Ground Pass: A Tennis Podcast

Rome is done and Roland Garros starts tomorrow. Anastasia is joined by Lucy Deuce for a tennis-friends-on-the-couch breakdown of one of the loudest weeks of the clay swing: Jannik Sinner completing the Career Golden Masters at 24, Elina Svitolina lifting a third Rome title and locking herself back into the top 10, and Coco Gauff fighting her way to a final the discourse swore she wouldn't reach. They also stop for a voice memo from journalist Hanlon Walsh on the ground in Rome, get into Gucci and the luxury-fashion-meets-tennis moment, and preview a Roland Garros draw that genuinely no one has figured out yet.
In part two, Anastasia sits down with Edward Schmidt, author of The Open Era — a queer, mental-health-forward tennis novel out June 2 (June 4 in the UK). This conversation also kicks off something Anastasia has been sitting on for nearly a year: the very first Ground Pass Book Club. Links to pre-order and to the book launch at The Strand in NYC are in the show notes.
Settle in, pour the coffee, this one is a long, juicy ride.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:26 Highlights from the Rome Masters
08:31 Locking In for Roland Garros with Lucy Deuce
12:28 Fashion Meets Tennis: The Gucci Influence
18:30 Rome Tournament Highlights and Results
20:32 Jannik Sinner's Triumph in Rome
29:57 Elina Svitolina's Comeback and Impact on Women's Tennis
35:44 Coco Gauff's Journey and Resilience
43:55 Looking Ahead to Roland Garros
48:52 Interview with Edward Schmidt
51:53 Eddie's Journey into Tennis
54:12 The Open Era: Book Overview
57:36 Mental Health in Tennis
01:02:14 Cultural Moments in Tennis
01:03:22 The Impact of Social Media on Sports
01:06:48 Representation in Tennis
01:10:41 Coming Out in Sports
01:13:46 The Impact of Representation
01:15:36 Mental Health and Authenticity
01:26:24 Outro

Links:
Vanity Fair funny clip: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYSWSIzJap7/?igsh=bGxzbW5udmJ3bjRz
Merch: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop

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Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/support

Our New Merch is LIVE!!! Ground Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop

Where You can Find us Online:

Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com
Website - www.groundpasspodcast.com
Email - [email protected]

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ground_pass
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/groundpass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ground_pass
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GroundPass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@groundpasspodcast
X: https://x.com/groundpasspod

Disclaimer: This video does not contain a paid for advertisement. PR samples are denoted by the term ‘ad - gifted’. Links containing ad affiliate links are denoted by a '*'. This means that if you click on an affiliate link, go through to the retailer and purchase an item, we will receive a small percentage of your purchase. Check out our website for a full disclaimer: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/about

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Nick is back from a birthday recharge in Wales and we're getting into Rome. Sinner is playing in all-black Gucci and closing in on the Career Masters at 24. Arthur Fils, Ben Shelton, Fonseca, and FAA are all out or struggling three weeks before Roland Garros. Sabalenka looks beatable for the first time in a while, Iga might be back, and the WTA field has gotten very wide open very fast. Plus housekeeping on the last day of spring merch pre-orders, our McCarran Park screening dates for Roland Garros and Wimbledon, an Off Season check-in, and our Players of the Fortnight.

Links:
Merch: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop
Mattia’s Meet the Player interview: https://youtu.be/5fEWXVYtYRI?si=6Lrh1hgBAdAC541x
Hailey Baptiste Tee: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop/p/off-season-tour-tee-hailey-baptiste-limited-edition

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and Housekeeping
05:32 Two Week Masters are OUT
10:03 The State of the ATP Tour
17:58 Novak Djokovic's Return and Future Prospects
21:11 Janik Sinner's Dominance and Historical Context
25:53 The WTA Landscape: Surprises and Uncertainties
31:30 Retirement Announcements and Their Impact on Performance
34:06 Paolini out of the top 10
39:31 TNT is back for Roland Garros Coverage in the US & UK
44:50 Catching up with the Off Season
49:16 What’s coming up next on tour
52:20 Highlighting Players of the Fortnight
57:11 Outro

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Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/support

Our New Merch is LIVE!!! Ground Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop

Where You can Find us Online:

Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com
Website - www.groundpasspodcast.com
Email - [email protected]

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ground_pass
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/groundpass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ground_pass
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GroundPass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@groundpasspodcast
X: https://x.com/groundpasspod

Disclaimer: This video does not contain a paid for advertisement. PR samples are denoted by the term ‘ad - gifted’. Links containing ad affiliate links are denoted by a '*'. This means that if you click on an affiliate link, go through to the retailer and purchase an item, we will receive a small percentage of your purchase. Check out our website for a full disclaimer: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/about

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A mini pod to wrap Madrid and look ahead to Rome. We get into Hailey Baptiste's career-best run, Marta Kostyuk's unbeaten clay season (and the backflip we didn't know we needed), Mirra Andreeva's two finals, Townsend and Siniakova's doubles takeover, and the men's final that we, frankly, did not watch. Plus: why Alexander Blockx deserves more credit, the case for actually watching Next Gen, Ethan Quinn going full clay dog in Aix, and our spring merch is live (with a very limited Hailey Baptiste tee that drops out of the store May 11). Order of Play hits Substack right after.

Links:
Merch: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop
ATP Next Gen doc: https://youtu.be/Vwdq01RMD9I?si=HdzjlbrKhVlxeFDE
Off Season Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offseasontv?igsh=MWJhaHZ4ano4NWlpeQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Rome Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@internazionalibnl
Last Week’s Order of Play: https://groundpass.substack.com/p/order-of-play-alcaraz-out-roland-garros

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:38 Merch Update
04:48 Breakthrough Performances: Hailey Baptiste and Others
11:48 Men's Final and Emerging Talents
24:24 Other Bits and Bobs
25:10 Rome Preview
29:41 Outro

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Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/support

Our New Merch is LIVE!!! Ground Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop

Where You can Find us Online:

Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com
Website - www.groundpasspodcast.com
Email - [email protected]

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ground_pass
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/groundpass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ground_pass
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GroundPass
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X: https://x.com/groundpasspod

Disclaimer: This video does not contain a paid for advertisement. PR samples are denoted by the term ‘ad - gifted’. Links containing ad affiliate links are denoted by a '*'. This means that if you click on an affiliate link, go through to the retailer and purchase an item, we will receive a small percentage of your purchase. Check out our website for a full disclaimer: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/about
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carlos Alcaraz is out of Rome and Roland Garros, and the men's draw in Madrid has cracked wide open. Anastasia and Nick break down what the wrist injury means for Paris, why Rafa Jodar and Daniel Merida are the names to know, and how Hailey Baptiste is quietly playing herself into a Roland Garros seed. Plus a new Sabalenka vs Osaka rematch, Naomi's Pucci scarf visor moment, the launch of Order of Play on Substack, a Jonas Wood tennis court art show in LA, and the question every player faces in a two-week 1000: what do you do when you lose early?
Player of the Fortnight picks (with a big assist from the comments): Veronica Podrez, Rafa Jodar, and Daniel Merida.

Links:
- NEW Merch: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop
- Where Naomi Osaka's scarf came from - https://www.instagram.com/highdivenyc?igsh=MTVlYmJ6aDhvZDVuMA==

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:28 Reading your comments
07:58 Carlos Alcaraz out for the rest of the Clay Season
15:50 Impromptu Quiz
20:07 Week 1 of Madrid Recap
22:52 ATP Recap
28:02 WTA Recap
33:00 Naomi Osaka's walk out kit
35:10 New Substack Newsletter post
39:52 What do players do when they lose early at 2 week Masters
45:46 Coming Up This Week in Tennis
50:40 Players of the Fortnight
58:08 Outro

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Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/support

Our New Merch is LIVE!!! Ground Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop

Where You can Find us Online:

Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com
Website - www.groundpasspodcast.com
Email - [email protected]

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ground_pass
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/groundpass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ground_pass
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GroundPass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@groundpasspodcast
X: https://x.com/groundpasspod

Disclaimer: This video does not contain a paid for advertisement. PR samples are denoted by the term ‘ad - gifted’. Links containing ad affiliate links are denoted by a '*'. This means that if you click on an affiliate link, go through to the retailer and purchase an item, we will receive a small percentage of your purchase. Check out our website for a full disclaimer: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/about

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick is on his own for the mini pod this week while I'm off the grid, and there is a lot to get through. Rybakina picks up her second Porsche in Stuttgart after surviving a Leylah Fernandez match that nearly became the women's match of the year. Karolina Muchova finally gets Coco Gauff. Mirra Andreeva keeps rolling on indoor clay. Marta Kostyuk wins Rouen in an all-Ukrainian final alongside 19-year-old Veronika Podrez. Arthur Fils takes Barcelona as Alcaraz pulls out, and Ben Shelton wins on European clay in Munich. Plus what's happening with Marketa Vondrusova and a Madrid preview missing two of its biggest names.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:01 Stuttgart: A Premier WTA Event
04:31 Zeynep Somnez and Leylah Fernandez shine
09:26 Karolina Muchova's big win
16:59 Ruan WTA 250: New Faces and Rising Stars
19:27 Quick re-cap of Rouen
23:02 Injury Challenges for Alcaraz
25:03 The Impact of Player Withdrawals
26:17 No Novak Djokovic yet
27:38 Arthur Fils wins in Barcelona
29:04 Name to remember - Rafa Jodar
30:16 On to Munich - Fonseca takes steps forward
32:47 Ethan Quinn & Ben Shelton's Breakthrough on Clay
36:23 Off Court News
39:15 Madrid Open Preview
41:17 Outro

💬 Don’t forget to give us a leave is a 5 ⭐️ rating and drop us a comment

Want to Support Ground Pass - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/support

Our New Merch is LIVE!!! Ground Pass Shop - https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/shop

Where You can Find us Online:

Substack - https://groundpass.substack.com
Website - www.groundpasspodcast.com
Email - [email protected]

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ground_pass
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/groundpass.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ground_pass
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GroundPass
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@groundpasspodcast
X: https://x.com/groundpasspod

Disclaimer: This video does not contain a paid for advertisement. PR samples are denoted by the term ‘ad - gifted’. Links containing ad affiliate links are denoted by a '*'. This means that if you click on an affiliate link, go through to the retailer and purchase an item, we will receive a small percentage of your purchase. Check out our website for a full disclaimer: https://www.groundpasspodcast.com/about
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.