No Challenges Remaining

Wimbledon Finals: Swiatek Bakes Anew; Sinner-Alcaraz's Latest Chapter (With Giri Nathan)

Ben and Tumaini are joined for their Wimbledon finals show by Giri Nathan, who literally wrote the book on the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry that featured its latest chapter in the Wimbledon final. 

Before discussing Sinner and Alcaraz and their continuing takeover—and Sinner finally getting another win in his column—we start with the women's final, in which Iga Swiatek blanked Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0. What do we make of Swiatek's dominance?

Also, which of Swiatek, Alcaraz, and Sinner will complete their Career Slam first?

We also chat about the widely-discussed wildcard misadventure of Bill Ackman in Newport, which Giri wrote about at Defector. 

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Tumaini's work at The Guardian! And buy Giri's book!!

 

Big Finals Setting Up at Wimbledon 2025

Ben and Tumaini, on the mic once more together, recap the business end of Wimbledon, where one final is already set on the women's side and two blockbuster semifinals are set for the men. 

We start with the women's side, on which Amanda Anisimova is making her first major final after beating Aryna Sabalenka (who had herself a much more composed press conference this time). We then discuss, to Tumaini's delight, how he was right and Ben was wrong about Swiatek's grass possibilities this season. 

We then turn to the men, where Taylor (Harry) Fritz is going to face Carlos Alcaraz (Garfia) and where there will be a Sinner-Djokovic rematch. Who should be the favorite in that second semifinal, and are injuries a concern?

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Tumaini's work at The Guardian! 

Dimitrov's Disaster (and Other Less Bleak Wimbledon Outlooks)

Ben is joined for the final time during this Wimbledon by Ricky Dimon, to discuss the fourth round matches that were played and how the quarterfinals and beyond are shaping up.

We start with the bleakest moment in recent tennis memory, when Grigor Dimitrov was up two sets to none on an injured Jannik Sinner, only to suffer his own sudden acute pectoral injury and be forced to retire mid-match for the fifth major tournament in a row.

We then discuss Sinner's not-great health outlook as well, and then shift to the rest of the happenings in the middle round of Wimbledon, including the wildness of the utter failure of automated electronic line calling on Centre Court during Pavlyuchenkova-Kartal. 

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Ricky's writing at TennGrand! 

Wimbledon at the Halfway Point

Ben is back with Ricky Dimon to discuss a third round at Wimbledon that was much less tumultuous than the previous two rounds, and the second week outlook for the tournament that it set up.

On the women's side, is it Sabalenka or the field? And is the men's side still looking like likely chalk of Sinner-Djokovic and Fritz-Alcaraz semifinals?

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Ricky's writing at TennGrand! 

Draper, Paolini Out as Wimbledon Upsets Continue

Ben is joined once more by Ricky Dimon to catch up on the further upsets in the second round of Wimbledon after the carnage in the opening round, and to set up third round clashes.

We start with Jack Draper, the local hope who was bundled out by 2017 runner-up Marin Cilic. We then wrap up the rest of the men, including exits for Americans Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul, and look for what could be in store the rest of the way if upsets subside.

We then turn to the women, who lost last year's finalist Jasmine Paolini, but who have a few real tasty third rounds now on the cards, including Sabalenka-Raducanu, Andreeva-Baptiste, and Krejcikova-Navarro.

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Ricky's writing at TennGrand! 

Upsets Abound in 2025 Wimbledon First Round

After an unexpectedly tumultuous two days at Wimbledon, Ben is joined by Ricky Dimon to discuss the record number of upsets from the first round of Wimbledon, in which 23 seeds lost their first match, including some big names.

Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and more were all sent packing in various ways, and we discuss the short and long term fallouts. 

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Ricky's writing at TennGrand! 

A Sound Portrait of Wimbledon, A Half-Century Ago

Something different and pretty cool this time:

50 years ago at Wimbledon, the two singles champions were two of the biggest pioneers in tennis history: Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe.

It was also the first of many Wimbledons covered by then-young Canadian tennis journalist Tom Tebbutt, and he made a radio documentary for the CBC of a remarkable breadth of voices from around the tournament, from the stars to the various margins. 

Tom revisited and revamped the documentary this year for the 50th anniversary, and he generously shared it with us here at NCR to build up the hype and heritage around Wimbledon a half century later. It's a time capsule of tennis history, dusted off and showing some things you just wouldn't see (or hear) in the sport anymore, for better and worse.

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Tumaini's work at The Guardian! 

Alcaraz d. Sinner and Gauff d. Sabalenka in French Open Final Thrillers

[Reuploaded to fix what was an incomplete file on some podcast platforms the last time!]

Ben and Tumaini, on the mic one last time from their house in Paris, are fresh off two thrilling finals at Roland Garros.

We start with the just-ended men's final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which produced some of the best tennis ever seen after a five-hour mark. What made this match so good? And was it too long or just right? 

We then get to the women's final, in which Coco Gauff won with her immense mentality and physicality, and in which Aryna Sabalenka turned into a human salt shaker in defeat.

Lastly, we discuss what Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic should do with themselves at crossroads in their near futures.

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Tumaini's work at The Guardian! 

Alcaraz d. Sinner and Gauff d. Sabalenka in French Open Final Thrillers

Ben and Tumaini, on the mic one last time from their house in Paris, are fresh off two thrilling finals at Roland Garros.

We start with the just-ended men's final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which produced some of the best tennis ever seen after a five-hour mark. What made this match so good? And was it too long or just right? 

We then get to the women's final, in which Coco Gauff won with her immense mentality and physicality, and in which Aryna Sabalenka turned into a human salt shaker in defeat.

Lastly, we discuss what Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic should do with themselves at crossroads in their near futures.

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Tumaini's work at The Guardian! 

Roland Garros 2025: Quarters Into Semis

Ben and Tumaini, together again, are back to wrap up the quarterfinals and look ahead to the semifinals for both the men and women at Roland Garros.

We start with the women, where a too-close-to-call Sabalenka-Swiatek semifinal is set, and super-surprise Lois Boisson might just be playing well enough to keep her strong form going against Coco Gauff?

We then shift to the men, where a Sinner-Alcaraz collision course seems likely, and in which Novak Djokovic defeated another similar effort from Alexander Zverev.

Thank you for listening! Our Patreon is back up and running to ensure NCR keeps going and stays ad-free, and we hope you can join in supporting NCR! And we especially thank our GOAT backers: Pam Shriver and J. O'D.

And please check out Ben's new writing home, Bounces! And Tumaini's work at The Guardian!