With one week to go until Wimbledon kicks off, our writers look at who is making headlines.
Brotherly burden
Carl Bialik: Venus Williams has faced her younger sister Serena 24 times (winning 11). John McEnroe beat younger brother Patrick all three times they played. Even the Bryan brothers played three times at lower-level events, with Mike -- older than his twin by three minutes -- winning twice. But Austrian Jurgen Melzer, former world No. 8 in singles and twice a major champion in doubles, had never played his brother, Gerald, nine years his junior, in a competitive match until the two drew each other in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying Monday.
After falling behind 5-0, Gerald, who was playing his first professional match on grass, showed some promise, thanks in part to a practice session and some prematch tips from his opponent. But Gerald lost to his more accomplished brother 6-1, 6-4 in a quick match, though slightly extended by the umpire's need to say each player's first and last name when announcing the score.
Though both men smiled in prematch and postmatch net meetings, congratulated each other on great shots and walked off the court together, they agreed in separate postmatch interviews that the experience was excruciating. Gerald called it "just awful." "When the draw came out, it was a complete climax kill," Jurgen said. "It's the worst tennis day of my life."
And he's the one who won.
Dr. Ivo's ace-making mark
Peter Bodo, ESPN.com: Ivo Karlovic, affectionately known to many aficionados as "Dr. Ivo," set another record last week at the grass-court Wimbledon tuneup in Halle, Germany. He rained down 45 aces in a quarterfinal upset of No. 3 seed Tomas Berdych, the 2007 titlist at the same event.
That's a new mark for aces in a best-of-three encounter, one more than Karlovic himself and Aussie Mark Philippoussis had blasted previously. In all, 40 or more aces have been hit in best-of-three matches five times by four different men -- Karlovic (twice), Philippoussis, Mardy Fish (43) and Goran Ivanisevic (40).
But fans of Ivo love him for a lot more than his ace-making powers -- or that droll 90k Twitter feed. The 36-year-old Croatian is a gentle giant but a tough survivor who has successfully overcome numerous obstacles and injuries ranging from an emotionally painful case of stuttering to a frightening case of viral meningitis (in 2013). Yet he managed to finish 2014 as the oldest player in the top 50, and at No. 27, he ended the year in the top 30 for the first time since 2008.
Karlovic has never been reluctant to challenge the very top players -- as evidenced by his win earlier this year in Doha over top-ranked Novak Djokovic as well as Berdych. And with that serve, why not?
As Karlovic said last week, rolling out a bit of the trademark blunt humor that makes his Twitter feed popular: "I'm extremely happy about the record. Hitting aces helps a lot, you can avoid the volleys."
The serve got Dr. Ivo to the semis in Halle, but he was stopped there in two tiebreakers by Roger Federer.
Del Potro's future in flux
Gustavo Goitia, ESPN Deportes: Juan Martin del Potro was loud and clear about undergoing left wrist surgery once again -- the third time in the last year and a half he has undergone this procedure. He has been able to play only two tournaments during this time span, the most infrequent activity of his career. The Argentine, though, is taking an optimistic approach to yet another disturbing setback.
"I hope this is the last one," del Potro said.
A former world No. 4 and US Open champion in 2009, del Potro has 34 career victories against top 10 rivals. Despite a history of successes, del Potro is about to turn 27 and time is not on his side -- especially if he has aspirations of making it back into the elite circle.
"I want to be happy and healthy," he said. "This has been the first time in my career I cannot train at all."
Five years since Isner-Mahut
Matt Wilansky, ESPN.com: Hard to believe a half decade has passed since the John Isner-Nicolas Mahut three-day tennis journey into tennis immortality. One thing we might have forgotten is that Mahut actually won more points in the match, 502-478. The 24-point difference is equivalent to winning a single set. Of course, as we know, the only point that matters in tennis is the last one.
On Wednesday, ESPN.com will unveil the five-year marathon aftermath. We won't give away too much, but one of the highlights was not only the mutual respect Isner and Mahut gained for each other as competitors, but the unyielding friendship that formed immediately after the record 11-hour match. Isner told ESPN.com that before that match, he'd give Mahut nothing more than a nod when they passed by each other in the locker room. Since then ...
"I've gotten to know his parents really well, along with his wife, his son," Isner said. "He knows my parents really well. My mom loves him more than anyone in the world. He's one of the most genuine guys that there is -- a fantastic person. You couldn't have asked to play a match like we had against a better guy and a great competitor."
In one of the more bizarre occurrences, Isner and Mahut played in the first round of Wimbledon the following year -- sans marathon, drama and subsequent late-night TV appearances. Both are scheduled to play in this coming Championships as well.
The odds they'll meet in the first round again? Just over one percent.