Black Spin Global: The Podcast

Naomi Osaka fell short to an impressive and in-form Amanda Anisimova in a very entertaining semi-final which followed a three-set thriller between defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula. Osaka made a bright start but was pipped by the eighth seed who was able to hold her nerve and maintain her level in the deciding set. Take nothing away from Osaka, who has had a superb fortnight and has a top-20 ranking to show for the brilliant work she has put in during this North American hard-court swing. In the women's doubles final, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova fell to third seeds Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski in straight sets – 6-4, 6-4. The top seeds were three-love-down in the second set and fought their way back into proceedings before the New Zealand-Canadian duo eventually saw them off. Regardless, it has been an incredible, “life changing” tournament for Townsend who made a run to the fourth round in singles, taking out a Grand Slam champion and the world No 5 en route and was within a set of beating Barbora Krejcikova. In the second men's semi-final, Felix Auger-Aliassime gave a good account of himself in a four-set defeat to defending champion Jannik Sinner. The 25-year-old Canadian looked a completely different player to the one that was outplayed by Sinnner in Cincinnati last month and was hanging with the world No 1 from the baseline. Auger-Aliassime, who returns to the top 20, can now focus on his wedding before returning to the ATP Tour where it feels like a another breakthrough is imminent. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova are through to the women's doubles final after dominant performances in the last eight against Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez and then another straight-sets victory against Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova in the semi-finals. They will play third seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe in the final after the Canadian-New Zealand duo took out second seeds Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani. In singles, Felix Auger-Aliassime came through a four-set scrap against eighth seed Alex de Minaur to book his place in his second US Open semi-final. The 25-year-old Canadian had to be patient against the world No 8 but managed the match brilliantly. FAA has his swagger back and we are very excited to see what the Canadian does in the semi-final. In the second women's quarter-final of the day, Naomi Osaka beat 11th seed Karolina Muchova in straight sets in another smooth performance on Arthur Ashe. Osaka was brilliant in the first set and stayed solid in the second after Muchova was showing signs of a fightback. The four-time Grand Slam champion, in the middle of another deep run in just her second tournament with new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, will play eighth seed Amanda Anisimova in the semi-final. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Taylor Townsend pushed two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejickova close in an epic three-set battle on Louis Armstrong. The American had eight match points but was unable to convert. The doubles world No 1 still has unfinished business in New York with doubles partner Katerina Siniakova. Felix Auger-Aliassime is looking more and more like the top 10 player he was back in 2022. The 25th seed took out 15th seed Andrey Rublev in straight sets on Arthur Ashe in the opening match on Labor Day. FAA, through to the last eight in New York for the first time since 2019, is playing with a swagger that can carry him a long way.  In the day's most anticipated match, Naomi Osaka was too hot to handle for third seed Coco Gauff. The two-time US Open champion saw off the American 6-3, 6-2 in 64 minutes to set up a quarter-final clash with 11th seed Karolina Muchova.  We cannot wait for Osaka vs Gauff when both players are in peak form. Listen out for post-match press snippets from Auger-Aliassime and Gauff. Credits: US Open Tennis Championships. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Coco Gauff beat Magdelena Frech 6-2, 6-3 in the first match on Arthur Ashe. The third seed, who said she “felt a lot lighter going on court”, put up some good numbers against Frech. Stat sheet made for nice reading for the 2023 champion, too. Was nearly perfect at the net 10/11, won 71% of points on first serve and only hit four double faults (one in the first and three in the second). Naomi Osaka handled (15)Daria Kasatkina in three sets – 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 on Louis Armstrong. The two-time champ was near flawless in the first set, had a wobble in the second after Kasatkina raised her level, but locked back in during the third set to close out the match and book her place in the second week. The Japanese shared her thoughts on facing Gauff. Felix Auger-Aliassime took down third seed Alexander Zverev in four sets – 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 – in a performance that took us back to the days when FAA was a top 10 player. The Canadian was teeing off from the forehand wing and was evidently loving the conditions in New York, which he alluded to during his post-match presser. Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez are going strong in doubles, they beat Ulrikke Eikeri and Eri Hozumi 7-6(1), 6-1. So are top seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, who beat Alycia Parks and Dayana Yastremska 6-3, 6-3 on a packed Court 12. Credits: US Open Tennis Championships. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Taylor Townsend picked up from where she left off against Jelena Ostapenko, this time seeing off world No 5 Mirra Andreeva inside a busy Arthur Ashe stadium. Townsend was an example of staying in the moment, recovering from an early break down in the first set and seemingly going on to cruise in set two. The doubles world No 1's stardom continues to rise. Now to the defeats, Jasmine Paolini fell to Marketa Vondrousova on Grandstand. The Italian seventh seed was the better player in the first set and had two looks at a break point but was unable to convert. The second set was a complete switchup, and to Paolini's credit she admitted nerves got the better of her. Frances Tiafoe, the 17th seed, had no answer for qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff, who took the American down in three sets. The two-time US Open semi-finalist was unable to create any real openings and was not looking to make any excuses afterwards. And finally, Ben Shelton, the sixth seed, was forced to retire against crafty Frenchman Adrian Mannarino at two sets all. Shelton, who left the court in tears, appeared to have hurt his left shoulder. The 22-year-old was able to put things into perspective in his post-match presser. Credits: US Open Tennis Championships. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

In a match that had three sets written all over it coming in, Naomi Osaka beat Hailey Baptiste in straights – 6-3, 6-1. The American made a nervy start and was unable to force her way into the match as a result of Osaka's level which was ultimately too good. We asked about her tactics. Gabriel Diallo lost out in three close sets to Jaume Munar. The Canadian 31st seed was unable to take control like he has done in previous meetings against the Spaniard. Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Roman Safiullin 6-1, 7-6, 7-6. FAA seems to be finding his confidence in New York. His next opponent is third seed Alexander Zverev. The head-to-head is one-sided in Zverev's favour, but the Canadian has beaten the German in their only meeting at a Grand Slam. Our last match of the day was Coco Gauff versus Donna Vekic on Arthur Ashe. Many expected a three-setter but the American third seed got things done in straights. She was emotional both during the match and during the on-court interview, but was incredible in her post-match presser. To finish, we talk doubles where Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez got their campaign off to a winning start, as did top seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova. Meanwhile… Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Ahead of Hailey Baptiste vs. Naomi Osaka, the match of the day at the US Open, we sat down with Coach Franklin Tiafoe. He shares his story, how he got into coaching, his work with Eric Hechtman, what it's like being a young Black coach, what makes Hailey such a great player, and more. Make sure to tune in for the match today, second on Louis Armstrong! Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Only one place to start, Court 11 that was packed for Taylor Townsend's upset-victory over (25)Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian took the L badly and resorted to some pretty derogatory insults, accusing Townsend of having “no class” and “no education”. Townsend handled the situation superbly, both on court and in press afterwards. To think all that happened on HBCU Live Day, that was brilliantly acknowledged with a great discussion in the morning on the legacy of Althea Gibson. Leslie Allen, Sloane Stephens, Kamau Murray and Boris Kodjoe were on the panel that was excellently moderated by Monica McNutt. Frances Tiafoe saw off big-serving qualifier Martin Damm in four sets. Big Foe had to stay patient, but took care of business on his side, served great and played smart against the lefty who he spoke highly of in press. Jasmine Paolini, playing her second night match in a row in New York, convincingly beat Iva Jovic in straight sets. The Italian seventh seed confirmed the dress was a night-session fit and spoke about her next opponent Marketa Vondrousova. Ben Shelton beat Pablo Carreno Busta in straights. The American looked very comfortable on Louis Armstrong and managed the match well which is something we put to him in his post-match presser. Listen out for interview snippets from Townsend, Mirra Andreeva, Tiafoe, Paolini and Shelton. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard fell to 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti in four sets. GMP entered the US Open following a run to the semi-finals in Winston-Salem so the game is in a good place. Felix Auger-Aliassime saw off lucky loser Billy Harris in straight sets but the match had plenty of momentum swings. The 25th seed spoke about the tricky conditions and the role of the crowd. FAA will play Roman Safiullin next after the Russian beat fan favourite Gael Monfils in five epic sets on a packed Court 5. The night session was all about fashions and heart. Naomi Osaka, wearing an all red night fit, saw off Greet Minnen in straight sets, while Coco Gauff, who was also donning red, eventually got past Ajla Tomljanovic in a topsy turvy three-setter. Listen out for post-match press snippets from Auger-Aliassime and Baptiste.  Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

In the biggest upset of the tournament so far, sixth seed Madison Keys lost to Mexican Renata Zarazua in three sets. Regardless of this result, however, 2025 will go down as a career-season for the 30-year-old American. 
 Taylor Townsend beat Antonia Ruzic in straight sets on a busy Court 11, in a display packed  variety and court craft. Townsend will face fellow doubles specialist Jelena Ostapenko in round two. 
 Clervie Ngounoue showed incredible heart to recover from a bagel first set before falling in three to 29th seed Anna Kalinskaya. The 19-year-old American has an exciting future ahead. 
 Frances Tiafoe did his thing against Yoshihito Nishioka on Arthur Ashe, beating the Japanese in straight sets. Big Foe threw down 19 aces and ended the match in style with two unreturnables in a row. 
 Venus Williams, “the inventor of tennis”, gave the Arthur Ashe crowd a show in a thrilling three-set defeat to 11th seed Karolina Muchova. Lucy was in awe. 
 In a late one on Court 12, Gabriel Diallo handled business against Damir Dzumhur in four sets. The Canadian 31st seed managed the match superbly after a lapse in concentration cost him in the second set. 
 Finally, Alycia Parks was ruthlessly dispatched by fifth seed Mirra Andreeva in a match the American struggled to get in to.   Listen out for post-match press snippets from Keys, Townsend and Tiafoe. 
 Credits: US Open Tennis Championships. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Lucy and Eugene recap Day 1 at the US Open, which fell on a Sunday for the first time. Ben Shelton opened proceedings on Arthur Ashe, seeing off Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse in straight sets – 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. The American sixth seed was untroubled and looked locked in from the first ball and handled business the way a top-10 seed should in the opening round of a Grand Slam. Afterwards, in a nod to the celebrations taking place to celebrate trailblazer Althea Gibson at this year's US Open, Shelton was asked whether his father and coach, Bryan Shelton ever spoke about any racial issues he faced growing up as an aspiring professional.  Buse spoke about how difficult it was to get a read on the American's serve that was not only coming in with pace, but also different variations. In our second and final match of the day, Jasmine Paolini took care of business against Australian qualifier Destanee Aiava, winning 6-2, 7-6(4) on Louis Armstrong. The seventh-seeded Italian, steamrolled the first set, before going down an early break in the second. But in typical Paolini fashion, the Italian No 1 broke back immediately, firming up her game before closing out the match in the tiebreak. Afterwards, Aiava shared her surprise at the weight of the Italian's groundstrokes. We asked Paolini about her thoughts on the Sunday start. To close, we talk about Serena Williams introducing Maria Sharapova for the Russian's Tennis Hall of Fame induction and run through the matchups we are looking forward to on Day 2. Listen and watch out for post-match press snippets from Shelton, Buse, Aiava and Paolini. Credits: US Open Tennis Championships

Lucy and Eugene, from the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, bring you the 2025 US Open draw show. The likes of (3)Coco Gauff, (6)Madison Keys and (7)Jasmine Paolini are among the top 10 seeds in the women's draw. While 18-year-old US Open debutant Victoria Mboko is seeded 22nd in just her third ever Grand Slam. Two-time champ Naomi Osaka, who looked back to her best in Montreal, is the 23rd seed. Gauff starts against Ajla Tomljanovic, Keys faces Renata Zarazua, Paolini takes on Destanee Aiava, Mboko faces two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova and Osaka starts against Greet Minnen. Venus Williams, still going strong at 45, has been awarded a wildcard as has 19-year-old Clervie Ngounoue and both have drawn seeds in the first round. Venus has (11)Karolina Muchova, while Ngounoue has (29)Anna Kalinskaya. Doubles world No 1 Taylor Townsend has drawn Antonia Ruzic, Hailey Baptiste will face doubles world No 2 Katerina Siniakova and Alycia Parks, who went deep in Monterrey, has an exciting first-round match against (5)Mirra Andreeva to look forward to. On the men's side, (6)Ben Shelton, (17)Frances Tiafoe, (25)Felix Auger-Aliassime and (31)Gabriel Diallo are among the 32 seeds. Shelton faces Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse, Tiafoe takes on Yoshihito Nishioka, Auger-Aliassime starts against British qualifier Billy Harris and Diallo plays Damir Dzumhur. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who was in the middle of his semi-final in Winston-Salem at the time of recording, has (10)Lorenzo Musetti in round one, while Gael Monfils faces Russian Roman Safiullin – La Monf and FAA could play each other in the second round. Listen and watch out for pre-tournament press snippets from Gauff, Paolini, Shelton and Tiafoe.

In another celebratory pod, Lucy and Eugene bask in the glory that went down at the Canadian Open where there was success on both the singles and doubles courts. Victoria Mboko, the 18-year-old Canadian wildcard, completed a fairytale run at her home WTA 1000 going all the way to the final in Montreal and winning the title. The new world No 24 took out Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina before beating four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the final. Osaka also played some good ball during her run to the final. The former world No 1, who returns to the top 30, saw off numerous seeds en route to the championship match that was somewhat overshadowed by events post-match. We share our thoughts. Staying in Montreal, Coco Gauff and McCartney Kessler won the doubles title. The American duo, who were linking up for the first time, beat Washington Open champions Taylor Townsend and Shuai Zhang in a thrilling final. Over in The Six (Toronto), Ben Shelton, the new world No 6, handled business. Shelton, a Masters 1000 champion for the first time, came back from a set down to beat 11th seed Karen Khachanov in the final. The 22-year-old American took out world No 4 Taylor Fritz and world No 8 Alex de Minaur en route. To close, we talk Cincinnati Open which began on Canadian Open finals day. “We love this game! Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Intro 00:00 Victoria Mboko 02:46 Mboko vs Gauff 05:55 Mboko vs Osaka 15:41 Osaka post-match 26:58 Gauff winning doubles 35:51 Shelton's run 39:20 Khachanov's speech 51:30 Cincinnati Open update 56:38

Lucy and Eugene are back after a little rest post-Wimbledon. Before recapping the brilliant Washington Open, we share our thoughts on Naomi Osaka parting ways with Patrick Mouratoglou. Osaka will be working with Iga Swiatek's former coach Tomasz Wiktorowski for a trial period starting in Montreal. Venus Williams was the story at the Citi Open. The 45-year-old brought the crowd and excitement to DC and made more history in the process. Taylor Townsend is the new doubles world No 1 following another title in Washington. Townsend is the first mother to be crowned world No 1! Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe met in the quarter-finals and the match delivered. Action now turns to Canada where Coco Gauff, Madison Keys and Jasmine Paolini are among the top seeds in Montreal. In Toronto, Arthur Fils makes his long-awaited return. The Frenchman is joined by fellow seeds Shelton, Tiafoe, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Gabriel Diallo among others. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Intro 00:00 Tennis news 02:58 Osaka & Patrick split 06:02 Tennis coaches debate 11:50 Venus Williams's return 21:41 Celebrating Townsend 27:03 Other Citi Open highlights 28:58 NB Open so far 36:16

Shout out to Iga Swiatek, double-bagelling Amanda Anisimova in the ladies' final in 57mins. The Pole is now 6-0 in Grand Slam finals which is quite bossy. Also, shout out to the  men's champion Jannik Sinner who came back from a set down to see off defending champ Carlos Alcaraz in four – these two are playing a different sport. Lucy was spot on with her men's take (she knows ball), while Eugene had Anisimova as his second pick. From a BSG perspective, Ben Shelton reaching the quarter-finals, where he lost to the eventual champ was very good going – went one round better than last year. The American is up to a career high world No 9 in the rankings.  Hailey Baptiste making a run to the third round on her singles main-draw debut was also a standout. Her second-round match against lucky loser Victoria Mboko was a nice moment. Naomi Osaka looked good on the grass and had opportunities against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in round three. Glad to see the four-time major winner already hitting on the grounds at Flushing Meadows. Gabriel Diallo gave a good account of himself on his debut, very nearly taking out eventual semi-finalist Taylor Fritz in five sets in the second round. Big shout out to 2024 ladies' doubles champions Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova who bowed out in the semi-finals this year. Congrats to Siniakova for securing the mixed doubles crown though with Sem Verbeek. We absolutely loved celebrating the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon with the oral histories before each episode during week 1! The Wimbledon Watchalong at PlayBox, BoxPark was such a blast and year 3 at the Championships overall was a great experience. We feel blessed and privileged to be part of the growing community of podcasters in this space – shouts out to Tennis Weekly, Quality Shot and Tennis Unfiltered. Happening this week, Mikael Ymer returns to ATP Tour action for the first time since 2023 – playing Bastad with his brother Elias. Noma Noha Akugue is playing Hamburg where she was runner-up in 2023. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Ben Shelton fell to world No 1 Jannik Sinner in straight sets – 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 – on a busy No 1 Court. The American 10th seed, who admitted he felt under pressure on serve throughout the contest, was up a mini-break in the first-set tiebreak before Sinner rattled off six points in a row to win it. In set two, Sinner, who was rocking a sleeve on his right arm, was in the zone. Serving at 4-5, Shelton got broken which handed the second set to the Italian. The third set was on serve until 4-5, with Shelton serving to stay in the match. Sinner turned up the heat on return and broke the American for the second and ultimately final time. In his post-match press conference, we asked Shelton to reflect on reaching the *quarter-finals or better at all four of the Grand Slams at the age of 22 (Shelton corrected us as he is yet to reach the last eight in Paris). We did have something to celebrate after defending women's doubles champions Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova booked their spot in the semi-finals after a 7-6, 6-3 win over 10th seeds Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Before we get into the action, massive big up to everyone who showed up and showed out for us at Boxpark Croydon on Sunday (Day 7). We had a blast and it was a pleasure meeting you all. Ben “10” Shelton is through to his first Wimbledon quarter–final after a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 7-5 victory over Lorenzo Sonego. The head-to-head now reads 4-1 to the American. The 10th seed made a sluggish start and dropped his first set of the tournament to the Italian who he was facing for the third Grand Slam in a row. Shelton recovered well in the second set, winning it 6-1. At 1-1, Shelton held from 15-40 down and took over after that, breaking Sonego in the next game, then holding with ease before breaking the Italian again en route to securing it. The third set was a much tighter affair. The pair exchanged breaks at 3-3, then both held until 6-6. It was one-way traffic in the tiebreak with Shelton wrapping it up 7-1. The fourth set followed the third, both men were holding comfortably until Sonego, serving to stay in the match at 5-6, fumbled. Shelton hit a clean return winner at the start of the game and would eventually break the Italian for a fourth time to seal victory. Jannik Sinner or Grigor Dimitrov await in the last eight. Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Friend of the pod Tumaini Carayol joins in Lucy's absence to go through the day's action. Hailey Baptiste versus Mirra Andreeva did not feel like a 6-1, 6-3 match. The American, playing on No 1 Court for the first time in her career, made a nervy start but tightened things up in the second set. Baptiste though can be proud of her third-round run at Wimbledon on debut. The 23-year-old American is trending in the right direction in the rankings and has “a game made for the natural surfaces”, according to Tumaini. The Guardian man also shares his thoughts on Iga Swiatek-Danielle Collins, which was the match he was assigned to for the day, and also talks about the Aryna Sabalenka-Emma Raducanu third-round match that took place on Day 5. In the final match on No 1 Court, Ben Shelton looked good against lucky loser Marton Fucsovics. Shelton, making a habit of winning in straight sets at SW19 this year, won 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2. The match felt like it was on American's racket from ball one – even in the second-set tiebreak, a devilish slice backhand set the American on his way to stamping further authority on the match. The 10th seed will face Lorenzo Sonego in the fourth round. It will be the third Grand Slam in a row the two have faced each other. Listen out for a post-match press snippet from Shelton. We also talk you through a funny/awkward exchange between the American and a US-based journalist. Grab a FREE ticket to our Wimbledon watch party at Playbox at Box Park Croydon for the 6th July! https://boxpark.co.uk/events/black-spin-global-wimbledon-watch-along/ Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections John Barrett, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, Nov 6, 2023, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Credits for instrumental: Caught in the Middle (Instrumental) by Amarent, Free Music Archive, CC BY

Ben Shelton needed just 71 seconds to get the job done against Rinky Hijikata – 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. The American 10th seed served out the match to love, and with an ace on match point, to book his place in the third round. Lucy asked Shelton to talk about the technical changes he has made this season and how they have impacted his grass-court game. The 10th-seeded American's next opponent will be Marton Fucsovics after the Hungarian lucky loser won the one-set shootout against Gael Monfils final score was 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. This match was also carried over from Day 4 after being suspended for bad light. La Monf got broken at 2-2 and was unable to recover. In his post-match presser, Monfils spoke about what he thought went wrong in the decider. Naomi Osaka made a great start against Anastasia Pavlychenkova taking the first set but lost in three – 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. The four-time Grand Slam champion trailed 0-3 in the second and third sets, before drawing level but serving at 4-5 in the decider, Pavlyuchenkova broke and took the match. Osaka was understandably low during press but did give a positive, upbeat answer in response to a question from a Japanese journalist. Madison Keys, the sixth seed, lost 6-3, 6-3 sets to Laura Siegemund which was in keeping with the top seeds falling in the first week at SW19 – Aryna Sabalenka is the only top-10 seed left in the top half of the women's draw. Was a puzzling defeat for the American who seemed to struggle with the German's variety. Listen out for post-match press snippets from Shelton, Monfils and Osaka. Grab a FREE ticket to our Wimbledon watch party at Playbox at Box Park Croydon for the 6th July! https://boxpark.co.uk/events/black-spin-global-wimbledon-watch-along/ Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Leslie Allen, interviewed by Chinyere Nwonye, Nov 19, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Credits for instrumental: Caught in the Middle (Instrumental) by Amarent, Free Music Archive, CC BY

It was a later start for us today and the match we were most looking forward to did not disappoint. Wimbledon main-draw debutants Hailey Baptiste and Victoria Mboko faced off in the second round and it was the American that came out on top winning 7-6(6), 6-3. Mboko led in the first set and even built up a lead in the tiebreak, but Baptiste's fighting spirit and experience saw her through. Ben Shelton and Rinky Hijikata will finish their match on Day 5 after bad light halted their second-round encounter. Shelton was leading 6-2, 7-5, 5-4 and actually had three match points at 5-3 on Hijikata's serve but the Australian managed to hold. The American 10th seed will serve for the match on Day 5. Gael Monfils lost the first set against Marton Fucsovics but put things right in the second, winning it 6-1. La Monf won the third 6-4 and served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth before Fucsovics broke back – the Hungarian went on to take the set in the tiebreak. They will play out the deciding fifth on Day 5. Felix Auger-Aliassime fell to Jan-Lennard Struff in four sets – 3-6, 7-6(9), 6-3, 6-4. This match started on Day 3 but was suspended due to bad light. It was a tough loss for the Canadian who was looking forward to the prospect of facing defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the third round. Listen out for post-match press snippets from Baptiste, Mboko and Auger-Aliassime. Grab a FREE ticket to our Wimbledon watch party at Playbox at Box Park Croydon for the 6th July! https://boxpark.co.uk/events/black-spin-global-wimbledon-watch-along/ Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Otis Smith interviewed by Chinyere Nwonye, Sept 4, 2022, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Credits for instrumental: Caught in the Middle (Instrumental) by Amarent, Free Music Archive, CC BY

We had rain on Day 3 at the Championships which caused a slight delay to proceedings. When play did begin, Madison Keys wasted no time against Olga Danilovic, winning in straight sets. Naomi Osaka also secured an impressive straight-sets win over last year's ladies doubles champion Katerina Siniakova. Felix Auger-Aliassime took the first set against Jan-Lennard Struff before the German secured the second. Their match, tied at one-set-all, was suspended due to bad light and will resume on Day 4. Elsewhere, last year's runner-up and this year's fourth seed Jasmine Paolini fell in three sets. Frances Tiafoe lost to an inspired Cameron Norrie in four and Gabriel Diallo, involved in the match of the day, went down in five epic sets to fifth seed Taylor Fritz. Listen out for post-match press snippets from Keys, Osaka, Tiafoe and Diallo. Grab a FREE ticket to our Wimbledon watch party at Playbox at Box Park Croydon for the 6th July! https://boxpark.co.uk/events/black-spin-global-wimbledon-watch-along/ Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Charlie Pasarell, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, June 20, 2023, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Credits for instrumental: Caught in the Middle (Instrumental) by Amarent, Free Music Archive, CC BY

It was another sizzling day under the sun at SW19 and it started slowly for us in terms of victories, but we did see the likes of lucky loser Victoria Mboko more than make the most of her opportunity. Hailey Baptiste, the Canadian's next opponent (skull face emoji) also came back from a set down to win on her singles main-draw debut. In the men's draw Ben (10) Shelton secured his first-ever straight-sets win at SW19 while Gael Monfils upset 18th seed Ugo Humbert in a five-set epic – standard La Monf these days. Unlike Day 1, we did have several defeats on Day 2 where the likes of Christopher Eubanks, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Jay Clarke, second seed Coco Gauff, Heather Watson and Taylor Townsend among fell in the first round. Listen out for post-match press snippets from Mboko, Baptiste, Clarke and Gauff. Grab a FREE ticket to our Wimbledon watch party at Playbox at Box Park Croydon for the 6th July! https://boxpark.co.uk/events/black-spin-global-wimbledon-watch-along/ Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Sir Keith Ajegbo, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, Nov 2, 2023, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Credits for instrumental: Caught in the Middle (Instrumental) by Amarent, Free Music Archive, CC BY

On a scorching hot day at SW19, Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Jasmine Paolini, Naomi Osaka and Gabriel Diallo all secured first-round wins. Some found their path through to the second round easier than others. We discuss and share post-match press snippets from Tiafoe, Osaka and Diallo. Grab a FREE ticket to our Wimbledon watch party at Playbox at Box Park Croydon for the 6th July! https://boxpark.co.uk/events/black-spin-global-wimbledon-watch-along/  Richard Evans, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, July 9, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Instrumental: Caught in the Middle (Instrumental) by Amarent, Free Music Archive, CC BY

Black Spin Global, in collaboration with PLAYBOX at BOXPARK Croydon bring to you a beginners guide to Wimbledon 2025. BSG will be having a special Wimbledon Watchalong on Sunday 6 July at PLAYBOX, so be sure to join us as the Championships enters week two: https://boxpark.co.uk/events/black-spin-global-wimbledon-watch-along/ In this special episode, Lucy and Eugene share some top tips, breaking down how the ticket process works and ways to get your hands on them, etiquette on the grounds and much, much more. We also get into how the draws work, give our predictions and reveal BSG players to look out for and Brits. Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Intro 00:00 Three top tips 2:37 Wimbledon app 5:03 Bringing your own food 6:03 Strawberries and cream 6:44 Wimbledon etiquette 9:00 Resale tickets 10:40 Ticket ballot 12:25 Queuing for tickets 17:34 Qualifying and main draws 21:20 Predictions for men and women 24:11 Players to watch (BSG) 31:40 Brits to look out for 33:42 One player you need to see 39:21 Fits to look out for 42:48 Two underdogs 45:30

“It's the most wonderful time of the year” – Wimbledon 2025 is upon us and Lucy and Eugene are here to walk through the draw. French Open champion Coco Gauff, seeded second, has a tricky opening round, while (4)Jasmine Paolini, fresh from a semi-final run in Bad Homburg, finds herself in the top half alongside world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Australian Open champion (6)Madison Keys and four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka also occupy top-half spots. Last year's women's doubles champion, Taylor Townsend, made it through qualifying and can look forward to a first-round match against fellow American and 28th seed Sofia Kenin. In the men's draw, 10th seed Ben Shelton, in the same section as top seed Jannik Sinner, starts against a qualifier, while 12th seed Frances Tiafoe, in the bottom half, is projected to meet world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz in quarter-finals. As is draw-show tradition, we close with our picks for the men's and women's titles. We're looking forward to bringing you daily audio pods from the grounds from Day 1. Also, with this being the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon, we'll be paying tribute to the trailblazer throughout the fortnight. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections 00:00 Intro 07:07 Coco Gauff's path 11:50 Jasmine Paolini's path 16:34 Madison Keys's path 20:47 Alycia Parks's path 21:54 Naomi Osaka's  25:06 Hailey Baptiste 25:20 Heather Watson 25:47 Taylor Townsend  26:59 Rest of the women's draw standouts  30:15 Ben Shelton's path 34:20 Frances Tiafoe's path 39:42 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard's path 44:14 Gabriel Diallo's path 45:25 Gael Monfils's path 48:40 Christopher Eubanks 49:35 Jay Clark 50:48 George Loffhagen 51:46 Rest of men's draw standouts 55:45 Predictions

In this Arthur Ashe special and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon, Black Spin Global pays particular attention to the South Africa trip in 1973 and 1974. Lucy and Eugene touch on the apartheid regime, the role Ashe played in getting tennis authorities to enforce sanctions on the country, visa issues he faced, his time on the ground travelling around the country, the pressure he was under from the locals and playing in the South African Open. This podcast also features interview snippets from Ilana Kloss, Richard Evans, Owen Williams, Donald Dell and Dr Robert Green, courtesy of the Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. Interview credits: Ilana Kloss, former South African tennis player, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, October 23, 2023, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Richard Evans, tennis journalist and author, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, July 16, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Owen Williams, former South African tennis player, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, May 5, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Donald Dell, former tennis player and sports agent, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, February 10, 2020, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Dr Robert Green, civil rights activist and friend of Ashe, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, May 29, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Bluesky: https://app.bsky.cz/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only. The images used are included under fair use for the purpose of commentary, historical documentation and education. All rights belong to their respective owners. Intro 00:00 Explaining apartheid in South Africa 05:05 Ashe being vocal and visa denials 09:47 Ashe in South Africa in 1973 14:52 Bonnie Logan the first African American to play at the SA Open 21:25 Letter from Winnie Mandela to Arthur Ashe 23:42 Arthur Ashe in South Africa in 1974 30:21 Closing with the impact of Ashe in South Africa 35:03

For the second consecutive year, Black Spin Global was the official podcast partner of the Tennis Black List awards, presented in association with Dante Talent. This year's event was held at the prestigious Queen's Club in west London during the women's WTA 500 event. Lucy and Eugene spoke to winners on the night, including Jabilayh Asante, Sena Akpo-Young, and Veronica Mwondela. We also heard from esteemed tennis journalist and good friend of Arthur Ashe, Richard Evans, who was present to collect the Icon award on behalf of the Ashe family. Massive congratulations to all the award winners and big, big shout out to founders Anne-Marie Batson and Richard Sackey-Addo. Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Friend of the pod Sachia Vickery joins us to talk about all things OnlyFans. We caught up with Vickery on the eve of Roland Garros where she was continuing her rehab, supporting good friend Alycia Parks in the main draw and taking advantage of some rare downtime in Paris before her return to action at this year's US Open. The American, who recently turned 30, is the most high-profile female player on the platform, following the likes of Australia's Nick Kyrgios and France's Alexandre Muller from the ATP Tour. Vickery, who has Guyanese roots, talks about body image and becoming empowered, unlocking a new mental realm and finances among other topics. *This episode was recorded on Tuesday 20 May. Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Intro 00:00 Rehabbing in Paris 1:11 Return to action date 2:12 Joining OnlyFans 3:58 Any reservations 6:07 Becoming empowered 7:42 Reaction from fellow players 10:11 Unlocking a new mental realm 11:40 Seeing both sides financially 14:00 Advice for aspiring members 17:34 Any pushback from the WTA 21:20 Thoughts on the PTPA 22:40 Closing comments 27:37

This is a celebratory podcast! Coco Gauff is a two-time Grand Slam champion after securing the French Open title. The 21-year-old American came back from a set down to beat world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 in the championship match. Lucy and Eugene share their thoughts on the dramatic final as well as Sabalenka's comments post-match. We also hail the world No 2's incredible mental fortitude and wonder when people will stop counting her out. Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections 00:00 Intro 03:22 Coco's Journey to the Final 07:09 Mental Resilience and Technical Mastery 10:09 Analysing the Final Match Stats 14:18 Coco's Performance Under Pressure 18:38 Debunking the Underdog Narrative 21:27 Post-Match Reactions and Reflections 24:31 Coco vs. Iga: The Rivalry 28:31 Sabalenka's Comment 31:18 Coco's Rise and Performance 36:56 Destiny and Determination 38:55 Quick shoutout to the rest of the players 43:49 Reflections on Women's Coverage in Tennis

Lucy and Eugene are back to break down the Roland Garros draw. Second seed Coco Gauff has a decent one for a change, while Arthur Fils, looking to record his first win in Paris, is scheduled to meet top seed Jannik Sinner in the fourth round. We get into all of it and reveal our predictions to close. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections 00:00 Intro 01:52 French Open Coverage in the UK 06:30 Coco Gauff's draw 09:45 Jasmine Paolini's draw 14:18 Madison Keys draw 17:43 Naomi Osaka's draw 26:13 Take on Iga 30:11 Rest of the women 32:51 Hailey Baptise 34:12 Robin Montgomery  35:11 ATP this clay season 37:35 Arthur Fils's draw 42: 39 Ben Shelton's draw 45:15 Frances Tiafoe's draw 47:32 Take on Alcaraz  52:01 Rest of the men's draw 58:09 Predictions

In this emergency, no-notes pod, Lucy and Eugene discuss Jasmine Paolini's magical run in Rome. The “Queen of Italy” secured her second WTA 1000 title in style, blitzing Coco Gauff in the final in front of a packed Campo Centrale. The Italian No 1, now back up to world No 4 in the singles ranking, also defended the doubles crown with Sara Errani. As well as giving Paolini her well-deserved props, we also give Gauff, the new world No 2, her flowers after making it to back-to-back WTA 1000 finals and share our thoughts on some of the other moments in Rome. Don't forget to rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom.  For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

We're kicking things off with exciting news — you can now send us a voice message directly through our website to join the conversation! Got a hot take, a question, or just want to say hi? We want to hear from you!: https://blackspinglobal.com/#:~:text=Join%20the%20conversation In this episode, we discuss how Naomi Osaka is back in the winner's circle, capturing the Saint-Malo title — her first since becoming a mom and her first since the 2021 Australian Open. Eliakim Coulibaly makes history as the first Ivorian to win a Challenger title — and in his home country, no less!  We break down the Madrid Open with Lucy sharing her experience on-site — from Coco Gauff's strong run to the final to Aryna Sabalenka's consistent excellence this season. Shoutout to Gabriel Diallo, who made the quarterfinals as a lucky loser, now jumping up to World No. 53! In tennis news: Jannik Sinner is back after his 3-month ban, and rising star Tyra Grant announces she's switching from the USA to represent Italy, her country of birth. We wrap things up with early takeaways from the Rome Open. Rate, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Audioboom. And join the conversation on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Bluesky. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Lucy and Eugene dissect Serena's Jannik Sinner comments in TIME magazine (2:50), salute Coco Gauff after her power player agency move (11:06) and discuss the possible outcomes as players demand more cash from the Grand Slams (13:39). And that is just the news. As far as action on the court, Billie Jean King Cup debutants Victoria Mboko and Hailey Baptiste both shine (21:38), Frances Tiafoe reaches his third final in Houston (26:09), Arthur Fils brings his strong hard-court form to the clay (32:00), Ben Shelton goes all the way to the championship match in Munich (40:40), Jasmine Paolini gets another statement win in Stuttgart (46:17). To close, we share our Madrid predictions (49:10). For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Lucy and Eugene sing Victoria Mboko's praises after her strong showing at the Miami Open where Jasmine Paolini – “The Queen of Italy” – made a run to the semi-finals after taking out Naomi Osaka en route. Osaka, who saw off Hailey Baptiste in the third round, also turned in some good performances during her run to the round of 16. Florida girl Coco Gauff, who dished out a bagel, also reached the last 16. Arthur Fils made it back-to-back Masters 1000 quarter-finals, getting the better of Frances Tiafoe and world No 2 Alexander Zverev along the way, before getting done in by some unfortunate scheduling. We also share our thoughts on the PTPA lawsuit, Daria Kasatkina becoming an Aussie, Sloane Stephen's Doc&Glo brand winning an award, Serena's tennis watching habits and grade the first quarter of 2025. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Lucy and Eugene are joined by Ground Pass founder Anastasia Folorunso to go over events at Indian Wells 2025. Anastasia talks about her experience on the grounds for Black Spin Global in Tennis Paradise where Madison Keys, playing in her first event since the Australian Open, cruised to the semi-finals and Arthur Fils and Ben Shelfon both made the last eight. Listen out for Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova's candid US Open mixed doubles takes. We also share our thoughts on the WTA rebrand, Coco Gauff taking the Oscars and shoutout Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs for taking the doubles crown. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Bluesky: https://app.bsky.cz/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Legend of the game and Grand Slam champion Zina Garrison joins Lucy and Eugene for a special episode to mark International Women's History Month. We spotlight the trailblazer who had a storied career that included a junior world No 1 ranking, junior major titles at Wimbledon and the US Open; 14 singles crowns and 20 in doubles (including three mixed Grand Slam titles) on the professional tour; gold and bronze medals at the Olympics, three Fed Cups and a career-high ranking of No 4. Garrison, who spent the majority of her career inside the top 10, talks about her run to the Wimbledon final in 1990, being put in a box as an African American player, disparities in the game in her era and today, the coaching landscape (especially for women), Portia Archer running things at the WTA, athletes and mental health pressures and much more. The three-time mixed doubles Grand Slam champion also shares her thoughts on the US Open switching things up for 2025 and gives her former charge Taylor Townsend, the current doubles world No 2, her flowers. *Special shoutout to Michael Parks for the assist. Career highlights 1:40 Quick-fire questions 3:23 Wimbledon 1990 5:27 Winning Junior Wimbledon 12:48 Eye-opening moments 14:30 Being put in a box 16:50 Clothing deal snub 19:40 Sponsorship deals today 22:40 Coaching landscape 25:49 Celebrating Portia Archer 34:07 Venus and Serena paving the way 37:13 Influence on today's players 40:47 US Open mixed doubles 43:24 Athletes and mental health pressures 47:34 Doubles' standing and its importance 52:51 Taylor Townsend putting in work 54:26 Working with Serena 57:15 On-court coaching 59:40 Bringing back the foundation 1:00:55 For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackspinglobal GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Lucy and Eugene celebrate title winners Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is now a two-time champion on the ATP Tour in 2025, Evan King and Christian Harrison who secured their first tour-level doubles title in Dallas, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova (the doubles No 2 and No 1) winning their first WTA 1000 crown and Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani winning the title in Qatar. Mikael Ymer is back! The Swede, playing for the first time since Wimbledon 2023, won on his return to action in an ITF event back in January and has played Davis Cup and a series of Challengers since. The WTA Tour is the gift that keeps on giving this year. The latest WTA 1000 winners Amanda Anisimova and Mirra Andreeva prove anyone can get it. We discuss… We also share our thoughts on Serena's cameo in the Super Bowl halftime show, Jannik Sinner's three-month ban, Elena Rybakina and Emma Raducanu news and the US Open doing things differently for mixed doubles in 2025. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  jttps://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Bluesky: https://app.bsky.cz/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Intro 00:00 FAA wins title No 2 of 2025 4:06 King and Harrison first-time winners 9:05 Townsend and Siniakova win Dubai 11:12 Paolini and Errani win Qatar 13:19 Paolini singles 15:05 Mikael Ymer's back 18:13 Anyone can get it on the WTA Tour 21:11 Serena's Super Bowl 29:30 Sinner's three-month ban 33:10 Rybakina and Vukov 40:14 Raducanu stalker 45:51 US Open mixed doubles 49:16 Happening this week 53:25

To celebrate Black History Month in the United States, and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon, Black Spin Global dedicated a special episode to the pioneer who was one of the founders of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Lucy and Eugene delve into Ashe's early career that included graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in business administration, serving his country, his civil rights work and his significant influence on tennis governance. This podcast also features interview snippets from Bob Lutz, Richard Evans, Butch Buchholz, Marshall Happer and Owen Williams, courtesy of the Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. Interview credits: Butch Buchholz, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, May 26 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Bob Lutz, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, Dec 14, 2022, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Richard Evans, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, July 9, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Owen Williams, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, May 5, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Marshall Happer, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, Feb 2, 2022, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  jttps://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Bluesky: https://app.bsky.cz/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Lucy and Eugene are joined by Christian Basnight, founder of Christian's Court, to review the 2025 Australian Open where Madison Keys secured her first Grand Slam title, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova did it again in women's doubles and Ben Shelton made another major semi-final. We talk about Keys's championship-winning run in detail, paying particular attention to her semi-final against world No 2 Iga Swiatek and the thrilling three-set final against world No 1 and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, and give the 29-year-old American her flowers for staying true to her game. Townsend and Siniakova, the top seeds in the women's doubles draw, added to their Wimbledon crown to become two-time slam champions. We discuss Townsend's incredible impact on doubles and her understanding of how poignant and important her achievements are. Coco Gauff, everybodies pick for best-dressed player, looked good during her quarter-final run where she fell to Paula Badosa. Despite talk from the “internet coaches”  we saw marked improvements in the world No 3's game, especially the serve – she finished second in the aces leaderboard which feels significant. Shelton, who lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the last four, had another great AO. Not only did the young lefty make an impact on the tennis court, the charismatic American also spoke out about the awkward on-court interviews he and some of his fellow players endured. We discuss. And to close we rate this year's tournament out of 10 and reveal some of our other favourite moments. Follow Christian Instagram: https://x.com/christianscourt YouTube: Christian's Court Twitter: christianscourt For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter:  jttps://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Bluesky: https://app.bsky.cz/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

With week one of the 2025 Australian Open in the books, Lucy and Eugene go through all the action including No 3 seed Coco Gauff steamrolling through to the fourth round where Belinda Bencic awaits*. Listen out for who was pretty much spot on with their prediction for this match. Madison Keys, coming off the back of her title-run in Adelaide, has also looked very good in Melbourne. The newly-married American has made tweaks to her game, and her equipment, and it seems to be paying off. On the men's side, Ben Shelton and Auckland champion Gael Monfils face-off in round four in what should be a thriller! La Monf has played inspired tennis en route to week two and Shelton has looked more impressive in each round. Naomi Osaka had to retire in the third round due to abdominal trouble but the four-time Grand Slam champion picked up two good wins. Jasmine Paolini, who may be carrying an injury, fell to Elina Svitolina in round three but is still going strong in doubles with Sara Errani. So is Taylor Townsend with Katerina Siniakova and Asia Muhammad in mixed with Andres Molteni. *Episode was recorded before any fourth-round matches were played. ***Apologies in adance, this episode is explicit. Merch: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal

Happy New Year! The 2025 season is up and running and so are Lucy and Eugene who get into all the goings-on from an eventful first week. What's the deal with Elena Rybakina and Stefano Vukov? The Kazakh tops our news round-up. Coco Gauff, the United Cup MVP, carries the USA to victory and scores another significant win against Iga Swiatek. Jasmine Paolini and Felix Auger-Aliassime also got their campaigns under way at the team competition. The ASB Classic (or the Black Girl Magic Open) in Auckland provided us with amazing tennis and some incredible storylines from Naomi Osaka reaching her first final post-maternity, to Robin Montgomery making her maiden WTA Tour semi-final. Mpetshi Perricard beat the “serve-bot” allegations with his brilliant run to the semi-finals in Brisbane.  Frenchman showed he can play with variety and ingenuity in wins over Nick Kygrios, Frances Tiafoe and Jakub Mensik. Arthur Fils and Gabriel Diallo play Hong Kong and experience a mixed bag. Keep the comments and likes coming guys. And please continue, sharing and subscribing! Feel free to leave us a review too. Merch: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal

*Disclaimer this interview was done in December 2024.  To close out 2024 Lucy and Eugene are joined by Kenyan No 1 Angella Okutoyi! The Auburn University junior, studying business administration, talks us through her historic run at the junior Australian Open and winning the Wimbledon Girls' doubles title in 2022, making history in 2023 after winning her first pro tournament at ITF level, playing one of the matches of her life en route to African Games gold for Kenya earlier this year, the heartache after missing out on the Paris Olympics, life as a college athlete and helping grow the sport in Africa. Give Angella a follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angella_okutoyi/# Keep commenting, liking, sharing and subscribing – we appreciate you all! Merch: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal

Lucy and Eugene, joined by friends of the pod Tumaini Carayol and Uche Amako, go through the highs and lows of the 2024 season. Does tennis have a doping problem? Iga Swiatek serving a quiet ban was not the best look, nor was Jannik Sinner testing positive earlier in the year. The Grand Slams (and the Olympics) provided a lot of joy, especially the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open – shout out all the winners and Jasmine Paolini for reaching back-to-back finals. Naomi Osaka was involved in a match-of-the-year contender as were Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton. Outlandish takes for 2025 include a new major winner on the women's side and someone coming out of retirement to play doubles at Wimbledon. Merch: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections

Myles David (@TunedIntoTennis) joins Lucy and Eugene to talk all things WTA Finals but before getting into festivities in Riyadh, flowers are duly given to Almaty runner-up Gabriel Diallo and Basel champion Giovani Mpetshi Perricard. This year's elite eight on the WTA Tour are all either Grand Slam champions or WTA 1000 titleholders. The Purple Group is made up of Jasmine Paolini, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Zheng Qinwen. The Orange Group contains Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova. Taylor Townsend will also be making her debut at the Finals in the doubles event with Katerina Siniakova. The Wimbledon champions are in the Green Group. Paolini will also compete with Sara Errani, the Olympic gold winners are in the White Group. Follow Tuned Into Tennis https://x.com/TunedIntoTennis  Merch: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal

Lucy and Eugene talk Laver Cup where Team Europe were victorious, but Team World's Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton did record impressive singles wins over Daniil Medvedev. Changes in the coaching camps for Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek. Brand Patrick Mouratoglou joins up with Osaka and while technical guru Matt Daly steps into Gauff's camp – exciting times ahead. Asian Swing has already provided us with a champion after Arthur Fils's epic run in Tokyo where the Frenchman secured his second ATP 500 crown of the season. The 20-year-old beat multiple top 20 players en route, including a dramatic encounter against Shelton. Gauff did her thing in Beijing (had not played the final at the time of recording) played great tennis at the WTA 1000 including comeback victories in the latter stages of the tournament. We also shout out Hailey Baptiste, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Eliakim Coulibaly, and close with WADA's appeal against Jannik Sinner.

In recognition of Black History Month in the UK, Black Spin Global got to record a special episode at Wimbledon to showcase the achievements of black tennis players at SW19 from the past to the present. Althea Gibson, the first black player (male or female) to win a Grand Slam; Arthur Ashe, the last black man to reach world No 1; storied sisters Venus and Serena Williams; father and son duo Bryan and Ben Shelton; teenage phenom Coco Gauff and doubles champions Taylor Townsend and Heather Watson are all spotlighted in this one-off episode. For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal

*Disclaimer: this interview was recorded during the 2nd week of Wimbledon 2024.  Coach John B Williams joins us to talk about his latest book The Champions Code: 5 Attributes of Winners. Find out what the inspiration was, what the writing process entailed and some of the takeaways to expect. “Knowledge/information serves no purpose if it's not shared and it's not applied.” Williams also reviews Taylor Townsend's 2023 season where she achieved career success in Cincinnati which she would go on to top this year at Wimbledon. In closing Williams gives credit to Daniil Medvedev and Jasmine Paolini, two players who have impressed him in 2024. Grab a copy of The Champions Code: 5 Attributes of Winners  https://www.amazon.com/Champions-Code-Attributes-Winners/dp/B0D5D93H9F

Retiring Donald Young and Taylor Townsend take the runners-up crown in mixed doubles after falling in straight sets to Italian third seeds Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori. We appreciate Townsend acknowledging the significance of the presence of black players in the latter stages of the tournament during the trophy presentation. Frances Tiafoe's nerve got the better of him in a thrilling all-American semi-final against eventual runner-up Taylor Fritz. Big Foe was the better player for the majority of the match but he admirably admitted afterwards the occasion caught up with him towards the end of the match. We salute women's singles winner Aryna Sabalenka who beat Jessica Pegula in the final and Jannik Sinner who saw off Fritz in straights in the men's final. Listen out for post-match snippets from Young, Townsend and Tiafoe and to close we share our favourite fits, matches and moments from this year's Open and discuss whether Honey Deuce is actually better than Pimm's. Merch: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Audio: Spotify: https://spotify.link/iFXEgcG36Ab Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/black-spin-global-the-podcast/id1502016933

Lucy and Eugene sit down with #ChristopherEubanks in New York to catch up on his 2024 season which has been challenging but rewarding in equal measure. Among other things, the American talks us through his Davis Cup debut at the start of the year, the Paris Olympics where #CocoGauff was the star attraction, adjusting to life as an ATP Tour regular and his "excellent commentary" work for #ESPN at this year's #USOpen where he's starred in the booth and on-court with the mic in hand. Keep commenting, liking, sharing and subscribing – we appreciate you all! Merch: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections For daily tennis updates:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal

Jasmine Paolini falls to Karolina Muchova in straight sets – the talented Czech was the more solid player throughout the encounter. Been a good Grand Slam season for Paolini who reached the fourth round or better at all the majors this year. Enjoyed her comments about having Anna Wintour watch her match. Frances Tiafoe, yet again, rises to the occasion and sees off Grigor Dimitrov who was forced to retire in the middle of the fourth set. Big Foe can look forward to his second US Open semi-final and an all-American matchup against Taylor Fritz. The Donald Young-Taylor Townsend feelgood story reaches the final of mixed doubles where Young will retire. Listen out for post-match press snippets from Paolini and Tiafoe and hear our thoughts on stewards allowing kids to run down and wait courtside for player autographs.

Coco Gauff goes down to Emma Navarro again, but this time in three. The 2023 champion's serve deserted her at crucial times and she spoke openly about getting “other opinions” to help remedy the issue. Frances Tiafoe put on another show under the lights, fending off a comeback by the in-form Australian Alexei Popyrin in four quality sets. Big Foe is now looking forward to his third consecutive quarter-final in New York where ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov awaits. In the junior competition, Akasha Urhobo, Tyra Grant, Christasha McNeil and Matthew Forbes all secured first-round wins. And in women's doubles, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova ousted Heather Watson and Asia Muhammad. Shout out to Anastaia from Ground Pass Pod for joining us.