No Challenges Remaining

Episode 141f: Australian Open Day 7: The Unexpecteds

It's the second week, and Ben and Courtney can now talk about lots of important matches as the tournament reaches its pointy end. Gosh, Serena's good, isn't she? Maria's playing well, too, but does it matter? Then, what the heck was all that Djokovic-Simon nonsense? Does the performance cast any doubt over the overwhelming favorite's chances here? And what do the calm and steady performances of Radwanska and Suarez Navarro teach us about veteranliness? Also, stop spitting near Courtney you gross person. 

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

Episode 141a: Australian Open Day 1: Fixin' for a Fixin'

Through your Kickstarter support, we know you wanted more NCR in 2016, so Ben and Courtney are giving you more NCR in 2016! We'll be doing daily(ish) episodes from the 2016 Australian Open, and golly was Day 1 a doozy! After reviewing some results (you'll hear from winners Petra Kvitova and coach Patrick Mouratoglou, as well as losers Sloane Stephens and super sore loser Benoit Paire), we dive into the story that hijacked the day: the BBC/Buzzfeed reports on match fixing and Tennis Integrity Unit shortcomings. You'll hear from ATP head Chris Kermode as well as TIU's Nigel Willerton in their press conference, then Novak Djokovic. Lastly, Ben and Courtney are joined by British journalist Simon Cambers, who has covered the TIU closer than most anyone. Is this really the bombshell it's being made out to be? We discuss.

As of posting this there are only *HOURS* to go in our massively delighting Kickstarter campaign (over $20,000!!!), so if you haven't yet and might want to, go do it right now! Last chance link here.

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

Episode 140: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Draw, Draw, Draw!

The draws for the 2016 Australian Open are out, and Ben and Courtney are here to be as sage as possible through what are generally two pretty inspiring, even draws. Does Serena face any players who might be able to derail her, maybe as soon as the first round? And what about Victoria Azarenka, who has looked so good so far and seemed to land in an ideal spot? After more chat on the ladies, can anyone even consider the possibility that Novak Djokovic might lose? And is Bernard Tomic's draw really so good as to justify his Sydney shenanigans. All that, plus Courtney slowly gets caught up on Homeland and Ben is all for vaguely catchy but decidedly clunky propaganda. 

There are only a couple of days left in our Kickstarter campaign, so reading this is likely your last chance to be reminded to donate to the NCR cause if you haven't yet and would still like to. Your support has been overwhelming so far (and good lord, the postcard haul will be massive), but if you happen to be a straggler who wants to jump on board before the train pulls out of the station, your last chance is here.

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

Episode 138: Wobbly Stars and Fierce Pearce

It's our Season 5 premiere! Ben and Courtney are back together in person for the first time since the U.S. Open, and they're ready to tackle the 2016 season. But are any of the top WTA players? With injuries to three of the top-five already, it sure doesn't seem like it. But one player who does seem ready is Victoria Azarenka (9min40sec), who you'll hear from at her first Brisbane press conference.

After a reflection on the demise of BerdycH&M (17min), we're delighted to be joined by one of our favorite Aussies, Linda Pearce of The Age in Melbourne (21 min), who shares some of her adventures in Australian tennis. We try to hide our jealousy over the incredibly colorful tapestry of characters she has to work with. We fail. 

With less than two weeks to go in our Kickstarter campaign, we're over 500% of our initial base goal, which is astoundingly awesome. We've rolled out a few new rewards, and a stretch goal for $17,000 (live Periscopes every day of the Australian Open!) so if you want to get in on it before it's too late you can do so here.

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

Episode 134a: Serena Williams is Sportsperson of the Year

In a rare emergency episode that is for an indisputably positive reason (neigh-sayers aside), Ben and Courtney discuss Serena Williams being honored by Sports Illustrated as their Sportsperson of the Year for 2015, becoming the first woman to win the award outright in over 30 years, and the first tennis player in over 20 years. To discuss how Serena clinched the honor, we're joined by Sports Illustrated's executive editor Jon Wertheim (host of SI's reinvigorated tennis podcast Beyond the Baseline), who dives into the process of picking the Sportsperson as well as what it's been like to have his entire career overlap so closely with Serena's. 

We finish by thanking you guys for the beyond amazing start to our Kickstarter campaign, with you guys more than doubling our base goal in less than a week. You guys are the best, and have opened lots of exciting possibilities for what the show can do next year. It's still going for another five weeks, so if you'd like to join in and get access to some exclusive backers-only content you can do so by chipping in here.

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

Episode 134: Kickin' Back in the Off-Season.

As the off-season starts to get comfortable (and shorter, sadly), Ben and Courtney dive into the mailbag once again to discuss a whole bushel of topics. Is IPTL worth paying attention to for tennis fans? And is it a good proposition for the players who play it, including the lethargic Serena Williams? We also discuss our Hall of Fame ballots, and the legacies of nominees Justine Henin, Marat Safin, and Helena Sukova. Also in questions, we discuss what fair 2016 expectations are for Serena and Djokovic, LGBT issues in tennis, and Andrea Petkovic's doubts about her tennis motivations and what they can teach us all.

Also, in an effort to continue growing and improving, we officially launch our Kickstarter campaign to help support NCR in 2016! You can donate and learn more about our Kickstarter campaign here. Check it out, and thanks in advance for considering us! 

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

Episode 131: Boot and Rally

Both back in America, Ben and Courtney tee up the homestretch of this 2015 season, in which Maria Sharapova fell short through no fault of her own in the Fed Cup final, Novak Djokovic continues to cruise, and things are tasting stale in London. Why is it that this time of Djokovic's dominance has been received less warmly than Federer's dominance? Does the ATP need to move the World Tour Finals out of London to get out of a rut? Does Novak Djokovic's great fall make us reconsider if he had a better year than Serena? And what does Ronda Rousey's loss say about premature legacy making?

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

Episode 122: Serena's U.S. Open Wounds

After the last Grand Slam event of 2015 has come to a close, and so did Serena Williams' bid for a historic sweep, losing in the semifinals to Roberta Vinci. And so, Ben and Courtney discuss the stunning defeat, where Serena stands now, and why her humanity has always made her so compelling. Also, Flavia Pennetta won the U.S. Open! Weird! On the men's side, Roger Federer's bid popular support couldn't get him across the finish line against Novak Djokovic, much to the dismay of 23,000+. Also, Genie Bouchard's slip-and-fall, ESPN's on-court interview gambit, and much, much more! As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes or whatever your podcasting platform of choice may be!

Episode 114: Wimbledon and the Coronation of Serena

As the year grows ever "grander" with Serena winning Wimbledon, Ben and Courtney come together after Wimbledon ends to discuss her incredible year, and what it means for both tennis and her legacy, which is finally getting the reverence it is due, as well as her tough road to the women's final. We also talk about breakout Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza, and the rest of women's second week action. On the men's side, we re-drop our jaws at Roger Federer's incredible semifinal against Andy Murray, and look at why it should have been unsurprising that Novak Djokovic summarily dusted him in the final to put himself ever larger in the marble pantheon of men's tennis greats. Also, we talk about the non-story of Nick Kyrgios tanking. Then we turn to some more personal business, with Ben discussing the backlash to his article about women's body image issues (starting 36 minutes in), and Courtney discussing her move from Sports Illustrated to the WTA. Don't look back in anger, Courtney. As always,  thanks for liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes or whatever your podcasting platform of choice may be! 

Episode 109: On Grand Slams and Grand Stan

Just as Ben and Courtney were ready to kick off the grandest year in tennis, Stan Wawrinka interrupted and shocked Novak Djokovic and the world by winning the French Open. What was that all about, and what does it say about both Stan and Novak? On the women's sides, how do we like Serena Williams' chances of winning a true Grand Slam this year, and how will this roller coaster run to her 20th major title be remembered? Also we look ahead to grass, like soccer, and don't so much like horses. As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes or whatever your podcasting platform of choice may be! 

Additional listening:

• The Men in Blazers podcast.