After a pretty flat opening round (and week before at Melbourne Park) the Australian Open seemed to be jolted to life on Wednesday night by Nick Kyrgios, and several other intriguing moments emerged on Thursday as well. Ben and Courtney discuss their concerns about #1 Ash Barty, who struggled down the stretch. They also discuss the strangely self-defeating attitude of #4 Sofia Kenin, who bowed out under a blanket of pressure which seemed to be entirely of her own knitting. Then Ben chats with Qu...
Feb 11, 2021•43 min•Ep. 219
Venus Williams showed such staggering resilience, toughness, and determination on Wednesday that it almost didn't matter that she won only one game. Andrew Eccles , founder of The Spin , joins to discuss Venus' loss to Sara Errani, what it showed us about her, and why he has such love for Errani. We also discuss Hsieh Su-wei's win over Bianca Andreescu, Stan Wawrinka's five-set flameout, and the unsettled vibe of this Australian Open. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've rece...
Feb 10, 2021•28 min•Ep. 218
It's been a different feeling Australian Open so far, with more scant crowds than anticipated, but also emphatic early performances by contenders on the women's side. Ben is joined by three tremendous women on this episode to get a sense of the tournament so far: NCR's Middle East and North Africa correspondent Reem Abulleil (who is delighting in the first ever Egyptian win in a women's Slam main draw), Jessie Pegula (who upset two-time champion Victoria Azarenka) and Ann Li (who routed #31 Zhan...
Feb 09, 2021•42 min•Ep. 217
Another Slam is around the corner, and, in a surprise to no one, there are many players who seem wildly competitively relevant in the women's draw. Serena and Osaka are very good! Barty and Andreescu are back in action! Kenin and Halep remain legit! And then a whole bunch more people! On the men's side, there's Djokovic, who just about always wins in Melbourne. And then, we guess, Nadal? Thiem? Medvedev, maybe? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon ...
Feb 06, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 216
Amid his busy schedule of creating photos and music , ATP #6 Stefanos Tsitsipas joins NCR this week, chatting with Ben about all sorts of things in a wide-ranging interview from his hotel room in Melbourne. We discuss topics including how he's handled the quarantine so far, his lifelong interest in creating things on the internet, his relationship with Nick Kyrgios, the pressures of the junior tour, being grounded from his travel-loving lifestyle, his fracas with Daniil Medvedev in Miami, tennis...
Jan 27, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 215
With conditions tougher than many players had expected for the mandatory quarantine period in Melbourne, and with gripes about how unevenly players have been treated, there were plenty of complaints to be heard from players, and then even louder complaints from the Australian public about those complaints. Ben and Reem Abulleil discuss what's been going on in Melbourne, whether or not players are entitled to being upset, the perception from the public, the Melbourne-Adelaide divide. And, most ex...
Jan 22, 2021•56 min•Ep. 214
The Australian Open lead-up has hit more snags than players expected, with 72 of them (and counting?) facing a hard lockdown that could keep them from leaving their hotel rooms at all for 14 days, presenting major challenges to their Grand Slam preparation. To discuss that predicament, Ben is joined by one of the 72, ATP player Taro Daniel , who was on a flight from Doha where another passenger tested positive for coronavirus. Taro discusses the mental and physical challenges of being stuck in t...
Jan 19, 2021•47 min•Ep. 213
The small world of tennis media lost one of its most beloved last week with the passing of Tom Perrotta, who had earned the love and admiration of practically everyone lucky enough to meet him. Since it's going to be a while before we're all able to come together again to properly raise a glass in Tom's honor, Ben and Courtney decided to use this space to "gather" together somewhat virtually with a series of spoken remembrances from a dozen of the folks who knew Tom best from his professional li...
Jan 15, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 212
Ben and Courtney are delighted to be joined by Katie Spellman , a communications expert who joins for a companion episode to her Instagram series highlighting what it takes to make it working in the world of tennis, particularly on the media sides both independent and corporate. What are the keys to breaking into the business? What do you need to do to stay afloat? And what are particular challenges facing women in the industry? All this, and more. Thank you again for the incredible support for ...
Jan 06, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 211
Ben and Courtney wrap up their wrap-up of the uniquely weird year that was 2020 with this episode, which focuses on everything that happened after the pandemic first stopped the tours. How do we look back on how tennis players handled the stoppage, both as players and as citizens? Is it fair to make generalizations? And how did we feel about the tennis once it came back? Also, Courtney is on Twitch , as she mentions several times. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received...
Dec 28, 2020•2 hr 2 min•Ep. 210
What was it like to form memories in 2020? For Ben and Courtney, things were far more vivid when we were still able to travel, so this first half of our annual "Remember When" is heavy on January. Have our thoughts on ATP Cup changed with the passage of time? And how about those donations to the Australian bushfire relief? Where were we when we realized coronavirus was going to be serious? And how did our outlook on the year and our lives shift? Part 2, which covers April to the present, out lat...
Dec 23, 2020•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 209
We're delighted to bring you the conclusion of the roundtable with Reem Abulleil , Tumaini Carayol , and Alex Gruskin on our (sometimes myopic) 2021 vision for tennis. Topics the gang cover on this back half include the new WTA "rebrand," continuing media access shortfalls (particularly during quarantine), how Roger Federer might take to playing in empty stadiums, and what Tumaini's experience was like watching the ATP Tour Finals in empty O2 Arena in London. Thank you again for the incredible s...
Dec 08, 2020•46 min•Ep. 208
Staring into an uncertain future, Ben is joined by an all-star panel for a roundtable about what 2021 might and should look like in tennis. Reem Abulleil , Tumaini Carayol , and Alex Gruskin all return to NCR to discuss the 2021 outlook, starting with the Australian Open's apparent shift to February, which could majorly disrupt the first two months of the season. Is all the upheaval worth it? (A column by Richard Hinds which we discuss is here .) We then discuss how tennis' challenges this year ...
Dec 06, 2020•50 min•Ep. 207
The 2020 tennis off-season has begun, but we don't have a very confident idea just how long it will be before the 2021 season begins, with the Australian Open having to navigate a complex landscape in a place that has stood out during the pandemic for its success. To help explain the context of the conversation about holding a major event in COVID-free Melbourne, Ben is joined by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Tim Callanan to discuss the journey Melbourne and Victoria have been on, an...
Nov 26, 2020•35 min•Ep. 206
In lieu of their usual annual fall weekend together in DC, Ben is remotely joined by Ricky Dimon for their annual men's tennis season wrap show, this time right after the final tour match of the year, which was Daniil Medvedev beating Dominic Thiem in the last iteration of the ATP Finals to be held in London. Ben and Ricky discuss the major themes of the year, evaluate the seasons that were had by each of the top eight guys and how they are set up for next year, and discuss the new wrinkles to t...
Nov 23, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 205
Ben and Courtney are back for their first episode together since the French Open! While not particularly enthused by the offerings on tour currently, they have lots to discuss all the same, including Courtney's journey as a Twitch streamer, the unlikelihood of traveling to Australia next year, the shifts in the apparel landscape, and more! Also for you OGs, we bring back Take a Number! Fun! And then for considerably less fun, we discuss the silence in the face of the allegations by Olga Sharypov...
Nov 14, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 204
This week's episode discusses the accusations of domestic violence made by Alexander Zverev's ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova, as further detailed in Ben's interview with her last week which was published on Thursday by Racquet Magazine. Ben is joined for this episode by Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated and 60 Minutes, who discussed the allegations in his column this week . What to make of the accusations? How should the ATP respond? Why doesn't tennis have a clear domestic violence policy like o...
Nov 06, 2020•42 min•Ep. 203
This is just a very brief update to our podcast feed to alert folks that we've uploaded to our Patreon an earlier interview with Alexander Bublik , aka Sasha Bubbles, aka...Alex? Aside from various nicknames, Bublik discusses the deals he's struck with Kazakhstan, what separates the best players from the rest of the pack, and the enduring appeal of bad boys. Also, Ben has more coming soon on the domestic violence allegations against Sascha Zverev. Also, please vote. Thank you again for the incre...
Oct 31, 2020•3 min•Ep. 202
Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson , co-authors of the new book Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back , join to discuss the lovability of tennis, and the difficulties that fans can still encounter while trying to reconcile the sport and their own personal values. Issues covered include the continuing grumbling over equal pay for men and women, the evolution of Serena Williams' perceived marketability, what to do with a player whose politics you find objectionable, and how to feel about...
Oct 21, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 201
There was big news on the tennis business front this week as Tennis Channel acquired rights to Indian Wells, Miami, Canada, and Cincinnati that had previously belonged to ESPN, further tightening the network's portfolio (and further reducing the visibility of tennis on more general channels). To discuss the shift, Ben is joined by Tennis Channel chairman and CEO Ken Solomon, who discusses his network's growth, the benefits of being a dedicated network, the way to grow the sport from a niche posi...
Oct 16, 2020•41 min•Ep. 200
Ben and Courtney discuss Rafael Nadal's much easier than expected romp over Novak Djokovic in the French Open final, winning 6-0, 6-2, 7-5. Were we dumb to think the result would be anything different? How did Nadal get this moment so pitch-perfect, on and off court? In what ways was this French Open still political, if less overtly so? And what was it like to cover this tournament, and are there unexpected negatives to the Slam slog being over? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR...
Oct 11, 2020•42 min•Ep. 199
Ranked outside the Top 50, Iga Swiatek completed one of the most dominant title runs in Grand Slam history on Saturday, beating Sofia Kenin in the French Open final. Ben and Courtney discuss what makes Swiatek special, her stigma-breaking embrace of sports psychology, and the unique way in which her peers glow about her. What other title runs could compare to this one? We also discuss Sofia Kenin's Player-of-the-Year-worthy 2020 season, and Courtney's hopes for tomorrow's Nadal-Djokovic final. T...
Oct 10, 2020•42 min•Ep. 198
To preview both the men's and women's finals at Roland Garros this weekend, Ben is joined by the two NCR correspondents, Reem Abulleil and Tumaini Carayol . First on the men's side, familiar foes Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will meet once again with major stakes in the GOAT race. Who will win? We're on the same page, albeit with different degrees of confidence. And on the women's side, how to begin to evaluate the somewhat untested Iga Swiatek? And why are folks sleeping on Sofia Kenin, who ...
Oct 10, 2020•33 min•Ep. 197
With 19-year-old Iga Swiatek reaching the French Open final (against Sofia Kenin), showing incredible mental strength and poise that belies her age and relative inexperience, Ben is joined by Daria Abramowicz , the sports psychologist who has been with Swiatek at Roland Garros during her remarkably doinant run. Ben and Daria discuss the field of sports psychology in general, her work with Iga particularly, and how this sort of focus can fit into an athlete's day and routine. Thank you again for ...
Oct 08, 2020•28 min•Ep. 196
With just four women and four men left in contention at Roland Garros. Ben and Courtney look back to the quarterfinals and ahead to the semifinals. Iga Swiatek will face Nadia Podoroska, Petra Kvitova will face Sofia Kenin, Rafael Nadal will face Diego Schwartzman, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will face Novak Djokovic. These are shaping up as some very different matches, and we have many thoughts across the board. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent weeks on the...
Oct 08, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 195
As the first slate of quarterfinals saw big wins for Argentina, we take a look at what suddenly went missing from the French Open: the small army of GIF-makers who animate (literally) Tennis Twitter so steadfastly. The French Federation of Tennis issued a major crackdown on GIFs this week, bringing the pictures on our timelines to a stand still. To better understand this landscape, Ben tries to track down an answer from the FFT (no luck yet), and then talks to the King of the Tennis GIFs, @doubl...
Oct 07, 2020•32 min•Ep. 194
Reem Abulleil , queen of content for Roland Garros, joins Ben to look ahead to the quarterfinal slates in Paris which are (almost) complete. On the women's side, how will Elina Svitolina handle the pressure? Will momentum help qualifiers? On the men's side, could Jannik Sinner pull off a huge surprise against Nadal, or should Diego Schwartzman pull off a smaller one over Thiem? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent weeks on the NCR Patreon ! If you'd like to...
Oct 06, 2020•33 min•Ep. 193
Sunday at Roland Garros saw the exit of overwhelming favorite, Simona Halep, and another disappointment from frequently-underwhelming pandemic citizen Sascha Zverev. Tumaini Carayol is here to discuss both of those events and more. What can Halep's loss be chalked up to? Is it now Elina Svitolina's half of the draw to lose? And on the men's side, we discuss Jannik Sinner's impressively consistent four-set win over Sascha Zverev, and then Zverev's decision to play and stay in the tournament despi...
Oct 04, 2020•53 min•Ep. 192
Ben and Courtney reunite to discuss the first week of the French Open, which ended with Danielle Collins beating Garbine Muguruza in one of the bigger surprises so far. Collins joins many other unexpected names (Daniel Altmaier, anyone?) in the second week of a tournament that could go some very different directions in the next few days. We discuss how it's felt to cover the tournament that's a world away in many ways, and also get into what it's been like to have a new ear on tennis than usual,...
Oct 04, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 191
Roland Garros has seen many new names emerging to go deep into the tournament already, including a bevy of players from outside the Top 100 reaching the second week. Among them is our guest on today's show: Barbora Krejcikova , a former Slam champ and #1 in doubles, who achieved a long-awaited breakthrough into the Top 100 on Friday by reaching the fourth round of the French Open. Krejcikova discusses her determination to stick with singles, her ability to accept her shortcomings that allowed he...
Oct 02, 2020•21 min•Ep. 190
