Jannik Sinner defends at the ATP Finals, again without losing a set, beating his chief rival #1 Carlos Alcaraz. The final was fine, even quite good at times, albeit a bit momentum-less; but hey, they can’t all be classics. Novak makes some valid points about Sinner’s doping case – yes, well-tread territory to be fair – and gets subtweeted by Darren Cahill for his troubles. Plus, Aryna is displeased with Nike (which itself seems indifferent to tennis), and we take a quick tangent into health care and politics.
1:55 Jannik repeats at the ATP Finals
7:05 The Big 3 broke tennis analysis
11:50 Semis and group stage: every era needs a de Minaur
17:45 The ATP fits and haircuts + the Nike snowsuit
21:50 Novak on Sinner’s doping case and Darren’s subtweet
32:05 Aryna is unhappy with Nike, and Nike doesn’t seem to care
38:30 Not a great week for churches! Plus a tangent on Canadian health care
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50:08
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50:08
Photo Opps
It’s our 400th episode! Elena Rybakina makes a stunning run through the WTA Finals field, but the ending is overshadowed by an awkward non-photo with the WTA CEO. Novak Djokovic is a stunt queen til the end, winning Athens and then telling Musetti at the net that he won’t be playing Turin anyway, so thanks for playing! Meanwhile, newcomers Learner Tien and Victoria Mboko cap their breakout seasons with titles, Ons Jabeur is having a baby, and we reflect on our Toronto Blue Jays and our 400th.
2:15 Rybakina dominates the WTA Finals field
6:35 The photo snub and the tough Rybakina-Vukov situation
12:40 Sabalenka’s hot mic moment
19:00 Djokovic wins Athens, everyone plays in Lorenzo’s face
24:00 The Djokovic exodus from Serbia to Greece
32:20 Youngsters Tien and Mboko win late-season titles
40:00 The Body Serve Baseball Podcast
50:45 What does 400 mean to us?
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55:45
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55:45
The Cusp Boys
Almost there … Elena Rybakina booked her spot in the WTA Finals and dipped immediately (extremely injured). Basel saw three of its four quarterfinals end with a retirement. Naturally, the ATP decided this was the perfect time to announce an imminent 10th Masters 1000 tournament, in Saudi Arabia, which will require the shuttering of five current ATP tournaments. Elsewhere, Marta Kostyuk decides it’s not sour grapes, it’s testosterone; and Jannik Sinner gets torched by the Italian consumer protection agency for taking un pisolino after leading his country to two straight Davis Cup titles.
2:50 À propos of nothing, Kostyuk dabbles in transvestigation
15:00 Jannik might lose his honorary citizenship to the city of Turin, guys
17:00 The ATP cusp boys + Fonseca
22:55 Ale-ale-jandro
24:00 Are people born with cramps or are cramps thrust upon them?
26:40 Rybakina, Bencic, Li
32:10 Saudi Arabia gets a Masters tournament
36:00 Next up in tennis and on TBS
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41:41
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41:41
So Sorry, Bestie
It’s late in the season but great stories are still being written: the world #204 Valentin Vacherot slips into the Shanghai qualifying draw and then wins it all, Coco Gauff rights the ship in Asia for the second year in a row, and two Canadians win titles in the same week. We also talk about Holger Rune’s Achilles injury, Finals qualification storylines, and the ongoing debates on scheduling and exhibitions in Timbuktu. Plus, a foray into pop culture featuring David Archuleta and the late great Diane Keaton.
01:30 The cousin final
07:35 Coco doing what she does best in Wuhan
12:10 The Felix anti-jinx
15:25 Other winners: Fernandez, Ruud, Rybakina, Medvedev (882 days, they’ve said many times)
20:30 Rune’s catastrophic Achilles rupture
24:00 Who can still qualify for the ATP/WTA Finals?
28:40 The still-raging scheduling and exo debates + answering a listener question on Laver Cup
37:15 Pop culture break: Archuleta grows up, RIP Diane Keaton
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45:10
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45:10
Dry Sockets
Late in the season, the tennis tour is winding itself through the great cities of China. Anisimova wins Beijing, the women put together a banner lineup in Wuhan, while the men in Shanghai limp (literally) toward the season's end. We've still got so many great listener questions to answer, which cover topical stuff like the length of the tennis season and the Hall of Fame nominees; and less relevant but no less fun subjects like our work nemeses and the retirement of sprint queen and TBS all-time fave, Kingston native Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
02:45 Marquee matchups in Wuhan
10:10 Court speed wars; or, you sound like a loser
16:05 Taylor Daynes of tennis
24:05 Work enemies
35:25 Tennis Hall of Fame nominees
43:10 Any update on Peng Shuai?
47:20 The schedule … six 500s?! Ten 1000s?!
52:50 The GOAT Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce retires
South Africa