February Is the Best Month in Tennis — Delray, Dubai, Doha, and Everything In Between
If you needed proof that February is the most underrated month on the tennis calendar, this week delivered it. Live tennis in the Middle East, the US, and South America — sometimes all at once. Anastasia came back from Delray Beach sun-warmed and ready to talk, and we got into all of it: the tournament atmosphere, the player interviews, the title in Dubai, and the very real debate about what happens to 250-level events on the ATP tour.
Here’s everything we covered.
Delray Beach: Smaller Than It Looks on TV, Better Than You’d Expect in Person
Anastasia had been to Delray before, but this trip hit differently — especially coming off an indoor tournament in Dallas. The contrast was immediate. Ocean breeze, a small-town surfer vibe, and a draw that honestly felt closer to a 500 than a 250. All the top Americans were there, plus Casper Ruud and Valentin Vacherot, and the center court — which is larger than most people realize for a 250 — was packed with local fans who turned up for every match.
For a lot of the American players, Delray is practically a home tournament. Many of them live in the Boca Raton and Delray Beach area and drove themselves to the site. That relaxed, familiar energy came through in how they played and how they engaged with the crowd.
One of the highlights of the week was the Founding Fathers — a group of high school students who dress in full 18th-century American garb and have made it their mission to cheer on Tommy Paul at every opportunity. They showed up, stayed through every round, and the tournament eventually took care of their tickets. Tommy Paul made the final against Sebastian Korda, giving us a repeat of what happened in Dallas: two Americans in the final of an American event, which is exactly the kind of momentum shift the US tennis story needed.
Player Clips: Fritz, Ruud, and Coleman Wong
We included three player clips in this episode, recorded on site at Delray. Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud both addressed the ongoing conversation about whether 250-level events should be reduced or replaced by larger tournaments. Fritz’s concern was straightforward: if you’re removing 250s just to replace them with bigger events, you’re not actually solving the schedule problem you set out to fix. Ruud’s perspective was personal — he built his ranking and his career at the 250 level, and he doesn’t want to see that pathway disappear for the next generation of players.
Coleman Wong was another conversation worth highlighting. This was Anastasia’s first time interviewing him, and he was exactly as warm and thoughtful as his on-court presence suggests — genuinely proud to represent Hong Kong and to prove that players from smaller tennis markets can make it on the ATP Tour.
The 250 Debate
This conversation is picking up steam and it’s worth paying attention to. The idea circulating is that some 250-level events could be scaled up or removed entirely in favor of larger tournaments. The argument for it is that 250s are harder to market globally and get lower-profile draws. The argument against it — and this is the one that holds up — is that 250s are what makes the tour a real global product.
They give smaller cities access to professional tennis. They give developing players a pathway to build their rankings. Without them, you end up with a massive gap between the Challenger level and the main tour, and you make it harder for new players to break through. Casper Ruud said as much in his clip. The 250 level is where careers are built — and Delray Beach is a pretty good reminder of what a well-run 250 can look like when the conditions are right.
Dubai: Four Top-10 Players in the Semis Despite the Withdrawals
Yes, there were withdrawals. Quite a few of them. But here’s the thing: even with all of that, Dubai still delivered four top-10 players in the semifinals and some genuinely great tennis. The Svitolina vs. Coco Gauff semifinal was one of those matches where you had no idea who was going to win the next point, let alone the set. Two elite defenders with serious weapons, pushing each other to the limit. That’s not a consolation match — that’s the product working.
Jessica Pegula won the title, and it felt overdue. She has been in the semifinals of every event she’s played since the US Open, which is a level of consistency that doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves. She’s not the most flashy player on tour, but she hits the ball hard, redirects brilliantly, and maximizes her opportunities in big moments. Nick made the point that she’s actually one of the best players to watch if you’re new to tennis — not because she’s doing impossible things, but because she does everything right.
This is her fourth 1,000-level title and, apparently, her first one won indoors. She also turns 32 this week. Happy birthday, Jess.
Also worth noting: Alex Eala continues to do remarkable things for the sport. Every match she played in Dubai was packed. Players were asked about it in press conferences. Coco Gauff referenced Roland Garros and what it felt like to play in front of a crowd cheering for the other person. The short version: new fans showing up and caring loudly is a good thing, full stop.
The WTA Tour Architecture Council
The WTA has announced a new committee, the Tour Architecture Council, that will look at how the schedule is structured — particularly around the Middle East swing and the back-to-back 1,000s that come right off of the Australian Open. The council will be led by Jessica Pegula. Given that she plays one of the most active schedules on tour and has been one of the most engaged voices on player issues, it’s a genuinely encouraging development. This isn’t a new problem, and it won’t have a quick fix, but having the right person in the room matters.
Doha: Mensik, Alcaraz, and the Question of What’s Next
Jakub Mensik defeated Jannik Sinner in Doha. He played out of his mind for an entire match, won it, and then had very little left to give against Alcaraz in the final. That about sums up the current state of the tour. To beat Sinner or Alcaraz, you have to play the best tennis of your life for an entire match — and then you still have to play the next one. Rublev and Khachanov both pushed Alcaraz hard, especially in the opening sets. But neither could maintain it.
Carlos Alcaraz is now on a 30-match win streak on outdoor hard courts. He’s one win away from matching Jannik Sinner’s indoor hard court record of 31. The version of Alcaraz we’re seeing right now — one that finds ways through even when it’s difficult — is a newer one, and it’s going to be interesting to see how the rest of the tour adapts heading into Indian Wells.
One more note from Doha: Goran Ivanisevic has returned to coaching, and his new player is Arthur Fils. They appear to be in a trial period, but Goran working with someone who has a chronic back issue and a serve with a lot of potential? That tracks. We’re rooting for this one.
What’s Next
The tennis keeps coming. On the WTA side, there’s a 500 in Merida (top seed: Jasmine Paolini, defending finalist: Emma Navarro, fun first-round match to watch: Camila Osorio vs. Janie Tjen) and a 250 in Austin (Iva Jovic, Venus Williams, and Bianca Andreescu are all in the draw). On the men’s side, a 500 in Dubai kicks off with Daniil Medvedev and the returning Jack Draper, Acapulco has Zverev, Ruud, Tiafoe, and Vacherot, and the Chile Open wraps up the Golden Swing with both Cerundolo brothers in the draw.
OFF SEASON update: Camila Osorio is in Merida. Eliot Spizzirri is headed to Acapulco after taking Delray off with an elbow issue. Ethan Quinn, Colton Smith, and Hailey Baptiste are all resting up before Indian Wells. And we added a new player to the OFF SEASON roster — Jody from the Change Over Podcast, a doubles player Anastasia sat down with in Delray. More on all of this soon.
Spring swing merch pre-orders are also dropping this week. A new t-shirt design and a new hat color. If you caught last week’s video episode, you already have a hint. Keep an eye on the Ground Pass Instagram for the full reveal.
Watch the full episode on YouTube below, and if you want on-site content first, subscribe to Ground Pass on Substack.
