No Challenges Remaining
525 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★ - 343 ratingsA podcast discussing the happenings in the wacky world of professional tennis. Hosted by Ben Rothenberg and Courtney Nguyen.
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Episodes
Episode 373a: Wimbledon Round 1 - A Winter of Discontent
July 03, 2024 00:03 - 23 minutes - 35.2 MBBen is joined by L'Equipe's Quentin Moynet to discuss one of the most striking players at this year's Wimbledon, Maxime Janvier, who has stood out for his uniquely bleak outlook on tennis, even in victory. We get into Janvier's remarkably open cynicism, his mid-match explanations about money, class divides throughout the tennis rankings, and how his remarks have been received within tennis circles. Ben and Quentin also discuss the player whom Janvier beat in the final round of qualifying, ...
Episode 372b: Wimbledon 2024 Draw Preview - Men
June 30, 2024 06:30 - 53 minutes - 72 MBBen and Tumaini continue their conversation into the men's draw, where Jannik Sinner is the top seed for the first time at a Slam, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz looms in his half, and grass specialists like Matteo Berrettini loom large. We take several deep dives along the way into scheduling and health issues, first discussing the women and men who decided to skip the Olympics and why they might regret it. Tumaini then regales us with Andy Murray's full saga leading up to what he's con...
Episode 372a: Wimbledon 2024 Draw Preview - Women
June 30, 2024 01:22 - 55 minutes - 76.3 MBBen and Tumaini spent a long time discussing the Wimbledon draws just hours after they came out, and are splitting the preview episode into two parts for your convenience. First up are the women, where top seed Iga Swiatek has question marks on grass, where Parks-Wozniacki is one of the most intriguing first round matches (and listen to the discussed Black Spin Global interview with Parks' coach here), and where lots of other possible pivot points exist in understanding how this all might u...
Episode 371: The Grass Specialty, With Barbora Strycova
June 23, 2024 07:51 - 28 minutes - 24.1 MBBen is joined on this episode by Barbora Strycova, a titan on grass courts over the last decade before her retirement, to talk about the secrets to success on this unique surface which takes up just about a month on the tennis calendar. We discuss what works on grass, her memories of deep runs at Wimbledon, winning with Hsieh Su-wei, beating a Brit on Centre Court, facing Serena, and more. Hope you enjoy! NCR's Patreon is back up and running soon and we'd love to have your support there!
Episode 370: Inside Zverev's Trial - "The Truth Remains Open"
June 11, 2024 21:08 - 1 hour - 86.2 MBBen is joined by Jonathan Crane, who covered the recent criminal trial of Alexander Zverev in Berlin for DW, to discuss the proceedings he covered before and during the French Open and the conclusion they reached last Friday. We discuss how the case reached this point, the atmosphere inside the court room, and the ultimate resolution they reached in which Zverev made settlements with both his ex-girlfriend Brenda Patea and the court itself. We also discuss Zverev's misleading claims of pro...
Episode 369e: Swiatek, Alcaraz Lead Their Generations - 2024 French Open Finals
June 10, 2024 07:09 - 38 minutes - 53.8 MBBen and Tumaini wrap up their coverage of this French Open with a look at the generation-leading champions who won it, Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz. Swiatek, who won her fifth Slam, has established herself as the best player in many generations, drawing comparisons to stars like Justine Henin with her fourth win in Paris. What can she do to play as well at the other Slams? On the men's side, how did Carlos Alcaraz survive hot and cold streaks to be cool under pressure to finish off his t...
Episode 369d: French Open Lurches Toward Rocky Finish
June 08, 2024 03:35 - 57 minutes - 74.7 MBBen checks in with Tumaini in Paris to discuss all the happenings of the business end of a sometimes fun, often frustrating French Open. We start with the women, where Iga Swiatek is set to face Jasmine Paolini in the final. Both great stories on their own, as we discuss, but will the final itself be a memorable one? We then tuck into the men, among whom Novak Djokovic bowed out with a torn meniscus, and the Sinner-Alcaraz blockbuster semifinal was fairly lumpy. We also briefly discuss ou...
Episode 369c: Is Women's Tennis Missing the Moment? (French Open Day 6)
May 31, 2024 19:10 - 41 minutes - 65.2 MBBen and Lindsay Gibbs of Power Plays are celebrating together in Tennessee and also discussing what they see in tennis, when it comes to how the women's game may be missing out on the cultural wave that other women's sports are riding in 2024. What separates the trajectory of women's tennis from the momentum brought by Caitlin Clark to basketball and similar surges in professional women's soccer and hockey? What should the WTA's priorities be? How much are female players responsible for the...
Episode 369b: Osaka Nearly Stuns Swiatek - 2024 French Open Day 4
May 30, 2024 03:34 - 33 minutes - 44 MBBen checks in with Tumaini at Roland Garros to discuss the match of the tournament so far, in which Naomi Osaka was just one point away from stunning the huge favorite Iga Swiatek before the three-time champ rallied for a late escape. How does this surprisingly strong performance set up Osaka for the remainder of her season? And is it a cause for concern for Swiatek's favorite status in Paris? Also, we discuss Elena Rybakina's souring in her first round press conference, and revisit Tumain...
Episode 369a: Nadal Says Goodbye (...Probably) - 2024 French Open Day 2
May 28, 2024 04:10 - 29 minutes - 42.2 MBBen and Ricky Dimon debrief on what very much looked like Rafael Nadal's last match at the French Open, in which the 14-time champion played decently but was clearly overmatched by fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev. We discuss the match, and hear from Rafa himself on what his future might hold. If not answers, there was some clarity in his remarks that helps light a clearer path for his future. We also discuss what was most impressive in Nadal's era of dominance, the newfound parity seemingly...
Episode 368: Draw Me Like One of Your French Opens, 2024
May 25, 2024 03:13 - 52 minutes - 58.4 MBBen and Tumaini reconvene for a quick-paced look through the French Open draws, looking at the top lines stories from the wide-open men's draw and the Swiatek-steered women's side. We start with the headline first round match between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev, a daunting test for the 14-time champion against an opponent who brings on-court for and in-court legal issues to make this a discomfiting occasion. We also discuss Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek,...
Episode 367: Iga Does Double; Men Are Rubble
May 22, 2024 23:36 - 2 hours - 172 MBBen and Tumaini catch up on the Dinara Double, in which Iga Swiatek "won Rome and Madrid" while on the men's side a whole bunch of draws fell apart and the top of the men's ladder looked shakier than it has in years. We talk about Swiatek launching herself into a new orbit, the upper hand she has on Sabalenka, and wax poetic about the current gloriousness of Danielle Collins. We also discuss the uncertainties around many men's stars, including Djokovic, Sinner, Nadal, and Alcaraz. We then...
Episode 366: "Challengers" Screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes
April 25, 2024 20:31 - 31 minutes - 36.5 MBTo dive further into "Challengers," the much-buzzed-about tennis movie coming out this Friday, Ben chats with the movie's screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes about his inspiration to tell a story about the unique emotional landscape of tennis. We discuss the infamous match that planted the initial seed of desperation, the details tennis heads are appreciating (including the Applebee's near the Cincinnati tournament), introducing the sometimes convoluted structure of tennis to a general audience, ...
Episode 365: "Challengers" Changes the Tennis Movie Genre
April 20, 2024 23:19 - 58 minutes - 43.3 MBBen and AJ Eccles attended screenings of the new movie CHALLENGERS this week, and are here to discuss this bold new entry into the growing tennis movie canon (NB: we very carefully avoided any significant spoilers until a very clearly marked intermission at the 41-minute mark). Directed by Luca Guadanigno and starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist, we discuss how CHALLENGERS compares to recent tennis movies like KING RICHARD and BATTLE OF THE SEXES, and how fiction can actually all...
Episode 364: WTA Goes Saudi; Huge Premier Tour Changes on the Table
April 13, 2024 04:26 - 1 hour - 66.8 MBBen and Tumaini reconvened this week to react to the news that the WTA Finals are going to Saudi Arabia, a move that felt unfathomable five years ago but has more recently felt inevitable. What do we make of the news? Should women's sports be held to a different standard when it comes to selling out? And what does the deal say about both the recent past and near future of women's tennis? We then shift to a conversation about the proposed Premier Tour, a radical revamp described in detail in...
Episode 363: Sun Shines on Sinner, Collins, Swiatek and Alcaraz
April 05, 2024 07:57 - 1 hour - 64.9 MBBen and Tumaini answer listener questions and recap the month that was in March, where Indian Wells and Miami formed the Sunshine Double and changed some of the forecasts of the sport. We start with Indian Wells, where Swiatek and Alcaraz won their second titles and Novak Djokovic lost early and bailed on the swing. We then head to Miami, where Danielle Collins won the biggest title of her career and Jannik Sinner cemented his spot as the dominant player on tour. We also discuss recent form...
Episode 362b: The State of the Union in Women's Tennis, Golden, Oldies
March 13, 2024 09:10 - 50 minutes - 68 MBPicking up where we left off on the last episode, Ben and Tumaini cover several other big stories from the first part of this season. We talk about the diverging fates of Brits in tennis, as Andy Murray sets a dispirited retirement date while Katie Boulter surges to a new high. We then spend quite a while on the health of women's tennis as a product, which seems to be getting left in the dust while the men surge, with no apparent strategy for building interest in their product. What can be ...
Episode 362a:A Halep Reversal and a Rublev Removal
March 08, 2024 03:18 - 49 minutes - 73.7 MBBen and Tumaini had a lot to catch up on this week, so we are splitting this episode into two parts. The first part, here, begins with the Court of Arbitration for Sport issuing a radical reversal of the first decision on Simona Halep's positive test, which means Halep can return to tour immediately. We don't have all the answers yet, but what does the dramatic disparity between the two decisions say about the dysfunction of the tennis anti-doping system? In the second part of this episode...
Episode 361b: Sabalenka Smashes Australian Open Women's Field
January 31, 2024 21:58 - 1 hour - 63.9 MBBen and Tumaini turn to the women (and the miscellany) in this second Australian Open wrap show. This one was more straightforward, resultswise: Aryna Sabalenka was the best player, by a lot, defending her title in emphatic fashion. What do we make of her consolidation as a champion? And where is the sport at now, geopolitically? We also cover the strong runs of Coco Gauff and Zheng Qinwen, as well as early exits of Swiatek, Wozniacki, and Naomi Osaka. We also cover some other miscellaneo...
Episode 361a: Sinner the Winner of Men's Australian Open
January 30, 2024 18:26 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBJannik Sinner is the winner of the Australian Open, dethroning the Djokovic dynasty and prevailing in a thrilling comeback final to claim his first Slam win. We discuss Sinner's ascendance and what the defeats mean for the two men, Djokovic and Medvedev, whom he beat to clinch this title. We also discuss other various things on the men's side of the tournament (we also recorded a women's episode which will come soon), including late finishes. We then close with a discussion of the darken...
Episode 360: 2024 Australian Open Draw Show
January 13, 2024 11:41 - 1 hour - 80.5 MBComing full circle, NCR begins its 13th(!) season with our look at the Australian Open draws. Ben and Tumaini start with the men. Who can meaningfully challenge Novak Djokovic? And then we talk about the women. Have you heard that Ben wrote a book about Naomi Osaka? We really think you'll like it, and we thank you for buying it! We'll be back with you with more shows during the tournament!
Episode 359: ”Naomi Osaka” - Behind the Book
January 09, 2024 15:05 - 1 hour - 69.3 MBAt last it's finally publication day for Ben's new book, the biography Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice! After months of copious plugs on the show, we are excited to finally be able to talk about the book in more depth and detail, with the tremendous help of NCR's intrepid correspondent Reem Abulleil who interviews Ben about the book, his process, and some of the key moments of Naomi's career. Reem was also a close observer of Naomi's since her earliest days on ...
Episode 358: Women’s Tennis Turmoil Reviewed
December 09, 2023 08:44 - 1 hour - 144 MBBen and Tumaini have a lot to cover as they try to make sense of the year in women's tennis and explain the forces behind the stormy finish to the year, on-court and off-court, and where it leaves the sport going forward. After a brief discussion on the last couple events of the men's calendar—including if Jannik Sinner was right to keep Novak Djokovic in contention in Turin—we dig into the year that was on court, first by running through some of the headlines off court, and then covering h...
Episode 357: The Year in Men’s Tennis (With Ricky Dimon)
November 02, 2023 03:33 - 1 hour - 75.1 MBWith Ricky Dimon in town to run his sixth Marine Corps Marathon, he joins Ben for their annual wrap show on the year that was in men's tennis, which was another season of Novak Djokovic, now 36, lording over a much younger field. Ben and Ricky get somewhat granular, going over the top seventeen men in the rankings and spending a few minutes on each, assessing their years and their prospects for next year. In order: Dimitrov, Shelton, Tiafoe, Khachanov, de Minaur, Paul, Ruud, Hurkacz, Fritz...
Episode 356: Simona Halep and the Biggest Doping Conviction in Tennis History
September 26, 2023 08:06 - 1 hour - 153 MBBen and Tumaini read the 126-page decision in the tribunal's decision to convict former No. 1 Simona Halep on two charges of intentional doping, and give you a deep dive into the details of the document and expound on what it all means. In the first half of this episode we get into the details so you don't have to, explaining the reasons why the tribunal was "comfortably satisfied" of Halep's guilt, and how they arrived to those two parallel verdicts through different detection methods. We ...
Episode 355i: 2023 US Open Finals - Coco Gauff’s First; Djokovic’s 24th
September 12, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBBen and Tumaini wrap the US Open finals in their eighth show of the tournament, starting with Coco Gauff fulfilling the years of hype and hope by winning her first grand slam title. What did this win show us about a player we first met when she was a young teenager of 13 or 15? And what are the perils of such expectations? We then get into Djokovic's win over Medvedev, for his 24th major. Where does he go from here? And how should his relationship to the public best be characterized at this...
Episode 355h: 2023 US Open - Semifinals Wrap, Finals Preview
September 09, 2023 08:57 - 54 minutes - 70.5 MBBen and Tumaini discuss the four semifinals that were, and all the storylines they contained, before looking ahead a bit to the fast-approaching US Open finals. First, what do they think of the protest that lengthily interrupted Coco Gauff's win? What is the message tennis should take from that moment? And how was Madison Keys derailed from her zoning start by Aryna Sabalenka? And what about Naomi Osaka, who dropped in on the US Open and discussed future plans (you can and should pre-order...
Episode 355g: 2023 US Open Day 10 - Blair Henley, the New Voice of the US Open
September 07, 2023 03:56 - 27 minutes - 33.5 MBBen is joined by Blair Henley, the star interviewer on tennis courts around the world, to talk about her new role as an announcer inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, and the many different roles she's had at this US Open. What are the challenges of being the "Voice of God" at the world's biggest tennis stadiums? What makes on-court interviewing such a unique thrill? And what have been her standout moments of the tournament so far? All that and more! And you can still pre-order Ben's book, and he'd...
Episode 355f: 2023 US Open Day 9 - Shelton Upsets Order, Beats Tiafoe
September 06, 2023 08:17 - 41 minutes - 59 MBBen and NCR's Youth correspondent Alex Gruskin discuss Ben Shelton's big win Tuesday night over Frances Tiafoe in the US Open quarterfinals, a big result both within the American tennis ladder and in the big picture of the ATP generations game. Has Shelton's generation (Alcaraz, Sinner, Rune, etc) already passed Tiafoe's generation (Tsitsipas, Rublev, Auger-Aliassime etc) for good? What about within the American ladder? And when did the buzz about Shelton, who seemed to come out of nowhere...
Episode 355e: 2023 US Open Day 7 - Ostapenko Ends Swiatek’s Reign
September 04, 2023 08:00 - 29 minutes - 40.7 MBBen and Tumaini convene in the late hours of the night after Jelena Ostapenko thunderously knocked out Iga Swiatek, emphatically ending both Swiatek's title defense and her 75-week reign at the #1 ranking. Given Ostapenko's talent and head-to-head record, should this be considered a "bad loss" for Swiatek? Can Ostapenko win the tournament? How does Aryna Sabalenka come into the #1 ranking? Plus, a bit on Gauff d. Wozniacki, the constant corner chatter of coaches, and on how the worst way t...
Episode 355d: 2023 US Open Day 4 - Going Back to Tennis
August 31, 2023 17:45 - 16 minutes - 16.2 MBFor our fourth daily show from the US Open, Ben is joined by tennis writer AJ Eccles to discuss his return to live tennis at the US Open last night, and what the sport looks like from inside the stadium. What did it feel like being back at a crowded tennis tournament after years away? What are the differences between watching live and watching on TV And what was it like seeing his favorites Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova battle it out in one of the marquee matches of the first week?
Episode 355c: 2023 US Open Day 3 - Is the US Open a Good Neighbor?
August 31, 2023 00:57 - 18 minutes - 24 MBBen is joined by David Waldstein of The New York Times, who recently wrote about the disconnect between the US Open and its neighbors, the Latino communities of Corona and other neighborhoods like Elmhurst and Flushing. Why is the US Open so walled off from these communities? What could be done to make them more connected and invested in one another? And what is lost by hundreds of thousands of people passing over these neighborhoods in "flyover" fashion as the tournament teleports its peop...
Episode 355b: 2023 US Open Day 2 - John Isner’s Legacy
August 30, 2023 04:05 - 26 minutes - 23.6 MBBen and Tumaini reconvene on Day 2 of this US Open to talk about players retiring at this US Open, including Barbora Strycova (who you'll hear), CoCo Vandeweghe, and Jack Sock. But mostly, we talk about John Isner, the towering American who had an outsized impact on the sport while being popular among his peers but polarizing among fans. You'll hear from Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov, Eric Butorac, and John himself about what his legacy has been on the court, where he broke records and uni...
Episode 355a: 2023 US Open Day 1 - Saudis, Sakkari, and Schedule Screeching
August 29, 2023 04:31 - 23 minutes - 17.8 MBBen and Tumaini are back together again at the US Open, for the first of what will be daily shows here! We discuss the big story off-court, which is the Saudi bid to move into women's tennis, as well as some of the big headlines on court on Day 1, where Maria Sakkari and Holger Rune were the notable upset victims. Also, how relevant is American tennis globally?
Episode 354: Bianca Andreescu
July 31, 2023 23:18 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBAs he wraps up the book he's been writing about Naomi Osaka (pre-order now, please, thank you!) Ben is back on site at the ATP-WTA tournament in Washington, where he did a short-but-sweet interview with Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion who remains a remarkably engaging presence on the tour as she looks for ways to rediscover her dominance. Ben and Bianca chat about the stage presence she gets from her "unapologetic" mom, the upsides and downsides of having set the bar so high f...
Episode 353: Wimbledon Wrap - Alcaraz Upends Djokovic; Vondrousova Vexes Jabeur
July 17, 2023 06:07 - 1 hour - 91.7 MBBen and Reem Abulleil chat about the big stories of the business end of Wimbledon, starting with the massive narrative potential of the men's final. Does Carlos Alcaraz's win over Novak Djokovic in the final represent a passing of the torch, or something less drastic? How surprised were we by this result? And how could this be a good thing for Djokovic going forward? We also discuss Chris Eubanks and Matteo Berrettini, who both had meaningfully great runs on the men's side. On the women, w...
Episode 352b: 2023 Wimbledon Draw Show (REUPLOAD)
July 02, 2023 12:51 - 1 hour - 137 MBWith their preamble out of the way, Ben and Tumaini Carayol (*who is audible in this fixed, reuploaded audio!) dig into the 2023 Wimbledon women's and men's draws to discuss the favorites and other notable names among the 256 players competing for the singles crowns at SW19. Both respective top seeds, Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, have their stocks rising after strong grass lead-ups. Have they improved enough to contend for the Wimbledon title? We discuss the bottom-heavy women's draw, t...
Episode 352a: A Wimbledon Preamble
July 01, 2023 15:10 - 35 minutes - 49.6 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol sat down to record a draw show, but there was enough other stuff they wanted to touch on beforehand that they're breaking it into a separate prologue episode for you to enjoy here as an amuse bouche! On Wimbledon qualifying, Caroline Wozniacki's comeback announcement, the WTA's announced commitment to equal prize money by 2027, Billie Jean King giving her blessing to women's tennis pursuing Saudi Arabia, and the current state of the WTA as a business and a product. ...
Episode 351: Djokovic & Swiatek Rack ’em Up Again in Paris
June 12, 2023 18:03 - 1 hour - 136 MBNovak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek both won their third French Open titles this weekend at Roland Garros, separating them from their respective fields in meaningful ways, and Ben and Tumaini Carayol discuss them and more! First on Djokovic, we discuss how his reaching the summit of his 23rd Slam changes (or doesn't change) the GOAT debate, and what the future holds for Djokovic. We also discuss the fizzling of his semifinal vs Carlos Alcaraz, and how Casper Ruud has made it to a whopping three ...
Episode 350: Draw Me Like One of Your French Opens, 2023
May 26, 2023 18:39 - 2 hours - 167 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol dust off the NCR machine to bring you a look at the 2023 French Open women's and men's draws, breaking down the contenders and darkhorses while touching on several of the big stories of the past few months while the show has been on hiatus (Relatedly, Ben's forthcoming book on Naomi Osaka is now available for pre-order!) Can Iga Swiatek reestablish her dominance on the women's side at her favorite tournament? How clear a favorite is Carlos Alcaraz on the men's side? ...
Episode 349: Sabalenka and Djokovic on Top Down Under at Australian Open
January 31, 2023 03:03 - 1 hour - 159 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol wrap up the year's first Slam with two hours of chatting across all sorts of topics. First, we discuss the breakthrough win of Aryna Sabalenka, who conquered her demons (and braved new frontiers in her iconic trophy photo shoot). With so much power and talent now under control, how far can she go? And what did this win over the resurgent Elena Rybakina tell us? We then (27:46) discuss Novak Djokovic, his cathartic reaction to winning, and his management of an injury...
Episode 348: Australian Open Draw Show, 2023
January 14, 2023 21:30 - 1 hour - 148 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol break down the women's and men's draws at the year's first Grand Slam event, and also discuss some of the early season storylines like United Cup and Netflix's "Break Point" that have dominated discussion in the build-up. Is Iga Swiatek clear favorite to win this tournament against the field, or are rising threats like Jessie Pegula or Aryna Sabalenka ready to thwart her? And on the men's side, is Novak Djokovic ready to resume business as usual in Australia? And wh...
Episode 347: Netflix’s ”Break Point” Hits and Misses
January 09, 2023 15:24 - 1 hour - 75.6 MBTo start our 12th(!) season of NCR, Ben and Reem Abulleil preview and review the highly anticipated Netflix tennis docuseries "Break Point," which features a group of young challengers on the tours in the first half of the 2022 season. Ben and Reem (who also reviewed the show for The National) discuss the sport's hopes for the show to recreate the magic of "Drive to Survive," as well as the format, where it succeeds and where it disappoints. There are spoilers in this episode, so to speak,...
Episode 346: Men of the Year (With Ricky Dimon)
November 01, 2022 10:18 - 53 minutes - 51 MBBen is stepping back briefly from book writing hiatus on the occasion of being joined by Ricky Dimon of The Grandstand for a look back at the year that was in men's tennis, and how it's setting up for the finals. We talk about each of the top eight guys, and also Novak Djokovic, whose Wimbledon title will leapfrog him into the field in Turin. It's been an odd, transitional year in men's tennis, and it's not clear quite where anything is heading in the near future, so we decide it's a good t...
Episode 345: Swiatek, Alcaraz Reach New Heights at US Open
September 14, 2022 08:28 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol reconvene a bit after the U.S. Open to reflect on the tournament that was, with two winners who capped off great seasons with their first titles in New York. And they've only just begun? First, Iga Swiatek won on the women's side, overcoming a doubt-filled lead-up and solidifying her position as a bona fide star in the sport. What impressed us most about this win, and where does she go from here? Also thoughts on Jabeur, Pegula, and, of course, the fantastic farewell...
Episode 344: U.S. Open Draw Show 2022!
August 28, 2022 18:19 - 1 hour - 74.6 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol are courtside at the U.S. Open to give you the outlook on how the year's last Grand Slam and Serena Williams' last tournament is shaking up. We start with the women, where we discuss Iga Swiatek cooling off from her lava-hot spring swing, her complaints about the balls, the Azarenka-Kostyuk situation, Emma Raducanu, Osaka-Collins, and more. We finish, of course, with a discussion of Serena, and what her last singles matches could look like. On the men's side, it s...
Episode 343: Serena’s Sunset
August 10, 2022 04:23 - 48 minutes - 69.7 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol convene to discuss Serena Williams, the greatest women's tennis player of our lives, calling time on her career. Well, she didn't exactly call Time; she called Vogue, and penned a first-person cover story explaining her thoughts and making it clear that she believes the end of her career is in sight. Ben and Tumaini discuss Serena's decision to retire at long last, what she said--and didn't say--in her essay about the decision and the context around it, some of our ...
Episode 342: Rybakina and Djokovic Win Wimbledon
July 10, 2022 23:41 - 56 minutes - 53 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol (before he turns into a pumpkin) wrap up the Wimbledon that was, which featured both some feel-good and some uncomfortable storylines across the fortnight. We begin with the women, with Elena Rybakina making good on her potential and breaking through for the title with a win over Ons Jabeur. We talk about the Kazakh tennis strategy, and what it says about Russia, particularly in the wake of Wimbledon's ban. We also talk about the delights of Jabeur, the shock run of ...
Episode 341: Walking Around Wimbledon’s Century
June 26, 2022 15:51 - 48 minutes - 43.2 MBOn the 100th birthday of Centre Court, Ben is joined by Alexandra Willis, the director of communications and marketing for Wimbledon, and the two of them take a walk into Centre Court's most hallowed places. Along the way, we discuss Wimbledon's continuing balancing between retaining history and progressing to the present, plans of growth ahead, and the circumstances and consequences of the ban of Russian and Belarusian players this year. Spice up your ears and enjoy!
Episode 340: Wimbledon 2022 Draw Preview
June 24, 2022 21:45 - 1 hour - 78.5 MBBen and Tumaini Carayol are back together again at Wimbledon for another look ahead at a Grand Slam draw, looking at the men's field, the women's field, and a concerning hole on the side of Court 14. After a general look at the draw balance--and the intrigue missing from the field because of the ban of Russian and Belarusian players--Ben and Tumaini dig into the men's draw, in which balance emerged despite some misleading seedings, with Hubert Hurkacz and Matteo Berrettini landing in separ...