Beyond The Baseline: SI's Tennis Podcast with Jon Wertheim

Latest Episodes:

What We Learned from the 2019 French Open Jun 10, 2019

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On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim and Jamie Lisanti recap and review the 2019 French Open, after two weeks on the clay in Paris concluded with Rafael Nadal winning his 12th Roland Garros and 23-year-old Ash Barty capturing her first major Grand Slam title. What are the biggest takeways from the second major of the year? Wertheim and Lisanti talk about what they learned, including: what Nadal's victory means in terms of tennis history and what it says about the Big Three's dominance over men's tennis for the past decade; what Ash Barty's two-year break from tennis before surging to win Roland Garros says about burnout and mental health in tennis; how the sport and the major tournaments can fix the problem with empty seats at majors; plus, way-too-early picks for Wimbledon 2019 and much more.
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What to Expect at the 2019 French Open May 23, 2019

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On this week's epsiode, host Jon Wertheim and Jamie Lisanti break down the 2019 French Open men's and women's draws and preview the second Grand Slam tournament of the season. With Simona Halep and Rafael Nadal returning to defend their titles, Wertheim and Lisanti discuss the possibility of Halep winning her second major title and Nadal winning an incredible 12th title on the clay in Paris. Ahead of the tournament's start on Sunday, Wertheim and Lisanti also discuss the best first round matches to watch; the top off-court storylines that could dominate the conversation at Roland Garros; dark horse picks that could make a run; top players to keep an eye on it the draw; their picks and predictions for the winners; and much more.
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Tommy Paul and Tim Mayotte May 16, 2019

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On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim talks with 22-year-old American Tommy Paul, who won the USTA wildcard entry into the main draw of the 2019 French Open, about what it means for his career; how he has dealt with injuries and develop his maturity; why he loves playing on the clay; and much more. On the second part of the podcast, former player Tim Mayotte talks about why he wanted to run for the ATP Board of Directors position vacated by Justin Gimelstob; some of the issues he sees; and how he would've responded to some of the challenges facing men's tennis, had he been chosen for the position; and more.
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20-Year-Old American Sofia Kenin May 09, 2019

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On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim talks with 20-year-old rising American, Sofia "Sonya" Kenin, from Madrid. Now ranked No. 37 on the WTA Tour, Kenin talks with Wertheim about her quick transition from the juniors to the pros; her 2017 U.S. Open third round match against her idol, Maria Sharapova, under the lights on Arthur Ashe; how that match helped her make the decision to turn professional; why she likes having her father as her coach; and much more.
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Rennae Stubbs: Early French Open Predictions May 02, 2019

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On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim talks Rennae Stubbs about the clay court tournament results so far and her early thoughts on the French Open predictions. Will Rafael Nadal be the favorite once again at Roland Garros, or will he see a tougher challenge from other players looking to dethrone the King of Clay? And how will Roger Federer play into the equation as he returns to the dirt for the first time since a quarterfinals finish in 2015? On the women's side, is Simona Halep the favorite? Wertheim and Stubbs also discuss the increasing age of players in the sport; how much the clay court lead-ups factor into French Open results; and much more.
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Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Tennis Advocate Mark Ein Apr 25, 2019

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On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim talks with Washington Kastles owner, investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Mark Ein. As a longtime fan and player of the sport, Ein discusses how he was introduced to tennis as a child and how his experiences as a ballkid growing up have influenced some of his business ventures as an adult. As the owner of the Washington Justice, a professional Overwatch esports team, Ein talks about what tennis can learn from the world of esports and how it can attract younger fans; why he decided to take control of the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. and much more.
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World No. 3 Petra Kvitova on the 2019 Season Apr 18, 2019

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On this week's episode, World No. 3 Petra Kvitova joins the podcast in between practices in Prague, Czech Republic, to talk about her runner-up finish at the Australian Open, taking a break in mid-April, her 2019 season goals, her thoughts on Tiger Woods and his Masters victory and more. Host Jon Wertheim and Jamie Lisanti also discuss some tennis headlines and the Mailbag question of the week: What are the best tennis accounts to follow on social media?
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David Epstein on Roger vs. Tiger and Generalization vs. Specialization Apr 11, 2019

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Ahead of the release of his new book, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, out on May 28, 2019, David Epstein joins the podcast to discuss the opening chapter on Roger Federer vs. Tiger Woods. Wertheim and Epstein dive deep into the sports science of generalization vs. specialization, specifically in terms of Federer in tennis and Woods in golf and how Federer grew up playing a variety of sports, from skiing to wrestling to swimming and more, while Woods was surrounded by golf from a very young age. Why did Federer benefit from a generalist childhood vs. a specialization one? Epstein discusses Federer's characteristics and reveals how his specific skills and experiences have helped him climb to the top of the sport.
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Felix Auger-Aliassime and Miami Open Wrap-Up Apr 03, 2019

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On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim talks with rising Canadian star Felix Auger-Aliassime and recaps with Miami Open with Andrea Leand. Now up to No. 33, the 18-year-old Auger-Aliassime discusses his rise in the rankings, his goals for the future, why family is important to him, his relationship with fellow young Canadians Denis Shapovalov and Bianca Andreescu and much more. On the second half of the podcast, Andrea Leand recaps the pros and cons of the "new" Miami Open tournament and location, Roger Federer and Ash Barty's win and more.
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James Blake on the New-Look Miami Open Mar 19, 2019

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After being named the Miami Open tournament director in January 2018, James Blake joins the podcast to talk about the tournament's move from Key Biscayne to its new location at the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins. Blake talks about what his role entails; what fans should expect from the new location and tournament; whether the rivarly between Indian Wells and Miami has now resumed; how he is managing the various requests from players; his thoughts on the results from Indian Wells; and much more.
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