No Challenges Remaining

Episode 335: José Morgado on Tennis Twitter

Taking the face of your tennis scrolling into your ears, Ben is joined by José Morgado, the Portuguese reporter and commentator who has become the most complete and comprehensive stop on Tennis Twitter for news and information about this never-stopping sport.

José discusses the state of tennis in Portugal, how he got into the sport, building a presence on Tennis Twitter, and the prizes and pitfalls from being an increasingly visible figure in this strange space.

Thank you for listening to NCR!

Episode 311: Bridging the App Gap

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!)

Episode 310a: Emma Raducanu Wins U.S. Open; What, Like It‘s Hard?

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!)

Episode 299g: French Open Day 2: Naomi Osaka Steps Back (with Mary Carillo)

It was a sad day at Roland Garros on Monday as Naomi Osaka's stand against mandatory press conferences ended with her withdrawal from the tournament, posting an eloquent statement that cited not wanting to be a distraction as well as mental health struggles that have included long bouts of depression.

To discuss this somber news, how this impasse arrived, and what if anything could have been handled differently, Mary Carillo of NBC Sports joins Ben after having been on-air on NBC when the news broke. After the mental health discussion, we discuss the media ecosystem of tennis, which is under scrutiny from all sorts of corners, and also what press conferences are all about.

Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can during the French Open, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! 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, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)

Episode 299f: French Open Day 1 - Slams Dig In Against Osaka's Stand

While there was certainly on court news on Day 1 at the French Open, led by #4 Dominic Thiem exiting in the first round and further opening up the men's draw in its already wide-open bottom, the news of the day again revolved around Naomi Osaka, against whom the Grand Slams responded forcefully with a $15,000 and threat of further, escalating sanctions if she does not end her boycott of mandatory post-match media obligations.

Ben is joined by Andrew Eccles of The Spin to discuss the standoff, why it has escalated, and why it has resonated so widely beyond tennis. We discuss why more understanding of both sides is warranted, the unclear but important mental health side of this situation, and how it all might resolve itself.

Plus a bit on Thiem, Sabalenka, Kvitova, and Eurovision, natch.

Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can during the French Open, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! 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, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)

Episode 299d: Naomi Osaka Chooses Silence

The surprising story that has dominated the week's tennis conversation is Naomi Osaka's statement that she will not be doing press conferences at the French Open, citing "mental health."

To discuss Osaka's decision, which seems small but pulls on many different threads, Ben is joined by Tumaini Carayol of The Guardian. Where did this choice come from? Does it make sense, based on how Osaka has been treated by the press? What does it say about celebrities increasingly controlling their content? How will other players react to her decision? And more such conundrums.

Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! 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, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)

Episode 299b: Donald Dell

After our mailbag fun over on Patreon in past weeks, we return to the main feed of NCR with the first in-person interview we've done for NCR in more than a year.

Donald Dell, an agent and promoter who did as much to shape the professional tennis landscape into its modern form as anyone over his decades in the sport, joins Ben near DC to discuss the structure of the sport, how it got that way, and what sort of changes might be on the horizon (ATP-WTA merger, a separate players union, etc).

Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! 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, Mike, Pam Shriver, Chris Bishop, and Nicole Copeland!)

Episode 290: The Complaint Department (with Reem Abulleil)

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 existentially, whether doing all of this, with everything it takes and how much can go wrong, was a bad idea from the jump.

Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! 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, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)

As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 288: Remembering Tom Perrotta

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 life, mostly his fellow American media but also a couple of players on whom Tom's thoughtful coverage left an impression.

There's a mix of approaches and a mix of memories, but one thing runs true throughout: we all liked this guy a whole lot.

For more reflections on Tom, here are four recent tributes written by Steve Tignor, Jason Gay, Jon Wertheim, and Pete Bodo.

Rest in peace, friend.

Episode 287: Working in Tennis (With Katie Spellman)

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 NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! 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, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)

As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.