Doctor, farmer, and peace activist Peter Underwood joins Thirty Love host Carl Bialik to talk about his book The Pros: The Forgotten Era Of Tennis. Underwood explains why tennis took so long to go professional, what motivated pros such as Jack Kramer and Rod Laver to endure tough conditions for small purses, and how today's top men would do as barnstormers. Underwood works with the Medical Association for Prevention of War, the founder of ICAN (the International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons) and the recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. His forthcoming book is a collection of poetry. He lives in Perth and runs a small farm in Denmark, West Australia. Have a suggestion for a Thirty Love guest? Email Carl at bialik@pm.me Music by Lee Rosevere: "Credit Roll" and "Glass Android."

Author Peter Underwood On The Pro Era's Greats

Conversations about tennis, always under 30:00, with host Carl Bialik and guests.

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Returning guest Matt Marolf (@mattmarolf), who writes match previews for big tournaments year-round, joins Thirty Love host Carl Bialik after the 2023 U.S. Open to recap the tournament and Matt's prescient picks, predict the careers of the finalists, and air grievances about the sport we love and love to find ways to make better. Links: Matt on Twitter Have feedback, a suggestion for a Thirty Love guest, or anything else you want to say? Email Carl at bialik@pm.me Music by Lee Rosevere: "Credit Roll" and "Glass Android."  

Thirty Love at the 2023 U.S. Open: Matt Marolf Wraps the Tournament and Airs Grievances

Jeff Sackmann, proprietor of the stats and history site Tennis Abstract, joins Thirty Love host Carl Bialik to talk about Battles, Boycotts, and Breakouts: 1973 Redux, Jeff's project to revisit memorable moments from the pivotal tennis season of a half-century ago. Carl and Jeff discuss the 50th anniversary of equal prize money at the U.S. Open, what made 1973 special, and how 2023 might look 50 years from now.  Links: 1973 Redux Tennis Abstract Jeff on Twitter Thirty Love is back for a mini-season around the 2023 U.S. Open. Have feedback, a suggestion for a Thirty Love guest, or anything else you want to say? Email Carl at bialik@pm.me Music by Lee Rosevere: "Credit Roll" and "Glass Android."

Thirty Love at the 2023 U.S. Open: Jeff Sackmann on his project Battles, Boycotts, and Breakouts: 1973 Redux

Returning guest Tumaini Carayol, the Guardian's tennis correspondent, joins the show to talk about players who have caught his eye and had memorable matches at this tournament: Frances Tiafoe, Caroline Wozniacki, Daria Kasatkina, and Andy Murray. He also talks about the rise of hard-court sliding. Thirty Love is back for a mini-season around the 2023 U.S. Open. Have feedback, a suggestion for a Thirty Love guest, or anything else you want to say? Email Carl at bialik@pm.me Music by Lee Rosevere: "Credit Roll" and "Glass Android."

Thirty Love at the 2023 U.S. Open: Tumaini Carayol on Tiafoe, Wozniacki, Kasatkina, and Murray

Returning guest Jim Chairusmi, part of the Wall Street Journal's team covering the 2023 U.S. Open, joins Thirty Love host Carl Bialik to talk about tennis pros leaving the sport to play pickleball, and how the Average Joe, Jane, and Jim would do against pro tennis players. Thirty Love is back for a mini-season around the 2023 U.S. Open. Have feedback, a suggestion for a Thirty Love guest, or anything else you want to say? Email Carl at bialik@pm.me Music by Lee Rosevere: "Credit Roll" and "Glass Android."

Thirty Love at the 2023 U.S. Open: Jim Chairusmi on Pickleball and Playing the Pros

Returning guest Giri Nathan, who writes about tennis for Defector and Racquet, joins Thirty Love host Carl Bialik to talk about his experience covering the French Open and Wimbledon in person for the first time, how tennis speeding up might have slowed it down, and the joys of Wide Tennis and Greek Yogurt. Thirty Love is back for a mini-season around the 2023 U.S. Open. Have feedback, a suggestion for a Thirty Love guest, or anything else you want to say? Email Carl at bialik@pm.me Music by Lee Rosevere: "Credit Roll" and "Glass Android."

Author Peter Underwood On The Pro Era's Greats

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