Watch List: Serena returns to action in Bastad, ATP heads to Newport
The Watch List highlights the must-know storylines for the upcoming week in tennis. Just one day after the conclusion of Wimbledon 2015, the men head to Newport, R.I., for the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, while No. 1 and Wimbledon 2015 champion Serena Williams is back in action in Bastad, Sweden, and Sara Errani is the top seed on red clay in Bucharest, Romania.
Hall of Fame Tennis Championships [Newport, R.I.]
Former 2012 champ John Isner is the No. 1 seed in Newport, R.I., and he is joined by a slew of other American men including Sam Querrey, Jack Sock, Donald Young, and Tim Smyczek. The ATP 250 grass tournament is celebrating its 40th anniversary—and its grand reopening in May after a $3 million renovation and expansion process—and veteran Tommy Haas, Australian Bernard Tomic and young American Noah Rubin have all accepted wildcards into the event. Ivo Karlovic, Adrian Mannarino and Dustin Brown, who stunned Rafael Nadal in the second round of Wimbledon two weeks ago, are also playing in the tournament.
Fifty parting thoughts from Wimbledon 2015
Collector Swedish Open [Bastad, Sweden]
No rest for World No. 1 and six-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams: after beating Garbine Muguruza in the Wimbledon 2015 final on Saturday for her 21st Grand Slam title, Serena is the top seed on the clay in Bastad this week. Sam Stosur—who has three career wins over Serena—is the second seed and the two could meet in the final, while Barbora Strycova and Germans Mona Barthel and Carina Witthoeft round out the top five.
BRD Bucharest Open [Bucharest, Romania]
The Italian women lead the draw in Romania's capital city this week, with Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci taking the top two seeds on the red clay. Monica Niculescu, who took Timea Bacsinszky to three sets in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last week, is the third seed, with Julia Goerges, Alexandra Dulgheru and Annika Beck also in action. Simona Halep, who won the inaugural tournament in her home country last year, is not in the draw.
