Nothing Major

The excitement of Roland Garros is palpable as the podcast features an emotional tribute to Rafael Nadal following his retirement. Highlights from the first round reveal stunning upsets, particularly the shocking defeats of Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev. Intense match analyses showcase Medvedev's struggle against Norrie. The remarkable performances of American players add to the buzz, and there’s talk about potential match-ups in the rounds ahead. Plus, fans can now grab fresh merchandise celebrating this thrilling tournament!

This week features Richard Gasquet, a former World No. 7 and 18-time non-major champ, as he shares his decision to retire in 2025 and his emotional journey playing his final tournament at Roland Garros. He reflects on his early experiences facing the hosts and lightens the mood with humorous takes on his odds at the French Open. The conversation dives into nostalgic tournament memories, including a comical Ethiopian dining adventure in Geneva, adding layers of camaraderie and laughter to the tennis narrative.

With Sam still digging holes in Turks and Caicos and Jack on the move, John and Steve are running the show as they recap a blockbuster finals weekend in Rome. The duo breaks down the Alcaraz vs. Sinner showdown and debates who’s the favorite heading into Roland Garros, plus they celebrate Jasmine Paolini’s emotional win on home soil. Curious about why Tommy Paul isn’t making his car payments, John takes matters into his own hands with a surprise FaceTime attempt. Steve reacts to the early surprises from the opening rounds of the Aura Draw, and the boys tease what’s next for the return of Something Major. 00:00 Introduction and Today's Agenda 00:35 Hosts and Missing Members 01:49 Recap of Rome Men's Final 09:12 Recap of Rome Women's Final 15:48 Upcoming ATP Schedule and Geneva Preview 19:02 Hamburg Tournament Insights 21:06 Sasha's Playing Style and Tournament Decisions 22:43 Tommy Paul's Car Payment Saga 24:07 FaceTiming Tommy Paul Live 27:58 The Aura Draw Quarterfinals 30:51 Upcoming French Open Coverage 31:51 Doubles Match with Sam Querrey 33:31 Tragic Loss in the Tennis Community Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we head into finals weekend in Rome, the gang is back together to break down the latest stories from the Italian clay. Jack, John, Sam, and Stevie relive their best and worst memories in the Eternal City. In this week’s Mailbag special, the boys tackle your questions, reminiscing about fanny pack tourist missions and the time Sam got hustled on a selfie stick. They debate the importance of clay court shoes and ask: why don’t Americans win more clay titles in Europe? Plus, is Rome’s court… kinda mid? And finally, the Aura Draw is here but there’s still one wildcard slot up for grabs… 00:00 Introduction and Rome Finals Weekend Overview 00:22 Special Guests and Tournament Draw Announcement 02:09 Rome Story Time: Off-Court Memories 04:40 Hilarious Selfie Stick Incident 08:19 Favorite Restaurants and Dining Experiences in Rome 10:48 Memorable Matches and Doubles Titles 14:49 Rome Mailbag: Viewer Questions Answered 15:46 Wearable Technology in Tennis 17:46 The New Pope and Tennis 19:45 American Struggles on European Clay Courts 21:51 Rowdy Italian Tennis Crowds 22:38 Carlos Alcaraz's Early Warmups 24:15 Eating Italian Food While Competing 27:35 Clay Court vs. Hard Court Shoes 30:14 Ranking Rome's Center Court 32:22 Conclusion and Fan Mailbag Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jannik Sinner returns to form in Rome, leaving fans buzzing. The hosts dive into Iga Swiatek's pre-French Open challenges and discuss potential upsets as players gear up for the big tournament. Insights into the rising stars of tennis, like Peyton Stearns, highlight the competitive landscape. Humorous anecdotes about the quirks of tournament management add to the fun, while the excitement builds for the Aura Draw announcement. Join the banter as they celebrate tennis and engage with listeners in their lively discussion!

As veterans of the Rome Masters, the boys break down the highs and lows of the Italian clay 1000, from navigating narrow locker room doors to battling with the tiniest towels of the season. In true American fashion, John, Jack, Sam, and Steve decide to air their European pet peeves, from soupy eggs, twin beds pushed together, and 'Mr. Bean cars'. With the NCAA season reaching its climax, college tennis legend Steve Johnson leads the crew in drafting their all-time Men's NCAA tennis team. Will Stevie draft himself? Plus, as anticipation builds for Sam and Steve’s challenge match against two local amateurs, their opponents crash the pod to talk trash and preview the showdown. With every game starting at 0–40, can Sam and Stevie still pull off the win? 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 01:22 Discussing the Rome Masters Event 11:14 European Pet Peeves 20:47 All-Time Men's NCAA Tennis Team Draft 25:07 Debating the Best Tennis Players 25:39 Drafting Tennis Legends 27:21 Discussing Doubles Strategies 33:31 Introducing the Challengers 37:37 Match Preparations and Tactics 42:34 Merchandise Update and Conclusion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a wrap in Madrid and against all odds, someone from the Nothing Major crew actually made a correct prediction. Following last week’s revelation that John Isner watches everything with subtitles, he’s back to gloat after receiving overwhelming support in the YouTube comments. With Sinner’s return looming after his three-month suspension, Jack, John, Sam, and Steve discuss how the locker room might respond and which players are most in need of a big result before Roland Garros. The crew also looks ahead to Rome, sharing their favorite courts, reflecting on the changing vibe of the iconic Pietrangeli, and battling through some clay-court trivia… where Sam catches a massive stray. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:21 Madrid Open Recap 01:09 Predictions and Subtitles Debate 05:01 Upcoming Rome Masters and Aura Draw 07:12 Men's Side Analysis: Casper Ruud and Jack Draper 14:21 WTA Side Analysis: Sabalenka and Gauff 21:23 Understanding Betting Odds 22:28 Naomi Osaka's Confidence Boost 25:15 Rome Tournament Preview: Men's Side 35:14 Rome Tournament Preview: Women's Side 37:46 Trivia Time: Most Matches in Rome History Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Madrid finals approaching, Jack, John, Sam, and Stevie look back on their best and most forgettable performances on the Spanish clay. But first, the boys kick off this week's episode off with heated debates around watching Netflix with subtitles and the best tennis movies of all time. Spoiler alert, you might want to head to the video version on YouTube to watch the guys react to a movie clip of Sam's shocker of a pick. The guys then get their head back into the clay swing to discuss a few of Rafael Nadal's mind bending career clay court stats before jumping into a Madrid themed Major Mailbag. No shortage of banter from string tensions and co-ed tournaments to getting dirty in the clay. And last, but not least, Sam jumps into the hot seat to reflect on the 3 most painful clay court losses of his career. 00:00 Introduction and Mailbag Day 00:08 Discussing Madrid Results 00:57 Debate on Subtitles 04:33 Best Tennis Movies 08:14 Memorable Matches in Madrid 11:47 Rafael Nadal's Clay Court Dominance 15:27 Proposing Changes to Tennis Tournaments 16:26 Hot Coaches Bracket Tease 16:44 Podcast Uncertainty and New Initiatives 16:51 Introducing the Aura Draw Concept 16:57 Details and Examples of the Aura Draw 17:58 Fan Engagement and Suggestions 18:33 Mailbag: Masters 1000 on Clay in America 19:55 Mailbag: Comparing Clay Court Tournaments 20:33 Mailbag: Clay Court Challenges and Equipment 26:24 Mailbag: Blue Clay and Tournament Dynamics 27:00 Mailbag: Player Interactions at Tournaments 28:54 Mailbag: Opinions on Two-Week Masters Series 30:30 Reflecting on Tough Clay Court Losses 35:23 Roasting a Player: Sarah's Skills Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The power is back in Madrid, just in time for a new episode of Nothing Major! Sam, Stevie, John, and Jack break down the latest results from Madrid, and discuss the power outage that has put the tournament on hold. They dive into the sport’s biggest headlines: the growing pains of fully electronic officiating, Alexander Zverev’s phone incident, and Naomi Osaka’s surprising decision to enter a Challenger event. Plus, with the NFL Draft wrapped up, the boys hold their own draft, picking their ultimate under-20 tennis dream team. And after Sam’s amateur challenge idea sparked a buzz, the debate continues: who would actually come out on top? 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Madrid Tournament 00:37 Power Outage and Electronic Line Calling Issues 01:57 Player Reactions to Line Calling Controversies 03:13 Discussion on ATP Umpires and Their Roles 05:45 Unexpected Delays and Player Experiences 06:26 NFL Draft and Tennis Player Draft Picks 08:05 Novak Djokovic's Recent Struggles 18:00 Women's Tournament Highlights and Predictions 19:19 Big Name Players in Challengers 21:16 Navigating Tournament Pressure 22:34 Madrid Predictions: Men's and Women's Winners 24:53 Debating Tennis Mustaches 25:53 Doubles Challenge: Pros vs. Amateurs 31:02 Top Challenger Tournaments 32:45 Trivia Time: Masters Series Semifinals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Madrid Open underway, John, Jack, Sam, and Stevie are back to share their favorite memories, and some honest takes on the Spanish 1000 tournament. From the not-so-fancy venue, to the lost magic of the blue clay, to the challenges of finding dinner in a city that eats at midnight. Tennis' favorite host and reporter Blair Henley, crashes the pod with a surprise segment featuring some unbelievable photos from the gang's high school days. Sam attempts to pitch a new pod segment, the boys discuss the best clay court traits and is launching a Hot Coach Bracket a good idea? 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:41 John's Birthday 03:17 Special Guest: Blair Henley 08:13 Prom Stories 19:29 Madrid Tournament Experiences 24:26 Discussing the Blue Clay Experiment 25:11 Funny and Memorable Moments in Madrid 31:24 Overrated, Underrated, and Properly Rated Tourist Attractions in Europe 40:36 Fan Questions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.