A podcast discussing the happenings in the wacky world of professional tennis. Hosted by Ben Rothenberg and Courtney Nguyen.
Episodes
Tuesday Sep 08, 2020
Tuesday Sep 08, 2020
With the U.S. Open reaching the quarterfinal stage, where the draws get considerably more manageable to process on a more granular basis, Courtney and Ben reconvene to reset the table for the feasts of tennis cooking for the men and women.
The men's field is ordering off the kids menu, with the men's game tour finally guaranteed a new Grand Slam champion for the first time in six years. Who is best poised to take advantage of this? How will the new favorites, like Thiem and Zverev, deal with the pressure?
On the women's side we discuss a field that includes the Americans Jennifer Brady and Shelby Rogers, the crafty Yulia Putintseva, the remarkable Tsvetana Pironkova, the regal Serena Williams, and the resurgent Victoria Azarenka.
Also! We are uploading video of the recording of this episode to our Patreon as an experiment, if you want to see what it's like to watch NCR instead of just listening!
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent days!
If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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, and Charles Cyna!)
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.
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Monday Sep 07, 2020
We made a mega mid-Slam episode for today's shocking developments, as No. 1 Novak Djokovic, the prohibitive favorite, was defaulted from the U.S. Open in the first set of his fourth round match after striking a lineswoman in the throat with a ball.
Courtney and Ben are joined by Reem Abulleil to discuss this moment, what it says about Djokovic and the rules of tennis, and where it leaves Djokovic and the tournament going forward.
Then in the second half of the show, Ben is joined by Alex Gruskin of the Cracked Racquets media empire to discuss the fact that we're suddenly guaranteed a new Grand Slam champion in men's tennis, something we haven't had for six years. Which of the young guys seems ready to take this mantle? And how do these unusual circumstances color the moment?
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent days!
If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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, and Charles Cyna!)
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.
Saturday Sep 05, 2020
Saturday Sep 05, 2020
As the first week of the U.S. Open wraps up, we get into (and hopefully wrap up) the story that dominated the first week: the fallout of Benoit Paire's positive coronavirus test last weekend, and the slow-but-severe effect it had on other players he had contacted before testing positive, ending with Kiki Mladenovic getting defaulted from the women's doubles draw to be quarantined fully in her Nassau County hotel.
Quentin Moynet of L'Equipe joins to discuss this week and other developments in French tennis including what's in Alize Cornet's new book, Corentin Moutet, and the rapidly approaching Roland Garros, which is still planning on having thousands of fans on the grounds each day. Sacre bleu! Also, check out Quentin's book!
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent days!
If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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, and Charles Cyna!)
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.
Saturday Sep 05, 2020
Saturday Sep 05, 2020
On a typically bizarre 2020 day in which New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had to rule on Adrian Mannarino's U.S. Open eligibility, we at NCR are delighted to bring you a cool, calming chat with Shelby Rogers, who solidified her great year by advancing to the fourth round of the U.S. Open on Friday.
Shelby discusses how she used the quarantine time to work on herself physically, mentally, and spiritually, the fun variety of fast courts, and enjoying the solace of tennis in a bubble, even as craziness continues inside and out.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent days!
If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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, and Charles Cyna!)
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.
Friday Sep 04, 2020
Friday Sep 04, 2020
On a day at the U.S. Open on which its co-president Vasek Pospisil upset Milos Raonic, Ben chats about the new Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA, aka pihtihpihAHHH) with Amy Fetherolf, who knows her unions and her tennis.
What to make of this new tennis union? Does it need to have more specific goals outlined as it's getting off the ground? What classic anti-union tactics are visible in the resistance it's received? What if the ideas behind this union, like leaving out the women, are bad? What are the next steps? Amy has answers to these questions and many more.
Also, thunder.
Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent days!
If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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, and Charles Cyna!)
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.
Thursday Sep 03, 2020
Thursday Sep 03, 2020
Ben and Courtney reconvene on Day 3 of the U.S. Open to recalibrate their forecasts for the top half of the women's draw, which saw top-seeded Karolina Pliskova knocked out, as well as somewhat surprising exits by Alison Riske, Marketa Vondrousova, and Dayana Yastremska.
Who is well-positioned for success going forward? Who looks comfortable in these unusual conditions? Is Naomi Osaka a fair favorite to win it all? And what makes Madison Brengle's approach so delightful?
Also, we discuss some of the early challenges we've encountered trying to cover a Grand Slam from home.
Again, thank you so much for the incredible support for NCR in recent days!
If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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, and Charles Cyna!)
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.
Wednesday Sep 02, 2020
Wednesday Sep 02, 2020
The second day of first round play included many impressive comebacks, both mid-match and several years in the making. Kim Clijsters played her first Slam match in eight years, Andy Murray won (and stuck up for women again, as per), and, in her first match in more than three years, Tsvetana Pironkova took advantage of the fast courts to lay a beatdown on Liudmila Samsonova.
Ben and Courtney caught up with Pironkova after her win to hear about her decision to come back, playing as a mom, and finding new challenges.
Again, thank you so much for the incredible support for NCR in recent days!
If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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, and Charles Cyna!)
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.
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
Day 1 of the U.S. Open was dominated by talk of the decisions made a day earlier, when a number of players who were in contact with Benoit Paire after his positive test for coronavirus were still allowed to play their matches, albeit under tighter restrictions which one referred to as "a bubble within a bubble."
You'll hear from two of those double-bubbled players, Adrian Mannarino and Kiki Mladenovic, as well as from Noah Rubin, host of Behind the Racquet, who spread word of this late last night on his podcast and has growing concerns about how the "bubble" is being handled by the USTA.
You'll also then hear from our cherished NCR Middle East correspondent Reem Abulleil for her thoughts on how it's been handled. Lots to cover!
Thank you so much for the incredible support for NCR in recent days!
If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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, and Charles Cyna!)
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.
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
As Ben and Courtney prepare watch and cover this U.S. Open from home, they check in with a buddy who has been on the ground in New York for "Cincinnati" and will be for the U.S. Open as well: Blair Henley, on-court interviewer to the stars and a woman of many varied talents in tennis.
Blair discusses her journey through tennis from teaching pro to writer to YouTuber to on-court emcee, what makes for the best on-court exchanges with players, and how much preparation it takes to pull off a MarioKart win on social media.
She also discusses what it's felt like on the largely empty grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center so far, and how she and players are adjusting to the new protocols. She also asks for a reiteration of "PTPA" pronunciation, and we marvel over Novak Djokovic's ability to compartmentalize.
If you'd like to support our show during this odd, disruptive year, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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 and Mike!)
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.
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
Ben and Courtney break down the U.S. Open draw amid a tournament build-up which feels very different to that of a normal Grand Slam, particularly as we aren't even in New York this week.
We discuss the women's draw first, where 2018 champ Naomi Osaka impressed on and off the court during "Cincinnati" but comes in carrying a hamstring injury. What to make of Serena's form since the shutdown? Can Kim Clijsters make an impact? Also, Dayana Yastremska is very much.
On the men's side, after a helpful pronunciation guide to the new "PTPA," we discuss Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Reilly Opelka, Daniil Medvedev, Milos Raonic, Bobby Bautista, and more. Also, hear Courtney's thoughts about night trains!
This is the first of many, many shows we have planned for the U.S. Open, so stay tuned!
If you'd like to support our show during this odd, disruptive year, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! 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. backer J O'D!)
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.