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

Newest first

Jan 31, 2023 · 1 hr 29 min
Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss: Aus Open Wrap
On the 14th day since the Australian Open started, we rested while Novak wept. The victimhood tour is complete, Jonathan is annoyed, and we pay it as much (or as little) attention as we can muster. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka did THAT. Wow, what a moment. From her grit, skill, and determination on court, to her goofy glamour the following day, we put some respect on that incredible women's final! Other matters of business: lots of geopolitical tensions boil over, the Djokovic pater creates yet more headache for his son, Tursunov comes for Pam, the ballkids work for free, and Babs and Kat simply don’t lose Slam matches anymore. 3:00 Sabalenka & Rybakina give us an insta-classic 16:15 The men: so …… anyway 23:45 The bweh tragedy; and Shelton’s upside and areas for improvement 31:15 Doubles: Krejcikova/Siniakova haven’t lost a Slam match since 2021; Sania plays her final Slam 35:10 Et ceteras: so, nationalism eh? 43:05 Papa Djokovic ignites a flag scandal 52:05 Pam’s tweet brings Tursunov out of the woodwork, why? 63:55 Is it work? Pay the ballkids 67:45 Tiafoe wins best dressed by a mile 72:00 ESPN keeps its team Stateside 74:30 Punting the Kosmos mess but staying for the strawberry jam 77:15 Extras: rankings movers, TBS fantasy, and a disclaimer
Jan 24, 2023 · 1 hr 22 min
That’s Not The Rule, Kerrilyn
Welcome to the third installment of our Australian Open series! We're at the quarterfinals, and the men's draw is giving chaos while the women's seems kind of … correct? We talk about Djokovic's mini-battle with the press and overall less than sunny mood, the state of safeguarding against abuse on the WTA, and another induction into our Hall of Fame. Finally, we offer our review of episodes 4 & 5 of Break Point (much improved!) and our favorite segment, Alison Riske-Amritraj's vociferous defense of the rules. 0:00 Don’t skip the intro this time 3:50 The women’s quarters - being able to appreciate tennis as more non-partisan than ever 15:00 Azarenka captures magic again, Sabalenka fixes her f***ing serve 20:55 The men’s draw has been a touch chaotic, no? 24:25 Novak Djokovic’s resentment tour 32:40 Korda, Shelton, Ruby, Rune 42:20 The PTPA’s nothing salads 45:40 That's Not The Rule, Kerrilyn 54:15 Sabalenka gets inducted into the TBS HOF 55:00 Recapping Break Point 4 and 5 - some depth and more real insights than the previous installments 63:50 Continuing to look at the effort to curb abuse and exploitation of women on the WTA Tour 70:35 The charges against Tsitsipas and why they don’t stick
Jan 20, 2023 · 1 hr 9 min
The Bushbirds Are Sh*tting
Hey there, just popping in to offer some thoughts on the first few days of the 2023 Australian Open and the first three episodes of Netflix’s tennis docuseries Break Point! We talk about a few standouts from a pretty rocky and wet week one (don’t be offended if we missed your fave, it’s not comprehensive); we discuss the Netflix Curse chatter that seems to be dooming 8 of the 10 featured players; and we think about some fascinating press conference moments from Taylor Townsend, Rafael Nadal and, in a rather different way, Camila Giorgi. 2:50 The Netflix Curse or the Netflix picking the wrong players syndrome? 5:10 Standouts in the first few days: Parrizas Diaz, Volynets, Brooksby, Shelton 11:00 Let me complain for a minute: the AO app is not good; and the rain highlights tennis’ built-in inequities 14:20 Andrew Murray plays for 10.5 hours over two matches 17:10 TBS Hall of Fame gets two new inductees! 21:35 Rafa leaves Australia with a new injury, smashes a cliche about athlete ‘sacrifice’ 32:05 Taylor Townsend shines in doubles, gets real about tennis finances 34:25 Camila Giorgi faces the music about alleged vaccine fraud and blissfully exists on her own planet 40:25 Novak: hamstring, hamstrung 42:25 Recommendation for tennis from James’ parents, only one of whom watches tennis 47:00 Discussing Break Point - who is it for, what’s it meant to accomplish, and does it do that? 51:20 The tennis brat / bad boy trying to reform -- it’s not giving us anything new 55:35 Go to the business center
Jan 13, 2023 · 1 hr 27 min
Pregnant With Possibilities: Australian Open Preview
The first Slam of the year doesn't give us many weeks of tennis to form opinions, but it's delivered on story lines, with one taking the cake: Naomi Osaka -- having already withdrawn from the Australian Open -- announced she's pregnant and will miss the 2023 season. This barely a week after defending champ Ash Barty announced her own pregnancy. Tournament director Craig Tiley is up to his usual hijinks, this year banning booing, rolling out NFTs in an inhospitable market, and extracting surplus labour from what used to be free (player practices). All that plus draw analysis, January standouts, PTPA news, a complete diversion on our take on Rolling Stone's greatest singers list. Ready? 2:30 Naomi Osaka is missing the Australian Open, yes … but why, pray? 10:50 What kind of mess will Craig get into this year? Well, funny you should ask 16:00 Booing Novak Djokovic is illegal. Is this a real thing? 19:50 Scamming scammers: extracting surplus value from player practices plus the AO NFT gallery 29:10 The PTPA announces an executive committee 33:50 Who’s standing out in the first two weeks of 2023? Peggy, Sabs, Linda, Novak, Taylor, Cam 44:50 Carlos Alcaraz misses the Australian Open but gets an international Calvin Klein underwear spread 49:50 Women’s draw analysis 60:55 Men’s draw analysis 71:35 Our greatest singers - fie, Rolling Stone!
Jan 6, 2023 · 1 hr 17 min
A Positive Start
Welcome to The Body Serve 9! We're recovering from our first-ever bout with COVID but tennis never stops and the show must go on. We offer some things to look out for in 2023 -- a true rival to Iga? A few more Big 4 retirements? -- and share some of our (and your) hopes and dreams for the upcoming season. We also catch up with the tennis news cycle, including the latest Camila Giorgi controversy, Simona's doping suspension, Venus' return, and the debut of United Cup. 00:28 Season NINE: Housekeeping & #NameTheTennisPlayer 07:25 Things to look out for this season (The Giorgi Syndicate) 18:53 Nepo babies & the sprawling United Cup 29:53 Queen Vee is BACK and looking evergreen 35:07 Wading into the homosexual waters 45:47 James is definitely going to reach his breaking point this season 51:52 Boris is back and updates on the Simona sitch 54:59 Breakout candidates for the 2023 season 60:35 Our hopes and wishes for the 2023 season
Dec 16, 2022 · 2 hr 6 min
How Did We Get Here? TBS Culture Edition
To cap off our 8th season and tide you over until 2023, we’re bringing you the rare TBS culture episode. No tennis talk whatsoever -- we even had a few tennis-related items on the agenda which we deleted. We’ve got: an hour of TV talk including spoilers for The White Lotus and a few lightning-round rants; thoughts on “queerbaiting” and Kit Connor’s forced coming-out; Mariah Christmas concert review; and takes on blackfishing, digital minstrelsy, T Swift, and more! 5:55 Spoilers ahead for The White Lotus, one of the few remaining watercooler shows 15:45 MVPs Aubrey Plaza & Meghann Fahy 20:50 Siamo tutti gay! 27:30 Is the Golden Age of Television over? It’s ok if it is, all things must pass 31:50 Some shows we enjoyed: Mo, Industry, Better Things, Heartstopper, Somebody Somewhere, The Bear, P-Valley, and more 53:25 Each of us do a mini-rant about TV 01:02:00 Heartstopper and the extratextual: Kit Connor comes out after the fandom accuses him of queerbaiting 01:10:20 David Archuleta from American Idol comes out 01:15:15 So what happened with Bros? 01:20:55 Recapping Mariah’s Christmas concerts in Toronto! 01:30:30 We need to talk about Taylor Swift (without losing half of our listeners) 01:40:00 Miss Patti has still got it at 78 01:44:30 Terrible news about Celine Dion’s health 01:47:00 Kardashian-Jenner hegemony: when will it end? 01:57:30 Asking each other a tough and a not-so-tough question
Dec 1, 2022 · 1 hr 26 min
The Merchants of Menace: 2022 ATP Wrap
It’s time to wrap up the 2022 ATP season, and we’re treating the guys with a healthy (and earned!) dose of suspicion, starting with a rundown of the most badly behaved children of the year. But it’s not all bad - we also cover Rafa’s personal-best start to the season, Carlos’ rise, Novak’s disappearing and reappearing acts, Felix fixing his finals bugaboo, Holger’s Paris breakdown and later his Paris Masters title, and Roger’s retirement. And since tennis news will stop for no one, we had to recap Canada’s historic win at Davis Cup and the implosion of Team USA. 0:00 Cold Open Men behaving badly 4:25 Starting with the worst: That Guy 9:20 The Nick Kyrgios redemption nightmare 13:50 Craig! What the hell, dude?! 18:00 Jaaa-gate, Moutet, poop shorts, and Shapo gets scolded by Daddy 25:55 Davis Cup: USA cancels themselves, does the work for us 31:20 The Verdasco ban and Reilly’s basement tweeting Notable Moments 40:30 Djokovic removed from Australia + Rafa wins a very memorable Australian final 48:35 Carlos Alcaraz breaks out in March; Rafa’s injuries start and never end; weird Wimbledon 57:20 US Open was our first major (and Carlos’ too)! 61:30 Laver Cup, frat behavior, G***k y*g*rt, Federer retirement 65:30 Other retirements: Del Potro, Tsonga, Anderson, and many more 68:55 Three other players we need to mention: Feliz, Casper, Holger 79:25 How’d we do on our choices for breakout players of 2022?
Nov 22, 2022 · 1 hr 37 min
The Inroads (and Outroads?) of the 2022 WTA Season
The 2022 WTA season had everything: a 37-match win streak, the retirements of the current #1 (abrupt) and the GOAT (expected), a Wimbledon with no ranking points, and a major drug suspension. Iga Swiatek’s dominance didn’t leave much room for her competitors, but other highlights included Ons Jabeur’s steady rise to world #2 and two Slam runner-up finishes, Caroline Garcia’s singles renaissance and WTA Finals title, and utter doubles dominance from Krejcikova/Siniakova. We’ve also got some juicy listener-generated “things you loved/hated” content and the kind of typically bizarre moments that keep us coming back every year. Plus, we’ve just launched our GoFundMe - please read a bit about we do and donate if you can! 0:30 Announcing our GoFundMe 2022 and reiterating our mission 6:05 Three key moments: Ash’s Australian win + retirement, Iga’s win streak, and Serena’s evolution 11:00 The other major stories: the instability at the top for everyone but Iga, Simona Halep’s remarkably odd year, and the total breakdown of COVID protocols 18:40 Starting the year with Barty as the undisputed #1 25:20 Ash’s retirement coincides with the start of Iga’s 37-match win streak 34:45 Grass season: Serena dominates the conversation from Eastbourne to the US Open; Rybakina wins the points-less Wimbledon 42:00 Summer hardcourt stretch: our own return to live tennis; Halep & Garcia grab titles but Swiatek restores order in New York 54:55 Discussing the WTA year-end award nominees 60:45 Our own picks for 2022 breakout players - how’d we do? 63:25 Remember when? A broken necklace, a broken doubles team, and Ostapenko's ... everything 72:45 Things you loved about WTA tennis in 2022 81:50 Things you loathed in 2022: no points at Wimbledon, no more business buns 85:55 The WTA’s finances: Hologic sponsorship and a potential deal with private equity
Nov 10, 2022 · 1 hr 5 min
Muchas Garcías
The WTA regular season comes to a close with comeback kid Caroline Garcia grabbing her biggest career title, dispatching Iga-vanquisher Aryna Sabalenka in a boom-boom final. We discuss the last-minute nature of the event and the tough financial and ethical positions the WTA continues to occupy in light of the China situation. On the men’s side, Holger Rune caps a momentous autumn swing that brings him from #33 to the brink of the ATP Finals, but not without a lecture from daddy. Elsewhere in bad behavior, the FFT disowns Moutet, Reilly earns lifelong haters, and Kyrgios settles a silly (disclaimer: this is James’ opinion; please don’t sue) defamation suit. 0:45 Garcia’s Finals title and Sabalenka’s upset of #1 Swiatek add unexpected layers to this WTA season 8:35 Some props for Sakkari, Kasatkina, and doubles champ and singles-almost-made-it Kudermetova 17:30 Lots of commentary about attendance and the choice of venue – what the WTA has been up against vs. what is of their own making 28:55 Holger beats Djokovic, ends Felix’s win streak, and becomes first alternate for Torino 33:30 Magic potions and goofy huddles; it’s not actually a ‘thing’ but it’s no surprise that people think it’s a thing! 39:00 WTA CEO Steve Simon’s strange and conflict-heavy statements on the ongoing Halep doping situation 41:10 James’ tormentor Gilles Simon finally retires 47:45 Et ceteras: Moutet loses the bag; WTA institutes coaching program to attract and develop female coaches; safeguarding against abuse in tennis 57:00 Reilly thinks telling people to vote is cringe and that tennis used to be free of politics … ok hun 63:50 The biggest merch sale of the year: The Body Serve’s RedBubble Store
Nov 1, 2022 · 58 min
Félix Aviation Administration
Canadian King Félix Auger-Aliassime. As Rihanna said, let’s start there. Félix has turned around his final-round performances to the tune of three straight titles, beating world #1 Alcaraz twice in the past few weeks. Elsewhere, in Texaaaas, the world’s best women have a blast dressing up but will soon look to take on the dominant force of Iga Swiatek at the WTA Finals. We’re also covering Rune’s on-court and online hissy fits, previewing Paris and the ATP Final scenarios, and getting the Iga starfish case off the docket to make room for worse offenders. 01:45 Félix with 13 straight wins! Momentum is a hell of a drug 06:15 Holger’s temper tantrum(s) 14:00 Medvedev steadies the ship in Vienna, Shapo on a consistent run 16:00 ATP Finals qualifications: Wimbledon is the tournament that is and isn’t 23:30 The WTA women dress up and have a blast … stop with the amateur fashion critiques unless you’re being nice! 29:25 James takes a shot at WTA social media marketing and Jonathan is way more fair 35:50 Is anyone beating Iga? 41:00 United Cup, what’s it all about? 47:00 Case dismissed: Iga addressed the handwaving and yes, we must move on 49:00 Coaching carousel: Garcia’s coach splits with literary flair and Stan & Magnus are back together 52:20 What’s next for TBS
Oct 25, 2022 · 1 hr 4 min
The October Surprise
Just when we thought we could go away for a spell without anything crazy happening, the ghost of an ugly hotel carpet threw things into disarray with Simona Halep testing positive for a banned substance. We begin the episode by wading through these doping waters, before catching up on the 7,000 tournaments since we last dropped an episode. Just take a look at the timestamps for the remainder of the docket: a lot of MESS before we finish with a salute to two all-timers who left an indelible mark on this fraught world we live in 01:55 Simona Halep tests positive for a banned substance 17:44 Catching up on the results 23:36 When are the authorities going to arrest Belinda Bencic? 28:45 WTA Finals qualifiers and James’ obsession with the Napoli mess 36:40 An update on one of the handful of ATP players accused of domestic violence 38:16 Coaching carousel: Tursunov’s self-serving MESS 44:10 Does pickleball want the sloppy seconds of tennis? 52:12 TENNIS BABIES!!! 55:00 Our top three Mariah studio albums 58:24 In memoriam: Queer icons Dame Angela Lansbury & Leslie Jordan
Oct 11, 2022 · 49 min
25 Languages But Is Arabic One?
This is a hodgepodge episode, catching up with the recent tournament results across four continents, including Tunisia’s first WTA event, Djokovic’s clearing of the Next and CurrentGen, and Tiafoe’s continuing run of good form. We spend a good amount of time on Ostrava - the destined-to-be-a-classic final, Iga’s status as an activist #1, and Krejcikova’s return as a top singles player. All that plus some news about the Kyrgios case, WTA Final qualification scenarios, and a WTA coming-out (Happy National Coming Out Day!). 1:00 So who’s been winning all these tournaments around the world? 5:45 Novak clobbers an incredibly stacked ATP 500 draw 10:35 Fritz wins Tokyo, he and Tiafoe reach career high rankings 15:45 Thanks to Ons Jabeur and IMG, WTA tennis comes to Tunisia! 19:35 Ostrava has become a real autumn highlight - Krejcikova and Swiatek deliver a classic 25:40 Why do some see Iga as the complainer-in-chief? 33:30 Kiki Mladenovic knows her brand! 35:25 Kyrgios’ lawyers will ask his case to be dismissed on mental health grounds 40:35 Et ceteras: RaducanuOUT, Podoroska *out*, tour finals qualification
Oct 2, 2022 · 1 hr 24 min
Question: Tell Me What You Think About ...
Thanks to you, our listeners, we’re back with a special mailbag episode, answering your questions about any and everything. You asked about tennis, of course – lots of questions lingering from Laver Cup and Roger’s retirement, and about the states of various players’ games on the women’s tour – but you also allowed us to be self-indulgent and talk about what we’re watching and listening to, our favorite breads and cheeses (a new one!), and our nerdiest qualities. 1:40 Rapid-fire from @SamsBiceps: Federer matches, Beyonce, desserts, and Oscar best actress predix 13:50 Daria Saville’s IG post after her injury: interesting insight or just too much honesty? 18:15 What’s up with Naomi? Will she be back in form next year? 24:00 Dream WTA Team World - Team Europe lineups (and we added thoughts about what a dream Laver Cup should set out to accomplish 32:15 What are we watching/listening to/reading lately? It’s been a great year for horror fans 41:35 Pair any five tennis players with a Mariah track, which would then be their theme song (hey, Grigor) 46:25 Us as commentators: what’s our green room rider? How will you diplomatically call out your colleagues for bad takes? 53:15 What is the nerdiest non-tennis thing about each of us? Well, there’s a lot 59:10 If one of the Big 3 never played tennis, how many majors would the other two have won? 65:00 Our favorite breads and cheeses! Amazing question! 69:20 An FMK from our most reliable contributor 71:40 What is happening with Garbine? And some thoughts on a coach’s role 78:45 Our own tennis playing styles
Sep 27, 2022 · 1 hr 7 min
It Doesn’t Even Matter
And just like that, another GOAT says goodbye. This time, it’s Roger Federer at Laver Cup, giving tennis and his fans one last glimpse at his greatness. Confession: we haven’t always been the biggest FedFans, but we’re still paying respect to the man and his genius, offering some of our most enduring Federer memories. Along the way, we chime in on Laver Cup itself, the tender Fedal moments, where the event worked, and where it falls short for us. ‘Til next time, Roger! 0:30 Federer retires: regret over letting stan wars cloud our appreciation 14:35 Federer’s imperial period: if you know, you know 17:05 Our favorite Roger memories 21:10 A non-recap of Laver Cup 29:40 The racist abuse leveled at Frances Tiafoe; fans now trying to find their next prop to prove they’re not racist 37:40 The touching retirement punctuated by truly absurdist theatre 41:20 Rafa & Roger’s unique and genuine bond - men showing affection! 52:20 Big Three or Big Four? Yes, we want to go there, just for a minute 55:10 What exactly is Federer’s legacy? What did he bring to tennis that no one had before? (thanks @seasaltandrum for the question!)
Sep 13, 2022 · 1 hr 18 min
Barely Bleating: US Open Wrap
The final Slam of the season sees Iga Swiatek troubleshoot and learn now to extend her dominance, and the coronation of the (not very) long awaited Carlos Alcaraz as a major winner and youngest male #1 in history. As always, we try to be skeptical of hype and take a fresh look at the results and what they might mean for the near future. Also at this US Open: the shambolic choice to have Supreme Court Justice Patrick McEnroe helm the women's doubles presentation, profiteering off Serena's name, and more awful revelations about sexual abuse in women’s tennis. 2:30 Iga Swiatek doesn’t always play her best but proves why she’s the dominant #1 14:40 The women’s draw gets a wonderful crop of quarterfinalists, representative of many of the year’s best 21:45 Are we in the Iga Era? How do we define a deserving number one? What do we want from women's tennis? Who cares! Sit back and watch 24:35 Men’s champ: from barely bleating to curry-ready 35:10 Frances Tiafoe! Not to say I told you so but … 42:50 Listen to Jonathan stretch a subordinate clause far past its breaking point 44:55 Women’s doubles: Krejcikova/Siniakova win the Career Slam; plus, the massive insult of Patrick McEnroe presiding over this trophy ceremony 56:10 TW: SA - Fiona Ferro’s case against her former coach puts another spotlight on abuse and exploitation in women’s tennis 60:55 Et ceteras: bootleg Serena merch, the too-late night matches, and the partisan but only partially engaged US Open crowd 69:25 WTA Finals is moving to … Texas? 73:11 Randomly, our favorite and least favorite types of pasta
Sep 5, 2022 · 1 hr 31 min
Very Good, Serena Williams: US Open Week One
Well folks, that was quite the first week of the US Open, wasn't it? Jonathan is back from his trip to Flushing Meadows, and we are back to talk about Serena's last dance (or at least our first stab at it). There's a lot to unpack from the first week of the season's last major, so grab a honey deuce and join us for the ride. 2:35 Serena d. Kontaveit 12:00 The Farewell: Serena bows out to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round 26:10 Jonathan’s observations from the US Open: Venus, Danielle, The Penko Experience 43:00 Thoughts on Arthur Ashe Stadium 54:40 Indulge me for a moment: the sound mix and off-court coaching 64:45 Commentary, a lifetime appointment? 69:20 Quickly running through where we’re at in the draw: women’s round of 16 is stacked 81:35 Rafa’s first week: nerves and a shocking smack in the nose
Aug 26, 2022 · 1 hr
Looks Like We Made It: US Open Preview
We're piecing together a preview for the US Open on precarious hotel wifi, but the show must go on! After all, this is Serena's final Slam. Jonathan is in NY taking in the action, while James holds down the TBS fort (i.e. Vince) in Toronto. Hear Jonathan's initial thoughts on TBS’s first trip to a Slam, plus we're talking about Novak’s eleventh hour withdrawal, this year’s version of the bathroom break distraction, and of course the just released US Open draws, seemingly some of the most balanced draws in recent memory. 01:05 Jonathan's initial thoughts on Flushing Meadows and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center 12:25 To no one’s surprise the entry requirements did not change and Novak Djokovic pulls out of the US Open at the last minute 20:00 Kyrgios legal update plus a perfect distraction, a ridiculous defamation suit 27:30 WTA draw: hey, it could have been a lot worse 30:30 Women’s top half: cracking first rounds, including Queenwen vs. Ostapenko and Raducanu vs. Consecutive Slam Queen Cornet 42:00 Women’s bottom half: Madison gets a tough road early on; Serena’s fourth quarter … what to make of it 48:30 Men’s draw: a historic #1 seed leads a wide open draw
Aug 23, 2022 · 1 hr 14 min
No Qualifier Needed
Cincinnati lost its stars early but still brought us a wickedly good weekend, with comeback kids Borna Coric and Caroline Garcia taking the titles. We talk new shoulder (Borna), new confidence (Caro), new professionalism (Stef?), and the resurgent Petra and Madison. We take a stab at the ball controversy and how it speaks to a larger battle in tennis governance. The second part of this episode features an interview with author and illustrator Tom Humberstone, whose gorgeous graphic novel Suzanne hits bookstores in September. Suzanne Lenglen was one of the very first sporting superstars; Tom tells Suzanne’s story with specificity, avoiding comparisons with today’s greats, exploring what made her so compelling and how the well worn cliches about her fail to do justice to her life and accomplishments. 3:30 OG NextGen kid Borna Coric is back in the conversation, wins Cincinnati with his new serve (and new shoulder) 14:30 Iga, Ons, Serena out early? No problem - Petra, Caro, and Madison are getting butts in seats 21:20 Tennis ball controversy: Iga Swiatek vs. Wilson Regular Duty 27:00 Whom does it serve to tweet about someone skipping a press conference? (Check the replies, that’s who) 30:05 Jonathan’s preferred Serena match-up and Vika’s slightly anticlimactic announcement 35:10 Interview with Tom Humberstone, author of Suzanne and Body Serve illustrator! 47:45 Translating the unique visual spectacle of Lenglen to the page 55:15 How to balance “legacy” while honoring a person’s specific life experiences 59:20 Lenglen forced the skeptical press to respect women’s sport
Aug 16, 2022 · 1 hr 11 min
In The 6ix
We’re back after attending our first live tennis in THREE YEARS! Wow, what a moment. A moment most pleasing to us in our podcasting careers. The happy feelings didn’t last long as we had to grapple with the end of Serena’s career when she announced her imminent retirement at the US Open. We also chat about Simona and PCB’s wins in Canada before sharing a few of our observations from seeing the women in person last week. Buckle up folks, it’s going to be a hell of a ride the next few weeks 01:53 Serena rocks our world with news of her impending retirement 10:52 The relief, the joy, and the pain of grappling with this announcement 15:16 Simona Halep fightergirls herself to the Toronto title 17:33 The pusher discourse has gotten way out of control 20:32 Putting some respect on Haddad Maia and Zheng Qinwen’s names 23:45 PCB wins his biggest career title in Montreal 32:53 Observations: Watching Serena live in Toronto 36:36 Sloane’s defence, Kenin’s comeback, and endless deuces 44:32 Loving Bianca off the court and struggling with the mess on it 49:44 Why is it always MEN who are super loud and clueless at tennis? 58:19 Let serves and Giorgi/Ostapenko live lasers
Aug 5, 2022 · 1 hr 14 min
Summer Renaissance: Hardcourt Preview
The unbearable August heat and humidity means it’s time for the North American hardcourt swing, for a brief magical period known as the US Open Series. Instead of a typical recap, we decided to present a summer hardcourt preview to mark this distinct segment of the season. Who are the old reliables on this surface? Will Medvedev extend his mastery over these courts? Will Iga add some more titles to that expanding hardcourt resume? What will Venus and Serena’s matches look like? Will Djokovic become a wedge issue in the midterms? (No.) Plus a snapshot of our favorite moments from Beyonce’s stunner, Renaissance. 2:55 What are the main storylines going into the greatest rrrrroad trip in esport? 11:20 DC: Serena descends upon the capital, creates confusion 16:55 Venus’ first match since last August - what’s the takeaway? 25:35 Hardcourt preview: the comebacks, reboots, redos, and those with something to prove 35:25 The hardcourt stalwarts of the past few years, women first: Naomi, Iga, Vika, Aryna, and more 41:20 The hardcourt “kings” and we use the term loosely 45:20 Novak Djokovic and US Republican members of Congress: with their powers combined … 52:35 Medvedev and the race for the men’s #1 54:05 Raducanu’s choice of coach riles the British press 58:35 Our upcoming tennis plans 62:35 Beyonce’s Renaissance - a postmodern tour of Black dance music and reveling in the face of a plague