Best Of Three

What makes left-handed players so difficult to face, and how far can that advantage take them? Alvin and Torrey begin with Elena Rybakina's late-season form before examining the tactical patterns that define left-handed tennis. From the forehand-to-backhand diagonal to serve placement and return positioning, they explain why lefties create uncomfortable matchups and how right-handed players can respond. The conversation turns to Diana Shnaider, Alex Eala, and Leylah Fernandez, each of whom us...

Rafael Jódar's rapid ascent has put him in rare company, but his results may be less remarkable than the technical foundation behind them. Alvin and Torrey examine his footwork, balance, court positioning, and ability to redirect pace, exploring why his game appears unusually mature and what physical development could mean for his long-term ceiling. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina offers a different story of player evolution. After years of competing with the ATP's best, his breakthrough provides...

Qinwen Zheng has returned to the top of women's tennis, but her resurgence raises a bigger question: How good can she actually become? Alvin and Torrey examine Zheng's career trajectory, from her breakthrough Australian Open final and Olympic gold medal in 2024 to her emergence as a top-five player, injury interruption and return to prominence in 2026. At just 24, Zheng may be entering the years when her extraordinary physical tools begin translating into more consistent championship-level te...

Jannik Sinner's season-ending injury gives us a reason to step back and evaluate what he's actually become. Is Sinner now the best pure tennis player of his generation? Torrey argues that, stroke for stroke, his court positioning, serve, return and baseline game may already give him the edge over Carlos Alcaraz. Alvin agrees that Sinner has the cleaner toolkit—but Alcaraz still possesses something harder to quantify: the ability to find another level when a match becomes unpredictable. From t...

Patrick joins Alvin from Japan after spending time at the Japan Open, where Kei Nishikori’s farewell becomes the starting point for a larger discussion about greatness, legacy and how the Big Three altered the careers of the players who came behind them. They debate Nishikori’s Hall of Fame case, the importance of his career across Asia, and why his compact, aggressive baseline game allowed him to compete against much larger players. The conversation moves across the Asian swing: Daniil Medve...