Tripp’s Tennis Talk

EDIT/SAD CORRECTIONS MUSIC: Jelena Ostapenko WAS NOT the Wimbledon player that I referenced with the stalker. That was Julia Putintseva. My apologies. Please disregard that when I say it. Episode 142 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a breakdown of today's post-match interaction between Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko. I have a slightly contrarian take: this is less about Taylor Townsend and more about the psychological profile of Jelena Ostapenko. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes!

Episode 141 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features clips from the recent Hall of Fame induction speeches from the new members, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, and Maria Sharapova, as well as Serena Williams' introduction speech of Sharapova, done at Maria's request. We also hear from Venus Ebony Starr Williams and do a rundown of today's US Open results. The HOF content has been getting a lot of play in recent days so I thought it was worth it to spend some time to address it during a mostly-sleepy Monday order of play, results-wise. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes!

Episode 140 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features my mid-match reaction to tonight's unprecedented display of human error.

Episode 139 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a preview discussion of the 2025 US Open with frequent podcast contributor Rory Renzy. We start with big-picture topics, like the vibe and format of the tournament and the tour narratives of the season, before drilling into specifics with bracket predictions and early-tournament storylines like the presence of Venus Williams, before finishing up with some quick thoughts on how the end of the season might play out regarding the #1 ranking and ESPN going DTC (direct-to-consumer). It's a good one! - TRIPP'S WTA PICKS QF: Sabalenka d Raducanu, Andreeva d Pegula, Osaka d Keys, Swiatek d Svitolina SF: Andreeva d Sabalenka, Swiatek d Osaka F: Swiatek d Andreeva - RORY'S WTA PICKS QF: Sabalenka d Rybakina, Pegula d Townsend, Gauff d Keys, Swiatek d Svitolina SF: Sabalenka d Pegula, Gauff d Swiatek F: Gauff d Sabalenka - TRIPP'S ATP PICKS QF: Sinner d Diallo, Rublev d De Minaur, Djokovic d Fritz, Alcaraz d Shelton SF: Sinner d Rublev, Djokovic d Alcaraz F: Sinner d Djokovic - RORY'S ATP PICKS QF: Sinner d Draper, De Minaur d Rublev, Djokovic d Fritz, Alcaraz d Shelton SF: Sinner d De Minaur, Alcaraz d Djokovic F: Alcaraz d Sinner - Music: CBS US Open Themes, combined/modified from various videos Outro Transition Music: Something Wicked This Way Comes by Barry Adamson - Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes!

Episode 138 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a conversation between my mom and myself about our on-site experience at the 2025 Cincinnati Open. We attended the event on Monday August 11, the round of 32. I also attended the next day, Tuesday August 12, during which my dad made a brief appearance. It was hot. There was Skyline. There was also a bowl from an unidentified restaurant. Ice cups are absolutely essential. $2 cinch bags are brittle and they suck. We enjoyed it and we would go back. Yeah I know the music doesn't fit at all, but I recently came across it and I wanted to put it in the show somewhere, so, here it is. Bwahaha! Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes. Music - "Photon Carnage (Bonus)" by Dan Terminus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yRwh7PW8aA  

Episode 137 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a Wimbledon Day 8 recap, focusing on the Dimitrov retirement situation while leading World #1 Jannik Sinner 3-6, 5-7, 2-2, Flavio Cobolli's special victory over Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 7-6, and Mirra Andreeva's dismantling of Emma Navarro 6-2, 6-3. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! Music - "Something Wicked This Way Comes" from David Lynch's Lost Highway (1997) by Barry Adamson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke4oeBvBb0M Cobolli Clip - wimbledon.com

Episode 136 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a Wimbledon Day 7 recap, focusing on the five-set thriller between Cameron Norrie and Nicolas Jarry, which the Brit won 6-3, 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 6-3 in a match where he didn't lose serve. Elsewhere, all the higher seeds advanced. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! Music - "Something Wicked This Way Comes" from David Lynch's Lost Highway (1997) by Barry Adamson Clip - from the Wimbledon world feed broadcast on ESPN+ John Romero Book Club Episode - https://tripp9.podbean.com/e/book-club-doom-guy-life-in-first-person-nobody-told-me-about-id/

Episode 135 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a recap of a Sleepy Saturday at Wimbledon, featuring easy wins by Sinner, Swiatek, and Djokovic (#100 at Wimbledon!) and a brief tangent into the recent Microsoft layoffs, specifically in the gaming division. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! Music - "Something Wicked This Way Comes" from David Lynch's "Lost Highway" (1997) by Barry Adamson

Episode 134 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features coverage of 2025 Wimbledon Day 5, highlighted by Aryna Sabalenka's win over Emma Raducanu 7-6, 6-4, after trailing 2-4 in both sets; the first set in particular was quite dramatic and of high quality. Elsewhere today, Fritz beat Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 and Carlos Alcaraz took the scenic route over Struff 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Madison Keys, who skipped press due to illness, was beaten 6-3, 6-3 by Siegemund, making Sabalenka even more of an overwhelming favorite. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! Music - "Something Wicked This Way Comes" from David Lynch's "Lost Highway" (1997) by Barry Adamson.

Episode 133 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a live, unscripted rant about the stoppage of the Shelton-Hijikata match at around 9:30pm in London with Ben about to serve for the match. Elsewhere, it was another wild ride at Wimbledon on Thursday, with #4 Jack Draper and #13 Tommy Paul going out. We also had a match one game short of the 65-game maximum and a fun Dimitrov-Moutet match. Let's unpack it all! Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes. Music - "Something Wicked This Way Comes" from David Lynch's "Lost Highway" (1997) by Barry Adamson

Episode 132 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a Wimbledon 2025 Day 3 recap, focusing on Joao Fonseca's 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win over Jenson Brooksby and Emma Raducanu's vintage performance against Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-3. Elsewhere, Sabalenka got through 7-6, 6-4 and Alcaraz won 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. Unfortunately, #4 Jasmine Paolini, the 2024 finalist, was upset by Rakhimova 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Then we finish up by listening to Alexander Zverev's emotionally heavy press conference from yesterday. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! Music - "Something Wicked This Way Comes" from Lost Highway (1997) by Barry Adamson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke4oeBvBb0M  

Episode 131 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a personal update at the top, followed by a (cursory!) examination of one of the greatest first rounds at a grand slam ever played. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! Music - "Slaying at Night" by Peter Lawrence - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtqF6lHNZ1U  

Episode 130 of Tripp's Tennis Talk is a Day 1 recap of Wimbledon 2025. It was a great day! I focus on the Fritz-Mpetshi Perricard match which was suspended at 2 sets all, and Bonzi's 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 win over Medvedev. Also on Monday, 2-time defending champ Carlos Alcaraz went 4h37m against Fabio Fognini (7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1) and top-ten seeds Rune (#8) and Badosa (#9) were shown the door. You will hear all the results from today right here, one of the first podcasts worldwide to publish to an actual RSS feed following the completion of play. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes!

Episode 129 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a Wimbledon 2025 preview with Rory Renzy. We talk through the draws, make our predictions, talk a couple news items, and also hit the 2025 NASCAR In-Season Tournament. "Using Synthetic Control To Assess The Impact Of Light Rail Transit On Neighborhood Demographics: A Case Study of Charlotte's South End" by Rory Renzy and Mary Catherine Artzer - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213624X25001695?dgcid=author "The Epic Rise and Fall of a Dark-Web Psychedlics Kingpin" by Andy Greenberg of Wired News - https://www.wired.com/story/rise-fall-dark-web-psychedelics-kingpin-dmt/ - Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! - TRIPP PICKS - Rory (X) had mostly the same picks --QF-- 1 Sabalenka vs 6 Keys X 30 Noskova vs 31 Krueger 7 Andreeva vs 3 Pegula X 11 Rybakina vs 2 Gauff X --SF-- 1 Sabalenka vs 30 Noskova 3 Pegula vs 11 Rybakina --F-- 1 Sabalenka vs 11 Rybakina [SAME] --CHAMP-- Aryna Sabalenka   --QF-- 10 Shelton d 1 Sinner 4 Draper d 6 Djokovic 9 Medvedev d 3 Zverev 2 Alcaraz d Tien --SF-- 4 Draper d 10 Shelton 2 Alcaraz d 9 Medvedev --F-- 2 Alcaraz d 4 Draper --CHAMP-- Carlos Alcaraz   RORY PICKS QF/SF/F/W: Sinner-Musetti Bublik-Djokovic Fritz-Zverev Rune-Alcaraz Sinner-Djokovic Fritz-Alcaraz Djokovic-Alcaraz Djokovic   TRIPP NASCAR PICKS: SONOMA QF 17 Keselowski d 25 Logano 5 Elliott d 13 Chastain 3 Buescher d 11 McDowell 23 Reddick d 18 Byron DOVER SF 5 Elliott d 17 Keselowski 23 Reddick d 3 Buescher BRICKYARD 400 F Elliott d Reddick RORY: Had Buescher winning it all.

Episode 128 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a roundup of the Wimbledon tune-up results, including Alexander Bublik's 6-3, 7-6 win over Daniil Medvedev in Halle, Carlos Alcaraz's edging of Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 in Queen's, and Marketa Vondrousova's great week in Berlin capped with a 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 win over Xinyu Wang. Music - "Something Wicked This Way Comes" from David Lynch's Lost Highway (1997) by Barry Adamson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke4oeBvBb0M Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes!

Episode 127 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a conversation with Brian Baldauff about the book "The Inner Game of Tennis." Brian Baldauff is the Associate Professor of Percussion at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. From 2007-09 he was, at various points, my marching band instructor and private teacher when we both lived in Florida. In this conversation, we discuss how ascribing judgment to action can affect performance, two pedagogical approaches relating to technique, and the state of modern education, among other topics. Apologies to people that don't normally listen for the bit/skit at the beginning. I usually focus on "news of the day" on the pro tennis tour and I've been on hiatus, so I absolutely had to address that briefly here. And I really, really, really liked this bit actually, so, it stays in. :) I am not a very good interviewer because I don't do a lot of interviews. I started this one way, way off but I settled down a little bit the more it went along. It still wasn't my best work though. I need to practice my hosting skills when another human is involved. Hmm, maybe Self 1 is too involved in this thought. Objective, right? Okay, how about this. My syntax was halting and incomplete at times, I would have liked to speak in more calm and complete sentences. See? I just applied The Inner Game! All it takes is just doing it, right? If I do more interviews I'll become more comfortable without over-trying. Peanut butter is still, in fact, the shit. - Gallwey's website including a link to buy the book - https://theinnergame.com - Intro Music: "A Dark Zone" from Deltarune Chapter 4 by Toby Fox (2025) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-ifukvnICY Outro Music: "Journal" from Flashback, used in DOOM II Sunlust MAP01 "Chasing Suns"  (1992/2015) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixE9Z8zlPvk - Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes!  

Episode 126 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a breakdown of Matteo Berrettini's 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over #1 seed Alexander Zverev at Monte-Carlo, as well as a full recap of the rest of the day. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! - "Seaside Kingdom" from Super Mario Odyssey "Summers, Eternal Tourist Trap" from Earthbound remixed by Will Vega Match audio from Tennis TV.

Episode 125 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features a tournament preview of the 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters and a recap of action from Sunday and Monday, featuring Tabilo's 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 over the former champion Stan Wawrinka and Daniil Medvedev's shaky topsy-turvy win over Khachanov 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. - QF 6 Tsitsipas d 1 Zverev 3 Djokovic d Baez 4 Ruud d Etcheverry 7 Rublev d 2 Alcaraz  SF 3 Djokovic d 6 Tsitsipas 4 Ruud d 7 Rublev F 4 Ruud d 3 Djokovic - Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! - Intro Music - Seaside Kingdom music from "Super Mario Odyssey" - Outro Music - Summers music from "Earthbound" remixed by Will Vega https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQc546L8c8k  

Episode 124 features a lookahead to the 2025 clay court season. Are we buying or selling the stock on top-ranked players? Can players that won big 1000 events last spring back it up this year? And who will win coveted seeding bracket spots for Roland Garros this year? Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes! Music: "More" from "TNT: Evilution" written by Tom Mustaine and covered by Xeotroid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He3F4CQFZVY&t=512s - Race to Roland Garros Ranking (points Roland Garros 2024 to Miami 2025) 1. Sinner 9730 3. Alcaraz 6520 ------ 2. Zverev 6445 4. Fritz  4680 ----- 5. Djokovic 4060 7. Draper 3660 10. De Minaur 2985 11. Medvedev 2890 ------- 6. Ruud 2715 9. Rublev 2390 8. Tsitsipas 1915 (#27) - Points earned during Race to Roland Garros 2024 8. Tsitsipas 1530 2. Zverev 1200 6. Ruud 1140 9. Rublev 1050 4. Fritz 610 1. Sinner 600 5. Djokovic 450 11. Medvedev 400 10. De Minaur 350 3. Alcaraz 200 7. Draper 120 Lower ranked players with big points to defend: Lehecka - madrid semis Felix - madrid semis  Tabilo - rome semis Jarry - rome finals  Paul - rome semis  - WTA top 3 race to roland garros points (points Roland Garros 2024 to Miami 2025): Sabalenka 9061 Gauff 5445 Swiatek 5275

Episode 123 of Tripp's Tennis Talk features an Indian Wells wrap-up and a lookahead to Miami featuring frequent contributor and on-site reporter Rory Renzy. Mirra Andreeva gave a fearless performance from a set down to beat an ambivalent Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Jack Draper beat a listless Carlos Alcaraz (6-1, 0-6, 6-4) and a listless Holger Rune (6-2, 6-2) in the final two rounds to win the men's event. Andreeva's 7-6, 1-6, 6-3 takedown of Iga Swiatek is also discussed. But the real question is - what Address will these players end up at? I make the case that we don't really know the final destination of any of these players, whether they had success or failure this weekend. Their address is unknown. Indian Wells 2025 was only a data point on a much larger journey and not an opportunity to stop and make a big sweeping claim about the state of tennis. Miami WTA picks: SF - Gauff d Zheng, Pegula d Bencic, F - Pegula d Gauff. Miami ATP picks: SF - Hurkacz d Zverev, Medvedev d Alcaraz; F - Medvedev d Hurkacz. Subscribe to Tripp's Tennis Talk and download new episodes!