With the US Open upon us, Sam, Steve, and Jack break down the brand-new mixed doubles format with special guest Eric Butorac. The US Open’s Senior Director of Player Relations gives us the inside scoop on the event including the moment Jannik Sinner asked if he could team up with Serena Williams!

From Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s secret visit last year to the fresh upgrades around the US Open grounds, Eric offers some great behind-the-scenes updates.

The US Open Bracket Challenge is coming and the boys reveal the details on a special live Nothing Major show at the Open this week!

00:00 Sponsor Message

01:26 On Today's Episode...

02:21 Cincinnati Finals Recap

03:53 Sinner and Alcaraz Rivalry

08:48 Terence Atmane proves Sam wrong

13:23 The guys complain about the schedule again

15:05 Iga vs. Paolini

17:38 Eric Butorac joing the pod

17:38 Mixed Doubles Event at the US Open

21:16 Navigating Grand Slam Approvals

21:41 Anticipation for Other Slams to Follow

22:12 Official Announcement and Player Reactions

23:57 Facilitating Player Pairings

25:42 Challenges of Tournament Directing

28:24 Celebrity Appearances at the US Open

31:38 Exciting Renovations and Future Plans

34:31 Mixed Doubles Tournament Predictions

37:31 Housekeeping and Live Show

40:43 Goodbye!

In this week's Friday episode, John, Sam and Steve take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminiscing about the legendary Kalamazoo boys' tennis tournament and its significance in the junior tennis world. 

The boys share stories about their enjoyable (and sometimes chaotic) times at the Cincinnati Open and dive into the Major Mailbag to answer your questions, including revealing who are the worst practice partners on Tour...

And finally after months of embarrassing himself with the worst attempts at pronouncing professional tennis player names, Sam is put in the hot seat, with a list of names chosen by our listeners.

00:00 Sponsor Message

01:25 Intro

03:56 Cincinnati Memories

10:14 Kalamazoo Tournament Recap

17:11 Fan Questions: Analytics in Tennis

20:19 Cincy Ball Kids and Personal Experiences

22:13 Practice Partners and Arrangements

23:24 Challenges with Practice Partners

25:47 American Players in Masters 1000

26:21 Hypothetical Matchup: College Steve Johnson vs. Ben Shelton

27:17 Life Advice: Parenthood, yes or no?

29:41 The Ultimate Pronunciation Challenge

34:31 Goodbye!

John, Sam, and Steve kick off your week “live” from Cincinnati, running down the biggest headlines in tennis, including Ben Shelton’s maiden Masters 1000 title in Toronto and teenage Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko capturing her first title and rising to Canadian No. 1.

The crew breaks down Shelton’s explosive athleticism, undeniable clutch gene, and the tactical brilliance of his father, while also celebrating Mboko’s stunning run in Canada and discussing her ceiling and career potential.

And of course, there’s never a wrong time to talk about the Big 4, the squad debates who truly got robbed of Masters 1000 titles in the shadow of their dominance.

00:00 Intro

01:25 Episode Overview

03:05 Cincinnati Tournament Insights

05:09 Toronto Tournament Highlights

05:26 Ben Shelton's Rise in Tennis

12:59 Women's Tennis Highlights

19:20 Upcoming US Open Predictions

21:35 Tennis Player Performance Analysis

22:17 Carlos Alcaraz's Travel Schedule

24:12 Masters Series Discussion

28:10 Life Advice Segment Debut

31:42 Outro and Cincy Predictions

31:56 A Wild John Isner Appears

The boys are back as tennis heads to Cincinnati for the latest Masters 1000!

With a fresh debate around the new Masters 1000 structure the talk of tennis., John, Jack, Sam and Steve are joined by Toronto Tournament Director, Karl Hale to offer his thoughts on the hot topic.

The group discuss player withdrawals, the schedule shake-up, and throw out some wildly confident predictions for Cincinnati. The boy take a trip down memory lane, remembering some memorable moments in Mason, Ohio and break down the big renovation that might just make it the best Masters 1000 on the calendar (depending on who you ask).

The Major Mailbag makes it popular appearance, and it's time to tackle your burning questions, from coaching insights to lower-ranked player's sponsor challenges.

Plus the boys reveal an exciting event with Red Bull next month, and one lucky listener might even get a chance to join the fun...

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

01:26 Episode Overview

02:06 Red Bull Flugtag Event Announcement

03:55 Cincinnati Tournament Discussion

11:16 Mailbag Questions

17:09 Tough Opponents and Player Struggles

17:53 Player Name Pronunciation Game

18:47 Coaching in Modern Tennis

21:44 Special Guest: Karl Hale on New Tournament Formats

26:37 Player Sentiments on 12-Day Events

30:15 Tournament Pullouts and Future Concerns

35:10 Predictions and Retirement Speculations

36:42 Closing Remarks

The boys are back and things are getting ugly (in the best way) as they revisit their “Ugliest Strokes” debate, respond to hilarious fan feedback, and rank the absolute worst games in tennis history.

There's plenty to break down from Toronto and Montreal, but more importantly, Sam feels this is the right time to reflect on his infamous stint on Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker ... complete with a fake house and even a fake... dog?!

Plus: want life advice from your favorite tennis pros? We’re launching a new segment, and you could be part of it!

00:00 Intro

00:51 Welcome to the Show!

02:38 Stevie's Hall of Fame Induction

05:11 Discussing Ugly Tennis Games

13:45 Comparing Toronto and Montreal Tournaments

15:41 Toronto Draw and QFs Preview

17:22 Toronto Predictions

21:01 Vasek Pospisil Retires

23:45 Montreal Reaction

25:54 US Open x The Bachelor

30:19 Sam's Reality TV Experience

34:22 New Life Advice Segment

35:55 Goodbye!

World No. 3 Alexander Zverev stops by for what might be the funniest and most dehydrated interview of his life. Battling full-body cramps (seriously), Zverev still dives into it all: the crash after the Australian Open final, the mistakes he’s owned, and what it’ll take to finally leave the 'No Majors' club.

The crew discuss mental health, public pressure, and the wild experience of being coached by both Toni AND Rafael Nadal that resulted in an incredible story of Rafa giving a forehand masterclass in the middle of an intense dinner that went until at 1AM....

Zverev gives Sam a hard time, questions the so-called “Golden Generation” of the 1980s, and opens up about traveling with dogs, his growing collection of questionable gold chains, before being put on the Nothing Major Hot Seat. 

One of the funniest, weirdest, and most honest chats we’ve had with a top player. And yes, the cramps made the cut!

00:00 Intro

00:51 Episode teaser

01:08 Getting Zverev on the Podcast

02:15 Zverev's Joins the Pod and the Beef with Sam

11:15 Sibling Rivalry and Early Career

13:51 Challenges and Future Goals

19:14 Coaching and Mentorship

23:28 Rafa's Unbelievable Dedication

24:34 Advice from a Champion

25:55 The Roland Garros Setback

28:09 Comparing Tennis Generations

32:21 Las Vegas Companions

35:22 Traveling with Dogs

37:11 Worst Match Memories

40:23 Annoying Opponents

41:44 European Pet Peeves in America

43:47 Goodbye!

John, Jack, Stevie, and Sam kick off the week by breaking down the biggest headlines in tennis.

The boys recap the big results from Washington D.C., discuss Venus Williams’ return to the court, and preview the tour’s upcoming stops in Canada.

The crew start an important debate, what are the ugliest swings in tennis history? And reveal what insurance looks like for pro tennis players.

Plus, they tease an exciting special guest joining Friday’s episode…

00:00 Intro

00:50 Weekend Recap

01:12 Washington DC Event Highlights

03:13 Men's Final Analysis: Thrills and Heartbreaks

05:34 First Titles and Player Reflections

10:10 Ben Shelton's Performance and Potential

16:23 Venus Williams' Comeback and Women's Highlights

21:29 Other Tournament Results and Cheap Points Debate

23:04 Insurance Talk and Retirement Benefits

23:42 Retirement Insurance Options

24:39 The Hassles of Dental Insurance

26:12 Booking Flights and Celebrity Tasks

27:27 Toronto vs. Montreal Tournaments

32:51 Debating Ugly Tennis Strokes

38:07 Heated Argument and Final Thoughts

Nothing Major turns one!

Join John, Jack, Sam, and Stevie for the one-year anniversary episode as they celebrate 12 months of being on air, not being cancelled and somehow not being sick of each other.

This week the boys are joined by Mark Ein, Tournament Director of the Washington DC Open and partner of the Washington Commanders, who shares his journey in tennis, what it takes to run a world-class tournament, and some unforgettable stories, including a special moment with Rafael Nadal.

A big thank you for following, subscribing and listening to Nothing Major, here's to the future!

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

02:22 Celebrating One Year of the Podcast

03:20 Favorite Moments and Guests

06:24 Goals for the Next Year

08:24 Discussing the Washington DC Tournament

10:34 Memorable Matches and Experiences

19:09 Interview with Mark Ein

20:03 Debating Tennis Strategies

21:05 Transforming the Tournament Experience

23:04 From Ball Boy to Tournament Owner

24:13 Challenges of Hosting Top Players

26:17 Player Requests and Tournament Logistics

30:11 Crossover Between Tennis and NFL Ownership

32:23 Memorable Matches and Player Interactions

39:04 Fun Questions and Personal Stories

44:52 Outro and Future Plans

John, Sam, Stevie, and a late-arriving Jack are here to kick off your week!

Sam and John’s Sinner/Doubles hot take took the tennis world by storm over the weekend, and the heated debate continues in today’s episode. With a flood of withdrawals, the Toronto Open is shaping up to look very different, and the boys break down the big dropouts.

Looking ahead to D.C. Andre Agassi is back in the headlines as he prepares to mentor Holger Rune, while the crew weighs in on the status of a slightly underwhelming Hopman Cup.

Plus with the third Slam of the year now in the rearview, The gang host their very own mid-season tennis awards featuring some highly questionable categories like “Coolest Coaching Entourage” and “Player Most Likely to Gain 100 Pounds.”

00:00 Introduction

00:46 Debate: Sinner vs. Doubles Champions

07:28 Midseason Awards Discussion

17:28 Most Likely to Gain Weight After Playing

18:58 Midseason Awards and Player Updates

19:53 Discussion on Player Performances

25:28 Hopman Cup: A Blast from the Past

29:20 Upcoming Tournaments and Player Withdrawals

35:19 Coaching Trials and Final Thoughts

Wimbledon may be done and dusted, but the boys have still got some stories to tell!

John, Sam and Stevie discuss their own Wimbledon experiences and share stories from the Legends Tournament to Sam's surprising attendance at this year's Champion's Dinner.

The boys dip into the Major Mailbag to answer some listener questions and the winner of the 2025 Wimbledon Bracket Challenge joins the boys to celebrate his victory.

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

02:07 Wimbledon Recap and Highlights

03:17 Wimbledon Champion's Dinner Experience

09:57 Travel Stories and Anecdotes

14:27 Wimbledon Towels Tradition

22:58 Wimbledon Towels and Trading Stories

23:30 Hypothetical Tennis Match: Doubles vs. Sinner

25:55 Most European American Tennis Players

29:48 Junior Tennis Memories and Favorite Events

31:43 Bracket Challenge Winner Interview

35:55 Fashion Phases on Tour

41:59 Conclusion and Merchandise Promotion