No Challenges Remaining
Episodes
Episode 243a: Australian Open - Where There's Smoke...
18 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The air in Melbourne can change with the winds, but to get a sense of which directions this tournament is listing towards, Ben is joined by Stuart Fra...
Episode 242: Australian Open 2020 Draw Preview
17 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney dive into the first Grand Slam of the 2020s with some Big Decade Energy, breaking down the paths for the top women and men in Melbour...
Episode 241: Battles in Brisbane; Serena Wins a Title
12 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney wrap up the week that was in Brisbane, where a loaded women's field produced four in-form semifinalists (Karolina Pliskova, Madison K...
Episode 240: ATP Cup Begins; Fires Continue
09 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the week winds on in Brisbane, we first hear from one of the players already affected by the fires: Liam Broady, who had to reroute after traveling...
Episode 239: Barbora Strycova
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Kicking off our *NINTH* season, NCR is thrilled to be joined by one of our favorite people on tour, Barbora Strycova. From the grounds of the Brisb...
Episode 238b: Top 10 Defining Female Players of the Decade
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney wrap up the decade with our choices for the 10 most defining players of the 2010s in women's tennis. Tough decisions had to be made! ...
Episode 238a: Top 10 Defining Male Players of the Decade
14 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney wrap up the decade of NCR with our lists of who were the most defining players of the decade, each picking 10 players (10 men, 10 wo...
Episode 237: Tennis Power Plays with Lindsay Gibbs
04 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
NCR is delighted to welcome back Lindsay Gibbs, creator of Power Plays, for a wide-ranging discussion of sexism in sports, anchored (obviously in tenn...
Episode 236c: Reviewing New Davis Cup (with Eleanor Crooks)
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
To wrap up the highs and lows of the radically revamped Davis Cup Finals event which just wrapped in Madrid, Ben is joined by Eleanor Crooks of PA to ...
Episode 236b: Farewells and Fair Blocks
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney continue their end-of-season show by looking at the various, disparate newsmakings of retired WTA stars Margaret Court (what should T...
Episode 236a: Tsitsipas is King in England; WTAsia Wrap
19 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After far too long apart, Ben and Courtney reunited to record a sprawling conversation as the tennis season nears its end, and here's the first half. ...
Episode 235: Dude Tennis With Ricky Dimon
03 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In an annual NCR tradition, Ben is joined in DC by marathoner Ricky Dimon for a lookback at the ATP season that was. 2019 offered a lot of the same ...
Episode 234: Tennis Politics with Vasek Pospisil
18 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We're back with an interview from a bit ago with Vasek Pospisil, who has been using his spot on the ATP Player Council to lead a crusade for greater r...
Episode 233: Bianca, Rafa Win a U.S. Open for the Millennium
10 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. Open was one to remember for runs by champion Bianca Andreescu and runner-up Daniil Medvedev, whom Ben and Courtney explore on this wrap show...
Episode 232: U.S. Open 2019 Preview
25 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On the eve of the U.S. Open, Ben and Courtney sit down with the draws to figure out who is going to win this thing. It only feels worth going so far o...
Episode 231: On Stopping
16 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With careers lasting longer than ever in professional tennis nowadays, how does one end? To discuss that, Ben welcomes Tim Smyczek back to NCR. W...
Episode 230: Halep Takes the Wheel; Big 3 Roll
17 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Back on Centre Court among the debris of the men's final, Ben and Courtney wrap up the Wimbledon that was. You'll hear much, including: why the men...
Episode 229: A Wimbledon Preview From Centre Court
30 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On their second try, Ben and Courtney recorded a Wimbledon preview from Centre Court, full of rehearsals for the big show which begins tomorrow (no, w...
Episode 228: Barty, Nadal Party in France
13 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A few days after the French Open, Ben and Courtney look back on the tournament that was and wasn't. While celebrating the champions--particularly the ...
Episode 227: Draw Me Like One of Your French Opens, 2019
26 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With hours to go before the 2019 French Open begins, Ben and Courtney sit down for a quick-ish rundown of who can win this tournament and why. From Na...
Episode 226: Nick Kyrgios
15 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In our first player interview in a while, Ben sits down in Rome with Nick Kyrgios, who provides his remarkably unfiltered views on himself and others ...
Episode 225: Quartermarks and Coups
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney catch up on the happenings on the tours over the past couple months, which has been dominated by the story of no one dominating. What...
Episode 224: The 10 Most Important Women in Tennis History
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Taking a conversation that began on Twitter and building it into the longest episode they've ever done on one topic, Ben and Courtney wend their way t...
Episode 223: Australian Open - Djokovic and Osaka Again
30 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A day after the Australian Open, Ben and Courtney convene to discuss a Slam which seemed to provide more answers than questions, for a change. Both No...
Episode 222: Steve The Talk - Stefanos Tsitsipas, with Vicky Georgatou
22 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With Stefanos Tsitsipas breaking onto the world stage by beating Roger Federer and then backing it up, Ben is joined by Vicky Georgatou, the best (and...
Episode 221: Mary Carillo Returns
13 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In what we hope will become an annual tradition, Mary Carillo joins us once again as the Australian Open is about to begin, helping us set the table f...
Episode 220: 2019 Australian Open Draw Show
12 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As they begin Season 8(!) of NCR, Ben and Courtney dive into the men's and women's draws of the Australian Open, which look well set up for the usual ...
Episode 219c: Remember When? 2018, Part 3
30 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Our seventh season of NCR wraps up with the third part of our marathon "Remember When?" episode, covering everything from the North American hard cour...
Episode 219b: Remember When? 2018, Part 2
29 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The second installment of "Remember When?" sees Ben and Courtney reminisce on the very eventful French Open, as well as Wimbledon, where we did not ne...
Episode 219a: Remember When? 2018, Part 1
21 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With a whole year behind them, Ben and Courtney have a whole lot to look back on, both fondly and...less fondly. And so, the fairly annual "Remember...
Episode 218: A Season Ends; A Ninja Departs
03 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Back together for the first time since New York, Ben and Courtney recap the fall season, revisiting Elina Svitoina and Sascha Zverev winning the year-...
Episode 217: Talking Dudes (With Ricky Dimon)
01 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With Courtney covering the end of the women's season in Zhuhai, Ben is joined once again in Washington with friend of the show Ricky Dimon to talk abo...
Episode 216: Julie Heldman
12 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
On the heels of the release of her new book, "Driven: A Daughter's Odyssey," Ben speaks with Julie Heldman about her journey and the legacy of her mot...
Episode 215: Laver Cup with Liz Clarke
26 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With Courtney in China for a bit, Ben was delighted to meet up in D.C. with The Washington Post's Liz Clarke, who recently returned from Chicago where...
Episode 214b: Shutting the U.S. Open, Part 2: Everything Else
15 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After spending the last episode on Naomi Osaka and what happened in her final against Serena Williams, Ben and Courtney move on to the rest of the U.S...
Episode 214a: Shutting the U.S. Open, Part 1: Osaka, Serena, Ramos
11 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The 2018 U.S. Open was absurdly eventful, and the women's side finished with tremendous controversy, so we devote most of this first wrap-up episode t...
Episode 213: When NCR Met Naomi Osaka
07 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With Naomi Osaka reaching the U.S. Open final, Ben and Courtney revisit the first time we discussed her, back on Episode 83 in August 2014. We had ne...
Episode 212: U.S. Open 2018 Draw Preview Spectacular
25 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a minute, but Ben and Courtney are back together to tee up the 2018 U.S. Open draw and do a little catching up on things we missed or covere...
Episode 211: Open Playbook (LGBT in Tennis, Feat. Nick McCarvel, Brian Vahaly, Casey Dellacqua)
24 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
NCR was THRILLED to be able to partner with friend of the show Nick McCarvel for his "Open Playbook: Being Queer & Out in Pro Tennis" event on the Thu...
Episode 210: Wimbledon Draw 2018
30 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Together in the Wimbledon Village, Ben and Courtney break down the women's and men's Wimbledon draws. First, the women, where much handwringing e...
Episode 209: Strokes of Genius with Jon Wertheim (and Federer, Nadal...and Gulbis)
26 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In advance of the release of the Strokes of Genius documentary, Ben is joined by friend of the show Jon Wertheim, who wrote the book, literally, on t...
Episode 208: Eleanor Preston
24 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney go back to their curtain-pulling roots to bring you the wisdom of Eleanor Preston, who works as Media Manager at the Nature Valley Cl...
Episode 207: Nadal's 11th, Halep's 1st
18 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Together in Birmingham, Ben and Courtney look back on the French Open, which ended with creative destruction. But before the "demolition party," t...
Episode 206: Draw Me Like One of Your French Opens, 2018
26 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney rendezvous in Paris once again to discuss the women's and men's French Open draws, which set up two very interesting tournaments (or ...
Episode 205: Rekindling Our Fuego
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After an unintentionally long hiatus, Ben and Courtney are back together on the NCR airwaves from Paris, where they play a bit of catchup and try to s...
Episode 204: Osaka and Delpo Feel Their Moment
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Back from Indian Wells, Ben and Courtney start with a discussion of surprise champ Naomi Osaka, who won her first title at any level in emphatic fashi...
Episode 203: Fights and Fakes in February
01 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Frequently frantic, February fades out with the latest chat between Ben and Courtney, who have lots to catch you up on. Topics covered include France...
Episode 202: Bouchard vs U.S.T.A. - Genie Wins Round 1
23 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After three days at a very different court than usual, Ben is joined by Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal to briefly discuss Eugenie Bouchard's...
Episode 201: Australian Open Wrap
06 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney fled to opposite corners of the globe after the Australian Open, so just now bring you this show on the Grand Slam that was, in which...
Episode 200: Mary Carillo
14 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney are delighted to see their ersatz odometer click over to 200 with their dear friend Mary Carillo at the Australian Open (the 200th Gr...
Episode 199d: 2018 Australian Open Preview
13 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney are back in your ears after far too long, and are in Melbourne ready to tee up the first Grand Slam of 2018. On the women's side,...
Episode 199c: Keep the Dream Alive
26 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney reunite on this packed episode and start with a discussion of the legacy of the late Jana Novotna, who passed away at age 49 due to ...
Episode 199b: ATP Rundown (with Ricky Dimon)
25 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
While the best women battle it out in Singapore, we look ahead to the men's season wrapping up with guest Ricky Dimon back on the show to talk some me...
Episode 199a: The Rises and Falls of Fall
19 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With the field set for Singapore, Ben and Courtney look back at the fall that was, including the sudden surge of Caroline Garcia to defy the odds and ...
Episode 199: Laver Cup (With Reem Abulleil)
27 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As she returns from covering the inaugural Laver Cup, NCR's Middle East correspondant Reem Abulleil chats with Ben about the new competition, which pr...
Episode 198b: U.S. Open - Rafa, Sloane, Battle of the Sexes, Unstoppable
12 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The 2017 U.S. Open wrapped up with an unsurprising men's champ in Rafael Nadal and a very surprising women's champ in Sloane Stephens. How did we get ...
Episode 198a: U.S. Open Day 1 - Sharapova Beats Halep
29 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In one of the biggest and best Slam first rounds ever, Maria Sharapova beat #2 Simona Halep in three thrilling sets. Ben and Courtney didn't quite see...
Episode 197: U.S. Open Preview!
28 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's our U.S. Open preview show! Ben and Courtney catch up on the happenings of the hardcourt season, and make all the tough picks as we breakdown the...
Episode 196: Paul Annacone and Giri Nathan
24 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
To set the table for the upcoming US Open, Ben chats with two guys who see tennis through very different lenses. First up is Paul Annacone, a former A...
Episode 195: Burning Topics With Lindsay Gibbs
01 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Long-time friend of the show Lindsay Gibbs joins Ben this week to discuss the intersection of all sorts of societal issues--which she covers in her wo...
Episode 194: Wimbledon a Wimbledud?
16 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Wimbledon 2017 is done with two great champions in Garbine Muguruza and Roger Federer...but why does it still feel unsatisfying? On the letdowns that ...
Episode 193: Wimbledon Manic Impressions
11 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Second week already? I was just in the middle of a dream (about flying ants, probably). With four rounds of Wimbledon in the books, Ben and Courtney c...
Episode 192: Wimbledon 2017 Preview (From Centre Court!)
02 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney are full of Wimbledon joy as they inhale the vaunted fumes of Centre Court, where the 2017 tournament will soon start. They start b...
Episode 191: The Chair Has the Floor
27 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We are delighted to finally be able to fulfill one of our most frequent listener requests: an interview with a chair umpire! Felix Torralba, a gold ...
Episode 190: French Fortune Favors Brave (and Guy Who Won Nine Times Before)
19 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney have a lot to catch up on after the French Open. Well, maybe a little bit less on the men's side, where a fairly lackluster men's tou...
Episode 189: Draw Me Like One of Your French Opens, 2017
27 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's Slamming time again! Ben and Courtney break down the French Open draws for both the men's and women's. On the women's side, where there are many ...
Episode 188: Cautiously Sliding on Clay
23 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In our first somewhat normal show together since the European clay swing began in earnest, Ben and Courtney catch up on what has happened in the past ...
Episode 187b: French Open Shuns Sharapova
17 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In a decision that had been anticipated for months, French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli surprised many by not granting Maria Sharapo...
Episode 187a: NCRvision Song Contest Revisited
13 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's Eurovision season again, and it's NCRvision season again! One year after we launched the NCRvision Song Contest, we're happy to be able to bring...
Episode 186: Jamie Hampton
04 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We are delighted to be able to fulfill a wish of many of our listeners for years now by bringing on Jamie Hampton (a.k.a. Julie Hamilton) as a guest, ...
Episode 185: What to Expect When Serena's Expecting
21 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With best wishes, Ben and Courtney convene after Serena Williams' announcement that she is expecting her first child this fall, and may already be as ...
Episode 184: Resembling an Ensemble
11 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With a quarter of 2017 now complete, Ben and Courtney try to make sense of it all. But does it make sense, really? Daria Kasatkina won Charleston in a...
Episode 183: Shade in the Desert
24 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Wrapping up the happenings in Indian Wells, Ben and Courtney cover the popular champs and the odd ways their matches were pitted against each other. F...
Episode 182a: Maria Sharapova: The Ice Woman Cometh
21 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Maria Sharapova's ban set to end in just over a month, we've assembled an all-star lineup to discuss her impending return and the many questions...
Episode 182: Dipping Into Indian Wells
14 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you can't see stars on a clear desert night, are they still there? Ben and Courtney contemplate these quandries and more as they reunite in Indian ...
Episode 181: Gulf Claps with Reem Abulleil
03 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With the tours spending three weeks in the region, there's no better time to check in with NCR's Middle East correspondent, Reem Abulleil, for a quick...
Episode 180: Getting Turned Around
18 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a slowish month of tennis, anthem nightmares notwithstanding, so Ben and Courtney turn to the ever-reliable mailbag to fill out most of this...
Episode 179: Making a Racquet
08 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
There was an eye-catching ending to Davis Cup this weekend, so Ben and Courtney open by discussing Denis Shapovalov's howitzer into the face of chai...
Episode 178: Waking From Australian Dreams
04 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Back home from their Australian adventures, and with time to process the "dream finals" of the Australian Open, Ben and Courtney rouse and reflect on ...
Episode 177f: Australian Open Day 10-12: Dream Finals
27 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tennis got everything it ever wanted! ...right? Ben and Courtney break down the double-dip dream dates of the unexpected vintage Venus-Serena and Fede...
Episode 177e: Australian Open Day 8-9: Growing Old, Moving Up
24 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With the Aussie Open halfway between quarterfinals and semifinals, Ben is rejoined by Courtney to assess all the fun. Has this Slam been satisfying? D...
Episode 177d: Australian Open Day 5-7: Zverevving Up for the Second Week
22 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The surprises continue on Day 7 of the Australian Open, where both #1s lost Sunday. Angelique Kerber went out to CoCo Vandeweghe (not a huge shock) an...
Episode 177c: Australian Open Day 4: Djokovic Derails
19 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Day 4 was a day of upsets in Melbourne. No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska got blitzed by Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (as Courtney flagged), but the biggest story was...
Episode 177b: Australian Open Day 3: On Losing, With Peter Polansky
18 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's only three days into the Australian Open, but 160 players have already lost in the singles draws (355 if you add qualifying losers). We hardly ...
Episode 177a: Australian Open Day 1-2: Petko and the Children
17 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Australian Open is underway, and Ben and Courtney are surviving, so far! Simona Halep was an early casualty, however, so we discuss her limping in...
Episode 176: Australian Open Draw Show
15 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Together again in Melbourne, Ben and Courtney dive right into the women's and men's draws of the 2017 Australian Open, rolling in some thoughts on the...
Episode 175b: Still Remembering When
10 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Since 2016 had so much stuff to remember, Ben and Courtney split Episode 175 into two pieces so they could make it all more manageable. Here's the sec...
Episode 175a: Ana, Auckland, and Anamneses
03 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's our Season 6 premiere! This is our 217th episode, and golly do Ben and Courtney have lots to reflect on before we get started with 2017. Time to ...
Episode 174: Kvitova and Kicking Back With Questions #2
25 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
After recording the show earlier this week, Ben and Courtney shelved it and then retopped it to address the shocking news of the knife attack which wo...
Episode 173: Kicking Back With Questions #1
08 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
With the off-season upon us, Ben and Courtney curl up into their mailbag of questions and use it to keep warm through the winter, while at the same...
Episode 172: Stuffed With Gratitude
22 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The tennis season, save for that pesky Davis Cup final, is finally over, and so Ben and Courtney digest it (before the heavier duty digestion of Thank...
Episode 171: Regime Change
12 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The world has undergone some changes since Ben and Courtney last spoke. Firstly, as this is a tennis show, we guess, we discuss new ATP #1 Andy Murray...
Episode 170: The Boys Are Back in Town
02 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
After a WTA-centric episode last time, Ben catches up on the ATP side of the equation this week with special guest Ricky Dimon, fresh off his runnin...
Episode 169: Steve Simon (and the Streams)
29 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
With the WTA season wrapping up in Singapore this week, there's no better time to check in with women's tennis boss Steve Simon, who is finishing up ...
Episode 168: Sinking, Tanking, and Politicking
20 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ben and Courtney are reunited at last, and have lots to catch up on. First, how is WTAsia doing? What to be made of Kerber's underwhelming fall swing...
Episode 167: The Sharapova Resolution
13 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
NCR is back after an unforeseen delay (our apologies), and we start by catching up with the conclusion of the Maria Sharapova meldonium case, as Ben ...
Episode 166: Keeping the Faith in Tennis
22 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
With the Istanbul final between Tunisian Malek Jaziri and Israeli Dudi Sela on Sunday, the cross-section of religion and tennis again came into focus ...
Episode 165f: U.S. Open - Kerber, Wawrinka Win; We Punch Out
13 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Recording late the night after the U.S. Open concluded, Ben and Courtney are low on energy (and occasionally coherence) but high on thoughts about th...
Episode 165e: U.S. Open - Finals Reckoning
10 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The finals of the U.S. Open are upon us, and so Ben and Courtney discuss what we can look for and how we got here. On the men's side (for which we ar...
Episode 165d: U.S. Open - The Women in the Room
07 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. Open is proud to have been a leader in gender equality in terms of prize money (and it's the only Slam with the same number of male and fema...