The Body Serve

The Body Serve Tennis Podcast
The Body Serve

Tennis podcast featuring casual, semi-respectable conversations about the ATP & WTA.

  1. 29 SEPT.

    Gatekeeping Tennis

    Tennis is a famously exclusive sport. So which forces and institutions determine who gets access? Who’s guarding the gates, and what’s the criteria for entry? In this episode, which is co-produced by Sheriece Matias Dick, we start to explore the barriers to entering tennis, the various paths into the sport, and how the gatekeeping institutions of tennis have jockeyed for power through the profound economic and cultural changes of the past 140 years. After exploring a few players’ journeys into pro tennis, we look into the founding ethos of the sport -- “gentlemanly amateurism” -- and how that obsession with status permeated the sport even as it became more accessible to working class people. Finally, we land in the present day, where the seat of power has shifted from aristocratic patrons to the corporate sponsor, with their own standards of conduct, inclusion, and ‘class.’ 0:30 What is gatekeeping and how does it relate to tennis? 9:40 Various routes to becoming a pro tennis player 12:25 Comparing Tiafoe and Fritz 23:05 Tennis’ “working class champions”: various paths to the pro level 30:20 The financial barriers for kids entering tennis 36:50 Tennis as an activity for the leisure class 41:45 Code of etiquette: a surprisingly durable way to police the gate and perform class status  48:30 The Open Era democratizes tennis, sort of 51:45 The new tennis economy: broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and the invention of the branded tennis celebrity 57:35 Connors, McEnroe, and their very American “class struggle” 65:00 From patron to sponsor

    1 h 12 min
  2. 9 SEPT.

    The Sins of Our Fathers

    The final major of the year is over and the champions are the same as in January: Aryna Sabalenka stakes her claim as hardcourt queen while Jannik Sinner dominates mere days after being cleared in an anti-doping case. We recap some of our highlights from week two, which had a ton of potential but didn’t deliver many (any?) classics. We dig into why disliking billionaires is actually totally fine; conflicts of interest and their sometimes humorous results; online mean girl/mean boy behavior from some famous commentators; and more observations from the site. We finish up with a look at commentator Nick Kyrgios and the complacency that led broadcasters, journalists, and commentators to excuse his misogyny; plus the ongoing lawsuit over Ben Rothenberg’s reporting on the Zverev abuse allegations.       0:35 Not the most brilliant three weeks of tennis in history but OK! 3:00 The women’s final was fun! Aryna Sabalenka bookends her year with hardcourt Slams 7:35 Billionaires, they’re just like us! 14:45 Notable week two matches: Navarro d. Badosa; Zheng d. Vekic; Aryna evolving into the most consistent Slam player on tour 19:00 Rennae cooks coach/commentator Brad Gilbert on air, and why that’s totally fine  26:55 An unseasoned final  30:50 The American narrative + Frances Tiafoe getting so close again 44:50 Penko a first-time Slam doubles winner; Taylor/Katka, Mladenovic/Zhang, D. Young 52:10 “Little grim reapers” and a few more observations from the grounds 63:40 ESPN commentators discover player name pronunciations and immediately get mean about it 71:10 Nick Kyrgios, misogyny, and the insider hypocrisy that protects him 79:45 Ben Rothenberg appeals a lawsuit from Alexander Zverev + its broader implications for journalism

    1 h 31 min

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Tennis podcast featuring casual, semi-respectable conversations about the ATP & WTA.

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