Episodes
Sunday Jan 16, 2022
Episode 322: 2022 Australian Open Draw Preview
Sunday Jan 16, 2022
Sunday Jan 16, 2022
Ben and Courtney(!) know that a whole lot else has been going on in the world of tennis, but now that Novak Djokovic is on a plane out of Australia (which wasn't yet settled when we recorded), the coast is clear to talk about the draws ahead for the year's first Grand Slam.
How is Ash Barty's ambition clearer than before, and will that eagerly awaited match with Naomi Osaka happen? How do last year's surprise success stories look early on this year?
Also, Ben's been imagining a specific surprise champion on the men's side, and we send some love to friends in the tennis world.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our ELEVENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers Pam Shriver and J O'D!)
Thursday Jan 06, 2022
Episode 321: Deciphering Details of Djokovic’s Deportation Drama
Thursday Jan 06, 2022
Thursday Jan 06, 2022
Novak Djokovic's Australian Open fate changed drastically while he was up in the air during the recording of our last episode, but luckily for us Paul Sakkal, Victoria Political reporter for The Age, is here to break everything down with incredible knowledge, depth and detail.
What went wrong with Novak Djokovic between his exemption being granted by Tennis Australia panels and then his being rejected by Australian Border Force? On what grounds was his application rejected?
How much was the politicization of his arrival a factor in the decision? How much blame does Tennis Australia bear? What is the appeal process now? What is the history of the building where he's being detained alongside refugees?
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our ELEVENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers Pam Shriver and J O'D!)
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Episode 317: Peng Shuai, China, and the End of WTAsia?
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Ben is joined by The Guardian's Tumaini Carayol to discuss the fallout of the accusations made by Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai against a senior government official, the WTA's strong stance, and the impact on tennis in China going forward.
Was the WTA's partnership with China always doomed to fail, as Tumaini predicted in 2019? And what would a reset of the tour without China look like for the future of women's tennis?
Plus, the new-look WTA year-end championship event in Guadalajara and the same-look-new-venue event for the ATP in Turin.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Episode 316: NCR Movie Club - KING RICHARD (2021)
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Ben and David Avakian are delighted to bring you an NCR Movie Club installment on what is set to be the biggest tennis movie in a long time, and perhaps ever: KING RICHARD, which stars Will Smith as Richard Williams and shows his early journey raising Venus and Serena into perhaps the greatest story in tennis history.
The movie comes out on November 19, so if you want to hold off listening until then you can (but since this is almost all based on a true story we don't think it's necessarily spoilable). Ben and David discuss their opinions on the movie (which are very positive!) and what role the Williams family's involvement in it should play in how we watch it.
We also discuss what the movie gets right, what it gets wrong, and what it leaves out. Also, what responsibility does a movie have to its audience when it says it is "based on a true story"?
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Episode 315: Prague Progress Report (with Jannik Schneider)
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Friday Nov 05, 2021
The first edition of the Billie Jean King Cup (née Fed Cup) is happening this week, and so Ben is joined by the German reporter Jannik Schneider, who was there in Prague covering the event.
We discuss how the event's atmosphere and organization has been, the impact of Billie Jean King's legacy on the competition, and why Russia is doing business as "RTF" at the event.
We also discuss how the accusations against Alexander Zverev have been covered in Germany, and what challenges reporters there including Jannik have faced covering them.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Episode 313: ATP is Investigating Zverev; What Comes Next?
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Thursday Oct 07, 2021
Nearly a year after Olga Sharypova publicly accused tennis star Alexander Zverev of repeated physical and emotional abuse during their relationship, the ATP announced this week that it is opening an investigation into (one of the) accusations, which Zverev has repeatedly denied in blanket terms.
Ben, who has interviewed Sharypova and investigated the story for both Racquet and Slate, is joined by Mary Carillo and Jessica Luther to discuss the accusations and their impact on the sport.
What took so long for the ATP to act, and why is their scope limited to Shanghai 2019? Should we have faith in the ATP to do a proper investigation? What does an investigation need to do the job correctly? How important is Sharypova's continued participation and cooperation?
How has tennis dealt with the cloud over the sport in the past year? Why are tennis broadcasters so reluctant to discuss difficult topics? What to make of the select input from other players? And more.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)
Sunday Oct 03, 2021
Episode 312: Starting up in San Diego (With Dani Vallverdu)
Sunday Oct 03, 2021
Sunday Oct 03, 2021
The tennis map has been redrawn this year as the world continues shifting during the pandemic, bringing the tours to many new stops that it previously left out. This has included many major American cities such as Chicago, Cleveland, and San Diego, where there was a first-ever ATP event this week.
Dani Vallverdu, managing director of the new San Diego Open, joins Ben to discuss what it took to make a new ATP tournament in only six weeks, the shifting sands of the calendar and where they might go from here, traditional vs. non-traditional markets, and the persistence and appeal of Andy Murray.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)
Thursday Sep 23, 2021
Episode 311: Bridging the App Gap
Thursday Sep 23, 2021
Thursday Sep 23, 2021
On this episode, Ben chats with Lewis Simmons, creator of the TNNS Live app, who has helped fill the void left by the sudden disappearance of the simple but essential ATP-WTA live score mobile app last year, which left many tennis fans and followers marooned without the compass they'd used to navigate the tennis tours for about a decade.
We discuss the chasm left by the old app's departure, trying to replicate its simplicity while adding various enhancements, and what the challenges were of making the app a success.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Episode 310b: Medvedev Beats Djokovic for U.S. Open Title; the Grand Slam Is Hard
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Ben and Courtney begin "Boys' Time!" at the U.S. Open with a discussion of Novak Djokovic falling one match short of his historic bid for the Grand Slam (which means a specific thing, y'all). What signs were there that Djokovic was in trouble, looking back? And how does Djokovic, 34, move on from this?
We then salute our new major champion and Troll King, Daniil Medvedev, who had established himself as an heir apparent in recent years and deservedly took the throne in New York. What makes him so much fun among the problematic ATP Top 5?
We also discuss semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime, who still hasn't quite been convincing, the effervescent joy of Frances Tiafoe, the potential of Carlos Alcaraz, and the breakthrough run of Bob Van de Slap.
We end by finally flushing the Flushing furor over bathroom breaks, and how both Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas reacted to it all in unideal ways.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Episode 310a: Emma Raducanu Wins U.S. Open; What, Like It‘s Hard?
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Ben and Courtney dive right into the paradigm shifting, generational groundshaking moment that shocked the tennis world this week in New York: the photo of Maria Sharapova with the Williams Sisters at the Met Gala.
After that, we turn our sights to the new star born in New York, Emma Raducanu, who won history as the first qualifier to win a Slam. What made her such a juggernaut on court? And how will her broad base of support in strong markets like Britain and China make her a force off court?
We also discuss the thrilling underdog run of runner-up Leylah Fernandez, Barbora Krejcikova's still-remarkable year, Ash Barty's disappointing exit, and the first week MVP that was Sloane Stephens.
We also have a long chat about Naomi Osaka, and how a break from tennis might be just what she needs to recalibrate and recontextualize her career.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)