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
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58:45
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58:45
Here For Some Of It
The men’s season ticks on, same as it ever was, as Alcaraz and Sinner snag twin 500s in different countries. We talk a little (very little) about recent results and people being consistently weird in and about Asia. Then, we move into our listener mailbag segment, where we cover everything from how to address the late-season malaise to dealing with workplace narcissists. We finish with an extended review of Mariah’s new album Here For It All, her first studio album since 2018. By the way, the episode title does not refer to our feelings on the album!
2:50 Carlos and Jannik add titles, Learner is your newcomer of the year
9:00 No one’s talking to you
13:00 Why can’t players just be normal in Asia?
18:05 Does the tennis season end with a whimper? How to change it up?
32:00 Balancing cultural issues with tennis on the show
37:20 How much stock do put into year-end no. 1 rankings vs. the rolling ranking system?
40:55 Off-topic: do you have advice for how to deal with workplace narcissists and bullies?
50:10 Mariah album review!
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1:17:01
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1:17:01
Oops I Did It Again
The post-US Open stretch is always a little strange. Case in point, Lleyton Hewitt was suspended for two weeks because he pushed an anti-doping official last year(?!). Taylor Townsend squandered a lot of good will after she mocked Chinese cuisine (though she swiftly apologized). The Italian dynasty captures their 6th BJK Cup title via Paolini, Cocciaretto, and Errani heroics. Plus, we issue a … clarification(?) of our comments on the USTA last episode, discuss the Canada-Israel tie, and tackle the allegedly imminent Kyrgios-Sabalenka “battle of the sexes.”
1:50 A retraction/clarification on our USTA crashout
6:20 We read the Lleyton Hewitt v. ITIA reports so you don’t have to
17:15 Results: Iga wins #25; WTA hatching and snatching continues
24:45 Team Italia continues to dominate BJK Cup
29:05 Taylor Townsend’s self-own
37:45 USA crashes out of Davis Cup / Canada’s decision on Israel DC tie
48:35 Kyrgios vs. Sabalenka will ultimately be a zero-sum game
Theme music courtesy of Oleg Fedak from Pixabay
South Africa