Good week/bad week: no more Baby Fed

Serena Williams

At her New Orleans wedding over the weekend, Serena’s hubby-to-be, Alexis Ohanian, said, “You are the greatest of all time, not just in sport. I’m talking about as a mother, and as a wife. I am so excited to write so many more chapters of our fairy tale together.”

Official. ???? @melbarlowandco @allanzepedaphotography

A post shared by Alexis Ohanian Sr.???? (@alexisohanian) on Nov 17, 2017 at 9:28pm PST

The question now is: are Serena, Alexis Snr and Alex Jnr the most beloved family in the world? Let’s break it down real quick…

MOST BELOVED FAMILY IN THE WORLD, MAIN DRAW, MON 20 DECEMBER, SURFACE: INDOORS HARD, PRIZE MONEY 1.5M

Quarters

Obamas (1) vs Smiths (8)

Williams/Ohanians (3) Knowles/Carter (6)

Royal family (2) vs Beckhams (7)

Kardashian-Wests (4) vs Federers (5)

Semis

Obamas vs Williams/Ohanians

Royal family vs Federers

Final

Obamas vs Royal family

Winner

Obamas

I think the Obamas win in a brutal five-setter that goes long into the night. Regardless, the Williams/Ohanian family still has a bit of work to do.

Emoji rating: heart eyes x 280

Jack Sock

Not only did J Swizzle surprise everyone by reaching the semifinals in London, he was a real class act too. In an awkward press conference moment where a reporter asked Sock about Zverev saying him choking was the reason for his loss to the American RIGHT AS SASCHA WAS LEAVING THE ROOM, Sock played it cool: “Really bad time to ask that question. Is the door closed?…I mean he can’t even legally drink a beer in the U.S and he’s No.3 in the world.”

And then after his loss to Grigor Dimitrov: “I really don’t want to talk about 2018. I want to play golf.”

Emoji rating: clapping hands, laughing face, smile

Grigor Dimitrov…the D is for ‘defeats’

For the first time in nineteen years, someone won the ATP Finals on debut. That someone was Grigor Dimitrov.  His road to victory included wins over Thiem, Goffin, Carreno Busta, Sock and Goffin again. On paper, it’s hardly a gauntlet of fire, but the Bulgarian put on a masterful demonstration of point construction and, for the first time in his career, was able to calm the nerves and execute his game plan.

Congrats, No.3.

2017 for @GrigorDimitrov… ????

?Career-high ranking (3rd)
????Brisbane
????Sofia Open
????Cincinnati
?First #NittoATPFinals
????First #NittoATPFinals title pic.twitter.com/lFyVYwPwrh

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 19, 2017

Emoji rating: clapping hands, trophy, Bulgarian flag, star

Related: Dimitrov wins biggest career title at ATP Finals

Back-to-back, like she’s on the cover of Lethal Weapon…

I’m referring to Belinda Bencic, who continued her late-season surge with back-to-back WTA 125k titles. She is now back in the top 100 behind three titles since September and, at just 20-years-old, will be a popular smokey in everyone’s 2018 year-end top ten predictions.

Emoji rating: wow face, Swiss flag, trophy, biceps

Roger Federer

By capping off his magnificent season with a year-end championship, he could have set up a Roger Federer internet circle jerk for the ages. Instead, he lost to David Goffin in a disappointing semifinal and the deafening sound of every tennis media publication hitting ‘DELETE’ on their congratulatory Federer draft post reverberated around the Twittersphere.

Emoji rating: sad face

Related: Time for holiday, then it’s all AO says Federer

David Goffin

David Goffin and a mysterious old man chat at the ATP Finals accreditation office in London.

Old man: Take an ATP Finals spot, but beware it carries a terrible curse!

Goffin: Ohh, that’s bad.

Old man: But it comes with Nadal on a bad knee!

Goffin: That’s good.

Old man: Grigor Dimitrov is playing out of his mind.

Goffin: That’s bad.

Old man: But Roger Federer is tired and slow.

Goffin: That’s good!

Old man: David Beckham will be in the crowd for your final.

Goffin is puzzled.

Old man: …That’s bad.

Goffin: Can I go now?

Emoji rating: Belgian flag, fist, thumbs up