No Challenges Remaining

Another Slam is around the corner, and, in a surprise to no one, there are many players who seem wildly competitively relevant in the women's draw. Serena and Osaka are very good! Barty and Andreescu are back in action! Kenin and Halep remain legit! And then a whole bunch more people! On the men's side, there's Djokovic, who just about always wins in Melbourne. And then, we guess, Nadal? Thiem? Medvedev, maybe?  Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!) 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.

Amid his busy schedule of creating photos and music, ATP #6 Stefanos Tsitsipas joins NCR this week, chatting with Ben about all sorts of things in a wide-ranging interview from his hotel room in Melbourne.  We discuss topics including how he's handled the quarantine so far, his lifelong interest in creating things on the internet, his relationship with Nick Kyrgios, the pressures of the junior tour, being grounded from his travel-loving lifestyle, his fracas with Daniil Medvedev in Miami, tennis as a family business, and more. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/

With conditions tougher than many players had expected for the mandatory quarantine period in Melbourne, and with gripes about how unevenly players have been treated, there were plenty of complaints to be heard from players, and then even louder complaints from the Australian public about those complaints. Ben and Reem Abulleil discuss what's been going on in Melbourne, whether or not players are entitled to being upset, the perception from the public, the Melbourne-Adelaide divide. And, most existentially, whether doing all of this, with everything it takes and how much can go wrong, was a bad idea from the jump. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Pam Shri

The Australian Open lead-up has hit more snags than players expected, with 72 of them (and counting?) facing a hard lockdown that could keep them from leaving their hotel rooms at all for 14 days, presenting major challenges to their Grand Slam preparation. To discuss that predicament, Ben is joined by one of the 72, ATP player Taro Daniel, who was on a flight from Doha where another passenger tested positive for coronavirus. Taro discusses the mental and physical challenges of being stuck in the room, what might be meaningfully gained by hitting against a mattress in the room, and how the organization of the event has been so far in his mind. Taro also discusses topics including the PTPA, gaining perspective during the stoppage, and Naomi Osaka's perception in Japan. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see whi

The small world of tennis media lost one of its most beloved last week with the passing of Tom Perrotta, who had earned the love and admiration of practically everyone lucky enough to meet him. Since it's going to be a while before we're all able to come together again to properly raise a glass in Tom's honor, Ben and Courtney decided to use this space to "gather" together somewhat virtually with a series of spoken remembrances from a dozen of the folks who knew Tom best from his professional life, mostly his fellow American media but also a couple of players on whom Tom's thoughtful coverage left an impression. There's a mix of approaches and a mix of memories, but one thing runs true throughout: we all liked this guy a whole lot. For more reflections on Tom, here are four recent tributes written by Steve Tignor, Jason Gay, Jon Wertheim, and Pete Bodo. Rest in peace, friend.

Ben and Courtney are delighted to be joined by Katie Spellman, a communications expert who joins for a companion episode to her Instagram series highlighting what it takes to make it working in the world of tennis, particularly on the media sides both independent and corporate. What are the keys to breaking into the business? What do you need to do to stay afloat? And what are particular challenges facing women in the industry? All this, and more. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice

Ben and Courtney wrap up their wrap-up of the uniquely weird year that was 2020 with this episode, which focuses on everything that happened after the pandemic first stopped the tours. How do we look back on how tennis players handled the stoppage, both as players and as citizens? Is it fair to make generalizations? And how did we feel about the tennis once it came back? Also, Courtney is on Twitch, as she mentions several times. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Nicole Copeland, Anna Welinder, and Pam Shriver!) 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.

What was it like to form memories in 2020? For Ben and Courtney, things were far more vivid when we were still able to travel, so this first half of our annual "Remember When" is heavy on January. Have our thoughts on ATP Cup changed with the passage of time? And how about those donations to the Australian bushfire relief? Where were we when we realized coronavirus was going to be serious? And how did our outlook on the year and our lives shift? Part 2, which covers April to the present, out later this week! Happy Holidays! Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Nicole Copeland, Anna Welinder, and Pam Shriver!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on

We're delighted to bring you the conclusion of the roundtable with Reem Abulleil, Tumaini Carayol, and Alex Gruskin on our (sometimes myopic) 2021 vision for tennis. Topics the gang cover on this back half include the new WTA "rebrand," continuing media access shortfalls (particularly during quarantine), how Roger Federer might take to playing in empty stadiums, and what Tumaini's experience was like watching the ATP Tour Finals in empty O2 Arena in London. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Nicole Copeland, Anna Welinder, and Pam Shriver!) 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.

Staring into an uncertain future, Ben is joined by an all-star panel for a roundtable about what 2021 might and should look like in tennis. Reem Abulleil, Tumaini Carayol, and Alex Gruskin all return to NCR to discuss the 2021 outlook, starting with the Australian Open's apparent shift to February, which could majorly disrupt the first two months of the season. Is all the upheaval worth it? (A column by Richard Hinds which we discuss is here.) We then discuss how tennis' challenges this year have exposed some dysfunction, opportunities for innovation that have yet to be taken, and then lastly who we'd pick as a practice partner if stuck with the same person for five days in quarantine.  Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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

The 2020 tennis off-season has begun, but we don't have a very confident idea just how long it will be before the 2021 season begins, with the Australian Open having to navigate a complex landscape in a place that has stood out during the pandemic for its success. To help explain the context of the conversation about holding a major event in COVID-free Melbourne, Ben is joined by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Tim Callanan to discuss the journey Melbourne and Victoria have been on, and the road ahead from here. Is the Australian Open the reward Melbourne has earned, or a risk it can't afford? And can tennis players be trusted? (Apologies for the intermittent crackling on Tim's connection; he's coming to us from quite a ways away.) Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners

In lieu of their usual annual fall weekend together in DC, Ben is remotely joined by Ricky Dimon for their annual men's tennis season wrap show, this time right after the final tour match of the year, which was Daniil Medvedev beating Dominic Thiem in the last iteration of the ATP Finals to be held in London. Ben and Ricky discuss the major themes of the year, evaluate the seasons that were had by each of the top eight guys and how they are set up for next year, and discuss the new wrinkles to the ranking system. We also, as is tradition, go over what would be our ballots for the ATP award slate, including the cases for and against Novak Djokovic as player of the year. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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

Ben and Courtney are back for their first episode together since the French Open! While not particularly enthused by the offerings on tour currently, they have lots to discuss all the same, including Courtney's journey as a Twitch streamer, the unlikelihood of traveling to Australia next year, the shifts in the apparel landscape, and more! Also for you OGs, we bring back Take a Number! Fun! And then for considerably less fun, we discuss the silence in the face of the allegations by Olga Sharypova against Alexander Zverev (recorded before the ATP's pretty meh statement on Friday), and breakdown why the concept of "innocent until proven guilty" doesn't hold much relevance to how this case should be discussed. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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 suppor

This week's episode discusses the accusations of domestic violence made by Alexander Zverev's ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova, as further detailed in Ben's interview with her last week which was published on Thursday by Racquet Magazine.  Ben is joined for this episode by Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated and 60 Minutes, who discussed the allegations in his column this week.  What to make of the accusations? How should the ATP respond? Why doesn't tennis have a clear domestic violence policy like other sports? And what does silence make clear about tennis' shortcomings? Also, a little detour into comparing tennis scoring and the electoral college.  Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Charles Cy

This is just a very brief update to our podcast feed to alert folks that we've uploaded to our Patreon an earlier interview with Alexander Bublik, aka Sasha Bubbles, aka...Alex? Aside from various nicknames, Bublik discusses the deals he's struck with Kazakhstan, what separates the best players from the rest of the pack, and the enduring appeal of bad boys. Also, Ben has more coming soon on the domestic violence allegations against Sascha Zverev. Also, please vote. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Charles Cyna, and Nicole Copeland!) 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.

Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson, co-authors of the new book Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back, join to discuss the lovability of tennis, and the difficulties that fans can still encounter while trying to reconcile the sport and their own personal values. Issues covered include the continuing grumbling over equal pay for men and women, the evolution of Serena Williams' perceived marketability, what to do with a player whose politics you find objectionable, and how to feel about tennis and other sports continuing to soldier on during a continuing global pandemic. Also, please vote. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Charles Cyna, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for fol

There was big news on the tennis business front this week as Tennis Channel acquired rights to Indian Wells, Miami, Canada, and Cincinnati that had previously belonged to ESPN, further tightening the network's portfolio (and further reducing the visibility of tennis on more general channels). To discuss the shift, Ben is joined by Tennis Channel chairman and CEO Ken Solomon, who discusses his network's growth, the benefits of being a dedicated network, the way to grow the sport from a niche position, and if the sport (or at least his channel) needs innovation to attract younger viewers. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, 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, Charles Cyna, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us o

Ben and Courtney discuss Rafael Nadal's much easier than expected romp over Novak Djokovic in the French Open final, winning 6-0, 6-2, 7-5.  Were we dumb to think the result would be anything different? How did Nadal get this moment so pitch-perfect, on and off court? In what ways was this French Open still political, if less overtly so?  And what was it like to cover this tournament, and are there unexpected negatives to the Slam slog being over? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent weeks on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we strive to bring you the best French Open content we can from across the Atlantic, 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, Charles Cyna, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform

Ranked outside the Top 50, Iga Swiatek completed one of the most dominant title runs in Grand Slam history on Saturday, beating Sofia Kenin in the French Open final. Ben and Courtney discuss what makes Swiatek special, her stigma-breaking embrace of sports psychology, and the unique way in which her peers glow about her.  What other title runs could compare to this one? We also discuss Sofia Kenin's Player-of-the-Year-worthy 2020 season, and Courtney's hopes for tomorrow's Nadal-Djokovic final. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent weeks on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we strive to bring you the best French Open content we can from across the Atlantic, 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, Charles Cyna, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on

To preview both the men's and women's finals at Roland Garros this weekend, Ben is joined by the two NCR correspondents, Reem Abulleil and Tumaini Carayol. First on the men's side, familiar foes Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will meet once again with major stakes in the GOAT race. Who will win? We're on the same page, albeit with different degrees of confidence. And on the women's side, how to begin to evaluate the somewhat untested Iga Swiatek? And why are folks sleeping on Sofia Kenin, who is one match from locking up Player of the Year? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent weeks on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we strive to bring you the best French Open content we can from across the Atlantic, 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, Charles Cyna, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us o