ATP and WTA launch new digital show 'Tennis United'

The ATP and WTA have today announced the launch of a new weekly show called Tennis United, which will air every Friday on both Tours’ digital platforms.

Hosted by Grand Slam champions Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Vasek Pospisil, Tennis United will feature interviews and discussions with ATP and WTA players, as well as other influential figures from throughout the game, a round-up of the week’s best social media posts and highlights of the charitable and philanthropic work the tennis community is doing.

"Now more than ever, we need to come together and help each other," Mattek-Sands says as she and Pospisil introduce the show's premiere. "I think it's time the tours got together to give an inside look at how everyone is handling this situation."

The show will bring the tennis world together during the hiatus on both the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as engaging athletes and fans from across the entire sporting world.

Friday’s debut show will open with a special montage of player messages thanking key health workers that have been fighting COVID-19 on the front lines, followed by interviews with Felix Auger-Aliassime, Sofia Kenin, Jannik Sinner and Donna Vekic.

Mattek-Sands and Pospisil give tours of their homes and introduce "quarantine pals" along with indoor gym set-ups before throwing it over to a group interview with the two hosts, Kenin, and Auger-Aliassime. 

Kenin, known as Sonya to friends and "Peter" to Mattek-Sands - the latter nickname became popular with fans during the Middle East Swing, much to the Australian Open champion's chagrin - discussed how she maintains her as-intense-as-ever training schedule while looking forward to getting back on tour to continue the momentum that took her to a maiden major title.

Auger-Aliassime found a silver lining in returning home earlier than expected, spending time with close family while entertaining the group with a blind dart throw.

Vekic joined the show later on to talk about the earthquake that occurred in her home country of Croatia while keeping busy at home with various recipes - showing off the results on her social media.

"I like to cook, but when we're training, I'm not as in the mood. Now that I have so much extra time, I'm really enjoying it. I'm constantly on Instagram looking for new recipes, so I'm hungry all the time! That's become my biggest motivation to train even more."

Before Pospisil interviewed Sinner, he and Mattek-Sands joined forces for a little Mystery Science Theater 3000-style commentary of their fellow players' most viral videos, including Victoria Azarenka and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and their children, Kristina Mladenovic's impressive golf skills, and Roger Federer doing tweeners out in the snow. 

Tennis United premiers today, Friday April 10, on the ATP and WTA’s Facebook and YouTube channels, with sections of the show also available on Twitter and Instagram.