The finals of the Shanghai Masters weren’t just about Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner battling it out on the court. Off the court, there was an entirely different spectacle capturing fans’ attention—none other than the dynamic trio of Carlos Alcaraz, Roger Federer, and Juan Carlos Ferrero. With tennis royalty like Federer and Ferrero watching alongside the young Alcaraz, the stands were almost as thrilling as the action on the court! But while most enjoyed the sight of legends and rising stars side by side, not everyone was on the same page. Enter Serena Williams‘ ex-coach, Rennae Stubbs, who didn’t seem to share the excitement. 

The 53-year-old engaged in a conversation with Caitlin Whoriskey for the October 15th episode of the Rennae Stubbs Podcast. The duo deliberated on a wide range of factors including the recently concluded Shanghai Masters, where Sinner defeated Djokovic in straight sets 7-6(4), 6-3 in the final. But before discussing the match, Stubbs highlighted the continuous coverage of Alcaraz, Federer, and Ferrero and slammed the broadcasters for the decision. 

Speaking on the podcast, Stubbs said, “I want to talk about not only the match but the fact that Carlos Alcaraz and Roger Federer watching the match just sitting there….At one point they show them like 6 billion times during the coverage.” Remember, while Tennis Channel broadcasted the tournament for the enthusiasts in the US, the rights for the UK audience were bagged by Sky Sports. This coverage of the chit-chat between the trio, meanwhile, was not liked by Stubbs. 

Continuing further in the interview, the former player said, “It was like the conversation between Juan Carlos Ferrero, Roger Federer, and Carlos Alcaraz was more interesting than the match. It’s like guys there is a match. We don’t want to see Roger talk.” She also slammed the directors and said that it seemed to be like the perfect moment for them as they kept panning the camera back on the trio. This is not the first time that Stubbs has slammed a broadcaster.

Stubbs lashed out at Tennis Channel during the Roland Garros this year and publicly criticized the broadcaster for a significant error in their reporting. When Alex de Minaur emerged victorious over Daniil Medvedev, he became the first Australian male player to reach the French Open quarterfinals since 2004. However, the Tennis Channel mistakenly omitted the word ‘male’ in their coverage, inaccurately claiming he was the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt to achieve this feat. 

Pointing this out, Stubbs wrote, “HUGE congrats to @alexdeminaur so happy for you mate!!! LFG! BUT @TennisChannel Demon is the first Aussie MALE since Hewitt. If you recall @bambamsam30 did this a whole lot of times after 2004. Like finals, semis, etc. So can we please get those graphics right. Thanks!🙏.”

Stubbs, previously, has also talked about the coverage of events and has slammed the broadcasters for various issues.

When Serena Williams’ ex-coach slammed the Tennis Channel over commentators

Rennae Stubbs has often demanded impartial coverage of events, be it focusing on the main events during the match, or giving equal representation to male and female players, Stubbs has been vocal about the changes that the tennis world must witness. In 2023, she called out Tennis Channel over issues related to commentators. 

During the Qatar Open and ABN AMRO Open that were played simultaneously in 2023, Stubbs pointed out double standards in reporting. Taking to social media, she noted that while the finals of the Women’s Qatar Open witnessed the presence of only one commentator, the men’s semifinal at ABN AMRO had two. A similar scenario was observed at the Men’s Argentina Open as well, which also featured two commentators.

Coming back to the Wuhan Open though, it will be interesting to see if Stubbs’ remarks on coverage prompt the broadcasters to come out and give a clarification.