Hold On to Your Racket with Josefina Gurevich and Shravya Pant

This week the Hold On to Your Racket duo is talking the ATP Finals in Turin. We break down both groups, Red and Green, from Jannik Sinner’s steady rise and Daniil Medvedev’s incognito success this season to Novak's continued historic glory and Rune's fresh appearance. Before we break down the year-ending men’s tournament, however, HOTYR discusses Hot Headlines. This includes Turin contestant Alexander Zverev’s recent court-issued fine in response to the abuse of his ex-girlfriend, a farewell to golden Aussie John Millman from the tour, and a lighthearted quip about the sport’s sexiest men, as appointed by People Magazine. Tune in to Episode 113 for the latest news and a preview of the 2023 ATP Finals.

Hold On to Your Racket is back! …And with an exciting WTA Finals preview. Set in Cancun, this exciting event celebrates an entire season of phenomenal women’s tennis. We cover everything from the controversy over the tournament’s stadium construction to breaking down each participant’s 2023 season. Tune in for a glittering in-depth preview!

After yet another hiatus, HOTYR has an episode for you… and jeez was it a good time to make one. So… NAOMI OSAKA IS HAVING A BABY?? Yes, so just by that you should tune in to this episode and hear our thoughts on her bun in the oven, as well as her newfound drive for tennis. In addition to that massive piece of news, we are counting down the days until the release of Break Point, Netflix’s tennis docuseries. January 13! Save the date! P.S. We have some BTS content of the Netflix series from Morgan Riddle’s episode with us (Ep. 93). Also, watch Morgan’s vlogs on Youtube – so insightful and entertaining, true inside look into the tennis world. We close out the episode with regularly scheduled Tennis Talk, discussing last week’s AO warm up tournament results (Sebi with the final!) and who to look out for going into the Australian Open from Taylor Fritz to Aryna Sabalenka (yes, you heard that right). Tune in for some insight and a great start to the new year. Happy 2023!

There has only been one headline on everyone’s minds this week. Roger. Federer’s. Retirement. As GenZ’ers, Roger’s career has meant something different to us, but he has had an undeniable cross-generation impact on tennis. In this episode of Hold On to Your Racket, we’re paying homage to not only an absolute legend, but the era of tennis he and Serena are taking with them. There’s no saying what’ll be in the future, but one thing is for sure: Josefina is still very much in denial about this ordeal. This one’s for the history books, so tune in and enjoy our emotional babbling.

It’s a magical weekend at the US Open as we’ve got two exciting finals upon us. We discuss what to expect with Carlos’ electrifying game, Iga’s continued dominance, Casper’s solid play and admirable humility, and Ons’ impressive consistency on the big stage. With a new era of ATP tennis peaking through and 2022's top two in form WTA players facing off in the last grand slam of the year, the US Open once again does not disappoint! Be sure to also tune in for Hot Headlines, where we bid a final farewell to Serena and discuss Fiona Ferro’s brave words about being sexually assaulted by her former coach. Last few nights of tennis in the Big Apple; show us what you got.

HOTYR’s favorite slam is finally here and we couldn’t be more excited. My dear co-host, Josefina, is away on a well deserved vacation this week so instead I, Shravya, am joined by a HOTYR local, dear friend and loyal Nolefam member Miller. We begin our lively conversation with a rundown of some of the latest headlines, namely Djokovic confirming his absence from the US Open (a tough pill to swallow for my crocfam guest cohost) and Victoria Azarenka being booted from the Tennis Plays for Peace exhibition. As is HOTYR tradition, Tennis Talk this episode is dedicated to unpacking the men's and women's singles US Open draws; Daniil and Emma’s title defense, pressure on Iga and Carlos, and exciting potential for the likes of Pegula, Coric, Fritz, Garcia, and more are all topics we discuss in this segment. And of course, fingers crossed for a promising Serena run; it’s the GOAT’s last dance.

We are so excited to share this interview with you all. For the first time in HOTYR history, we got to sit down with a real life professional tennis player (yes, they actually exist): Robin Montgomery! What better perspective to hear from than a fellow tennis obsessed GenZ-er? We discuss Robin’s young tennis career, including her impressive 2021 US Open girls singles and doubles championship double whammy and the transition from the junior to the pro circuit. We discuss the day in the life of a pro athlete, building a supportive team, and the WTA's mental health efforts, as well as Robin’s favorite memories on tour, including the times she got to hit with Venus and Naomi, World Team Tennis, her US Open main draw experience, and being graced by a particular Italian’s presence. It’s always a pleasure to highlight GenZ talents, and we are so grateful to have gotten the chance to speak with Robin – enjoy!

Cincy tennis baby! We start with a little blast from the past; while getting ready to leave for college, Shravya discovered a little elementary school project, a book she wrote in first grade titled “How to Be a Good Tennis Player.” Next time your fave is in their flop era, lend them this book. We then chat about the action in Cincy this week, with a resurgent WTA field (and some drama about balls?) and an exciting array of ATP players coming through strong this year. Caroline Garcia's hot streak, Madison Keys' strong play, Carlitos' reliable Masters 1000 game, and our favorite octopus' pre-US Open defense journey are all on the list in this episode. As the US Open is upon us, the stars in Cincy are sure to guide us to Flushing Meadows’ next success stories.

Another classic episode of HOTYR with your two favorite teenage mutant ninja turtle hosts, minus the mutant ninja turtle part. This episode has an extra layer of pizzazz because Shravya made a little trip up to Toronto to watch some tennis, so we have some up-close and personal accounts of the tennis in the Maple Leaf Country. We open up with a heartfelt discussion of an icon leaving the sport, that icon being Serena Williams. We go into her article with Vogue, and what role gender has played in the circumstances that led her to choose between her family and her athletic career. A really prevalent issue today, we feel it is important to highlight that Serena’s freedom to make the choice to retire was awarded because of how hard she has worked for it. Either way, definitely a tough conversation to have considering we are saying goodbye to the woman who has shaped the modern tennis world; simply put, there will never be another Serena. We could talk about Serena for hours on end, but we then get into some Canadian Masters tennis thats taking place right now and who to look out for as we move into the semis in both Montreal and Toronto (especially PCB aka Mr. Solid). From British baes to Brazilian breakouts, this bonkers bunch brings the banter.

It’s like we’ve met our idol…because the one and only Blair Henley was our guest this episode! Blair has become one of the most recognizable faces in tennis media, working at some of the top tournaments (including the Grand Slams, tour finals, Masters 1000 events, and much more) to bring the player content we know and love. We chat with Blair about her career, all the way from her college tennis experience, freelance tennis writing days, and first tournament media trips to jet setting around the US and world to interview the ATP and WTA’s biggest stars as she does today. As we go-over her career overall, we hone in on her unique perspective of the sport and unique experiences that came with it, for example what her experience covering the USA vs. Ukraine BJK Cup match just days after the Russian invasion. What makes working in tennis so special? Who have been some of her favorite and most difficult players to interview? We discuss all this and more, including, of course, some of Blair’s insights into the tennis going on this week at the Citi Open and in San Jose and Los Cabos, as well as a fun rapid fire at the end. The two of us were so grateful to be able to sit down with Blair, someone who we are truly inspired by and whose passion for her career is evident in all of her content, including this episode. Come for the lively conversation and hard court swing chatter, stay for the laughs.

We’re wrapping up Wimbledon in classy fashion with this episode and an awesome event thrown by Wimbledon, the Hill in NY, featuring live viewing of the finals at an NYC replication of Henman Hill. We dive right into the conversation that needs to be had, the Kyrgios allegations. We discuss victim erasure in the media and different conversations (or lack thereof) that are being had regarding Chiara Passari, Nick’s ex-girlfriend, taking him to Canberra court. It’s disappointing how little the issue has been discussed in tennis media due to Nick’s recent success in making the men's final at Wimbledon. After wrapping up that necessary discussion, we get into the tennis. The women's final brought plenty of entertainment with Ons’ big grand slam breakout performance and Elena’s cool as a cucumber celebration (?) after the biggest win of her young career; an awesome women’s tournament and classy final duo. When we move to the mens’ final, we talk about the ghost finalist that could have been Berrettini and the birth of a cringe worthy bromance. Instead, we have Novak Djokovic eating grass and effectively dapping up Nick Kyrgios. So that’s that for Wimbledon 2022.

Summer has officially started and the grass is greener than ever; welcome to the grass season! As we soak up the summer sun and embark on two months of tennis coaching (oh boy), we turn from our Red Ball classes to the professional level, discussing the latest on the ATP and WTA tours when it comes to the grass. A celebration of Serena’s return and Rafael Nadal’s baby are both in order, as well as a look at the 2022 grass champions so far and some special love for Tim van Rijthoven. Who’s in form for a deep Wimbledon run? Who could surprise us with some strong play at SW19? From Matteo to Beatriz, from Hubi to Ons, we’re excited to dive into the grassy action. Tune in for an enthusiastic embrace of grass court play.

Roland Garros has ended and we are here to wrap it up. We discuss some notable headlines, ranging from WTA players speaking out about menstruation to protestors walking on to Court Philippe-Chatrier to fabricated locker room beef. We also chat about Rafa’s historic #22 in 2022 and Iga’s continued win streak, while highlighting the impressive runs of Coco, Casper, and more. Also catch a glimpse of the latest updates on Josefina’s love life ;) Enjoy.

Bonjour, mes amis! We are back with a quick turnaround to celebrate the fun and chaos of the French Open! Join us as we discuss the action in the early rounds in Paris (Stef’s routine comeback, OJ and Barbie K’s early exits, Shapo’s rush to get back to rapping, and more), the ATP and WTA’s formal decision about Wimbledon, player responses to the point drop (Naomi, don’t just quit the grass!), and a tribute to Jo-Willy. It’s rare we get to bask in the fun of the early stages of a slam, so tune in for a good one.

We’re coming close to a huge HOTYR milestone: 10k plays!! Very exciting and what an episode to close it out… juicy hot headlines and an in-depth Clay Slam preview await. We hit it off with the big topic: the ATP and WTA stripping Wimbledon of ranking points in response to their Russian/Belarussian player ban. We discuss the impact and grounds behind this move and what role politics play in the sports world today. In addition to that, we emphasize a few exciting announcements, including the Elina-Gael baby news. The other big discussion in Hot Headlines is the stigma that players, especially male, have to keep up the appearance of seeming invincible. This conversation is brought about by Rafa’s decision to play through his chronic foot pain in the French Open. We close out the episode with a nice preview of the French Open WTA and ATP draws, quarter-by-quarter. Top contenders, such as Iga…and Iga, Novak, Tsitsipas etc. are mentioned here, as well as the usual dark horse highlights. Tune in for all the latest French Open and tennis world updates in one listen!

Buongiorno! HOTYR takes Italia in this episode covering the action at the Italian Open in Rome. We discuss who’s remaining in the field on the ATP and WTA sides of the tournament, including Shapo’s surprising victory (plus a theory we have about what exactly led to his success...) and our favorite cup of OJ’s (Ons Jabeur, if you didn’t get the joke) continued clay success. We also highlight the Italian Open’s egregious pay inequality between its WTA and ATP prize money, as well as Naomi Osaka’s departure from IMG and subsequent business venture, Johanna Konta’s pregnancy, and Roger Federer’s comeback. Enjoy!

After a bit of rest since our last episode, we are back! Thank you to everyone who tuned into Episode 93 and shared the love; we really appreciate it and are excited to welcome some new listeners to HOTYR! This episodes dives into the ATP And WTA clay season action so far, particularly in Madrid, but we also explore some important off-court discussions. For example, what’s up with the Wimbledon ban? Is it effective? How can the tennis world ensure that we’re being empathetic towards Ukrainian players (and people) while also acting fairly? What role does sport play in politics? After that fruitful discussion, the two of us move on to what we feel is one of the most important conversations we’ve had on the podcast. We discuss Pam Shriver’s recent Telegraph article about her emotionally abusive relationship with her coach, Don Candy, when she was 17 years old and he was 33, highlighting some of the feelings she experienced during (and in the aftermath of) their relationship and messages she shared for young women, as well as our own ability to relate to some of what Shriver was discussing. Hang around for a Naomi shoutout and a celebration of one of our favorite ATP dilfs. Enjoy!

It’s clay season, baby! We discuss the biggest ongoing and upcoming clay tournaments of recent, Charleston and Monte-Carlo, predicting our clay standouts (and dropouts…) of the season. We also talk the PMou coach poach, Serena’s comeback at Wimbledon, Matteo’s unfortunate injury, and Ons’ impressive return to form. We’re one with the clay today! Just listen to Josefina - you can hear it in her voice ;) Enjoy, hotties.

Chris Rock, Hard Rock, drama, oh my! From the Oscars fiasco and its unfortunate tainting of the King Richard movie to the finals in Miami, we’ve got you covered on the latest news on and off the court. Domi’s (brief) return and continued bad luck, an exciting new WTA partnership, and news around the ATP’s investigation into Alexander Zverev are also part of our Hot Headlines discuss. Josefina discusses her exciting weekend excursion to Hard Rock Stadium and then we survey the finals. Four faves left, who’s gonna take it?

Well! You already know what this episode is about. The Barty Party has now come to an end (that was hard to type). We unpack Ash’s retirement and her wonderful video farewell, discussing all things balance, passion, and breaking down the barriers of what it means to be a “successful” professional athlete. We don’t hesitate to lay all the (sometimes misogynistic) critiques of her decision to bed and reflect on Ash’s career and inspiring attitude, one that can teach us all a few things. We also discuss Iga Swiatek’s victory in Indian Wells, plus her likely rise to #1 and words about Barty, Taylor Fritz’s magical run, Nadal’s injury, and all the action that is to come in Miami (including some...kind words about Raducanu/Draper's agent ;) ). Soak up some of that 305 sun because this episode is sure to be a good one.

On this episode of HOTYR, we speak not only from expertise but also experience, because we had our very own Shravya at Indian Wells for the week!! Before we get to tennis though, we get into our Women’s Month shout-out: Oracene Price, the severely underhyped superwoman in the lives of icons Venus and Serena Williams. We also discuss Nick Kyrgios and his most recent behavior (or lack thereof), as well as a recent announcement from Wimbledon regarding Russian participation in their tournament. Within Hot Headlines, Shravya contributed with a personal account of hearing Dayana Yastremska speak of her experience as a Ukrainian war refugee. Next up is the actual tennis: a recap of the semifinal action, an analysis of the upcoming Iga/Maria final (so excited!) and the impressive state of WTA tennis, and also some ATP (Rafa) talk, including a debrief on Taylor Fritz's love affair with the desert. Iganators, Sakkattackers, Rafans, and Fritzies, this one goes out to y’all. Tune in for the ultimate inside scoop!!

Welcome to the desert, hotys! As we approach one of our favorite parts of the tennis season, the Sunshine Double, the two of us are quite excited to chat about the latest Hot Headlines and action underway at Indian Wells. We discuss the stacked WTA and sans-Djokovic (but with Rafa and Daniil!) draws and our predictions for players like Swiatek, Rafa, Leylah, and the new world #1, Medvedev. We also overview Serena’s CNN interview, the ATPs slap-on-the-wrist consequences for Zverev’s umpire abuse in Acapulco, Iga Swiatek’s gesture of solidarity towards Ukraine, and continue our Women’s Month spotlights. Soak up the desert sun and enjoy this episode!

Welcome back, hotties. This episode comes at a difficult moment in the current state of geopolitics and the news, so we want to dedicate much of our discussion towards the calls for peace and brave activism from both Ukrainian and Russian voices in the tennis world. Sport is, after all, a microcosm of the world’s social causes. We discuss the Yastremska sisters’ heartbreaking flight from home and emotional moments on court, Elina Svitolina’s activism, and the brave outspokenness of the likes of Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova showing their support as Russian players. We also give our take on the IOC’s Recommendations for banning athletes and the tennis world’s response, while also overviewing other notable stories like our Women’s History Month feature, Medvedev’s rise to #1, Naomi Osaka’s Fortnite debut, Zverev's disqualification, Leander Paes' domestic abuse conviction, and Iga Swiatek, Rafael Nadal, and Sloane Stephens’ stellar play last week. Last but certainly not least, be sure to tune in so you can find out how to vote us for Best Tennis Podcast in the Sports Podcast Awards! See linktr.ee/HoldOntoYourRacketPodcast for more. Sending love to you all during this difficult times.

In this episode we discussed plenty of news, and PLENTY of tennis. These past few weeks have practically been nothing but 250s. ATP 250s, that is. Before we dive into Tennis Talk, we address the trending issue of a lack of WTA tournaments compared to ATP. Even before that, however, we reluctantly discuss yet another one of Djocovid’s latest ignorant stunts…his interview with BBC. Luckily for us and our listeners…there’s more to talk about Hot Headlines-wise. We take a moment to appreciate Venus and Serena’s iconic Harper’s Bazaar interview (and accompanying pics), and last (but certainly not least) we talk Morgan Riddle’s (Taylor Fritz’s girlfriend) venture into expanding tennis’ platform to a wider (and younger) audience via – get this – tennis influencing. Unfortunately, she’s been receiving (sexist) backlash for it, and we break down why what she’s doing for our sport is so instrumental in the growth of it. Tune in for some nice discussion on tennis’ latest happenings!

Oh boy. So many emotions in this episode. The two of us sit down for the first time since the hectic Australian Open and dive right into the latest in the tennis world, beginning with Juan Martin del Potro’s, the Gentle Giant, retirement. Even as GenZers, we have such fond memories of his time on the tour and reflect on his final match and illustrious career. Other Hot Headlines include King Richard’s six Oscar nominations, the return of Fedal at Laver Cup, and Peng Shuai’s L’Equipe interview and the WTA’s response. We also check in on the tennis going on in Rotterdam, St. Petersburg, and Dallas this week, especially the return of faves like Kontaveit and Brooksby, so tune in for an action packed episode!

Happy Slam by name, Happy Slam in truth – what a magical Australian Open! We sit down several timezones away from Melbourne to discuss the magic of Rafa’s win, the everlasting Barty Party, and celebrate Dylan Alcott’s trailblazing career. We discuss GOAT debates and Rafa’s undying competitive fire, love for the game, and heartwarming show of emotions on court after proving his own modest expectations wrong with his historic championship victory. With that comes a look into Daniil Medvedev’s saddening post-match press conference and a discussion of his behavior and identity on court, as well as a shoutout to some notable semifinalists and Hugo Boss model. A discussion of the women’s tournament delves into Ash Barty’s cool, calm, and collected run to becoming the first Australian since 1978 to take the title and how her strong serving led her there. Queen DanYELL is certainly not unforgotten as we express our appreciation for her fighting spirit, college tennis representation, comeback from endometriosis, and outspokenness about the societal taboos around women’s health issues. With queens like Ash and Collins, tried and true favorites like Rafa and Medvedev, and the legend that is Dylan Alcott defining this fortnight, it’s all happiness at this slam, so tune in for a well deserved celebration of this year’s Australian Open.

It’s the second week of tennis Down Under and we’re loving the vibes! All our vaxxed besties are firing it up on the court, and we’re here to provide you the latest on the Round of 16 results and quarterfinal action to come. We talk Barbie K’s necklace drama, Fritz tearing up after defeating his dad(dy), Shapo’s success in taking out the trash, Cressy being crowned the ATP white boy of the month, and continued strong play from our faves like Iga, Gael, and Matteo. Join us as we revel in the Melbourne madness!

As you may have noticed, considering the recent news we are quite reluctantly bringing up the Djokovic Drama once again. Nonetheless, we provide the necessary updates as well as some good news concerning an upcoming tennis docuseries on Netflix! After these Hot Headlines, we finally get to discuss our favorite part…TENNIS. There has been so much tennis going on recently, with Sir Andy, Madi Keys, and The Kokk coming up with some stellar game, and so much tennis coming up Down Under. We cover it all from current AO warmup tournament updates to a full analyzation of the Australian Open draws (WTA and ATP). The title is up for grabs and we break down the possible champs for you. So take a listen, then take your pick for the AusOpen 2022.

There is one thing on everyone’s minds right now, and that’s Novak Djokovic’s trouble in Australia. It’s quite a confusing story, considering all the different organizations and people that have gotten involved…including the Serbian President. We do our best to break it all down and give you all the sides of the story, as there are quite a few people at fault here beyond just Novak, plus our take on the whole situation. It’s definitely a wild ride and the ridiculousness of it all makes for a lively conversation. After covering the hottest news of 2022, we dive into the Australian tennis wing including the ATP Cup and the various Melbourne Summer Sets and Adelaide Internationals (very creative names). Tune in for a solid mix of tea and tennis because there is certainly a lot to discuss and just as much to digest.

What an absolutely phenomenal episode we have lined up for you. For our ATP 2021 season recap, we have special guest, International Tennis Hall of Fame inducted journalist, Steve Flink. First we discuss Steve’s career and his outlook on an upcoming, young generation of tennis fans (aka us!). Then we take a deep dive into the hottest headlines of the year (including discussions about the Zverev allegations, latest developments in the Peng Shuai story, and the ATP's lack of action in both of these situations) and everything that’s unraveled throughout the season, on and off the court. From Australian quarantine controversy to Djokovic’s crushing defeat at the US Open to NextGen breakthroughs, we discuss it all. So, make sure to tune in to get the expert opinion on all things 2021 (and 2022..) mens’ tennis! 

We’re rolling in the deep in this episode because boy was there some ~depth~ on the WTA Tour this season. We revisit some of the most notable champions, breakouts, and moments from the 2021 WTA season, including the Barty Party blast, Sakkattack/Badawesome/Mugurific/Anett-tastic/Krej-scintillating performances, and Gen Z representation. We also discuss the latest updates on the Peng Shuai story, as well as celebrate the announcement of Amélie Mauresmo’s position as the new Roland Garros tournament director. We’re back with a good one this episode - tune in!

The focus of this episode first and foremost is to discuss the story of Peng Shuai, the Chinese tennis star who came out with allegations of sexual assault against former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli last week and is now missing. This story has garnered attention beyond just the tennis world, with the WTA, fellow tennis players, politicians, and the media speaking out. Peng Shuai’s disappearance also represents a lot about the state of #MeToo and censorship in China. We hope and pray for her safety, so please take the time to listen to and read about her story. We also discuss some ATP and WTA tennis that went down this week, including a celebration of Mugu’s Guadalajara success and other takeaways from the WTA Finals, heartbreaking injuries and debut alternates at the ATP Finals, Federer’s 2022 season doubts, and our usual analysis and giggles.

Hold on to your rackets, folks, because it's WTA FINALS TIME, BABY! If you couldn't tell, we are beyond excited. We’re back with consistent episodes?? YUP! Luckily the focus of this episode is the WTA (insert heart eyes emoji)!! So we start it out with some recap of recent tennis like the RTF triumph at BJK Cup and Djoko's revenge at the Paris Masters. Then we check-in on some current tournaments like Stockholm, where Sir Andy took out our favorite ATP ginger, and the Linz defeat of Emma (we discuss her hype and the fact that she deserves some leniency, people (!!), as well as her new coach). Then we finally talk about some Finals action (ATP NextGen); our boy Sebi is lowkey goating. FINALLY WTA!! It’s still pretty early in the tournament so it’s tough to discuss what’ll end up happening but we give you the preview and we give it good (well?). We give you the rundown of the groups and our picks to win, so tune in to hear us blab about our favorite ladies!!

Indoor season madness continues with action at the Paris Masters and the Billie Jean King Cup! We start off by discussing two important Hot Headlines: player vaccination requirements for the Australian Open and Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai’s recent sexual accusations against Zhao Gaoli and the government’s efforts to silence her. In Tennis Talk we update you on Finals action at the Billie Jean King Cup, discussing Team Russia’s firepower, USA’s narrow semifinal qualification, and the close match-up between the Czech Republic and Switzerland to come. In Paris, we highlight Djokovic and Medvedev’s tour level indoor hardcourt debuts but focus our attention to the real deal at Paris: the (not so under) underdogs. Tay-Tay Fritz, Cam Norrie, Dominik Koepfer, and Sebastian Korda are all included in our discussion. Last but not least, we update you on the WTA Race to Guadalajara and the ATP Race to Turin as we talk about Anett Kontaveit’s magical qualification run, Ons Jabeur’s humorous sportswomanship, and the battle for the last few spots in Turin. Enjoy!

As we say in this episode, the Laver Cup served boring this year. Nevertheless, we’re here to recap the important parts of some of the best ATP and WTA action last week, as well as a few key moments from the Team Europe vs. Team World showdown (blowout): Annett’s title roll, Sakkari’s top ten debut, Hubi grabbing two trophies in Moselle, Kwon making history for South Korea, and key reflections on Opelka’s comment about Zverev and the Laver Cup ignoring the Zverev allegations. We also discuss Hot Headlines, including Federer’s recovery and recent comments on social media and pressure put on players like Raducanu and Osaka, as well as recent coaching splits on the WTA tour. The Laver Cup may have been lamer this year, but that doesn’t mean that the two of us don’t make the best of our chat in this episode. Tune in!

As week 1 of the US Open wrapped up and we move into quarterfinal territory, we discuss all the craziness that has gone on in Flushing Meadows these past eight days. First we discuss some of this week’s Hot Headlines, including Naomi Osaka’s third round loss, behavior on court, post-match comments about taking a break from tennis, and the importance of prioritizing mental health. We also talk about US Open Pride Day and ATP players’ supportive comments about the sentiment, including words from FAA about spearheading an LGBTQ+ community research initiative within the ATP. As for the tennis, it’s been a Gen Z party. Along with a discussion about their stellar tennis, we also ponder what a dinner party with Jenson, Emma, Leylah, and Carlos would look like. We discuss faves like Svito and Matteo and second week standouts like Oscar Otte, Shelby Rogers, and Josefina’s newest crush: Botic VDZ. This has certainly taken the cake for our favorite episode yet, and it’s only fitting that that happened at our favorite tournament of the season, so jump into the tennis and enjoy.

Dear HOTYR listeners, the US Open has finally begun! Action at our favorite tournament has kicked off with a slate of thrilling first rounders and interesting draws in Flushing Meadows. In this episode, we discuss some key Hot Headlines including Ben Rothenberg’s article detailing part two of Olya Sharypova’s harrowing account of domestic abuse allegations towards her ex-boyfriend Alexander Zverev. We also discuss the US Open’s vaccine mandate for fans but the lack of vaccination requirements for tennis players, opening up a much needed conversation about athletes’ privilege and lack of education on the vaccine. Moving on to the tennis, we take a look at both the men’s and women’s singles draws, taking you through quarter-by-quarter to highlight favorites, dark horses, players we think could make a deep run, and other predictions for the tournament. Tune in for the perfect welcome to the US Open!

It's our one year podcast anniversary! Can you believe it? To celebrate, the two of us held a HOTYR Anniversary Gameshow where HOTYR listeners and tennis enthusiasts from around the world participated in an array of tennis-themed games to test their tennis wit. Tricky trivia questions and a couple of fun games of our own creation stretched the minds of our tennis-obsessed contestants. We had so much fun interacting with our listeners and fellow fans of the sport. Listen along to participate in the gameshow yourself and to hear who was crowned the winner and will receive a HOTYR prize box. Thank you so much for your support throughout this past year - we couldn't have done it without you all - and a big thank you to our contestants, as well!

Tennis at the Olympic Games has concluded and the US Open hard court swing has begun! After a long week of playing tennis, the two of us sat down to recap Russia’s dominance on the podiums and other breakthrough players in the Olympics. We also check in on the action going on at the Citi Open (ATP 500) and the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic (WTA 500) going on in Washington, D.C. and San Jose, California. PLUS, the two of us are attending the Citi Open this weekend, so this episode contains sufficient hype for that. 

The Olympics are (finally) here! Despite some subdued fanfare in the tennis world surrounding this event, we’re here to bring sufficient hype to the games. We preview the draws and discuss what makes the Olympics so special, as well as noting which players have opportunity to make history in Tokyo. Djokovic’s chase for calendar gold, chances for ATP and WTA breakthroughs, and Osaka’s return (and recent Netflix documentary) are all part of our discussion today, so come join us for a fun (and informative, of course) preview of the world’s greatest sporting event.

Tropical storms, power outages, Wi-Fi issues, and tech difficulties have made it incredibly difficult for us to record these past couple of weeks, but we finally did it! The two of us discuss the highs and lows of Wimbledon, including Ash Barty and Novak Djokovic’s history-making championship runs, Matteo Berrettini’s contribution to a successful weekend for Italian sport, Karolina Pliskova’s resurgence, and key breakthroughs from players like Raducanu, Shapovalov, and Sabalenka. We end on a happy note catching you up on some great things Naomi Osaka has been up to, including her ESPY wins, upcoming Netflix documentary, and recent Barbie doll release! The laughs are back, so join us for a quick chat about tennis and more.

It’s been a slippery first few days of Wimbledon to say the least. In this episode we recap the action of the first two rounds, highlighting upsets and strong play from the field. We look ahead towards Round 3 and assess how the draw is shaping out: opportunity for Barty to continue her dominance, chances for Frances, Coco, Sebi, and Sloane to make American breakthroughs, and stacked sections like Sabalenka’s quarter and Medvedev’s tough opponents to come. We celebrate our grandfather’s second round win (peRFect), Angie’s insane battle, and Sir Andy winning like a knight in shining armor. Last but certainly not least, don’t miss Josefina’s disappointment with some of her ATP faves’ recent social media posts and which career we think could be a fallback for certain ATP players.

Strawberries and cream, let’s hope Wimbledon doesn’t crush our grass court dreams! We’re back to preview Wimbledon as we analyze the women’s and men’s singles draws. We try to remain logical with most of our picks, but, come on now, this is tennis: craziness is bound to happen. We celebrate the return of Barty Party (and how Ash is honoring the 50 year anniversary of a historic accomplishment), highlight the sections packed with this grass season’s most notable players (yup, Jelena Ostapenko is BACK), and eye vintage comebacks from the likes of Kvitova, Kerber, Muguruza, and Serena. On the ATP side, we discuss who (if anyone) can stop the croc, whether Andrey’s ATP 500s loss will propel him into Grand Slam redemption, and the chances of our faves (and contenders) like Matty B, Mr. Daniil, and the one and only Rog. Come for the insightful commentary, stay for the eccentric picks.