Nothing Major

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.

The guys kick off the show recapping the most significant results from last week. Is Zverev back after winning on home soil? Could Rune’s victory over Alcaraz make him a week-in, week-out threat moving forward? And does Ostapenko’s dominant week in Stuttgart make her a Roland Garros contender? They then delve into the ITIA’s odd clarification on the tennis doping control policy and reminisce about their not-so-enjoyable experiences of being watched in the locker room by drug testers during their post-loss showers. Finally, they conclude with their predictions for this week’s Madrid tournament. Can the guys maintain their impressive streak of incorrect picks? 00:00 – Intro and Episode Setup 01:22 – Jack’s Vietnam Pickleball Tour Recap 03:23 – Jack’s Travel Horror Story and WrestleMania Banter 05:05 – Barcelona Recap: Rune Beats Alcaraz 09:45 – Is Zverev Back? Munich Title Discussion 13:47 – Ben Shelton’s Clay Court Run 17:05 – American Players and Clay Court Reputation 20:10 – Stuttgart WTA Recap: Ostapenko’s Win Over Swiatek 25:50 – Can Ostapenko Win the French Open? 30:28 – ITIA Shower Rule Controversy and Doping Stories 37:23 – Madrid Masters Predictions and Draw Talk 43:00 – Website Plug + Trivia Intro 44:21 – Trivia: Who Beat Fed, Rafa, and Novak at Madrid?

This week, the guys go full clay-mode with some hard truths about life on the dirt. They draft their current top clay-court players, revisit the narrative that Americans can’t hang on the surface, and share some painfully honest personal stories - including Steve Johnson’s worst-ever loss on clay winning two games in a five set match. The boys then turn to the Nothing Major mailbag and give insight into life on the ATP Tour, including how coaches are compensated and laundry disasters on the road. 00:00 - Intro: Mailbag, Clay Draft, and Clay Court Losses 00:30 - Jack Sock Still in Vietnam 01:00 - Tennis and Clinics with Sam, John, and Steve 03:00 - Clay Court Snake Draft Begins 06:00 - Draft Recap and Bad Clay Court Team for Jack Sock 09:00 - Steve Johnson’s Worst Clay Court Losses 13:00 - French Open Horror Stories 16:00 - Fan Mailbag: How Are Coaches Paid? 20:00 - Tennis Laundry Stories and Roger Federer Mystique 23:30 - Does Djokovic Have a Slam Chance in 2024? 25:50 - Tournament Hotel and Coach Expense Stories 30:00 - Tips for Submitting Mailbag Questions 30:40 - Fan Roast: German Indoor Tennis Court Vibes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carlos Alcaraz shines with an impressive win in Monte Carlo, raising questions about his favorite status for the French Open. Novak Djokovic and Alex Zverev's surprising early exits spark panic among fans. The intense pressure on athletes like Rory McIlroy at the Masters is mirrored in tennis, highlighting the emotional stakes. There's exciting speculation about Roger Federer's potential return and Ben Shelton's viral doubles moment adds drama. The dynamics of clay season promise thrilling stories ahead!