WTA Transactions: Caty McNally Hires Kathy Rinaldi as Alex Eala Secures Major Marriott Endorsement

While professional tennis lacks a formal trade deadline or free-agency period, the weeks leading up to the US Open serve as the sport's de facto transaction window. Players scramble to solidify coaching staffs, secure lucrative endorsement deals, and form strategic doubles partnerships ahead of the season's final Grand Slam.[1]

This August, the WTA Tour has seen a flurry of off-court activity that will shape the competitive landscape for the remainder of 2026. From high-profile coaching hires to blockbuster corporate sponsorships, the business of tennis is moving just as fast as the action on the hard courts.[1][2]

Leading the coaching carousel is twenty-four-year-old American Caty McNally, who has officially hired former United States Tennis Association Head of Women's Tennis Kathy Rinaldi as her full-time coach.[1]

McNally, currently ranked number seventy in the world, spent the entirety of the European clay-court swing traveling without a primary coach. Following the Miami Open, her mother and long-time coach, Lynn Nabors-McNally, stepped back from full-time travel, leaving the young American to navigate the tour with only her physiotherapist.[1]

"I played basically the whole clay season by myself, just having my physio travel with me, and I just felt I wanted a little bit of time to figure things out," McNally explained regarding her solo stint. "I didn't really want to rush into anything."[1]

The patience paid off. As the grass-court season approached, Rinaldi—who recently left the USTA to establish a private tennis academy—reached out to offer her services. The pairing is a natural fit; McNally has known Rinaldi since she was eleven years old, having worked together extensively through USTA development programs and Billie Jean King Cup ties.[1]

With Rinaldi in her corner, McNally has set clear performance targets for the back half of the season. She aims to consistently reach the second week of Grand Slams and WTA 1000 events, while pushing for titles at the WTA 250 level.[1]

Off the court, the transaction wire is dominated by twenty-one-year-old Filipino sensation Alex Eala, who has cashed in on her spectacular summer form by signing a major endorsement deal with Marriott Bonvoy.[2]

Eala became one of the most sought-after properties in sports marketing after a stunning run to the Round of 16 at Wimbledon last month, a campaign highlighted by a shock victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek.[2]

Marriott Bonvoy quickly secured Eala as the face of its Asia Pacific "Tennis The World" campaign. The partnership leverages Eala's rapidly expanding international fanbase and her deep cultural connection to Southeast Asia.[2]

"Travel has always been such a meaningful part of my journey as a tennis player," Eala said following the announcement. "Every tournament brings the opportunity to experience new places, meet new people and create memories that stay with you long after the match is over."[2]

In the doubles circuit—the closest equivalent tennis has to roster construction—the most significant move of the summer occurred at the Cincinnati Open, where Serena and Venus Williams officially reunited.[3][4]

The legendary sisters, who boast fourteen Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals as a team, accepted a wildcard to play their first competitive match together since the 2022 US Open.[3][4][6]

"Eventually we would find our way to each other," Venus Williams noted prior to the tournament. "It's our first time playing together in forever. It was great for us to get out there and do it."[3]

Their highly anticipated return ended in a narrow defeat, as the Williams sisters fell 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 to the newly formed duo of Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. Despite erasing a six-point deficit in the decisive match tiebreak, a late double-fault sealed their exit.[3]

Finally, at the corporate governance level, the International Tennis Federation—which officially rebranded to "World Tennis" in June—executed a major supplier transaction by signing a two-year apparel deal with Swiss sportswear brand Fourteen.[5]

Founded in Geneva, Fourteen will now design and supply bespoke uniforms for World Tennis personnel, officials, and umpires globally, marking a significant scale-up for the boutique brand and cementing the governing body's new visual identity ahead of the fall hard-court swing.[5]