Tennis phenom Alycia Parks won her first WTA title in Lyon beating world number 5 Caroline Garcia 7-6(7) 7-5 in the final. Tennis fans were full of praise for the American with many pointing out that she reminds them of the Williams sisters – Serena and Venus.

With the title, Parks moves to world number 51. Parks was congratulated by Sloane Stephens and Coco Gauff after her win. Parks had won two back-to-back WTA 125 titles to finish 2022. She now continues her momentum into 2023.

Alycia Parks was coached in her early days by Rick Macci who coached Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Andy Roddick. Parks has a big serve and hits her shots with a lot of power. We can’t wait to see her big power game on the grass this summer.

Uzbekistan’s choice of venue for the Davis Cup qualifier against the United States has become a minor controversy. The stadium is too small for the occasion, critics say. The stadium only has a few rows of seating. The qualifier is held at the Olympic Tennis School, in Taskhent, Uzbekistan.

Given that the ITF doesn’t give a lot of time upfront to plan these events, bigger tennis stadiums are taken up for other events. Casper Ruud chimed in supporting the host country and it’s limited options for hosting the tie given the tight timeline.

The small venue had no impact on the American as they swept Uzbekistan 4-0. Eight teams will qualify for the Davis Cup Finals scheduled for Nov 21 to 26, 2023 in Malaga, Spain.