Daily Bagel: Tennis players' nightmares

The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet. • Video: Grigor Dimitrov dishes on his favorite movie

The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet.

• Video: Grigor Dimitrov dishes on his favorite movie and superhero, his career highlight and his endless supply of Sugarpova.

• Great read from USA Today's Doug Robson, who spoke with several players about their tennis-related dreams.

Serena Williams has a recurring nightmare in which she reaches a Grand Slam final — often in Australia — and must leave the country. She departs, but can't return in time to play her match and is defaulted.

"It's just the worst dream ever," said No. 1 Williams. "It's very disturbing."

...

Mike Bryan, the No. 1 ranked doubles player with twin brother Bob Bryan, says he has a recurring nightmare where he is forced to play the deciding fifth singles match at a Davis Cup tie.

"I'm hobbling around, cramping, the crowd is booing, Bob is on the sideline shaking his head," he said. "I wake up sweating."

• Steve Tignor says it was like old times for Ana Ivanovic on Friday.

• Rain started pouring down in the middle of a key point during Ivanovic's victory over Sam Stosur.

• Slate's Josh Levin on the extreme heat at the Australian Open and the sport's lack of unionization.

Why are the players putting up with this brain-boiling insanity? The tournament lasts two weeks, and it could surely finish on time even if play gets halted on occasion to stave off spontaneous athletic combustion.

• Much to Casey Dellacqua's chagrin, temperatures are finally falling in Melbourne.

• Get to know Australian Open qualifier Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan, who plays Simona Halep in the third round Saturday.

• Li Na won't play at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

• Andy Murray was concerned about his brother Jamie's troubles with heat exhaustion.

oral history

Hoop Dreams