Ben and Tumaini Carayol dust off the NCR machine to bring you a look at the 2023 French Open women's and men's draws, breaking down the contenders and darkhorses while touching on several of the big stories of the past few months while the show has been on hiatus (Relatedly, Ben's forthcoming book on Naomi Osaka is now available for pre-order!)
Can Iga Swiatek reestablish her dominance on the women's side at her favorite tournament? How clear a favorite is Carlos Alcaraz on the men's side?
Before that, we start with a discussion of two notable absences: Rafael Nadal, the 14-time champion who hasn't played in months due to a persistent psoas injury, and Simona Halep, a former champion and #1 who has taken an increasingly vocal and outspoken stance as she tries to rally support against anti-doping authorities following her positive test for a blood doping agent last year.
We also discuss the extended formats of the Madrid and Rome Masters 1000 events, changes which have been poorly received across the board.
Thanks for listening! Bon voyage, bonne chance, bonne nuit!
Episode 339: The Book on Emma Raducanu (With Mike Dickson)
Episode 338: Swiatek and Nadal Roll Roland Garros
Episode 337: Draw Me Like One of Your French Opens, 2022
Episode 336: Was Wimbledon Right to Ban Russians and Belarusians?
Episode 335: José Morgado on Tennis Twitter
Episode 334: Harvey Fialkov, Miami Maven
Episode 333: Rick Macci on ’King Richard’
Episode 332: Ash Barty Goes Out On Top
Episode 331: Indian Wells - Fritz Breaks Through; Swiatek Soars
Episode 330: Dayana Yastremska on Escaping the War in Ukraine [Reupload]
Episode 330: Dayana Yastremska on Escaping the War in Ukraine
Episode 329: The Men in Mexico (with Mike Cation)
Episode 328: Our Woman in Dubai (with Reem Abulleil)
Episode 327: Adiós, Delpo
Episode 326: Australian Open - Nadal and Barty’s Fairytale Endings
Episode 325: Australian Open - Semifinal Showdowns
Episode 324: Australian Open - The Slam After the Storm
Episode 323: Djokovic’s Deportation Debacle is Done
Episode 322: 2022 Australian Open Draw Preview
Episode 321: Deciphering Details of Djokovic’s Deportation Drama
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