Nothing Major

With the Madrid Open underway, John, Jack, Sam, and Stevie are back to share their favorite memories, and some honest takes on the Spanish 1000 tournament. From the not-so-fancy venue, to the lost magic of the blue clay, to the challenges of finding dinner in a city that eats at midnight.Tennis' favorite host and reporter Blair Henley, crashes the pod with a surprise segment featuring some unbelievable photos from the gang's high school days.Sam attempts to pitch a new pod segment, the boys discuss the best clay court traits and is launching a Hot Coach Bracket a good idea?00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview00:41 John's Birthday03:17 Special Guest: Blair Henley08:13 Prom Stories19:29 Madrid Tournament Experiences24:26 Discussing the Blue Clay Experiment25:11 Funny and Memorable Moments in Madrid31:24 Overrated, Underrated, and Properly Rated Tourist Attractions in Europe40:36 Fan Questions

The guys kick off the show recapping the most significant results from last week. Is Zverev back after winning on home soil? Could Rune’s victory over Alcaraz make him a week-in, week-out threat moving forward? And does Ostapenko’s dominant week in Stuttgart make her a Roland Garros contender?They then delve into the ITIA’s odd clarification on the tennis doping control policy and reminisce about their not-so-enjoyable experiences of being watched in the locker room by drug testers during their post-loss showers. Finally, they conclude with their predictions for this week’s Madrid tournament. Can the guys maintain their impressive streak of incorrect picks?00:00 – Intro and Episode Setup01:22 – Jack’s Vietnam Pickleball Tour Recap03:23 – Jack’s Travel Horror Story and WrestleMania Banter05:05 – Barcelona Recap: Rune Beats Alcaraz09:45 – Is Zverev Back? Munich Title Discussion13:47 – Ben Shelton’s Clay Court Run17:05 – American Players and Clay Court Reputation20:10 – Stuttgart WTA Recap: Ostapenko’s Win Over Swiatek25:50 – Can Ostapenko Win the French Open?30:28 – ITIA Shower Rule Controversy and Doping Stories37:23 – Madrid Masters Predictions and Draw Talk43:00 – Website Plug + Trivia Intro44:21 – Trivia: Who Beat Fed, Rafa, and Novak at Madrid?

This week, the guys go full clay-mode with some hard truths about life on the dirt. They draft their current top clay-court players, revisit the narrative that Americans can’t hang on the surface, and share some painfully honest personal stories - including Steve Johnson’s worst-ever loss on clay winning two games in a five set match.The boys then turn to the Nothing Major mailbag and give insight into life on the ATP Tour, including how coaches are compensated and laundry disasters on the road.00:00 - Intro: Mailbag, Clay Draft, and Clay Court Losses00:30 - Jack Sock Still in Vietnam01:00 - Tennis and Clinics with Sam, John, and Steve03:00 - Clay Court Snake Draft Begins06:00 - Draft Recap and Bad Clay Court Team for Jack Sock09:00 - Steve Johnson’s Worst Clay Court Losses13:00 - French Open Horror Stories16:00 - Fan Mailbag: How Are Coaches Paid?20:00 - Tennis Laundry Stories and Roger Federer Mystique23:30 - Does Djokovic Have a Slam Chance in 2024?25:50 - Tournament Hotel and Coach Expense Stories30:00 - Tips for Submitting Mailbag Questions30:40 - Fan Roast: German Indoor Tennis Court Vibes

Clay season is well underway and it’s Carlos Alcaraz who dominated in Monte Carlo. With Jack away spreading the good word of pickleball in Vietnam, John, Sam and Stevie break down Carlos’ play style, mental toughness, and debate whether or not he's the clear favorite for the French Open.Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic and Alex Zverev’s early crash out on the monegasque clay, is it time to hit the panic button?Less than a day since Rory Mcilroy completed golf’s Grand Slam at Augusta, the boys debate the pressures of the Masters vs. Wimbledon.Is Federer really teasing a return to the court? Who are the sleepers of clay court season? Plus what happened in Ben Shelton’s viral doubles moment?00:00 - Intro and Episode Overview00:25 - Masters Recap and Rory's Pressure Moment03:30 - Comparing Federer and Rory’s Grand Slam Pressure06:30 - Federer at The Masters – Wimbledon Comparison08:00 - Alcaraz’s Monte Carlo Domination10:00 - Alcaraz's Resilience and Mental Strength13:00 - Alcaraz as Tennis' Must-Watch Star14:10 - Musetti’s Monte Carlo Run15:45 - Ben Shelton vs Vavassori Doubles Drama17:30 - Who Will Have the Best Clay Run?19:55 - Djokovic and Zverev: Time to Panic?24:09 - Federer Exhibition Buzz and Netflix Slam27:50 - Road Biker Rant Recap and March Madness Winners29:05 - Barcelona & Munich Tournament Preview34:18 - Stuttgart WTA Preview and Prize Car Memories37:45 - Trivia: Who Beat De Minaur 0 & 0?

The crew heads to the iconic clay courts of Monte Carlo, swapping stories of fast cars and what makes the tournament feel like a blend between a Grand Slam and a luxury getaway. From Sam’s quarterfinal run to unexpected off-court adventures, they unpack the beauty, chaos, and quirks of one of tennis’s most picturesque—and unpredictable—events.Things heat up with a Monte Carlo Trivia, as the guys team up in a desperate attempt to cover up just how little they actually know about the tournament’s history. From wild guesses to accidental brilliance, it’s a hilarious ride through Rafa stats, surprise American finalists, and a few facts that might have been made up on the spot.The episode wraps with the Part 2 of Reilly Opelka interview. The NextGen Servebot reflects on injury recovery, court fashion, and shares his controversial take on doubles—before stepping into the Hot Seat for a round of rapid-fire questions.(00:00) Welcome to the show!(01:03) Sam’s Friday rant: Road bikers are the worst(05:32) Monte Carlo memories: One-time wonders & quarterfinal magic(10:57) Why Americans skip Monte Carlo (and love Houston)(12:11) Supercars, casinos & Davis Cup in Monaco(14:57) Jack's regret: Never playing Monte Carlo(18:00) Monte Carlo trivia time: Rafa, history & some wild guesses(23:18) Mailbag: Which U.S. city deserves a pro tournament?(26:09) Do we overrate American tennis players?(27:02) Opelka interview Part 2: Injury, MRIs & the Yes Man World Tour(31:28) Tennis is cooler now?(35:04) Fashion icons on tour(38:03) What tennis needs(39:43) The doubles debate: “Get rid of it?”(44:53) Met Gala picks: Opelka’s dream invite list(47:08) Wrap-up + fan shoutouts(48:03) Fan roast time + goodbye!

For our 50th episode, we’re kicking things off with Reilly Opelka, who delivers a masterclass in Servebot 101. What does it really mean to be a Servebot? Opelka dives into the struggles of being too tall for European travel, shares stories from his junior days, and plays John’s new favorite game, “Bot or Not”—where no player is safe.The guys debate armpit hair (yes, really), and open up about the mental toll of life on tour, from appearance fees to the pressure of not letting tournaments down.Plus, we also dig into the Houston tournament, breaking down everything that makes it special—housing families, top-tier hospitality, and that unbeatable March Madness atmosphere.

This week, the guys dives into 19-year-old Jakub Mensik’s breakthrough in Miami—did he just prove he’s the next big thing in tennis?We’re also talking about Aryna Sabalenka’s reign—how her confidence is reaching new heights and why she’s becoming a serious force on tour.Plus, it’s time for our Houston preview, with the clay-court action about to kick off in full swing!00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview00:51 Miami Men's Final Recap03:59 Debating Experience in Tennis09:29 Women's Tournament Highlights13:31 American Tennis Performance16:00 Clay Court Season Preview18:33 Travel Woes and European Adventures18:57 Tennis Titles and Graphics19:16 Gossip Corner: New Coaches and Player Changes21:51 Celebrities at the Miami Event22:31 Upcoming Tournaments: Houston and Charleston26:05 Blair Henley's Questions from Houston27:46 Houston Tournament Highlights and Player Experiences30:32 Final Thoughts and Trivia

In this Miami Open-themed mailbag episode of Nothing Major, the guys dive into your burning questions about the fifth Slam... according to John!Plus, a special surprise as Sam’s wife, Abby, joins the crew to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Sam’s legendary, smooth DM that kicked it all off.Tune in for the inside scoop on Miami Open madness, the success of a fishy DM, and behind-the-scenes stories of the gang in the tournament.00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Surprise01:29 Sam's Anniversary Surprise04:28 Miami Open Experiences10:33 Memorable Matches and Venues14:27 Funny Anecdotes16:28 Mailbag Kickoff16:39 Big Foe's Rough Patch17:43 Miami Open Buzz19:15 Remembering Thomas Berdych23:20 Master Series Debate24:37 Cringey Player Walkouts26:18 Rafa's Miami Mystery27:27 Sunshine Double Predictions28:00 Miami Open Drama30:39 Fan Roasting Finale