Daily Dose of Social Media: Ons Jabeur praises Alexandrova’s fair play, Andreeva shines in racquet grip challenge

Wednesday, 01 January 2025 at 23:55

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, we take a look at some of the best moments of the day, including the stars of the United Cup coming together for a "No. 1’s on No. 1’s" video, where the top singles players from each team answered fun questions. Participants included Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Leylah Fernandez, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alexander Zverev, and Laura Siegemund, among others.

Meanwhile, Ons Jabeur took to social media to thank Ekaterina Alexandrova for an incredible display of sportsmanship during their match in Brisbane, and Naomi Osaka shared a series of photos with her daughter from 2024. Mirra Andreeva's video was revealed in the grip racquet challenge, in which she surprised as the fastest and beat everyone on Brisbane International.

United Cup Stars answer fun Q&A: From wedding secrets to hair jokes

The stars of the United Cup participated in a round of questions featuring the male and female No. 1 players from each country. Coco Gauff with Taylor Fritz, Leylah Fernandez with Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Maria Sakkari with Stefanos Tsitsipas were among the interviewees. The players shared stories about the first time they met their partners, the shots they’d borrow from each other, and more.

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“Felix, you recently got engaged,” Leylah Fernandez said during the interview. “Which tennis player would you not let give a speech at your wedding? Who has the dirtiest secret of you?” she jokingly asked. “Not many people have secrets on me but… Maybe Frances. There’s a time to not joke around, you know when the whole family is there,” FAA replied.

German player Laura Siegemund joked about Zverev’s hair. “Does Sascha have the best hair on Tour? Be honest,” Siegemund read from her question card. “Well, he has better hair than Puetzi,” she joked about her teammate Tim Puetz. “No, I think he (Zverev) has great hair and a lot of it, so he can make nice ponytails. Best hair? I don’t know, but you have good hair.”

Check out the hilarious video featuring some of the United Cup's biggest stars below!

Mirra Andreeva crowned Racquet Grip Challenge winner at Brisbane International

Mirra Andreeva emerged as the big winner of the Racquet Grip Challenge at the Brisbane International, where players were tasked with quickly gripping their racquets. A few days ago, Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov reacted with surprise upon learning that Andreeva had won the challenge. This time, however, the Russian teenager was seen completing the task, clocking an impressive 7.93 seconds.

“I could play with it,” Andreeva joked in the video, smiling despite the grip looking less than perfect. On social media, the Russian herself left a humorous comment about her attempt: “Okay guys I admit this was terrible:) I would probably not play with it 😅”

The World No. 16 made her Brisbane debut with a victory over Anna Blinkova (6-4, 6-4). This Thursday, she will face 20-year-old Czech Linda Noskova (No. 30). A win for Andreeva would guarantee her entry into the top 15 for the first time in her career. This will be their third meeting, with their head-to-head currently tied at 1-1, both matches having taken place in 2024.

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Una publicación compartida de Brisbane International (@brisbaneinternational)

Heartwarming moments: Naomi Osaka’s 2024 with daughter Shai

Naomi Osaka shared a series of photos capturing highlights from her 2024, with a special focus on moments with her 18-month-old daughter, Shai. One of the pictures shows Shai watching TV attentively as her mother appears on screen at the Arthur Ashe Stadium during her US Open participation.

This week, Osaka returned to action at the ASB Classic in Auckland and has already advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Lina Glushko and Julia Grabher, both in straight sets. The 7th seed is still waiting to find out her next opponent, who will be either Hailey Baptiste or Jodie Burrage. If Osaka advances to the semifinals, she will secure her return to the top 50 after two years.

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Una publicación compartida de 大坂なおみ🇭🇹🇯🇵 (@naomiosaka)

Ons Jabeur praises Alexandrova’s fair play after controversial point

Ons Jabeur responded to a social media post highlighting a point she played against Ekaterina Alexandrova a day earlier at the Brisbane International. The match had just begun, with the score tied at 2-2, when Jabeur hit a dropshot that forced Alexandrova to sprint to the net. In her attempt to return the ball, Alexandrova double-bounced it before sending it back across the net. A slightly surprised Jabeur failed to hit the return.

The Tunisian approached the chair umpire to contest the point, claiming Alexandrova had double-bounced the ball. However, no lengthy discussion was needed as Alexandrova graciously acknowledged the error, signaling that the point should go to Jabeur—a remarkable act of fair play from the Russian player. "Thank you for posting this🙏 it was really a fair play from Ekaterina ❤️," Jabeur commented on X.

The 3-time Grand Slam runner-up has now secured her second consecutive win and advanced to the Round of 16 in Brisbane. Jabeur has made an impressive comeback, remaining undefeated in sets after defeating Shuai Zheng (7-6, 6-4) and Alexandrova (6-3, 6-2). She will face Azerbaijan’s Elina Avanesian on Thursday. Jabeur is aiming for three consecutive wins for the first time since the French Open last June.

Thank you for posting this🙏 it was really a fair play from Ekaterina ❤️
— Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) January 1, 2025

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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