Beyond The Baseline: SI's Tennis Podcast with Jon Wertheim - podcast cover

Beyond The Baseline: SI's Tennis Podcast with Jon Wertheim

SI Tennis | Jon Wertheimredcircle.com
The premiere Tennis podcast, featuring incredible guests and spot on analysis by the one and only Jon Wertheim.
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Episodes

Checking in from Indian Wells

From the grounds at Indian Wells, Jon Wertheim checks in with Jamie Lisanti to discuss the top storylines and results from the BNP Paribas Open, including: Naomi Osaka, her performance so far and her recent comments on Twitter about becoming a role model for young tennis players around the world; Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's comments on the announcement that ATP president Chris Kermode will not continue as ATP president beyond his current contract, which expires at the end of 2019; and much ...

Mar 12, 201930 min

Kevin Anderson on Sustainability in Tennis

From his home in Florida, Kevin Anderson joins the podcast to talk about his ongoing recovery from an elbow injury, how he's managing his time and when he is expected to return to tournament. Following up on his guest appearance in the Mailbag, Anderson also talks about tennis' sustainability efforts and his suggestions for how the sport can improve parts of the game to help the environment. Anderson and Wertheim also talk about the Rafael Nadal–Nick Kyrgios match and more. Advertising Inquiries...

Feb 28, 201944 min

Former Player, Daily Show Correspondent Michael Kosta

A former ATP player with a career-high ranking of No. 864, Daily Show correspondent and comedian Michael Kosta joins the podcast to talk about his tennis and comedy careers. Kosta discusses his transition from playing Challenger events on the tennis tour to pursuing a career in comedy. Kosta talks about why he made the decision to switch career paths; the comparisons between tennis and comedy; and how he worked his way up to appearances on shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Ni...

Feb 22, 201938 min

Rowan Ricardo Phillips on the Year in Tennis in 2017

On this week's episode, poet and writer Rowan Ricardo Phillips joins the podcast to talk about his Nov. 2018 book, The Circuit: A Tennis Odyssey, which chronicles 2017 as seen through the unique prism of its historic tennis season. Wertheim and Phillips discuss his inspiration behind the book, what he learned about tennis and himself through examining this particular season, how tennis touches the world in many ways and much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy &...

Feb 14, 201951 min

Pam Shriver's Proposal for the USTA

A few weeks after the Australian Open, Pam Shriver joins the podcast to discuss the latest tennis news and an outside-the-box proposal for the USTA to augment its place in the sports world and bolster American tennis. After Gordon Smith announced his plans to step down as CEO and executive director of the USTA at the end of the year, Wertheim and Shriver believe that there is an opportunity to reassess and rethink the way the organization is operated. What started as a fun conversation turned in...

Feb 07, 201941 min

What Did We Learn from the 2019 Australian Open?

After returning from Melbourne, host Jon Wertheim joins Jamie Lisanti in the studio to discuss the results and top storylines from the 2019 Australian Open, including what the victories mean for Osaka and Djokovic; candid moments with Stefanos Tsitsipas; reactions to Danielle Collins and her controversial "swagger" on the court; the quirky personality of Osaka; the impact of Andy Murray's retirement announcement and how it may have been blown out of proportion; and much more. Advertising Inquiri...

Jan 31, 201935 min

Martin Blackman on the State of American Tennis

From the grounds of the Australian Open during the second week of the tournament, Wertheim sits down with USTA general manager of player development Martin Blackman to discuss the breakout performances and disappointing results from the American contingent in Melbourne, including the remarkable run of Danielle Collins and the impressive showing from Frances Tiafoe. Blackman talks about how he (and the USTA) define and measure success for American tennis; the new installation of Mardy Fish as U.S...

Jan 23, 201929 min

Chris Evert on 2019 Australian Open, Mental Health

At the start of the 2019 season ahead of the Australian Open, Chris Evert joins the podcast and gives an update on her own life, including what it was like to attend the funeral of George H.W. Bush in December; her thoughts on mental health issues and her own personal experience with depression and anxiety; how she has re-established herself as a commentator and voice in the tennis community after her career and more. Also on the podcast, Wertheim and Evert discuss the 2019 Australian Open and m...

Jan 04, 201955 min

Discussing the 2019 ITF Transition Tour with Geoff Grant

Geoff Grant joins the podcast to discuss the details of the new ITF 2019 transition tour, which is a part of a major restructuring of professional tennis. Grant and Wertheim discuss how the creation of the transition tour—which includes a new worldwide tournament structure between the ITF, ATP and WTA and is expected to reduce the number of professional players with ATP and WTA rankings from 3,000 players to approximately 750 men and 750 women—will impact tennis, at the professional, college and...

Dec 20, 201854 min

Mike Bryan on Twin Brother Bob's Comeback, 2019 Season

On this week's episode, Mike Bryan joins the podcast to talk about his successful six-month partnership with Jack Sock, which saw him win doubles titles at Indian Wells, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the ATP Finals, what he had to do to adjust to a new doubles partner, how he would feel if he were sidelined and watched his twin brother Bob succeed with a new partner and more. After a hip injury and subsequent surgery forced Bob to miss the majority of the 2018 season, Mike discusses his brother's...

Dec 06, 201847 min

Mary Carillo Talks 2019, New Davis Cup

After hosting the 2018 National Dog Show over Thanksgiving weekend, Mary Carillo joins the podcast to answer reader questions and discuss various topics, including her opinion on the fall season and why her interest tends to fall off during the final months of the year; what she expects from women's tennis in 2019, including the chances of Serena Williams winning a major, Caroline Wozniacki's future, Naomi Osaka's response after winning her first major and more. Carillo also talks about attendin...

Nov 29, 20181 hr 3 min

Jimmy Arias on Coaching Tennis's Next Generation

Just a few weeks after being named as the new director of player development at the IMG Academy, longtime pro Jimmy Arias joins the podcast to discuss his new role and his experiences with the top young, 10 to 18-year-old players at the IMG Academy. Arias was one of the original tennis students at the academy when it was the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and he discusses how things have changed since he was playing and practicing there and how methods of training and approaches to recovery, fi...

Nov 21, 201854 min

What We'll Remember from the 2018 Season

As the women's season comes to a close and the ATP prepares to start its final tournament of the season at the World Tour Finals, host Jon Wertheim and Jamie Lisanti look back on 2018 and hand out awards, including the top moments of the year, the men's and women's MVPs, newcomers and breakout stars, matches of the year and more. The pair also gives a lookahead to the 2019 season with some quick-hitting predictions and wishes for the next year in tennis. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle....

Nov 08, 201832 min

Taylor Fritz on Innovations in Tennis

Ahead of his appearance at the ATP Finals Next Gen in Milan, Taylor Fritz joins the podcast to talk about the year-end event; his thoughts on innovations such as on-court coaching, towel racks on the court, the shot clock and more; his expectations and goals for the 2019 season; his approach when it comes to coaches; his experience with Paul Annacone and what he's learned from him; his relationship with other players on tour, particularly the young Americans; his plans for the offseason and more...

Nov 02, 201825 min

Reem Abulleil on Tennis in the Middle East

On this week's episode, Reem Abulleil joins the podcast to discuss the current year-end championships in women's tennis, her time spent with Naomi Osaka after she won the 2018 U.S. Open, whether or not winning a major has changed Osaka as a person and what she expects for her during the 2019 season and more. Abulleil also offers insight into her own career, discussing her unique story of how she became a tennis journalist and the challenges she faces covering sports in Dubai. Wertheim and Abulle...

Oct 25, 201842 min

Mats Wilander on the Future of Tennis

Current Eurosport commentator and seven-time Grand Slam champion Wilander joins the podcast to discuss various tennis storylines, including Novak Djokovic's resurgence this season and the obstacles he faced over the last year; Roger Federer's 2018 season and where he could fit into tennis after he is done playing; what tennis will be like without stars like Djokovic, Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams; and much more. Wilander also talks about his work with Wilander on Wheels and his new w...

Oct 17, 201842 min

WTA CEO Steve Simon

Following the WTA's decision to cut the U.S. part of its worldwide rights deal with beIN sports, the Tour's head Steve Simon discusses the move to Tennis Channel, which includes a five-year deal for television and digital streaming broadcast rights, and what it means for American fans, how it can help build excitement and growth around the sport and more. Wertheim and Simon also talk about the future of the WTA in Asia, what Serena Williams means to women's tennis and what will happen when she d...

Oct 11, 201838 min

Discussing the Fall Season's Top Storylines

In the midst of the fall tennis season, host Jon Wertheim and Jamie Lisanti discuss some of the sport's current hot topics and storylines, including the success of Naomi Osaka during the Asian swing after her U.S. Open triumph; Serena Williams's decision to skip the fall tournaments and withhold any comments on the events during the final against Osaka in New York; the U.S. Davis Cup team captain vacancy and possible candidates for the position; Fernando Verdasco's unfortunate incident with a ba...

Oct 05, 201832 min

Paul Annacone on Laver Cup 2018

After attending the second annual Laver Cup in Chicago, Paul Annacone joins the podcast to recap the tournament and discuss the events of the weekend, including the match play, memorable moments between players, the overall grandeur of the event and much more. Wertheim and Annacone discuss why Laver Cup has been so successful so quickly; what the event could look like and if it can be sustained after Roger Federer retires from tennis; what drives the players' passion and emotion on the court; if...

Sep 27, 201849 min

Canadian Doubles Specialist Daniel Nestor

Just a few days after playing the final match of his career at Davis Cup, Canadian doubles specialist Daniel Nestor joins the podcast to discuss his why he made the decision earlier this year to retire in September, what he thinks about the average age of tennis players getting older in today's game, his thoughts on Canada's up-and-coming players Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime, his opinion on the new Davis Cup format, his thoughts on Novak Djokovic's resurgence this summer and more. ...

Sep 20, 201841 min

Serena Williams, Umpire Carlos Ramos and the 2018 U.S. Open Women's Final

In a special edition episode from the U.S. Open, host Jon Wertheim discusses the controversial U.S. Open women's final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka on Saturday, including the superb play from 20-year-old Osaka, the actions of umpire Carlos Ramos and their thoughts on what actually played out during the second set of the final, how the situation escalated, how Ramos could have handled the situation differently and much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy &...

Sep 10, 201820 min

ITF President David Haggerty on Davis Cup Format Changes

After the $3 billion, 25-year agreement to transform the current Davis Cup format was voted through on Thursday, ITF president David Haggerty joins the podcast to discuss the reform, the details of the new format—which will include a home-or-away qualifying round in February, with the 12 winners advancing to a season-ending tournament in November—how the European location was chosen, how the money will be distributed among the nations and much more. Haggery also talks about the future of Fed Cup...

Aug 17, 201833 min

U.S. Open Louis Armstrong Stadium Architect Matt Rossetti

On this week's episode, Jamie Lisanti steps in to host for Jon Wertheim and she talks with Matt Rossetti, the president, CEO and "chief architect of fun" for ROSSETTI, the lead architecture firm behind the five-year design and transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and more specifically, the new Louis Armstrong Stadium making its debut at the 2018 U.S. Open. Rossetti discusses the overall design process and vision for the new, $200 million stadium, which will feature ...

Aug 16, 201828 min

Comedian and Impressionist Josh Berry

In the summer of 2013, Berry became a viral sensation after receiving millions of views for his impressions of tennis players. Now, nearly five years later, Berry joins the podcast from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to share impressions of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Nick Kyrgios and more. Wertheim and Berry also discuss how the tennis press conference provides a unique platform for Berry's impressions, how he goes about learning the accents, voices, timing and per...

Aug 09, 201843 min

Greek Rising Star Stefanos Tsitsipas

On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim talks with 19-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas, the young Greek player who has climbed into the ATP top 50 during the 2018 season. Wertheim and Tsitsipas discusses his stellar season, how he went from playing Challengers last year to making his debut in the ATP top 50, what it's like having his father as his coach, which players he looked up to growing up and much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcirc...

Aug 02, 201832 min

Kelsey Anderson on Wimbledon 2018, more

On this week's episode, Kelsey Anderson joins the podcast following Kevin's run to the Wimbledon final to discuss what it was like to sit in the courtside player's box for the final against Novak Djokovic, how she felt looking on during his marathon match against John Isner in the semifinals, how he was able to recover and bounce back from that grueling five-setter, how Kevin's sports psychologist helps him during a tournament like Wimbledon and during the season, how she plays a role in Kevin's...

Jul 26, 201839 min

Wimbledon Wrap-up and Hardcourt Lookahead

On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim and Jamie Lisanti discuss Wimbledon 2018, including Novak Djokovic's resurgence and fourth Wimbledon (and 13th Grand Slam) title and Angelique Kerber's defeat of Serena Williams her third major title. Wertheim shares his top takeaways and under-the-radar storylines that you may have missed during the fortnight and they also look ahead to the rest of the summer and the U.S. Open: Can Djokovic continue his climb and win a second major this year? Will Seren...

Jul 19, 201839 min

Wimbledon 2018 Seed Reports

On this special edition of the podcast, host Jon Wertheim and Jamie Lisanti break down the Wimbledon 2018 seeds and make predictions for the men's and women's draws. Can Roger Federer win again? Can Simona Halep continue her hot streak? Gear up for two weeks of tennis on the grass. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jun 29, 201836 min

Ted Robinson on the Federer-Nadal Rivalry

A few days before the start of Wimbledon 2018, longtime broadcaster and Tennis channel analyst Ted Robinson joins the podcast to talk about the upcoming documentary "Strokes of Genius," which will air on Sunday, July 1 at 8 p.m. ET on BBC and Tennis Channel. As a commentator for the 2008 final in the booth with John McEnroe for NBC, Robinson reveals details from the match, including the moment when Nadal climbed up to his player's box after the win, and shares his memories and behind the scenes ...

Jun 28, 201858 min

Living Legend Nick Bollettieri

On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim talks with Nick Bollettieri ahead of the premiere of the Showtime documentary, Love Means Zero, which focuses on Bollettieri's life and features interviews with his former students, including Jim Courier, Kathleen Horvath, Carling Bassett and Boris Becker. Bollettieri discusses how he feels about the way the film portrays him and his life, how he became a living legend, the moments he regrets during his career, what he wishes he did differently, how he w...

Jun 21, 201845 min
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