Category: Podcast

Episode 21 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast, with Carl Bialik of the Thirty Love podcast, is our attempt to reconcile discussions of tennis tactics with those of tennis analytics. We start with our interest in the talented and crafty Alex De Minaur, then cover the oft-ignored tactical skills of Jo Wilfried Tsonga, the usefulness of tactical tips in the amateur game, and the constraints that coaches face when turning their observations into insights that players can use.

As a bonus, we also touch on this year’s new incentive to play doubles at Indian Wells, the crazy new proposal to overhaul Davis Cup, and the recent spate of tennis movies, especially Battle of the Sexes. In keeping with Jeff’s recent return to the U.S., it’s a super-sized episode, clocking in at just under 95 minutes.

Finally, we hope our audio quality is continuing to improve. We’re both now using proper mics, and the difference is, well, audible. Thanks for listening!

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Update: Thank you to FBITennis for outlining this episode, with timestamps:

Episode 20 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast, with Carl Bialik of the Thirty Love podcast, is a deep dive into the question of surface preferences and tournament choices, as we straddle two weeks of ATP action in which events are played on both hard and clay, and every competitors needs to weigh his or her own skills against issues like jetlag, prize money, and all-important ranking points. We also discuss the potential of future stars Frances Tiafoe, who picked up his first title in Delray Beach, and Daria Kasatkina, who reached the final in Dubai.

If you were turned off by the audio last week … sorry about that. Our latest experiment didn’t work at all. This episode’s audio is much better. Thanks for listening!

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Update: Thanks to FBITennis, here are timestamps and an outline of this episode:

Episode 19 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast, with Carl Bialik, covers a slew of comeback stories, from Federer’s return to No. 1 to Kei Nishikori and the inaugural New York Open, with more than a glancing mention of Maria Sharapova’s progress and the impending appearances on tour of Serena Williams and Marion Bartoli.

Thanks for listening!

Click to listen, subscribe on iTunes, or use our feed to get updates on your favorite podcast software.

Update: Thanks to FBITennis, here are timestamps and an outline of this episode:

Episode 18 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast, with Carl Bialik, is our attempt to cover four months of tennis in 75 minutes. We fail, of course, but en route, we have plenty to say about Nick Kyrgios, some other rising men, and the fate of the WTA’s counterpunchers. We also discuss the Match Charting Project, to which you should contribute.

Unfortunately, there’s some mechanical buzz on my side of this recording, for reasons I haven’t yet identified. We’ll be back in early February with another episode–and, we hope, no extraneous noise. As always, thanks for listening!

Click to listen, subscribe on iTunes, or use our feed to get updates on your favorite podcast software.

Update: Thanks to FBITennis, here are timestamps and an outline of this episode:

In the Episode 13 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast, Carl Bialik and I start with Petra Kvitova’s first title back from injury, and her chances as a floater in the Wimbledon draw, along with other returning grass-court threats Victoria Azarenka and Sabine Lisicki.

We move on to what we hope is a sensible, fact-based discussion of John McEnroe’s comments about how Serena Williams would fare on the men’s tour. It runs from about 19:00 to 50:00 — if you want to skip it, we understand. Finally, we talk Federer’s title in Halle, and how much his Wimbledon chances are aided by Wimbledon’s seeding formula, which moves him into the top four. (For more on that, see my post from earlier today.)

Click to listen, subscribe on iTunes, or use our feed to get updates on your favorite podcast software.