Welcome back to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic will explain the stories behind the stories from the past week on court. This week, the ATP Tour season came to an end ahead of the Davis Cup Finals. The calendar again came under scrutiny, a stacked field revealed a lot about tennis politics, and a women’s star stood up for her nation again. If you’d like to follow our fantastic tennis coverage, click here. What is the future of the tennis calendar? At the ATP Tour Finals last week, tour chairman Andrea Gaudenzi spoke in depth about the much-discussed tennis schedule. Gaudenzi’s extension of the ATP (and by association WTA) 1, 000-level tournaments has come in for heavy criticism from players and fans through the year. Gaudenzi defended the change in Turin. “If you look at the top-line revenue, that I cannot disclose, it’s going really up high. It’s changing a lot,” he said. The financial improvements for players are undeniable, but their complaints revolve around the lack of downtime created by adding 15 “on the road” days to their calendars. Gaudenzi also stressed that, apart from the Grand Slams, the ATP Masters 1000s should be what all the top players strive to compete in. He argued that those players should not be playing ‘down’ at 250-level events, but those events, as well as 500-level events outside of the mandatory four per year, can be popular with players because they can come with hefty appearance fees. For players lower down the pyramid, ATP 250 and ATP 500 tournaments are also vital routes toward qualifying for these expanded ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, as well as for the main draws of Grand Slams. They offer a trajectory toward the top of the sport, while being hugely popular events with tennis fans all over the world, especially in places which don’t get to host the biggest tournaments. Gaudenzi wants there to be fewer of them, with 10 weeks of 250-level tournaments (with more than one per week.) “In the last few years, we’ve had the strategy to reduce the number of 250s. We are from 38 down to, I don’t remember exactly the number, I think it’s 29. [30] “The target in our effort to optimize the calendar for 2028, when the new Saudi Masters will come on board, is to continue to reduce the number of 250s,” Gaudenzi said. Streamlining the calendar with fewer low-level events was foundational to the so-called “Premium Tour” put forward by the Grand Slams in 2023 and 2024, as well as the ATP and WTA’s proposal for a restructuring of the calendar in March, which was dismissed by the slams. The plan pledged to cut the number of ATP and WTA tournaments, including the four Grand Slams, from 118 to around 75. Chipping away at the number of 250s will not have the same sort of impact, but it’s another indication of where the ATP thinks it can streamline the calendar, and how protecting and promoting its crown jewels, the 1, 000-level events, remains paramount to Gaudenzi’s vision, even with feedback from players and fans that they are not working in their current form. It also indicates the contradictory nature of both the schedule itself and some of the players’ concerns, with guarantees for players further down the rankings incompatible with a more liberal market for tournaments. There will be a review of the extension in 2030. Charlie Eccleshare How did Iga Świątek deliver for Poland again? The WTA Tour offseason began with. more tennis, as the Billie Jean King Cup playoffs to decide which nations would make it into next year’s qualifying competition for the Finals took place across the globe. Their place in the calendar meant that most nations’ elite players did not participate, but Victoria Mboko rounded off her 2025 rise by playing for Canada, Linda Nosková turned out for Czechia and world No. 2 Iga Świątek led team Poland as she has so often done in recent years. The six-time Grand Slam champion’s results against New Zealand and Romania were routine, losing just three games in two matches, as might be expected against world No. 909 Elyse Tse of New Zealand and world No. 292 Gabriela Lee of Romania. More telling was Świątek’s desire to play, even suggesting that she might play the doubles against New Zealand despite her team telling her to rest, and the hero’s welcome she received from Polish fans in Gorzów Wielkopolski. Świątek is one of several players to lament the relentlessness of the tennis calendar this year, intimating that she would be skipping more mandatory WTA Tour events in future in order to optimize her performance at the tournaments she most wants to win. So to see her forgoing a week of downtime to turn out for her country in a tie it largely had in hand was not just an indication of her pride in playing for Poland, but also of how the nature of exhaustion in tennis, and which experiences players find to be tiring outside of basic physical work, can be more individual than is assumed. James Hansen What does the United Cup field say about tennis politics? The United Cup draw takes place on Monday, with some enticing ties in store whoever is drawn against one another. Five of the world’s top 10 men and four of the world’s top 10 women have entered the event, including Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz representing the U. S. Świątek, Alexander Zverev (Germany) and Jack Draper (U. K.) are among some of the other big names signed up for the mixed tournament that pits 18 nations against one another. It takes place between January 2 and January 11, in Perth and Sydney, just ahead of the Australian Open. The stellar lineup is a reminder of why Tennis Australia was so resistant to Saudi Arabia’s desire for its new ATP Masters 1000 event to take place in that part of the calendar. The short Australian summer swing is key to its health as a tennis nation, and the United Cup is popular with players as a way of acclimatizing ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne. The Saudi Masters 1000 event has not yet been assigned a calendar slot, but the expectation is that it will take place in February, from 2028, with ATP chairman Gaudenzi’s ideal outcome to have one group of tournaments running in South America at that time, and another in West Asia. Which is good news for the United Cup, and arguably tennis in general, given how vibrant and fun an occasion it has become. Charlie Eccleshare Point of the week Taylor Fritz did all he could against Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Tour Finals, especially in the fifth game of the second set of their match. The world No. 1 still said no: 🏆 The winners of the week 🎾 ATP: 🏆 Jannik Sinner (2) def. Carlos Alcaraz (1) 7-6(4), 7-5 to win the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, Italy. It is the Italian’s second triumph at the event. 📈📉 On the rise / Down the line 📈 Carlos Alcaraz finishes the season as world No. 1. 📈 Félix Auger-Aliassime ascends three spots from No. 8 to No. 5 after his run at the ATP Tour Finals. 📉 Ben Shelton falls four places from No. 5 to No. 9. 📅 Coming up 🎾 ATP 📍Bologna, Italy: Davis Cup Finals featuring Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Jakub Menšík, Flavio Cobolli 📺 UK: Sky Sports; U. S.: Tennis Channel 💻 Tennis TV Tell us what you noticed this week in the comments below as the season comes to an end. Sports Business, Tennis, Women’s Tennis 2025 The Athletic Media Company.
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/season-tennis-calendar-discourse-ends-111607396.html
Tag: restructuring
MEXC Denies Insolvency Rumors Amid Massive Withdrawals
**MEXC Denies Insolvency Rumors Amid Surge in Withdrawal Delays and Fund Outflows**
MEXC exchange has officially denied ongoing insolvency rumors following user reports of withdrawal delays and increased fund outflows. In an effort to boost transparency, the crypto exchange announced it will update its Merkle tree data tonight, allowing users to verify the reserves directly.
### Outflows Surge to $5.5 Billion Amid Liquidity Fears
The exchange issued a public statement reaffirming that all assets are “fully backed” and supported by Proof of Reserves (PoR), showing over 100% coverage. This clarification comes amid growing speculation on social media regarding MEXC’s liquidity status, with some users reporting slower transaction times.
Responding to these claims, MEXC described the rumors as “false and misleading” and emphasized its “strong financial health.”
However, data from CryptoQuant reveals that Bitcoin withdrawals on MEXC have surged to record highs. These massive outflows reflect growing apprehension among traders. Visual data highlights large movements of BTC, SOL, and ETH over the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, exchange reserve data from Coinglass indicates MEXC currently holds around $5.13 billion in assets. Despite this, the platform experienced $5.50 billion in outflows within the past 24 hours—the largest amount compared to its peers. Other exchanges, including KuCoin and Bitget, also registered net outflows, but these were significantly smaller in scale.
### Analysts Question MEXC’s Transparency, Call for Independent Audit
A key question remains: Is MEXC’s PoR statement sufficient to restore user confidence?
Financial transparency analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera weighed in, stating, “Evidence of solvency is no press release.” Perera emphasized that the exchange must demonstrate verifiable on-chain balances, disclose evident liabilities, and undergo external verification. He also highlighted that “withdrawals are the audit,” meaning an exchange’s liquidity strength is truly tested when users can freely withdraw assets without disruption.
Crypto commentator CookieSlap drew comparisons between MEXC’s situation and the lead-up to the FTX collapse. While the FTX restructuring team recently claimed that FTX was never bankrupt and assured creditors would receive full repayment, CookieSlap argued that “PoR needs to be done by an unbiased third party with full access to all balance sheets.”
Adding to the caution, crypto commentator StayCoti Node advised holders to “review your positions” and maintain control over their funds, cautioning, “They all say funds are safe, until they aren’t.”
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As concerns linger, market participants continue to watch MEXC closely, awaiting more transparent proof of its financial health and the ability to guarantee asset withdrawals without interruption.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/tech/mexc-denies-insolvency-rumors-amid-massive-withdrawals/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mexc-denies-insolvency-rumors-amid-massive-withdrawals
OpenAI non-profit org restructures with majority stake in for-profit business
OpenAI has completed a significant restructuring, dividing the company into two distinct entities: a non-profit called the OpenAI Foundation and a for-profit called OpenAI Group PBC.
Microsoft, which has made AI a key focus across its products and services, currently owns 27 percent of OpenAI’s for-profit business. This corporate restructuring was announced in a recent blog post by OpenAI.
The non-profit OpenAI Foundation has committed $25 billion toward advancements in health and minimizing the risks associated with AI. Additionally, the non-profit holds approximately $130 billion in equity stakes in OpenAI’s for-profit arm. As Bret Taylor, Chair of the OpenAI Board of Directors, explains, “The more OpenAI succeeds as a company, the more the non-profit’s equity stake will be worth, which the non-profit will use to fund its philanthropic work.”
In a separate update, OpenAI detailed its ongoing relationship with Microsoft, which began in 2019. Microsoft supported the creation of OpenAI’s for-profit division, and its $135 billion stake represents 27% ownership of the company’s shares.
This restructuring aligns with OpenAI’s mission to balance innovative AI development with responsible stewardship and philanthropic goals.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146547/open-ai-corporate-restructure-non-profit
Tokyo Consumer Prices Rise 2.5% In September, Rice Surges Nearly 47%
While corporate profits in Japan continue to reach record highs, employee wages remain stagnant, leaving a growing segment of the workforce struggling. Since the collapse of the bubble economy, non-regular employment has steadily increased, creating a widening gap between regular and non-regular workers.
Today, 15.4% of the population earns less than half the median standard of living, marking the second-highest proportion among G7 countries after the United States. Meanwhile, Tokyo consumer prices rose 2.5% in September compared with a year earlier. The index excluding fresh food—often subject to sharp fluctuations—reached 110.0 across the capital’s wards, with the pace of growth remaining unchanged from the previous month.
In the corporate sector, Panasonic Holdings will begin soliciting early retirement applications next month at one of its core operating companies as part of broader restructuring efforts. Meanwhile, Toyota has started demonstration trials at its experimental city project known as Woven City. As of September 25th, several employee households have moved in to test how AI and autonomous driving technologies can be integrated into everyday life.
Japan currently counts only eight unicorns—unlisted startups valued at over 150 billion yen—compared with 690 in the United States. It has yet to produce a single “hectocorn,” a term used for companies worth more than 100 billion dollars, such as ByteDance’s TikTok, OpenAI, or SpaceX.
On the international front, Japan and Saudi Arabia announced a new memorandum of understanding for economic cooperation on September 24th at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. The agreement places strong emphasis on expanding the entertainment and content industries.
In local news, residents of Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture, have decided to file for pollution mediation against chemical manufacturer Daikin Industries. This action follows the discovery of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the groundwater near the plant, some of which are suspected to be carcinogenic.
https://newsonjapan.com/article/147032.php