Perfect Match?

Before we talk about the current issue of players threatening to boycott a slam, let’s go back in time to 1973 when an historic boycott of Wimbledon by the top men’s players completely changed the power dynamic between the grand slams and the players.Also:We got blocked by a Bluesky user. We have arrived.Joao Fonseca admits that his Brazilian fans annoy him tooAn 11-year-old kid flips off Tommy Paul at the Rome OpenSupport the pod. Keep the faith 🙏Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Relationships are delicate entities, and breakups should be handled with care, but it does not appear that the high profile uncoupling of Taylor Fritz and Morgan Riddle is unfolding as planned. This week, we go a bit gossipy and snarky, but get into questions around what people expect out of a Relationship as well.Also:Players are getting "food poisoning" in Madrid and dropping out, but is it the tacos? Or the cultural bias toward Latin food?Carlos OUT of the French Open ☹️Ontario passed a law that you can't resell tickets for ANY profit at all. Can we move to Canada now?Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After losing the Monte-Carlo Masters Final to Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz posted a fun video of his bestie Jannik diving into the club's pool. Cute! Good for engagement! Bad for winning. This week we talk tennis rivalries and question whether Carlos needs to go darker if he wants to beat Sinner. We also dig up clips of Chrissie and Martina talking about how they had to lose the friendship bracelets to truly compete.Also:The Onion's dumb tennis satire pieceRybakina's weird used tennis gear/crypto scam online shopNadal Netflix final year documentary incoming (are these actually good television?)Alcaraz wrist injury. Oh God 😱Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Clay Season is officially in session now with the symbolic opener, the Monte-Carlo Masters, taking place. Why don't we all live in Monte Carlo, with it's zero percent personal income tax, European adjacency and $6300/sq. ft. real estate? Perhaps because we don't have $6.3 million dollars for a 1000 square foot flat. One day...Today on the pod, we talk about the Joy of Clay, Monte Carlo, why Americans can't seem to win on slow surfaces, and how it relates to Bryan's general lack of patience and attention to detail.Also,Jessie Pegula's win in Charleston over a Ukranian player who hasn't been home in four years and had to do GoFundMe to stay on tour (did Jessie donate anything?)Iga is now being coached by Rafa's former coach (with Rafa giving pointers)Enjoy!Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lively, bad faith debate in which Michele defends what Bryan calls "Woke 1.0" while he posits that so-called "Dark Woke" can be better for one's tennis fandom. Do we need to broaden our tolerance for players' questionable posts and comments in order to enjoy the sport more?It's a weird one! But relevant (maybe)!Also:The WTA Finals is out of Saudi Arabia, mercifullyMeh about the two Sunshine Doubles. What a weird feelingSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week due to shifting forces in our lives, we home in on the perennial vignette in which one person lashes out at a crowd that stares on in horror. But who among us hasn't wanted to just flip off everyone around them and storm out forever(ish)?Also, Carlos Alcaraz announces on court in Spanish "I'm can't anymore!" to his team. What's going on with him?LIveNation antitrust suit is dropped by the Feds (presumably corruption), but is kept alive by the statesWimbledon expansion appears to be a go, angering local activists (who are perhaps disingenuous?)Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Indian Wells tournament is upon us, as is the tenth anniversary of your hosts bumping into one another at the tourament, encountering an implausible series of rom-com meet-cutes, and somehow staying together for all these years. To commemorate, we dive into the ennui surrounding MAGA enthusiast Larry Ellison owning the Tournament and his looming presence over the media landscape in America (but it's also kind of funny!)Also:The Iran war traps players in the U.A.E.Sabalenka's big engagement brouhahaTicketmaster could be broken up? Please please pretty please?Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professional tennis players are some of the least represented athletes in professional sports. From the grueling schedule to the relatively low share of revenue, even down to the type of balls used in tournaments, the players have little to no say in decisions that affect their lives and health immensely. This week, we break down the issue and ponder if there is any reason to hope that things will get better for them.Also:PICKLEBRAWL at a Florida country clubCoco Gauff speaks truth to power once againNo Carne Asada (or any other meat) at the Mexican OpenSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's long been an argument in tennis against women receiving equal pay that it's because they don't play full Best of Five matches in the Grand Slams. It's a weak and weird argument because outside of the Slams, everyone plays Best of Three, and some of those tournaments *still* don't have equal pay. Regardless, Australian Open CEO Craig Tiley wants to change all this. He's pushing for the women to play those long matches at the AO and beyond. Is it a good idea? Will it happen? Does Bryan have a wholly unworkable alternative? Listen and find out!Also,Brad Gilbert didn't like Bad Bunny's Halftime performance and thought they should have had some "Bay area rock instead"Two new "Heated Rivalry"-style gay tennis romance novels are coming out soonIs Serena coming back to professional tennis for real? (She's coming back for real)Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which we draw the line between a "lie" and a "lie-lie".We all lie! Whether it's your "colonoscopy appointment" on the day of your sister's "baby shower", or "does a hangover qualify as a 'sick day'?", we all lie at least once in our life. What kinds of lies are okay? Who gets to decide? What does it matter?Also:There were too many cameras at the Australian Open! Enough with all the cameras!Slam trophies for coaches is new and a bit weird and cringe?Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Aussie Open closes the roof when their bespoke heat index level reaches 5. The AO knows beforehand exactly when this index will reach 5 because we all know this, because we all have a weather app on our phones. Is it antithetical to their "Safety Culture" that they don't close the roof when they know it's going to be too hot? And what is this "Safety Culture" anyway? It's probably not what you think!Also:Juan Carlos Ferrero doesn't need to coach Alcaraz anymore, because he's coaching...a golfer?Defector's Owen Lewis asks American players how they feel about their country right now, and some players start singing "Mary Had a LIttle Lamb" with their fingers in their ears.Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carlos Alcaraz is playing his first matches on tour without the help of his only coach since childhood, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and we are all wondering how this will go. What we aren't wondering anymore is if Juan Carlos will be coming back. We don't usually talk about who is coaching which player (because it's insider-y and kind of boring), but this coaching relationship is unlike anything we've ever seen in tennis, and we have thoughts.Also:The new "ESPN Unlimited" option/paywall is confusing and more expensive for many of us (but also good for some people?)The Australian Open is getting as crowded as the U.S. Open ☹️Naomi Osaka's crazy umbrella/veil/wedding dress outfitUkrainian player Oleksandra Oliynykova calls out pro-Putin players as "dangerous"It's Grand Slam time! Enjoy the AO!Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the temperature plunges here in the Northeast US, it's high summer Down Under, and how we wish we were there. But due to the miracle of low-cost audio equipment and free podcast hosting, we can at least talk about the Australian Open on the internet. So, that's something!Roger Federer's return to tennis! (in an exhibition doubles match)ESPN gave Brad and Pammy the bootHeated Rivalry and our favorite (and only) out gay male playerThe "1 Point Slam"That weird Tennis Kenya match where one player had apparently never played tennis?and finally...play tennis, live forever!Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year! Wait, it's too late to say "Happy New Year", everyone stop saying "Happy New Year". But it's Tennis New Year here in the run-up to the Australian Open, and Michele has predictions for 2026:How long will Venus Williams play (and how long will the sun continue to shine)?Will Serena return to tennis?Nick Kyrgios' dumb podcast, Nadal's hair, Djokovic's final tournament, Carlitos' coach and more!Plus: who will enter our respective tennis fandom polycules this year? Will they hold together?Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's face it: 2025 sucked. Life got measurably worse for most people in the world who are not billionaires (although life got measurably better for them, so there's that). But within this swirling sewer of a year, we dug up some memories that reminded us why we need tennis in our lives and why we need to podcast about it.Enjoy these highlights from this past season, and thank you, dear listener for your continued support, and all of the kind words and feedback you've given us 🎾🍸♥️Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s spooooooky season, and for our final episode of the year we are summoning the ghouls and goblins of tennis and counting down the scariest trends we are seeing. What evil lurks on the tennis courts of the world? In the stadia and tennis villages, from the hard courts of Melbourne to the grass courts of Wimbledon and beyond?👹 Higher ticket prices?👻 Novak Djokovic hangs around?👿 A Saudi Slam?😨 Coco Gauff's Serve Woes Continue?And more!Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we dive into the 2nd edition of the Six Kings Slam. On the same day that millions of people rallied around the world in the No Kings protests to defy Trump and defend democracy, the final match of the tennis exhibition “The Six Kings Slam” was played in Saudi Arabia between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Was the exhibition tacky and tone deaf? Yes. Was it entertaining? No. Was it good for tennis? Absolutely not.Also:A Portuguese player gets busted for crystal methNick Kyrgios is de-bro'd by Andy MurraySend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This one we recorded in March when we were all fairly new to this political reality. Since then, we've see politics become a taboo subject, and supporting any form of liberalism feels almost risky. But fuck it, we have to talk about politics and take a stand. This is our take on several current and former top players.Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Proper sleep impacts every aspect of one's life. For tennis players – and athletes in general – it’s a relatively new insight. Only in the last 20 years have experts and players realized just how much sleep can affect performance. Even the smallest adjustment can help a player reach peak performance. This week, we dig into the details of top players and their sleep habits. Roger Federer: 12 hours a night! Pete Sampras needs freshly pressed sheets. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz get a LOT of sleep.Also:The Court Speed Conspiracy Theory, hatched by...Roger Federer?The Asian swing is running out of gasMichele's perfect sleeping habits and Bryan's highly disordered routineSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are not a podcast that assesses the pricing and collectibility of Labubu dolls. We are not a companion podcast to the hit TLC series "Sister Wives". We are not a MAGA podcast that aims to take down and take out the woke left. We are a podcast that discusses the culture through the lens of tennis (and sometimes our relationship).Weekly for the entire tennis season. Short: about 30 minutes per episode. Unafraid: we talk a lot of shit.Check it out!Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we have all heard, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended at the behest of the Trump administration, then reinstated after an enormous public outcry. What is less discussed is the influence of the two main networks that own many of the local ABC affiliate stations, Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group, the latter of which owns…The Tennis Channel. Prior to ABC’s blanket suspension of the show, both networks were blocking Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their local stations, because they are right-wing, Pro-Trump organizations.What's a tennis fan to do? Cancel your Tennis Channel account? Boycott their advertisers? There aren't a lot of good options here, but we can and must keep speaking out. As Jamelle Bouie put it, "Stand up...and say no."Also:Carlos Alcaraz doesn't know what "Meta Glasses" areTaylor Townsend screwed up on social mediaAnti-Asian racism in tennis isn't all that uncommonIt's a dark time. Keep the faith.Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Serena Willams' recent announcement that she takes a GLP-1 (and that she is the global spokeswoman for the online drug compounder Ro), these drugs are more visible and talked about than ever before. While they are a miracle for some, Michele has questions. Bryan mostly stays out of the way but then reveals his own journey losing, gaining and maintaining his weight.Also:2025 US Open TV ratings were impressiveSaudi Arabia is showering money on top male players again this year for their "Six Kings Slam" eventNovak Djokovic is displeased with Serbia and moving to GreeceNick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka will play in the Naomi Osaka-produced "Battle of the Sexes Redux" (is this necessary? no)Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, has concluded. While always outsize among slams in its sheer lunacy, this is 2025, and boy did the US Open deliver! Today we countdown the worst people and the best people the last 3 weeks has presented us. God help us all.Send us your hot takes at [email protected] outro music this time is the brilliant "You're Gonna Win" by Lady Wray. Pre-order here: https://ladywray.bandcamp.com/album/cover-girlSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not easy putting together a tennis podcast episode when something completely bonkers is happening at the US Open every day. Oh, you thought Medvedev's mimicking a blowjob on national TV was bad? Haha, welcome to 2025. Is it New York and all its weed that makes this tournament crazy? Is it this particularly special moment in American politics? Or is it just the American Berserk?You can send us your hot takes at [email protected] us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are talking US Open: Medvedev's (homophobic) breakdown, Alcaraz' interesting new haircut, Casper Ruud thinks New York smells like weed, and much more.Also:Are Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova really BFFs now?Hot takes from listeners!To send us your hot take, record a Voice Memo and send it to us at [email protected] us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This time, we report back from the new controversial US Open Mixed Doubles event, in which Singles stars who don't necessarily know how to play doubles flounder their way to a $1 million prize! (Spoiler alert, the actual Doubles team wins.)We drink and talk our way through monsoon weather and noisy 20-something girls to bring you this day in tennis history. Enjoy!Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we read Timothy Gallwey's classic 70s self-help tome "The Inner Game of Tennis", because why not? Part of the wave of spiritual self-help books of the era, "Inner Game" has a lot to say about the way our conscious, judgmental self gets in the way of the more intuitive, subconscious self, on or off the court.When Self 1 tells you you suck, just ignore it and let Self 2 lead the way!Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we are thrilled to have designer extraordinaire Eva Warren on the pod! We were lucky to have her take us through a full rebrand of Perfect Match?, and the result is what you’re seeing across our channels. She’s one of our most reliable listeners, although she doesn’t follow tennis closely. We wanted to have her on to discuss her branding work, and to probe the mind of the non-tennis fan/tennis podcast listener. And there will be a quiz!Also:Holger Rune slides into Veronika Kudermertova's DMs without checking to see if she's married"Point, Set, Matchmaker", the US Open's new YouTube dating reality series, is coming like it or not!You can find Eva at https://evamarie.studio and on Instagram @eva___marieSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's summer and we are off doing summer things, so here's a favorite episode of ours all about the different ways we tennis fans love our players.-----------------------------------Monogamy vs. Polygamy: these days it’s more of a choice than a default; a discussion rather than an assumption. But how does this new openness relate to tennis and who we root for? Does the true fan root for only one player or is it better to dip our toes into different waters?This week we reveal our tennis fandom polycules and their organizing principles. Michele also reminisces about her time as Roger Federer's cuckquean fan, and how she had to move on to a hierarchical polycule with Carlos Alcaraz as her primary. Bryan discovers that his men's fandom polycule is almost identical to Michele's, and he discusses his non-hierarchical fandom polycule on the women's side.Also, a Brit accuses a French player of smelling bad, Tennis Channel app woes, and the genius of Jelena Ostapenko.Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back after an unplanned week off (Bryan went to the beach) with thoughts about Wimbledon, hardcourt season, Venus Williams, Genie Bouchard and a bunch of other random tennis shit.It's summertime and the livin' is easy. Enjoy the show!Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Wimbledon plans to add 39 more courts and 8,000 more annual visitors, residents of the surrounding London hamlet sue to prevent the tournament's expansion. How do we balance the needs of a world famous sporting event with long time residents' needs? And what to do with recent transplants who both love the tournament and also want it to always stay exactly as it is today? (We ignore them.)Also:ESPN coverage of Wimbledon seems staleJohn McEnroe won't bother pronouncing anyone's name correctlyStefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa break upTsitsipas' coach tells the media Tsitsipas needs to get his shit togetherGrigor Dmitrov's tragic injury retirement against Sinner ☹️Send us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michele describes Wimbledon the way some people describe Christmas: "the most wonderful time of the year". She's not entirely wrong! This week we run down some Wimbledon updates, some controversies and random thoughts about why Brits don't believe in room fans.Also:Bryan goes to Pride and his battery runs out at the after partyWhy Fahrenheit is a better way to measure air temperature than CelsiusA Wimbledon Final watch party under the Brooklyn BridgeSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On September 2, 1990, after attending the US Open, Brian Watkins and his family got on the subway at 53rd St. and 7th to go to dinner in the West Village. While waiting for the train, 8 teenagers allegedly attacked Watkins’ father with a boxcutter and kicked and attacked his mother. Brian intervened and was then stabbed in the chest by one of the teens. Brian died in the ambulance on his way to St. Vincent’s hospital, over 40 blocks away. Eight years later, the Giuliani administration settled with the family to the tune of $300,000 and the naming of the East River Park tennis facility for Brian. Life was cheap in 1990s New York.As the city chooses its next mayor, we reflect on that turbulent era, voters' grievances today, and how fear might lead us into the dark embrace of a Mayor Andrew Cuomo 😱Also,Jannik Sinner's bizarro new "single" with opera singer Andrea BocelliSakkari/Putinseva catfightAlexander Bublik tearing up the grass (and frightening other seeded players at Wimbledon)Marketa Vondrousova's weird tattooSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grass Season: players slipping and sliding! serve and volley winning matches! five weeks and then the Most Important Slam in Tennis (Wimbledon)!This time, Michele explains to Bryan some things! The grass surface, some grass history, the schedule and what it means for Wimbledon 2025.Also:Stefanos Tsitsipas' dumb newsletterThe Williams Sisters' dubious podcasting platformAs always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our dreams came true: Carlos Alcaraz won the French Open Men's Final and Coco Gauff won the Women's. But more than just winning, they demonstrated the intrinsic magic in how they move through the world. They bring joy wherever they go, they are on hero journeys and they uplift us all.Also, this is our first full episode we recorded on video! Bryan had Covid this week, so we had to record remotely, so why not put up an annoying video podcast with the bold letter captions and the rest of it?The video can be watched here: https://youtu.be/v-aYLGG_zXIAs always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Open can no longer be trusted to police ticket scalpers. Within minutes of the 2025 US Open tickets going on sale, only reseller tickets were available at over double the face value. We've had enough!Luckily there is a bill working its way through the NY State Legislature that would ban this kind of naked profiteering off of event tickets. If you live in New York State, please contact your state Senator and tell them to support Senate Bill S8221, which would ban profits of over 25% on all event ticket resales. The NY State Senate website allows you to easily look up your state Senator and contact them directly. Rise up!Also:Soccer riots in ParisFrench Open highlightsSam Querry's (we know, who?) campaign to become a tennis commentatorMcEnroe brothers hate on BlueskyDavid Beckham and Matt Damon's stupid pickleball adAs always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just prior to the French Open kicking off, the US Open announced a big plan to "reimagine" Arthur Ashe Stadium for the 21st Century. In a highly self-congratulatory post, the USTA laid out its plans to double the space for Courtside and Suite ticket holders ($$$) by removing seats from everybody else. But hey, they are adding a couple of bathrooms for the cheap seats. Does this align with their mission and the legacy of Billie Jean King for whom the Tennis Center is named? No, it does not. We gripe about this.AlsoHow to watch the French Open on TV (it's complicated, but doable)YouGov's poll of the most known and popular tennis players among AmericansSome American players' very provincial and hilarious takes on traveling in EuropeIf you are around this Saturday, May 31st, we are hosting a French Open Watch Party in Manhattan! Introduce yourself by leaving feedback at perfectmatchpodcast.com and come by!As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The French Open is almost here, so we dug up our conversation with Katya Rogers, Executive Producer of WNYC's On The Media about the classic cinéma vérité movie The French. The conversation tackles the tough questions around the 1981 French Open, the 80s in general, athletes who smoked, and perhaps inappropriate girl crushes on much older men.Enjoy!Also, if you are in New York on May 31st, we are hosting our first ever Perfect Match? event at 30 Love in Manhattan. There will be food, a cash bar and lots of TVs showing the 3rd Round of the French Open. If you'd like to stop by, introduce yourself by leaving feedback at perfectmatchpodcast.com. See you there!As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Common throughout Spain and the Middle East, sometimes a bunch of snacks constitutes dinner. Similarly, in podcasting you can throw together a bunch of loosely related tidbits and you have an episode. Particularly when your original topic kind of falls apart an hour before you want to start recording!We cover the new tennis-loving Pope, pay disparity at the Italian Open, formerly Russian player Daria Kasatkina gets some love from Ukrainians, Jim Courier is fed up with the Russian flag ban (bad take), Tsitsipas nonsense, and Michele's trip to Florida.Snack until you're full.-----Note: we are having a little French Open watch party on Saturday, May 31 from noon-4pm at 30 Love, the tennis-themed bar in Manhattan. Send us feedback at perfectmatchpodcast.com for more info.---------As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are still grieving our late, beloved cat Dusty, so we looked at how grief has affected professional tennis players at different moments in their careers. From Iga's recent loss of her grandfather tanking her run at the Madrid Open to Barbora Krejčíková's 2021 French Open title in tribute to her deceased coach Jana Novotna, death affects us all...and keeps affecting us.We are fully in the clay season ("playing in the dirt", as Jim Courier would put it), and certain players have taken their disputes over line calls to Instagram. This is kind of a problem! Also, Jannik Sinner is back in Rome, but at his request, he's been provided with a private locker room because some other players have said mean things about him. We don't think this will help!------As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back to Alcaraz, specifically his (now fully released) 3-part DocuSeries about his grappling with the expectations around him versus his human need to enjoy life. Surprisingly personal and unexpectedly profound, My Way asks the big questions: How much do we owe those around us and what do we owe ourselves? Where do we set boundaries with those who are most invested in us? And so on...Also, T2 is bad and Bryan applies to be a ball person at the US Open.-----------------This episode is dedicated to Dusty, my beloved cat of 18 years who passed away last Wednesday. Michele and I will never forget you Dusty, and may you be fed whenever you want wherever you are...-----------------As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monogamy vs. Polygamy: these days it’s more of a choice than a default; a discussion rather than an assumption. But how does this new openness relate to tennis and who we root for? Does the true fan root for only one player or is it better to dip our toes into different waters?This week we reveal our tennis fandom polycules and their organizing principles. Michele also reminisces about her time as Roger Federer's cuckquean fan, and how she had to move on to a hierarchical polycule with Carlos Alcaraz as her primary. Bryan discovers that his men's fandom polycule is almost identical to Michele's, and he discusses his non-hierarchical fandom polycule on the women's side.Also, a Brit accuses a French player of smelling bad, Tennis Channel app woes, and the genius of Jelena Ostapenko.As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've all heard about the importance of "work/life balance". We definitely advocate for the "life" side of that balance, but if you're one of the world's top tennis players, is there room for having a life?In the forthcoming Netflix documentary "Carlos Alcaraz: My Way", Carlos makes it clear that he's interested in more than just winning as much as possible. We see him vacationing with family, eating his mother's cooking and hanging out in his (small) childhood bedroom where he keeps his trophies. He goes as far as to say, “I’d like to be the greatest in history”, and then, “It’s my dream, but having fun is key to me.”Same, Carlitos!In this episode we dig deep into what drives the most electrifying male player since the Big Four era, and we also dust off an ill-advised 2006 "open letter" from Chrissy Evert to Serena Williams, encouraging Serena to get more serious about tennis!Oh, and there's some new bumper music Bryan put together. Let us know what you think  at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ostensibly an outing to poke fun at an NYU dorm-adjacent tennis-themed bar/restaurant, we came away from this experience questioning our cynicism, close-mindedness and life choices. Sometimes it's best to just enjoy the martinis and happy hour wings and leave your skepticism at the door.Thanks to the staff at 30 Love for their hospitality! This is not a sponsored post!As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Miami Open has always been an unusual tournament: the second half of the "Sunshine Double" (Indian Wells being part one), it used to be held not in Miami at all. Now they've moved it to Miami's Hardrock Stadium and its surrounding parking lot. This feels a bit trashy!And with the ground shifting underneath the dynamic of the players (particularly on the Men's side), this year saw a number of upsets, a deep run by an unknown and a surprise defeat of Novak Djokovic by one Jakub Mensik, who exactly no one had on their bingo card.We unpack all of this and bicker over martinis, as usual. Hit the play button!As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Okay, we know. Politics! There is too much of it, and it is a complete bummer. However! When we root for a player, we are rooting for more than their playing style; we are also invested in the player as a person. When they say and do political things, it matters. Today, we deliver verdicts on a number of top players (with sound effects). Spoiler alert: Djokovic: no, Draper: no, Gauff: yes, Osaka: yes, etc. Enjoy!As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which we try (and kind of fail) to be Zen about the rapid change in professional tennis and the world. Next-Gen is out; Next-Next-Gen is on a rampage. With wins from 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva and relative newcomer Jack Draper at Indian Wells, we dissect the coming wave of players, and what it means for Alcaraz, Sinner, Swiatek and Sabalenka. Is it a blip on the radar or something more permanent? Either way, the only constant is change.As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We braved connecting flights, "gate checked" bags and a literal desert storm to bring you this postcard from our trip to "Tennis Paradise", the 2025 Indian Wells Open in California's Coachella Valley. Follow us to the bars, the tournament, the condo and the jacuzzi, as we recap our annual trip, warts and all!---------------As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Indian Wells BNP Paribas Masters 1000 is the largest and most important tennis tournament that's not a Grand Slam. All the tennis stars will be there, as will we!But before we hop on the plane, we wanted to talk about Coachella Valley's settler colonialist history, as well as the Ignominious Incident in 2001 involving the Williams sisters, old white people and racism that led to Venus and Serena boycotting the tournament for 14 years. It was bad!As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Non-tennis people are often shocked when they discover that tennis requires fans to be quiet (like silent) once or twice a minute in a stadium full of fans. It is kind of weird!This prompt takes from the origins of "court tennis" in the 16th Century to the 80's trash comedy "Blame It on Rio". Enjoy!As always tell your friends, rate this podcast, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak, Threads at @perfectmatchpodcast, Instagram at @perfectmatchpodcastSend us your hot takes at [email protected] always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.