Painting Lines - A Tennis Podcast

This week Aidan and Erik discuss the final few rounds and eventual winner of the 2024 US Open Championships. After a wild first week with two massive upsets that shocked the tennis world, week two picked up from the wreckage, with top seeds dealing with unexpected opponents in later rounds, while shock runs from low seeds made for an exciting buildup to the championship, where we nearly saw the first American Slam Champion in over 20 years. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik discuss the first week at the US Open, recapping one of the most shocking tournaments in recent memory, with top seeds and favorites Alcaraz and Djokovic both making early exits, leading to an unexpected draw in which unseeded players and low seeds have made deep runs, along with a few different americans showing out at their home grand slam. They go through round by round giving their thoughts on the biggest matches from each round, before previewing the last few rounds and matchups they are excited to see. Be sure to check back next week for an update on how the tournament ended up!

This week Aidan and Erik give their thoughts on the Sinner doping scandal that shocked the tennis world this past week. Should he be banned? Is it fair to other players? Was it covered up? The guys give their thoughts as well as giving an update on the return of Nick Kyrgios and more in this fun episode. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik recap the 2024 Cincinnati Masters, one of the most wild tournaments of the year. What stood out the most were the number of issues that occurred between players and the chair umpires, as well as shocking upsets and runs from players like Frances Tiafoe who were not expected to do well in this tournament. So as we build toward the last Grand Slam of the year, how will this momentum go in NYC?. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik recap the 2024 Canadian Masters which took place this past week in Montreal. From top seeds like Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas being eliminated in their first matches, to the crazy runs from players like Matteo Arnaldi and Sebastian Korda, this tournament had its fair share of unexpected outcomes which makes this an episode you do not want to miss. What happened in this tourney could give us an idea of what to expect from this summer hardcourt season overall in the buildup to the US Open and in the Asian swing later in the autumn. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik recap Men's Tennis at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to win the gold medal. This was a tournament that Djokovic said he had his eye on for the full year but after going titleless to this point it seemed he may not be able to pull it off, especially after undergoing surgery prior to Wimbledon. They discuss upsets from the tournament, some players that are trending up and down, and close it out with some comments on the Washington DC tournament and the Olympics overall. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik discuss a few different topics, from the tournaments that finished up last week, to the start of the olympics, to other rarely covered topics on this pod like doubles. With so much going on it can be tough to follow, so check in here to stay up to date with all the wild stuff going on in the ATP Tour. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik discuss a busy week on the tour, giving updates from four different tournaments on both grass and hard courts. From Nadal making a great run in Bastad, to upsets of Ruud and Rublev, to young players like Fils and Michelsen showing that the next generation of tennis has arrived, it was a great week of tennis. As we build into the olympic games, Djokovic searches for his final accomplishment while we will be saying goodbye to Andy Murray. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik give a recap of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships final few rounds from the quarterfinals to the final and also talk about some notable things that happened during the tournament. While in the end it felt as though the tournament went very much how it was expected to, there were some interesting matches in these last few rounds that kept the tournament exciting. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik give an update on the first week of Wimbledon, which went generally as expected. The so called "early upsets" were generally against players who were not truly title contenders and often struggle on grass. Conversely, the majority of the title favorites survived through to the quarterfinals or at least through a few rounds, so despite the tournament having many exciting matches, the results were generally unsurprising.

This week Aidan and Erik are back with a classic solo episode where they break down the state of the tour entering the Wimbledon Championships. They give their opinions on who they expect to do well, giving commentary on some top contenders, some dark horses, and some complete question marks going through the first few rounds of the tournament. Be sure to check back next week for an update after the first week of the Slam!

This week Sam Querrey joins the podcast! The Former American No.1 and World No.11 player hops on to discuss his career in tennis and his transition to pickleball, one of the fastest growing sports in America. From playing in the Olympics, to beating Djokovic at Wimbledon, to his current life of Pickleball and content creation, Sam gives great insight into life as a top professional athlete and expresses interesting opinions about the tour today. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Parth and Quinn join our hosts for a fantasy draft of the best seasons of all time. From obvious picks like Djokovic 2011 and Federer 2006 to some more unorthodox choices like Sampras 1994 and Murray 2016, this episode is sure to keep you engaged and on your toes. Be sure to let us know your pick for the best team and check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik give a recap of the last few rounds of this year's French Open. Outside of Djokovic withdrawing from this tournament, this seemed almost a throwback to a big 4 era tournament, where the top 4 seeds were the final 4 in a Grand Slam. Erik was excited about this while Aidan was unsure. With some spectacular matches to discuss in the semis and final, it is a fun episode and be sure to check back next week for another one!

This week Aidan and Erik break down the first week at Roland Garros. From first round matchups of legends like Murray and Wawrinka, to Nadal's 4th ever loss at RG, the early rounds have plenty of stories to cover. While there have been only a few major upsets through R3, this only leaves more excitement for the final rounds. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Erik and Aidan discuss the clay surface in general, breaking down what it means to play on clay, and how it impacts the game at the highest level. This includes a discussion of Americans on Clay, clay court playing styles, and clay court specialists. Then they dive into a preview of the 2024 French Open, giving their thoughts on the pros and cons of each of the top contenders. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Erik and Aidan dive into a recap of the Italian Open which happened in Rome over the past couple of weeks. With some surprising upsets and shock runs, it was definitely an interesting tournaments. From a double Chilean semifinal, to Djokovic's early exit, and what's to come at the French, the guys give an update on all of the news in the ATP world. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

With the news of Dominic Thiem's retirement, Aidan and Erik delve into his career path. From a young prospect that was the youngest in the top 50, to a top 5 player, and eventually a grand slam winner. With his career taking a path that seemed on the up and up only to be derailed by injuries, Dominic Thiem has a story that should be heard, and Aidan and Erik make sure to hit all the highlights. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik give a recap of the exciting and unexpected Madrid Masters tournament. Featuring the biggest players in the world, this tournament showed us that injuries can be a massive factor in the deciding of a tournament, as Felix Auger-Aliassime made a run to the final after his opponents simply dropped out of the way. On the other hand, Andrey Rublev seemed to recover his form and battled through tough opponents like Carlos Alcaraz to secure his position in the final. With lots of twists and turns, Erik and Aidan go round by round, breaking down Nadal's run, Tommy Paul's return, and the top American on clay. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

This week Aidan and Erik take a break from the contemporary to take a quick look into the past and examine the top 5 tennis comeback seasons of all time. In a variety of different eras, the discussion goes over comebacks from injuries to suspensions, and goes over the heights that were reached by these players after some of the worst times of their career. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!