The Service Game

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.Although this Madrid Open lacked the presence of Carlos Alcaraz and featured players getting food poisoning, it was one of the most entertaining tournaments this season. How much of it can we take away for Roland Garros? Listen to find out!Off the court, Kei Nishikori announced his retirement at the end of the season. Keeping with the theme of taking time away from tennis, Jack Draper, alongside Carlos Alcaraz, will not be participating in the French Open this year. Draper cited a right knee tendon injury. His withdrawal from the rest of the clay season means that his ranking will likely drop out of the world’s top 100.On the court, tennis has been delivering! On the women’s side, we saw one of the best matches this season featuring Hailey Baptiste and Aryna Sabalenka. Baptiste saved SIX match points and beat Sabalenka in a nail-biter deciding set tiebreak! Marta Kostyuk also earned her first 1000-level trophy and did a fantastic celebration. Listen to find out what she did! On the men’s side, we saw a matchup of two future stars: João Fonseca and Rafael Jodar. Alongside the two breakout stars, players like Alexander Blockx also cannot be overlooked. Blockx beat four seeded players in a row to reach his first masters semifinal before falling short to Alexander Zverev.Remember to vote in the poll down below!Links mentioned:Kei Nishikori Article: https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/kei-nishikori-to-retire-at-end-of-2026-season-i-still-wish-i-could-continueJack Draper Article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7240435/2026/04/29/tennis-jack-draper-injury-french-open-italian-open-out/Hailey Baptiste vs. Aryna Sabalenka: Marta Kostyuk vs. Mirra Andreeva: Rafael Jodar vs. João Fonseca: Alexander Blockx vs. Casper Ruud: Old tennis court: https://www.reddit.com/r/tennis/comments/1rnr6g/1875_tennis_court_photo_original_hourglass_layout/Subscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.There has been big news both on and off the court and on both the WTA and the ATP tour this week. Most notably, Carlos Alcaraz announced on Instagram that he will be withdrawing from the French Open.In the toss, we talked about Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal. To find out who will benefit from his absence and who might be affected negatively, listen to the toss! I also talked about the news of the WTA CEO Portia Archer’s decision to step down.On the court, I recapped Arthur Fils’ fantastic performance in Madrid. Interestingly, his physio telling him to “shut the f— up” has shown his improved maturity after coming back from his injury leave. How did Medvedev perform after getting double-bageled in Monte Carlo? Listen to find out!On the women’s side, I discussed players who are playing some of the best tennis of their lives right now, including matches from Naomi Osaka and Jacqueline Cristian.Want to know how much a tennis player runs on average while playing a match? Listen to the end to find out!Remember to vote in the poll down below!Links mentioned:Arthur Fils vs. Ignacio Buse: Daniil Medvedev vs. Fabian Marozsán: Naomi Osaka vs. Anhelina Kalinina: Naomi Osaka vs. Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros: Jaqueline Cristian vs. Yulia Starodubtseva: https://www.wtatennis.com/videos/4491980/cristian-saves-three-match-points-denies-starodubtseva-in-madridSubscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/Thanks for reading The Service Game! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.Although there has not been huge tournaments on the tennis tour this week, the matches on the 500 level has delivered once again! In this week’s episode, I talked about two matches on both the men’s and the women’s side that caught my attention.In the toss, we talked about Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Barcelona, what it means, and how it will affect his performance this year on clay. We also talked about the WTA Tour Finals’ decision to leave their host country, Saudi Arabia, and what it means for women’s tennis.On the court, I recapped Iga Swiatek’s performance with her new coach Francisco Roig against Mirra Andreeva at Stuttgart. I talked about her mental struggles with her service form and how it has evolved to impact her actual serve on the court. I also discussed the match between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova.On the men’s side, I talked about the Barcelona Open. With Alcaraz withdrawing from the event, it leaves the opportunity for players like Arthur Fils and Andrey Rublev to shine. Listen more to find out a new prospect I discovered while watching the tournament this week!Links mentioned:Athletic Article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7183319/2026/04/15/tennis-wta-tour-finals-host-saudi-arabia/Mirra Andreeva vs. Iga Swiatek: Karolina Muchova vs. Coco Gauff: Elena Rybakina vs. Karolina Muchova: Arthur Fils vs. Rafael Jodar**: **Andrey Rublev vs. Hamad Medjedovic: Subscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.As we approach the clay swing of this tennis season, a lot of people (including me!) are surprised about how we have not gotten a Sincaraz final yet. Fear not! It finally delivered at Monte-Carlo! This week’s tennis action is not only filled with big names like Sinner and Alcaraz but also hidden treasures like Valetin Vacherot and Lilli Tagger.In the toss, we talked about Holger Rune’s return to the tour his achilles rupture in just seven months. Listen to find out my thoughts on his quick return. Matteo Berretini double-bagelling Daniil Medvedev also added humour to the stories in Monte-Carlo.On the court, I recapped two matches on both the men’s and the women’s side that are worth watching the highlights for (NOT the Medevedev one…). The story of Vacherot never fail to inspire me, and I discussed his prospects of making it to the top 10 before the end of this season. I also talked about the hype surrounding Fonseca and the progress he has made since the start of the season.On the women’s side, the Linz Open had a relatively strong field with Andreeva claiming a much-needed title. However, the focus this week was on the Austrian Lilli Tagger who has a rare one-handed backhand! Listen more to find out my analysis on the strength and weaknesses of her game.Listen to the end to learn how long the longest tennis rally is (You will NOT believe it).Links mentioned:Bounces Article: Valetin Vacherot vs. Alex de Minaur: Alexander Zverev vs. Joao Fonseca: Lilli Tagger vs. Paula Badosa: Mirra Andreeva vs. Sorana Cîrstea**:** Subscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.After the Miami Open, there has not been that much tennis action on the tour. Hence the name Calm before Clay; however, there is still tennis to talk about!Off the court, the biggest news of the week was Iga Swiatek announcing her new coach: Francisco Roig. Roig is part of the Rafael Nadal Academy and most recently worked with Emma Raducanu. Listen to the episode to find out what my thoughts are about this partnership.On the court, I recapped what it means for Jannik Sinner to win the sunshine double. With the clay court season starting next week, I discussed how exciting it is to have Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner neck-to-neck, fighting for the World Number One spot leading up to the French Open.On the women’s side, the Charleston Open was a satisfying clay season swing opening tournament. Mexico’s Zarazua and local Hailey Baptiste played an ENTERTAINING 20 MIN final game with Zarazua winning on the 7th match point. Jessica Pegula has been continuing her fantastic form despite not winning a single two-straight set match this tournament! Listen to my analysis in the episode.Listen to the end to learn what “jeu de paume” means!Links mentioned:Jannik Sinner vs. Jiri Lehecka: Renata Zarazúa vs. Hailey Baptiste: Jessica Pegula vs. Iva Jovic: Subscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.The second week of Miami rocked hard (Hard Rock Stadium reference I’m sorry). Despite the humidity and the questionable setup of the main court, the tennis delivered. Thanks to the lack of rain delays!Off the court, there were multiple changes to the WTA players’ coaching team. Amanda Anisimova parted ways with her coach of two years, and Iga Swiatek finally separated from Wim Fisette after an unexpected loss in Miami. Listen to the episode to hear my thoughts about the effectiveness of the coaching split.On the other hand, world number one Aryna Sabalenka is on her revenge tour. Beating Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and winning Indian Wells AND Miami, the engaged Aryna is undefeated! Muchova also had an impressive run until falling short to Coco Gauff.On the men’s side, the unexpectedness continues on the court. Carlos Alcaraz suffered a surprising early round loss to the talented (or previously talented?) American Sebastian Korda. Fils continued his comeback journey by saving four match points to beat Tommy Paul (Match of the year contender!)Listen to the end to learn a fun fact about the tennis bracelet!Links mentioned:Sebastian Korda vs. Carlos Alcaraz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55uq4_xI0fQ&t=18sArthur Fils vs. Tommy Paul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8I670Z9FJMArthur Fils The Athletic Article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7110180/2026/03/26/tennis-arthur-fils-injury-comeback/Aryna Sabalenka vs. Coco Gauff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj76Dn9Vu5E&t=35sKarolina Muchova vs. Victoria Mboko: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMpp-l1vBaASubscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.In Miami, the energy shifts but the stakes stay just as high. On these fast courts, experience and hunger are colliding—veterans like Venus Williams continue to command attention, reminding everyone why they’ve lasted this long, while a new wave of players is pushing to take control of the moment.Other storylines are also taking shape. Iga Świątek’s surprising loss has opened the draw and shifted expectations, creating space for rising contenders to make a statement. But the tournament hasn’t just been shaped by results—rain delays have disrupted the schedule, making the event more compact and giving players less time to rest and recover between matches.Matches/Links mentioned:Carlos Alcaraz vs. Sebastian Korda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55uq4_xI0fQCarlos Alcaraz vs. João Fonseca: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgrC5cNMRucBen Shelton vs. Alexander Shevchenko: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G3iurjB5mMDaniil Medvedev vs. Jannik Sinner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWYku2zpgKQElena Rybakina vs. Aryna Sabalenka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qBMhp-2sYkIga Swiatek vs. Magda Linette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXfHQNqILsgFranseca Jones vs. Venus Williams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-F9HmIP5W0Subscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.At Indian Wells, the desert is once again delivering drama. Veteran champions are reminding everyone of their greatness while the next generation keeps pushing the pace.Off the court, tennis may be heading for a major shift. Saudi Arabia’s sports arm, SURJ, is reportedly planning a new Masters 1000 event starting in 2028, a move that could reshape the February calendar and put pressure on tournaments like Buenos Aires and Acapulco. While a shorter swing could help the schedule, it also raises concerns about the future of South American tennis.And on the court, the matches are delivering: Arthur Fils’ growth was on display against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper produced a match-of-the-year contender, and Mirra Andreeva’s tense battle with Ekaterina Siniakova showed both her brilliance and the pressure from other talented players.Matches/Links mentioned:The Athletic Article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7106736/2026/03/12/tennis-atp-calendar-tournaments-saudi-arabia-buybacks/Arthur Fils vs Felix Auger-Aliassime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFxNvPAGRnMNovak Djokovic vs Jack Draper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDHq5pQBt84Jannik Sinner vs. Alexander Zverev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC5-bqnF2lcDaniil Medvedev vs. Carlos Alcaraz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY0j26BQiU8Mirra Andreeva vs. Ekaterina Siniakova: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjJU_asNptQVictoria Mboko vs. Aryna Sabalenka: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-IorEOm0rkoElena Svitolina vs. Iga Swiatek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKNq9NvmCi0Subscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.In this week’s First Serve, off-court headlines and early tournament drama set the tone. Craig Tiley is reportedly set to leave his role as Australian Open director to become USTA CEO, raising questions about the future of his initiatives in Melbourne—including the conversation around women’s best-of-five—and what ideas he could bring to the US Open. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her engagement with a stunning 12-carat ring, and Naomi Osaka turns heads with a bold new leopard-inspired kit whose fabric shifts color in the light.On court, the matches bring the chaos: Denis Shapovalov edges Stefanos Tsitsipas in a one-handed backhand battle that highlights Tsitsipas’ continued slide in the rankings, Felix Auger-Aliassime survives an electric performance from Gaël Monfils, and João Fonseca saves two match points to outlast Karen Khachanov. The WTA side delivers its own drama with Camila Osorio mounting a fearless comeback after saving match points, Jasmine Paolini producing some of her best tennis of the season to rally past Anastasia Potapova, and Alex Eala grinding through a tense three-setter against Dayana Yastremska to earn a highly anticipated clash with Coco Gauff—setting the stage as the biggest names prepare to enter the draw.Matches/Links mentioned:Denis Shapovalov vs Stefanos Tsitsipas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMGAjZuFtgQGael Monfils vs Felix Auger-Aliassime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8HUq7nSBUwJoao Fonseca vs Karen Khachanov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAho4m90fXUJaqueline Cristian vs. Janice Tjen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEidjOBEckAIva Jovic vs. Camila Osorio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KghlN97zg70Anastasia Potapova vs. Jasmine Paolini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4N8c56vfMADayana Yastremska vs. Alexandra Eala: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nenTInESDA&t=22sSubscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.In this week’s First Serve, the Middle East Swing delivers chaos and drama, with The Hit taking center stage: Daniil Medvedev captures a milestone title in Dubai amid flight cancellations and geopolitical tension that could disrupt the road to Indian Wells, Felix Auger-Aliassime continues his surge, and Acapulco brings its own intensity as Alexander Zverev falls to Miomir Kecmanovic in a result that raises real questions ahead of the slow hard courts, alongside injury defaults, net-cord swings, and matches where the scoreline didn’t tell the full story. We also touch on Emma Raducanu’s reported $3.5M move from Nike to Uniqlo and what it means for tennis fashion, all building toward Indian Wells on March 4Matches/Links mentioned:Emma Raducanu Deal: https://justwomenssports.com/reads/nike-emma-raducanu-uniqlo-tennis-sponsorship-2026/Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Jiri Lehecka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mImpl1VxzsDubai Open Semifinal Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk-2c6GigwAAlexander Zverev vs. Miomir Kecmanovic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XWFsEMHi8M&t=65sMexican Open Semifinal Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G84WUUqsSNsMexican Open Final Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EEZ8hRlZVgSubscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.In this week’s First Serve, the tour is fully in its Middle East Swing with plenty of drama from both sides: Arthur Fils and Jakub Mensik’s thrilling prospects, another tournament without a Sincaraz final, and Jessica Pegula getting her 10th title! From exciting comebacks to dramatic statements from tournament directors, the Middle East swing has delivered in a way that the Australian Open has failed to do!— listen for the full breakdown and what it all means moving forward.Matches/Links mentioned:Carlos Alcaraz vs. Karen Khachanov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puszgo5ytDsJannik Sinner vs. Jakub Mensik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1KK607fkJEArthur Fils vs. Jakub Mensik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKojS6wA-Xg&t=361sArthur Fils vs. Carlos Alcaraz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS9j7djGFMsAlex Eala vs. Jasmine Paolini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUCpH8JRkg4Elina Svitolina vs. Coco Gauff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od6QcyTfpt8Jessica Pegula vs. Amanda Anisimova: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7tpXYiUH9cElina Svitolina vs. Jessica Pegula: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8N7tGMhsQASubscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.In this week’s First Serve, the tour arrives in the Middle East with momentum building across both tours: Karolína Muchova ends a six-year title drought with a long-awaited triumph, Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko surges into her second WTA 1000 final at just 19, and Félix Auger-Aliassime continues his strong run with back-to-back ATP finals. From breakthrough performances to renewed confidence, the Middle East swing is already shaping the season’s early narrative — listen for the full breakdown and what it all means moving forward.Matches/Links mentioned:Qinwen Zheng vs. Elena Rybakina:Mirra Andreeva vs. Victoria Mboko:Victoria Mboko vs. Elena Rybakina:Jelena Ostapenko vs. Victoria Mboko:Iga Swiatek vs. Maria Sakkari:Karolina Muchova vs. Maria Sakkari:Karolina Muchova vs. Victoria Mboko:ATP Rotterdam Semifinals:Ben Shelton vs. Denis Shapovalov:Athletics Article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7044598/2026/02/13/aryna-sabalenka-iga-swiatek-dubai-tennis-championships-withdraw-out/Subscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin!Produced with assistance from Radio CKUTCKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/Thanks for reading The Service Game! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.In this week’s First Serve episode, I discussed some of the news following the Australian Open. I gave my opinion on the Australian Open’s tournament director, Craig Tiley’s statement on women playing five-set matches. Following the Grand Slam tournament, the WTA tour had a 500 level in Abu Dhabi, and the men’s tour featured matches in the first round of David Cup qualifying. From Sara Bejlek's impressive run to the Abu Dhabi title from qualifying to nail-biting matches in the David Cup, I covered a lot that happened this week on the tour! Listen more to find out!Matches/Links mentioned:Women playing Five-Setters: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7012975/2026/01/31/australian-open-tennis-format-women-best-five-craig-tiley/FULL MATCH Novak Djokovic vs. Jannik Sinner: FULL MATCH Carlos Alcaraz vs. Alexander Zverev: FULL MATCH Elena Rybakina vs. Aryna Sabalenka: Davis Cup Format Explained: https://www.daviscup.com/en/about/formatFabian Marozsan vs. Ethan Quinn: Jack Draper vs. Viktor Durasovic: Sara Bejlek vs. Clara Tauson: Hailey Baptiste vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova: Sara Bejlek vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova: Subscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story.In this week’s First Serve episode, I discussed the stories that dominated this year’s Australian Open. Although many people online have deemed this year’s tournament to be lackluster, I found there to be quite a few interesting storylines. From Novak Djokovic’s jaw-dropping performance to Aryna Sabalenka’s struggles in Grand Slam finals, the Service Game got you covered! I also highlighted matches worth looking back on if you missed them! Finally, I introduced the three segments of my weekly podcast—the toss, the hit, and the follow through—listen more to find out!Matches/Links mentioned:Venus Williams vs. Olga Danilovic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK_ppI7H92cVictoria Mboko vs. Clara Tauson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8SCY8gcTMETomas Machac vs. Lorenzo Musetti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U82bgeYFQ5MLorenzo Musetti vs. Novak Djokovic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR_gkDhc9BMGael Monfils vs. Dane Sweeny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sa15eG5srQStan Wawrinka vs. Arthur Gea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m_ZDcGigjICarlos Alcaraz vs. Alex Deminaur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUpaa3HNwFQCarlos Alcaraz vs. Alexander Zverev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYlFxO1HA_AJannik Sinner vs. Novak Djokovic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDn5WfnV5g0Novak Djokovic vs. Carlos Alcaraz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z99RntcbEtYElena Rybakina vs. Aryna Sabalenka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69CCqjPNc6oAus Open 2023 Elena Rybakina vs. Aryna Sabalenka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWPzUDJhP6YSubscribe to ⁠The Service Game⁠ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com

Welcome to The Service Game, where serves start the story. First Serve: Fast, weekly rundowns of the biggest ATP and WTA headlines, results, and momentum shiftsSecond Serve: Longer, investigative deep dives into player storylines, tactics, controversies, and the forces shaping professional tennisWhether you’re short on time or ready to dive deeper, The Service Game keeps you informed on what’s happening across the tennis world—and why it matters.Subscribe to The Service Game on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s Substack.🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com