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
Explicit

Episodes300

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Jun 8, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Right In Front Of My Salad?
Has the 2021 French Open felt a bit . . . strange? Clouded? Cursed, even? (Yes) But aside from the weirdness floating above the tennis, we've actually got a fascinating lineup of quarterfinals in both the men's and women's draws. The men have more familiar faces, but the women's side sees the success of a bunch of great performers during this clay season, including several first-time Slam quarterfinalists and the defending champion. In the interest of efficiency, in this episode we wrap week one, talk about the prevalence of betting culture on Tennis Channel, the virtue of a good apology, and how The Good Place and Roland Garros intersected in a most humorous way. 03:15 Quarters are set on both draws: how did we get here? 06:10 Men's draw: a historic Slam for Italian men, Medvedev king of trolls, plus the usual suspects 13:55 Federer's withdrawal and Musetti's retirement -- honest to a fault 25:30 Women's draw: huge upsets; great stuff from Pavlyuchenkova, Gauff, Zidansek, Sakkari, and more 39:10 Et ceteras - betting is even more entrenched at Tennis Channel, Sizikova arrested for match fixing ... any irony there or nah 46:05 Rune proves that the cover-up -- err, non-apology -- is often worse than the crime. All this during Pride Month?! 54:20 Danielle Collins' great narrative arc and Jameela's valued tennis opinions
Jun 3, 2021 · 58 min
Does This Apply To Me?
Since our last episode, the conversation around Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from press conferences grew so loud that it led to an actual withdrawal: her decision to pull out of Roland Garros completely to preserve her mental well being. The past few days have presented so many important questions -- especially around mental health, mental strength and the "bootstraps" mentality, race, gender, and the role of the press in tennis -- that we felt it warranted another stand-alone episode. Let's leave the mess in WhatsApp and instead have a real conversation about what we can do better and why tennis' first reaction was punitive rather than empathetic. 0:30 Catching up on the events of the past few days: a media frenzy that culminated in Naomi's withdrawal from Roland Garros 12:05 Naomi's statement and the French Federation's response - how did we get here, and how can we do better? 17:30 "Press conferences are part of the job description" - well, since you mentioned tennis being a workplace ... 24:30 Should the Player's Councils and the PTPA be vocal about this? 28:45 Many reporters took Naomi's initial statement as a personal or professional attack -- where is the reflexivity? 38:40 The demand for a disclosure from Naomi - the act of "confession" 42:30 What has this situation taught us about how society and sport view mental health awareness? 50:30 The unavoidable question of race and gender, and how Black athletes are expected to entertain without complaint
May 29, 2021 · 1 hr 16 min
Pressed: Roland Garros Preview
Naomi Osaka is a paradigm shifter, regardless of whether you agree with her decisions. We spend a good chunk of our Roland Garros preview thinking through Naomi's decision to skip press and how it affords the sport an opportunity to rethink how it conducts journalism and creates news. Why did it inflame such impassioned responses? What does the press conference accomplish? What are the alternatives? Amidst all this, we have the year's second Grand Slam to preview, which will happen among the most "normal" conditions we've seen since the pandemic began. Rafa, Ash, and Iga are faves, but they're not the only ones with a fighting chance. 0:45 Naomi Osaka's bombshell: she won't be doing press conferences at Roland Garros 8:30 "It's part of the job" - but why? Is this an opportunity to rethink how tennis does journalism? 20:25 What we don't want to see: personal axe-grinding against "the press" in general 35:10 Some ideas on how to rethink tennis journalism 39:50 Roland Garros men's draw preview! 55:25 Women's draw: two clear favorites and a lot of great performers right behind them 64:15 Women's bottom half -- especially the fourth quarter -- is ripe for a dark horse breakthrough
May 19, 2021 · 1 hr 24 min
And What!!!
Nadal logged another decima, at Rome this time, which turned out to be one of the most exciting Masters tournaments in recent memory. While Nadal-Djokovic went the distance, Iga Swiatek dropped not even a game against Karolina Pliskova, The Unbothered. We chat about questions surrounding Sabalenka's views; Roger Federer's comments on the Zverev case and why it's emblematic of a much larger problem, or the system working as intended; and the latest intrigue from the ongoing Yastremska doping circus. 0:00 I can't control God. Talk to him. 2:10 Swiatek blanks 2019 winner Pliskova; Karolina gives a master class on being unbothered 9:35 Rain and retirements; plus Coco, Martic, Simona, and Ash 20:40 "Il Next Gen siamo noi" - Nadal/Djokovic #57 32:30 Sonego; Reilly's Venus Effect; these dangerous Rome courts -- this is what labour unions are for 41:40 Williamses in Parma, Federer in Geneva, and packed draws everywhere 48:45 Addressing the murmurs about Sabalenka's political allegiances 55:20 The Yastremska story gets even weirder .. and "riskier" 60:40 About those Federer comments on Z*erev ... we can and should expect more 73:05 Shapo drops 3 new songs! 76:30 Things we like/dislike - why is Jonathan coming for me?
May 12, 2021 · 1 hr 9 min
The Unattractive Inside Open
We're haters, fine, but Madrid is just not the tournament for us. We get an unappealing winner on the men's side but a first-time clay titlist in Aryna Sabalenka, peaking just in time for Roland Garros. Elsewhere, the ATP loosens -- nay, practically obliterates -- its bubble restrictions ahead of RG. In major coaching news, Sofia Kenin parts ways with her dad. And finally, James takes another quiz. Does he redeem his putrid performance from last week? You be the judge. 1:55 Madrid. It happens every year but we don't have to like it 4:40 The repeated failure of the ATP to say or do anything of substance on domestic violence (great at deleting Instagram comments though) 15:45 Aryna Sabalenka wins first clay title in Stuttgart rematch 21:55 And now we are in Rome: Djokovic and Serena return 32:50 The ATP bursts its bubble, vaccine or not! 38:25 American men's tennis declares its independence from the top 30; Pavs gives a revealing interview; short shorts are the moment 49:25 Kenin & Garcia split from their coach-dads 53:55 James takes another quiz!
Apr 28, 2021 · 1 hr 14 min
Nicely Plump
Struggling to keep up with all the tennis? So are we. Join us on this struggle bus episode where we go over the results since our last episode, leading up to Ash Barty and Rafa Nadal's wins this past week. If you haven't seen the Kasatkina interview/doc with sports.ru, it's truly a must-see tennis event. After we flog Fabio and Benoit, James takes a quiz where we end up flogging the U.S. men too. Hurrah. 2:30 Nadal wins 12th Barcelona crown, but it was far from guaranteed 5:30 Is Tsitsipas the ‘second favorite’ after Nadal? Don’t count out Djokovic 11:25 The Djokovic -- er, Serbia Open 19:55 Ash Barty makes it hard on her detractors 24:50 Monte Carlo: Rublev slays the giant and Tsitsipas breaks through 33:10 Madrid women’s draw 36:40 Kasatkina interview: Russian TV does not play! 42:10 Fabio, the boy who cried lupo; and French Federation to Benoit: we do not require your services, thank you 46:15 Other odds and ends: Yastremska update, Rena+Zina 50:50 James takes a rankings quiz! (This is much more fun than it sounds)
Apr 14, 2021 · 1 hr 10 min
It Stays Between Us, But ...
This episode is really two separate shows put together, but we trust there is something in it for everyone. In the first part, we recap the results of last week, again imploring more kindness towards tennis players who are going through it, while in the next breath calling for the heads of those who act a fool. We also touch on the news coming out of Monte Carlo and again question the Covid protocols under which tennis is currently being played, and what can be done about it. The second part of the episode deals with the continued push to litigate the participation of trans women and girls in sport and the undoubted harm it will cause to trans youth if enacted. We dive deep into the legal argument, how this relates to professional sports, and why we hope this particularly awful moment for trans kids forces a reckoning for our community. 4:35 Kudermetova wins her first career title in Charleston 7:00 Sloane lets us know the full 100 of what's been going on 13:10 Cagliari, Marbella, and Bógota 16:20 Medvedev tests positive for Covid in Monte Carlo and the fallout 22:05 Is a vaccine passport feasible for tennis right now? 28:15 Cornet's hilarity ahead of French Open news 31:30 The influx of anti-trans legislation and how it relates to tennis 41:15 Let’s talk about the Civil Rights Act Title VII & IX to be specific), Bostock v. Clayton County, and how the Women’s Sport Working Group seeks to influence legislation 54:30 The hypothetical ‘menace’ of trans women participating in sports
Apr 5, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
The Messiest Person You Know Is A Man
On court, tennis welcomed its first Polish Masters 1000 champ, Hubi Hurkacz; and the reigning #1 Ash Barty knocked down a slew of hardcourt contenders to defend her Miami crown. Off court (or on court if you're Pospisil), the contentious debate on player representation and tennis governance reared its head. What does the PTPA want? How is tennis' current governance structure an impediment to real change? Plus, we were treated to something we've all been waiting for, tennis players' misinformed opinions on vaccines! 1:20 Miami Nice: Barty defends Miami title. Now why is everyone still so pressed about the #1 ranking? 14:05 Andreescu is back and all eyes are on her 20:00 Hurkacz def. Sinner, becomes first Pole to win a Masters 1000 26:05 Vasek Pospisil melts down completely on court, threatens to sue ... so what the hell happened at this infamous ATP meeting? 30:30 Players demand a #playersvoice but they have one ... what are they going to do with it; the impasse caused by tennis' governing structure 43:55 Not another vaccine debate ... 53:20 The stopped clock principle and why sometimes you can cooperate with people you don't like 55:45 Odds and ends: most importantly, GEMS Life is back and they're getting MARRIED
Mar 17, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
A Journey Which I Didn't Enjoy Ultimately
Mari Osaka gives us our title this week, with her wonderfully straightforward retirement post that reminds us that we're allowed to stop doing things we don't enjoy. We're covering the tennis results strewn across four continents: Muguruza capitalizing on her huge momentum in 2021, Medvedev rising to #2, Fed's return, and some great runs by players considered to be doubles specialists. The odds and ends segment lets James go on about some of his favorite topics: tennis governance, the ATP's arcane and mysteriously enforced rules, collaboration between tennis orgs, and disqualifications. We finish up with a things we like/dislike segment with no dislikes! (Some love for Below Deck, Borgen, and Grammy performances) 0:30 An exercise in making a clean break 3:00 Persona non grata wins Doha, plus a refresher on how the ATP has refused to handle domestic violence; but in better news, Fed is back! 9:40 Bubble Life is just not for everybody 16:20 Garbi's imminent breakthrough is no longer imminent as she wins the Dubai 1000 25:30 The traveling Ryan Murphy acting troupe of women's tennis 27:20 Daniil wins Marseille; Tsonga is back; Stefanos somehow makes the Petros wild card debate even worse 31:25 Guadalajara (Sorribes Tormo!) and the Santiago Dove Men+Care Ivory Palmolive Dawn Dish Soap Open (dale, Cris!) 36:35 T7 Working Group - you know we love tennis governance news 40:55 Damir Dzumhur defaulted in Acapulco and it wasn't pretty 45:25 Odds and ends: AZ kvetches about rankings, Kim delays return again, the Murray family & Tay Townsend have babies! 52:40 Things we like! (No dislikes this week)
Mar 8, 2021 · 57 min
Can't Stop Won't Stop Don't Spit
Covid be damned, tennis has been around the world in February and March. We saw youngsters Clara Tauson and Juan Manuel Cerúndolo make unlikely title runs, Petra win her 28th, and Andrey Rublev snatch every ATP500 in sight. Come for the tennis, stay for our thoughts on rankings math, wild cards, the Kodak kit, and spitting during a pandemic. 1:45 Petra wins 28th(!) title, beating Garbiñe at Doha 7:55 Rotterdam: Ruby d. Fucsovics to win 4th consecutive 500 title; Kei (Sir Penguin) on the come-up; Meddy oh so close to #2 ranking 14:00 Andy Murray on retirement chatter: “Why would I stop?” 16:00 18-year-old Dane Clara Tauson announces herself at Lyon 21:20 Los hermanos Cerúndolo; Benoit Paire leaves his droplets and tanks 30:55 Odds and ends - starting with Djokovic’s rankings record 33:40 James tries to explain the AP Calculus-level rankings changes (ok, not really that complicated); what effects do these rankings adjustments have on players? 42:05 Wading into the wild card debate again 47:00 Kokkinakis opens up on mental health; Bernardes & Federer are back, Willis is out; Sorana Cirstea says remember the Alamo and forget your mask
Feb 22, 2021 · 1 hr 23 min
The Time Is Nao
The 2021 Australian Open is in the books! After months of speculation over whether the tournament would even happen, Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic are the last two players standing, holding old friends Daphne and Norman. We take you through the latter rounds of both singles draws before tackling a couple of the bigger issues for us this tournament: gambling taking over the tennis coverage and Hawkeye Live being force fed to us. If you’re still with us by this point, we run through a few odds and ends, from G.E.M.S. Life’s break to some of our fashion hits and misses! 2:00 Women’s final: Naomi d. Jenny(fer) Brady for Slam #4 15:00 Women’s quarters and semis: it’s a lot of commentator emotion for a perfectly legitimate medical timeout; Naomi d. Serena 27:30 Men’s final: Djokovic wins #18, beating Medvedev in a not-great final (well, great for Novak) 30:55 Men’s quarters and semis: Grigor, why??? Plus Tsitsipas gets another breakthrough, qualifier Karatsev makes the semis 36:00 The injury, the bizarre trophy presentation, the endless drama 42:45 Doubles! Mertens/Sabalenka win & take the #1 ranking; Krejcikova and Ram each make 2 finals 45:35 I got issues: Gambling and tennis media; Hawkeye Live - why are commentators 100% in the bag for it? 59:00 Odds and ends - Sofia’s appendectomy won’t get in her way 65:25 Alexis, T*riac, locals, and the S*ndgren show 74:45 Fashions: Nike finally does it! Beautiful gowns!
Feb 14, 2021 · 1 hr 16 min
I Love This S#@! I Love It
It's the midpoint of the 2021 Australian Open, and we're cooking with gas now. The early rounds were rough on the hard quarantiners, with Azarenka, Andreescu, Kerber, Stephens, and Sakkari all going out. Defending champ Sonia Kenin followed. But we've gotten some electrifying tennis along the way. We'll take you through the Thiem-Kyrgios classic and the nonstop Kyrgios discourse, Félix winning the battle of Canadians, Novak and Rafa's injury issues, and the boatload of riveting matchups on the women's side. No predictions here, just appreciation. 3:50 Women's top half - what the hell happened to Karolina Pliskova? 13:40 Kaia Kanepi wreaks her usual havoc, taking out defending champion Sofia Kenin 21:25 The hard quarantiners have a tough go if it 22:45 If you see Hsieh Su-Wei on the other side of the court, be afraid 31:30 The rest of the women's bottom half is on another level - fit and fighting Serena & Sabalenka, Mugu-Osaka match-up, Swiatek-Halep rematch 41:55 Djokovic d. Fritz - Taylor's carriage turns into a pumpkin, Novak's health a question 51:15 Dominic and Nick give us a classic - and the Kyrgios commentariat is back 60:40 Felix's fleet feet; welcome back, Thanasi 69:20 One bossy fan tries to give Rafa the hook
Feb 6, 2021 · 1 hr 28 min
Ogre-Alla-Ass-sim-Oh Forget It: AO Preview
Alright, y’all ready? After so much drama leading into the 2021 Australian Open -- from questions surrounding whether it should happen in the first place to the complaints from players about the conditions under which it was happening -- we’ve finally made it to St. Melbourne’s gate, ready for play to begin on Monday. This past week saw SIX tournaments strewn across Melbourne Park as players sought to get as much preparation as possible after breaking out of quarantine. We cover what’s happened in those events as of this recording, the reactions to play being halted on Friday as the players went back into quarantine for a day, and then finish with a look at how the draws unfolded. Wow, we didn’t even get to just how much of a MESS the draw ceremony was. Whew. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. 02:01 Recapping this weird week in warm-up tourneys 09:17 Assessing Venus’ game and what it’s like to be a Vee-liever 17:09 Is there a player you hate when they’re playing your fav? 19:13 Rena getting in formation? 23:35 We almost got a lockdown part 2; why you mad about a super tiebreak? 32:44 Encroaching upon a stadium near you: ATP Cup 36:28 Dayanavision part 37 41:41 A bit delayed but we offer our breakout picks for 2021! 46:10 Sifting through the ATP draws 58:50 The women’s draw is locked and LOADED
Jan 31, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Proceed With Caution
The 14-day quarantine has lifted . . . tennis players in Melbourne and Adelaide are leaving their rooms and playing in maskless stadiums, thanks to months of sacrifice by Australians and much politicking by Tennis Australia. Throughout the 2-week quarantine, the tone and level of complaining softened (for the most part), but it was not without intrigue. We chat about Novak Djokovic's list of requests to TA on behalf of quarantined players and why the universal roasting he received was, well -- maybe a little much? We're also talking about Nadal's comments on quarantine; the Adelaide exhibition; (grudgingly) the Margaret Court carousel; and what's next. 1:20 Checking back in on the quarantiners: fact-checker Artem Sitak; plus Badosa, Tomic & Vanessa, RBA 13:45 So . . . about Adelaide 18:10 Craig Tiley says the quiet part out loud & Rafa offers an imperfect but impassioned forest-for-the-trees perspective 24:00 Peter Bodo blasts Tiley for his "imperial ambitions" and the clear inequalities between the top players and the Melbourne quarantiners 29:05 Looking at Novak Djokovic's requests (suggestions? asks?) on behalf of the Melbourne players 36:35 Margaret Court's honor from the Australian government is met with vocal criticism -- is the tide turning? 40:45 Yastremska's appeal to ITF is denied - but the Court of Arbitration for Sport will hear her doping appeal right away! 44:00 Team8 and Zverev part ways; AZ gets softball interview with BILD; AZ's crisis PR manager (and former employee of BILD) acts out on Twitter again 47:05 Et ceteras: Twitter MVP Chanda Rubin clears a troll 52:35 Adelaide exhibition: Novak disappears and reappears, the Serena-Naomi kiki, and Thiem & Nadal hitting but not giggling 54:40 Actual tennis is starting, like now!
Jan 17, 2021 · 1 hr 16 min
Is It Worth It?
It remains to be seen if Tennis Australia's logistical balancing act to host the Australian Open will be worth it, but here we are. Amidst the tightest safety protocols yet, a nation grudgingly welcomes hundreds of tennis personnel into its borders, who promptly kvetch about the (free) food, the (free) accommodations, and the quarantine rules. Not all has changed, though: top players get special treatment and American men continue to embarrass us at home and across the globe. Buckle up: pandemic tennis enters year two, with (some) lessons learned. 4:00 Tennis Australia launches vast logistical plan in action - Tennys Sandgren tries to undermine it in about five minutes 11:15 Players begin to arrive in Melbourne on chartered flights, two flights must isolate for 14 days, complaints ensue 25:35 Here is a picture of my terrible food, in my free hotel, during my free trip, during a pandemic, in which I will earn a minimum of $100,000 even if I lose 29:05 The actual legitimate complaint: the potential inequity between the elite players in Adelaide and the rest in Melbourne 34:50 Notable qualifiers 42:35 Tennis results already: Sabalenka is on 15-match win streak; Hurkacz wins Delray Beach but is overshadowed by anti-mask grandstanding 53:30 Dayana Yastremska provisionally banned for an anabolic steroid. Ma'am, give us a week off from the drama? 61:20 Sam Querrey has resurfaced! 67:15 Another person who craves attention - Ion Tiriac (and tennis' continued failure to stand up to misogyny and racism)
Jan 9, 2021 · 1 hr 38 min
Finding Stefanie
To open our 7th season, we dive into the career of Stefanie Maria Graf, one of the game's most decorated champions and still, somehow, one of its most elusive. Graf's staggering achievements -- beyond the iconic Golden Slam -- are in some ways poorly understood and lost to recent history, likely because she has so determinedly removed herself from the tennis world. Instead of seeing her just as Monica's rival or the goalpost to pass for Grand Slam glory, we look to understand Graf's career as it was, in its own time. What didn't we get about Steffi Graf? What about her game made her the best? Who were her important rivals outside of Monica? What was the state of women's tennis when she arrived, and how did she leave it? What's clear: Steffi was a whole lot more than just "German precision." 0:25 Intro and taking aim at the myths and misunderstandings 10:30 So, about those career stats . . . 13:00 Graf as child prodigy - staggering early seasons in 1985-87 18:15 What was the WTA like when Steffi arrived? The Chrissie-Martina duopoly, burnt out child stars, the next Czech generation 23:20 Gaby and Steffi: "glamour" vs "automation" 29:35 Steffi's peerless game: how was her dominance perceived in its day? (1988-89) 36:50 Becker, Graf, German identity, and the question of patriotism: let's talk about history for a minute 48:00 Peter Graf, a dominating and difficult father, but at times a "shield" 53:05 Monica Seles asks the question again and again, and Monica's removal from the game asks even more 65:00 The rest of the 1990s: more Slams, myriad injuries, and the humiliation of a private life becoming tabloid fodder 73:05 What is Steffi's legacy as a player, and as a member of the once highly political WTA? 79:55 Rivalries: Gaby is the dark horse 82:52 Steffi's iconic matches -- too many to mention, but here are a few
Dec 11, 2020 · 1 hr 16 min
The Ending of That Was Iffy: 2020 ATP Wrap
Episode 215 is our season 6 finale and the ATP companion piece to our WTA Wrap. In this episode, we spend some time discussing the on-court highlights, like Djokovic's stellar start, Nadal's 20th Slam, and Thiem's US Open crowning. But, the pandemic threw tennis for a loop; while women players went mostly quiet, several men engaged in bizarre and selfish behavior, peddling conspiracy theories, spreading pseudoscience, and flouting safety protocols and plain common sense. This year, the off-court noise demands as complete a retelling as the tennis itself. All that and James takes a quiz on the ATP season! Thanks for joining us for a sixth season of The Body Serve, and take care of yourselves. 01:30 James takes a quiz on the ATP 2020 season 12:19 The ATP Cup? Remember that? James is still not a fan 18:27 Revisiting the Djokovic default at the USO 24:47 That USO final and comparing it to Novotna’s ‘98 Wimbledon 27:41 Nadal achieves yet more history at Roland Garros 32:00 What else stood out to us inside the lines this year? 35:35 The Zverev family has A LOT of curious things to say 43:32 Djokovic kicks off the 2020 covidiocy 47:32 Thiem dodges Covid-19 while traipsing all over the globe 56:35 We’ve got to stop treating grown men as stuffed animals 65:08 An update on Bernard Tomic’s fingers 67:15 Keeping ourselves honest: revisiting our breakout picks for 2020 70:19 A reflection on what we did this year and crowdfunding the show
Dec 6, 2020 · 1 hr 14 min
Smile Because It's Over: 2020 WTA Wrap
It's now a cliché to say that the events of 2020 are unprecedented, and that we feel unstuck from time itself, but early 2020 does seem of a different era. After a packed January and February, which saw a new Slam winner and two high-profile retirements, the COVID-19 pandemic threw our lives (and the tennis season) into disarray. How tennis responded tells us a lot about the sport: at times remarkably agile and resilient, and at other times inequitable, clunky, and slow. Some players shone on the court, others took the year off, and at the end of the year, there's merit in simply getting through. 4:30 January: Tennis' reaction to the Australian wildfires offers a glimpse at the sport's inequities and its inconsistent reactions to a crisis -- who suffers? 11:30 Also in January: Pliskova wins Brisbane, Asia Muhammad kicks off one of the few feel-good stories of 2020, Sofia Kenin stuns the Australian field 18:55 A scattered February, as usual: Kim's comeback, Rybakina's great start, Sharapova retirement 27:15 March changes everything - Indian Wells the first domino to fall 31:30 What was the WTA up to during the pandemic break? 42:40 Women's tennis returns in August: Brady and Azarenka break out 46:50 US Open goes forward in a sort-of-bubble: Osaka's win seemed fated 51:20 Roland Garros follows 3 weeks later and gets a shocking winner 57:25 October & November . . . not much happening 60:40 WTA unveils a huge rebrand, reclassifies tournaments and debuts new logo 69:10 Keeping ourselves honest: how were our predictions for 2020?
Nov 27, 2020 · 1 hr 12 min
sTaY sTrOnG, guys
Since we last came to you, Daniil Medvedev continued his impressive end-of-season run to capture the ATP Finals in London. We take you through the paces of the final hosting of that event at the O2 Arena. After recapping the actual tennis on court, we pick up where we left off last episode with Alexander Zverev and the domestic assault allegations made against him. This time we’ve got an actual response (or lack thereof) from the ATP, a further statement from Zverev himself, and another misstep from Novak Djokovic. Have you been wondering what Bernard Tomic has been up to? Well, we’ve got answers! 01:29 Medvedev bookends Davydenko’s opening win at the O2 Arena 07:03 Dominic Thiem falls short in London, but he is all the way THERE 14:31 James’ optimism that this would have been Rafa’s year 19:05 Sabalenka, like Medvedev, doubles up to end the WTA season 21:31 The latest, ever changing developments with the 2021 Australian Open 29:44 Vasek Pospisil and Novak Djokovic resurface with the PTPA 40:00 Wading back into the Zverev waters 54:54 sTaY sTrOnG, guys 58:29 Gimelstob resurfaces with a little help from his friends 64:19 Bernard Tomic is up to what? A SCAM!
Nov 13, 2020 · 53 min
The Sound of the ATP's Silence
We're delving into the serious allegations of domestic abuse against Alexander Zverev. Many in tennis -- including Sascha himself -- are invested in painting this as Zverev "overcoming adversity" on his way to growing up, diminishing and erasing Olya Sharypova's story. The ATP has failed to send a clear message; indeed, they have not sent any message at all. We ask: why is tennis so inept at handling situations like this? Why hasn't the ATP followed the NFL and developed a robust domestic violence policy? What happens when we as a community treat intimate partner violence as a private matter? 01:12 Where this story begins 09:32 Why do we believe women? 16:08 Zverev's glib, narcissistic response to the allegations 21:59 The appalling social media fails from big tennis orgs 29:10 The ATP's deliberate failure to meet the moment 42:40 For example: where is your internal investigation?! 46:06 Zverev's management, Team 8, asleep at the wheel