A Jeopardy tennis category had one clue nobody could answer, and it was about Davis Cup. Nick plays along with every question, and then we read a listener DM that sums up why this episode exists: a fan who watches nearly every WTA event still has no idea when Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, or United Cup happen, what they’re for, or how they work.
So we explain it. Where Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup started, why players take part with no prize money or ranking points, the Olympic rule that requires players to show up for their countries, how the qualifiers and Finals fit into the calendar, and where you can watch, including free streams on YouTube. Anastasia makes the case for treating team tennis like the World Cup, with South Korea’s run to the Davis Cup Final 8 as a great place to start. Nick explains who’s responsible for promoting these events and how he’d change it. We finish with United Cup, Laver Cup, World Team Tennis, and why team events have the best doubles.
In part two: Daniil Medvedev’s first-ever title defense, Elena Rybakina back on top in Ningbo, Lorenzo Musetti’s win over Taylor Fritz, and Katerina Siniakova’s singles title. Then we look ahead to Tokyo, Venus Williams in Guangzhou, and the first rounds in Vienna and Basel, plus why the 500s might be the best watch on the calendar right now.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
08:35 Part 1: Exploring the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup
16:25 Reasons Players Participate in Team Events
19:19 Challenges of Awareness and Broadcasting
27:38 The Importance of Team Events in Tennis
30:59 Challenges in Promoting Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup
36:43 United Cup might be the best Team Tennis Event
40:28 Part 2: Medvedev and Rybakina defend titles for the first time
46:07 Lorenzo Musetti wins only his 4th title, another Fritz fumble
48:35 Siniakova is not only a Doubles GOAT
50:52 This Week in Tennis the 500s take over - Alcaraz, Zverev, Venus Williams and Naomi Osaka
Links:
💬 Thank you for Listening.
Leave us a 5⭐️ star rating and drop us a comment we would love to hear from you.
For Bonus Content and find out what tournament we are off to next, subscribe to our free newsletter - https://groundpass.substack.com
To Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/support
Shop the Ground Pass Merch - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop
Where You can Find us Online:
Website - www.groundpasspodcast.com
Email - groundpasspodcast@gmail.com
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ground_pass
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/groundpass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ground_pass
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GroundPass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@groundpasspodcast
X: https://x.com/groundpasspod
About Us: Ground Pass is a tennis podcast for the rest of us. Hosted by Anastasia Folorunso and Nick Carter, it breaks down the pro tour for casual fans and anyone new to the sport, no jargon, no gatekeeping. From Grand Slam drama to the players you should know, we make tennis easy to follow and fun to obsess over.
Disclaimer: This video does not contain a paid for advertisement. PR samples are denoted by the term ‘ad - gifted’. Links containing ad affiliate links are denoted by a '*'. This means that if you click on an affiliate link, go through to the retailer and purchase an item, we will receive a small percentage of your purchase. Check out our website for a full disclaimer: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/about
","author_name":"Anastasia Folorunso, Nick Carter"}