Every week, countless stories and news emerge in the tennis world that don’t always make headlines but are too intriguing to overlook. These can be on-court or off-court developments that go under the radar due to bigger storylines from the past week. This week, we had two fascinating stories and news, which are featured in this edition.
Tennis News Weekly Roundup
Novak Djokovic now Part-Owner of Le Mans FC
On August 1, 2025, tennis legend Novak Djokovic became a part-owner of Le Mans FC, a French Ligue 2 football club, alongside former Formula 1 drivers Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen. The investment is being spearheaded by OutField, a Brazilian private equity group co-founded by Pedro Olivera, and includes Georgios Frangulis, founder and CEO of the health food brand OakBerry.
Le Mans FC, founded in 1985, was recently promoted to Ligue 2 after finishing second in the third division. The club praised Djokovic as “the most successful player in history, whose mental strength and unique approach will bring considerable added value.” No financial details have been disclosed yet. The Serbian star has always been a football enthusiast, and this will allow him to get closer to the sport. Associating with a football club also enhances Djokovic’s global brand beyond tennis, potentially opening doors to new endorsements or business ventures.
Zverev Picks Between the Big 3 as his Hypothetical Coach
After an early exit at Wimbledon 2025, world No.3 Alexander Zverev spent time training under Toni Nadal’s guidance at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca. In the latest episode of ‘Nothing Major Show’ podcast, which is hosted by former tennis players John Isner, Sam Querrey, Jack Sock and Steve Johnson, Zverev revealed he also spent time with Rafael Nadal in Mallorca, including late-night dinners where the Spaniard gave some valuable insights and analysed his game.
When asked in the podcast about a hypothetical scenario of choosing a coach from the Big 3 (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or Roger Federer) for a year, Zverev said: “Before spending the week with Rafa and Toni in Mallorca, I would probably have said Novak. Because I had the most conversations with him, and he kind of gave me a lot of advice. But spending the week in Mallorca, the intensity that Rafa played at, that’s the intensity he coaches at. It was unbelievable. He came to court with me and started showing me forehands and trying to improve my forehand. So I’ll probably pick Rafa right now.”
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
