A podcast discussing the happenings in the wacky world of professional tennis. Hosted by Ben Rothenberg and Courtney Nguyen.
Episodes
Friday Apr 01, 2022
Friday Apr 01, 2022
In a week where the Williams family got a bizarre twist on what should have been a Hollywood ending for their cinematic journey, Ben traveled to the Rick Macci Tennis Academy in Boca Raton to chat with Rick Macci, whose work with the Williams family is portrayed in 'King Richard.'
Rick discusses the impact of the film on his life, working with the family, how actress Saniyya Sidney was able to portray Venus so well on court, that slap, and the other tennis story he'd most like to see made into a movie.
We have paused our crowdfunding efforts for the time being, but we thank you for all of your support!
Tuesday Mar 22, 2022
Tuesday Mar 22, 2022
Emergency Episode!
Top-ranked Ash Barty's surprise announcement that she is calling it a career at only 25 years old and less than two months after winning the Australian Open was urgent cause for our first emergency episode in a long while, folks!
Reem Abulleil joins Ben to discuss our immediate reactions to the news and Barty's initial explanations, how we process it, Barty's legacies of looking out for herself and maintaining firm control over her career, and what the tour now looks like in its sudden post-Barty era.
We're gonna miss you heaps, Ash.
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!)
Monday Mar 21, 2022
Monday Mar 21, 2022
Just back from the desert, Ben chats with David Avakian about the weeks that were at Indian Wells, with culminated in a surprise triumph for Taylor Fritz over Rafael Nadal, and an increasingly expected victory for Iga Swiatek, over Maria Sakkari.
For the men, we discuss Fritz and where American men's tennis is at globally right now, what lies ahead for Nadal and the field, Kyrgios' strong run and awkward finish, Norrie's banishment to Stadium 5.
On the women's side, we discuss Swiatek emerging as a dominant force on the tour and the room she might have to go even higher, if Sakkari can push higher, and some other breakout performances from the week.
Oh, and Holland's Got Tallon, in case you missed it.
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 Mar 03, 2022
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
(Reuploading this episode as a duplicate because of issues with iTunes and Apple Podcasts services)
With war suddenly raging in Ukraine after Russia's invasion, Ben is joined on this episode by Dayana Yastremska, the 21-year-old WTA player who had to flee her hometown of Odessa, Ukraine, after the bombs began dropping on her city.
Yastremska tells her journey of escaping via boat to Romania alongside her 15-year-old sister, her attempts to focus on tennis this week at a WTA tournament in Lyon, France, and her hopes and fears for what is happening back home in Ukraine, where her family remains.
Organizations you can support to help people in Ukraine include Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, and The Kyiv Independent.
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
With war suddenly raging in Ukraine after Russia's invasion, Ben is joined on this episode by Dayana Yastremska, the 21-year-old WTA player who had to flee her hometown of Odessa, Ukraine, after the bombs began dropping on her city.
Yastremska tells her journey of escaping via boat to Romania alongside her 15-year-old sister, her attempts to focus on tennis this week at a WTA tournament in Lyon, France, and her hopes and fears for what is happening back home in Ukraine, where her family remains.
Organizations you can support to help people in Ukraine include Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, and The Kyiv Independent.
Friday Feb 25, 2022
Friday Feb 25, 2022
Acapulco has turned into one of the biggest tennis destinations on the ATP calendar, and our buddy Mike Cation is there this week, checking in on a week of festive fun, new highs, and distressing lows.
We discuss the atmosphere at this unique resort, night-time event, the wild day Stefan Kozlov had that contributed to the latest finish in ATP history, the violent outburst that got Alexander Zverev kicked out of the tournament, Daniil Medvedev's ascent to the No. 1 ranking, and more.
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!)
Sunday Feb 20, 2022
Sunday Feb 20, 2022
Ben is joined by NCR's intrepid Middle East and North Africa correspondent Reem Abulleil to discuss the tennis happening in Dubai this month, where she enjoyed more access to players than she has been able to get at any time before since the pandemic began.
Reem discusses the women's week that was in Dubai, starting with her interview with Danielle Collins and Collins' mentor, and then Jelena Ostapenko storming through a loaded field.
We then discuss the week ahead in the men's draw, and what questions might still remain as Novak Djokovic returns to the tour (and interviews).
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!)
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
With Juan Martín del Potro playing what is set to be the last match of his career last week in Buenos Aires, Ben and Courtney reflect on the career of the gentle giant who had an outsized presence and popularity in the sport to match his enormous on-court gifts.
Ben then has a longer chat with Alfredo Bernardi, a longtime Argentine tennis correspondent who closely followed Delpo's career from its beginnings, about his rise, triumphs, struggles, and future.
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!)
Friday Feb 04, 2022
Friday Feb 04, 2022
The stormy lead-up to the Australian Open ended with two great resplendent victories, with Ash Barty becoming the first Aussie champ in Melbourne in four decades, and Rafael Nadal winning just his second Australian Open to win a record 21st Grand Slam men's singles title.
On Barty, we discuss her win, the catharsis after a lack of tension, parallels to Andy Murray, and how the field could try to disrupt her dominance. We also discuss runner-up Danielle Collins, who breaks into the Top 10 after a run of self-driven power tennis.
We then move to the men's side, where Nadal's win was seen as obvious from the outside but as a longshot inside the sport. What does this remarkable comeback win mean for him and the sport? Was Medvedev right to be aggrieved at the crowd? And what should be done to police mid-match coaching after seeing the Tsitsipas sting operation in the semifinals?
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 27, 2022
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
Ben and Tumaini Carayol are back to discuss the four women and four men still in contention to win this Australian Open, which has held up to set up for some surprisingly unsurprising semifinals.
On the women's side, can anyone derail Ash Barty, or even approach the dimension of her game? How much has the heat been a factor in the success of Madison Keys and Danielle Collins? And what is Iga Swiatek showing us that she didn't during her French Open run?
On the men's side, why are folks sleeping on Matteo Berrettini? Can Rafael Nadal win 21? Why is Daniil Medvedev such a troll, and why is Stefanos Tsitsipas so cold?
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!)