| Clue | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Open stars | Wall Street Journal | 17 Jul 2025 |
| Surrender, say, overwhelmed by spinners who are the highest-rated (3,5) | ||
| Tourney favorites | Newsday | 22 Jul 2021 |
| Tourney favorites | USA Today | 07 Apr 2018 |
| Wimbledon favorites | Eugene Sheffer | 02 May 2016 |
| #1-ranked tournament entrant | Premier Sunday | 20 Dec 2015 |
| #1-ranked tournament entrant | ||
| Tourney favorites (and a hint to this puzzle's theme) | ||
| Expected winners | ||
| Tourney favorites | ||
| Best players, usually |