Perfect Match?

Moving to Monte Carlo

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:03:16 GMT

The Clay Season is officially in session now with the symbolic opener, the Monte-Carlo Masters, taking place. Why don't we all live in Monte Carlo, with it's zero percent personal income tax, European adjacency and $6300/sq. ft. real estate? Perhaps because we don't have $6.3 million dollars for a 1000 square foot flat. One day...

Today on the pod, we talk about the Joy of Clay, Monte Carlo, why Americans can't seem to win on slow surfaces, and how it relates to Bryan's general lack of patience and attention to detail.

Also,

Jessie Pegula's win in Charleston over a Ukranian player who hasn't been home in four years and had to do GoFundMe to stay on tour (did Jessie donate anything?)
Iga is now being coached by Rafa's former coach (with Rafa giving pointers)

Enjoy!

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Is Dark Woke the New Way to Look at Tennis?

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 02:16:14 GMT

A lively, bad faith debate in which Michele defends what Bryan calls "Woke 1.0" while he posits that so-called "Dark Woke" can be better for one's tennis fandom. Do we need to broaden our tolerance for players' questionable posts and comments in order to enjoy the sport more?

It's a weird one! But relevant (maybe)!

Also:

The WTA Finals is out of Saudi Arabia, mercifully
Meh about the two Sunshine Doubles. What a weird feeling

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"Fuck You All!": On Meltdowns and Disappointments

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 01:42:25 GMT

This week due to shifting forces in our lives, we home in on the perennial vignette in which one person lashes out at a crowd that stares on in horror. But who among us hasn't wanted to just flip off everyone around them and storm out forever(ish)?

Also,

Carlos Alcaraz announces on court in Spanish "I'm can't anymore!" to his team. What's going on with him?
LIveNation antitrust suit is dropped by the Feds (presumably corruption), but is kept alive by the states
Wimbledon expansion appears to be a go, angering local activists (who are perhaps disingenuous?)

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Indian Wells, Paramount, Monopolies...Good Times!

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:35:22 GMT

The Indian Wells tournament is upon us, as is the tenth anniversary of your hosts bumping into one another at the tourament, encountering an implausible series of rom-com meet-cutes, and somehow staying together for all these years. To commemorate, we dive into the ennui surrounding MAGA enthusiast Larry Ellison owning the Tournament and his looming presence over the media landscape in America (but it's also kind of funny!)

Also:

The Iran war traps players in the U.A.E.
Sabalenka's big engagement brouhaha
Ticketmaster could be broken up? Please please pretty please?

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Can Professional Tennis Players Ever Organize?

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 14:01:29 GMT

Professional tennis players are some of the least represented athletes in professional sports. From the grueling schedule to the relatively low share of revenue, even down to the type of balls used in tournaments, the players have little to no say in decisions that affect their lives and health immensely. This week, we break down the issue and ponder if there is any reason to hope that things will get better for them.

Also:

PICKLEBRAWL at a Florida country club
Coco Gauff speaks truth to power once again
No Carne Asada (or any other meat) at the Mexican Open

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Should the Women Play Longer Matches in Slams?

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:46:42 GMT

There's long been an argument in tennis against women receiving equal pay that it's because they don't play full Best of Five matches in the Grand Slams. It's a weak and weird argument because outside of the Slams, everyone plays Best of Three, and some of those tournaments *still* don't have equal pay. Regardless, Australian Open CEO Craig Tiley wants to change all this. He's pushing for the women to play those long matches at the AO and beyond. Is it a good idea? Will it happen? Does Bryan have a wholly unworkable alternative? Listen and find out!

Also,

Brad Gilbert didn't like Bad Bunny's Halftime performance and thought they should have had some "Bay area rock instead"
Two new "Heated Rivalry"-style gay tennis romance novels are coming out soon
Is Serena coming back to professional tennis for real? (She's coming back for real)

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Is A Little Bit of Lying Okay?

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 03:08:21 GMT

In which we draw the line between a "lie" and a "lie-lie".

We all lie! Whether it's your "colonoscopy appointment" on the day of your sister's "baby shower", or "does a hangover qualify as a 'sick day'?", we all lie at least once in our life. What kinds of lies are okay? Who gets to decide? What does it matter?

Also:

There were too many cameras at the Australian Open! Enough with all the cameras!
Slam trophies for coaches is new and a bit weird and cringe?

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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The Australian Open's Safety Culture Problem

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 03:07:13 GMT

The Aussie Open closes the roof when their bespoke heat index level reaches 5. The AO knows beforehand exactly when this index will reach 5 because we all know this, because we all have a weather app on our phones. Is it antithetical to their "Safety Culture" that they don't close the roof when they know it's going to be too hot? And what is this "Safety Culture" anyway? It's probably not what you think!

Also:

Juan Carlos Ferrero doesn't need to coach Alcaraz anymore, because he's coaching...a golfer?
Defector's Owen Lewis asks American players how they feel about their country right now, and some players start singing "Mary Had a LIttle Lamb" with their fingers in their ears.

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Adios! Alcaraz' Split With His Coach Seems Permanent

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:09:31 GMT

Carlos Alcaraz is playing his first matches on tour without the help of his only coach since childhood, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and we are all wondering how this will go. What we aren't wondering anymore is if Juan Carlos will be coming back. We don't usually talk about who is coaching which player (because it's insider-y and kind of boring), but this coaching relationship is unlike anything we've ever seen in tennis, and we have thoughts.

Also:

The new "ESPN Unlimited" option/paywall is confusing and more expensive for many of us (but also good for some people?)
The Australian Open is getting as crowded as the U.S. Open ☹️
Naomi Osaka's crazy umbrella/veil/wedding dress outfit
Ukrainian player Oleksandra Oliynykova calls out pro-Putin players as "dangerous"

It's Grand Slam time! Enjoy the AO!

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Do You Come From a Land Down Under?

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:44:19 GMT

While the temperature plunges here in the Northeast US, it's high summer Down Under, and how we wish we were there. But due to the miracle of low-cost audio equipment and free podcast hosting, we can at least talk about the Australian Open on the internet. So, that's something!

Roger Federer's return to tennis! (in an exhibition doubles match)
ESPN gave Brad and Pammy the boot
Heated Rivalry and our favorite (and only) out gay male player
The "1 Point Slam"
That weird Tennis Kenya match where one player had apparently never played tennis?
and finally...play tennis, live forever!

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Michele's 2026 Tennis Predictions

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 21:48:03 GMT

Happy New Year! Wait, it's too late to say "Happy New Year", everyone stop saying "Happy New Year". But it's Tennis New Year here in the run-up to the Australian Open, and Michele has predictions for 2026:

How long will Venus Williams play (and how long will the sun continue to shine)?
Will Serena return to tennis?
Nick Kyrgios' dumb podcast, Nadal's hair, Djokovic's final tournament, Carlitos' coach and more!

Plus: who will enter our respective tennis fandom polycules this year? Will they hold together?

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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2025 Wrap Up: Good Riddance 2025!

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 22:13:35 GMT

Let's face it: 2025 sucked. Life got measurably worse for most people in the world who are not billionaires (although life got measurably better for them, so there's that). But within this swirling sewer of a year, we dug up some memories that reminded us why we need tennis in our lives and why we need to podcast about it.

Enjoy these highlights from this past season, and thank you, dear listener for your continued support, and all of the kind words and feedback you've given us 🎾🍸♥️

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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🎃👻 Scary Things: What We Fear for Tennis 👻🎃

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:37:33 GMT

It’s spooooooky season, and for our final episode of the year we are summoning the ghouls and goblins of tennis and counting down the scariest trends we are seeing. What evil lurks on the tennis courts of the world? In the stadia and tennis villages, from the hard courts of Melbourne to the grass courts of Wimbledon and beyond?

👹 Higher ticket prices?

👻 Novak Djokovic hangs around?

👿 A Saudi Slam?

😨 Coco Gauff's Serve Woes Continue?

And more!

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No Kings Please

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 15:01:51 GMT

Today, we dive into the 2nd edition of the Six Kings Slam. On the same day that millions of people rallied around the world in the No Kings protests to defy Trump and defend democracy, the final match of the tennis exhibition “The Six Kings Slam” was played in Saudi Arabia between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Was the exhibition tacky and tone deaf? Yes. Was it entertaining? No. Was it good for tennis? Absolutely not.

Also:

A Portuguese player gets busted for crystal meth
Nick Kyrgios is de-bro'd by Andy Murray

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Replay the Point: Player Politics - The Good, The Bad, and The Useless

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 03:14:02 GMT

This one we recorded in March when we were all fairly new to this political reality. Since then, we've see politics become a taboo subject, and supporting any form of liberalism feels almost risky. But fuck it, we have to talk about politics and take a stand. This is our take on several current and former top players.

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Tennis Players and Sleep: The New Secret Weapon?

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 18:34:52 GMT

Proper sleep impacts every aspect of one's life. For tennis players – and athletes in general – it’s a relatively new insight. Only in the last 20 years have experts and players realized just how much sleep can affect performance. Even the smallest adjustment can help a player reach peak performance. This week, we dig into the details of top players and their sleep habits. Roger Federer: 12 hours a night! Pete Sampras needs freshly pressed sheets. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz get a LOT of sleep.

Also:

The Court Speed Conspiracy Theory, hatched by...Roger Federer?
The Asian swing is running out of gas
Michele's perfect sleeping habits and Bryan's highly disordered routine

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Trailer: What Is Perfect Match (Question Mark)?

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 03:52:48 GMT

We are not a podcast that assesses the pricing and collectibility of Labubu dolls. We are not a companion podcast to the hit TLC series "Sister Wives". We are not a MAGA podcast that aims to take down and take out the woke left. We are a podcast that discusses the culture through the lens of tennis (and sometimes our relationship).

Weekly for the entire tennis season. Short: about 30 minutes per episode. Unafraid: we talk a lot of shit.

Check it out!

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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The Tennis Channel, Sinclair Broadcasting and the Authoritarian Attack on Free Speech

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 11:34:11 GMT

As we have all heard, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended at the behest of the Trump administration, then reinstated after an enormous public outcry. What is less discussed is the influence of the two main networks that own many of the local ABC affiliate stations, Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group, the latter of which owns…The Tennis Channel. Prior to ABC’s blanket suspension of the show, both networks were blocking Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their local stations, because they are right-wing, Pro-Trump organizations.

What's a tennis fan to do? Cancel your Tennis Channel account? Boycott their advertisers? There aren't a lot of good options here, but we can and must keep speaking out. As Jamelle Bouie put it, "Stand up...and say no."

Also:

Carlos Alcaraz doesn't know what "Meta Glasses" are
Taylor Townsend screwed up on social media
Anti-Asian racism in tennis isn't all that uncommon

It's a dark time. Keep the faith.

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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A Weighty Topic: Serena, GLP-1s, and the Era of Thin

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:11:13 GMT

With Serena Willams' recent announcement that she takes a GLP-1 (and that she is the global spokeswoman for the online drug compounder Ro), these drugs are more visible and talked about than ever before. While they are a miracle for some, Michele has questions. Bryan mostly stays out of the way but then reveals his own journey losing, gaining and maintaining his weight.

Also:

2025 US Open TV ratings were impressive
Saudi Arabia is showering money on top male players again this year for their "Six Kings Slam" event
Novak Djokovic is displeased with Serbia and moving to Greece
Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka will play in the Naomi Osaka-produced "Battle of the Sexes Redux" (is this necessary? no)

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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The 2025 US Open's Best and Worst People

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 12:52:01 GMT

The US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, has concluded. While always outsize among slams in its sheer lunacy, this is 2025, and boy did the US Open deliver! Today we countdown the worst people and the best people the last 3 weeks has presented us. God help us all.

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

The outro music this time is the brilliant "You're Gonna Win" by Lady Wray. Pre-order here: https://ladywray.bandcamp.com/album/cover-girl

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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The US Open Makes You Crazy: Tennis and the American Berserk

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 01:47:06 GMT

It's not easy putting together a tennis podcast episode when something completely bonkers is happening at the US Open every day. Oh, you thought Medvedev's mimicking a blowjob on national TV was bad? Haha, welcome to 2025. Is it New York and all its weed that makes this tournament crazy? Is it this particularly special moment in American politics? Or is it just the American Berserk?

You can send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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US Open Mega Episode! There's Too Much Happening!

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:26:35 GMT

This week we are talking US Open: Medvedev's (homophobic) breakdown, Alcaraz' interesting new haircut, Casper Ruud thinks New York smells like weed, and much more.

Also:

Are Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova really BFFs now?
Hot takes from listeners!

To send us your hot take, record a Voice Memo and send it to us at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com.

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Field Trip to the US Open Mixed Doubles Semis and Final!

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 14:28:11 GMT

This time, we report back from the new controversial US Open Mixed Doubles event, in which Singles stars who don't necessarily know how to play doubles flounder their way to a $1 million prize! (Spoiler alert, the actual Doubles team wins.)

We drink and talk our way through monsoon weather and noisy 20-something girls to bring you this day in tennis history. Enjoy!

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"The Inner Game of Tennis"...and Life

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:42:59 GMT

This week, we read Timothy Gallwey's classic 70s self-help tome "The Inner Game of Tennis", because why not? Part of the wave of spiritual self-help books of the era, "Inner Game" has a lot to say about the way our conscious, judgmental self gets in the way of the more intuitive, subconscious self, on or off the court.

When Self 1 tells you you suck, just ignore it and let Self 2 lead the way!

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Special Guest: Eva Warren Talks Design and Tennis, And There's a Quiz!

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 16:54:56 GMT

Today, we are thrilled to have designer extraordinaire Eva Warren on the pod! We were lucky to have her take us through a full rebrand of Perfect Match?, and the result is what you’re seeing across our channels. She’s one of our most reliable listeners, although she doesn’t follow tennis closely. We wanted to have her on to discuss her branding work, and to probe the mind of the non-tennis fan/tennis podcast listener. And there will be a quiz!

Also:

Holger Rune slides into Veronika Kudermertova's DMs without checking to see if she's married
"Point, Set, Matchmaker", the US Open's new YouTube dating reality series, is coming like it or not!

You can find Eva at https://evamarie.studio and on Instagram @eva___marie

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Replay the Point: Monogamy vs. Polyamory in Tennis Fandom

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 20:00:00 GMT

It's summer and we are off doing summer things, so here's a favorite episode of ours all about the different ways we tennis fans love our players.

-----------------------------------

Monogamy vs. Polygamy: these days it’s more of a choice than a default; a discussion rather than an assumption. But how does this new openness relate to tennis and who we root for? Does the true fan root for only one player or is it better to dip our toes into different waters?

This week we reveal our tennis fandom polycules and their organizing principles. Michele also reminisces about her time as Roger Federer's cuckquean fan, and how she had to move on to a hierarchical polycule with Carlos Alcaraz as her primary. Bryan discovers that his men's fandom polycule is almost identical to Michele's, and he discusses his non-hierarchical fandom polycule on the women's side.

Also, a Brit accuses a French player of smelling bad, Tennis Channel app woes, and the genius of Jelena Ostapenko.

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Post Wimbledon Blues and the Hardcourt Season

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 18:56:22 GMT

We're back after an unplanned week off (Bryan went to the beach) with thoughts about Wimbledon, hardcourt season, Venus Williams, Genie Bouchard and a bunch of other random tennis shit.

It's summertime and the livin' is easy. Enjoy the show!

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Wimbledon Wars! Neighbors Fight the Tournament's Planned Expansion

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 03:04:12 GMT

As Wimbledon plans to add 39 more courts and 8,000 more annual visitors, residents of the surrounding London hamlet sue to prevent the tournament's expansion. How do we balance the needs of a world famous sporting event with long time residents' needs? And what to do with recent transplants who both love the tournament and also want it to always stay exactly as it is today? (We ignore them.)

Also:

ESPN coverage of Wimbledon seems stale
John McEnroe won't bother pronouncing anyone's name correctly
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa break up
Tsitsipas' coach tells the media Tsitsipas needs to get his shit together
Grigor Dmitrov's tragic injury retirement against Sinner ☹️

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Wimbledon: "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 03:34:47 GMT

Michele describes Wimbledon the way some people describe Christmas: "the most wonderful time of the year". She's not entirely wrong! This week we run down some Wimbledon updates, some controversies and random thoughts about why Brits don't believe in room fans.

Also:

Bryan goes to Pride and his battery runs out at the after party
Why Fahrenheit is a better way to measure air temperature than Celsius
A Wimbledon Final watch party under the Brooklyn Bridge

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Who Was Brian Watkins and Why Are NYC's East River Courts Named for Him?

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 20:32:58 GMT

On September 2, 1990, after attending the US Open, Brian Watkins and his family got on the subway at 53rd St. and 7th to go to dinner in the West Village. While waiting for the train, 8 teenagers allegedly attacked Watkins’ father with a boxcutter and kicked and attacked his mother. Brian intervened and was then stabbed in the chest by one of the teens.

Brian died in the ambulance on his way to St. Vincent’s hospital, over 40 blocks away. Eight years later, the Giuliani administration settled with the family to the tune of $300,000 and the naming of the East River Park tennis facility for Brian. Life was cheap in 1990s New York.

As the city chooses its next mayor, we reflect on that turbulent era, voters' grievances today, and how fear might lead us into the dark embrace of a Mayor Andrew Cuomo 😱

Also,

Jannik Sinner's bizarro new "single" with opera singer Andrea Bocelli
Sakkari/Putinseva catfight
Alexander Bublik tearing up the grass (and frightening other seeded players at Wimbledon)
Marketa Vondrousova's weird tattoo

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Grass Season: The Weird, Confusing Road to Wimbledon

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 00:00:20 GMT

Grass Season: players slipping and sliding! serve and volley winning matches! five weeks and then the Most Important Slam in Tennis (Wimbledon)!

This time, Michele explains to Bryan some things! The grass surface, some grass history, the schedule and what it means for Wimbledon 2025.

Also:

Stefanos Tsitsipas' dumb newsletter
The Williams Sisters' dubious podcasting platform

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Carlos and Coco: Magic People

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:16:41 GMT

Our dreams came true: Carlos Alcaraz won the French Open Men's Final and Coco Gauff won the Women's. But more than just winning, they demonstrated the intrinsic magic in how they move through the world. They bring joy wherever they go, they are on hero journeys and they uplift us all.

Also, this is our first full episode we recorded on video! Bryan had Covid this week, so we had to record remotely, so why not put up an annoying video podcast with the bold letter captions and the rest of it?

The video can be watched here: https://youtu.be/v-aYLGG_zXI

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ban Ticket Profiteering!

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 18:19:20 GMT

The US Open can no longer be trusted to police ticket scalpers. Within minutes of the 2025 US Open tickets going on sale, only reseller tickets were available at over double the face value. We've had enough!

Luckily there is a bill working its way through the NY State Legislature that would ban this kind of naked profiteering off of event tickets. If you live in New York State, please contact your state Senator and tell them to support Senate Bill S8221, which would ban profits of over 25% on all event ticket resales. The NY State Senate website allows you to easily look up your state Senator and contact them directly. Rise up!

Also:

Soccer riots in Paris
French Open highlights
Sam Querry's (we know, who?) campaign to become a tennis commentator
McEnroe brothers hate on Bluesky
David Beckham and Matt Damon's stupid pickleball ad

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whom Does the US Open Serve?

Wed, 28 May 2025 03:14:59 GMT

Just prior to the French Open kicking off, the US Open announced a big plan to "reimagine" Arthur Ashe Stadium for the 21st Century. In a highly self-congratulatory post, the USTA laid out its plans to double the space for Courtside and Suite ticket holders ($$$) by removing seats from everybody else. But hey, they are adding a couple of bathrooms for the cheap seats. Does this align with their mission and the legacy of Billie Jean King for whom the Tennis Center is named? No, it does not. We gripe about this.

Also

How to watch the French Open on TV (it's complicated, but doable)
YouGov's poll of the most known and popular tennis players among Americans
Some American players' very provincial and hilarious takes on traveling in Europe

If you are around this Saturday, May 31st, we are hosting a French Open Watch Party in Manhattan! Introduce yourself by leaving feedback at perfectmatchpodcast.com and come by!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Replay the Point: "The French" with Katya Rogers from On The Media

Tue, 20 May 2025 01:55:45 GMT

The French Open is almost here, so we dug up our conversation with Katya Rogers, Executive Producer of WNYC's On The Media about the classic cinéma vérité movie The French. The conversation tackles the tough questions around the 1981 French Open, the 80s in general, athletes who smoked, and perhaps inappropriate girl crushes on much older men.

Enjoy!

Also, if you are in New York on May 31st, we are hosting our first ever Perfect Match? event at 30 Love in Manhattan. There will be food, a cash bar and lots of TVs showing the 3rd Round of the French Open. If you'd like to stop by, introduce yourself by leaving feedback at perfectmatchpodcast.com. See you there!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tennis Tapas

Tue, 13 May 2025 19:23:30 GMT

Common throughout Spain and the Middle East, sometimes a bunch of snacks constitutes dinner. Similarly, in podcasting you can throw together a bunch of loosely related tidbits and you have an episode. Particularly when your original topic kind of falls apart an hour before you want to start recording!

We cover the new tennis-loving Pope, pay disparity at the Italian Open, formerly Russian player Daria Kasatkina gets some love from Ukrainians, Jim Courier is fed up with the Russian flag ban (bad take), Tsitsipas nonsense, and Michele's trip to Florida.

Snack until you're full.

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Note: we are having a little French Open watch party on Saturday, May 31 from noon-4pm at 30 Love, the tennis-themed bar in Manhattan. Send us feedback at perfectmatchpodcast.com for more info.

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As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Grief and Resilience

Wed, 07 May 2025 19:02:46 GMT

We are still grieving our late, beloved cat Dusty, so we looked at how grief has affected professional tennis players at different moments in their careers. From Iga's recent loss of her grandfather tanking her run at the Madrid Open to Barbora Krejčíková's 2021 French Open title in tribute to her deceased coach Jana Novotna, death affects us all...and keeps affecting us.

We are fully in the clay season ("playing in the dirt", as Jim Courier would put it), and certain players have taken their disputes over line calls to Instagram. This is kind of a problem! Also, Jannik Sinner is back in Rome, but at his request, he's been provided with a private locker room because some other players have said mean things about him. We don't think this will help!

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As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Carlos Alcaraz: My Way": The Tennis Doc We Need

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 02:14:37 GMT

We are back to Alcaraz, specifically his (now fully released) 3-part DocuSeries about his grappling with the expectations around him versus his human need to enjoy life. Surprisingly personal and unexpectedly profound, My Way asks the big questions: How much do we owe those around us and what do we owe ourselves? Where do we set boundaries with those who are most invested in us? And so on...

Also, T2 is bad and Bryan applies to be a ball person at the US Open.

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This episode is dedicated to Dusty, my beloved cat of 18 years who passed away last Wednesday. Michele and I will never forget you Dusty, and may you be fed whenever you want wherever you are...

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As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tennis Fandom: Monogamy or Polyamory?

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 19:47:04 GMT

Also, a Brit accuses a French player of smelling bad, Tennis Channel app woes, and the genius of Jelena Ostapenko.

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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Carlos Alcaraz: Champion of Work/Life Balance?

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 15:04:27 GMT

We've all heard about the importance of "work/life balance". We definitely advocate for the "life" side of that balance, but if you're one of the world's top tennis players, is there room for having a life?

In the forthcoming Netflix documentary "Carlos Alcaraz: My Way", Carlos makes it clear that he's interested in more than just winning as much as possible. We see him vacationing with family, eating his mother's cooking and hanging out in his (small) childhood bedroom where he keeps his trophies. He goes as far as to say, “I’d like to be the greatest in history”, and then, “It’s my dream, but having fun is key to me.”

Same, Carlitos!

In this episode we dig deep into what drives the most electrifying male player since the Big Four era, and we also dust off an ill-advised 2006 "open letter" from Chrissy Evert to Serena Williams, encouraging Serena to get more serious about tennis!

Oh, and there's some new bumper music Bryan put together. Let us know what you think at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Field Trip to 30 Love, A Tennis Themed Bar in Manhattan!

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:24:26 GMT

Ostensibly an outing to poke fun at an NYU dorm-adjacent tennis-themed bar/restaurant, we came away from this experience questioning our cynicism, close-mindedness and life choices. Sometimes it's best to just enjoy the martinis and happy hour wings and leave your skepticism at the door.

Thanks to the staff at 30 Love for their hospitality! This is not a sponsored post!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Miami Open: It's a Weird One!

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:25:57 GMT

The Miami Open has always been an unusual tournament: the second half of the "Sunshine Double" (Indian Wells being part one), it used to be held not in Miami at all. Now they've moved it to Miami's Hardrock Stadium and its surrounding parking lot. This feels a bit trashy!

And with the ground shifting underneath the dynamic of the players (particularly on the Men's side), this year saw a number of upsets, a deep run by an unknown and a surprise defeat of Novak Djokovic by one Jakub Mensik, who exactly no one had on their bingo card.

We unpack all of this and bicker over martinis, as usual. Hit the play button!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Players' Politics: No One Wants to Talk About It!

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:17 GMT

Okay, we know. Politics! There is too much of it, and it is a complete bummer. However! When we root for a player, we are rooting for more than their playing style; we are also invested in the player as a person. When they say and do political things, it matters. Today, we deliver verdicts on a number of top players (with sound effects). Spoiler alert: Djokovic: no, Draper: no, Gauff: yes, Osaka: yes, etc. Enjoy!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Zen and Change

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:19:55 GMT

In which we try (and kind of fail) to be Zen about the rapid change in professional tennis and the world. Next-Gen is out; Next-Next-Gen is on a rampage. With wins from 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva and relative newcomer Jack Draper at Indian Wells, we dissect the coming wave of players, and what it means for Alcaraz, Sinner, Swiatek and Sabalenka. Is it a blip on the radar or something more permanent? Either way, the only constant is change.

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Postcard from Indian Wells

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:16:02 GMT

We braved connecting flights, "gate checked" bags and a literal desert storm to bring you this postcard from our trip to "Tennis Paradise", the 2025 Indian Wells Open in California's Coachella Valley. Follow us to the bars, the tournament, the condo and the jacuzzi, as we recap our annual trip, warts and all!

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As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Off to Indian Wells!

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 23:12:04 GMT

The Indian Wells BNP Paribas Masters 1000 is the largest and most important tennis tournament that's not a Grand Slam. All the tennis stars will be there, as will we!

But before we hop on the plane, we wanted to talk about Coachella Valley's settler colonialist history, as well as the Ignominious Incident in 2001 involving the Williams sisters, old white people and racism that led to Venus and Serena boycotting the tournament for 14 years. It was bad!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quiet Please...Why Again?

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 02:51:29 GMT

Non-tennis people are often shocked when they discover that tennis requires fans to be quiet (like silent) once or twice a minute in a stadium full of fans. It is kind of weird!

This prompt takes from the origins of "court tennis" in the 16th Century to the 80's trash comedy "Blame It on Rio". Enjoy!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Tennis Tacky: Bad Taste Creeping Into Our Sport

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 22:10:29 GMT

tack·y

/ˈtakē/

adjective informal

adjective: tacky; comparative adjective: tackier; superlative adjective: tackiest

showing poor taste and quality.

Tennis has never been immune from tackiness (although we like to think, smugly, that tennis is a more elevated sport), but lately there's been some tacky shit going on. From the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders doing a routine at the Dallas Open, to On's candy-colored kits they are foisting on their players, to even the weird rituals tennis has developed involving random children, it's all in poor taste!

Today, we identify the offenses and offenders, so that tomorrow, we may see justice.

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As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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Tennis Rizz: Does It Matter Whether Players Are Likeable?

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 20:40:32 GMT

Professional tennis is an epic tale of heroes and villains, but there are a number of players who just play really good tennis. Is it their job to entertain us? Is it our job to care about them if they don't?

In this one, we praise the Alcarazes and the Federers, disparage the Krygioses and the Collinses, and ponder the impact of the boring ones at the top.

Is it a crisis for professional tennis that some of the current top players (Fritz, Sinner, Swiatek and Rybakina) are kind of boring?

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Players on the Couch: Therapy in Professional Tennis

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 21:47:59 GMT

In which we unpack various tennis players' thoughts about and experiences with therapy, whether it be "sports therapy" or just plain old therapy therapy. Bryan brings a unique perspective as someone who has been on and off the couch (mostly on) for the last 30 years or so, and Michele, a therapy virgin, threatens Bryan with couples therapy. All very healthy, respectful and empathetic.

And you, listener, can read between the lines and send us your diagnosis through the feedback form on our website.

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Aussie Open: A Triumph, A Retirement, A Call for Justice

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 02:22:12 GMT

There was magic at the Australian Open this year, with American Madison Keys winning her first Grand Slam after 15 years on tour, powering through Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka (Nos. 2 and 1, respectively). Wow!

Also, another unnecessary Novak Djokovic controversy (he's basically right this time but still annoying?) and Alexander Zverev gets heckled before his runner-up speech for those abuse allegations we were all supposed to have forgotten about by now.

All this and and a new improved audio setup for your earbuds to enjoy.

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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False Narratives and Memory Holes

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 03:10:35 GMT

During this Australian Open/Sunset of Democracy, we are being bombarded with false narratives and memory erasing. In tennis, we are currently getting "Madison Keys is playing better because she's married now", and "Novak Djokovic was treated so unfairly when he tried to enter Australia" (under false pretenses). And regarding our perennial (dis)favorite Danielle Collins, the story is "Danielle's gonna Danielle! Gotta love it!"

Fight for the truth!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

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The 1st Out Gay Male Player, Rybakina's Weird Coach Drama, and AO Picks

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 02:55:11 GMT

It's 2025! 🤮 But a Brazilian player inadvertently became the first male player on tour to come out as gay, so there's that! Also, we talk grievance nonsense from Kyrgios and Djokovic about the supposed doping "scandal". Also, Elena Rybakina's disturbing drama with her former/current(?) possibly problematic coach? He's currently banned from all WTA matches because of an investigation into their dynamic, so we dig into that as well.

And it's the Australian Open! We discuss who we like to win, best ways to watch and all that.

We're all headed into this terrifying year together, so let's get it started! We have no choice!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Private Conversations Go Public

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 04:27:10 GMT

Oh, Jon Wertheim, 60 Minutes Correspondent, former Sports Illustrated Executive Editor, former(?) Tennis Channel Commentator, what have you done? Oh, you got caught on a hot mic during a live broadcast of the WTA Final saying something untoward about a top female player's looks? This sounds bad. Like, very bad.

But it raises questions about how we all navigate our private vs. public realms. We see people on TV and we talk about how they look. We mirror and we judge. We don't necessarily feel great about it, but it's human nature, probably.

In this episode, we dig into the Jon Wertheim suspension from the Tennis Channel, Jannik Sinner's latest unlucky turn with his ongoing doping investigation, and the exploding world of Bluesky! Follow us there, please!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @tennis-dirt or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, and Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcast

Send us your hot takes at perfectmatchpodcast@gmail.com

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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🎃 Scary Things: What We Fear For Tennis and the United States 👻

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 19:15:55 GMT

With All Hallows' Eve upon us, we dig into our fears: specifically our greatest fears for the world of tennis (and one about the future of this country, ahem). Prepare yourself for the prospect of the servebots taking over tennis 😱 Novak Djokovic winning another slam 👻, Danielle Collins winning her first slam 😈, and Donald Trump becoming president again 🤡😳🤮.

Rather than follow us on socials and all that bliz blaz, go out and vote for Kamala Harris for President 🌊

God help us all.

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Note: as the tennis season winds down, so is our podcast season. We may be dropping in for a quick chat here and there, but we will be back in full force in the days leading up the Australian Open in January. See you on the other side!

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Again with Saudi Arabia and Dan-YELL Collins!

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 19:56:45 GMT

In light of Saudi Arabia's recent "Six Kings Slam" tournament for men and the WTA Finals in Riyadh coming up, along with Danielle Collin's announcement that she's not actually retiring (surprise, surprise!), we decided to rebroadcast an episode from April, in which we decry the Saudi influence in tennis and question Danielle Collins' good faith.

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The Handshake: Everything Counts In Large Amounts

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 03:41:43 GMT

In which we address The Handshake: that perfunctory, sometimes awkward moment at the net when the players pretend to be aligned on the outcome of the match. You win, you are overcome by joy, you feign empathy with your opponent. Or sometimes, you don't!

Today, we will explore some of the lowlights: the sarcastic digs, the bitchy rejoinders and the handshakes that didn’t happen – and why what happens at the net matters so much.

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Serving Grunt: The Controversial Sounds Players Make on Court

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 16:37:16 GMT

This time we consider the Tennis Grunt: the sometimes loud (and often unpleasant) noises that male and female players make when hitting the ball. The Grunt is much more problematized on the women's side than on the men's (and Michele has THOUGHTS about this), but it can't be denied that players make more noise than they used to!

We go into the history of the Grunt, it's appearance in an old Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, and a recent integration into the notification system in the "gay dating app" Grindr.

Today we're Serving Grunt and we're glad you're hear for it (ahem, sorry).

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Special Guest: Scott Lazer, Director of "Ball People"!

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 02:35:31 GMT

This time we are very happy to welcome Scott Lazer, the director of the beautiful short film “Ball People”, about the young and not-so-young people who tried out for the 2022 US Open Ball Crew. Scott is an award-winning filmmaker and creative director who has directed multiple documentaries, dramas and commissions, including “West by God” which won a Special Jury Award in 2022 at SXSW, and “Commute” which won Best of the Year at the 2021 Vimeo Festival & Awards.

We talk about "ball kids" generally, the unique inclusion of adults in the Ball Crew at the US Open, Scott's winding journey making "Ball People", and a bit of tennis in general.

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Note: this episode was recorded prior to the disastrous impact of Hurricane Helene on North Carolina and surrounding areas. Our hearts go out to Scott and his people who are suffering there now. You can donate to relief efforts by going to the Red Cross' Hurricane Helene Relief Fund or a charity of your choice.

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Couples Therapy: We Dive into the Question Mark in "Perfect Match?"

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 19:19:24 GMT

Although we may seem like the "Perfect Match", there is a question mark in the name of this podcast. This time we dive into...OUR RELATIONSHIP, specifically around competition between us in tennis and cards. As usual, Michele comes off as very reasonable, measured and self-assured, and Bryan...struggles a bit.

Tell us who is right and who is wrong at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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Special Guest: Caitlin Thompson from Racquet!

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:15:46 GMT

This week we are thrilled to have on Caitlin Thompson. She is a journalist, podcaster, blogger, editor and the founder of Racquet Magazine. Racquet is a quarterly magazine that celebrates the art, ideas, style and culture that surround tennis. It combines high design and photography with thoughtful essays and is a beacon of tennis print journalism.

We had a bunch of questions for Caitlin, but the conversation became more interesting than the questions. We ended up weaving through "who is Andre Agassi to us now?", "why getting on fights on the internet is maybe bad", "how will tennis fix itself (or will it)?", and a million other things.

You can buy Racquet Magazine at select retailers and online at: https://shop.racquetmag.com/collections/issues

As always tell your friends and leave a review! 😙

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Billionaires Who Play Tennis "For a Living"

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 17:57:46 GMT

With the US Open now behind us, we reflect on a few of the American players who made deep runs, not about their tennis but rather a detail that isn't discussed much in the tennis commentariat: their exorbitant wealth. We break down the family money of Jessie Pegula, Emma Navarro and Taylor Fritz as well as some of the utterly clueless things they've said about their wealth. It's exasperating!

Also, we recount a tennis-related argument Bryan recently got into with a 70-something woman in a pub (note: she came at me!), and we throw a bit of hate over to Nick Kyrgios, who recently did something gross and sexist AGAIN.

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2nd Serve: The Coming Out Story of Billie Jean King

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 16:47:05 GMT

On this bonus episode, we continue examining the awesome legacy of Billie Jean King. This portion of the story looks at her complicated coming out story, involving an affair with her assistant, a palimony lawsuit, and ultimately the acceptance of openly gay players in professional tennis.

As always, follow us on socials, rate us in your podcast app, tell your friends (!), and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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The Brilliance of Billie Jean King

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 19:20:26 GMT

As the US Open kicks off at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Queens, NY, we discuss the Billie Jean King story. From her role in founding the first professional tennis tour for women, to the founding of the Women's Tennis Association and beyond, King has established herself as the Godmother of Tennis. To this day, she towers over the sport and sets the tone for debate on various issues affecting the sport.

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The US Open on a Budget

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 19:20:28 GMT

The US Open is almost upon us, and we frequently hear from people who are thinking of going but don't know when to go or what kind of tickets to buy. So we set out to answer these questions and discuss pretty much everything else you may need to know about attending the Tournament. We talk tickets, transportation, stadia, events, food, drink and rules of the event (you technically can't bring that thermos of Bloody Marys, but...).

Since the Open can be a take-out-a-second-mortgage investment, we focus on the free and the cheap. It is, in fact, possible to have a lovely day at Billie Jean King Tennis Center without having to sell a kidney.

As always, follow us on the socials and leave us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

See you at the Open!

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Postcard from Montreal

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:49:45 GMT

Bonjour from Montreal! Michele and Bryan ate and drank their way through a visit to the this delightful city for the Banque Nationale Open tennis tournament, which featured the men this year. These poor players had to put up with endless rain delays resulting in a chaotic schedule, meaning a number of players had to play two full matches the same day. Quel drame!

Come with us as we explore the city, eat (and eat and eat), ponder the idiosyncrasies of our "old school" AirBnB, and sneak stuff into the Tournament.

Montreal is a sublime city, as European as any this side of the pond, and just an hour plane ride from New York City. Five stars, no notes.

As always, follow us on socials and leave us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

Allez-hop!

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Tennis Pros’ Musical Stylings

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 03:19:55 GMT

With the tennis now complete at the Olympics, we’ve been spending some time investigating a strange, sometimes embarrassing phenomenon in the world of tennis: the players’ pet music projects. Some of these players take their music very seriously, some not so much. None of these releases (with the possible exception of an Argentinian player's) can be considered legitimate music. The quality varies from, say, your co-worker’s SoundCloud page to Euro Vision stylings to promotional sports rap to, just, what the fuck were they thinking?

We take a ride on the streaming platforms and offer the best and worst of this subgenre, from Shapo to Serena and beyond.

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2nd Serve: The USA's Messy Olympics Exit

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 20:43:25 GMT

As the Olympics come to a close, the USA is fading in the tennis category...and not without some Real Housewives-style drama! While it is guaranteed that the US will take home one medal in Men's Doubles Tennis, a couple of the non-medal competitors decided to burn the place down on the way out the door. Both Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro had (unfortunate) choice words for their opponents after they lost, for reasons only they can know. It was pretty tacky!

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Rating Olympics Players: Yea, Nay or Meh

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 13:17:47 GMT

With the Olympics underway with all of its nationalist fervor, we find ourselves rooting for players from around the world, regardless of which country they represent. We started thinking about why we like some players over others. It's highly subjective, sometimes irrational and (admittedly) often based on looks.

Today we run through a wide swath of tennis players competing in the Singles category and give each one a Yea, Nay or Meh (with buzzer sound effects of course). As we try to explain why we feel the way we do, it gets a bit uncomfortable!

Please rate this podcast in your app, follow us on socials, and send us feedback at https://perfectmatchpodcast.com

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2nd Serve: Tennis Channel Ads - Poop, B.O. and Beyond

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 21:03:29 GMT

The Tennis Channel shows a lot of ads: ads that are cheap, crass and representative of the dark reality of American life. We dissect a few lowlights in the genre, from a "poop shy" woman who discovers direct to consumer supplements to a recently clear-skinned dad horrifying his teenage daughter in his brand new Speedo! These ads deliver the goods..and the cringe.

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Renée Richards: Tennis' First and Only Transgender Pro

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:48:41 GMT

As part of our Social Justice Series, we take a deep dive into the life and pro tennis career of Renée Richards, a trans woman who successfully sued the US Open in the 1970s for the right to play on the women's side. We will also discuss current takes on trans athletes in tennis (some better than others!) from several tennis luminaries.

For background, we watched the excellent ESPN documentary "Renée" (part of their "30 for 30" series, available on ESPN+), as well as the better-than-it-needed-to-be 1980s TV biopic "Second Serve", starring Vanessa Redgrave as both the pre and post-transition Renée (available for free on YouTube). We suggest watching either or both if you want to take a deep dive yourself.

As always, follow us on the socials, rate this podcast in your app, and tell your friends!

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Midweek Mini: "In the Arena: Serena Williams" - It's Interesting!

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 02:13:20 GMT

In this Midweek Mini, we talk about the ESPN+ series "In the Arena: Serena Williams". Say that 10 times fast! The first two episodes that are available now are an interesting look at the early careers of both Serena and Venus Williams. It includes some excellent rare footage of them playing in the storied Compton public courts, as well as some great moments of them playing on the pro circuit, mostly against one another.

We talk about the weird consensus throughout most of their careers that their matches were kind of boring and possibly fixed. What were people thinking?

As always, follow us on Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, and stream all of our episodes at https://perfectmatchpodcast.com

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Good 🇪🇸 Prevails at Wimbledon, Djokovic Has a Weird Relationship With the Fans

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 03:18:34 GMT

In which we discuss Serena Williams calling out Harrison Butker, Stefanos Tsitsipas' new controlling/abusive video, and the Wimbledon Champions. Barbora Krejčíková's unexpected win and Carlos Alcaraz' much needed defeat of aggrieved weirdo Novak Djokovic. We weigh in on whether it's okay for a player to mimic sad violin playing at the crowd (after he's won the match!) and then gaslight everyone by saying he did it for his adorable daughter. Hard to say!

As always, follow us on Threads, X/Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube! Whatever brainrot you prefer.

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Midweek Mini: Men's Hair In Tennis - The Good, The Bad & the Ugly

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 01:34:33 GMT

In our new Midweek Mini episode, we dive into men's hair in tennis, the gym, the subway, and how it relates to "homosocial" definitions of what's okay for straight/cis presenting men to do with their hair and clothes. It's all very weird!

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Wimbledon Whites: Why Are They Required? In Defense of John McEnroe

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 04:10:05 GMT

Here we talk about the origin of the requirement that players at Wimbledon wear all white. How did this come about? Are its origins unsavory (they are)? Also, John McEnroe has been calling big tennis matches for ages. People wonder if he still should. We wage a defense of Johnny Mac...a measured one.

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Tsitispas' "Tradwife" Insta Story With Special Guest Kathleen Lubey

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 02:29:09 GMT

We are joined by Kathleen Lubey, St. John's professor and author of the book "What Pornography Knows: Sex and Social Protest Since the Eighteenth Century" to discuss Wimbledon, sexuality, and Stefanos Tsitsipas' recent #tradwife Instagram Story - it's cringe! Plus, Tennis Tidbits, Michele and Kathy's TWO in-person experiences at Wimbledon, and how to watch the Tournament this time.

As always, please rate this podcast in your app and follow us on social media. Links at http://perfectmatchpodcast.com. Enjoy!

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FU Margaret Court: Why Is This Racist Homophobe Still Part of the Conversation?

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 04:03:11 GMT

We kickoff our Social Justice Series with a discussion about Margaret Court, the racist, homophobic pre-open era player who the tennis world can't stop talking about. She played in an era when most of her peers were off playing other tournaments, trying to form a professional women's tennis league, yet people still compare her record to that of Serena Williams. It must stop!

Also, tennis tidbits about Naomi Osaka, Rafa, Alcaraz and Serena.

As always, follow us on Insta @perfectmatchpodcast and on Twitter @perfectmatchq. Send feedback at http://perfectmatchpodcast.com and give us 5 stars on your podcast app if you are so moved.

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Good 🇪🇸 Prevails at the French Open, Evil (Ticketmaster) is Winning at the US Open

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 03:32:37 GMT

Good vs. Evil: Carlos Alcaraz beat Alexander Zverev to win the French Open. This is good! Meanwhile, as US Open tickets go on sale, Ticketmaster successfully makes it as miserable as possible to buy tickets. It's as if it's a monopoly!

Also, we discuss our love for the Showtime/Paramount+ show "Couples Therapy", why we probably can't get therapy from the host, and why we are fine with NBC losing the rights to the French Open for the next 10 years. Because they fucked it up!

As always, stars and reviews and telling your friends about his pod are always appreciated.

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Special Guest: Katya Rogers from On The Media! We Discuss the Movie "The French"

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 03:44:20 GMT

We welcome our friend and radio/podcast goddess Katya Rogers, producer of WNYC's "On the Media" to discuss the recently reissued 1981 movie "The French", which is more about France In 1981 than the French Open that year. We also touch upon Rafa Nadal's "will he, won't he retire?" posture and what it means. Trigger warning for Rafa fans: we will question whether Rafa should still be playing, but in the nicest way. Also, we got a real studio this time, so the sound quality is much, much better. Bon Voyage!

Also: if you like this podcast, please rate it in your podcast app. It helps a lot!

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Why Was Serena Williams on Trump's "Close Contacts" List? Also, Zverev is on a Roll, So Let's Unpack the Abuse Allegations!

Tue, 21 May 2024 03:10:32 GMT

Today we discuss last week’s revelation from Donald Trump’s porn star/hush money trial that among the many ghastly people on the former president’s “close contact” list was none other than Serena Williams, whom Trump apparently spoke to “often” during his presidency. So yeah.

Also, we dive deep into Alexander Zverev, the top German player who just won the Italian Open and could likely win the French Open. He’s on a roll right now, but the tennis world has largely ignored his history of abuse allegations from former girlfriends (plural). The ATP has basically washed its hands of the affair, while the tennis commentariat gingerly tiptoes around the whole topic. We aren’t going to tiptoe! We are going to lay out the facts and examine how the ATP deals with (or doesn't deal with) allegations of this sort.

For the record: at this time, Alexander Zverev is presumed innocent of all allegations that have been leveled against him.

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Tennis Couples: Can They Work? Also, "Happy Wife, Happy Life": Is This Okay?

Tue, 14 May 2024 02:42:07 GMT

Today, Michele and Bryan venture into the treacherous world of coupledom in professional tennis. Can these couples ever work out when both partners want to be number one? Also, we deeply dissect Tennis Channel commentator Jim Courier's recent usage of the adage "happy wife, happy life". What does this mean? Should it be retired? (Yes)

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CHALLENGERS: Zendaya's "Devil's Threesome" Tennis Movie vs. "Wimbledon", the 2004 Kirsten Dunst Vehicle (One Is Much Better!)

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 03:31:48 GMT

Michele and Bryan dissect the new white-hot Zendaya movie about tennis...and MMF threesomes? We also spend some time dismissing the horrific "Wimbledon", the 2004 Kirsten Dunst vehicle in which top players in the second week of a Grand Slam spend their time drinking, staying up all night and falling in a 2004 movie version of love.

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WTA Final Will Be In Saudi ☹️, Why Are There No Out Gay Male Players?

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:48:38 GMT

This time, Michele takes the driver's seat as we lament the now signed deal between the Women's Tour and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Is this "progress"? Also, we consider why there are not and have never been any openly gay male players in professional tennis. We know they're out there!

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Sinner Fans’ Orange Wigs: Is This Okay?, Automated Line Calling: How Tennis Learned to Love Its Robot Overlords

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 02:00:01 GMT

Today, we tread lightly (or gingerly?) on the topic of Jannik Sinner and his fans, who often show up wearing bright orange wigs and carrot costumes, presumably to show support for Sinner and his bright red hair. But is this okay? We also tackle automatic line calling and how the tennis world came to embrace the robot line judge. What does this say about our relationship to artificial intelligence and how quickly we learn to trust machines over humans? Yeah.

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The WTA's Saudi Problem, Dan-YELL Collins Strikes Back, and Bad Behavior in Pickleball

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:32:21 GMT

Michele and Bryan decry the Women's Tennis Association's decision to hold the WTA Finals in...Saudi Arabia (of all places), Danielle Collins tells us to "stay bothered", so we do, and is the problem with Pickleball the "sport" itself or the people who play it?

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Nick Kyrgios' Problematic "Good Trouble" Show, Gendered Interview Questions?, Men's Shorts Length

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 22:27:20 GMT

In this episode, we discuss the problematic appropriation of the Civil Rights concept of "Good Trouble" by tennis badboy Nick Kyrgios, Danielle Collin's recent objection to an interview question she considered gender-biased (but was it?), and whether male tennis players (and men in general) are wearing the right length shorts and being sexy enough for Michele. Enjoy!

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Nazis? In Tennis?

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 23:31:37 GMT

In this episode, we ponder why men seem to always commentate on all tennis finals (whether men or women are playing), how to pronounce Thiago Seyboth Wild (it's not how you think!), whether Wild's family were Nazis, and whether certain players should retire at a certain age. Enjoy!

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Perfect Match? "Why?"

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 02:45:28 GMT

Indian Wells, Djokovic hissy fit, Jim Courier...Why?, Coco Vandeweghe as a commentator

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Perfect Match?

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 21:42:35 GMT

In this episode, we talk about Rublev's anger, Bublik's chin beard and and the Saudi threat 😱

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As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.