Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.
At Indian Wells, the desert is once again delivering drama. Veteran champions are reminding everyone of their greatness while the next generation keeps pushing the pace.
Off the court, tennis may be heading for a major shift. Saudi Arabia’s sports arm, SURJ, is reportedly planning a new Masters 1000 event starting in 2028, a move that could reshape the February calendar and put pressure on tournaments like Buenos Aires and Acapulco. While a shorter swing could help the schedule, it also raises concerns about the future of South American tennis.
And on the court, the matches are delivering: Arthur Fils’ growth was on display against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper produced a match-of-the-year contender, and Mirra Andreeva’s tense battle with Ekaterina Siniakova showed both her brilliance and the pressure from other talented players.
Matches/Links mentioned:
The Athletic Article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7106736/2026/03/12/tennis-atp-calendar-tournaments-saudi-arabia-buybacks/
Arthur Fils vs Felix Auger-Aliassime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFxNvPAGRnM
Novak Djokovic vs Jack Draper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDHq5pQBt84
Jannik Sinner vs. Alexander Zverev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC5-bqnF2lc
Daniil Medvedev vs. Carlos Alcaraz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY0j26BQiU8
Mirra Andreeva vs. Ekaterina Siniakova: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjJU_asNptQ
Victoria Mboko vs. Aryna Sabalenka: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-IorEOm0rko
Elena Svitolina vs. Iga Swiatek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKNq9NvmCi0
Subscribe to The Service Game on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s Substack.
Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.
🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!
Produced with assistance from Radio CKUT
CKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/
