Ground Pass: A Tennis Podcast

Two 1000s ran back to back with no gap, so this episode is a two-parter. We recorded it during the Cincinnati men's final, with the score running underneath us the whole time.Act one is Cincinnati. Arthur Fils and Frances Tiafoe met in the first ATP Masters 1000 final between two Black players. Anastasia finally tells the story of how the King of New York nickname started on Court 12 in 2023 and how it got away from her. Nick makes the case for Sara Bejlek, who is twenty, left-handed, and beat three major champions on her way to the semifinals. And we get into Brandon Nakashima, who made a final in January, got forgotten, then made two more deep runs in three weeks.Act two is New York. Jannik Sinner is out. Jack Draper is out. Carlos Alcaraz is back from a wrist injury and playing mixed doubles with Serena Williams. And Fan Week starts Monday, which is free, and which has quietly become the entire US Open for a lot of fans who cannot afford the main draw anymore.We also cover Kei Nishikori's last US Open, who to watch in qualifying, what a grounds pass actually costs now, and which ESPN tier gets you the match you want instead of the one a network picked for you.▶ Our US Open Guide - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/us-open-guideChapters:00:15 Introduction03:01 Why Arthur Fils is the King of New York06:13 Cincinnati Open mini recap08:21 Serena Williams and Venus Williams back playing doubles11:09 Sara Bejlek reemerges13:51 Brandon Nakashima back on the rise16:08 A look at the Cincinnati Men's finalists19:55 A look at the Cincinnati Women's Finalists29:45 The US Open Starts Now34:19 Qualifiers to watch at the US Open40:00 Top names in US Open Mixed Doubles43:08 Jack Draper and Jannik Sinner out of the US Open48:30 Our US Open Guide is Live💬 Don’t forget to give us a leave is a 5 ⭐️ rating and drop us a comment Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/supportGround Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Where You can Find us Online:Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com 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/groundpasspodDisclaimer: 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 

Coco Gauff shouted out Christian's Court in a press conference this week, and that moment says a lot about who tennis lets in and who is actually growing it.Links:Send us a voice memo - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/voice-memo Christian’s response to Coco Gauff - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbsGM4zOUTt/?igsh=MXB0b3NsMzRiZTdudA==Christian’s article on Anisimova - https://www.si.com/onsi/serve/news/why-anisimova-reunited-with-her-coach-after-brief-splitChristian is in Toronto for the Canadian Open and he joins the podcast to give us the on the ground feels of the tournament in Toronto. Eala-mania is in full effect. The tournament is selling branded chicken adobo and the Filipino fans packed the stands bring the best vibes at a tennis tournament he has ever seen. We talk about Alex Eala’s run at the Canadian Open, Coco Gauff’s form and that moment in her press conference that has changed things for all of us new media creators in tennis. Anisimova coaching changes and Diana Schnaider and Naomi Osaka looking good.On the men's side in Montreal: no Sinner, no Alcaraz, no Djokovic, and a real question about whether the two-week Masters format is worth what it's costing.Plus a Ground Pass exclusive with Taylor Townsend on why she entered singles only in Canada, and a look at our conversation with Matt Futterman on why he called tennis The Cruelest Game.The full Futterman interview is on Substack tomorrow: https://groundpass.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chipsChapters:00:00 Welcome Christian's Court to the podcast05:15 How the Canadian Open is structured11:51 Alex Eala takes over Canada and their food court17:17 Alex Eala keeps winning29:19 Gauff, Anisimova, the rest of the WTA tour44:56 The ATP in disarray, but is it really?01:03:00 The WTA new Media deal💬 Don’t forget to give us a leave is a 5 ⭐️ rating and drop us a comment Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/supportGround Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Where You can Find us Online:Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com 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/groundpasspodDisclaimer: 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 

Alex Eala won the DC Open by going through Qinwen Zheng, Leylah Fernandez, Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina, and Jessica Pegula, and became the first Filipino player to win a WTA singles title. This one is a solo pod, recorded late after a work day, about what that week actually looked like from the ground.Inside: the TikTok about Eala's Miami run that started This Week in Tennis, the strange gap between a huge fanbase and a thin trophy case, the rain delay that wiped a set and handed her a clean slate on Monday, and Pegula's very generous explanation of why that slow lefty serve is so hard to attack.Then the bigger argument. The Tennis Channel desk sitting out in the open, an hour of Naomi Osaka just hanging out with fans, an ice cream truck a few feet away, and what that says about where the sport feels healthiest right now. Plus Fritz on the safety break, Rafa Jódar on the weekly reset, and the Canada attendance question.Also, Ground Pass is credentialed at the US Open. That happened because of weeks like this one.Links: Ground Pass on Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com/- Ground Pass Shop: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop- Jessica Pegula's final press conference: https://youtu.be/WfBxCkkasok?si=-AaRA6-RZozkgki0 - PTPA article: https://awfulannouncing.com/tennis/ptpa-threatens-defamation-lawsuit-andy-roddick-served.html Chapters00:00 Alex Eala wins the DC Open06:30 The TikTok that started This Week in Tennis09:20 "Who's this girl?" and the fandom question13:10 Head down, no celebrating, until the handshake14:20 Eala on how steep it gets at the top18:20 The rain reset and a brand new match21:40 Pegula explains why the slow lefty serve works28:40 Taylor Fritz on the safety break31:40 Rafa Jódar on resetting after every week33:40 Ground Pass is credentialed at the US Open35:20 Just fix the bathrooms39:40 The Osaka cookout43:00 The PTPA story someone should report44:40 Sinner, Djokovic, and the Canada question💬 Don’t forget to give us a leave is a 5 ⭐️ rating and drop us a comment Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/supportGround Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Where You can Find us Online:Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com 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/groundpasspodDisclaimer: 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 

We are live from the DC Open. The only tournament where you can record a podcast in the middle of the grounds and a player might pull up in the background.Watch our first dispatch from the grounds: https://youtu.be/xbFo_LAHqkc?si=HlCS40XTU3EIjIfR  Anastasia and Ava are on the grounds in Washington, credential mics on and with players walking by in the background. This one covers why DC's crowd is unlike anywhere else on tour, the case for combined events, Venus Williams one year after her comeback, Andy Murray showing up early to hit with Jack Draper, and the doubles story the tour would rather not talk about.Links:Pick up your Summer shirt here - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Chapters:00:00 Intro - Live from DC03:11 A Case for Combined events05:40 The only crowd on tour that looks like this08:45 Add the DC Open to your must visit list13:18 A summer gem of a tournament14:42 Venus Williams, one year later17:24 Andy Murray really missed tennis26:14 The doubles crisis29:09 Singles vs doubles, a beef is brewing💬 Don’t forget to give us a leave is a 5 ⭐️ rating and drop us a comment Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/supportGround Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Where You can Find us Online:Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com 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/groundpasspodDisclaimer: 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 

Nobody becomes a tennis fan from a highlight reel. This week, Ryan Ng of 40 Love Studio joins Anastasia to talk about the storytelling gap in tennis: the quirky grassroots characters going uncaptured, the six years Ryan spent off the court after the yips took his forehand, and the almost-9-million-view video that started with a friend asking why tennis scoring has a point called love. Plus a quick spin through the week: Tsitsipas wins Gstaad and earns a Lost Boys list revisit, Bernard Tomic and his devoted Bernies, and the ATP's reported plan to shrink doubles, which raises the question this whole episode is about. Do you grow a sport by cutting the field, or by telling the story?Links:Pick up your Summer shirt here - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Lost Boys - https://youtu.be/9maE1Nb8e3o?si=6TmlZx-C7i9KgTfe Bernard Tomic Wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Tomic Bernard Tomic acceptance speech - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbAL2ZmNpMT/?igsh=cXQ1MTYzZ3J1YnhiBernard Tomic Ode to Tomic - https://www.instagram.com/p/DbAEUqzADB4/?igsh=bWtnaGxzbTh2dTZlCasper Ruud’s Wedding video - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZuzslTD-lr/?igsh=MWJxZ3RiYXR4YjJjdg==Forty Love Studio - https://www.instagram.com/fortylovestudio?igsh=NjN3Y3doNWVnaDc3OFF SEASON: DALLAS - https://youtu.be/uSvdHBs0bPM?si=PDVLrtCDT1bqR-7M Chapters:00:00 Intro02:35 A Quiet Tennis Week on Purpose04:07 Tsitsipas wins a tournament07:40 Bernard Tomic and his Fans10:00 Tennis Wedding Week11:34 The Tennis Royal Wedding - Tommy Paul and Paige Lorenze13:19 The Other Weddings14:30 Carlos Alcaraz at the World Cup15:54 Interview with Ryan Ng of Forty Love Studio39:57 The Importance of Storytelling in Tennis44:04 Excitement for the DC Open47:14 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans💬 Don’t forget to give us a leave is a 5 ⭐️ rating and drop us a comment Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/supportGround Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Where You can Find us Online:Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com 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/groundpasspodDisclaimer: 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 

Linda Noskova won Wimbledon, and we couldn't name a single storyline for her. Alex Eala and Coco Gauff lost and stayed everywhere. This week we sit with the gap between results and recognition: how a champion can go unnoticed, how one outfit can outrun a match, and why the players worth knowing sometimes slip right past casual fans. Plus the last Brit standing, a shakeup on the Lost Boys list, and the WTA Finals landing somewhere you can actually afford. If tennis fame confuses you, this one's for you.Links:Pick up your Summer shirt here - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Interview with Naomi Osaka’s creative director - https://open.substack.com/pub/groundpass/p/how-naomi-osakas-kill-bill-kimono?r=47h9qh&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer Ellie Majelly on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/elliemajelly Tournament guide link - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/tournament-guidesChapters00:00 Intro - and twinning accidentally02:02 Wimbledon Recap - starting with an apology03:07 Alex Eala has the best fans and Bad Bunny Concerts08:45 Naomi Osaka's breakout Wimbledon12:53 Iva Jovic is baby Pegula20:13 Coco Gauff v Muchova was the best match22:02 Who is Linda Noskova?34:10 Was the Men's tournament a dud35:18 Athur Fery's fairytale run39:29 Felix Auger-Aliassime on the rise46:18 Jannik Sinner Wins Wimbledon51:54 Cruz Hewitt and Junior tennis55:06 Hall of Fame Open - James Watt wins in doubles57:17 WTA Finals coming to Indian Wells59:40 Coming up next on Ground Pass01:05:20 Whoops - Player of the Fortnight!!!!💬 Don’t forget to give us a leave is a 5 ⭐️ rating and drop us a comment Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/supportGround Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop Where You can Find us Online:Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com 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/groundpasspodDisclaimer: 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