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 took over our feeds. Plus, quick tennis news: the WTA’s Mercedes-Benz era begins in 2026, Garbiñe Muguruza joins Madrid’s leadership team, Serena’s testing-pool headline sparks speculation, and Next Gen is around the corner.

00:00 Introduction to the Year in Review

03:12 Introducing Kaya Courtside and UTS Finals

30:10 Exhibition Season and Upcoming Events

31:03 Fashion and Style Awards of 2025

36:11 Outfit of the Year and Brand Partnerships

41:58 Cultural Moments and Player Highlights

45:29 Tennis Photos and Memes of the Year

51:31 Most Stylish Tournament and Personality of the Year

58:52 WTA News and Future Predictions

01:04:44 Upcoming Projects and Wrap-Up

Links:

- GP Exhibition Deep Dive Episode - https://youtu.be/fjuxg3dzIXs?si=raOH2B8XOMWO7wrD

- The Real Challenger Documentary - https://youtu.be/fjuxg3dzIXs?si=raOH2B8XOMWO7wrD

- Off Season Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/offseasontv?igsh=MWJhaHZ4ano4NWlpeQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

- Off Season Tiktok -

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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 Slams and big events around the world. We talk about cold-calling editors, early social media experiments, and why persistence (and a lot of “no”s) still matter in 2025.

Nick also pulls back the curtain on his current roles with the Olympic Channel and at tournaments like Cincinnati, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He explains how he prepares to tell players’ stories on court, deals with nerves and stage fright as an introvert, and why research and empathy are just as important as being good on camera.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get into tennis journalism, presenting, or sports media more broadly, this is your masterclass.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:54 Career Journey in Tennis Journalism

06:06 Transition to On-Camera Presence

09:08 Connecting with Players and Audience

12:03 Research and Preparation for Interviews

15:01 Innovations in Tennis Presentation

17:58 Advice for Aspiring Tennis Professionals

Links:

• Nick McCarvel on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nickmccarvel?igsh=MXU4YW1uZXQ0MGhudw==

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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 Madison Keys in Melbourne, it is a full season recap through the lens of Ground Pass.

You will also hear their picks for breakthrough and most improved players, the tennis story of the year, and the official Ground Pass Players of the Year on the men’s and women’s side. Plus a quick fire round, bold predictions for 2026, and a love letter to small tournaments and doubles.

Chapters:

00:00 Ground Pass Tennis Oscars

02:17 Best tournament

07:59 Best Match

15:23 Breakthrough Player of the Year

21:27 Biggest Plot twist

29:18 Best Off court moment of 2025

33:28 Quick Fire Categories

42:08 Tennis Story of the Year

47:39 Ground Pass Players of the Year

Links:

• Emma Raducanu Match Stories - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNb5JDygQ_M/?igsh=MTQwdmlva2c5OGg5ZQ==
• Sincaraz Roland Garros match stories - https://youtu.be/k7mgL4GSRI4?si=rMfUXMM8oi8aAihz
• Muchova Point - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRAOc4ZjIn8/?igsh=MTNudnlpdGdxdHI2Mg==
• Ostapenko/Townsend Match Story - https://youtu.be/3arCsp2jvvE?si=3EwPuE2NcFBSbRe0

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

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

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