The Body Serve

I Said No

For our last episode of 2025, we each wrote our own separate agendas with the plan to just chat and see what happens. There’s some tennis, mostly not -- but we do cover that crass spectacle Evolve has been stumping over on right-wing media. We’ve got quick-fire complaints (It is that deep! Bring back gatekeeping in restaurant criticism!), favorite TV series of 2025, server rants, movie etiquette, and Mariah. Timestamps seemed against the more chaotic spirit of this episode, so just jump in and enjoy. Thanks for a great season - see you in 2026!

ATP Thirst: Full Release

At long last, our ATP “hot list,” in our signature TBS style. Our mission: have fun, be sex-positive, not put anyone down, and marvel at how subjective and silly all this is. We talk about the ethics of objectifying men, the male gaze and male gays, and the “structures of looking” from Laura Mulvey on into the 21st century. After that bit of (hopefully interesting) table-setting, we get right into our categories of hotness (brains, aura, and ass are a few key examples). Finally, each of us share our hot lists of both active and retired players. Stay tuned for a few embarrassing crushes and lots of Rafa/Bjorn/Grigor mentions; and remember, with men the ick is always just around the corner.

4:05 Is objectifying men ok?

14:00 The straight male gaze, the straight woman gaze, and the gay gaze 

19:20 “The male figure cannot bear the burden of sexual objectification” (Mulvey, 1975)

27:25 So why are we doing this? Well, first of all, it’s fun

32:55 Categories that make up hotness, starting with Aura 

38:05 A key category: slutty shorts

56:00 The daddy archetype and faces that belong on a coin

60:15 Our lists 

68:40 Embarrassing or disavowed crushes: we all have them 

73:30 The retired players who would have made the list

Heated Rivalry: 2025 ATP Wrap

For many, the 2025 ATP season has been about one heated rivalry and, well … not much else. We’re not necessarily here to contradict that narrative. But, there were five first-time Masters 1000 winners, and that’s not nothing! We’ll take you through the year’s highlights, month by month; question some tennis conventional wisdom; and go through your most memorable and funniest moments (math is hard!). Also, find out how our breakout picks fared and which ATP Awards need a rethink.  

4:30 How we finished 2024

10:00 Themes of this season: duopoly, futility

15:00 The season’s notable moments in chronological order

35:35 Italy’s Davis Cup threepeat / RIP Nicola Pietrangeli 

39:30 How did we do with our 2025 breakout picks?

43:40 ATP Awards: wheel and come again

48:05 Your most memorable moments of the ATP season

60:30 Your funniest moments: leave Jack alone!

65:50 Retirements, comebacks, and first-time titlists

Chat To Mi Back: 2025 WTA Wrap

It’s time to wrap the 2025 WTA season! We saw 5 different players split the Slams and the WTA Finals to form a season with a clear top tier but no outright dominance, allowing for surprises (Mboko, Andreeva, Swiatek at Wimbledon) and steady reliables (Sabalenka). As always, we’ll take you through the season chronologically while highlighting some key themes of the year both on- and off-court. We’ll survey the WTA Awards candidates, discuss our listeners’ most memorable and funniest moments of the season, and hold our own feet to the fire by seeing how our 2025 breakout picks performed. Thanks for joining us for an amazing season of women’s tennis!

We’ve just launched our 2025 GoFundMe -- thanks for all the support through the years. If you’d like to contribute, you can find it here. 

0:35 Launching our 2026 GoFundMe 

06:00 Major stories of 2025: parity but also not 

11:40 Off-court stories: Mat leave, PTPA, plus Rybakina-Vukov test the WTA’s new safeguarding policy

24:25 Chronological recap, kind of 

44:25 Awards season!

49:05 How did we do with our breakout picks?

52:50 What you’ll remember from the season

59:55 Your funniest moments of the season

68:35 Retirements, comebacks, maternity leaves

Big Simping

Jannik Sinner defends at the ATP Finals, again without losing a set, beating his chief rival #1 Carlos Alcaraz. The final was fine, even quite good at times, albeit a bit momentum-less; but hey, they can’t all be classics. Novak makes some valid points about Sinner’s doping case – yes, well-tread territory to be fair – and gets subtweeted by Darren Cahill for his troubles. Plus, Aryna is displeased with Nike (which itself seems indifferent to tennis), and we take a quick tangent into health care and politics. 

1:55 Jannik repeats at the ATP Finals 

7:05 The Big 3 broke tennis analysis

11:50 Semis and group stage: every era needs a de Minaur 

17:45 The ATP fits and haircuts + the Nike snowsuit

21:50 Novak on Sinner’s doping case and Darren’s subtweet

32:05 Aryna is unhappy with Nike, and Nike doesn’t seem to care

38:30 Not a great week for churches! Plus a tangent on Canadian health care

Photo Opps

It’s our 400th episode! Elena Rybakina makes a stunning run through the WTA Finals field, but the ending is overshadowed by an awkward non-photo with the WTA CEO. Novak Djokovic is a stunt queen til the end, winning Athens and then telling Musetti at the net that he won’t be playing Turin anyway, so thanks for playing! Meanwhile, newcomers Learner Tien and Victoria Mboko cap their breakout seasons with titles, Ons Jabeur is having a baby, and we reflect on our Toronto Blue Jays and our 400th.

2:15 Rybakina dominates the WTA Finals field

6:35 The photo snub and the tough Rybakina-Vukov situation

12:40 Sabalenka’s hot mic moment 

19:00 Djokovic wins Athens, everyone plays in Lorenzo’s face 

24:00 The Djokovic exodus from Serbia to Greece

32:20 Youngsters Tien and Mboko win late-season titles

40:00 The Body Serve Baseball Podcast

50:45 What does 400 mean to us?

The Cusp Boys

Almost there … Elena Rybakina booked her spot in the WTA Finals and dipped immediately (extremely injured). Basel saw three of its four quarterfinals end with a retirement. Naturally, the ATP decided this was the perfect time to announce an imminent 10th Masters 1000 tournament, in Saudi Arabia, which will require the shuttering of five current ATP tournaments. Elsewhere, Marta Kostyuk decides it’s not sour grapes, it’s testosterone; and Jannik Sinner gets torched by the Italian consumer protection agency for taking un pisolino after leading his country to two straight Davis Cup titles.

2:50 À propos of nothing, Kostyuk dabbles in transvestigation 

15:00 Jannik might lose his honorary citizenship to the city of Turin, guys

17:00 The ATP cusp boys + Fonseca 

22:55 Ale-ale-jandro 

24:00 Are people born with cramps or are cramps thrust upon them?

26:40 Rybakina, Bencic, Li

32:10 Saudi Arabia gets a Masters tournament

36:00 Next up in tennis and on TBS

So Sorry, Bestie

It’s late in the season but great stories are still being written: the world #204 Valentin Vacherot slips into the Shanghai qualifying draw and then wins it all, Coco Gauff rights the ship in Asia for the second year in a row, and two Canadians win titles in the same week. We also talk about Holger Rune’s Achilles injury, Finals qualification storylines, and the ongoing debates on scheduling and exhibitions in Timbuktu. Plus, a foray into pop culture featuring David Archuleta and the late great Diane Keaton.

01:30 The cousin final

07:35 Coco doing what she does best in Wuhan

12:10 The Felix anti-jinx

15:25 Other winners: Fernandez, Ruud, Rybakina, Medvedev (882 days, they’ve said many times)

20:30 Rune’s catastrophic Achilles rupture 

24:00 Who can still qualify for the ATP/WTA Finals?

28:40 The still-raging scheduling and exo debates + answering a listener question on Laver Cup

37:15 Pop culture break: Archuleta grows up, RIP Diane Keaton

Dry Sockets

Late in the season, the tennis tour is winding itself through the great cities of China. Anisimova wins Beijing, the women put together a banner lineup in Wuhan, while the men in Shanghai limp (literally) toward the season's end. We've still got so many great listener questions to answer, which cover topical stuff like the length of the tennis season and the Hall of Fame nominees; and less relevant but no less fun subjects like our work nemeses and the retirement of sprint queen and TBS all-time fave, Kingston native Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. 

02:45 Marquee matchups in Wuhan

10:10 Court speed wars; or, you sound like a loser

16:05 Taylor Daynes of tennis 

24:05 Work enemies

35:25 Tennis Hall of Fame nominees

43:10 Any update on Peng Shuai?

47:20 The schedule … six 500s?! Ten 1000s?!

52:50 The GOAT Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce retires

Here For Some Of It

The men’s season ticks on, same as it ever was, as Alcaraz and Sinner snag twin 500s in different countries. We talk a little (very little) about recent results and people being consistently weird in and about Asia. Then, we move into our listener mailbag segment, where we cover everything from how to address the late-season malaise to dealing with workplace narcissists. We finish with an extended review of Mariah’s new album Here For It All, her first studio album since 2018. By the way, the episode title does not refer to our feelings on the album! 

2:50 Carlos and Jannik add titles, Learner is your newcomer of the year

9:00 No one’s talking to you

13:00 Why can’t players just be normal in Asia?

18:05 Does the tennis season end with a whimper? How to change it up?

32:00 Balancing cultural issues with tennis on the show

37:20 How much stock do put into year-end no. 1 rankings vs. the rolling ranking system?

40:55 Off-topic: do you have advice for how to deal with workplace narcissists and bullies?

50:10 Mariah album review! 

Oops I Did It Again

The post-US Open stretch is always a little strange. Case in point, Lleyton Hewitt was suspended for two weeks because he pushed an anti-doping official last year(?!). Taylor Townsend squandered a lot of good will after she mocked Chinese cuisine (though she swiftly apologized). The Italian dynasty captures their 6th BJK Cup title via Paolini, Cocciaretto, and Errani heroics. Plus, we issue a … clarification(?) of our comments on the USTA last episode, discuss the Canada-Israel tie, and tackle the allegedly imminent Kyrgios-Sabalenka “battle of the sexes.” 

1:50 A retraction/clarification on our USTA crashout 

6:20 We read the Lleyton Hewitt v. ITIA reports so you don’t have to

17:15 Results: Iga wins #25; WTA hatching and snatching continues

24:45 Team Italia continues to dominate BJK Cup 

29:05 Taylor Townsend’s self-own

37:45 USA crashes out of Davis Cup / Canada’s decision on Israel DC tie 

48:35 Kyrgios vs. Sabalenka will ultimately be a zero-sum game

Theme music courtesy of Oleg Fedak from Pixabay

The Corporate Sleaze

Thanks for your patience as we finished up our US Open wrap! One of our birthdays coincided with Rolex inviting a certain president to the tournament, and we conscientiously objected. Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are your winners (for the first time together). The tournament was a barnburner on the women’s side, a fantastic cap to a year which saw four different Slam winners and a few players rewriting their own stories. On the men’s side, Alcaraz faced only 10 break points (a record) and pushed a dominant Sinner into rethinking his own game. As is our wont, we talk extensively about other things … including using Mary Carillo’s commentary as an example of the necessary risk of expanding sports commentary into something more worldly and immediate. 

01:46 Aryna Sabalenka wins with smarts and steadiness

08:56 Animisova-Osaka, now that was a moment

18:27 The Townsend-Krejcikova match was a stunner

21:31 Mary Carillo and the risk of telling the truth

35:47 Carlos figures out Jannik (7 of the last 8 times)

42:19 Thanks, Rolex! The USTA makes a problem worse 

50:34 Breaking down the prize money increase

55:45 Allez Félix!  

64:50 Novak and everyone else

71:11 Duchess of Kent, Wimbledon icon, dies at 92

Packed Up and Gone

We've just returned from the US Open, excited to share some stories from the site. We cover our night session with Venus, the debut of Carlos' buzz cut, Felix vs some fake fans, and the luck of seeing Barbie K's opening match at two consecutive Slams. This has been something of a whiny US Open, though -- kicked off by Medvedev’s calculated tantrum, then followed by Ostapenko’s shameful display against Townsend (which Jonathan witnessed in person!). Later, we chat about the experience of a stretched out schedule, Serena inducting Maria into the Hall of Fame, the draws as they stand now. 

1:30 Daniil Medvedev’s desperation

11:10 Stefanos, another pissy baby

15:50 Your primary source for Townsend-Ostapenko 

32:00 Victor Barber we are so sorry (this time)

36:20 Night session with Venus Williams!

43:10 An overwhelming sense of ickiness 

53:05 Félix and the fake fans

62:50 How the Sunday start impacted the on-site experience

70:20 Inductrination 

77:35 The draws at the cusp of week two 

Why Is It a Crime To Be Locked In? US Open Preview

We're kind of winging it for this US Open preview. It's a bit too late for a Cincy recap, so we're talking about major themes -- like Coco’s coaching overhaul, Iga’s mid-season surge, the guys not named Carlos or Jannik -- and sprinkling in some results. We talk about what worked and what didn't in the mixed doubles exhib-- I mean the prestigious and successful mixed doubles tournament featuring the world's best players. Plus we settle some scores and probably create a few new beefs, but what the hell, this is the last major of 2025 and literally our 43rd Slam preview.

1:00 The major storylines in the women’s draw: I warned you Iga was coming! + Coco drops the GripMD

15:00 Men’s storylines: Djokovic LoseWatch, the also-rans 

21:05 The mixed doubles experiment

31:30 Mardy Fish comes for Rajeev Ram out of nowhere

35:50 Not Parks and Vavassori liking fake news homophobic posts on IG

38:45 Women's draw preview

51:25 Men's draw preview 

67:10 US Open artwork: Honoring Althea Gibson in death but not in life

I Think I've Done Enough

The Canadian Open (finally) ends, and with a shocker: Burlington, Ontario’s Victoria Mboko snatches her first WTA title after starting the year outside the top 300, and Ben Shelton wins his first Masters event. Honestly, the longer format, the withdrawals of the top men, and the Cincinnati overlap all really hurt this tournament (the second-longest running in tennis history, btw!). We didn’t want to contribute to this Naomi speech discourse, but I guess we do in a small way. Plus: Stefano Vukov’s suspension has been overturned, That Guy is delulu (but in a very intentional PR type of way), and we take a question or two from the mailbag.

0:40 Burlington’s Very Own

13:50 The Naomi Discourse - not doing it again! (well, a little) 

25:00 Performance, Bye

29:20 The longer format is sucking the life out of the Canadian Open

39:45 Shelton wins his first Masters 1000, electronic line calling loses (again) 

48:00 Stefano Vukov’s ban by the WTA has been overturned in arbitration 

59:50 A few questions from the mailbag

The Mubadala Citi Destiny's Child Open

Starting off hot with two updates in doping cases: first, Jannik Sinner has rehired one of the men responsible for the clostebol contamination. In Tara Moore’s case, CAS ruled that the actual beef was legitimate, but the figurative beef with the ITIA, sadly, was not. The DC tournament had outsized buzz this year, thanks to Venus Williams’ wild card and surprising performance, owner Mark Ein’s boosterism for DC-area tennis, Fernandez’s impressive run, and de Minaur’s late-stage heroics. Later, we touch on the Canadian Open, coaching drama, some big local retirements, and answer a few fun listener questions. 

01:30 Sinner rehires fitness coach Ferrara after a year in timeout 

10:35 Tara Moore’s case concludes with a 4-year ban

14:20 She’s still The Venus Williams

30:25 de Minaur wins a heartbreaker against ADF

33:55 Leylah Fernandez wins biggest career title (+ scheduling complaint in Montreal)

39:50 Canadians in the Canadian Open: retirements, withdrawals, but at least Mboko remains standing!

46:30 Coaching changes: two “supercoaches” constantly putting themselves in the talk

51:30 Listener questions: Toronto recs

57:50 Tournament essentials

62:25 An FMK like no other 

TBS x Courtney Part II

Presenting part two of our interview with Courtney Nguyen, tennis podcaster, blogger, and former Senior Writer, WTA Insider! This time around, we chat about tennis commentary, the various ways the ATP encroaches upon the WTA, and Courtney's evolving approach to podcasting while also working for the tour. We had to ask about Courtney's favorite players to cover while at the WTA (and the most challenging), her favorite commentators, and the inevitable(?) day when opinion-havers like the three of us simply run out of opinions.

Luck Be a Sinner This Fortnight

Wimbledon ends with maybe not the champions we chose but the ones we were given. Iga Swiatek honed her grass game and unleashed an almighty tempest to beat Amanda Anisimova with the loss of zero games. Jannik Sinner snapped his 5-match skid against chief rival Carlos Alcaraz by pounding his way to the title. We cover the very human and predictable limitations of electronic line calling, Sally Jenkins’ (warranted) hit piece on John McEnroe, and our lasting impressions of London. You can also expect us to discuss the embarrassing display of billionaire worship that occurred when “activist investor” Bill Ackman got an undeserved wild card to the Hall of Fame Open.

2:10 Dorothea Lambert Chambers thought her record was safe; Iga thought otherwise

16:10 Amanda’s journey to the Wimbledon final 

21:05 Dimitrov and Djokovic injuries ease Sinner’s path

26:15 What happened, Carlitos?

35:15 Jonathan’s addendum on Swiatek’s season so far

38:50 Electronic line calling is fallible after all!

45:15 Ackman at the Newport Casino as we enter a new and dark Gilded Age 

52:20 Sally Jenkins says what fans have been saying for years: fire McEnroe 

58:20 Last notes from London

Strawberries and WHAT?!

We’re back from our first ever trip to Wimbledon with lots of stories from the grounds and our impressions of the whole British Empire of it all (it's intoxicating at the same time). We were there for the hottest opening day in Wimbledon’s history, and the heat seemed to wreak havoc on the draw, with 36 seeds out by the end of round two. We’ll take you through the draws and some notable matches we saw -- Fritz-Mpetshi Perricard, Krejcikova-Eala, Sabelanka-Branstine, plus Mboko, Baptiste, and ‘Cos’ Giron. Plus, if you’re curious about the various ways to get Wimbledon tickets, we’ve got you (even though it’s still not easy).   

2:00 What it was like being at Wimbledon: Let’s start with the food

10:05 Around the grounds: ivy, flowers, Henman Hill, Hailey the Baptist 

30:30 How does one get tickets to Wimbledon?

39:30 It was really hot and a bunch of seeds fell

47:00 Women’s draw: #2-6 are out but Andreeva and Swiatek remain in the bottom half …

57:30 Men’s draw: Fritz hanging on, Alcaraz playing entirely too many sets

Theme music courtesy of Oleg Fedak from Pixabay

TBS x Courtney Part I

Presenting the first part of our interview with Courtney Nguyen, tennis blogger, podcaster, and journalist, and until recently the Senior Writer at WTA Insider. First, we chat about Courtney's exit from the WTA and what's next. You'll hear about the first time we met back in 2015 at the dearly missed Mason Applebee's. We also asked Courtney for her thoughts on the state of AI and tech in tennis, some misconceptions about the WTA, and our mutual love of mess -- not just drama, which is fun, but the deeply human imperfection of this sport, how it's played, and how it's governed. 

Rawdogging to Wimbledon

The Body Serve lands in London for the very first time! For our Wimbledon preview, we'll take you through some news from qualifying, discuss the players who rallied in the last week before Wimbledon, and outline the top stories of the draw. How long will the Alcaraz-Sinner duopoly last? Is Aryna the favorite or will a grass court demon snatch the title? Will Marketa send the draws crashing down? Will Fritz beat that guy for the 6th consecutive time? 

2:55 Qualifying news: Canadian Branstine stuck playing #1s everywhere she goes

5:55 Major stories: the Sinner-Alcaraz chokehold and at least a dozen contenders for the women’s title

10:30 This week’s results: Peggy, Iga, Eala, Fritz and more

14:45 Men’s draw offers Djokovic a chance, throws Draper a curve ball

25:50 Women’s draw preview: Sabalenka’s rough go 

Fan Fics and Side Chicks

The tours have begun their brief stop on grass, and here’s what we know: Marketa has risen, Bublik is dangerous, Carlos won’t stop winning, and the WTA hasn’t yet figured out Tatjana Maria’s spins. Outside of the results, we cover the end of Kyrgios’ stint with the BBC and its possible causes. Plus: Sinner and Bocelli’s camp collaboration and the US Open’s mixed doubles pairings, which appear to have been drafted by agents and some very online fans.

03:50 Grass results: Tatjana Maria stuns the big hitters at Queen’s

11:05 Marketa has awoken, Bublik wins second Halle title 

18:50 Kyrgios won’t be broadcasting this year (now why is Chris Eubanks in it?)

26:30 Too late to Kei-pologize?

29:15 Sinner & Bocelli Grammy when?

32:10 A Slam title for fan-fic?!

38:00 A listener question

42:35 Et ceteras: coaching changes, Petra’s imminent retirement, Mariah’s new single 

I Love This Song

Roland Garros closes with Coco Gauff’s second major title and a true classic of a men’s final, with Carlos Alcaraz defending his title after weathering three championship points and over five hours of punishing tennis from Jannik Sinner. Of course you’ll get our thoughts on Aryna Sabalenka’s less than pleasant commentary after the match, plus notes on Iga, Novak, and Musetti’s ill-conceived kick. Stay tuned for our fashion segment (Lululemon FTW this time), our impression of TNT’s coverage, and the scheduling nightmare that got even worse. 

3:30 Coco Gauff is a two-time major champ!

12:10 Aryna talks shit, gets whacked by fans and locals alike

20:15 Other notes about the women’s draw

29:30 Men’s final: a true classique

39:00 Semi and quarter notes: Musetti’s kick and That Guy’s futility 

48:50 Reviewing the kits: Nike, go home; Wilson and Lulu, you can stay

58:00 TNT’s coverage created some real energy

A Fight Worth Fighting

All Round of 16 matches are set at the 2025 Roland Garros, after a number of top men crashed out early (though none of the true favorites) and most of the women’s contenders remain on a crash course toward some fiery week two matchups. We look at what’s to come and discuss our week one highlights – including Svitolina-Pera, Keys-Kenin, Draper-Monfils, and Mboko’s run. The episode’s title comes from the tournament’s refusal to schedule women during its flawed night session concept and the ensuing controversy, with a fight led by Ons Jabeur and much of the tennis press. Plus, a review of the Rafa Nadal tribute (a job well done!).  

1:25 RG does the Rafa tribute right

8:05 Upsets galore on the men’s side

13:45 The men’s draw as it stands

24:25 Our women’s draw highlights

38:45 RG night session scheduling is a fight worth fighting 

52:50 Et ceteras: Jasmine “Solomon” Paolini, Ivanisevic joins Team Tsitsipas

Theme music courtesy of Oleg Fedak from Pixabay

Watch This Space: Roland Garros Preview

Roland Garros is here, and it’s the first edition since Rafael Nadal’s retirement. We start with a few recollections of our favorite Nadal RG moments, then head straight into draw previews. Is Aryna the favorite? What to make of Iga’s tough draw? Will Novak take advantage and make one more stand in Paris? Is Carlos King? After talking through the draws, we recap some investigative reporting into Muller’s OnlyFans, plus we update you on some imminent retirements, the latest very typical happenings in Camila Giorgi’s life, and That Guy’s 37 trips to -- well, you can just listen.

0:45 Our favorite Rafa Roland Garros moments

3:25 Women’s draw preview 

17:45 Mboko makes it in, Bianca doesn’t qualify, Errani retires from singles 

24:45 Men’s draw preview

39:00  Prayers up for that guy’s esophagus

40:15 Assorted mess: An OnlyFans scammer, Giorgi does reality TV

Habemus Papi

At the Italian Open, Jasmine Paolini wins in singles and doubles while Carlos Alcaraz puts on his thinking cap to stop Jannik Sinner at the finish line. We take a beat to compare Sinner’s triumphal return from a doping suspension to that of Sharapova in 2017 (for one thing, she didn’t get to meet the pope). Plus, Djokovic breaks with Murray, Barbie is back, the US Open announces a construction project, and the surprising fallibility of something called Gorillalpha Yeti Juice.  

01:45 Welcoming Jannik back from a <checks notes> unexplained absence

12:30 When a delusional era lasts forever

15:45 A note about Lorenzo

20:00 Paolini brings the title back to Italy

31:15 Barbie K is back

33:30 Kicking off Roland Garros qualifying

35:50 Contamination cases have a Gorilla grip on tennis

39:50 US Open announces updates to its site – whether it’s an upgrade remains to be seen

This Sport Is Brutal

Madrid ends with Aryna Sabalenka further extending her lead as number one, Casper Ruud grabbing his first Masters, and a lot of discourse around Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka. We’ve got updates on: Jannik Sinner’s hero's welcome in Rome, Bianca Andreescu, Anastasija Sevastova, Tyra Grant, and more. We do a quick review of the strange but sometimes interesting Alcaraz Netflix documentary before wrapping the episode with a dive into the Max Purcell doping suspension, which is way more fascinating than he first let on. 

Theme music courtesy of Oleg Fedak from Pixabay

01:45 Penko being Penko

5:05 Madrid: the Iga discourse 

9:45 Sabalenka d. Gauff to win Madrid, joins the 11,000 points club 

13:40 Casper wins his first Masters 1000

20:20 Osaka drops a level and wins! 

23:15 Jannik, the ironic vir triumphalis, returns to Rome

26:15 Updates on Andreescu, Sevastova

30:20 The perplexing Alcaraz Netflix doc

40:00 Is Venus quiet quitting (or did she already)?

43:05 The Max Purcell doping case gets a lot more interesting

Hateration, Holgeration In This Dove Soiree

Clay season is underway, and we’ve seen a Runeaissance, a re-Alcarization, a Penkopalypse even. Stuttgart -- always reliable -- brought a stunning quarterfinal lineup and a surprise winner, while Holger reminded the class that there’s still tons of time to fulfill his promise. There’s much tennis business to talk about, including the first hearing in the PTPA antitrust suit and Opelka’s testimony; Lesia Tsurenko’s lawsuit against the WTA and Steve Simon; and a somewhat voyeuristic ITIA press release. Plus, Dart’s out of left field comment, Shelly Ann clearing the field, and wondering what happened in that Met Gala bathroom meeting.

Theme music courtesy of Oleg Fedak from Pixabay

0:40 Housekeeping: catching a case, getting postcards out

4:50 Holger’s back; Alcaraz wins Monte Carlo, returns briefly to #2

15:45 Stuttgart moves like a 1000-level bitch 

22:15 Another spectator calls out That Guy, this time in Germany

26:50 PTPA gets their first hearing, Opelka testifies

35:00 Harriet why?!  

37:00 Serena on Jannik and … Maria?

42:20 I always feel like somebody’s watching me 

45:35 Lesia Tsurenko sues the WTA

56:25 Our other sporting interests: Shelly Ann & Rory

Futility

Yes, it’s been a minute, but we’re back to catch up on Monte Carlo, Charleston, and sadly yes, all the way back to Miami. The top men have utterly failed to capitalize on Sinner’s mandatory vacation, while on the women’s side, Sabalenka extends her rankings lead and Pegula snatches #3 with her strong start to the year. We’ve also got: Kasatkina’s move to Australia, the top WTA and ATP players sending a letter to the Slams a few weeks after the PTPA lawsuit, a few listener questions, and more. 

1:10 Monte Carlo updates: why, Grigor, why?

9:10 Charleston results

14:20 Miami: Eala stuns Iga, Aryna extends her lead

25:30 Don’t count your chickens before they hatch 

28:20 Dasha Kasatkina is now representing Australia 

31:00 The players do love an epistle 

37:20 Coaching and baby news

40:35 A listener question

Vibes Cartel

This week, we’re diving into the antitrust lawsuit brought by the PTPA against the tennis ‘cartel.’ The wide-ranging complaint takes aim at prize money, scheduling, ranking points, anti-doping, and what they broadly view as anticompetitive and illegal activity by the tennis governing bodies. What does the PTPA hope to gain? Which parts make sense, and which leave us with some skepticism? Is unionization a goal, and if so, is it even possible? After spending most of the episode breaking down the major issues in the lawsuit, we hop over to Miami, where all 4 male Indian Wells semifinalists have crashed out, Rafa Nadal Academy grads are making waves, and Djokovic is hobnobbing with the Establishment.

0:55 PTPA files an antitrust lawsuit in three countries - first up, yes we know it doesn’t technically matter, but why these plaintiffs?

06:55 What are the allegations?

24:15 What is the desired outcome?

28:05 Is unionization possible (and is it even a goal)?

36:10 What works and what doesn’t

40:05 The parallels with LIV Golf

46:00 Crashing out in Miami 

55:00 You are the company you keep

Waste Management

Well, well, well, what do we have here? Have we entered the Mirra era? If you know us, you know we’re not saying that, we just wanted to say Mirra era. Andreeva fashioned a Keys-esque run to the title in the desert, beating the same four players Madison did to win the AO from the fourth round onward...in the same order! We talk about Iga, we talk about Jack, and we field some more listener questions on TBS 375

02:15 The Mirra Era

12:19 The Conchita Effect

17:01 What’s up with Iga?

26:28 Jack Draper arrives

37:34 Taking a question about Larry Ellison …

46:32 Finding joy in tennis when things outside of tennis are generally terrible 

51:22 If tennis were played on only one surface, which would you keep?

53:38 RHOP and other Bravo musings 

Indian Hells

We’re back to a regular schedule, and up first it’s week one of Indian Wells: Nick and Novak struggling with injury and form, That Guy simply struggling to avoid the #1 ranking. We chat about the draw, the WTA’s new maternity leave benefits program, plus Danielle Collins’ clothing collab and the impetus behind it. Later on we get into some fun listener questions, with subjects as diverse as cricket, gospel music, the Knicks, and public transportation.  

03:15 Question from @lisacrispin on Bluesky: how long does it take to produce each episode?

08:35 Nick’s wrist injury

12:50 Dutch tennis rolls over Novak and That Guy  

17:25 Danielle Collins’ merch drop

24:55 IW draw recap

29:15 WTA announces maternity leave benefits program funded by PIF

33:55 How are we feeling about the Knicks? (question from @dabigjoker on Bluesky)

38:00 Jonathan picks his test cricket XI from tennis players (question from @edwardpolsen)

46:55 Public transit fun (@irascibly) 

49:25 Since it's Oscars season, what actors could you see playing various players in imaginary biopics? (@lobjan) 

54:45 And finally, what’s with our nickname for Kimberly Birrell? (@tomcharles2710)

Sh*t's Creek

February ends with Andreeva’s arrival, players getting flewed out by Jessie Pegula, Stef’s mystery racquet saving his career, and Andrey live laugh loving in Doha (but in all seriousness, happy for him!). We’re also covering the WTA’s anti-purple rebrand alongside Billie Jean King’s “tear it all down” approach, Venus Williams’ momentary wild card to Indian Wells, and Serena coming to our town with the WNBA!

1:20 My favorite season: awards

5:25 Stef’s boat 

8:35 Something rotten in the state of Guerrero

15:35 Other results: Navarro, Djere, and Peggy’s private plane

20:30 Rublev wins Doha, opens up about learning to be kind to himself

23:40 Andreeva arrives as a genuine teen prodigy 

28:00 Who jumped out the gate in 2025?

32:20 Venus is back! Oh wait, no, she’s giving a talk in Denmark!

36:25 Indian Wells surface change - let’s wait and see, ok?

38:40 The WTA rebrand: no more charity language and no. more. purple. 

54:45 The WNBA (and Serena!) are coming to Toronto

Stay In Your Lane

Tennis, stop. Give us a minute, my God. The chaotic February schedule gives us a first-time 1000 title winner (Anisimova), a first-time ATP titlist (Fonseca), Ostapenko’s fifth unanswered defeat of Swiatek, and Bencic winning a big title soon after her return from maternity leave. While trying to keep track of tennis results, we also saw the resolution of the Sinner’s WADA appeal, the conclusion of the WTA’s investigation into Stefano Vukov, and Simona Halep's retirement. 

01:40 Anisimova wins Doha, Penko turns her year around

5:35 Fonseca’s first title, Schwartzman’s swan song, and will the South American swing go hardcourt?

11:40 Alejandro, por qué???

15:10 Last week: Bencic, Alcaraz, Shapo

19:40 The Sinner Agreement

31:05 US Open makes mixed doubles a glorified exhibition

40:55 Compton’s most famous daughter

47:05 Rybakina’s coach Vukov suspended for a year 

53:30 Simona Halep retires

62:20 We don’t need straight men’s takes on which men are hot

Intent Intent Intent Doesn't Exist

Madison Keys has been a major champion for over a week now! This episode isn’t really about that, but it bears repeating. Checking in on tennis in February, we’ve got Felix winning yet another indoor title, Mertens and Alexandrova making up for somewhat disappointing Australian Opens, and a whole heap of man drama at Davis Cup, featuring one of the only head-on collisions you’ll see in tennis and the current state of ATP umpiring. This episode covers lots of odds and ends including Petra’s imminent return(!), more from the AO men’s final protestor, Ymer’s unretirement, and the US Open’s expansion. 

0:35 WTA titlists Mertens and Alexandrova; Felix wins his second title of the year

6:55 Davis Cup: Garin gets literally run over by Bergs

17:40 Certainly not while wearing that moustache

20:00 Mikael Ymer did the opposite of “break up with your [tennis], I’m bored” 

20:55 Petra Kvitova is coming back, maple syrup magnate Vasek Pospisil is leaving

28:05 One more thing about Madi

34:20 Craig Tiley’s comments on the AusOpen protestor are … lacking 

39:35 The US Open’s manspread 

Truly Madi Deeply

This was one of those rare finals weekends where pretty much everything we hoped for came true. A perennial fave of fans and her own coworkers, the one-time prodigy Madison Keys showed remarkable maturity and grit to win her first major title. She let go of the “need” to win a Slam, and then managed to defeat #2 Iga Swiatek and the 2-time defending champ #1 Aryna Sabalenka back-to-back. Jannik Sinner defended his title without facing a break point in the final. Tennis keeps trying to make his opponent happen, alas to no avail. Plus, we got cracker women's doubles matchups, Novak HIPAA-violating himself, and Sakkari attending the inauguration instead of winning tennis matches.

1:25 GoFundMe update: Thank you!!!

6:05 Once a tween prodigy, then a best-never-to-win, now a Slam winner

12:05 Madison said therapy works … can’t argue with that 

27:50 After a diversion, a few more notes on the women’s draw

33:40 The ceaseless pushing, literal and figurative 

38:00 “Australia believes Olya and Brenda”

46:45 Ben Shelton v. the media 

53:05 Women’s doubles: SMASH on the girls 

62:25 Call me OptaAce because I’ve got stats 

I Learned From The Best

Just past the midway point of the 2025 Australian Open, the big favorites are mostly still here; a few NextGenners made a big splash in week one, including Joao Fonseca and the episode namesake Learner Tien. We'll take you through the draw, the first week highlights, the upsets, and the reverse hex I put on Alejandro ;)  As always, we spend a lot of time with all the extra stuff happening on top of the tennis: coaching pods, the Danielle Collins mini-controversy, Djokovic’s ‘boycott,’ Nick’s non-event, and a few notes on commentary.

1:55 The first week upsets (aka James was wrong about pretty much everything)

12:00 How the faves are doing? Monfils, Coco, Alejandro (you’re welcome)

24:15 The quarters and how we got here 

30:15 He came for the nepo baby and that was the last straw

33:30 Coaching pods! (At least they’re not mic’d)

38:50 The Danielle Collins (and Colleen?!) Fund

46:05 WADA will not appeal Swiatek’s case

50:30 Tony Jones gave Novak a grievance. Thanks a lot, Tony

55:05 Erin Routliffe with the quote of the tournament

57:25 The kits: Coco’s is a hit, but the Nike spaghetti straps … please 

Mercury Rising: Australian Open Preview

And just like that, the 2025 Australian Open is nearly underway. It’s the 40th major we’ve covered as a podcast, and our draw previews are still as prediction-free as always. We touch on a few of the themes to watch out for in Melbourne – Sinner’s emotional state, Rybakina’s coaching situation, Novak as #7 seed and poisonee – but mostly this is a lighthearted preview with draw breakdowns and our most intriguing first rounds. 

GoFundMe: help fund our 2025 season!

3:15 Stories to follow: heavy metals, jumping ants

13:50 Comebacks and withdrawals

18:50 Women’s draw analysis: a tough one for Coco

27:40 Women’s bottom half: will Iga reverse her luck in Australia?

38:05 Men’s draw analysis: the top tier and the middlemen

54:50 Men’s bottom half: Djokovic as a #7 seed sounds wrong

Obsessed

Welcome to season 11 of The Body Serve! We're catching you up on the barely existent off-season, including the most important Joaos, Max Purcell turning himself in, and Jenson Broosky’s brave statement about autism. Even though one of us rejects any “2025” tennis that occurs before January 1, 2025, we talk through the season’s early results, including the United Cup fracas, the Opelka and Nishikori comebacks, and the shifting Big 4 allegiances due to the Murravic pairing. We also take on the decidedly more serious situation with Elena Rybakina’s former and would-be current coach, Stefano Vukov, who is currently under investigation by the WTA. Finally, we end with our 2025 breakout picks and a game that James was entirely unprepared for. Happy 2025!

1:05 GoFundMe update

4:05 First week results: Reilly, Kei, the pairing from hell, plus the top tier of the WTA smashes their first week

14:00 United Cup: the “drama” is honestly not that serious

23:30 Rybakina, Vukov, WTA safeguarding, and the childishness of “I told you so”

31:25 Max Purcell turns himself in for an anti-doping oopsie

35:55 Kyrgios’ obsession + Osaka’s allegiance to him (aka: I knew things would get rocky when he came for the nepo baby)

40:45 Jenson Brooksby tells the world that he has autism spectrum disorder

44:50 The Year of the Joao: Reis da Silva comes out as gay + Fonseca wins Next Gen Finals

50:15 Our breakout picks for 2025

54:50 James plays a game! Play along at home

 

Adiós a Todos

We never knew how much we’d miss “hola a todos” until it turned into an adiós. Rafael Nadal Parera ended his tennis career at this year’s Davis Cup, leaving with with 22 major singles titles, a Career Golden Slam, every clay record you can think of, and a litany of quotable moments. We’ve been Rafa fans since the early days, when they said he was a dirtballer whose body would force him into retirement in his 30s. But it turned out Rafa was nothing if not adaptable -- a rational thinker whose love for the game made him a global superstar and helped build two of the sport’s most enduring rivalries. In this episode, we’re less interested in a chronological retelling of his career than complicating some of the cliches about him and talking about our favorite moments, Rafa’s inimitable Rafa-isms, and what made Nadal an athlete like no other.    

1:55 How we became fans

4:45 It’s not about stats, but here are some stats

10:00 Adaptability: the key to understanding Rafa as an athlete?

12:55 A quick career recap - the notable eras

32:35 Rafa as sufferer 

37:30 Fedal & Rafole: the cliches eventually fell away

43:45 Rafa as sex symbol 

52:05 (Not) talking about the GOAT conversation

62:25 Our favorite Rafa moments: the 2022 Australian Open was a gift

65:40 Rafa-isms : if if if …

Sinners and Ain'ts: 2024 ATP Wrap

Finally our 2024 season is coming to a close! Although bonus December content is coming soon, we finish regular coverage by wrapping the ATP season: it was basically the proof that Jannik Sinner’s late-2023 rise was for real, and that he and Carlos have taken the reins of the (mostly) post-Big 4 ATP. Just like the women’s wrap, we’ll take you through the events of the 2024 season, evaluate our picks for 2024 breakout players, and choose our ATP Award winners. We finish up with your memorable/funny/enraging moments (“do you want to change the lady?,” Indian Wells bee attack) and the many players saying goodbye to the sport. 

GoFundMe  

3:10 Where were we at the beginning of 2024?

10:30 Starting in Australia: Sinner risen

16:30 Clay: Rafa’s brief return, Watergate, and Carlos’ apology-fist pump-championship pipeline

22:20 Channel Slam and Novak’s white whale

29:20 Rafa’s retirement at Davis Cup

37:55 Off-court “drama” 

41:55 Our 2024 breakout players + thoughts on the ATP Awards

50:00 What will you remember? Bees.

53:25 Moments that pissed you off / made you laugh (sometimes both)

57:55 A ton of retirements this year, even beyond the big names

Receipts! Proof! Timeline! Screenshots!

We were soooo close to wrapping this season, but we’ll always change the schedule for a doping story. The news of Iga Swiatek testing positive for a banned substance provoked shock, confusion, and even resignation among tennis watchers who are, by the day, becoming more versed on the fine details of doping cases. Our immediate questions were: Is the story plausible? Why is the suspension broken into pieces? When should news like this be made public? As always, we like to dive into the report itself, making sure we’ve got the facts straight before offering any hot takes. Later, we try to answer a few of our own questions, touching on player reactions and the danger of comparing one case to another. 

1:35 GoFundMe Update

3:25 Iga Swiatek tests positive for trimetazidine in Cincinnati, gets a 1-month non-consecutive suspension

9:05 A timeline to make sense of things

13:10 Iga’s team sends a boatload of evidence to the ITIA

17:30 What’s the difference between No Fault or Negligence and No Significant Fault of Negligence?

31:30 Public disclosure: balancing a player’s privacy with building transparency and trust 

36:05 Tara Moore has a more legitimate beef than most 

42:30 Simona said this case is identical to hers (it is not)  

Bookends: 2024 WTA Wrap

This year in women’s tennis, the top tier took further steps to entrench themselves but the WTA retained its signature depth. Sabalenka, Swiatek, and surprise – Krejcikova – added majors to their hauls; Paolini and Zheng broke out in a big way; and Gauff managed to rewrite her season in the fall. We’ll take you through the highlights, the comebacks, the ‘remember whens,’ and moments both infuriating and hilarious. As usual, we also choose our WTA Award winners and do a self-assessment on our 2024 WTA breakout picks. Thanks for a great WTA season!

0:55 Launching our crowdfunding campaign!

3:00 The season’s major themes: Steadiness at the top (+ Babs!), the Zheng and Paolini breakthroughs, Coco’s two seasons, and many comebacks of varying success

12:20 Picture it: Australia, January 2024

17:20 Danielle makes a career-best run, Iga dominates clay

26:25 Babs snatches Wimbledon, Zheng ascendant

33:20 Aryna bookends her year at the US Open

38:30 Our choices for the 2024 WTA Awards

44:10 How did our 2024 breakout picks do?

47:55 Your most memorable moments: our listeners love Jasmine

50:55 Moments that pissed you off and moments that made you laugh: Babs and Qinwen keeping the girlies entertained  

64:35 Farewells and farewells for now

Get a Grip(MD)

Coco writes a new story to end her year -- beating the bad season allegations, as she said -- by taking out Swiatek, Sabalenka, and finally Zheng Qinwen to win the WTA Finals. (Barbie K tried to shake the table, as usual.) In Turin, Jannik Sinner showed that anything you can do, he can do better. He won his first year-end title and notched a 70-win season, the first since 2016. After that, we talk about the retirement of legendary umpire Carlos Bernardes, Frances Tiafoe’s big fine, Jon Wertheim’s hot mic incident, and more.

0:30 Housekeeping: a transition to BlueSky?

6:40 Coco beats the bad season allegations!

19:55 Barbora Krejcikova will f*** it up if you invite her (respectfully)

24:45 ATP Finals: starting with the group photo

29:55 Nice job, Taylor! But Sinner does it better

41:35 #NameTheTennisPlayer is back!

45:15 Umpire Carlos Bernardes retires from tennis

48:00 Wertheim’s hot mic moment 

53:15 Tiafoe fined $120,000 for tirade 

And Another Thing

The top women descend upon Riyadh, the photoshoot is a smash, and #1 Sabalenka sails into the semis. There are still questions around this business decision, and players have varying success in answering them. Paris, as always, suffers from late-season malaise, and the ATP Finals qualifiers start to firm up (almost), but we wonder about the value of grinding it out this late in the season. Plus, lot of et ceteras, including: Dev Patel is the next Zendaya(!), and off-court coaching is no longer a trial but still a tribulation (heh). 

0:30 And another thing about Sinner

2:55 Some meta-commentary on the show and getting older and less stan-oriented 

8:15 The WTA Finals looks: great job everybody!

16:10 Players answer inevitable questions on Saudi Arabia, some better than others

26:35 If a tree falls in Paris

38:10 ATP Finals qualifications: not many scenarios are left

44:55 WTA results: Shnaider wins #4 of the year and Somnez enters the top 100 

47:05 Sloane on protecting your peace

52:20 Et ceteras: Diego Forlan to play pro tennis, the incomparable Dev Patel to make a tennis movie

57:20 Off-court coaching is now the law

Washed

These October episodes are always all over the place. The tours are sputtering toward a finish as players are vying for the final spots in the year-end tournaments or securing their ranking for next season. We talk about the Six Kings Slam, its strange and corny happenings, and the Saudi efforts to diversify their economy with sports and entertainment. We go through some recent results -- Dasha back in the top 10! -- plus we discuss the Hall of Fame vote that inducted Sharapova, peruse the slightly confusing WTA ranking rules, and honor Dominic Thiem’s great career. 

1:00 Does Saudi Arabia even need to sportswash at this point? 

12:20 Results: Stan isn't going, Dasha back at #9, second titles for Draper and Mpetshi 

18:35 What’s left this season, and who’s in the running for an ATP Finals spot?

25:15 Danielle Collins is in fact not retiring this year

31:20 Sharapova inducted into the Hall of Fame: a test for voters 

42:45 Dominic Thiem retires

48:10 Aryna back at #1: arguments over ranking math

Million Dollar Babies

Autumn is supposed to be relatively quiet in tennis, no? Well, in the past week or so, Rafa announced his retirement, CAS released the full decision on Simona Halep's doping case, WADA appealed Jannik Sinner’s No Fault or Negligence ruling to CAS, and one of the most successful coaching pairings of the decade ended. We’ll take you through some key points of the Halep case, including how and why her suspension was so drastically reduced, and some learnings that might help us better understand the Sinner case. We cover the wave of cranky baby behavior in Shanghai, including Frances’ outburst and how it reads in comparison to similar behavior from his colleagues. Plus, Sabalenka nears no. 1 again, Coco resets, and why the continued whispers about Zheng’s personality aren’t sitting right with us.

2:05 Rafa says ‘Adiós a todos’

8:20 CAS finally releases the full decision on the Halep case

23:05 WADA appeals the Sinner decision - what have we learned from the Halep case and others?

32:15 It’s pissy cranky season

40:50 A few WTA players play stupid games, win stupid prizes 

43:55 Why is Qinwen becoming public enemy no. 1? 

52:30 Coco said “what crisis?”

55:25 Iga splits with Wiktorowski

In the Arena

Welcome to part two of our mailbag! We’re kicking things off with our review of Serena in the Arena (at long last). We can’t help but compare some of the things we’ve said about Serena’s career over the years with how Serena described those events in her own words. Like you all, we noticed a few notable omissions from the series, and a few things that were conveniently glossed over. Spoiler: we enjoyed it. We spend the rest of the episodes sifting through the remainder of your submissions. Hope y’all enjoy! 

00:52 Serena in the Arena, at last 

22:54 How would we schedule the tennis calendar?    

35:02 James grinds his Madrid axe, goes to bat for USO Series

40:25 Giving some grace to non-English speakers in pressers

45:47 The tennis opinion we disagree on most

52:51 Ramblings on the where we see the sport in the next few years

59:30 The prerequisite update on our Bravo TV watching habits

Gatekeeping Tennis

Tennis is a famously exclusive sport. So which forces and institutions determine who gets access? Who’s guarding the gates, and what’s the criteria for entry? In this episode, which is co-produced by Sheriece Matias Dick, we start to explore the barriers to entering tennis, the various paths into the sport, and how the gatekeeping institutions of tennis have jockeyed for power through the profound economic and cultural changes of the past 140 years. After exploring a few players’ journeys into pro tennis, we look into the founding ethos of the sport -- “gentlemanly amateurism” -- and how that obsession with status permeated the sport even as it became more accessible to working class people. Finally, we land in the present day, where the seat of power has shifted from aristocratic patrons to the corporate sponsor, with their own standards of conduct, inclusion, and ‘class.’

0:30 What is gatekeeping and how does it relate to tennis?

9:40 Various routes to becoming a pro tennis player

12:25 Comparing Tiafoe and Fritz

23:05 Tennis’ “working class champions”: various paths to the pro level

30:20 The financial barriers for kids entering tennis

36:50 Tennis as an activity for the leisure class

41:45 Code of etiquette: a surprisingly durable way to police the gate and perform class status 

48:30 The Open Era democratizes tennis, sort of

51:45 The new tennis economy: broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and the invention of the branded tennis celebrity

57:35 Connors, McEnroe, and their very American “class struggle”

65:00 From patron to sponsor

It's Not Right But It's OK

It’s the first day of fall, the players are burnt out, and instead of following Laver Cup we’re doing a mailbag. Your questions gave us enough to yap about over two separate episodes, which we’ll release over the next few weeks in addition to something else we’ve been cooking. We talk about Naomi’s surprising coaching changeup; trying to find joy in a sport after it’s presented you a tough ethical dilemma; Coco and Brad’s split; our favorite players who never really jumped off; and a lot more.

01:55 Naomi's coaching change

08:40 ‘Coco crisis’ or out of control expectations?

14:30 How would you conduct your social media profiles if you were a famous tennis player?

20:30 Facing an ethical dilemma in following men’s tennis

35:05 Vee as coach?

41:45 Our walk-out music 

44:50 Who are some players late in their careers who you thought would break into the top but never really did? Who were you excited to follow but they didn’t reach their full potential?