Andrea Petkovic has another accolade to add to her six career WTA titles, but this one was earned off of the tennis court. The German player penned an essay for Racquet Magazine titled “Tennis vs. Tennis”, which was recognized by Longreads with a Notable Mention in Best American Sports Writing 2019 category.
Petkovic joined the American indie band “Tennis” as they toured across the southwestern United States. During their travels, Petkovic recorded her musings on the nature of living on the road - both as a professional tennis player and as part of a rock band. She also photographed the experience in Polaroids accompanying the essay.
"Just a few days ago I was a tennis player on vacation in Mexico, and now I’m a writer on tour with a band, carrying a Polaroid camera with me wherever we go, holding it up and in their faces in their most vulnerable moments, hoping to get something, hoping to see something real, something graspable, something explainable, something worth writing down," Petkovic wrote in 'Tennis vs. Tennis".
The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country’s finest short fiction and nonfiction, according to Longreads.
Am I being trolled is my question! 😱 https://t.co/GUqgijdLLM
— Andrea Petkovic (@andreapetkovic) October 2, 2019
Check out a short excerpt of Petkovic’s essay, “Tennis vs. Tennis”, and visit Longreads for more:
“When I exit the plane in Albuquerque, the first thing I see is space. So much space and so few people. I’ve come from New York, and the minute I step onto New Mexican soil everything feels like it’s in slow motion. I speak slower, my steps are grander, my breath deeper. The desert landscape is a stark contrast to the crowds that I have become accustomed to in the city, and the landscape resembles nothing we have at home in Germany.
I’m on my way to Sister Bar, where Tennis will be playing. Tennis, in this instance, is a band, and I will be touring New Mexico, Arizona, and California with them. In a bus. I am wearing a wide-brimmed black hat and a faux leopard fur coat, despite the 90-degree heat. Perhaps I’ve overthought my Rock Tour Ensemble because I’m feeling uncharacteristically self-aware about being thrown into this alternate reality. In my real life, I am a tennis player. Full-time. How should I know what’s cool these days?”
This is our fashun correspondent people!!! She’s funny, she’s bright and hell yes she can write too! @racqetmagazine one and only @andreapetkovic (yeah I’m a smarty pants PETKO!!!) https://t.co/M5euSfTNO9
— Rennae Stubbs (@rennaestubbs) October 2, 2019
Meanwhile, Victoria Azarenka hit the coffee shop and took an adorable mom-son selfie with her mini-me, Leo.
Cheers 🙃 pic.twitter.com/rVHA8LaaN1
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) October 1, 2019
China’s Zheng Saisai celebrated her country’s National Day holiday in the best way possible: recording a huge upset over No.13 seed Sloane Stephens to reach her first China Open third round.
In this special day, it is my honor to dedicate this victory to the 70th birthday of my motherland!🇨🇳
I Love China ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/okZMlIs1rY— Zheng Saisai (@Zheng_Saisai) October 1, 2019
Is Naomi Osaka feelin’ blue?
Just leaving this here to say, I love Rihanna and I’m trying to somehow manifest her into my life LOL 💀😩😂 pic.twitter.com/aRp8O9dbly
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) October 1, 2019
WTA co-founder Billie Jean King, one of the WTA Original 9, hails the growth of women’s tennis:
48 years ago today, I earned $4,000 for a tournament win & became the 1st female athlete to earn $100K in prize money in a single year. This was more than Johnny Bench had made. I thought of the opportunities this would create for women, & it has. But there’s still work to do!
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) October 3, 2019
Australian tennis player Storm Sanders has a tip for gym-goers:
Top 7 most annoying things people do in the gym.. number 1 @MoniqueAdamcza3 pic.twitter.com/HVFBpA5hgb
— Storm Sanders (@stormsanders94) October 3, 2019
Former US Open winner Sloane Stephens snapped a selfie with fiance Jozy Altidore, a soccer player for Toronto FC:
back with my person 👫 @JozyAltidore pic.twitter.com/5v5CTTA0XU
— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) October 3, 2019