Nothing Major

In this Saturday special of Nothing Major, the boys sit down with their first Major champion—none other than Stan “The Man” Wawrinka. The 3-time Grand Slam champ doesn’t hold back as he dishes on the match against Djokovic that made him believe he could hang with the big dogs, the wild ride to his 2014 Aussie Open win, and why celebrating a Slam with a proper party is absolutely mandatory. Stan also breaks down the fine art of snapping a racquet over his knee (it’s all in the technique), explains why he’d rather face Rafa than Roger in a Slam final, and spills on why the US Open was the toughest one to conquer. (00:00) Intro (00:32) Stan Wawrinka joins the podcast (01:13) How a reel convinced Stan to come on (02:18) Stan’s routine at the Australian Open (03:23) Tough 2013 loss to Djokovic (06:15) Did Stan believe he could win the 2014 AO? (08:49) Federer or Nadal in the final—who did he prefer? (10:49) The epic party after winning the 2014 AO (11:47) Life after becoming a Grand Slam champion (16:45) Playing his best tennis to win Roland-Garros 2015 (21:07) What does it take to win a Grand Slam? (22:10) Is Stan part of the “Big Four”? (23:26) Facing Rafa in the 2017 Roland-Garros final (24:10) Why Stan enjoys playing Novak (26:55) The love of competition (27:27) Stan flips the script: Do the guys miss tennis? (29:10) Stan’s relationship with the younger generation (30:28) Major Q&A with Stan (31:41) Stan’s Vegas Draft (33:48) How to break a racket over your knee (35:03) Outro

The stage is set for blockbuster finale down under. In our Australian Open semifinal recap, Sam and Steve discuss Novak Djokovic’s unexpected withdrawal against Alexander Zverev, the bizarre boos from the home crowd during his exit and Jannik Sinner’s commanding win over Ben Shelton. The boys dive into Aryna Sabalenka's comfortable win over Paula Badosa, and Madison Keys' impressive upset over World No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Can Keys capture her first major title, despite the haunting experience of an accidental midnight Facetime from Sam right after her semifinal win? Plus, the team dives into the stakes of the ultimate pickleball showdown, answer some fan questions and offer their bold predictions for Sunday’s finals! -- (00:00) Intro (01:30) Australian Open Men’s Semi-finals Breakdown (01:40) Zverev vs. Djokovic: Novak Retires After One Set (04:59) Why Did the Aussie Crowd Boo Djokovic? (07:05) Sinner vs. Shelton: Jannik Advances to the Final (12:17) The Australian Open Men’s Final: Sinner vs. Zverev (13:16) Can Zverev Win His First Grand Slam? (15:16) Predictions: Jannik or Sascha? (16:18) Women’s Semi-finals: Sabalenka vs. Badosa (17:18) Paula Badosa’s Remarkable Comeback (18:24) Aryna Sabalenka’s Mentality Shift (19:52) Keys vs. Swiatek: The Match of the Tournament (20:16) Sam Accidentally FaceTimes Madison Keys (22:14) Steve’s Take on Madison Keys (25:42) Sabalenka vs. Keys: Women’s Final Preview (29:12) Snake Draft Update: The Pickleball Showdown (32:13) Fan Questions: Playing Day vs. Night Sessions in Australia (33:45) How Do Players Receive Their Prize Money? (35:05) Final Trivia Question Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Australian Open hits the business end of the tournament, Something Major is here to break down all the quarterfinal action from both the men’s and women’s draws. On the men’s side, we kick off with Djokovic’s gritty win over Alcaraz before moving onto Shelton’s big-match energy, Zverev’s chances for a title and Jannik Sinner’s dominant performance over De Minaur. Is Sinner the favorite to win it all now? And can Zverev get his first Grand Slam win over Djokovic? On the women’s side, we spotlight Sabalenka’s hard court dominance, Badosa’s surprising win over Coco, and Swiatek’s machine-like approach as she marches through the draw. Who is the current favorite? And can Madison Keys pull off the upset of the tournament with a semifinal showdown against Iga? Last but not least, we close the show with a Snake Draft update (pickleball showdown pending!) and Aussie Open trivia. (00:00) On today’s episode… (00:47) The wet handshake reaction & what’s ahead (02:06) Djokovic’s gritty win over Alcaraz (07:12) Did Paul let his match vs. Zverev slip away? (11:12) Can Zverev actually win? (12:52) Shoutout: Moutet is Sam’s new favorite artist (13:35) Shelton’s Slam-winning it-factor (15:56) Sinner’s surreal moment (18:18) Why Shelton isn’t afraid of Sinner (20:32) Badosa’s big upset over Gauff (23:02) Sabalenka’s rise: Australia’s new Queen? (24:20) The friendship factor in high-stakes matches (25:17) “Iga is a machine!” (27:32) Tech controversies: Old-school vs. VAR (30:34) Can Keys give Swiatek trouble? (33:31) Semifinals predictions (36:30) Snakedraft update & punishments! (38:10) Fan shoutouts (38:58) Goodbye & AusOpen trivia! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Week 2 of the Australian Open heats up, the boys break down the biggest storylines from the Round of 16 and preview each quarterfinal matchup. From the highly anticipated Djokovic vs. Alcaraz showdown to De Minaur’s game plan to upset Sinner, and the odds of an American man making the semifinals—there’s no shortage of storylines to unpack. Can Novak Djokovic channel off court controversy into a competitive edge? And should Jannik Sinner fans be worried about his fitness heading into the business end of the tournament? Plus, the Snake Draft drama intensifies as Sam and Steve brace for a potential last-place tie. 00:00 Introduction and Round Four Results 00:47 Pet Peeves in Tennis: The Hair Fixation 04:09 Upcoming Episodes and Special Guests 05:32 Novak Djokovic's Performance and Controversy 10:15 Quarterfinals Preview: Djokovic vs. Alcaraz 13:33 Quarterfinals Preview: Paul vs. Zverev 18:02 Quarterfinals Preview: Sinner vs. De Minaur 22:12 Analyzing Player Fitness and Matchups 23:33 Alex's Impressive Australian Open Record 24:46 Shelton vs. Sango: Quarterfinal Predictions 25:59 Shelton's Competitive Edge 28:01 The Music Side of Lorenzo Sango 29:31 American Players in the Final Eight 30:17 The High Stakes of the Snake Draft 33:28 Tennis Trivia: Yannick Sinner's RecordEpisode 4: Australian Open Quarterfinals Preview and Analysis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the tournament favorites continue to march through the draw, it’s the Americans who have been making noise down under. The boys discuss the impressive performances from Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, Alex Michelsen and Learner Tien, while debating their chances to make even deeper runs in Melbourne. We also get into Gael Monfils, stunning No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz with an inspired performance. Can the 38 year-old Frenchman keep the magic alive? Last but not least, we wrap the episode with our Round 4 predictions and revisit the heated Australian Open Snake Draft standings. 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Updates 01:06 Pickleball and Friendly Banter 01:46 Top Tennis Players Analysis 04:20 Gael Monfils' Impressive Run 10:11 Young Tennis Talents on the Rise 15:51 Next Gen Stars and Future Predictions 17:12 Tennis Season Timing and Rankings Update 17:37 Snake Draft Standings and Predictions 18:53 Loser Punishments Discussion 21:07 Round Four Match Predictions 26:12 Aussie Open Trivia and Gossip Corner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Aussie Open is heating up, and so is Something Major! We keep our attention on the men's side of the draw where we break down the stand out performances and surprises in Round 2 as well as preview the biggest stories heading into Round 3. The boys also touch on the American men having success down under from Taylor Fritz’s dominant start to Learner Tien’s breakout performance against Medvedev. Finally, a new leader emerges in our Nothing Major Snake Draft and the guys discuss a fan submitted penalty. Could we see one of our hosts lace them up again for a $25k Future Tournament? (00:00) Welcome to Something Major! (00:47) Shoutout to Learner Tien (03:03) Struggling to Say “João” (03:48) Steve Nails His Prediction (04:05) Top Seeds Performance So Far (06:26) Fritz’s Pre-Season Gains and Evolution (09:48) Our Predictions… That Flopped (10:36) Sam Gets Sad with João’s Loss (10:54) Frances Early Exit (11:15) Machac, Paul, and the Tiny Shorts Trend (11:55) Spotting Potential Dark Horses (12:59) Michelsen’s Chances vs. Khachanov (14:19) Marcos Giron and Tennis’ High School Hall of Fame (15:04) Snakedraft Recap (17:13) YOUR Punishments Suggestions! (18:33) Round 3 Predictions (20:52) Tien Upsets Medvedev—What a Moment! (21:48) Signing Off with AusOpen Trivia Fun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Australian Open is underway, and we’re doing Something Major—round by round recaps and previews from the men's side of the draw. For the next two weeks, we’re dropping episodes every other day, keeping you up to date with all the action Down Under. In this episode, we spotlight the seeds that delivered, the unexpected exits, and the dark horses turning heads at Melbourne Park. From Joao Fonseca’s stunning upset over No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev to the stellar performances from the American contingent it's a first round recap in true Nothing Major style. Plus, the guys revisit their Australian Open Snake Draft, which is already full of drama. Who’s leading the pack, and who’s regretting their picks? Will Nishikori’s clutch 5-setter save Stevie's team? 00:00 - Something Major is Here! 01:25 - Biggest Winner of Round 1 02:09 - Djokovic, Sinner, and Fritz Wins 03:47 - Tougher vs. Easier Round 1: What’s Better? 04:53 - Snakedraft Update 05:59 - Joao Fonseca’s Impressive Slam Debut 07:10 - What to Expect from Fonseca 10:05 - Michelsen Upsets Tsitsipas and Looks Ahead 12:44 - American Players in Round 1 15:10 - Playing Through Sickness 15:55 - Monfils Triumphs Over Perricard 17:25 - Medvedev’s Bizarre Match 19:23 - Paul vs. Nishikori: Predictions 21:14 - Assessing Opelka’s Chances 22:10 - Tiafoe vs. Fonseca: Round 3 Predictions 22:51 - American Players Who Could Go Far 23:35 - Farewell and AusOpen Trivia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2025 Australian Open is officially here and the boys have plenty to talk about in this week's episode! The guys kick off with insights on player perks and experience in Melbourne before diving into the main storylines heading into this year’s tournament. They then move onto a Nothing Major staple - the snake draft. Each guy drafts their own team for the 2025 Australian Open before wrapping with personal memories from the AO. From going 5 sets with a furious Nalbandian, to blowing their stipends in the local casino, John, Sam and Steve share some of their best and worst times down under. 00:00) Intro: Let’s Dive In (00:46) Kokkinakis Apologies (Our Bad!) (01:54) Happy Slam? Australian Open Debate (05:12) Toughest Slam to Play (06:24) Best Slam to Win (07:09) Late-Night AO Madness (10:12) American Contenders (12:44) Nishikori & Opelka Shoutouts (15:42) First-Round Players to Avoid (18:02) Beyond Alcaraz and Sinner (20:44) Is Djokovic Flying Under Radar? (22:38) Most Vulnerable Top 8? (23:59) AO Snake Draft Teams (32:18) Final Draft Recap (33:56) AO Memories: The Good Ones (34:18) Meeting Federer: Awkward Dream Moment (35:56) Steve’s Federer Post-Match Story (38:23) Federer’s 90-Minute Match Record (38:50) Nalbandian’s AO Collapse (40:14) Sam’s POV (41:19) Melbourne’s Worst Memories (42:07) Outside Courts Experience (43:34) Where to Stay in Melbourne? (45:15) Best Melbourne Memory… wasn’t during AO! (47:17) Sam’s Nip Slip (49:49) Goodbye: Wrapping It Up (50:25) Trivia Challenge: Australian Open edition

John, Jack, Sam, and Stevie are back with a brand-new episode to kick off 2025! From the buzz surrounding the Djokovic-Murray partnership to the resurgence of super coaches like Ivan Lendl, the boys dive into the biggest storylines set to shape the year. The four share their thoughts on the current state of tennis as a global sport and answer the question, is tennis growing in popularity? Finally, it's time to review YOUR bold predictions for the new season—including the end of Rublev’s curse, Jack’s potential comeback, and speculation around Djokovic’s retirement—before making their own predictions for the year ahead. (00:00) Introduction (00:32) Welcome to the Show (00:49) New Year's Eve Reflections (04:04) Favorite Pre-Australian Open Tournament (06:59) Best of Auckland: A Walk Down Memory Lane (10:58) Sam’s Unforgettable Chennai Fiasco (11:45) 2025 Season Preview (13:18) Tennis Today vs. the Big 3 Era: A Comparison (16:30) Djokovic + Murray: Strategy or Pure Vibes? (22:20) Will Hurkacz’s Lendl & Massu Dream Team Deliver? (28:39) Bold Fan Predictions (29:53) Djokovic’s 2025 Retirement: Is It Real? (30:44) Will Jack Team Up for Doubles at Wimbledon? (31:36) Can Rublev Break Through to a Major Semifinal? (33:04) 2025 Slam Champions: Our Predictions (34:33) Zverev, Djokovic, or an American to win a Major? (35:50) Rising Stars: Who Will Break Through? (39:50) Sam in Pickleball vs. Jack in Tennis? (41:53) Subscribe and Follow Us! (43:12) Sam’s Challenging Trivia: Federer Edition

The hosts reflect on a thrilling 2024 tennis season, spotlighting Jannik Sinner’s remarkable 73-6 record and Novak Djokovic’s mixed feelings after an Olympic win without majors. They debate whether Sinner’s dominance puts him among the all-time greats and consider Carlos Alcaraz's two-Slam performance. Listeners weigh in on memorable moments, while the group shares laughs about recent retirements, notably overlooking a notable name. The banter flows as they explore the emotional rollercoaster of the sport, making for an entertaining recap.