SERENA ANNOUNCES PREGNANCY; NADAL WINS TEN IN MONTE CARLO

This Week In Tennis
​Season 2, Vol 14

​#ThisWeekInTennis recaps the tennis happenings of the last week via news reports, social media, featured articles, rankings, and podcasts.

Photo credit: AP

RUNDOWN
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• Serena Williams announced her pregnancy last week. The 23-time Grand Slam champion also declared her intent to return to the WTA in 2018. Despite not playing since winning the Australian Open in January, Williams also returns to world #1. 
• Rafael Nadal became a 10-time winner at an event last week in Monte Carlo. Nadal beat Albert Ramos Viñolas in the final, and will get two more opportunities to match the feat in Barcelona and at Roland Garros.
• Albert Ramos Viñolas "already looking ahead" after losing to Nadal in Monte Carlo final. 
• Ilie Nastase cast a long and bigoted shadow over Fed Cup play last weekend. 
• The USA and Belarus teams both scored 3-2 wins to advance to the Fed Cup final in November. 
• Wang Qiang won the Zhengzhou Women's Tennis Open for the first WTA title of her career. 
• David Goffin beat Novak Djokovic in the Monte Carlo quarterfinals before losing to Rafael Nadal amidst a controversial call in the semifinal. Goffin also jumps three ranking spots to return to the ATP top 10.
• The decision on whether Maria Sharapova will receive a wild card into the French Open will be made known on May 16. 
• Max Eisenbud, Maria Sharapova's agent, calls Radwanska and Wozniacki "journeyman" players.
• The WTA website relaunches after makeover. 

Very happy for the win and the title in #MonteCarlo. The 10th in this tournament in my career. Thanks team and all of you!! pic.twitter.com/GxynF84Rqb

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) April 23, 2017

I had an amazing week @MCROLEXMASTERS ! Thank you all for your support ❤️ And congrats to @RafaelNadal for his 10th title in Monte Carlo □□ pic.twitter.com/gNNErpmAEV

— David Goffin (@David__Goffin) April 24, 2017

□□ pic.twitter.com/AfZl2tzWyB

— Sorana Cirstea (@sorana_cirstea) April 23, 2017

Fans ❤️ see you in the final □□

A post shared by Victoria Azarenka (@vichka35) on Apr 23, 2017 at 12:14pm PDT

□□□❤️❤️❤️ First Beyoncé now Serena...My heart can't take this. #queens https://t.co/Z4cWHryUrA

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) April 20, 2017

✊□

A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Apr 24, 2017 at 12:58pm PDT

Nobody likes to lose, but tomorrow I will be proud/ Ha sido una gran semana. Gracias a todos por estar ahí, en las buenas y en las malas. pic.twitter.com/996gaECrog

— Albert Ramos Viñolas (@albertramos88) April 23, 2017

This place □

A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova) on Apr 24, 2017 at 5:29am PDT

Reaching for your dreams and playing for your country! Still basking in the moment that I've… https://t.co/njvSFsHifV

— CoCo Vandeweghe (@CoCoVandey) April 24, 2017

"Auntie Caro" sounds pretty good to me☺️□ Everyone around me getting pregnant! What a beautiful time □□❤️□□□□□□

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) April 20, 2017

There's gonna be a baby GOAT ..... We are so happy, and we know @serenawilliams will be a great mother

— andyroddick (@andyroddick) April 20, 2017

RANKINGS WATCH

• ATP: Nadal (+2 to #5), Goffin (+3 to #10), Ramos-Vinolas (+5 to #19), Schwartzman (+7 to #34), Verdasco (-5 to #36), Paire (-9 to #49), Struff (+6 to #52), Lu (+8 to #55), Baghdatis (-5 to #65), Jaziri (-7 to #67), Tipsarevic (+18 to #71), Tiafoe (+15 to #72), Dolgopolov (-14 to #82)

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• ​WTA​​: S. Williams (+1 to #1), Peng (+3 to #37), Osaka (+2 to #46), Siegemund (-12 to #49), Wang (+12 to #56), Duan (+3 to #60), Cirstea (-4 to #66), Pironkova (-4 to #74), Zheng (+7 to #83), Giorgi (+5 to #90), Sasnovich (+5 to #91), Kucova (-9 to #94), Sakkari (-7 to #96)

​ON THE WEB

​Serena Williams talks pregnancy, future of tennis career at TED Talks in Vancouver​
Ilie Nastase could face lifetime suspension after f-word tirade 
​Konta responds to Cirstea's comments after Great Britain lose to Romania in Fed Cup
​I was grateful for security men – PA reporter Crooks on Nastase fury
​With Baby in Tow, Victoria Azarenka Returns to Tennis — and Her Roots
​Maria Sharapova's super-agent reprimanded by WTA Tour
​The Basketball Star Who Was Better at Tennis
​Tennis must not allow Ilie Nastase to volley away his latest indiscretions
​Serena Williams’s Coach Sees a ‘Fabulous’ New Challenge in Her Pregnancy
​A Tennis Makeover in Cuba, With an American Assist
​Kuznetsova: Serena news 'got me by surprise'
Serena writes message to her 'Future No.1'

​PODCASTS

The Body Serve - Hitting The Fan
​The Body Serve - ​Serena Is With Child, And Other Tennis News
The Main Draw - Specific Set of Skills
​Beyond The Baseline - ​Paul Annacone on Federer's surge; TV analyst role
​The Tennis Podcast - Nastase's Disgrace, Sharapova's Return
​Realz Tenis Fanz - WTF Tennis? Do you know no CHILL???
​WTA Insider - Serena Williams is pregnant!
Tennis Connected - Reviewing Nadal’s Record 10th Title in Monaco; Sharapova’s Comeback
​Tennis Nerd - James Blake