We discuss diversity at Wimbledon, debate if Nick Kyrgios has a fear of failure or a fear of success, and we review key matches in the women's singles and doubles from the semis and finals.

We discuss diversity at Wimbledon, debate if Nick Kyrgios has a fear of failure or a fear of success, and we review key matches in the women's singles and doubles from the semis and finals.

Wimbledon Recap 2022

We discuss matches from the first week of play. Players include Nick Kyrgios, Serena Williams, Emma Raducanu, and Hubert Hurkacz, among others.

We discuss matches from the first week of play. Players include Nick Kyrgios, Serena Williams, Emma Raducanu, and Hubert Hurkacz, among others.

Wimbledon Update 2022

We discuss all of the key matchups including Coco Gauff's first Slam final and Rafa's matchups with Djokovic, Zverev, and Rune. We also discuss the upcoming ban on Russian players at Wimbledon.

We discuss all of the key matchups including Coco Gauff's first Slam final and Rafa's matchups with Djokovic, Zverev, and Rune. We also discuss the upcoming ban on Russian players at Wimbledon.

French Open Recap 2022

We highlight some of the week's top matches as well as preview a couple of likely meeting in week 2. Players discussed include: Swiatek, Zheng, Fernandez, Bencic, Nadal, Korda, Alcaraz, Djokovic, and Tsitsipas, among others.

We highlight some of the week's top matches as well as preview a couple of likely meeting in week 2. Players discussed include: Swiatek, Zheng, Fernandez, Bencic, Nadal, Korda, Alcaraz, Djokovic, and Tsitsipas, among others.

French Open Update 2022

Intangibles are any qualities that impact a match that cannot be quantified with statistics. We contrast the statistical analysis of Carlos Alcaraz' strokes on Bob's Deconstructing Tennis website with the intangibles of attitude, effort, and communication. Concrete examples of how to better use your intangibles are provided.

Intangibles are any qualities that impact a match that cannot be quantified with statistics. We contrast the statistical analysis of Carlos Alcaraz' strokes on Bob's Deconstructing Tennis website with the intangibles of attitude, effort, and communication. Concrete examples of how to better use your intangibles are provided.

Intangibles in Tennis: What are They and How to Use Them

After a short discussion of some recent events on the Pro Tour (Zverev smashing his racquet on the umpire's chair, Osaka's reaction to being heckled, and what constitutes permissible cheering), we go on to discuss sportsmanship in tennis and offer some concrete ways of dealing with opponents who don't follow the Rules.

After a short discussion of some recent events on the Pro Tour (Zverev smashing his racquet on the umpire's chair, Osaka's reaction to being heckled, and what constitutes permissible cheering), we go on to discuss sportsmanship in tennis and offer some concrete ways of dealing with opponents who don't follow the Rules.

Sportsmanship, Line Calls, and the Rules of Tennis

Chestnut Ridge hosted a high-level doubles tournament on Saturday 2/19. All players either held ITF junior rankings or played on the ATP Futures or Challenger Tours. Ten teams were divided into 2 groups of 5 and competed against each of the other 4 teams within their group in a one set no-ad scoring format. First and second place finishers within the groups moved on to the semifinals. Our interviews with five of the teams are in this podcast. These teams (in order) are: 1) Peter Aarts/Brad Maisey 2) Gary Kushnirovich/Cameron Silverman 3) Guillermo Nunez/Francisco Dias 4) Enrique Catter/ Gabe Friedrich 5) Lucas Gonzalez/Gerhard Gruindelingh

Chestnut Ridge hosted a high-level doubles tournament on Saturday 2/19. All players either held ITF junior rankings or played on the ATP Futures or Challenger Tours. Ten teams were divided into 2 groups of 5 and competed against each of the other 4 teams within their group in a one set no-ad scoring format. First and second place finishers within the groups moved on to the semifinals. Our interviews with five of the teams are in this podcast. These teams (in order) are: 1) Peter Aarts/Brad Maisey 2) Gary Kushnirovich/Cameron Silverman 3) Guillermo Nunez/Francisco Dias 4) Enrique Catter/ Gabe Friedrich 5) Lucas Gonzalez/Gerhard Gruindelingh

Player Interviews - Chestnut Ridge Pro Shootout 2/19/22 - Part 2

Chestnut Ridge hosted a high-level doubles tournament on Saturday 2/19. All players either held ITF junior rankings or played on the ATP Futures or Challenger Tours. Ten teams were divided into 2 groups of 5 and competed against each of the other 4 teams within their group in a one set no-ad scoring format. First and second place finishers within the groups moved on to the semifinals. Our interviews with five of the teams are in this podcast. These teams (in order) are: 1) Chenhi Li/Alexander Nielsen 2) Clinton DeVries/Harry Walsh 3) Gustavo Loza/Borja Zarco 4) Manuel Barroetavena/Stefano DiAloy 5) Lucas Branco/Chizzy Lumeta

Chestnut Ridge hosted a high-level doubles tournament on Saturday 2/19. All players either held ITF junior rankings or played on the ATP Futures or Challenger Tours. Ten teams were divided into 2 groups of 5 and competed against each of the other 4 teams within their group in a one set no-ad scoring format. First and second place finishers within the groups moved on to the semifinals. Our interviews with five of the teams are in this podcast. These teams (in order) are: 1) Chenhi Li/Alexander Nielsen 2) Clinton DeVries/Harry Walsh 3) Gustavo Loza/Borja Zarco 4) Manuel Barroetavena/Stefano DiAloy 5) Lucas Branco/Chizzy Lumeta

Player Interviews - Chestnut Ridge Pro Doubles Shootout 2/19/22 - Part 1

Bob and Scott are joined by colleague and fellow Westchester and Connecticut pro, Tom Carey to share their insights on several of the finals: Medvedev vs. Nadal, Barty vs. Collins, and Krygios/Kokkinakis vs. Purcell/Ebden. It seems that top pros are often guilty of the same mental errors that lower-level players make.

Bob and Scott are joined by colleague and fellow Westchester and Connecticut pro, Tom Carey to share their insights on several of the finals: Medvedev vs. Nadal, Barty vs. Collins, and Krygios/Kokkinakis vs. Purcell/Ebden. It seems that top pros are often guilty of the same mental errors that lower-level players make.

Aussie Open Recap

We review several matches from week #1 of the 2022 Australian Open with the idea of making the matches relevant to club players. Players discussed include Rafa Nadal, Ash Barty, Matteo Berrettini, Gael Monfils, Dennis Shapovalov, Corey Gauff, Sloane Stephens, and Emma Raducanu among others.

We review several matches from week #1 of the 2022 Australian Open with the idea of making the matches relevant to club players. Players discussed include Rafa Nadal, Ash Barty, Matteo Berrettini, Gael Monfils, Dennis Shapovalov, Corey Gauff, Sloane Stephens, and Emma Raducanu among others.

Aussie Open Week 1 Review

Tennis commentary on all aspects of the game from pros to club players

Sinclair Broadcasting Group owns 193 television stations in the United States, mostly in the South and the Midwest. They are also the owners of TennisChannel. After Fox News and Facebook, Sinclair is the largest perpetrator of The Big Lie: the completely unsubstantiated claim that Donald Trump won the 2020 Presidential election. This means that tennis fans, who are, on average, on the left side of the political spectrum are financing the lies and policies of the political right. We call for an immediate and complete boycott of all advertisers on TennisChannel. A Change.org petition will also be circulating demanding that Sinclair divest itself of TennisChannel.

Sinclair Broadcasting Group owns 193 television stations in the United States, mostly in the South and the Midwest. They are also the owners of TennisChannel. After Fox News and Facebook, Sinclair is the largest perpetrator of The Big Lie: the completely unsubstantiated claim that Donald Trump won the 2020 Presidential election. This means that tennis fans, who are, on average, on the left side of the political spectrum are financing the lies and policies of the political right. We call for an immediate and complete boycott of all advertisers on TennisChannel. A <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Change.org</a> petition will also be circulating demanding that Sinclair divest itself of TennisChannel.

Tennis, TennisChannel, and the Capitol insurrection

In this episode, Doubles Game Plan - Part 2, we review, in brief, the key points of How to Make a Game plan in Doubles while going into more detail concerning apparent contradictions between our points of view. We discover that there are not really any contradictions - merely a selective weighting of different elements involved in making a plan. Alternative formations such as the Australian formation, the I-formation, and playing both back are also discussed. 

In this episode, Doubles Game Plan - Part 2, we review, in brief, the key points of How to Make a Game plan in Doubles while going into more detail concerning apparent contradictions between our points of view. We discover that there are not really any contradictions - merely a selective weighting of different elements involved in making a plan. Alternative formations such as the Australian formation, the I-formation, and playing both back are also discussed.

Doubles Game Plan - Part 2

HBO Max is now airing King Richard, a movie about the process of developing the Williams sisters into tennis stars. It covers them from the ages of 10 to 15. The film's title is based upon the role of their father, Richard Williams, in making his dream of raising tennis stars come true. Richard is an enigmatic figure, largely supportive, but plagued by his need to pick fights. His wife, Oracene, does much to guide him through some of those difficult moments. Richard held the girls out of junior tournaments for 3 years. We answer an important question: was this decision responsible for their ultimate success?

HBO Max is now airing King Richard, a movie about the process of developing the Williams sisters into tennis stars. It covers them from the ages of 10 to 15. The film's title is based upon the role of their father, Richard Williams, in making his dream of raising tennis stars come true. Richard is an enigmatic figure, largely supportive, but plagued by his need to pick fights. His wife, Oracene, does much to guide him through some of those difficult moments. Richard held the girls out of junior tournaments for 3 years. We answer an important question: was this decision responsible for their ultimate success?

King Richard: A Review

Doubles is much more complex than singles. At a basic level, there is simply more of a possibility of finding a weakness in doubles opponents since each player has a fh, bh, serve, oh, and fh and bh volleys. Sharing information with your partner at the end of the warmup is crucial for getting a good shot at making a good game plan. Remember, there is no rule about where players need to stand to begin the point. Adjusting positions in the basic formation or using alternative formations can be a huge help in turning a match. This is a skill which can be learned. Being an emotionally supportive partner is key as well.

Doubles is much more complex than singles. At a basic level, there is simply more of a possibility of finding a weakness in doubles opponents since each player has a fh, bh, serve, oh, and fh and bh volleys. Sharing information with your partner at the end of the warmup is crucial for getting a good shot at making a good game plan. Remember, there is no rule about where players need to stand to begin the point. Adjusting positions in the basic formation or using alternative formations can be a huge help in turning a match. This is a skill which can be learned. Being an emotionally supportive partner is key as well.

How to Make a Game Plan - Doubles

Making a Game Plan is one of the black holes of improving in tennis. In this episode, we discuss the three main elements of making an effective plan: 1) Know thyself. You should not be attempting to make shots which you don't own (or mostly own); 2) Evaluate your opponent. Assess their physical qualities as well as their technical skills; and 3) Use the Steady/Aggressive framework to make your final plan.

Making a Game Plan is one of the black holes of improving in tennis. In this episode, we discuss the three main elements of making an effective plan: 1) Know thyself. You should not be attempting to make shots which you don't own (or mostly own); 2) Evaluate your opponent. Assess their physical qualities as well as their technical skills; and 3) Use the Steady/Aggressive framework to make your final plan.

How to Make a Game Plan - Singles

Competitive tennis players almost always feel emotional pain after losing a match. This is because "hating to lose" is an important psychological component of being a successful competitor. But losing also offers a chance for a player to look at what happened and set an agenda for where they'd like to go next. Using losses as a stepping stone for future improvement is key. Talking with your coach is an important part of this process. 

Competitive tennis players almost always feel emotional pain after losing a match. This is because "hating to lose" is an important psychological component of being a successful competitor. But losing also offers a chance for a player to look at what happened and set an agenda for where they'd like to go next. Using losses as a stepping stone for future improvement is key. Talking with your coach is an important part of this process.

Losing a Match: What are the Takeaways?

For competitive recreational players, the spring/summer is typically  the busiest match time. This means that the indoor season from now through the end of March/April is the best time to add something new to your game. A coach can help you to prioritize your goals for this crucial development time. It's also important to have a coach who sees at least some of your matches live. This will help you to get where you want to go sooner!

For competitive recreational players, the spring/summer is typically  the busiest match time. This means that the indoor season from now through the end of March/April is the best time to add something new to your game. A coach can help you to prioritize your goals for this crucial development time. It's also important to have a coach who sees at least some of your matches live. This will help you to get where you want to go sooner!

Getting the Most Out of Your Indoor Season

We recap, using statistical data, both the women's final (Fernandez vs. Raducanu) and the men's final (Djokovic vs. Medvedev). In both cases, we take a look at first serve percentage as a key factor in determining the outcome of the match. A key concept is developed: the counterfactual. This asks the question: if player X had played at his/her average level, would this have changed the outcome of the match? In the case of the men's final, we need to dig deeper into rally length in order to explain the outcome of the match. A few reviews of ESPN commentators (Patrick McEnroe, Chris Evert, Renae Stubbs, and Alexandra Stephenson) wrap up the episode.

We recap, using statistical data, both the women's final (Fernandez vs. Raducanu) and the men's final (Djokovic vs. Medvedev). In both cases, we take a look at first serve percentage as a key factor in determining the outcome of the match. A key concept is developed: the counterfactual. This asks the question: if player X had played at his/her average level, would this have changed the outcome of the match? In the case of the men's final, we need to dig deeper into rally length in order to explain the outcome of the match. A few reviews of ESPN commentators (Patrick McEnroe, Chris Evert, Renae Stubbs, and Alexandra Stephenson) wrap up the episode.

US Open Recap

We review several of the top matches of the second week including in depth analysis of Leylah Fernandez and and Alexander Zverev. We also take a look at several of the top announcers on ESPN and give our thoughts on what they add to the Open experience. We finish up with our predictions for the men's and women's semis which begin on Thursday evening, 9/9.

We review several of the top matches of the second week including in depth analysis of Leylah Fernandez and and Alexander Zverev. We also take a look at several of the top announcers on ESPN and give our thoughts on what they add to the Open experience. We finish up with our predictions for the men's and women's semis which begin on Thursday evening, 9/9.

US Open Update II

Several keys matches (Osaka vs. Fernandez, Alcaraz vs. Tsitsipas, Nishikori vs. McDonald) are discussed along with the low vaccination rates of players and the bathroom break controversy. Statistics from SlamTracker are used to supplement our understanding of what happened in these matches.

Several keys matches (Osaka vs. Fernandez, Alcaraz vs. Tsitsipas, Nishikori vs. McDonald) are discussed along with the low vaccination rates of players and the bathroom break controversy. Statistics from SlamTracker are used to supplement our understanding of what happened in these matches.

US Open Update I

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The best philosophy podcast episodes. Asking questions about how to live a better life, what it means to be and do good, to the idea of God. This topic includes episodes that bring about important questions that everyone should be asking themselves. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!