with @tumcarayol.bsky.social on the two classic men’s semifinals that kicked this Australian Open into gear, at last.

Listen:

open.spotify.com/episode/6rt1...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:03 PM
Join the Bounces live chat for today's men's semifinals!

Alcaraz-Zverev on now, followed by Sinner-Djokovic.

Will we get a surprise to derail the expected final?

bit.ly/AusOpenMensS...
Sign in to Bounces
bit.ly
January 30, 2026 at 4:42 AM
Reposted by Ben Rothenberg
Changeover reading:

More details about Serena’s comeback, including the when, who (the former ATP player she’s been training with), and more.

This thing is happening, y’all:

www.benrothenberg.com/p/serena-wil...
Serena Williams' Comeback is Coming
Unpacking the latest evidence of Serena's planned unretirement and return to professional tennis.
www.benrothenberg.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:13 AM
Four consecutive Australian Open finals for Aryna Sabalenka, which is seriously heckin’ remarkable.
January 29, 2026 at 10:04 AM
Just flashed on the screen and read out by an announcer in Rod Laver Arena:
January 29, 2026 at 9:54 AM
Changeover reading:

More details about Serena’s comeback, including the when, who (the former ATP player she’s been training with), and more.

This thing is happening, y’all:

www.benrothenberg.com/p/serena-wil...
Serena Williams' Comeback is Coming
Unpacking the latest evidence of Serena's planned unretirement and return to professional tennis.
www.benrothenberg.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:13 AM
Awake and want someone to talk about these Australian Open semifinals with?

Join us for the Bounces live chat! Open to all, free subscribers included!

bit.ly/AusOpenWomensSemisChat
Ben Rothenberg in Bounces
Kicking off the Bounces Australian Open women's semifinals chat thread! Sabalenka vs. Svitolina is up first; Pegula vs. Rybakina is up second. It'll be primetime in Melbourne and God-knows-when where...
bit.ly
January 29, 2026 at 9:06 AM