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 players are after a long year.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

04:06 Audience Q&A

07:39 WTA Finals Preview

36:38 Preview of the Paris Masters

48:58 Tour News Round-Up

01:00:28 Winners this Week on Tour

01:11:07 Tournaments This Week On Tour

01:13:11 Outro

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This week, Anastasia and Nick take on one of the most debated topics in tennis — exhibitions. From the Six Kings Slamin 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 exhibitions, and rival tours — and what makes each unique. Plus, a packed week in tennis.

And Players of the Fortnight: Valentin Vacherot and Tereza Valentova.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:27 Audience Question

09:10 All about Tennis Exhibitions

10:03 The Controversy of Exhibitions

12:18 What is An Exhibition

14:23 Type 1 - The Money Exo

21:01 Type 2 - Charitable Exo

24:11 Type 3 - Competitive Exo

30:22 Why do players Play Exo

30:43 The Appeal of Exhibitions for Players

33:23 Reason 1: Mental Breaks

35:45 Reason 2: Money

37:44 Reason 3: Experiment & Train

40:48 Audience Perception

49:02 Exo's help promote the sport & The Issue of SA

52:04 Concluding Thoughts on Enjoying Tennis

53:08 Last week in Tennis

54:29 ATP Update

01:02:34 WTA Update

01:08:50 Injury Woes

01:11:25 Upcoming Tournaments

01:13:05 Player of the Fortnight: Vacherot and Valentova

01:20:39 Outro

Links:

• Fedal South African Exhibition: https://youtu.be/BA5ti_6rFro?si=f1yK79J8iWlBKVic
• Hailey Baptiste On Tour With Tokyo: https://groundpass.substack.com/p/on-tour-with-hailey-baptiste-tokyo
• Nothing Major interview with Valentin Vacherot: https://youtu.be/lzQxsTPBxHs?si=3PEcAXqgiFe-VfB0

We have Merch!!!

Ground Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/ground-pass-shop

💬 Don’t forget to give us a rating and drop us a comment ⭐️

Subscribe to Our Substack at - https://groundpass.substack.com

Visit Our Website at - www.groundpasspodcast.com

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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 the Wuhan Final

05:53 Jessica Pagula's Gritty Path to the Final

10:46 The All-American Final: Gauff vs. Pagula

18:54 The Cousin Final: A Unique Tennis Story

36:33 Wrap-Up and Upcoming Events

Links:

• Hailey Baptiste On Tour With post - https://groundpass.substack.com/p/on-tour-with-hailey-baptiste-beijing
• Jessica Pegula post Sabalenka Press Conference transcript - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/bestweekintennis
• Link to Winning Ugly Book - https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Ugly-Mental-Warfare-Tennis-Lessons/dp/067188400X
• Lost Boys Video - https://youtu.be/9maE1Nb8e3o?si=kxwhVV5cnVUSFKk8
• Quote from Vacherot’s Coach - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/bestweekintennis

Also We have Merch!!!

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