Episodes
Tuesday Oct 30, 2018
Undefeated, Undeniable, and Under Scrutiny
Tuesday Oct 30, 2018
Tuesday Oct 30, 2018
Elina Svitolina ran the table in Singapore to secure the biggest title of her career. Meanwhile, Sloane Stephens has shown -- to us and herself -- that her standing in the game cannot be denied. Other topics on offer this episode: Wozniacki reveals her arthritis diagnosis, Grigor's alarming hairline, the absurd Sampras "boring" debate, and the growing calls for Rafole to abandon their Saudi exhibition. Thanks as always for listening!
03:10 Svitolina reverses course, goes undefeated to win Singapore
09:55 Sloane makes herself undeniable
13:12 What next for Svitolina & the Year End Championships
20:05 9s across the board for Federer & other ATP results
29:01 Wozniacki's big, worrying news in Singapore
31:50 Long story very short: Grisha, where your follicles at?!
35:44 To play or not to play: A Saudi saga
47:41 The boring Sampras debate and considering him as tragic figure
53:08 Tennis Jesus shows Verdasco how to apologize
58:42 How NOT to do a Naomi Osaka costume: NO BLACKFACE
Wednesday Oct 17, 2018
Just Djoking: Novak's Purple Patch Continues
Wednesday Oct 17, 2018
Wednesday Oct 17, 2018
The 2018 tennis season is getting ready to pull into its final station, and we've got tales from a few of its last few stops. Nole's purple patch and Borna's full package headline the action in Shanghai. We also assess the state of the ATP's burgeoning #NextGen stars and posit who is poised to emerge as the real deals. It was a very successful Asian swing for some of the game's top Asian players; perhaps we are seeing tennis' heavy investment in Asia pay some dividends? Finally, enjoy a few TV recommendations and brace yourself for Jonathan's almighty rant on something he reaaaally dislikes.
00:32 Nole extends his purple patch in Shanghai
07:20 A circular, probably not-so-fair take on Zverev
14:55 Who of the #NextGen is MOST ready?
23:16 But, back to Borna Coric....he's got all of the packages
24:46 So, who's been doing the winning the last two weeks?
34:54 Where were you when I needed you?
37:37 The Asian players came to play during the Asian Swing
40:34 Etcs: Fighter girl Simona, Aga's apartments & poor Delpo
48:38 Things we like & one thing Jonathan REALLY dislikes
Tuesday Oct 02, 2018
So Disrespectful: Please Remember My Name
Tuesday Oct 02, 2018
Tuesday Oct 02, 2018
We've recharged our batteries after the draining U.S. Open just in time to catch up with the tennis happenings on the Asian Swing. Aryna Sabalenka continues her march to the top of women's tennis with her big win in Wuhan. We ruminate on what people mean when talking about being "the next Serena," before finally wading into the Davis Cup changes. Hopefully you'll find a bit of levity towards the end of the episode as we stick up for Sloane, torch Verdasco, and speculate on what makes Indian Wells such a fertile WTA stomping ground.
01:52 The Sabalenka train picks up serious steam
05:05 Tursunov provides great insights as Aryna's coach
13:28 What does it mean to be "the next Serena?"
19:31 Catching up on the winners since we've been gone
28:26 Davis Cup semis & new format
34:15 A healthy dose of skepticism at the Davis Cup changes
45:31 A big big tangent on policing black women in America
60:24 "F@#*ing bitch tried to hit me!"
66:49 Dear Fernando, they are LITERALLY children
68:58 A quick word on Naomi Osaka
Monday Sep 10, 2018
US Open Wrap: Multiple Things Are True *Oprah Shrug Gif*
Monday Sep 10, 2018
Monday Sep 10, 2018
There are so many things to talk about from the U.S. Open women's final, but chief among these is that Naomi Osaka bossed her way to a maiden Grand Slam title. We talk about just how awesome Naomi and her game were this past fortnight, before wading into the mess that was the drama in the championship match. We implore listeners to consider multiple things we think are true of this situation, instead of painting this as a black and white issue. We belatedly finish with Novak's 14th - and oh so impressive - Slam title, before revisiting the Pliskova saga and how it could have been avoided.
02:53 Naomi Osaka's star is born
10:33 So, we get to the final...
14:57 Looking at what happened with empathy
23:30 To coach or not to coach
29:42 Why questioning Serena's integrity cuts so deep
35:15 Rules are rules except when they're not
42:34 Serena claims unequal treatment, was it the right time?
46:14 What does it take for people to see blackness at play?
54:28 Where Serena and her team went wrong
66:32 Multiple things are true: to recap
70:40 Novak wins #14 and ATP etceteras
79:28 The Pliskova mess and how we could have avoided it
Saturday Sep 01, 2018
(You Make Me Feel Like) The US Open Is Burning, Literally
Saturday Sep 01, 2018
Saturday Sep 01, 2018
The late, great Aretha Franklin -- a huge tennis fan -- provides the theme for our episode today, as we tackle the unusually wild first week of the US Open. First, we talk about the actual tennis, the upsets, and the 30th Williams-Williams showdown. Then, we tackle the mountain of extracurricular storylines: Alize Cornet's accidental (pending?) revolution, the fashions, Serena's tutu; and an extended meditation on Kyrgios, our expectations of athletes, and how Nick's personality seems to compel people to overstep their professional bounds. We finish with a very personal tribute to the Queen of Soul.
2:00 Something they can feel: New York brings the heat!
14:45 Ever changing times: early round upsets
20:10 Sisters are doing it for themselves: Williams Bowl XXX
25:40 Respect: the appalling Cornet code violation
32:15 Don't play that song: Catsuit correlation and causation
35:55 Great gowns, beautiful gowns: US Open fashions
42:35 Chain of fools: the men are at it again (Lahyani, Murray-Verdasco drama)
52:10 You better think: Chris Fowler needs some help
1:01:15 We say a little prayer that these boys leave Tsitsipas alone
1:07:50 Sail on silver girl: Our Aretha Franklin tribute
Saturday Aug 25, 2018
The Good, the Bad, and the Tragic: US Open Preview f/ David Taylor and Kamau Murray
Saturday Aug 25, 2018
Saturday Aug 25, 2018
We sat down with the coaches of last year's US Open finalists, David Taylor (Keys) and Kamau Murray (Stephens). These very different coaches share their thoughts on navigating player personalities and what they see as the most important roles of a tennis coach. But first, we analyze the US Open draws: the stacked women's first quarter, which could see a Venus-Serena third round and a Simona-Serena fourth, but with much uncertainty for all. On the men's side, Nadal gets an easy-ish one, while Djokovic looms for Federer (or vice versa) in the quarters. We also take on FFT President Giudicelli's comments on Serena's catsuit, and why boycotting is not top of mind for us.
2:10 The tragic: the women's first quarter, which features 5 current or former no. 1s plus Kuznetsova
Monday Aug 20, 2018
Kiki-ing Down The Door In Cincy
Monday Aug 20, 2018
Monday Aug 20, 2018
The bad news: our time in Cincinnati has come to an end. The good news: we're back with another episode to recap an event that produced a stellar title run by Kiki Bertens and a full-circle performance from Novak Djokovic. After recapping the finals, we rehash some of the notable matches we saw over the past week and regale you with some stories/observations from around the grounds. We also pondered a few questions: is Stan back? Is Milos being usurped and replaced in Canadian media? Do fans really care about Nick Kyrgios' "antics?"
2:30 Kiki Bertens takes out four top 10 players to win Cincinnati
11:30 Simona Halep and Darren Cahill audio: looking at Simona's evolution as a player and Darren's as a coach
17:00 Serena-Petra in Round 2 ... the tantalizing rivalry that never really was
24:00 Djokovic beats Federer to complete his Masters set: MasterBlaster
31:35 Other men's matches: Stanley vs. Roger, battle of Canadian no. 1s, Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov
36:45 The undeniable star power of Nick Kyrgios
41:55 Thanks to USTA Midwest for the USTA Pride Event at the Western & Southern Open
44:00 Stories from around the grounds: ball thievery, Alexis Ohanian flying under the radar, watching Coric & Fuscovics
52:35 Marin Cilic provides your moment of zen
Wednesday Aug 15, 2018
Getting the Conversation Started: Creating a Safe Space to Come Out in Men's Tennis
Wednesday Aug 15, 2018
Wednesday Aug 15, 2018
You might have read what Roger Federer had to say about why there hasn't been an openly gay male tennis player in on the ATP Tour. Now, hear his words, along with those of Kevin Anderson, as both speak on what can be a tricky and challenging issue. Plus, our chat with Nick McCarvel about the upcoming event he's hosting (in partnership with No Challenges Remaining) to kick-start the conversation of "being queer and out in pro tennis," featuring the out retired player Brian Vahaly.
1:00 Talking about LGBTQ issues in tennis - why now?
6:25 Roger Federer speaks on the possibility of a male player coming out on the ATP Tour
14:20 Kevin Anderson expands on his previously stated support for LGBT athletes, and why he was compelled to speak in the first place
18:00 What are some of the barriers for an ATP player coming out?
24:50 Our chat with Nick McCarvel, host of the upcoming Open Playbook event with Brian Vahaly in NYC
Open Playbook: Being Queer and Out in Pro Tennis - at Housing Works Bookstore, Soho, NY on August 23
Event benefits Housing Works and New York Junior Tennis & Learning
Sunday Aug 12, 2018
Rogers Cup Wrap, Sascha Bajin Chat
Sunday Aug 12, 2018
Sunday Aug 12, 2018
Here in Cincinnati, we had the chance to sit down with Sascha Bajin, Naomi Osaka's coach and the former long-time hitting partner of Serena Williams. Sascha talks about his playful relationship with Naomi, his approach to coaching, and his recent social media tribulations. We're also recapping the Rogers Cup, which was highlighted by an incredible giant-killing run by Stefanos Tsitsipas and a superb women's final between Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens.
2:00 Catching up with Rogers Cup results: all about Stefanos
Monday Aug 06, 2018
Midsummer Mailbag
Monday Aug 06, 2018
Monday Aug 06, 2018
We are tackling listener questions little by little; you've given us so many great ones that we will have to space them out. But first, we try to provide some context into Serena Williams' repeated statements about doping tests: we look at the structure of the anti-doping system in tennis, Therapeutic Use Exemptions, and the uphill battle to arm everyone with comprehensive knowledge on the system. We also talk Andy Murray's emotional return, Kuznetsova and Vekic's accidental profundity, and Serena's no good very bad day at the office.
0:30 Like Alyssa Edwards and Andy Murray we're back back back again
Tuesday Jul 17, 2018
Postcards From Wimbledon: Pleading The Fifth
Tuesday Jul 17, 2018
Tuesday Jul 17, 2018
Wimbledon is (mercifully) over, and we've got two players making their returns to the winner's circle after rather tumultuous 2017 campaigns. Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal in a much-talked-about semifinal before taking out Kevin Anderson in the final. Meanwhile, Angelique Kerber became the second ever player (Venus) to beat Serena Williams twice in a Grand Slam final. We then parse through the major stories of week two at the All England Club, including Dominika Cibulkova's appearance in this episode's #SeeWhatHadHappenedWas.
01:52 Kerber reasserts her class with third Grand Slam title
06:46 Serena has a ways to go yet, but what a ride!
14:26 Nadalovic, Rafole, Djokodal? Whichever you prefer, it was a hell of a match
32:17 AELTC relying on tradition, honour and empire to explain away bad organization
38:23 Women's final (non)scheduling: the issue is about R-E-S-P-E-C-T
45:06 Dedicated to Jana: doubles rundown
48:07 #SeeWhatHadHappenedWas: Cibulkova gives ALL the bad looks
54:08 Rankings Watch: who's up and who's down after Wimbledon?
56:53 Chrissie Evert has had IT: she will name and shame
61:44 What will it take for the WTA to acknowledge its rich gay history and present?
64:44 #SaveHopmanCup
Sunday Jul 08, 2018
Wimbledon Week 1: Opportunities Earned
Sunday Jul 08, 2018
Sunday Jul 08, 2018
Maybe you've heard that Wimbledon 2018 has been full of shocking upsets, but just how shocking are they? Most of the early-round vanquishers have backed up their results with trips to the second week. In the words of tennis' poet laureate, Venus Williams, their places in the draw are not accidental, but "an opportunity earned." We comb through the draw, look at Federer's decision to leave Nike for Uniqlo, and take a look at Marion Bartoli and Nick Kyrgios' tiff.
0:30 Week 1 summary: Everybody lost
Saturday Jun 30, 2018
Previewing the Nature Valley WimbleBowl
Saturday Jun 30, 2018
Saturday Jun 30, 2018
We're back to regularly scheduled programming with our Wimbledon preview. First, we go over the grass court news: the seeding question that dominated the news cycle, Kyrgios' water bottle explosion, Petra's excellence, and Boris Becker's heretofore unknown career in diplomacy. Then we break down the gentlemen's and ladies' draws.
3:15 Nick Kyrgios pleasures a water bottle, owes 15,000 Euro; or: why we should stop criminalizing Nick
Saturday Jun 23, 2018
Pride Is Political: A Partial History of LGBTQ People in Tennis
Saturday Jun 23, 2018
Saturday Jun 23, 2018
We are proud to bring you our Pride Special, a partial and selective history of the LGBTQ people across tennis history who changed our sport forever. Some of the stories you'll know, others were news to us, but all of them challenged our view of history and opened our eyes to so many forms of resistance. Listen for stories about Baron Gottfried von Cramm, Helen Jacobs, Billie and Martina, Renee Richards, and many more. Happy Pride!
Monday Jun 11, 2018
La Primera y La Undécima: 1s Across the Board at French Open
Monday Jun 11, 2018
Monday Jun 11, 2018
Simona Halep and Rafael Nadal are your French Open champions. For Simona, it was her first time as last woman standing at a Slam, while Nadal hoisted the Coupe des Mousquetaires for an 11th time. After recapping both finals and notable matches since the quarterfinals, we tackle some of the outside-the-lines etceteras that popped up since our last episode. On tap: Nadal's alleged equal pay remarks, the ubiquity of flossing, the laughable punishment meted out in the James Blake case, and using Margaret Court to raise the stakes for our current greats.
01:41 Simona turns the Titanic back around
11:05 Putting the many facets of Simona into context
15:55 Muguruza defollicles Maria & Madison has no answers for Sloane
20:02 Complicating Sloane's relationship with the media
24:46 Sloane gives a pitch perfect performance as runner-up
27:00 Nadal's third "La Undécima" & the anxiety of greatness
34:54 How did Dominic acquit himself in his first Slam final?
39:48 The massive elephant in the room: Nadal & equal pay in tennis
53:28 Assessing Novak's performance and loss to Cecchinato
58:11 Speaking of Cecchinato...thinking out loud about sports reporting
63:50 Doubles, juniors & flossing?!?! How do the kids all know how to do it?
70:53 ENOUGH of using Margaret Court to move the goalpost.
Tuesday Jun 05, 2018
Much Ado About Mother: The Catsuit's Out of the Bag
Tuesday Jun 05, 2018
Tuesday Jun 05, 2018
The quarterfinals of the 2018 French Open are set, and we are back with episode 125 to recap how we got here. Serena Williams dominated week one discussion with her catsuit, and her play, before having to withdraw ahead of a fourth round meeting with Maria Sharapova. Some folks had stuff to say about her attire, and we've got something to say about that. We cover the usual mid-slam topics: upsets, genuine surprises, feel-good stories, amusements, and various atrocities.
02:02 Mother is back, causing ALL the conversation
05:30 The catsuit's out of the bag
15:34 Serena has to withdraw ahead of the Sharapova match
21:15 Girl, BYE: Bill Simons and Karolina Pliskova edition
29:08 WTA upsets, surprises, and upcoming quarterfinals
39:56 So, let's talk about Sloane
46:55 Marco Trungelliti's road race with destiny
48:12 Cecchinato's surprise and Jack Sock's abominable display
51:08 ATP upsets, disappointments, and other etceteras
53:54 The folly of John Isner
55:34 Grigor and Goffin disappoint, Nole holds court, and QF previews
64:55 Serena's moment of levity/immense pettiness
Friday May 25, 2018
Songs In C-lay Major: Roland Garros Preview
Friday May 25, 2018
Friday May 25, 2018
The denouement of the clay season is upon us with the dawning of the French Open. We're back to preview the year's second major with the help of some of our listeners. We solicited questions specific to Roland Garros, and you all came through big time; we structure our draw analysis through your thoughtful offerings. After parsing through the draws, we finish with a few thoughts on the protected seeding drama that erupted again this week.
02:26 Women's draw dark horses
09:34 Muguruza or Ostapenko: who will fare better?
13:57 Players who'll benefit/suffer most from lack of on-court coaching
16:40 Is this the beginning of the end for Aga?
20:00 Other women's draw observations
30:18 Men's dark horses
34:45 Who will be Nadal's fiercest competition?
37:10 The Big 4 as super coaches
42:18 FMK Frenchies edition: Pouille, Chardy, and PHH
44:26 Other men's draw observations
52:06 Wading into the protected seeding WTA issue again
Recommended reading: A Maternity Leave Policy for the WTA by @BadToss
Monday May 21, 2018
Royal Weekend in Rome
Monday May 21, 2018
Monday May 21, 2018
Rafa Nadal rights the ship on clay with a gritty win over Sascha Zverev, and Svitolina defends her Rome title with far less drama. We also cover Francoise Abanda's charges of racial discrimination, Sascha Zverev's stunning hot streak, Djokovic's resurgence, and we spend a good while on our See What Had Happened Was: Karolina Pliskova's shocking tantrum in Rome.
1:40 Il Re della terra battuta: Rafa wins 8th Rome title
Wednesday May 16, 2018
One Clay At A Time
Wednesday May 16, 2018
Wednesday May 16, 2018
The show is back from a two-week hiatus to discuss more clay court tennis! Rafa Nadal got to a record 50 consecutive sets won before bowing out to Dominic Thiem, who in turn bowed out to Zverev two matches later in the Madrid final. Petra Kvitova continued her awe-inspiring run with a third title in Madrid, this after taking the title in Prague the week before. We rag on Shapovalov and Patrick Mouratoglou, take a deep dive into Cornet's ITF ruling, then finish up with a few tennis etceteras.
01:28 #Thirev is a thing? The Bel-Ami Madrid final
07:11 A few clay tangents and musings
10:40 Phallic with a real sense of danger
14:49 The most positive Sharapova segment we've ever done
17:21 Petra won't stop winning, and other WTA standouts
25:00 Taking the piss out of Shapovalov and his "haters"
32:00 Serena is playing Roland Garros? Lord God Patrick says so
35:39 The Cornet case: did they make every reasonable effort?
49:40 Results we missed, injury updates, and Vinci's farewell
Tuesday May 01, 2018
46 Problems But A Set Ain't One
Tuesday May 01, 2018
Tuesday May 01, 2018
Rafael Nadal continued his clay dominance with a second El Undécimo, this time in Barelona. We begin episode 121 with a look at some of the stats within his streak of 46 consecutive sets won on clay. Our #SeeWhatHadHappenedWas features Grigor Dimitrov's "as a man" moment in Barcelona, and we highlight (if you can call it that) some of the coaches who chimed in on social media last week. The episode wraps with a look at Serena's profile in the New York Times, and a Riverdale Daddy FMK.
00:35 46 problems but a set ain't one
04:39 Tsitsipas on the come up and disappointing Domi
10:27 Pliskova halts Vandeclay's Stuttgart surge
18:00 #SeeWhatHadHappenedWas: Grigor as a power top?
25:42 Coaches chiming in all over the place
29:02 Simona, THOSE Romanian men, and the responsibility of #1
35:02 Townsend and Eubanks doing big things
37:15 Taking stock of Maria, 12 months back from suspension
47:04 Serena's profile in the NYT
56:02 FMK: Riverdale Daddy Edition
Tuesday Apr 24, 2018
Seeing Red: A Step Too Far
Tuesday Apr 24, 2018
Tuesday Apr 24, 2018
After an injury-riddled start to 2018, Rafael Nadal returned to his best in Monte Carlo. The King Of Clay won the tournament for the 11th time, while Novak Djokovic made signs of progress in an encouraging three match stretch. Some tennis folks have gone "a step too far" and we give our takes on Jared Donaldson, the continued disregard for player safety, and Caroline Wozniacki's foot-in-mouth syndrome. We finish the episode with a typical pop culture diversion via a Grown-ish/Riverdale FMK.
03:53 Rafa masters Monte Carlo for the 11th time
10:56 Clay Kei is back and we're here for it
12:02 Other Monte Carlo assessments
17:24 The "inevitability" of Rafa on clay & not getting his due
23:06 A step too far: Jared Donaldson loses control
30:39 When tournaments give zero fucks about player safety
37:28 Fed Cup: Sloane secures the bag...and the tie
44:34 Many steps too far: Who are you, Darko Grncarov?!
48:08 Wozniacki still (rightfully) mad about Miami, steps in it
60:44 FMK - Grown-ish and Riverdale edition
@Hypotemuse wrote a piece on John Isner and why it's OK to push back on his politics. Give it a read!
Sunday Apr 15, 2018
Spring Mash-Up: Divas, Davis Cup, Dellacqua
Sunday Apr 15, 2018
Sunday Apr 15, 2018
Before the clay season kicks into gear, we're bringing you a mixed bag of topics: Madison Brengle alleging mistreatment at the hands of the WTA and anti-doping authorities; the controversy over the Davis Cup proposal seems to be heating up; Aussie favorite Casey Dellacqua retires from tennis; and we discuss the ways players create branded images and connect with fans outside of the traditional press. Stay tuned for our new segment on divas, the first of which celebrates our fave Mariah Carey.
4:15 Players' self-presentation through social media - how the relationship with traditional media has changed
Monday Apr 09, 2018
Charleston Wrap: Reunited, And It Feels So Good
Monday Apr 09, 2018
Monday Apr 09, 2018
Jonathan is back in Toronto after his trip to Charleston for the Volvo Car Open, and reunites with James to bring you #118. On deck for this episode: the WTA's uphill battle for equal footing with the ATP, a reflection on Naomi Osaka and her openness, Cornet's conundrum, the Davis Cup echo chamber, and #ThingsWeLike.
01:26 Tying up some Charleston odds and ends
05:37 The WTA's constant struggle for a piece of the pie
11:05 Naomi's sense of wonder and vulnerability
24:30 Bertens wins in Charleston, Muguruza secures her bag
28:01 Strike three: Cornet's whereabouts
34:36 Davis Cup weekend and James' misstep
39:52 The entrenched opinions surrounding proposed DC changes
48:01 Capital Tennis' out-of-nowhere statement on Tennys Sandgren
54:13 Shoutout to Carol, TBS listener Jonathan met in Charleston!
56:30 Things we like: Jesus Christ Superstar and Love, Simon
Wednesday Apr 04, 2018
Setting The Record Straight In Charleston
Wednesday Apr 04, 2018
Wednesday Apr 04, 2018
Episode 117 comes to you again from Charleston and Toronto. This time, Bri (@4thetennis) joins the show from the Volvo Car Open to "set the record straight" on all things Sloane and offer her insights on a potpourri of tennis topics. You will also hear from a handful of WTA players in a segment featuring audio from the players' All Access Hour in Charleston, before James makes his appearance to close the show with part two of our listener mailbag. This episode is a bit unorthodox, but we hope you enjoy!
1:00 Welcome our guest, General of the #SloaneHive, Bri! (@4thetennis)
Sunday Apr 01, 2018
S Is For Salty: Miami Open Review
Sunday Apr 01, 2018
Sunday Apr 01, 2018
Episode 116 features two distinct halves: James & Jonathan tackle two listener suggestions at the top of the episode, then Chad (@ccsmooth13) returns to the show alongside Jonathan in Charleston to chat about some of the things he saw in Miami last week.
:45 James getting his airtime before Jonathan left for Charleston
Wednesday Mar 21, 2018
Um, Hi, I'm Naomi Osaka: Indian Wells Recap
Wednesday Mar 21, 2018
Wednesday Mar 21, 2018
We begin episode 115 with a breakdown of Serena's return to professional tennis and her 3rd round loss to Venus, before segueing into a celebration of Naomi Osaka's star-making performance to take the title. Juan Martín del Potro is your men's champion; he defeats Federer in the final to solidify his position as nemesis of the world #1. Among the other topics on offer: Sharapova's current dilemma, more McEnroe mess, the Miami wild card debate, and we wade into new mothers returning to the WTA Tour. We then finish with a few thoughts on 9-1-1, RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars, and Black Panther.
03:14 Serena is back! We take stock of where her game is at
12:33 Um, her name is Naomi Osaka...YA HEARD?!
21:02 Kasatkina put in one hell of a week
24:41 Asking the right questions: Venus in press
31:47 Nole makes an unsteady return
37:34 Contextualizing Pissy Federer
44:55 Sharapova's burden to validate pre-meldonium career
47:30 These f*@%ing McEnroe brothers
55:20 Wading into the Miami wild card drama
58:56 Discussing a WTA maternity leave policy
63:06 The wild 9-1-1, fraudulent RPDR All Stars, & smart Black Panther
Tuesday Mar 06, 2018
TBS Pop Culture Bonanza
Tuesday Mar 06, 2018
Tuesday Mar 06, 2018
At long last, we come to you with our long-promised pop culture episode. After Sunday night's Oscars, now seems like a good time to burden you with our thoughts on three of the most nominated films: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, The Shape of Water, and Call Me By Your Name. We segue into TV and tackle a couple of the medium's latest trends, before talking your ears off about some of the shows we absolutely love, some we think are woefully underrated, and (tragically) a handful that we think are overrated. Thank you for indulging us with this diversion from the tennis, but be assured we will be back to our regular programming for episode 115!
02:35 Three Billboards: a lack of specificity, relatability, and context
12:45 The Shape of Water: an unexpected delight
15:40 CMBYN: a tale of (gay) first love, loss, and subtext
32:07 Relishing the myriad voices telling their stories on TV these days
37:28 Nostalgia and the remake phenomenon
42:26 Where the Golden Girls remake at?! More older folks on TV, plz!
47:24 Some of our fav shows this year
54:49 Riverdale: Is this show horrible or amazing?
60:11 In appreciation of The (Trailblazing) Fosters
63:06 A few overrated and underrated shows...in our opinions
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
Genie's Trial and Davis Cup Tribulations
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
We take a more moderate view (by our standards) of this week's big news: an ITF proposal that would revolutionize Davis Cup, and Genie Bouchard's victory over the USTA in federal court. Along the way, we make time for first-time titlist Frances Tiafoe, a young American cut from an altogether different cloth than his compatriots; Svitolina, who defended her title in Dubai; and Diego Schwartzman, the loveable Argentine who's just broken into the top 20.
1:00 An exercise in moderation
Wednesday Feb 21, 2018
Petra With A 3, Fed Back At 1, & Ryan's Reckoning
Wednesday Feb 21, 2018
Wednesday Feb 21, 2018
In our peaches and cream episode (112), we've got a (still) blazing Petra, Federer becoming the oldest ever ATP #1, some Wozniacki messiness, and a discussion of the latest Harrison saga. Wow, that might have been the most succinct description of an episode we've ever done. Steep your tea, browse through the timestamps below, and enjoy our latest!
01:30 Petra with a 3! Kvitova wills her way back to the top 10
08:42 Gramps is back at #1; what's standing in his way?
16:22 New York Open: not a stone groove smash hit wonder
21:08 Caroline likes to get her lawyering on, but she hasn't studied for the bar
31:16 Any number of women can do what's not being done on the ATP right now
36:25 Tempering expectations for Serena's return
43:25 Harrison's latest: a whole lot we STILL don't know...no matter what they tell us
50:40 The Harrison interview on "Beyond The Baseline"
63:41 Darko is back, is very long-winded, and it's an almighty mess
Tuesday Feb 13, 2018
Fed Cup Of Tea
Tuesday Feb 13, 2018
Tuesday Feb 13, 2018
We're back after a two-week hiatus! In this episode, we've enlisted Chad (@CCSMOOTH13) to help us with Serena's return at Fed Cup and Venus' two wins to clinch the tie. We run down some of the tennis action we missed on both tours before Mr. Smooth gives us his birds-eye view of the happenings in Asheville. We finish with a discussion of the wild Darko Grncarov story and what it says about the state of the ATP, its negligence, and male tennis players in general. Be sure to check out Chad's Instagram for his fabulous Fed Cup pics!
04:23 A blazing two week stretch for Petra, and Kiki's back!
06:36 Barty's going to be partnering WHO?
08:55 A brief recap of some of the ATP results
10:53 Davis Cup etcs: Zverev, Cam Norrie, and French depth
15:15 Chad joins us to chit chat about Fed Cup & Darko
24:26 Chad talks to Isha, Alexis, and Jill
34:30 Assessing Venus' game and the BIG doubles surprise
40:53 Chad the Darko Truther, and Aunt Jill goes awf
54:10 Why the idea of Darko took hold, filling an empathy gap on the ATP Tour
Monday Jan 29, 2018
Caro's Glow Up & Tennys' Blow Up
Monday Jan 29, 2018
Monday Jan 29, 2018
We are, at long last, at the end of the 2018 Australian Open. We're here to cover Caro's glow up and Tenny Sandgren's blow up. Wozniacki finally shed the label of "best to have never won a Slam," and returns to world #1 after winning the tournament. As for Sandgren, we try to address some of the issues that have lingered with us after the American's alt-right Twitter feed upended the majority of the tournament. In between, we salute Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber for their heroics, and tip our hats to Roger Federer on his 20th career Slam title.
03:23 Caroline Wozniacki gets to the end of her rainbow
12:30 HOW did Simona do what she did?
23:25 The match of the tournament: Halep vs Kerber
28:11 James' progress report on finding a new player to stan for
30:04 There was a men's tournament as well? Hat tip to Rog
38:02 What does this event say about the state of the ATP?
43:16 Shoutouts to Hyeon Chung and Kyle Edmund, plus the doubles winners!
53:44 A discussion on the Tennys Sandgren saga
72:41 Serena and Martina step in and steer the ship back on course
85:00 Say what? John McEnroe did something useful? Plus, sport IS political
Sunday Jan 21, 2018
The Unhappy Slam: Mid-Aussie Open Report
Sunday Jan 21, 2018
Sunday Jan 21, 2018
We're checking in at the midpoint of the 2018 Australian Open, an altogether different experience than last year. The topic of most interest to us is Novak Djokovic's alleged call for a players' union at the recent ATP all-player meeting, and the questions this raises for the sport. We grapple with the coverage that openly ridiculed Djokovic's actions, the potential ways that a union can change tennis for the better, and the inevitable gender politics embedded in the discussion. But first, we recap some of the biggest moments of the first week, including Naomi Osaka's big night, the Halep-Davis marathon, Tsonga's thrilling 5-setter against Shapovalov, and Kerber's convincing beatdown of Maria Sharapova.
1:00 Did anyone else feel that dark cloud above?
6:50 The heat rule: a quick meteorology lesson from an unqualified teacher
16:00 The bad news portion - Venus-Bencic
20:50 Naomi Osaka stuns in every way against Ash Barty
27:45 Other notable matches: Tsonga def. Shapo, Simona def. Davis 15-13 in the third; Woz, Wawrinka, Goffin, Zverev-Chung
38:30 Kerber is well and truly back, rolls Sharapova to the tune of 6-1 6-3
42:50 When you miss one big and important thing about the LAMP Tennys Sandgren (Last American Male Player?) - check out this and this from @BadToss
45:45 Umpires have HAD IT
50:05 Favorite and least favorite kits: Tsonga's Adidas shorts deserve a trophy of their own
54:30 Diving into Novak Djokovic's alleged call for unionization: the poor coverage, the potential for real change in tennis, the many questions that need to be asked
Saturday Jan 13, 2018
Change Your Draws: Australian Open Preview
Saturday Jan 13, 2018
Saturday Jan 13, 2018
We're doing a close look at both draws, but first: the Australian Open draw ceremony and the accompanying commentary has given us much to talk about, a mere four days after our last episode. We wonder if Billie Jean King's fierce dedication to the survival of women's tennis sometimes clouds her vision, with her recent disavowal of Margaret Court Arena after lobbying for its naming only 15 years ago. We probe the questions of representation, boycotts, and the utility of demanding that players -- rather than institutions -- be held accountable for implicitly supporting Margaret Court's destructive behavior.
01:45 The draw ceremony, or "draw reveal party" - What the hell?
Wednesday Jan 10, 2018
Bespoke, Bothered, and Bewildered
Wednesday Jan 10, 2018
Wednesday Jan 10, 2018
TBS is back, back again to discuss the SEVEN titlists from week one of the 2018 season. Among the topics discussed: the myriad winners, Kerber's presumed resurgence, the state of Venus' game, Bartoli's revealing interview, Bellucci's "silent ban," Pat Cash acting like trash, and the Australian Open's decision to have Sharapova fill in for Serena at the draw ceremony. Afterwards, James takes a quiz on some WTA records, before we finish with a discussion of #TimesUp and the Golden Globes.
03:17 The first batch of winners in 2018: Simona, sans sponsor, wins Shenzhen to stay #1
16:55 Kyrgios' impressive title run in Brisbane and Alt-Ryan's true colours
22:50 The first runaway narrative of the young season: Kerber is back
28:28 Vickery and de Minaur break through Auckland and Brisbane
32:07 Bartoli gives us insight into her comeback
36:41 Bespoke vitamins y'all. BESPOKE VITAMINS!!!
49:13 #SeeWhatHadHappenedWas -> Pat Cash Trash
50:50 Sharapova appointed to fill in for Serena -> how many fucks do we have to give?
54:58 A RafAndy update: hips and arms
63:13 Quiz time -> how do you measure up to James' knowledge of WTA records?
73:03 #TimesUp and a discussion of the activism at the Golden Globes
This episode of The Body Serve was brought to you by Health IQ. Visit their website to get a special quote on affordable life insurance for folks (you) who lead active and healthy lifestyles.
WATCH: Harrison's obscene outburst in Brisbane against Yannick Hanfmann (0:14)
READ: Bartoli's interview with L'Equipe in French or translated into English by Tennis Translations
Thursday Jan 04, 2018
Found Our Tea
Thursday Jan 04, 2018
Thursday Jan 04, 2018
Happy New Year, y'all! We open 2018 and Season 4 of The Body Serve with a preview of the brand new tennis season. First up, we're partnering with Health IQ and encourage you to check them out to get a special rate on life insurance for health conscious folks (you!). We offer our insights on things to look for on both tours in 2018: monitoring the myriad injuries, breakout and comeback candidates, and the coaching carousel. We finish up with some piping hot tea, and be sure to stay right until the end of the show because we have a "moment of zen" instead of our usual outro.
04:05 Plans for the future of TBS, experimenting with the medium
07:55 Previewing the injured men: fingers crossed for Andeh
11:44 Assessing some of the reasons for the spate of injuries
15:15 What measures can the tours take to address this issue?
27:42 An American James can get behind & anything is Pospisil
36:05 The Queen is coming: Serena gets back on court
41:36 Challenging James to expand his favs list
45:08 Comeback candidates on the WTA Tour & going to bat for Bartoli
52:26 Venus & Serena's influence in changing the lifespan of a tennis player's career
55:35 Who's gonna bust out and eff up our lives this year?
58:29 Taking a ride on the coaching carousel
62:53 The sunken place: Kiki stole our man AND is working with Tipspieceofshit?!
66:06 Say my name, say my Shapolovorolorov
69:21 Mariah finding her tea & the vile Cohen & Cooper combo
77:52 Fuck them, but we're trash too: our new year's resolutions
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
It's a Wrap For You, Boys: ATP Year in Review
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
We're finally getting around to wrapping up the year in men's tennis, a year marked by both the resurgence of throwback stars Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer and the Big Four loosening its grip on the top. Again, we asked our listeners to answer a few questions about the ATP season. We shout you out while adding our own insights on a year that may well mark a transition in the long stable ATP Tour.
1:30 Where's the beef this year? What the hell happened?
Wednesday Dec 06, 2017
Ribbon With A Bow On It
Wednesday Dec 06, 2017
Wednesday Dec 06, 2017
We’re back to put a bow on the 2017 WTA season with a little help from our listeners. Instead of doing a tournament-to-tournament recap, we’re going more macro and framing the season through four main questions: favourite moment, favourite breakout season, favourite tournament, and clutch performance of the year. Note we didn’t say “best,” and so there’s truly something for everyone in a season which saw so many different players help script a memorable year.
01:25 Kudos to the many players who put their hand up
10:44 Fielding our listeners' fav moments
12:45 The many trials, and triumphs of Venus Williams
16:16 Getting messy to kick things off
28:06 Mugu’s finger wag kick starting her swag
30:27 Sharapova: a highlight for some, tiresome for others
33:59 Sloane channels Whitney's "One Moment In Time"
37:40 Fav breakout season: a case for Olympia Williams-Ohanian
39:11 A plug, a scolding, and a Jersey Shore detour
44:52 Australian Open is the fav tournament in a landslide
46:59 All hail a host of clutch performers
50:15 Godspeed: farewell to this year’s retirees
53:58 The WTA year-end leaders & award winners revisited
62:55 The best revenge is your paper, Venus is the damn MVP
Tuesday Nov 21, 2017
Say It Ain't So
Tuesday Nov 21, 2017
Tuesday Nov 21, 2017
The tennis world received a punch to the gut with news of Jana Novotna's passing; Jonathan tells us how he will remember one of his all-time favourite players. We run through the year-end tennis news: Dimitrov winning the ATP Finals, CoCo's performance at the Fed Cup final, a pair of high-profile coaching breakups, a love match, and Stepanek's retirement. We also marvel at Serena's wedding, the YES vote winning in Australia, and the burgeoning Dimidal friendship, before ending the show with a pair of things that really ticked us off and one that we absolutely adore.
00:45 Remembering the one-of-a-kind Jana Novotna
15:23 Grigor Dimitrov is your year-end champ and new world #3
29:40 Colleen helps the U.S. to Fed Cup glory, is gracious as always
33:34 Cleansing the palate with Serena's wedding
37:36 Cheers, Australia! Loves trumps hate down under
40:10 The Body Serve motto
41:41 The Dimidal phenomenon: we are HERE for it
45:40 Rafa's verdick & Bencic continues her climb
47:40 Splitsville: Caro & Sascha, Murray & Lendl
52:15 Stepanek joins Hingis in retirement; Thiem/Mladenovic confirm love match
55:18 #SeeWhatHadHappendWas: Richard Ingham Evans
61:05 Xtina attempts to climb Mount Whitney
63:53 Thing we dislike: the abhorrent JAMES CORDEN
66:10 Thing we love: the delightful SKAM
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
Get That S%&$ Outta Here
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
We were compelled to record episode 102 by the heinous and embarrassing draw ceremony at the Next Gen Finals in Milan. But it gave us the opportunity to recap Julia Goerges' stunning run in Zhuhai and Jack Sock's top 10 debut and first Masters. The title of this episode comes straight from CoCo's mouth, while trailing Goerges in the Zhuhai final. Finally, James takes a quiz on the WTA season - did you do better than he did?
1:00 The reason we’re here: ATP Next Gen draw ceremony fiasco
Wednesday Nov 01, 2017
Woz Wallops WTA Finals Field
Wednesday Nov 01, 2017
Wednesday Nov 01, 2017
101 episodes in and we're still finding lots to talk about. We praise Caroline Wozniacki for her career-best performance as she beats the best and wins Singapore. Plus, we discuss Venus' season, and the knocks on her for her press conference performances, sorting through some resentments and biases on all sides. We also take on Hingis' shocking retirement, Guy Forget shading the eff out of Roger Federer, and end with an impassioned #SeeWhatHadHappenedWas on Kevin Spacey.
1:30 Getting into Singapore: surface slowness, round robin intrigue
Tuesday Oct 24, 2017
TBS 100: Having a Gay Ole Time
Tuesday Oct 24, 2017
Tuesday Oct 24, 2017
We're proud to share our 100th episode with you; we weren't always sure we'd get here. We skip the latest tennis news in favor of an extended listener mailbag, made possible by all of your clever and interesting questions. We chat about: the surprising absence of an out gay male player, some guesses as to why tennis is so popular among LGBTQ fans, our dream tournaments to cover and players to interview, our favorite curse words, and we ruminate a little on our purpose and mission as a podcast. We finish up with a review of Battle of the Sexes, and our genuine awe at what Billie Jean and the Original Nine accomplished.
:30 We made it to 100!!!
Tuesday Oct 17, 2017
TBS A to Z
Tuesday Oct 17, 2017
Tuesday Oct 17, 2017
Welcome to episode 99 of The Body Serve, one episode away from an unlikely milestone. Thank you to listener @SholzTalks10s for his unwitting inspiration for the structure of this episode: we run through the tennis happenings from A-Z, serving up our usual flavours of tea, opinion, results, and levity. Hop on board The Body Serve train for one of our favourite episodes yet.
6:30 A-C: Agassi still on-board the Nole train, British media hysteria, and Cilic enters top 4
12:00 D-F: Dan Evans’ cocaine ban, Errani emerges from pasta-gate, and Fedal XXXVIII
23:10 G-I: Grisha presses Rafa again, parsing through Hong Kong, and Belinda’s back from injury
27:50 J-L: Jo Konta’s class & the British affinity for cakes, Kremlin Cup, and Linz results
34:15 M-O: Maria wins Tianjin, Nadal excels in Asia, and we are OVER the Fedal fandom outrage
40:15 P: Fabio’s peanuts
47:45 Q: Jonathan takes a Quiz
59:10 R-U: Roselyne Bachelot faces the music, Shanghai doing THE MOST, feeding the trolls, and unlucky delPo
1:06:30 V-X: Osaka’s dream win vs Queen Vee, WTA #1 race, and we’re Xcited for episode 100!!!
1:11:30 Y&Z: Fedal year-end #1 talk and Zhuhai is on the come up
Tuesday Oct 10, 2017
Can We Talk About Caroline Garcia?
Tuesday Oct 10, 2017
Tuesday Oct 10, 2017
Simona Halep is your new no. 1, Caroline Garcia collected a whole heap of points in Beijing and Wuhan, and Rafael Nadal wins another tournament on hardcourts. In short, tennis' fall season is lit. We also wade against the Nick Kyrgios clickbait and look at the other happenings in the Asian swing.
1:30 We need to talk about Caroline, and we say I told you so (sorry, that's really obnoxious)
Thursday Sep 28, 2017
Roger's Cup & Other Tennis Etcs
Thursday Sep 28, 2017
Thursday Sep 28, 2017
So what did you all think of Laver Cup? We share our thoughts on the inaugural event: the Fedal hysteria, Roger's ownership stakes, the "exhibition" argument, and the lopsided nature of the teams. Meanwhile the Asian swing is picking up steam, with Wozniacki defending in Tokyo for her first title of 2017 from seven finals. We update you on James Blake's ongoing battle with the NYPD before closing with a few etceteras, namely a bunch of things we like/dislike.
01:17 What was Laver Cup (exhibition or nah) and should we care?
06:34 Roger's Cup
09:54 Men-only problem? What would a women’s (or joint) event look like?
14:47 Roger and Rafa continue to carry a fortunate ATP & men's tennis
17:30 A very strange fairytale analogy & no sympathy for Berdych
29:05 Wozniacki finally crosses the finish line, defends in Tokyo
30:25 Kerber making it through the rain?
33:33 Other winners: Ostapenko wins, James thirsts for Dzumhur & tears flow in Metz
39:23: Singapore udpate: everybody's qualified all of a sudden
44:02 James updates us on James Blake's ongoing battle with the NYPD
47:12 Things we like/dislike: a bunch of TV (surprise) & a pedestrian rant.
Tuesday Sep 12, 2017
Sloane Storms NY & El Decimosexto de Rafa
Tuesday Sep 12, 2017
Tuesday Sep 12, 2017
Welcome to episode 96 and our U.S. Open recap. By now you know that Sloane Stephens and Rafael Nadal are your singles champions. It still doesn't seem real, but we try to get to the bottom of a truly inspired performance by Sloane in New York. Nadal put aside a shaky start to the tournament to find some of his best tennis, finishing with a sublime exhibiton against Kevin Anderson in the final for his 16th Slam title. We revisit some of the more memorable moments and performances from the tournament, and induct our second ever member of The Body Serve Hall of Fame. We finish with another trip to the Maria well, this time to call out the racist BS from the Serena chapter of her book.
01:18 Jonathan apologizes to Venus fans and to Sloane
03:20 How exactly did Sloane do ALL THAT?!?!
11:21 Sloane evolves before our eyes, pitch perfect on and off the court
16:52 Venus and Petra are THE TRUTH; they deliver the goods again!
22:50 El Decimosexto de Rafa: proving the doubters wrong yet again
29:06 All the credit in the world to Kevin Anderson
34:33 Relitigating the start of 2013 and "I Made You"
44:36 Doubles Standards: time to up the ante
49:43 TBS Hall of Fame: Arigato, Kimiko
54:10 Parsing through the post-Open rankings
60:58 Alicia "Tornado" Black: GO FUND HER!!!
63:08 Sashay away, Tom Rinaldi!
66:54 Maria is truly unstoppable...with the MESS! We have had it.
Monday Sep 04, 2017
US Op-ocalypse 2017: A Mid-Major Chat Featuring Rene Denfeld
Monday Sep 04, 2017
Monday Sep 04, 2017
Despite the missing stars, the 2017 US Open has offered no scarcity of big stories: Sharapova's return, Peak Petra defeating Muguruza, Venus' continued good form at majors, and the excitement around Denis Shapovalov. We're so excited to welcome back the insightful Rene Denfeld to the show. The Tennis Twitter-lebrity is covering the US Open for the first time as a journalist, and he shares his thoughts on Sharapova, Fognini, the draws, and what it's like to be there.
:35 What a day: James just got Twitter famous, Venus won, and Maria lost
Saturday Aug 26, 2017
US Open Preview: Where My Boys At?
Saturday Aug 26, 2017
Saturday Aug 26, 2017
The last major of the year is here, and lots of top players are not *sob*. We're completely foregoing draw analysis this time around, instead asking broader questions and talking about players who we hope make a splash. Is it fair to call the women's tournament "wide open?" Did Andy owe it to anyone to pull out earlier? Will James ever learn not to pick Tsonga?
:30 Back in Toronto! We saw Mariah & Lionel!
Tuesday Aug 22, 2017
Cincy Wrap: Barty Party and More Mailbag
Tuesday Aug 22, 2017
Tuesday Aug 22, 2017
This is our final episode on the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. We're recording in the car again, chatting about the semis and finals, answering more listener questions, and talking through some issues around race, journalism, and access. The center of the episode, though, is our interview with Australian singles and doubles player Ash Barty, who took out Venus Williams in Cincinnati.
:30 Hello from the car, again
Friday Aug 18, 2017
Cincy Special: Francoise Abanda and Listener Mailbag
Friday Aug 18, 2017
Friday Aug 18, 2017
We're excited to bring you a sit-down chat with the first Canadian player on our podcast, up and coming Montrealer Francoise Abanda. We also answer some of the questions you all were so generous to ask us, with the help of friend and listener Chad. The rest is just us: recapping the stunning Muguruza-Kuznetsova quarterfinal, the perplexing men's draw, Querrey's rudeness, and more happenings from on-site.
2:00 Muguruza-Kuznetsova insta-classic
Wednesday Aug 16, 2017
Catching Up With The Stars Pt. 2
Wednesday Aug 16, 2017
Wednesday Aug 16, 2017
Join us for Round 2 of player pressers - you'll hear good stuff from no. 1 Pliskova, Kerber, Domi Thiem, Wozniacki, Halep, and Svitolina. But first, we catch you up with what's been going on in Cincinnati in our own words: Venus blazing through her first match, Fabio-Dominic play a strange one, the heat, and balancing the packed schedule despite of the withdrawals.
1:00 What we've been up to in Cincinnati today