Podcasts about reem abulleil

The WTA Finals - the season-ending finale to the 2024 women's tennis season - are taking place in Saudi Arabia for the first time this week. The world's best eight singles players and eight doubles teams are competing for the titles in Riyadh, as well as a share of a record prize pot of $15.25 million. But the decision to hold the crown jewel of the women's game in the Kingdom has been mixed. The WTA has been criticised for holding the tournament in Saudi Arabia due to issues over women's rights and the treatment of the LGBT community, with world number three Coco Gauff saying she had “reservations” about travelling to the country. But the Saudi Tennis Federation says people should come to the Kingdom before passing judgement - with an ambition of getting one million Saudis engaged in tennis by 2030.Mark Chapman is joined by BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller, BBC sports news correspondent Laura Scott, and Egyptian tennis journalist Reem Abulleil to discuss how the finals have been received in Saudi Arabia. Plus, we hear from the key people involved in bringing the WTA Finals to Saudi Arabia, including the President of the Saudi Tennis Federation, Arij Mutabagani, and WTA Ambassador, Judy Murray.

Hello everyone. Today's guest is one of the region's most prominent sports journalists. She and I met years ago while I was working in public relations, managing the communications for Yas Marina Circuit for the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Reem was working as a journalist with Sport 360. Since that time, Reem's career has flourished. She is a sports writer, columnist and video journalist for UAE's The National and Saudi Arabia's Arab News, a tennis contributor to CNN and Eurosport, a contributor to wire agency AFP, as well as other outlets including The Guardian US, BBC News, Dubai Eye 103.8, Al Arabiya, and Wimbledon.com. She regularly interviews some of the world's and region's most famous athletes and travels the world to cover a range of sports stories, not just tennis as she clarifies in our chat. Most recently, Reem became the host and concept creator of the podcast Abtal, a series dedicated to Arab athletes and their journeys to the Paris 2024 Olympics - linked below. In our chat, we discuss:

At last it's finally publication day for Ben's new book, the biography Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice!  After months of copious plugs on the show, we are excited to finally be able to talk about the book in more depth and detail, with the tremendous help of NCR's intrepid correspondent Reem Abulleil who interviews Ben about the book, his process, and some of the key moments of Naomi's career. Reem was also a close observer of Naomi's since her earliest days on the tour, so there's lots to discuss here about this singularly fascinating and complex person. Enough to fill a book, even!  We also plan on doing a listener mailbag episode about the book once y'all have had a chance to read it, so please do buy a copy (or check it out from a local library) and think about what you might want to ask! Hope you enjoy the episode and the book! Thank you for your support!

Ben and Reem Abulleil chat about the big stories of the business end of Wimbledon, starting with the massive narrative potential of the men's final. Does Carlos Alcaraz's win over Novak Djokovic in the final represent a passing of the torch, or something less drastic? How surprised were we by this result? And how could this be a good thing for Djokovic going forward? We also discuss Chris Eubanks and Matteo Berrettini, who both had meaningfully great runs on the men's side. On the women, we discuss how Marketa Vondrousova went so under the radar on her way to a historic Wimbledon title, and how she ended the fairytales of Ons Jabeur and Elina Svitolina. How does her win change the look of the women's tour? And how do we process Jabeur's disappointing loss at the final hurdle? We also look at the runs of Svitolina, Iga Swiatek, and toast the doubles win of Hsieh/Strycova. Lastly, at the end, Dan Bern sings out the show with an original composition in honor of the mythical men's final. 

Leading tennis journalist Reem Abulleil looks back on an epic weekend's action at Wimbledon and answers all the big questions, from whether Carlos Alcaraz is the greatest ever at 20, to if Ons Jabeur will ever win an elusive grand slam titleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To start our 12th(!) season of NCR, Ben and Reem Abulleil preview and review the highly anticipated Netflix tennis docuseries "Break Point," which features a group of young challengers on the tours in the first half of the 2022 season. Ben and Reem (who also reviewed the show for The National) discuss the sport's hopes for the show to recreate the magic of "Drive to Survive," as well as the format, where it succeeds and where it disappoints. There are spoilers in this episode, so to speak, but really not many if you know what happened in tennis last year.

Novak Djokovic will face Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon men's final after Djokovic's four set victory over Cameron Norrie on Friday. Why does Djokovic keep having slow starts? How did he turn the match around? Where might Sunday's final be won and lost? And in what ways was Kyrgios' pre final press conference his most candid and interesting of the tournament? These are all questions for Catherine, David and Matt on the pod. To preview the women's final, we hear from Reem Abulleil, a journalist who has followed Ons Jabeur's career more closely than anyone. She tells us about Jabeur's journey to this point, how she's evolved as a player and as a person into a Grand Slam contender, and why Jabeur's run is resonating so strongly in the Arab world. Looking ahead to the match, can Jabeur nullify the Rybakina power? And who will deal with the occasion better? Finally, we wrap up all the other results and talk about a big day for wheelchair tennis, headlined by a couple of epic wins for Alfie Hewett. BECOME A FRIEND OF THE TENNIS PODCAST Friends of The Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Last week, two new episodes of Wimbledon Re-Lived were released. Become a Friend - https://bit.ly/FriendOfTheTennisPodcastRead us in The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/28/sports/tennis/tennis-podcast-wimbledon.htmlSign up to our newsletter - https://bit.ly/TennisPodcastNewsletterFollow us on:Instagram - www.instagram/thetennispodcastTwitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Earlier this year, Ons Jabeur, from Tunisia, became the first Arab woman and African woman to win a WTA 1000 title - a major title in the women's game. Now at number two in the world, she is the highest ever ranked African player. She's been in great form and is playing her first ever semi final at a grand slam – and not the least at Wimbledon - widely regarded as the most prestigious tennis tournament. Although the continent has had several tennis players reaching the highest levels of the sport, such as Kevin Anderson and Amanda Coetzer, Africa has often had few stars in the tennis world. Now, there are several promising juniors on the rise. Angella Okutoyi from Kenya recently made history at the Australian Open junior grand slam event, while Isabella Kruger from South Africa is on a winning streak in this year's junior Wimbledon. But requiring funding, facilities and equipment, tennis remains a difficult sport to access for many. Alan Kasujja speaks to sports journalist Reem Abulleil and Secretary General of Tennis Kenya, Wanjiru Mbugua-Karani to find out how how Africa can produce more tennis stars.

Emergency Episode! Top-ranked Ash Barty's surprise announcement that she is calling it a career at only 25 years old and less than two months after winning the Australian Open was urgent cause for our first emergency episode in a long while, folks! Reem Abulleil joins Ben to discuss our immediate reactions to the news and Barty's initial explanations, how we process it, Barty's legacies of looking out for herself and maintaining firm control over her career, and what the tour now looks like in its sudden post-Barty era. We're gonna miss you heaps, Ash.  Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our ELEVENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers Pam Shriver and J O'D!)

Ben is joined by NCR's intrepid Middle East and North Africa correspondent Reem Abulleil to discuss the tennis happening in Dubai this month, where she enjoyed more access to players than she has been able to get at any time before since the pandemic began. Reem discusses the women's week that was in Dubai, starting with her interview with Danielle Collins and Collins' mentor, and then Jelena Ostapenko storming through a loaded field. We then discuss the week ahead in the men's draw, and what questions might still remain as Novak Djokovic returns to the tour (and interviews).  Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our ELEVENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers Pam Shriver and J O'D!)  

Ben is rejoined by NCR's Middle East and North Africa correspondent Reem Abulleil for a discussion of the very late and fairly busy finish to the tennis season, which went into December and will have less than a month of full off-season before resuming again in 2022. We discuss the new Davis Cup format and the good vibes on the winning Russian team, led by mascot Andrey Rublev, as well as the negative kneejerk reactions to the news that Abu Dhabi could be the next host city. We also discussed the endless saga about Novak Djokovic's vaccination vacillations. Also, where does tennis go now that the WTA has suspended ties with China, and where does the WTA go from here and who can help them out? Lastly then we talk about our own journeys covering this long year, our fatigues, and our hopes for Australia.   Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) ad-free season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can this year! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers Pam Shriver and J O'D!)

With the Olympics in Tokyo officially underway, we turn our attention to the tennis event and discuss who's in the running for Gold, Silver and Bronze. We also hear from a man with two Gold Medals, Chile's Nicolas Massu and from young player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who takes his place in the Spanish team, but we start by getting the perspective of freelance tennis journalist, Reem Abulleil who's a columnist for UAE's 'The National' newspaper during the Olympics, along with her work for Saudi Arabia's Arab News. Programme is presented by Seb Lauzier.

With the Olympics in Tokyo officially underway, we turn our attention to the tennis event and discuss who's in the running for Gold, Silver and Bronze. We also hear from a man with two Gold Medals, Chile's Nicolas Massu and from young player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who takes his place in the Spanish team, but we start by getting the perspective of freelance tennis journalist, Reem Abulleil who's a columnist for UAE's 'The National' newspaper during the Olympics, along with her work for Saudi Arabia's Arab News. Programme is presented by Seb Lauzier.

Novak Djokovic came back from two sets down to win the French Open final on Sunday, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets and putting himself in increasingly rare in men's tennis history. NCR's Middle East and North Africa correspondent Reem Abulleil joins to discuss what has made Djokovic so uniquely great and unflappable, and how big hopes for his near future should be. His ambitions, and his form, show little sign of abating right now. We also discuss Tsitsipas, Nadal, and Reem's favorite parts of this very long French Open. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! Please consider joining in as we bring you the best shows we can during the French Open! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!)

In a story that has rocked the world of tennis and raised questions about mental health issues in sport and the way athletes interact with the press, Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French Open sparked furious debate. We speak to respected tennis correspondent Reem Abulleil prior to Osaka's exit, and then discuss the fallout from her decision to walk away from Roland Garros. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the tours spend another week in the Middle East, the region's tennis queen Reem Abulleil joins NCR once more from (nearly) on-site in Dubai. First, Reem shares her impressions of having been on site at a tournament this week for the first time in more than a year, at ATP Dubai. How different does the empty bubble atmosphere resonate in person? Then we discuss Aslan Karatsev, who keeps winning and soaring up the rankings at an incredibly steep rate, all while we really haven't learned much about him or understood what's transformed his career so dramatically. Where might we find answers? Then we look toward the Miami Open, where there has already been an exodus of top men's talent, making it the first Big 3-less Masters draw since 2004. What can be done to prevent such things? Do tournaments deserve loyalty from their stars in hard times? You'll hear a bit of Denis Shapovalov in this part. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Pam Shriver, Chris Bishop, and Nicole Copeland!)

It was a newsy week in tennis, and Ben is joined by our MENA correspondent Reem Abulleil to discuss it all. Garbiñe Muguruza won her first title in two years at WTA Dubai, and seems to be building meaningful momentum as a top player week-in, week-out. What impact could that have on the tour? Roger Federer returned to competition at ATP Doha for his first matches in more than a year; what is he still targeting? And speaking of targets, Novak Djokovic hit one of his big ones, reaching 311 weeks at #1. How does that impact the dreaded GOAT debates? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Pam Shriver, Chris Bishop, and Nicole Copeland!)

Both the men's and women's finals are set at the Australian Open, and we're thinking they'll be pretty good! Reem Abulleil joins Ben to discuss the semifinals that were and the finals that they set up, starting with Jennifer Brady backing up her U.S. Open run to book another blockbuster match against Naomi Osaka. Also, what do we make of Serena's exit from Melbourne, which many perceived as a possible farewell? Then we discuss the men, and how we both think Daniil Medvedev has a real shot of ending Novak Djokovic's undefeated streak in Australian Open finals.  Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

It's been a different feeling Australian Open so far, with more scant crowds than anticipated, but also emphatic early performances by contenders on the women's side. Ben is joined by three tremendous women on this episode to get a sense of the tournament so far: NCR's Middle East and North Africa correspondent Reem Abulleil (who is delighting in the first ever Egyptian win in a women's Slam main draw), Jessie Pegula (who upset two-time champion Victoria Azarenka) and Ann Li (who routed #31 Zhang Shuai after making the most of two weeks in hard hotel quarantine).Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

With conditions tougher than many players had expected for the mandatory quarantine period in Melbourne, and with gripes about how unevenly players have been treated, there were plenty of complaints to be heard from players, and then even louder complaints from the Australian public about those complaints. Ben and Reem Abulleil discuss what's been going on in Melbourne, whether or not players are entitled to being upset, the perception from the public, the Melbourne-Adelaide divide. And, most existentially, whether doing all of this, with everything it takes and how much can go wrong, was a bad idea from the jump. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received on the NCR Patreon which has powered us into our TENTH(!) season! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Pam Shriver, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

We're delighted to bring you the conclusion of the roundtable with Reem Abulleil, Tumaini Carayol, and Alex Gruskin on our (sometimes myopic) 2021 vision for tennis.Topics the gang cover on this back half include the new WTA "rebrand," continuing media access shortfalls (particularly during quarantine), how Roger Federer might take to playing in empty stadiums, and what Tumaini's experience was like watching the ATP Tour Finals in empty O2 Arena in London.Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Nicole Copeland, Anna Welinder, and Pam Shriver!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Staring into an uncertain future, Ben is joined by an all-star panel for a roundtable about what 2021 might and should look like in tennis.Reem Abulleil, Tumaini Carayol, and Alex Gruskin all return to NCR to discuss the 2021 outlook, starting with the Australian Open's apparent shift to February, which could majorly disrupt the first two months of the season. Is all the upheaval worth it?We then discuss how tennis' challenges this year have exposed some dysfunction, opportunities for innovation that have yet to be taken, and then lastly who we'd pick as a practice partner if stuck with the same person for five days in quarantine. Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received this year on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we bring you the best shows we can each week, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Nicole Copeland, Anna Welinder, and Pam Shriver!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

To preview both the men's and women's finals at Roland Garros this weekend, Ben is joined by the two NCR correspondents, Reem Abulleil and Tumaini Carayol. First on the men's side, familiar foes Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will meet once again with major stakes in the GOAT race. Who will win? We're on the same page, albeit with different degrees of confidence. And on the women's side, how to begin to evaluate the somewhat untested Iga Swiatek? And why are folks sleeping on Sofia Kenin, who is one match from locking up Player of the Year? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent weeks on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we strive to bring you the best French Open content we can from across the Atlantic, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Charles Cyna, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Reem Abulleil, queen of content for Roland Garros, joins Ben to look ahead to the quarterfinal slates in Paris which are (almost) complete. On the women's side, how will Elina Svitolina handle the pressure? Will momentum help qualifiers?  On the men's side, could Jannik Sinner pull off a huge surprise against Nadal, or should Diego Schwartzman pull off a smaller one over Thiem? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent weeks on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in as we strive to bring you the best French Open content we can from across the Atlantic, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, Christopher Bishop, Charles Cyna, and Nicole Copeland!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

After a men's final that became a battle of nerves late, Dominic Thiem outlasted Sascha Zverev in a fifth set tiebreak to win the U.S. Open, his first Grand Slam title. Ben is joined on late notice by Reem Abulleil to discuss the scratchy final, in which Zverev started well but went back into his shell, which both players failed to serve out when they had the chance, and which became an exciting/excruciating battle of who could manage to eke across the finish line first. Was it a good match, even charitably? And if not, what does it mean as a coronation moment? And how does it set these guys up going forward? Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received over the course of the 2020 U.S. Open on the NCR Patreon! If you'd like to join in, check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, and Charles Cyna!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Novak Djokovic is kicked out of the US Open after hitting a ball at a line judge. An overreaction or the right decision? The guys debate that, and are joined by tennis correspondent Reem Abulleil to discuss what impact it will have on the Serbian’s legacy. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

We made a mega mid-Slam episode for today's shocking developments, as No. 1 Novak Djokovic, the prohibitive favorite, was defaulted from the U.S. Open in the first set of his fourth round match after striking a lineswoman in the throat with a ball. Courtney and Ben are joined by Reem Abulleil to discuss this moment, what it says about Djokovic and the rules of tennis, and where it leaves Djokovic and the tournament going forward. Then in the second half of the show, Ben is joined by Alex Gruskin of the Cracked Racquets media empire to discuss the fact that we're suddenly guaranteed a new Grand Slam champion in men's tennis, something we haven't had for six years. Which of the young guys seems ready to take this mantle? And how do these unusual circumstances color the moment?Thank you again for the incredible support for NCR we've received in recent days! If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! Check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, and Charles Cyna!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Day 1 of the U.S. Open was dominated by talk of the decisions made a day earlier, when a number of players who were in contact with Benoit Paire after his positive test for coronavirus were still allowed to play their matches, albeit under tighter restrictions which one referred to as "a bubble within a bubble." You'll hear from two of those double-bubbled players, Adrian Mannarino and Kiki Mladenovic, as well as from Noah Rubin, host of Behind the Racquet, who spread word of this late last night on his podcast and has growing concerns about how the "bubble" is being handled by the USTA. You'll also then hear from our cherished NCR Middle East correspondent Reem Abulleil for her thoughts on how it's been handled. Lots to cover! Thank you so much for the incredible support for NCR in recent days! If you'd like to join fellow listeners in supporting our show as we work to crank out daily shows during the 2020 U.S. Open, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! Check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backers J O'D, Mike, and Charles Cyna!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Well, tennis is back, folks! But at the same time, tennis continues to go away. What to make of it all? To help make sense of it all, Ben is rejoined by Reem Abulleil and Tumaini Carayol who also have been (virtually) covering the WTA's return event in Palermo this week. Is the tour set to succeed? And how do we think this sort of virtual coverage will change our work? We also discuss the cancellation of Madrid and the new rules document from the U.S. Open, as well as the decision of defending champion Rafael Nadal to skip this year's event.And then as a bonus at the end, you'll hear Dayana Yastremska discuss her unexpected turn as a recording artist. (Apologies for some of the audio issues on Ben's track as this issue goes on, we did our best to make it sound decent) If you'd like to support our show, particularly as our normal work has disappeared along with the sport, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! Check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backer J O'D!) As always, thanks for following us on Twitter and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

The fall out from the Adria Tour coronavirus cluster took an unexpected trip to the dance floor within a week later, with video surfacing of Alexander Zverev partying in Monte Carlo just days after being repeatedly exposed to the disease (and promising to follow health protocols) enraging people around the sport in tennis and severely damaging trust in tennis players.To discuss the ramifications, and the notions of a code of conduct, Ben is joined by NCR's Middle East correspondent Reem Abulleil (please do support her Patreon as well!) to talk about what the tours can and can't do, the corrosive effects of selfishness in tennis, and more.  Should tennis continue on without putting super rigid restrictions on personnel behavior in place? And if tennis has to do so much in a pandemic that it stops being fun, should it just stop all together? Big, bleak conversations are had here, but we also had a lot of fun. If you'd like to support our show, particularly as our normal work has disappeared along with the sport, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! Check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backer J O'D!)  As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR263!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Diego Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’ 34 years on plus Robbie poses a doozy of a question for Man Utd fans. Tennis correspondent Reem Abulleil gives her verdict on Novak Djokovic.

Between the recording and posting of an episode about the U.S. Open going forward, a big tennis news item dropped on Sunday: Grigor Dimitrov announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 after participating in the Adria Tour events, making this the most high-profile known incidence of coronavirus in tennis yet and casting a pall over the sport's plans to go forward with tour events soon.Ben is kindly rejoined by Reem Abulleil and Tumaini Carayol to have another discussion of what the Dimitrov test result means for the sport, both in terms of lessons to be learned from what went wrong at the Adria Tour (seems like a lot!) and what it might mean for events like the U.S. Open which had optimistically planned on forging ahead. Can be players be trusted to behave responsibly enough to keep a fragile thread of optimistic hope intact? If you'd like to support our show, particularly as our normal work has disappeared along with the sport, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! Check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backer J O'D!)  As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR262!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Welcome to the Mini-Break powered by Midwest Sports, your daily podcast for the biggest storylines, results, and controversies from the tennis world. On today’s pod, Host Alex Gruskin discusses Dominic Thiem’s response to Ines Ibbou’s video, and shares some of the thoughts of the other pro players who have spoken up about the Player Relief Fund. He also offers his thoughts on Reem Abulleil’s exceptional piece describing the Egytpian Tennis Federation’s tennis-integrity issues, and much more!! Don’t forget to give a 5 star review with your twitter/instagram handle for a chance to win some FREE CR gear!! This episode brought to you by: Midwest Sports Discounted Tennis Apparel, Tennis Racquets, Tennis Shoes & Equipment from Nike, adidas, Babolat, Wilson & More! Visit their store today and use the code "CR15" at checkout to save 15% off Sale items. Some Exclusions (MAP Exceptions) apply and code will not work on those items. This code will add 1 FREE CAN of WILSON Balls to the cart at checkout.  DraftKings

Two words: Barbora Strýcová... need we say more?! The expressive Czech star headlines #TennisTuesday Episode 14 in a show that also features journalist Reem Abulleil, a re-booted Takeaway Time segment, more awesome on-site tennis photos from you the fans and much, much more.

The tennis world is stopped, but it got suddenly busy on Wednesday with Roger Federer expressing a view that he'd like to see the ATP and WTA tours merge into one organization after decades of being side-by-side but separate. More curiously, Rafael Nadal, not a supporter of equality measures in tennis, quickly endorsed this idea.What is going on? Ben is joined by Reem Abulleil try to figure out what's happening here, where it's coming from, and what it might mean for the futures of the tours. We have a lot of questions and a lot of suspicions. If you'd like to support our show, particularly as our normal work has disappeared along with the sport, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! Check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backer J O'D!)  As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR253!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

The spread of the global pandemic COVID-19 (coronavirus) is forcing the world of tennis (and much of the wider world as well) to grind to a halt as we seek to slow the spread of the deadly disease.Ben is joined by Reem Abulleil to discuss the impact of the disease so far, and the headline-making cancellation of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the fifth-biggest tournament in tennis behind only the Grand Slams. We discuss where tennis might go from here, the idea of playing tournaments in front of empty stadiums, and how the players (and their rankings) might adjust to the uncertainty. We can make lots of educated guesses, but there's a whole lot we don't know.If you'd like to support our show, we've launched an NCR Patreon where you can do just that! Check out our five tiers and see which might be right for you! And thank you to the many listeners who have already given their support! (And thank you to G.O.A.T. backer J O'D!)  As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR248!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Ahead of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, we bring you an exclusive interview with one of the form players of 2020. A first title on home soil in Montpellier was followed by another in Rotterdam and a semi-final loss only to the world number 1 Novak Djokovic in Dubai – it's been some time since Gael Monfils has looked quite so good and in Dubai he spoke with prolific tennis writer Reem Abulleil about life on tour, his relationship with Elina Svitolina and his hopes for the future. Also on the programme, defending Indian Wells champion Dominic Thiem and his coach Nicolas Massu join us for a chat, we hear from Stefanos Tsitspias' mum after she gate-crashed one of his press conferences in Dubai and we hear from doubles champions of Dubai, Michael Venus and John Peers.

Ahead of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, we bring you an exclusive interview with one of the form players of 2020. A first title on home soil in Montpellier was followed by another in Rotterdam and a semi-final loss only to the world number 1 Novak Djokovic in Dubai – it’s been some time since Gael Monfils has looked quite so good and in Dubai he spoke with prolific tennis writer Reem Abulleil about life on tour, his relationship with Elina Svitolina and his hopes for the future. Also on the programme, defending Indian Wells champion Dominic Thiem and his coach Nicolas Massu join us for a chat, we hear from Stefanos Tsitspias’ mum after she gate-crashed one of his press conferences in Dubai and we hear from doubles champions of Dubai, Michael Venus and John Peers.

As we finish Day 3 in Melbourne, you'll hear more about two of the more interesting players to have advanced through two rounds so far, who (somewhat coincidentally, honestly) happen to play each other in the third round. First, you'll hear from 2012 Wimbledon champion Freddie Nielsen (who first guested way back on Episode 32) about his compatriot and longtime friend Caroline Wozniacki, who has carried the flag for Denmark in tennis higher than anyone could have imagined it will fly.Then, Ben is joined by Reem Abulleil to discuss Ons Jabeur, Wozniacki's third round opponent, who is blazing a greater trail for Arab women than anyone has before, and still has tremendous potential left to unlock in her game.You may not have thought you wanted a Wozniacki-Jabeur hype show, but we're pretty sure you're gonna be ready to run through a brick wall to see it by the time you finish this. As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCRAusOpen!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Tennis journalist Reem Abulleil joins Thirty Love host Carl Bialik from the US Open to talk about the struggle to find stories in qualifying, the unique approach the US Open takes to qualies, why she finds it essential to be on site even when travel logistics pose a burden, why she launched a Patreon, and how she finds stories in every interview she conducts with players. Listen to Reem's 2017 appearance on Thirty Love. Music by Lee Rosevere: "Credit Roll" and "Glass Android."

Seb Lauzier is joined by tennis journalist Reem Abulleil to preview the Mutua Madrid Masters. They discuss Roger Federer's return to clay, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic's lack of form and Dominic Thiem's recent run of success. They also hear from Spanish legend, David Ferrer and discuss his contribution to the game ahead of his final event before retirement and Andy Murray's coach, Jamie Delgado, talks about growing up in Tenerife.

Seb Lauzier is joined by tennis journalist Reem Abulleil to preview the Mutua Madrid Masters. They discuss Roger Federer's return to clay, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic's lack of form and Dominic Thiem's recent run of success. They also hear from Spanish legend, David Ferrer and discuss his contribution to the game ahead of his final event before retirement and Andy Murray's coach, Jamie Delgado, talks about growing up in Tenerife.

The first Slam of the 2019 season is already upon us! Freelance tennis reporter Reem Abulleil joins the podcast to analyze the draw and highlight the biggest storylines heading into the 2019 Australian Open.

Joining Gigi and Naomi this week is tennis journalist Reem Abulleil. Listen to their conversation which ranges from tennis in the Middle East, to what it's like being a journalist at big events, to the time Reem had her dress held down by Tim Henman. It's a wild ride! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, Reem Abulleil joins the podcast to discuss the current year-end championships in women's tennis, her time spent with Naomi Osaka after she won the 2018 US Open, whether or not winning a major has changed Osaka as a person and what she expects for her during the 2019 season and more. Abulleil also offers insight into her own career, discussing her unique story of how she became a tennis journalist and the challenges she faces covering sports in Dubai. Wertheim and Abulleil also talk about the upcoming exhibition match between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic that is planned for Dec. 22 in Saudi Arabia and whether or not the men should cancel their participation and what the possible implications are.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, Reem Abulleil joins the podcast to discuss the current year-end championships in women's tennis, her time spent with Naomi Osaka after she won the 2018 U.S. Open, whether or not winning a major has changed Osaka as a person and what she expects for her during the 2019 season and more. Abulleil also offers insight into her own career, discussing her unique story of how she became a tennis journalist and the challenges she faces covering sports in Dubai. Wertheim and Abulleil also talk about the upcoming exhibition match between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic that is planned for Dec. 22 in Saudi Arabia and whether or not the men should cancel their participation and what the possible implications are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simona, Sloane, and Serena. Those are the three names on everyone's lips as the 2018 US Open is set to begin.  And they're all in the same half of the draw. Reem Abulleil joins the podcast to break down the draw and look ahead at what we can expect at the final Slam of the season. 

Brad Gilbert of ESPN and Reem Abulleil of Sport 360 and Wimbledon.com join Chris Oddo to talk all things Wimbledon on the eve of Wimbledon. Talking Points, Brad Gilbert interview: 1:40 Brad Gilbert's on Roger Federer's Current grass-court form 2:37 What does Borna Coric's Halle tite mean? 3:43 Does Federer have a bad draw, and does it even matter? 5:05 A look at Nadal (and Brad is tabbing him to win) 7:45 Is there any hope for Shapovalov, Tsitsipas and Coric this year at Wimbledon? 9:45 Brad guesses his Wimbledon record perfectly. 10:45 Brad talks about playing on Centre Court for the one and only time. 14:25 Brad tabs Petra Kvitova for the title. 17:20 will Novak Djokovic have a major under his belt by the end of the season? Talking points, Reem Abulleil interview: 23:15 Reem discusses the many hats she's wearing at Wimbledon this year. 24:15 An introduction to the qualifying scene at Roehampton 26:30 We discuss the key qualifying storylines. 30:20 What did we learn from Serena Williams presser re: Deadspin article? 31:55 Wait, Roger Federer was tested by anti-doping seven times in a month? 34:38 A pair of Tunisian's will bid to make their mark at Wimbledon on Day 1 38:10 Is Nick Kyrgios a contender at Wimbledon? He sounds focused, says Reem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brad Gilbert of ESPN and Reem Abulleil of Sport 360 and Wimbledon.com join Chris Oddo to talk all things Wimbledon on the eve of Wimbledon. Talking Points, Brad Gilbert interview: 1:40 Brad Gilbert's on Roger Federer's Current grass-court form 2:37 What does Borna Coric's Halle tite mean? 3:43 Does Federer have a bad draw, and does it even matter? 5:05 A look at Nadal (and Brad is tabbing him to win) 7:45 Is there any hope for Shapovalov, Tsitsipas and Coric this year at Wimbledon? 9:45 Brad guesses his Wimbledon record perfectly. 10:45 Brad talks about playing on Centre Court for the one and only time. 14:25 Brad tabs Petra Kvitova for the title. 17:20 will Novak Djokovic have a major under his belt by the end of the season? Talking points, Reem Abulleil interview: 23:15 Reem discusses the many hats she's wearing at Wimbledon this year. 24:15 An introduction to the qualifying scene at Roehampton 26:30 We discuss the key qualifying storylines, including Genie Bouchard and Vera Zvonareva. 30:20 What did we learn from Serena Williams presser re: Deadspin article? 31:55 Wait, Roger Federer was tested by anti-doping seven times in a month? 34:38 A pair of Tunisian's will bid to make their mark at Wimbledon on Day 1 38:10 Is Nick Kyrgios a contender at Wimbledon? He sounds focused, says Reem.

With Week 1 of the French Open in the books, Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen assembles a roundtable of journalists in Paris to break down what we've learned so far, where Garbiñe Muguruza has looked impressive, Elina Svitolina's exit was surprising, and we buckle up for another installment of Serena vs. Maria XXII.  Joining the podcast are Reem Abulleil, freelance journalist for Sport360 in Dubai, Ben Rothenberg, editor for Racquet Magazine and freelance journalist for The New York Times, Rene Denfeld, writer for MyTennis in Germany, and David Avakian, editor for Tennis Magazine in Holland. 

Nick McCarvel is joined by Reem Abulleil from Dubai's Sport 360 and Eduardo Salan from SetBall Radio, the Mutua Madrid Open's official tournament radio station, to look ahead to the fourth Masters 1000 tournament of the season. The team discuss whether anyone stands a chance of preventing yet another clay-court title for Rafael Nadal and we also hear from Assistant Tournament Director, Feliciano Lopez and young Canadian, Denis Shapovalov, who progressed through to round 2 after one of the few first-round matches to be played on Sunday.

Nick McCarvel is joined by Reem Abulleil from Dubai's Sport 360 and Eduardo Salan from SetBall Radio, the Mutua Madrid Open's official tournament radio station, to look ahead to the fourth Masters 1000 tournament of the season. The team discuss whether anyone stands a chance of preventing yet another clay-court title for Rafael Nadal and we also hear from Assistant Tournament Director, Feliciano Lopez and young Canadian, Denis Shapovalov, who progressed through to round 2 after one of the few first-round matches to be played on Sunday.

The first three and a half months of the WTA season are in the books and it's time to hit the pause button to reflect on what we've learned so far. Freelance tennis reporter and Sport360.com contributor Reem Abulleil joins this super-sized episode to reflect on the surprises and disappointments of the season so far and preview what should be an equally dramatic European clay season. Subscribe to the WTA Insider Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud, or any podcast app of your choice to ensure you never miss an episode when they go live.   

As she returns from covering the inaugural Laver Cup, NCR's Middle East correspondant Reem Abulleil chats with Ben about the new competition, which proved to be stunningly successful and compelling despite being an exhibition made out of thin air by Roger Federer's marketing team. What did Laver Cup get so right in its first try? Why were players so invested in it? And how can the stale and neglected Davis Cup learn from it to adapt for this changing tennis landscape? Reem is the hero of our times. As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR199!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be!

In Episode 5 of Burn It All Down, Julie DiCaro, Shireen Ahmed, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss Lebron James and racism in America, the NHL concussion lawsuit, and Lindsay's interview with Reem Abulleil of Sport360. Plus you'll hear The Burn Pile, and Badass Woman of the Week! L.A. home of LeBron James was vandalized with racist graffiti and he responds with moving statement on being Black in America. BIAD team criticizes the “hot take” denial of sport media (11:29) Concussion lawsuit versus NHL, which has failed to take steps to promote concussion research and protect injured athletes. Discussion of broader implications and how concussions are treated in amateur sports, as well. (17:40) Lindsay interviewed Egyptian sportswriter Reem Abulleil of Sport360, covering the French Open in Paris. They discuss Ons Jabeur of Tunisia who became first Arab woman to reach the third round Grand Slam. Reem and Lindsay discuss her improvisational game, her importance in the Arab world, and the future of her career (31:00) Burn Pile – hosts set metaphorical fire to decision of University of Michigan football after accepting Grant Perry back, after he had been suspended indefinitely for sexual assault (32:35) Lindsay throws tennis player Maxime Hamou on the burn pile. Hamou was kicked out of the French Open for sexually assaulting reporter Maly Thomas. The Eurosport reporters laughed hysterically as Thomas tried to resist (34:16) Shireen double burns Serbian women’s volleyball team’s racist photographs caricaturing their Japanese hosts, as well as parade-goers at pre-Confederation Cup who used bananas and blackface to mimic Cameroon (37:31) Julie nominates Martina Navratilova for Bad Ass Woman of the Week for her response to tennis legend Margaret Court for violent homophobic remarks. Navratilova called for the Court stadium to be re-named (39:35) Lindsay nominates Diana Taurasi for honorable mention BAWOW for becoming WNBA’s all time three point scorer with eight three pointers in a recent game (39:49) Shireen’s is Ali Raisman for calling out TSA sexist body shaming (40:50) Links: Racist attack on LeBron James’s home: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-me-ln-lebron-james-brentwood-vandalism-slur-20170531-story.html Concussion lawsuit vs. NHL: https://www.si.com/nhl/2017/06/05/ap-hkn-boogard-lawsuit Reem Abulleil on Ons Jabeur: http://sport360.com/article/tennis/french_open/235736/ons-jabeur-beats-dominika-cibulkova-to-become-first-arab-woman-to-reach-the-third-round-of-a-grand-slam/ Grant Perry and the Wolverines: http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2017/06/03/michigan-wolverines-grant-perry-back/367678001/ Serbian Women’s Volleyball at Deadspin: http://deadspin.com/serbian-womens-volleyball-team-strikes-ill-advised-pose-1795654959 Martina Navratilova: https://www.si.com/tennis/2017/06/01/martina-navratilova-rips-margaret-court Diana Taurasi breaks WNBA 3 point record: https://arizonasports.com/story/1133911/diana-taurasi-breaks-wnba-three-point-record-mercury-sky/ Ali Raisman criticizes TSA body shaming: http://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/olympic-gymnast-aly-raisman-blasts-tsa-agent-for-body-shaming-at-airport/

With the tours spending three weeks in the region, there's no better time to check in with NCR's Middle East correspondent, Reem Abulleil, for a quick catch-up on the doings over there. After a rough go of things last year, Caroline Wozniacki made good, despite some rain on her parades. And what to make of Elina Svitolina, who has stealthily piled up some very impressive scalps? Also, Roger Federer's stunning loss to Evgeny Donskoy and Andy Murray dropping trou.  And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR181!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

As they rapidly approach triple digits, Ben and Courtney discuss the week that was in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and beyond! What do we make of Stan Wawrinka's start to 2015, and is Tomas Berdych an underachiever? Over in Belgium, what is it that makes Alize Cornet and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova so glorious to behold? Then we introduce our new segment Slay/Drag, where we discuss the biggest winners and losers of the week. Our pal Reem Abulleil then joins the show to talk about the state of tennis in the Middle East as the tours move to Dubai and Doha. Lastly, we take a number, rant a bit, and discuss plans for the big 1-0-0. As always, thanks for liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes or whatever your podcasting platform of choice may be!