The Body Serve

The Body Serve Tennis Podcast

Tennis podcast featuring casual, semi-respectable conversations about the ATP & WTA.

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300 episodes
Updated July 28
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Episodes300

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Jan 15, 2022 · 1 hr 13 min
The Leaning Tower of Visa: Aus Open Preview
The 2022 Australian Open is around the corner and guess what is still dominating headlines: visa cancellation 2.0, appeal 2.0, and the various foibles and f- er, muck-ups of Djokovic and co. After discussing that for a moment, we focus on some of the excellent stories coming out of the Australian lead-up tourneys: Ash’s domination, Kokkinakis’ brilliant stretch, and statement wins from Andy, Madison, Amanda, Simona, and Elena R. We finish up with perhaps our most equivocal draw analysis ever, as Djokovic’s shadow looms large. 02:00 Hawke strikes upon the hour: Immigration Minister cancels Djokovic’s visa, citing the “public interest” 09:04 Djokovic’s various fumbles have made grace an impossibility here 14:56 Week 1 Winners: Vets Rafa, Simona, Gael; plus Anisimova is back and Barty steamrolls 26:17 Week 2 gives us a day to remember: Keys-Gauff, Murray lobs Opelka, and BathroomGate is decidedly not behind us 33:23 Odds and ends: Bernie wins a bet by getting Covid; Rafa & Vee step in it; Reilly, dude … let it go 43:40 Our breakout picks for 2022: no, I will not be explaining myself 46:42 Women’s draw: that first quarter is rude and it ruined James’ dream final 58:13 Men’s draw: an Australian judge will decide who fills the no. 1 slot. Could the men’s bottom half see a major breakout?
Jan 11, 2022 · 1 hr 13 min
Playing In Our Faces
The Australia v. Djokovic saga has dominated new cycles for the past week in and outside of the tennis world; it highlighted many of the anxieties and political squabbles of the COVID-19 pandemic, spurred infighting between various levels of Australian government, and most importantly, was completely avoidable. There is plenty of blame to go around here: to Djokovic, to his family’s increasingly bizarre statements, to the Prime Minister's cynical political maneuvers, and to the head of Tennis Australia, who committed an astonishing number of unforced errors. We give you a timeline and the cast of characters as we attempt to contextualize this debacle as best we can. 00:30 Setting the scene, and why we don’t do emergency episodes 12:40 Jan 4-6: Today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption per-.... oop 22:30 Jan 8: The zero-sum game resulting from the positive PCR test 29:30 Jan 10: The hearing none of us understood 37:05 The dramatis personae: starting with Craig Tiley and Tennis Australia 40:20 The Victoria Government (and why state governments shouldn’t get immigration advice from a sporting organization) 45:00 Prime Minister Scott Morrison scoring political points, or; “rules are rules” 49:25 Learning about Australia’s refugee crisis and draconian immigration policies 58:00 Hubris, extremism, and strange bedfellows
Jan 7, 2022 · 1 hr 30 min
Party Like It’s 1999
Many of us look back at 1999 as the dawning of the modern golden age of women’s tennis, a season that saw four different Slam champs, the abrupt exit of one GOAT, and the breakthrough of a new one. Lindsay, Martina, Venus, Serena, and Steffi battled for the biggest titles and crafted historic, enduring storylines at every major event of the year. There was a changing of the guard, sure, but the shift from one era to the next is never quite as cut-and-dry as it seems. Plus, of course, the memes -- or, in this era before memes -- the off-court controversies and clownery that we still talk about: BeadGate, the formal education argument; and more darkly, the homophobic insults thrown at Amelie Mauresmo and the persistent, racialized "muscles vs. brains" narrative. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and discuss a season of women’s tennis that quite literally changed the sport forever. 03:10 Setting the scene: What is happening in women’s tennis and the culture at the fin de siècle? What does the teen pop explosion and Y2K have to do with tennis? 08:10 The WTA’s struggles with investors and why anonymous “analysts” doubted the marketability of women’s tennis 19:30 So what makes the ‘99 season so special? 22:55 Themes of the season: the Williams sisters are coming, and not everybody’s happy about it 29:55 Martina is #1, but the dominance is slipping 37:40 Australian Open: Hingis three-peats, Mauresmo comes out, and we endure BeadGate 55:25 Roland Garros: Graf wins final major in an almighty mess of a final 62:50 Wimbledon: Lindsay ain’t just a hardcourt wonder 69:45 Steffi calls time on one of the greatest careers in tennis history 72:25 US Open: Serena bags the first Williams singles Slam, beating a befuddled Hingis in the final; plus, why the ‘formal education’ dust-up is even more instructive than we remembered 83:50 The year-end rankings, some fun facts about the Slam season, and the signs of what’s to come
Dec 12, 2021 · 1 hr 18 min
Dire Strai(gh)ts: ATP Wrap
In our season seven finale, we’re recapping this odd and transitional year on the ATP Tour, a year in which Novak Djokovic came very close to winning the first Grand Slam since 1969 and a bunch of youngsters shook the table of Big 3 hegemony. We take an honest look at our breakout predictions – not great, Bob – and reminisce about some truly wild (and some depressing) Remember When moments. Although there’s much levity, you know us – we’re not going to recap the ATP season without talking about the dark shadow cast by the ATP’s repeated fumbling of the Zverev & Basilashvili abuse allegations. Thanks for your support this year and every year – see you in 2022! 04:00 In Australia, Russians make history and Djokovic wins his 9th 14:00 The spring gives us a sign of what’s to come (Rublev, Karatsev, Hurkacz, Sinner) plus a quick chat on PTPA progress this year 20:55 Clay season: Tsitsipas announces himself as a favorite for Roland Garros alongside Nadal & Djokovic 22:35 Novak screams and hollers his way to the Roland Garros title, beats Tsitsipas from 2 sets down 27:20 Grass season: Djokovic’s Wimbledon win seemed kinda … easy? Golden Slam Watch is on 41:40 US Open: BathroomGate went on way too long; breakouts galore; Medvedev kills the dream 46:15 Fall season: Norrie wins IW, Frances captures our attention, Russia bookends its year with a dominant Davis Cup win 49:00 Let’s look at the receipts: titles and rankings 52:50 How’d we do on our breakout picks? 55:15 Remember When? Hecklers, innocent bathroom breaks, the code-cracking racquet launch, YawnGate, and the unfortunate trend of ATP players using homophobic slurs 65:05 The ATP’s Integrity Problem
Dec 3, 2021 · 1 hr 46 min
Holy Spirit Activate: WTA Wrap
Friends, we’re finally at the end of our WTA season. So much of what we recapped didn’t even feel like it happened in 2021. Kenin signing with Motorola but tweeting about it from her iPhone? 2021, really? Badosa and Kostyuk broadcasting from their Fox News bunker in Australia? Feels like forever ago. Nonetheless, we try to make sense of a truly unique year in tennis, in which the sport learned to live with the pandemic to varying degrees of success. We asked for help with our “Remember When” segment and boy, did y’all deliver. We finish with our mini-review of “King Richard” and then a taste test of Mariah Carey’s venture into Irish creams: her latest stone cold smash hit wonder! Above all, we are so incredibly grateful for all your support and sticking with us through seven seasons. To the OG listeners, we can’t even know what to say. To those who just joined us, it’s a privilege we don’t take lightly. 02:10 An update on our GoFundMe: We can’t even know what to say 08:10 The princesses and the paupers: a super quarantine and one persistent mouse almost derail the Australian Open 17:20 Mugs, Sabalenka, Jabeur, Gauff, and Badosa steadily build their impressive seasons in the spring 25:55 Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from Roland Garros, plus … you thought Barbora Krejcikova was just a great doubles player? 35:15 Grass season: vets find success but Barty cements her #1 status 46:30 Still reeling from that wild US Open 56:00 Stats in review: A not-so-clear-cut POTY and year-end rankings 66:40 Remember when: tennis players can’t control God, talk to Him 77:00 How’d we do on our breakout picks? 81:10 A dispiriting Peng Shuai update 87:55 It’s time to finally make good on the calls for #TennisUnited 89:20 Our King Richard review: It OUTSOLD! 97:35 A nutty taste test: Black Irish Mimi edition
Nov 21, 2021 · 46 min
We’ll See
First things first: we are officially announcing the launch of our GoFundMe campaign! Thank you to our listeners for the past 7 amazing years, and we’re looking forward to great stuff to come. Since our last episode, the Peng Shuai story has received widespread coverage in US media, with Chinese state media offering some video clips as “proof” of Peng’s well-being. The WTA has done a great job pushing the issue, but we wonder what's next if the WTA's demands are not met. We also celebrate the successful Guadalajara WTA Finals, spend a good 10 seconds on the ATP Finals, chat about WTA historiography and why they’re so good at, and cover a few odds and ends about Australia and Federer. 01:50 GoFundMe - it’s awkward to ask for money but here we go! 04:20 Peng Shuai situation -- Story blows up in US media; Chinese state media offers some seemingly orchestrated appearances. What’s next? What can we do from here? 16:35 Muguruza’s win caps off a fun and diverting WTA Finals in Guadalajara; much praise to her opponent, new #7 Anett Kontaveit 23:00 Ever notice that the legends of women’s tennis are always around to promote the sport? Here’s why (at least in our view) 32:50 ATP Finals: If a tree falls in a forest . . . anyway 38:50 Australian Open confirms vax stance and Novak demurs 42:15 Roger Federer updates his fans, and it’s tough to hear
Nov 16, 2021 · 1 hr 8 min
A Sensible Flat
Episode 245 features a potpourri of tennis happenings. We begin with a discussion of the harrowing Peng Shuai news and the response from tennis' governing bodies. After getting caught up on ALL the tennis since our last episode, we end with a bit of levity -- thanks to our generous listener, Kaitlyn -- our first ever live taste test on The Body Serve! Oh, and we've also got the soft launch for our second ever GoFundMe for the podcast. Thanks to all of you for supporting us as we finish up season seven! 01:05 Launching our 2021 fundraising drive: help us fund the podcast 07:45 Peng Shuai makes a brave allegation, disappears from public view. What can (and should) tennis orgs do? 17:25 Novak shakes off his US Open vanquisher and secures year #7 as the best 21:30 BJK Cup: the perpetually aggrieved is re-aggrieved 29:50 WTA Finals - lay off the fashions, eh? 36:15 Our dream final spoiled in Stockholm 39:35 NextGen Finals - innovation for innovation's sake does actually work sometimes 52:40 We asked: What's one player tic or habit that annoys you (irrationally)? Boy, did you deliver 61:35 Taste test / ASMR session -- trying a holiday specialty from New Brunswick!
Nov 4, 2021 · 1 hr 5 min
Forgive Me Jannik For I Have Sinned
We are well and truly in the final stretch of the 2021 season, rounding third and heading for home. The field for the WTA Finals in Guadalajara is set after Anett Kontaveit blitzed through Moscow and Transylvania. We chat extensively about Frances Tiafoe's great run in Vienna, but must wade into unholy waters filled with Jannik Sinner salt. Later, we've got updates but not really on the vaccine saga for the Australian Open, before finishing with a few detours into our own personal interests. 0:55 Anett Kontaveit decides not to lose anymore, snags final qualifying spot for WTA Finals 07:30 Frances Tiafoe’s fantastic run to the Vienna final 10:00 Jannik says the show must NOT go on 24:20 Tiafoe has the x-factor and that's that on that 33:15 Andy keeps on truckin, Emma gets a few wins and more fans in Romania 37:10 It's all governmental infighting and leaked memos in Australia! And Benoit Paire says he doesn't care who misses out, it's Benoit Time 44:55 Where is Sofia Kenin? 51:15 Updates: Jared Donaldson; will Martina be on Real Housewives of Miami?! 56:35 Niche cricket and baseball content for the brave and curious
Oct 22, 2021 · 1 hr 12 min
The Straight Talk Express
October’s Very Own Indian Wells has concluded and we’ve got a surprising men’s winner in Cam Norrie and a surprising-but-not-really-surprising women’s champ in Paula Badosa. We take a ride on Reilly and Novak’s Straight Talk Express, where truth (or some version of it) reigns. Some quick thoughts on the current role of the press, one holdover question from our mailbag, thoughts on TT’s annual Hall of Fame nominations news cycle, and finally, the brief return of our Dramatic Reading segment. 2:25 Indian Wells a kingmaker / queenmaker? Let’s look at the receipts 6:20 The men’s side finally gets a taste of WTA-style unpredictability 13:30 Vika tries for IW #3, but Badosa takes the next step in her rapidly blossoming career 27:00 More Aussie vaccine news and what it means for Novak. An “inappropriate inquiry?” Be that as it may ... 35:20 Reilly Opelka has opinions. Not sure if you heard 42:20 British journalists pen an open letter on ending the “Zoom era” of pressers -- so what should the player-press relationship look like post-pandemic? 51:40 Mailbag question about player scheduling and the decisions that go into it 57:55 Dramatic Reading: Serena Williams on her bestie-frenemy 61:45 Tennis Hall of Fame nominees: reliably making tennis fans mad year after year
Oct 7, 2021 · 1 hr 11 min
Taking Steps
Indian Wells is underway, in autumn, after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, but the big story this week is the ATP’s revelation that they’ve begun an investigation into the abuse allegations against Alexander Zverev. It’s a year or so too late, but it’s a big step nonetheless. That’s the theme of this episode -- steps, mostly in the right direction, as small and plodding as they might be. We also talk about some recent results, persistent vaccine hesitancy among tennis players, the WTA’s race to its new Finals site in Guadalajara, and the ATP’s survey of players on their attitudes toward LGBTQ issues. 1:30 Cute results: Muguruza wins Chicago; both she and Jabeur get closer to the WTA Finals 9:25 Kim Clijsters’ comeback continues 13:10 Ruud works on his hardcourt bona fides; Sinner wins title #4 in his young career 19:30 Previewing Indian Wells: where have all the top boys gone 26:50 The ATP announces that it has begun an investigation into the Olya Sharypova accusations -- why was Laver Cup not mentioned in the press release? Oh, and that injunction doesn’t mean what AZ thinks it means 37:00 Mary Carillo’s decision to quit her Laver Cup broadcasting gig -- why we need prominent people to take a stand 44:30 Aryna Sabalenka - positive for COVID, out of Indian Wells 47:10 Will the Australian Open be off-limits for the unvaccinated? 58:30 Remember that gay survey players mentioned at the US Open? Well, it happened!
Sep 22, 2021 · 1 hr 22 min
TBS Mailbag: We Were JUST Talking About You
This week we outsourced the agenda-building to you, our listeners, and you provided a set of fascinating and tough questions. Come take a break from the weekly grind of current tennis events. We’ve got a modest proposal for how to choose new tennis TV commentators, plus we talk about areas of the game we might consider changing and why the age eligibility rule is important. By popular demand, we open with the momentous Williams-Sharapova reunion at the Met Gala and the photos that broke the tennis internet for a day or two. 01:35 Vee, Ree, and Masha at the Met Gala: WHAT?! 08:05 Laver Cup’s blocking spree as social media strategy 13:20 Is the game missing something without challenges? Did automated line calling sap some drama from matches? 20:30 Between Serena and Novak, whose legacy is most affected by missing out on the Grand Slam? 26:50 A question on the teen breakthroughs at the US Open and the WTA’s age eligibility rule 34:15 A memorable FMK - Met Gala Baes 44:10 You all had a lot of thoughts and questions about tennis commentators, as usual! 62:55 A perennial question: where are all the gays in men’s tennis? Do they just not exist? 69:10 A question that threatened the peace in our household: the Whitney-Mariah duet 75:00 Happy 24th anniversary to an album that sounds even better with age: Butterfly
Sep 13, 2021 · 1 hr 14 min
Hatched and Snatched: US Open Wrap
Will history see this US Open as a watershed moment? On the women's side, is this just the most extreme example of a years-long trend of youngsters managing the moment and storming to victory? On the men's side, many felt Novak Djokovic was inevitably marching to a Calendar Year Grand Slam. But, whether it was due to fatigue from his long matches, the unfathomable weight of the moment, or Daniil Medvedev's mental and physical fortitude, the Grand Slam remains unfulfilled since 1988 (or 1969). Regardless of its place in history, this year's Open gave us storylines for the ages: the coronation of a longtime hardcourt menace and two young superstars to add to the WTA's already formidable roster. 02:15 Emma Raducanu & Leylah Fernandez stun the world 09:10 Raducanu’s win -- while unprecedented due to ranking and number of matches won -- is actually the rule rather than the exception on the WTA these past few years. Are the kids just built differently these days? 28:35 It turns out it’s really, really hard to win the Grand Slam 33:45 Daniil Medvedev has been the solid #2 hard court player for a few years, and today he came with a game plan and incredible poise 49:00 Doubles: Stosur wins 8th Slam title; Krawczyk won ¾ of a Grand Slam this year; Salisbury doubles in men’s and mixed 52:05 Other stories: Zverev story gets more mainstream media attention 58:00 Coaching during matches - it happens, so what should they do about it? 62:50 The Players Lounge: the Racquet magazine-produced roundtable on mental health
Sep 7, 2021 · 1 hr 7 min
Oh Yeah, They‘re All Scammers
It was a first week for the US Open history books, full of entertaining matches and high-profile breakthroughs. Youngsters Fernandez, Raducanu, and Alcaraz notch huge wins, qualifier van de Zandschulp reaches the quarterfinals, and the undeniable stars Tiafoe & Auger-Aliassime face off in a blockbuster fourth round. BathroomGate threatened to overshadow the entire week, as fans and mainstream reporters became gamesmanship detectives and amateur clock-watchers. Oh yeah, and Djokovic is still on the hunt for the Grand Slam. 0:35 Week one -- well, day one even -- exceeded all expectations 9:20 #HatchingandSnatching update: Fernandez, Alcaraz, Raducanu 17:40 Women’s fourth rounds - plus a tangent on the Krejcikova-Muguruza controversy 26:40 Men’s fourth rounds: the Tiafoe-Auger-Aliassime match was a blast 32:35 Zverev finally has to answer to the Sharypova abuse allegations, he deflects to BathroomGate, and the broadcasters comply 39:30 Accusations of scammery follow Tsitsipas all week, and to be honest they have merit; or, “you can be mad about two things at the same time” 54:05 US Open Pride Day sees various players wear rainbow gear and otherwise show support 58:05 Sloane Stephens was one of the best stories of the first week
Aug 27, 2021 · 1 hr 44 min
Withdrawal Symptoms: US Open Preview
The year's final Grand Slam is upon us, and for the first time since the 90s, we won't see a Williams sister, Nadal, or Federer at the US Open. In two weeks, we'll know if Djokovic has completed the historic Calendar Year Grand Slam against a group of young challengers (Novak and the Seven Trees?). We also discuss the recent publication of part two of the Olya Sharypova story and why the ATP and tennis broadcasters will have a harder time ignoring it this time around. Plus: Barty surging in time for NY, Stef's laughably bad vaccine stance, and some lucky loser drama in Winston-Salem. 1:15 Reflections on Cincinnati FOMO 7:00 Wrapping up the Canada results: Giorgi stuns the field and Medvedev beats Opelka 10:50 Cincinnati: Barty allows no doubt about who’s #1 21:30 Also happening last week: *that* Naomi presser, Yastremska gets called something mean, Lepchenko popped for a doping violation 33:00 Cincinnati men’s draw: the less said the better 38:20 The Tsitsipas Family’s wild and reckless vaccine takes 44:35 A lucky loser fracas at Winston-Salem 47:15 Draw analysis: starting with the women. So … how about that third quarter? 70:55 Men’s draw: is there anyone here who will beat Novak in best-of-five? 85:10 Part two of Ben Rothenberg’s story on the Zverev allegations -- why he said/she said is a dog whistle and why tennis might finally be forced to reckon with this 98:30 Another historic week in women’s sprinting! From your faithful tennis / Jamaican track correspondents
Aug 15, 2021 · 50 min
Bot On A Hot Tin Roof
Tennis’ second pandemic summer gets us a bit closer to “normal,” but the absence of many of the biggest stars leaves room for other players to create compelling narratives. Danielle Collins runs off 12 matches in a row, Reilly Opelka transcends servebotism and outfoxes Tsitsipas in Toronto, and Karolina Pliskova resuscitates a career that many (us?) were calling over the hill. We also talk about some egregious stunts (ciao, Fabio & Mo), the WTA Race to [somewhere?], and the post-Big 3 landscape. 0:35 Rafa and the glaring absence of the Old Guard this summer - what’s next? Does the Next Gen *have to* snatch the tour from the Big 3 or no? 9:10 Results in Cluj-Napoca & DC: Petkovic back in top 70, Sherif becomes first Egyptian woman in WTA final, Sinner & a few lesser known American men show out in DC 12:15 Danielle Collins wins a second title and more fans - why does Collins inspire such charged cultural conversations? 22:20 Montreal: Pliskova, Giorgi, Collins-Pegula, Jabeur 30:00 Reilly Opelka makes the case for himself 36:25 Pure stunts from the ATP’s king of stunts. Lasciami in pace, Fabio! 41:15 A brief retrospective on a Whitney & Mariah moment 45:15 Final thoughts on the blazingly fast women’s 200m and then we’ll leave you alone
Aug 2, 2021 · 1 hr 15 min
Set Fire To Their Tears
Just to get it out of the way: we're not the biggest fans of Olympic tennis. Nevertheless, the Games brought up some interesting stories, old and new -- the fairy-tale endings that failed to happen for Novak and Naomi, the "mental health" conversation (or the seeing-athletes-as-human-beings conversation) that is changing sports discourse around the world, and the men's gold medal that wasn't. We've also got some thoughts on Naomi's Netflix docuseries, the extremely busy post-Wimbledon non-Olympics tennis calendar, and the blazingly fast women's 100m final. 2:15 Naomi lights the torch! There's a metaphor in there somewhere 7:10 Bencic is finally in "the talk," in her words 10:00 So, about the men's gold medalist and the allegations that are finally gaining traction outside of Tennis Twitter 17:45 Djokovic's Golden hopes end as a racquet is javelined into the stands 27:30 Final thoughts on Olympic tennis and 'prestige' 32:00 Simone Biles kicks off a conversation/uproar similar to Naomi -- the ground is shifting on how we talk about athletes, mental/physical health, and self-sacrifice 42:00 Post-Wimbledon events: Collins wins first title, Ruud vultures the entire summer clay season 47:05 Bertens & Bacsinszky bid farewell 50:00 Meet me at the altar in your Off White dress - GEMS Life is married! 54:10 Thoughts on Naomi's Netflix special 61:54 Our resident Jamaican track and field fan recaps the women's 100m race, which lived up to very high expectations
Jul 13, 2021 · 1 hr 6 min
Hateration, Holleration In This Wimblery
The first Wimbledon since 2019 ends with Ash Barty and Novak Djokovic leaving London victorious, both clear #1s at very different stages of their careers. Pliskova should be mighty proud of her tournament, and Berrettini reaches a new height in a very promising career. So how long will Djokovic dominate? What will the next generation have to say about it? All that plus doubles, PTPA stuff, Olympics conjecture, and how the ATP can hold onto those eyeballs Berrettini brought in. 1:25 Introducing our newest line of merch, the Bandwidth Collection 3:00 Ash Barty wins Wimbledon 50 years after her mentor, Evonne Goolagong; cements no. 1 status whether you like it or not 11:50 A great semifinal lineup: former winner Kerber, perennial top 10-er (until recently) Pliskova, and Sabalenka's big breakthrough 16:20 Djokovic has 3/4 of the Calendar Year Slam, Berrettini acquits himself well in final 28:10 Berrettini and Hurkacz bring new eyes to the sport, but the youngsters still have work to do 34:05 Doubles: Mektic/Pavic are back from Covid; Krawcyzk gets the Channel Slam; Hsieh/Mertens save match points to win 38:15 Et ceteras: Roger, Felix, Raducanu, PTPA update 47:00 So who exactly is going to the Olympics? 55:05 We finally get the trailer for Naomi Osaka's Netflix documentary
Jul 4, 2021 · 1 hr 18 min
Slippy Cup
It was a wet, wild, and slipp(er)y first week at Wimbledon, which felled a 7-time champion within minutes and saw some electrifying home country heroes show out for their local fans. The faves in the men's draw have sauntered into week two, while a few top clay performers have continued their good form on the women's side. Special shout-outs to Ons Jabeur's stannable barfing moment, the more-fun-than-is-reasonable Venus Williams-Nick Kyrgios mixed doubles pairing, and great stuff from Shapo, Gauff, Samsonova, and more. 1:20 Upsets of Petra, Kenin, Andreescu, Tsitsipas (hey Frances!) -- were they *surprises* or just upsets? 9:10 Surprises: who is quietly sliding into the second week? Garin, Ivashka, Hurkacz, Khachanov 13:40 The women's round of 16 matches and how we got there; Jabeur vs Swiatek is the one we're looking forward to 25:00 Men's round of 16: the three faves -- Djokovic, Fed, and Berrettini -- are still here 33:35 So about the grass ... Mannarino and Serena slip on Centre Court and pull out within an hour of each other. How many slips are too many? 42:55 Andy Murray's electrifying Centre Court matches - it's great theatre 47:15 The critique of Coco Gauff's court assignments 52:40 Favorite moment of week one: Venus-Nick mixed doubles, it was great while it lasted 58:55 Ostapenko's very eventful second and third rounds 66:35 Et ceteras: good on Fowler & Gilbert for talking honestly about Zverev & Basilashvili; Alexandra, what are you doing? 74:45 Thanks to everyone who bought Body Serve merch!
Jun 26, 2021 · 1 hr 18 min
It's A Bop, It's A Jam, It's A Banger
Before we get to the Wimbledon preview, we're proud to debut our first line of Body Serve merch: t-shirts, magnets, stickers, mugs, hoodies and more, all adorned with Tom Humberstone's exclusive Body Serve artwork. Back to tennis -- Wimbledon is upon us, as we move back to the traditional two-week gap between Roland Garros and the grass major. We'll walk you through the draws and the grass results, highlighting top recent performances from Jabeur, Berrettini, and Kerber, plus Sonego's musical and athletic prowess. And to wrap, a few queer et ceteras for #PrideMonth. 0:35 Introducing The Body Serve's online store! 5:30 Grass results from this week: resurgent Ostapenko, Kerber, Giorgi, and Querrey; plus Dasha, Petra, and Daniil 18:20 Halle, Birmingham, Queen's, Berlin -- Jabeur wins first title, is the first Arab woman to do a lot of things in tennis 26:55 Men's draw: it's Novak and then a big drop-off -- who else is a contender? 41:00 Women's draw - a lot more early-round intrigue, lots of question marks in the first quarter 46:50 Women's third quarter presents a huge opportunity for somebody 51:20 Yastremska's sexcuse worked! The suspension is over 54:30 PTPA has resurfaced with an executive director, new branding, and an advisory board 65:20 #Pride et ceteras: Carl Nassib; Love, Victor; women's 100m; and a story!
Jun 15, 2021 · 1 hr 2 min
Are Your Clay Sensations Nourished?
Are your clay sensations nourished? Ours certainly are NOT, but we hope to summon the requisite energies to bring you this French Open recap. Barbora Krejčíková and Novak Djokovic are your 2021 Roland Garros singles champions, both surprise winners in their own rights, but also two champions that make varying degrees of sense. Krejčíková became the fourth active WTA player to win Slams in all three disciplines (Venus, Serena, and Stosur), while Djokovic captured his 19th Slam title, a stone’s throw from Nadal and Federer’s record of 20. 01:20 Krejčíková beats Pavlyuchenkova for her first Slam singles title 05:45 Questionable (line) decisions, sportsmanship, and giving the benefit of the doubt 15:00 How did we get to this women’s final? 21:15 Rafole, hyperbole, and the context of that semifinal 33:35 Novak’s gonna Novak, and that Novak is on a higher plain 42:30 The grass season started *during* Roland Garros this year 44:30 Is coaching allowed during matches? If you’re a commentator who is also related to the player, yes 49:15 Taylor Townsend writes an illuminating piece for The Players’ Tribune