The post-US Open stretch is always a little strange. Case in point, Lleyton Hewitt was suspended for two weeks because he pushed an anti-doping official last year(?!). Taylor Townsend squandered a lot of good will after she mocked Chinese cuisine (though she swiftly apologized). The Italian dynasty captures their 6th BJK Cup title via Paolini, Cocciaretto, and Errani heroics. Plus, we issue a … clarification(?) of our comments on the USTA last episode, discuss the Canada-Israel tie, and tackle the allegedly imminent Kyrgios-Sabalenka “battle of the sexes.”

1:50 A retraction/clarification on our USTA crashout

6:20 We read the Lleyton Hewitt v. ITIA reports so you don’t have to

17:15 Results: Iga wins #25; WTA hatching and snatching continues

24:45 Team Italia continues to dominate BJK Cup

29:05 Taylor Townsend’s self-own

37:45 USA crashes out of Davis Cup / Canada’s decision on Israel DC tie

48:35 Kyrgios vs. Sabalenka will ultimately be a zero-sum game

Theme music courtesy of Oleg Fedak from Pixabay

Thanks for your patience as we finished up our US Open wrap! One of our birthdays coincided with Rolex inviting a certain president to the tournament, and we conscientiously objected. Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are your winners (for the first time together). The tournament was a barnburner on the women’s side, a fantastic cap to a year which saw four different Slam winners and a few players rewriting their own stories. On the men’s side, Alcaraz faced only 10 break points (a record) and pushed a dominant Sinner into rethinking his own game. As is our wont, we talk extensively about other things … including using Mary Carillo’s commentary as an example of the necessary risk of expanding sports commentary into something more worldly and immediate.

01:46 Aryna Sabalenka wins with smarts and steadiness

08:56 Animisova-Osaka, now that was a moment

18:27 The Townsend-Krejcikova match was a stunner

21:31 Mary Carillo and the risk of telling the truth

35:47 Carlos figures out Jannik (7 of the last 8 times)

42:19 Thanks, Rolex! The USTA makes a problem worse

50:34 Breaking down the prize money increase

55:45 Allez Félix!

64:50 Novak and everyone else

71:11 Duchess of Kent, Wimbledon icon, dies at 92

We've just returned from the US Open, excited to share some stories from the site. We cover our night session with Venus, the debut of Carlos' buzz cut, Felix vs some fake fans, and the luck of seeing Barbie K's opening match at two consecutive Slams. This has been something of a whiny US Open, though -- kicked off by Medvedev’s calculated tantrum, then followed by Ostapenko’s shameful display against Townsend (which Jonathan witnessed in person!). Later, we chat about the experience of a stretched out schedule, Serena inducting Maria into the Hall of Fame, the draws as they stand now.

1:30 Daniil Medvedev’s desperation

11:10 Stefanos, another pissy baby

15:50 Your primary source for Townsend-Ostapenko

32:00 Victor Barber we are so sorry (this time)

36:20 Night session with Venus Williams!

43:10 An overwhelming sense of ickiness

53:05 Félix and the fake fans

62:50 How the Sunday start impacted the on-site experience

70:20 Inductrination

77:35 The draws at the cusp of week two