Welcome to Courtside Coffee!

Why spill tea when you can sip and savor coffee?

Welcome to Courtside Coffee, where tennis enthusiasts and coffee lovers come together for a unique blend of humor, insight, and all things tennis-related.

Authored by award-winning sports journalist Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, the Courtside Coffee newsletter serves a refreshing dose of tennis news, opinions, previews, fashion, gear guides, and delightful coffee brewing tips and recipes.


Thanks for stopping by. When I’m not working on Courtside Coffee, I write about tennis, business, and home design. My book on Serena Williams is available in hardcover, paperback and Audiobook. There’s even a German edition. No. I don’t speak German. But I’ve been a guest on a German podcast. They love tennis over there.

You can check out my work at Merlisa.com.

The newsletter is just one part of the Courtside Coffee community.

Courtside Coffee is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Why become a paid subscriber?

If you join as a paid subscribing member, you also get access to

  • Paywalled articles

  • Previews and predictions

  • Live match chats

  • Roasted Rants (humourous notes)

  • Podcats

  • Discount on Ethos Coffee, freshly roasted, ethically sourced organic coffee

  • Brewing advice from coffee industry experts

  • Courtside Coffee archives

Courtside Coffee is more than just a newsletter—it's a winning combination of tennis expertise, humor, and coffee culture. Join us for a fresh cup of Courtside Coffee and elevate your tennis and coffee-enjoying experience today!

Courtside Coffee features:

  1. Insightful Commentary: Merlisa infuses her passion for tennis with a generous sprinkling of humor, making Courtside Coffee informative and fun. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just dipping your toes into the tennis world, her commentary and anecdotes will keep you entertained from the first serve to the last sip.

  2. Previews and Predictions: You'll never miss a beat in the tennis world with Courtside Coffee. From Grand Slam updates to behind-the-scenes insights, Merlisa is a veracious researcher who delights in keeping readers informed by providing links to historical facts and data. Merlisa is not a gambler but has

    developed into a good prognosticator by using data, history, and common sense. Of course, she’s sometimes wrong. But it’s amazing how accurate she can be for a non-gambler.

  3. Smash’n Fashion: Tennis isn't just about what happens on the court—it's also about style and innovation. For years, I’ve written best and worst-dressed features for Bleacher Report and TennisView magazine. The Women’s Tennis Blog featured an excerpt from my book on Serena Williams’ development as a fashion icon. I’ll highlight court fashion for the tennis stars and include the latest style in tennis accessories, including shoes and bags. Look for Smash’n Fashion once a month and during each Grand Slam tournament.

  4. The Coffee Corner: Courtside Coffee sweetens the deal with a weekly coffee recipe or brewing technique guaranteed to tantalize your taste buds. Merlisa is so serious about coffee that she attended the Special Coffee Association conference and subscribes to the organization’s newsletter. She’s written about coffee for news AARP.com, the AJC.com (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) and luxury publications Montage and Bespoke Concierge.

  5. Courtside Coffee Podcasts: Paid subscribers can access podcasts covering timely, topical tennis issues.

  6. Power Rankings: Courtside Coffee goes beyond the official WTA and ATP rankings. This section covers who’s hot, including those on a winning streak, getting past a milestone, or peaking at the right time. Power rankings are based on the most recent results.

    Shout out to Janet Jackson because this section is a “what have you done for me lately” space.

  7. Live Match Chats: Join fellow fans virtually from the comfort of your home in a live match chat. You never know when the best matchups might materialize, so Live Match Chats will be announced in Courtside Coffee community notes. The first Live Match Chat will take place during the French Open.

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Courtside Coffee is a weekly newsletter by award-winning journalist and author Merlisa Lawrence Corbett that offers highly caffeinated commentary on the latest tennis news and coffee.

People

Merlisa Lawrence Corbett is an award-winning journalist and author who writes about tennis, sports in society, home and garden, small business, and general interests.