Ground Pass: A Tennis Podcast

We made it through 15 days of Melbourne and the finals delivered. Elena Rybakina outlasts Aryna Sabalenka in a fire-and-ice classic to claim her second Slam. Then Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic to complete the Career Grand Slam at 22. We also shout out  Tokito Oda , celebrate doubles champs Neal Skupski and Chris Harrison, talk “Play...

We finally gets the semi-finals we were waiting for. We break down Carlos Alcaraz vs Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner vs Novak Djokovic, including the cramping debate, the breakpoint chaos, and what it all means for a historic final. Plus, quick hits on Aryna Sabalenka vs Elina Svitolina, Elena Rybakina vs Jessica Pegula, the doubl...

The Australian Open quarterfinals are done. The seeds mostly held, the men’s side stayed tidy, and the women gave us the sharper tension. We break down Alcaraz vs De Minaur, Zverev vs Learner Tien, Sinner’s control against Shelton, and Djokovic’s strange path into the semis after Musetti’s injury. On the WTA side, we talk Jovic’s lesson-filled loss to Sabalenka, Svitolina’s shocker over Gauff, Ryb...

Round three and four are in the books, and we are looking ahead to a stacked quarterfinal slate. We talk WTA Next Gen fearlessness (Mboko, Jovic, Andreeva), the conversation around confidence and “earning it,” and why Learner Tien is still not getting the respect he deserves. Plus: the Sinner heat and roof drama, Djokovic’s “luck” conversation, a quick doubles check-in, and a shoutout to the Phili...

It is the Grand Slam fashion episode. I am joined by Ian Mondul of 40 Love Tennis to break down the Australian Open fits that are actually moving the needle. We talk Naomi Osaka’s runway moment and why it is more tennis heritage than people think, Sabalenka’s new Gucci partnership, Musetti’s perfect Bottega era, and the brand-by-brand kit audit from Nike and Adidas to Wilson, New Balance, Lacoste,...

Round 1 and 2 at the Australian Open delivered everything. Qualifiers are flipping the script, the crowds are breaking records daily, and the WTA Next Gen is making a serious statement. We talk Alex Eala’s superstar support, Zeynep Sonmez’s red-and-white takeover, Bartunkova’s breakout, and the early upsets (plus a little Putinseva theater). Then we look ahead to a loaded Round 3 slate, including...

The Australian Open is officially underway and we are feeling the FOMO. We get into Federer taking over Melbourne, why the One Point Slam was the best pre-tournament idea in years, and what Aussie Open Fan Week says about where tennis is headed. Then we run through Adelaide, Auckland, and Hobart winners, the WTA Next Gen wave, how the draw works, the qualifiers we’re watching, and the first-round...

Qualifying is here, so we’re jumping in early with a full Australian Open preview featuring Lucy Deuce (Black Spin Global). We answer a Ground Pass Hotline question about watching player practices at tournaments, share a listener voice memo from the United Cup in Sydney, and break down the first week of the season across Brisbane, Auckland, Hong Kong, and the United Cup. Plus: who looks ready for...

Season 3 starts with a guest I have been wanting to bring on for ages. Content creator  Elliemajelly  joins us to talk about what it’s really like traveling the tennis tour alongside her boyfriend, doubles player  James Watt , and why tennis content is having a major moment right now. We also kick off the year with a United Cup Q&A (yes, the points are confusing), our new weekly...

Season 2 ends with a proper tennis reset. We preview the United Cup and the early-week matchups we cannot wait for, then zoom out to the cultural moment of  Heated Rivalry  and why tennis still struggles to embrace sports entertainment without nitpicking it to death. Plus, we unpack the Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero split, the latest on Jack Draper missing the Australian swing,...

What do Jim Courier and Tommy Paul have in common? Brad Stine. In this Meet the Professionals episode, Brad takes us from the early 90s to today’s tour, breaking down what great coaching actually looks like. We talk trust, team size, travel, on-court coaching, and why tennis coaches still do not get the household-name shine of NBA or NFL coaches. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:56 Meet Brad Stine: Introd...

It’s our year-in-review fashion and culture edition. I’m joined by new Ground Pass contributor Kaya Courtside to break down the exhibition season and what it’s really like covering tennis behind the scenes, from UTS Finals in London to the chaos and charm of these off-season events. Then I hand out my 2025 tennis style “awards,” from best dressed and outfit of the year to the meme moments that too...

In this episode of  Meet the Professionals , I sit down with tennis host, commentator, and writer  Nick McCarvel  to unpack what it really looks like to build a career in tennis media. Nick shares how a childhood dream in Montana turned into bylines at the  New York Times  and USA Today, and how that writing work eventually led him to the mic as an on-court host at Grand S...

It is time for the Ground Pass Awards. Anastasia and Nick are handing out their very own trophies for the 2025 tennis season. Think Oscars energy with a very casual dress code. They run through favorite tournament of the year, best match, biggest plot twist, and the off court moments that broke the internet. From the Citi Open and Charleston to Ilkley, from the Sincaraz Roland Garros final to Madi...

This week, Anastasia and Nick break down a wildly entertaining Davis Cup. Spain overachieved. Belgium stole our hearts. Germany survived doubles chaos. And Italy completed a dominant run without Jannik Sinner. We also talk Carlos Alcaraz’s viral living room photo, Arthur Fils’ injury update, Fabio Fognini’s Dancing with the Stars era, Rafa Nadal’s return to the court, and Roger Federer’s Hall of F...

The ATP Finals in Turin are officially in the books, and yes… the Sincaraz final we all predicted actually delivered. Anastasia breaks down how we got there: Ben Shelton’s muted week, Taylor Fritz’s quietly excellent season, Alex de Minaur’s redemption arc, Lorenzo Musetti’s hometown surge, and Felix Auger-Aliassime’s rise back into the top five. She also digs into Alexander Zverev and the “Lost B...

Anastasia and Nick break down the thrilling close to the WTA season — Elena Rybakina’s flawless run in Riyadh, Aryna Sabalenka’s fiery consistency, and what Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek’s “rebuilding” phases really mean heading into 2026. Then they pivot to the ATP Finals, unpacking Novak Djokovic’s late withdrawal, Lorenzo Musetti’s mad dash to Turin, and why the Alcaraz–Sinner rivalry now defines...

Anastasia and Nick recap a jam-packed week in tennis, from the glitz and glamour of the WTA Finals in Riyadh to the drama and breakthroughs at the Paris Masters. They debate the WTA’s fashion moment of the year, break down Madison Keys’ surprising serve change, and celebrate rising stars like Vicky Mboko and Janice Tjen. Plus, Valentin Vacherot continues to stun, FAA fights to reach Turin, and Bub...

In this bonus episode of  Ground Pass , Anastasia is joined by Jessica from  Hard Court  and Emily Snyder — partner of Shanghai Masters champion Valentin Vacherot — for a deep dive into the evolving “WAG-scape.” They discuss how tennis girlfriends and wives are reshaping fan culture, influencer partnerships, and visibility in the sport. Emily shares her whirlwind love story, how she...

Anastasia and Nick are back for a full episode as the 2025 tennis season winds down. This week, they preview the WTA Finals in Riyadh — from format and field breakdowns to the Elena Rybakina vs. Mirra Andreeva qualification drama — and dive into the final Masters of the year in Paris. Plus: the ATP’s new Saudi Masters event, Davis Cup updates, and how the fall swing revealed just how worn out play...

This week, Anastasia and Nick take on one of the most debated topics in tennis —  exhibitions.  From the  Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia to  Laver Cup, Hopman Cup,  and  UTS , they unpack why players play them, why fans argue about them, and how events like these actually shape tennis culture. They explore the three main types of exhibitions — money events, charity ex...

Anastasia breaks down the most surprising and satisfying weekend in tennis — the all-American final in Wuhan and the cousin showdown in Shanghai. From Coco Gauff perfecting the art of “winning ugly” to Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech’s once-in-a-lifetime Masters final, this episode captures everything that made the weekend unforgettable. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:21 Coco Gauff's Journey to...

Beijing wrapped, Shanghai rolls—and we’ve got a voice note from  Eddie McGhee (Tennis Asia)  on what it’s like  on the ground  in Shanghai: humidity, facial-recognition entry, and a downtown fan zone screen. Plus: Anisimova’s title, Learner Tien’s breakout, Double-H back in the winner’s circle, Americans in Shanghai, and Players of the Fortnight:  Eva Lys  and  J...

Ground Pass is turning 2! 🎉 In this special birthday episode, Anastasia and Nick look back on how Ground Pass began, what it stands for, and how it’s grown into a home for new and curious tennis fans. They revisit the mission to make tennis more accessible, share the stories that shaped the show (including that first-ever voice memo), and reveal what it’s like building the podcast with just the t...

This week’s mini pod covers three big topics: 🎾  The Asian Swing  – ATP action in Tokyo & Beijing, WTA 1000 in Beijing, Challenger winners, and the growing “Ground Pass Effect.” ✈️  Our New Substack Series – On Tour With…  featuring players like Ethan Quinn and Hailey Baptiste, following their first (or second) Asian swing experiences. 🎂  Ground Pass Turns 2!  W...