Tennis & Bagels Podcast

Steve Flink comes back to chat with Vansh about the absolute madness that was the 2025 edition of Roland Garros, the French Open.Crazy things happened, including singles finals between World nos 1 and 2 in both WTA and ATP sides, a massive victory for Coco Gauff over Aryna Sabalenka, who herself dethroned three-time defending champ Iga Swiatek, the deceptively good results from 38-year-old Novak Djokovic, and what was possibly the best Grand Slam final we've seen in the men's side since 2012 Austrlian Open between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner - and a final without any of the Big 3 or 4.Still processing the tournamet? We are too.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Grand Slam can tell us many things. And the Australian Open results still mean a lot - if not more than the other three majors when it comes to clues to how the season will pan out.Owen and Andre talk about all the players that made their mark at the Australian Open, what they expect from these athletes, and what they believe needs to change. They also mention other players who seem to be stagnant, or even regressing, and, should nothing change for them, will fall out of the lime light and slip down the rankings.Oh, and also just how boring the men's tournament ended up being, in contrast especially with the dramatic and intense ending of the women's.Our social media:BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/tennisandbagels.bsky.socialAndre (me) @andrerolemberg.bsky.socialVansh @vanshv2k.bsky.socialOwen @owensports.bsky.socialYoutube https://www.youtube.com/@tennisandbagelspodcastTwitter/XTennis and Bagels https://x.com/tennisandbagelsAndre (Me) https://x.com/RolembergAndreVansh https://x.com/vanshv2kSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What were the key moments of the Australian Open 2025? Who were the players that truly made their mark, on top of the obvious champions Madison Keys and Jannik Sinner? Does Djokovic need to play more matches? Is Aryna Sabalenka still the player to beat, and even more improved than in previous seasons? What will happen to Elena Rybakina? What does Carlos Alcaraz need to do to challenge Sinner for the No.1 Spot?Steve Flink, renowned tennis writer and hall-of-famer gives his time in a deep conversation with Vansh to look for answers to all these questions and more in our post-Grand Slam review!Thanks to Flink for continuously offer his great tennis mind to our podcast for these episodes!Our social media:BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/tennisandbagels.bsky.socialAndre (me) @andrerolemberg.bsky.socialVansh @vanshv2k.bsky.socialOwen @owensports.bsky.socialYoutube https://www.youtube.com/@tennisandbagelspodcastTwitter/XTennis and Bagels https://x.com/tennisandbagelsAndre (Me) https://x.com/RolembergAndreVansh https://x.com/vanshv2kSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andre here!Giving my thoughts on the Australian Open 2025 and what I thought was most noteworthy, like:Madison Keys winning her first Grand Slam and whether this will impact the rest of the season (US Open title coming?)Aryna Sabalenka's upset, and how she will bounce back to assert her dominance on hard courts and as World No.1Iga Swiatek's quest to become a bigger factor on hard courts to be on equal footing with Sabalenka and other hard hitters.Coco Gauff and whether she is getting too comfortable winning matches from behind. Also some ATP notes:Jannik Sinner is No.1 and there's not much else to say about itNovak Djokovic is getting old, but he's the GOAT for a reason. Carlos Alcaraz: how to win when matches are boring? And he is the true second best player in the world, and will only get better.Daniil Medvedev's window is all but closed. Unless something major changes, he will start slipping in the rankings and will not be a factor in big tournaments anymore (sadly)Alexander Zverev is never going to win a Grand Slam, and is only winning because of luck. That's it! Got opinions about my opinions? Reach out on social media!BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/tennisandbagels.bsky.social Andre (me) @andrerolemberg.bsky.socialVansh @vanshv2k.bsky.socialOwen @owensports.bsky.socialYoutube https://www.youtube.com/@tennisandbagelspodcastTwitter/X Tennis and Bagels https://x.com/tennisandbagelsAndre (Me) https://x.com/RolembergAndreVansh https://x.com/vanshv2k Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2024 was a year of new beginnings, and bittersweet ends. Andre, Vansh, and Owen discuss the careers of several incredible players who announced their retirement this year, reminiscing of fantastic matches they played, their game styles, and what value they brought to the tennis world.Rafael Nadal, the eternal Clay GOAT, but so much more.Garbiñe Muguruza, who did all that a tennis player could dream of, and leaves tennis enjoying full health and a well deserved rest.Angelique Kerber, an unorthodox player who probably overachieved, and will forever be one of the greatest defenders tennis has ever seen.Andy Murray, the only one who could possibly challenge the Big 3 consistently, and carved a space where he alone stands in history.Dominic Thiem, who had his career stolen by injuries, but reach such heights that will leave fans in awe of his on-court aggressive mindset forever.And dang, what the heck, Andy Murray is already back on the Tour coaching Novak Djokovic. What?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ATP Tour 2024 Season was defined in good and concerning ways by Jannik Sinner, the undisputed World No.1. The doping case still looms, but the Italian make the most of his opportunities to finish the year as the World No.1 and take home two Grand Slams, tied with his main rival, Carlos Alcaraz.Join Vansh and hall of famer Steve Flink in a back-and-forth conversation about the top players in the world, who's risen to the occasion in 2024, who might struggle and who might dominate in 2025! Lastly, stay for conversations on what Novak Djokovic still has in store (now with Andy Murray as his coach) and a look back on Rafael Nadal's legendary career, on clay and the other surfaces.Follow us on BlueSky! @tennisandbagels.bsky.socialSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Steve Flink and Vansh for the recap of the US Open 2024!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Steve Flink and Vansh for the recap of the US Open 2024!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At just 21 years old, Carlos Alcaraz adds a fourth Grand Slam title to his name, and a second Wimbledon no less. Though taking on a diminished, post-knee-surgery Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz still proved why he is at the top of the game, and even though Djokovic had enough in him to reach his first final of the year after a major scare at the French Open, it would take nothing but his best to beat the Spaniard.Join Steve Flink and Vansh for the recap of the tournament!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vansh sits down with his traditional post major chat with Hall of Famer Steve Flink to recap all things Roland Garros. They discuss Carlos Alcaraz's incredible achievement of winning a major on all surfaces at the age of 21 and dissect the 2 sets to 1 comebacks against Sinner and Zverev in the semifinals and finals. Other topics include a discussion on will Zverev ever win a major, Djokovic's uncertain future and his escapes against Musetti and Cerundolo, Jannik Sinner's tournament and his rivalry with Alcaraz, and thoughts on Rafael Nadal at the Olympics. They also discuss Iga Swiatek and where her 5th major title triumph puts her in tennis history, an analysis of the Osaka-Swiatek R2 epic, thoughts on Coco Gauff, and a look ahead to the grass season for the WTA. A plethora of topics jam packed into a great tennis discussion that you don't want to miss.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Madrid Open is known for being the clay court tournament where big hitters and big servers get a chance to beat the best clay court players. And it seems like Aryna Sabalenka was right on that path, beating Iga Swiatek in the 2023 final and clawing her way into the 2024 final again vs the World No.1 - but this time, the Pole had an answer.The epic women's tournament in Madrid held the entire thing together, to be honest. The men's side was hampered with many withdrawals and injuries, including champion Andrey Rublev's illness which almost cost him the title. In what was probably the match of the year (with still a good number of great tournaments to come) Iga Swiatek was able to overcome the powerful Sabalenka, the reigning Australian Open champion and two-time defending champion in Madrid. Swiatek did not have it easy, though: three match points came and were erased by a clutch Siwatek before she finally was able to cross the finish line after three hours, 20 minutes of pure drama and tennis of the most exquisite quality. Now, Swiatek has completed her clay court set, winning the only big clay tournament that was left for her, having won Rome two times and Roland Garros three times.For the men's while things looked a little less exciting (and downright worrying) due to injuries and withdrawals, we still got to experience some good stories, matches and drama. Firstly, Rafael Nadal, who is likely in his farewell tour, reached the fourth round with majestic wins over Aelx De Minaur and Pedro Cachin before succumbing to a flawless Jiri Lehecka. Is there still something special in the King of Clay for 2024?Secondly, while Alcaraz was clearly hindered by some injury in his arm he still gave everything he had, beating Jan Lennard Struff in a rematch of last year's final, and pushing Rublev to three sets. maybe the effort was too much though, as he is not playing in Rome, and is still a question mark for Roland Garros.Finally, we cannot forget the heroics of Andrey Rublev, who overcame many an adversity to win his second ATP Masters 1000 title, arguably the greatest of all coming in the final match: a quite debilitating illness, and a healthy and fresh Felix Auger Aliassime, who himself enjoyed a particularly odd way to the final with two mid-match retirements and a withdrawal (Jannik Sinner, no less). While no match of the year, at least the fans were entertained by a good fight in a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 win from Rublev.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Vansh and Andre have a chat about their thoughts on the current clay season progress. Notably, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud have reached the Monte Carlo and Barcelona finals back to back, with the Greek winning Monte Carlo and the Norwegian taking the Barcelona crown for his biggest title to date. On the women's side, Elena Rybakina fought hard to win the Stuttgart indoor clay title, with a win over two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek in what was possibly the best match of the week.With Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawals due to injury, Novak Djokovic's current lack of proper form (and a title in 2024,) ths ATP side of things is looking rather intriguing ahead of Madrid, and, most of all, Rome, as it is the closest in conditions to Roland Garros. Who will emerge as the top contender? Can Rafael Nadal find yet another title on the Parisian clay?And though Iga Swiatek lost, it's still the same: Rome will define who is truly in the best form for the French Open - although so far we feel pretty confident in the 3-time Roland Garros champion to win the title. That is, if one of Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff don't step up to dethrone the World Number 1, or even a rising star in potentially Marta Kostyuk and a finally stable Emma Raducanu.We also have a quick look back into the achievements and career of Garbine Muguruza, who just announced her retirement from professional tennis in a press conference this past week. Happy retirement!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationDownload the TennisONE APP for scores, stats, news, videos, player content, fan contests, and more https://t1.app.link/VanshOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A bit of tennis fatigue and other personal stuff had us MIA for a while. But we're back, and just in time for the Clay Season!Looking back at the Sunshine Double results, including the Iga Swiatek - Carlos Alcaraz double, Maria Sakkari's and Daniil Medvedev's great runs to the finals in Indian Wells, and of course, the players of the moment and Miami champions: Danielle Collins and Jannik Sinner. With one just starting the best of his career and the other bidding farewell with a dream season, the contrast in their careers right now is just a sign that anything can happen in tennis.We also have a nice little chat with Vansh, as he talks about his experience covering tournaments on-site for the TennisOne app! Download below :)Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationDownload the TennisONE APP for scores, stats, news, videos, player content, fan contests, and more https://t1.app.link/VanshOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naomi Osaka reached the quarterfinals at the Qatar WTA 1000 event, winning her first match over a top 30 opponent in Caroline Garcia, also avenging the Australian Open loss. She also won back-to-back matches for the first time since Miami 2022.While her tennis truly has seen great improvement from Brisbane, and the rust is starting to fall off, what really is great to see in Osaka right now is that she seems to be enjoying the game - a great contrast from when she was suffering with depression back in 2021 and 2022. Then, she wanted to be anywhere but in front of a crowd and on a court. Now, she seems to truly be enjoying it.But can Naomi Osaka win a big title in 2024? Can she break into the Top 30? Who knows. What truly matters, though, is that she continues to enjoy her time on court. Then, the sky is the limit.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Netflix's Break Point cost millions, took months to be completed, several of the most talented people in the industry, and still can't hold a candle to the ATP Season, a comedic 5-minute parody of what the tennis season is like. Players pretending that everything we see is fake, and some of the best acting from your favourite players like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Gael Monfils. What is missing to the multi-million dollar production by the entertainment giant? What did Netflix miss? For starters, we think that they should get rid of the F1: Drive to Survive thinking and find their own mission statement.We also talk about the most controversial coach in modern tennis, Patrick Mouratoglou. Who is he really? A great coach? A PR genius with a way to make people talk about himself? A... clown? We don't quite believe in this last option, but the true merits of Mouratoglou as an elite tennis coach are a good topic to be explored - one that might bring about an entire episode of its own.Touching briefly on some of the WTA matches this week, Andre recommended the Abu Dhabi semifinals, but obviously these are over by now. So if you can, go watch a replay of Rybakina vs Samsonova and Haddad Maia vs Kasatkina! Both of these were amazing. And don't forget to catch the final on Sunday!Finally, we ended up having to chat about Saudi Arabia's involvement in tennis. What to expect? What to do as fans? How can we still enjoy good tennis, and at the same time keep in mind that Saudi Arabia is far from being a role-model of a country, being a quite brutal dictatorship with many shortcomings when it comes to human rights? Ultimately, though, money talks for the big players.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us in this captivating episode as tennis historian, writer, and hall-of-famer Steve Flink returns to dissect the thrilling moments of the Australian Open men's tournament. In an insightful conversation with our host Vansh, they delve into the triumphs and tribulations of the players who left their mark on the iconic tournament.The spotlight is on the phenomenal ascent of Italian sensation Jannik Sinner, who emerged victorious in a historic showdown against the formidable Novak Djokovic. The 10-time Australian Open champion faced his first-ever defeat in the semi-finals, leaving fans in awe of Sinner's prowess and determination as he valiantly came back from a two-sets-to-love deficit against Daniil Medvedev to win his maiden Grand Slam title. Djokovic's shocking performance also left Flink and Vansh intrigued, wondering if this will affect the rest of the season for the Serbian.Flink and Vansh navigate the twists and turns of Daniil Medvedev's journey, exploring his resurgence and reaching the final for the third time in Australia. The duo revisits Medvedev's past challenges, including a heartbreaking loss to Rafael Nadal at this same stage in 2022, and examines the improvements that have transformed him into a more promising and formidable player. From adjustments in his net game to strategic shifts in his return position, could Medvedev's evolution bring him back to being one of the most dangerous players on tour?As the episode unfolds, the hosts speculate on the future prospects of Sinner and Medvedev, pondering whether they will secure victories in the remaining Grand Slam events of 2024. The burning question lingers: Can either of them rise to the pinnacle and claim the coveted World No. 1 ranking?Tune in for a riveting discussion filled with expert analysis, tennis insights, and a glimpse into the potential future of these tennis titans. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual observer, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the world of tennis.

A deeper dive into the happenings of the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, as it came to an end this Sunday, January 28!Owen makes a case for Aryna Sabalenka to be the true best player in the world. What are her weaknesses? If not for her own on-court frustrations and nerves kicking in, there are no real vulnerabilities to exploit in her game, no matter on which surface.The WTA's current Top 3 plus Elena Rybakina also seems consolidated and increasingly distancing themselves from the rest of the pack. Is a new domination era starting? How many Grand Slam titles will Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina win in the next 5-10 years? Exciting battles look very possible on the horizon.And we did not forget Qinwen Zheng, who finished runner-up at the Australian Open. How far does her potential go? Which areas can she improve on her game? After a hard fought final, though ending in a straight forward loss, Zheng now enters the Top 10, and has much material to look into as she seeks to follow on the footsteps of fellow Chinese player Li Na, the 2014 Australian Open champion. On the ATP side, more questions than answers. How high is Janni Sinner's ceiling? Is the World No.1 ranking in the cards for this year? Another major title? And what about Medvedev - now that he is happy and motivated, can he finally add another Grand Slam title to his trophy room? It will depend on how well he can implement the changes he needs in his game, and how long he can sustain his best level, though another 2-0 lead is blown at the Australian Open. Looking into Novak Djokovic, we were left puzzled by his performance. Although, while we do not consider his decline to be so sudden as to cause his level to drop so much in just two days, it seems something was not quite right. And he sure needed a much higher level to beat Sinner.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andre takes a quick look into Aryna Sabalenka's dominant performance in the Australian Open final, defeating China's Qinwen Zheng 6-3 6-2. Though Zheng showed flashes of brilliance, it wasn't to be for the Chinese rising star's first Grand Slam final, as she went up against a decisive, confident, and powerful Sabalenka, who looks well and truly like a player who wants to be the World No.1 again.Plus: Rohan Boppana's inspiring ascent to the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career at 43 years old, also winning his first men's doubles major title, teaming up with Australia's Matthew Ebden! And a major run by Netherlands para-athlete Diede de Groot, who is now on a 14-title winning streak in Grand Slams, with three calendar Grand Slams won during the run - and a strong possibility of a fourth one on the way!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationOwen's The Golden Rivalry: follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Listen to our predictions at the Murray Musings Podcast!Check out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The greatest men's rivalry in the history of tennis? The most physical in the sport overall? Andre interviews co-host Owen about his recent project, a book about the Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic Rivalry, appropriately called "The Golden Rivalry."They discuss motivation for writing the book, the challenges of putting it together, and several tangents about the great Novak Djokovic H2H Rafael Nadal matchup: what was their best match? Why is it so great? Is it really superior to the Federer vs Nadal rivalry? Contrary to popular belief, not all their matches are all that impressive. But which was the worst? And maybe the most important question of the rivalry: which match was most significant for their careers and the history of tennis overall?Follow along as they praise the two giants of the game and chat about Owen's exciting project, and follow all chapters as they are released on substack!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vansh brings on returning guest and Hall of Famer Steve Flink to dissect the overall ATP Tour landscape as the 2023 comes to an end. We talk a lot about the ATP Finals & what we learned. Where does this season rank for Novak Djokovic in his career? Can Jannik Sinner take his strong 2nd half of the year, with the Davis Cup triumph, into 2024 and win a major? What do we make of Carlos Alcaraz since Wimbledon & Daniil Medvedev vs his best rivals? What about the rest of the players outside the top 4? So much covered in great detail!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jannik Sinner went from triple match point down to beating Novak Djokovic twice in the same day and leading Italy to it's first Davis Cup title since 1976. Not things you achieve everyday! After a supreme change in dynamics after reaching his first Grand Slam Semi-final at Wimbledon, Sinner went on to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Canada, and backed it up with a tremendous fall season, winning titles in Beijing and Vienna and reaching the final at the ATP Finals in Turin, in front of his home fans. Now ranked World No. 4, Jannik Sinner got two wins in three matches against the legendary Novak Djokovic, who finished the year as the World No. 1 for a record-breaking 8th year, and won three of the four Grand Slam titles of 2023. While glory at the ATP Finals was denied by the Serb, Sinner did not throw away his opportunity to make his country proud, lifting the Davis Cup trophy with his teammates, playing alongside Matteo Arnaldi, Lorenzo Sonego, Lorenzo Musetti, and cheered on by former Top 10 Matteo Berrettini on the team bench. What a year for Italy!Ben Lewis joins Andre in this week's podcast to talk about Canada's unlucky week at the Davis Cup, point out the silver lining of Milos Raonic's return to the team. With a tough loss in the quarter-finals to Finland, Team Canada goes back to the qualifying stage of the Davis Cup.Ben and Andre chat about this year's shortcomings, pointing that Gabriel Diallo's match was the coin toss, but he could not produce the tennis he managed during the group stage and that allowed him to win his second title on the challenger tour in the fall. To top the less than ideal week, Vasek Pospisil's woes were back, as he could not shake off what appeared to be a shoulder injury, and Canada bowed out 2-1 to Finland, as Felix Auger-Aliassime was unfit to play, with a lower-body injury. What will then be of the Canadians in 2024? Can Felix Auger-Aliassime get back into the Top 10? How far will Milos Raonic go before he calls it a career? Can the big-serving Canadian win another title (maybe the last edition of the Hall of Fame Open in Newport on grass?) And what awaits Denis Shapovalov, who decided to call it a season after a tough Round of 16 loss to Roman Safiullin at Wimbledon? Let us know what you think!Follow Ben Lewis!Twitter: @BenLewisMPCSubstack Match Point Canada: @MatchPointCanSUBSCRIBE TO TENNIS AND BAGELS ON YOUTUBE!Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crina Mustafa, basketball and tennis content creator, comes over to Tennis and Bagels Podcast to chat (and cheer) with Andre about Canada's history-making moment with the Billie Jean King Cup title in Seville.Leylah Annie Fernandez, the 21-year-old dynamo who's been making waves since her epic run to the 2021 US Open final, took on the role of leader of the Canadian team despite her young age, and did not disappoint. She went undefeated in 2023 in Billie Jean King Cup competition in both singles and double combined, making it a total of 8-0 for the year. After tough matches and near-misses, Fernandez fended off Ysaline Bonaventure in the Vancouver qualifiers in April after being a set and a break down to send Canada to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals stage. There, her way was no simpler, having to go down the trenches against Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain in a three-hour, two-tiebreak battle, then getting her first top 10 win against Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova of Czechia in three sets in the semi-finals. Against Italy, the title was sealed with a straight-forward win over Jasmine Paolini.Another young star seems to be being born in Canadian tennis, as Marina Stakusic left her mark in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The 18-year-old, who has done incredibly well in the ITF World Tennis Tour, coming off of a win at the Tevlin Challenger in Toronto, lost only one match the whole week, going down against former Roland Garros champion and former World No. 2 in two sets, but winning every other match against players much higher ranked than her. Her incredible performance gave Canada the courage and belief necessary to go all the way, as Stakusic also went relatively untroubled against former Roland Garros semifinalist Martina Trevisan in the first singles against Italy.Rounding up the team, US Open women's doubles champion Gaby Dabrowski partnered up with Fernandez in the critical match against Czechia to defeat multiple Grand Slam champions Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova to send Canada to the final.Rebecca Marino and Genie Bouchard also left their hearts on the court, with Bouchard taking on to the court in doubles.At the end of it all, Heidi El Tabakh also got her much awaited and deserved triumph with Team Canada as the team captain. The cheerful, but calm and focused captain's actions and critical decision making led Canada to be at its optimal state to finally lift the coveted trophy for the first time in the competition's history.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Crina Mustafa!Twitter: @crinammFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lot was on the line for Iga Swiatek at the WTA Finals in Cancun. A win would bring her her second-biggest title of the year (behind all four majors), and her first at the year-end WTA tournament featuring the Top 8 performing players in the world in 2023. And last but not least: if all things aligned, she would also become the World No.1, overtaking Aryna Sabalenka and making sure she would finish her second consecutive year as the World No.1And Iga Siwatek did all that - in style. Under the hurricane-like conditions in Cancun, Swiatek took down every opponent in straight sets, and left the best for last: losing a total of six games in the semi-finals and final combined, she put her destiny in her hands when she beat Aryna Sabalenka in the semis, and completely dominated Jessica Pegula in windy conditions in the final for a final bakery shop demonstration of the year, winning 6-1, 6-0. What will 2024 be like for the generational talent from Poland?Andre and Vansh also chat about the incredible week in Paris on the ATP side, which saw Novak Djokovic lift and ATP Masters 1000 for the 40th time. Needless to say, a record, which he has been competing against himself in for a number of months now. Overcoming physical difficulties which prevented the legendary Serb from playing his best tennis, Djokovic still did what he does better than anyone in history: winning from any position. Clutch in decisive moments, patient in neutral ones. making sure no match ever went fully out of his control. Taking on inspiring performances from Tallon Griekspoor and Andrey Rublev, and closing the door on an impressive and uplifting week from Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, the World No. 1 extended his records in Paris, in ATP wins, number of big titles, and is now only one win away from securing a hardly-comprehensible 400th week as the World No. 1. As a 36-year-old. We are running out of superlatives, or any descriptive words for that matter. for Novak Djokovic.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andre and Owen talk WTA match-ups and how the many permutations can greatly affect results at the WTA Finals in Cancun. Will Aryna Sabalenka continue to establish herself as No.1? Can Elena Rybakina prove herself as a fighter on top of being one of the best servers in today's women's tennis? Will Iga Swiatek be able to re-establish herself with her first WTA Finals title? Plus all the other great players who are looking to end the season on top after extremely tight competition all year. Coco Gauff will look to keep the momentum going after her US Open victory and prove it was not just a dream run; Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova, the Wimbledon finalist and champion, will look to find good form again and keep themselves close to the top 4. Jessica Pegula will try to lift her game and show that she's more than just a consistent player. And closing the field, Maria Sakkari will try her best to show she belongs among the WTA tennis elite with a strong performance, after coming in as an alternate with the withdrawal of Karolina Muchova due to injury.On the ATP Tour side, a couple more weeks are still left until all is said and done for 2023. But one of the most improved players of the year, Jannik Sinner, is looking very sharp and ever-so dangerous after his second consecutive win over Daniil Medvedev in the Vienna final. An extremely physical battle, where Sinner showed his improved physical endurance as well as patience to outplay one of the fittest players on tour, and one of the best defenders to step on a hard court in Daniil Medvedev. One thing is still left for Jannik: to prove himself in the Grand Slams and maybe even get a win over all-time great Novak Djokovic.Lastly, Andre gives a shoutout to compatriot Félix Auger-Aliassime for his inspiring run to his title defense in Basel (with some unbelievable serve stats on his side.)Let Paris-Bercy give us its best!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With all four Grand Slam tournaments behind us, there's only two things in mind for the top tennis players in the ATP and the WTA: the Year-End Finals and the World No.1 ranking.Important tournaments took place this past couple of weeks, with two WTA 1000 (Guadalajara and Beijing) and one ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai). Iga Swiatek added much important points by winning the Beijing title, and keep herself in hot pursuit to take back the World No.1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka and finish the year in the top spot for the second consecutive season. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz is going to have to work a lot harder, trailing 2023 three-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and going into one of the toughest parts of the season for the Spaniard in the indoor hard-courts in Europe - but never count Carlitos out, and Paris is still around the corner.Some other mentions on the WTA Elite Trophy, it's logistical difficulties and appeal, a potential WTA Next Gen, and this week's winners: Hubert Hurkacz taking his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Shanghai, Qinwen Zhang winning her biggest title at home in Zhengzhou, Jessica Pegula's emotional title in Seoul, and Leylah Annie Fernandez's first title in 19 months in Hong Kong after a difficult season.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grand Slam season is over. Steve Flink, tennis writer and hall-of-famer comes back to chat with Vansh about the US Open men's tournament, which saw virtually undisputed GOAT Novak Djokovic win his 24th Grand Slam title, an Open Era record and All-Time tie with controversial Margaret Court. They talk about how the draw played out, difficulties for Novak Djokovic, who managed to win only for the fourth time at the US Open despite making 10 finals. Daniil Medvedev sneaked through his side of the draw without much talk about him until the epic semi-final against defending champion and then World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, denying a second consecutive Grand Slam final showdown between the Spaniard and Novak Djokovic after their Wimbledon epic. Flink and Vansh also go into detail about the matches, including the final, how Medvedev could have played better, and how Djokovic proved his dominance even at 36 years old.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It didn't start the perfect way for Coco Gauff in New York City at the US Open final. She looked destined to finish runner-up in another Grand Slam final, with the new WTA World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka poised to win her second major of the season after the Australian Open. But how wrong we were.Now coached by Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff became a wall from the back of the court, and simply nothing went past her in the next two sets. With answers to everything Sabalenka tried, Gauff became now destined to lift the trophy at home. And lift the trophy she did. At 19 years of age, Coco Gauff`s career, now seemingly so much longer than anyone would expect for someone that young, has reached new heights at Grand Slam level. The sky is the limit for the young American!And in the second half of the podcast, Andre and Owen just couldn't help but chat a little about tomorrow's men's final between Novak Djokovic and unexpected (though not less talented) Daniil Medvedev. What will happen in the 2021 US Open men's final rematch?Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US OPEN TIME!For Owen and Andre, the ATP side is clear: after epic clashes between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, they just stand above all others as the favourites. Save somestruck of bad luck, which seems to have been haunting Novak Djokovic at the US Open, he should be there. Save the menace of Jannik Sinner, Carlitos Alcaraz should also find his way into yet another Grand Slam clash against the all-time major leader Serbian. Are we wrong? Should we worry more about a potential... party pooper?On the WTA side, things get more complicated. With no clear favourite, five women come stand out as potential winners: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Ons Jabeur, and Coco Gauff. While the race seems to be more between Sabalenka and Swiatek, this is a game of match-ups, and in a best of three sets format, slipping into a deficit could lead to an early upset a lot quicker.And depending on who meets who at any point in the tournament, the finalists could be wildly different. It is another exciting Grand Slam on the women's side - who will lift the coveted trophy in the end of the fortnight?Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A conversational episode with a little less tennis tactical analysis and a lot more about the wonderful narratives that keep us glued to this sport - and the exciting future that is taking shape in the ATP and the WTA tours.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tables have turned. Carlo Alcaraz happened. Novak Djokovic's 10-year winning streak on Centre Court at Wimbledon is over. And we have the clearest moment that we can describe as a passing of the torch in many, many years.Join Steve Flink and Vansh as they break down the Wimbledon men's tournament, the epic final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, the performances and what's in store for the current big names in the ATP Tour Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and more!Talk to us on social media!Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vansh and David Gertler, a writer for the Action Network, react to Marketa Vondrousova winning the Wimbledon Title on the Women's side. They analyze the women's tournament as a whole and talk about all the great stories with the great fund of Ons Jabeur and Elina Svitolina, the consistency of Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, and others. Also where do Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek go from here?Talk to us on social media!Follow David Gertler on Twitter: @TennisBlogger1Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wimbledon. Grass tennis. WTA Tour. We're excited.Follow Vansh and David as they go through the ENTIRE Wimbledon women's draw to break down their favourites to go deep, the potential best matches in the first round, the trickiest way to the title and predictions for every quarter until the Final!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Damian Kust on Twitter: @damiankustFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talk to us on social media :)Follow David Gertler on Twitter: @TennisBlogger1Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women's tennis has seemingly moved on from its 2000's and 2010's stars a lot faster than the ATP tour. For a while it was quite difficult to predict who would come out on top, and while there seemed to be a lack of consistency, this hasn't been the case since Simona Halep and Ash Barty ascended to the top, one after the other. Now, with incredible players in their early to mid-twenties playing some of the greatest tennis the world has ever seen, the fun is starting fresh: who will become the next greatest? Who will chase the biggest record? What will be the biggest rivalries? And that's what Juan Ignacio is here for, to help us break down just why women's tennis is so damn exciting.Going from Iga Swiatek's big run to her third Roland Garros' title and the epic matches he had to win to get there, we discussed other up and coming players as well as the newly established elite, among them: Bia Haddad Maia, the lefty Brazilian who fights until the end; Karolina Muchova, who has been ranked far below what is truly some of the best tennis in this era, but is determined to fix this; Aryna Sabalenka and her powerful game, which makes her arguably the biggest favourite for Wimbledon; Elena Rybakina, who owns what's possibly the best serve in the WTA and will come back to defend her title at Wimbledon; Ons Jabeur, the fan-favourite Tunisian who has an endless arsenal at her disposal and a wealth of talent.The tennis and stories on the WTA Tour are simply captivating. It's a bottomless well of great sports entertainment. And we should all be paying a whole lot more attention to it (and just paying a whole lot more, really.) Sit back and enjoy Juan's great knowledge!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Juan Ignacio on Twitter: @juanignacio_acFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Tennis and Bagels, Andre and Vansh look at the performances of Carlos Alcaraz and Petra Kvitova in particular, as they shape up their games to the Grass Court Slam. Kvitova, a former World No.2 and two-time Wimbledon champion, showed once again signs of why she's had the career she's had so far, but since winning at SW19 in 2014 she has not done so well in London. Could this be the year?Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz has finally completed the surface set, winning his first grass court title at Queen's - and what a fantastic week that was for the World No.1. While Alcaraz does not have the experience on grass to be considered a heavy favourite for Wimbledon, he has simply amazed us with his ability to learn and make adjustments so quickly. What can't Alcaraz do??In other news, the always mercurial Jelena Ostapenko managed to once again get her hands on a trophy by playing her best tennis - an Avatar state where she becomes virtually unbeatable, but her dips in match can be too costly. And Alexander Bublik put his mind into it and showed why he's one of the most talented players on tour - he seems to only lack the motivation to break into the Elite of the game. Though a Halle title might not be the best stepping stone for Wimbledon unless you're named Roger Federer...Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As per usual, Steve Flink joins Vansh Vermani in a deep, highly knowledgeable and analytical talk about yet another Grand Slam tournament!The French Open is now over, and all the champions crowned. Iga Swiatek put on a great show yet again, but was pushed the hardest on route to a Roland-Garros title, finally able to defeat "surprise" finalist Karolina Muchova in three sets in the final. Creating her own history, Muchova herself managed an incredible feat reaching the championship match, notably taking down World No.2 and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in what was probably the most epic and dramatic match of the tournament.Novak Djokovic finally got ahead in the Slam race and stands alone for the first time with 23 major titles, a third French Open, and the triple career Grand Slam, a feat only surpassed by Steffi Graf, who has won all major tournaments at least four times each. But now Djokovic is the only one along Serena Williams to own 23 of the most coveted trophies in tennis, most in the Open Era and only one behind Margaret Court for all-time titles... and he is the overwhelming favourite to win Wimbledon. Regardless of what the GOAT debate means for anyone, one thing is certain: Novak Djokovic keeps pushing the limits of what is possible in tennis, and seems to be chasing nothing but his own records now. Can anyone ever be more accomplished than Novak Djokovic?Listen to the recap by Steve Flink and Vansh Vermani now and let us know in our social media!Follow Steve Flink: @sflinkoPete Sampras: Greatness revisitedFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comThanks for listening!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talk to us on social media :)Follow Jack Edward on Twitter: @ontheline_jackFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comCheck out Vansh's NEW podcast!The Iga and Carlos podcast on Twitter: @IgaCarlosTennisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talk to us on social media :)Follow Nick Carter on Twitter: @nick_bcarterFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comCheck out Vansh's NEW podcast!The Iga and Carlos podcast on Twitter: @IgaCarlosTennisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a far less-than-ideal tournament in Rome with many rain delays and a clear demonstration that the men's event is still the most important thing, we still got to enjoy some seriously good tennis.While neither one of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were not present in the final after a remarkable 18 years, the new guard has stepped up to bring the level we all expect from one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world. Holger Rune was responsible for stopping Djokovic from reaching another final, defeating the 22-time major champion in the quarter-finals. But arguably the story of the men's event was the self-proclaimed clay-hater and hard court specialist Daniil Medvedev, who showed tremendous form on clay after never having won a single match in Rome - and finally took down Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune on rout to his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title. What will he accomplish at Roland Garros, now that he is No.1 in the Race and the World No.2?On the women's side, Iga Swiatek started her title defense as well as she could possibly hope for, losing two games in two matches. But the ending was far from ideal from the dominant World No.1, as she was forced to retire against Elena Rybakina after two exciting sets of tennis with an injury. If her Roland Garros title defense was already looking more difficult due to the newly energized Aryna Sabalenka, champion in Madrid over the Pole herself, now that Elena Rybakina is showing great form on clay, an injury was the last thing Swiatek wanted. Is the 2023 WTA Big 3 going to give the world another series of tennis showdowns in Paris? Are we looking at the Stuttgart, Madrid, or Rome champion as the big favourite for the coveted title at Roland-Garros?Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comCheck out Vansh's NEW podcast!The Iga and Carlos podcast on Twitter: @IgaCarlosTennisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time since 2004, Rafael Nadal will not be in Paris for Roland Garros. The 14-time champion has a 98% winning percentage at the French Open, losing only 3 matches and pushed to five sets only 3 times - all of which he won. But in 2023, Nadal was forced to withdraw due to a persisting injury picked up at the Australian Open in January.Now what? With him in the draw, it's easy to pick him as a favourite - almost a duty. But now, with Novak Djokovic not at his best, Stefanos Tsitsipas getting back to his best, Carlos Alcaraz back at World No. 1, Daniil Medvedev playing the best tennis he's ever played on clay (which has now put him at No.1 in the ATP Tour singles Race ranking), and Holger Rune capitalizing on his immense potential, the door seems wide open. Just as it was back in 2004, when Gaston Gaudio won at Roland-Garros, coming back from two sets to love to beat none other than Guillermo Coria in the final.And then there's the possible retirement news. We don't have much to say about this, except that we hope Nadal will be fully healthy and that he finds the joy in playing tennis again.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vansh sat down with upcoming young Italian Tennis Journalist Mario Boccardi, who writes for two publications in Italy and has grown a large following on Tennis Twitter. They recap all things Madrid Open with discussion on Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and other feel-good stories. Also a preview to Rome, the Italian Open, and a discussion about Novak Djokovic and the other top contenders for RG (never rule Rafael Nadal out). They also analyze some of the valid complaints of people this fortnight about the organization & treatment of WTA/ATP Tour players in Madrid. Also a mention and analysis of Andy Murray winning a Challenger as he tries to get himself seeded for Wimbledon.Talk to us on social media :)Follow Mario Boccardi: @marioboc17Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vansh gets Jack Edward on Tennis and Bagels Podcast to chat about the tournaments in Barcelona, Stuttgart, Munich, Banja Luka, and we get a lot of depth in the analysis of the current WTA and ATP tours landscape heading into the second Grand Slam of the year. While Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek blew their minds away, Vansh and Jack chat about potential threats to their quest to Roland Garros glory: is Aryna Sabalenka ready to push it to the next level on clay? Is Ons Jabeur going to get healthy for Paris? Is Paula Badosa find her best tennis again? On the men's side, we saw Holger Rune showing what he's capable of, and that he can still get even better. Does that warrant him a 2nd favourite at the French Open? Is Jannik Sinner going to be fully healthy to make a deep run in France?And the biggest question of all: are Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic going to be ready for the biggest battle ground of this Big 3 rivalry in this decade?Listen now and let us know what you think!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Jack: @ontheline_jackFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen now and let us know what you think!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Damian Kust!Twitter: @damiankustFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sunshine Double is over. With no hard court Grand Slam in sight for the next 5 months, does it mean anything for the high performers, Daniil Medvedev, Petra Kvitova, Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner? What role will Djokovic play next?Vansh welcomes Gill Gross, creator of the YouTube channel Monday Match Analysis, co-creator of the podcast 3, and Tennis Channel commentator, and they will tackle many questions all the casual and hard core tennis fans are asking themselves!Listen now and let us know what you think!Talk to us on social media :)Follow Gill Gross:Twitter: @Gill_GrossMonday Match AnalysisThree - A Tennis ShowFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Indian Wells 2023 podcast episode you didn't know you needed: Steve Flink comes back to chat with Vansh about the BNP Paribas Open!Grab yourself a bagel and enjoy yourself an Indian Wells Recap with the tennis Hall of Famer and Historian Steve Flink. All of the main matches on both tours quarterfinals and onwards are analyzed in both big picture and micro-detail. Lots of content rightly jam-packed into 45 minutes. Great listen!Follow Steve Flink: @sflinkoPete Sampras: Greatness revisitedTalk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comThanks for listening!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a wrap on Indian Wells! The tournament with unique conditions, hard courts slow as clay, and a reputation as the fifth grand slam, gave tennis fans around the world plenty of entertainment, and nerds like us plenty to think and talk about.Elena Rybakina powered her way through to win her first-ever WTA 1000 title, and did so with a bang: by completely blowing 2022 champion and World No.1 Iga Swiatek off the court in the semifinals, and taking her sweet revenge over World No.2 and Australian Open champion (b. Rybakina in final) Aryna Sabalenka.Carlos Alcaraz did not drop a set in the tournament, seeing off rivals Felix Auger-Aliassime, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev, in convincing wins. The level of tennis Alcaraz is playing, the level of fitness, on-court awareness, tennis IQ, and shot-making, are all out of this world, and it's VERY hard not to keep hyping him and believing he can ascend to the level of the all-time greats.Let us know your thoughts! Talk to us on social media :)Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comThanks for listening!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniil Medvedev seems to have found a lot of confidence in his game: with great wins under his belt now, including Novak Djokovic, Felis Auger-Aliassime, and Andrey Rublev, he is truly back to the Top 10 and will remain there. But can he win more Grand Slams? Can he become World No.1 again? We still need to watch more for that...On other news, Alex de Minaur wins the battle of tough conditions in Acapulco, where it seems only he was able to master the humidity. Nico Jarry made the most of his comeback by winning the title in his hometown of Santiago, Chile, while Donna Vekic defeated Carolina Garcia for the title in Monterrey in her own comeback story, and young Ukrainian talent Marta Kostyuk finally claimed her first WTA title in Austin - and coincidentally over a Russian player, Varvara Gracheva, with whom she did not shake hands at the net, in a pre-match agreement from both players likely initiated by the Ukrainian. Kostyuk has been vocal about the war and her views on Russian and Belarussian players since the beginning, so it was an expected, but still impactful gesture.Thanks for listening!Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another week, another title for Ig... Barbora Krejcikova?? The former World No.2 is coming back from an elbow injury, but seems to have found all the great shots and on-court intelligence that led her to a Roland Garros title back in 2021 - and the key to defeating Iga Swiatek in finals. On top of that, she achieved a major feat in defeating the nos 1, 2, and 3 in the world en route to the title, coming back from a bagel in the first set against Aryna Sabalenka, and a tough battle against Jessica Pegula, to earn her first WTA 1000 title in Dubai. Interesting stuff ahead if she stays healthy...On other news, Andy Murray seems to have found a special level in 2023. still having to earn all his wins in epic deciding sets, but the level he's found in Doha was quite special - including the epic, insane, roller coaster win over Jiri Lehecka from match points down. Special mention for Félix Auger-Aliassime, who has put up an immense fight against the unfavorable match-up against Daniil Medvedev, who went on to win the title, his second in a row.And the Norrie Alcaraz rivalry catches fire! After losing to Carlitos in Buenos Aires the week prior, Cameron Norrie didn't let the disappointment hit him and he claimed the Rio de Janeiro title in three great sets of tennis. Although Carlos Alcaraz was suffering from an injury, now confirmed to be a hamstring strain, he still produced some of the shots of the year. Just insane talent.Good wins for Hubert Hurkacz and Camila Giorgi, coming back from tough periods with tough losses (and Giorgi literally won her title as we recorded lol)Thanks for listening!Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How great it is to see Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz back in action! Swiatek showed us all once more how dominant she can be - 2022 was not a fluke. While we understand that she got a somewhat favourable draw, it only shows that one must be at their absolute best to challenge here, something unfortunately Jessica Pegula, a favourite here in the podcast, was not able to achieve on Sunday in Doha. Carlos Alcaraz brought back all the swag we missed, along with his great shot-making and tennis IQ. Nothing seems to be lacking: the power, the accuracy, the timing, the shot selection, the incredible energy. Buenos Aires was probably the best choice for his come back! And major props to Cam Norrie for playing his best and believing until the end - made us wish there were a third set.To conclude, we come back to the progress Daniil Medvedev has made since Vienna last year, how he is once again not only finding some of his best level, but also showcasing his outstanding problem-solving skills, and making especially that Rotterdam final against Jannik Sinner turn into the match he wanted. Meanwhile, Taylor Fritz is showing encouraging signs after his title in Delray Beach that he's going to be maximizing his game and believing he can win against anyone on tour - with his serve and excellent groundstrokes, he is not to be underestimated by no one.We also go on a tangent about Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, because why not.Thanks for listening!Follow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Too much tennis to follow - and we love it! Vansh and Andre have a chat with Jethro, writer at Last Word On Sport and Popcorn Tennis about the happenings from last week:Wu Yibing defeats John Isner in Dallas to become the FIRST EVER Chinese player to win an ATP Tour titleSebastian Baez - the reason Jethro is here - overcomes his demons and his height to win a title in Cordoba after a long droughtBelinda Bencic shows even more progress by turning her final around and claiming the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 title - Grand Slam success next?Janik Sinner confirms that he belongs at the top of the game, but he still needs to make the next step to win the big titles.Potapova completely dominates in her title win at Linz, and can Maria Sakkari become as strong mentally as she is physically?Thanks for listening!Follow Jethro on Twitter: @Jethro_sbFollow Tennis and Bagels: Twitter @TennisAndBAGELSAndre Rolemberg @RolembergAndreVansh Vermani @vanshv2kOwen Lewis @tennisnationCheck out Popcorn Tennis!Twitter: @Popcorn_Tennis1Website: popcorntennis.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.