Nothing Major

The quarterfinals in New York brought plenty of fireworks, and we’re breaking it all down before looking ahead to the semifinals. Novak Djokovic was clinical against Taylor Fritz and now sets up a blockbuster clash with Carlos Alcaraz. Is Novak the greatest athlete of all time? We debate it. Jannik Sinner’s dominance rolls on as he heads into a big showdown with Felix Auger-Aliassime, but does Felix really have a chance?

On the women’s side, Jessica Pegula’s steady run keeps her in the spotlight, while Amanda Anisimova pulled off sweet redemption against Iga Swiatek. Could we be on track for an all-American final? We dive into the possibilities and what it would mean for the tournament.

Off the court, there’s bracket drama, group chat chaos, and some questionable takes, from whether Fritz’s headband was a mistake to the rising La Bubbus trend.

00:00 We're back!
01:08 Semi-Finals Preview and Quarterfinals Recap
02:21 Group Chat Confusion
05:00 Novak Djokovic's Performance So Far
12:22 Alcaraz vs. Djokovic Preview
16:23 Sinner's Dominance and Upcoming Match
19:59 Felix vs. Sinner
20:07 Men's Semifinals Preview
21:24 Women's Semifinals: American Hopes
22:09 Pegula's Path to Victory
25:15 Amanda Anisimova's Redemption
27:49 Osaka's Comeback
32:43 Bracket Challenge Drama and Goodbye!


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The pod hits triple digits, and Sam immediately blows the budget - dropping $663 on hotel laundry in New York. That fiasco sets the tone for an episode packed with shaky quarterfinal predictions, a surprisingly deep dive into life choices, and a full Round 4 recap.

From Anna Wintour lurking courtside to Jason Biggs randomly popping up, the celebrity sightings nearly stole the show… nearly. The guys break down Felix’s revival, Alcaraz’s shot-of-the-year candidate, Novak’s effortless cruise, and Fritz’s eternal struggle against him.

On the women’s side, Iga keeps steamrolling, Osaka looks dangerous again after taking out Coco, Pegula is gliding quietly under the radar, and Krejcikova delivered what might be the match of the tournament.

Things wrap up with one of the wildest Life Advice questions yet. The guys dish out surprisingly heartfelt guidance—sandwiched between trash talk about their bracket challenge and scheming over who’s doomed to write and sing a jingle. Chaotic, sharp, and accidentally sincere… basically the perfect 100th episode.

00:00 Intro to Our 100th Show!
00:37 Dry Cleaning in New York
02:22 Celebrity Sightings
03:27 Recap of Round of 16 Matches
05:27 Felix / Musetti Surprising Performances
09:57 Novak's Dominant Form
11:52 Alcaraz's Shot of the Year
12:54 Quarterfinals Preview / Predictions
15:17 Women's Quarterfinal Highlights
17:35 Match of the Tournament: Krejcikova vs. Townsend
19:21 Osaka vs. Coco Gauff Analysis
23:27 Life Advice Segment
25:56 Bracket Challenge Update and Goodbye!

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Round 3 of the US Open had everything: injuries, drama, and plenty of star power in the stands. We dig into Ben Shelton’s tough setback, Sinner’s tricky test against Shapo, Alcaraz’s dominant run, and Taylor Fritz quietly holding strong. And yes, we even get into the celeb scene, from Russell Wilson and LL Cool J courtside to who didn’t quite make the “celebrity cut.”

On the women’s side, Coco Gauff bounced back after a shaky start, while Taylor Townsend kept the drama rolling. Now all eyes are on the blockbuster clash between Gauff and Naomi Osaka, a matchup that could help define the tournament.

We wrap with some chatter on tennis’s unwritten rules (do you really have to apologize for a let cord?), a few fan habits that drive us crazy, and an update on our bracket standings… let’s just say not everyone’s thrilled.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:34 Celebrity Sightings at the US Open
01:56 Ben Shelton's Injury and Perspective
03:37 Jannik Sinner's Performance
05:21 Carlos Alcaraz and His Impressive Run
06:13 Taylor Fritz's Match Recap
07:02 Novak Djokovic's So Far
11:06 Round of 16 Popcorn Matches
13:06 Women's Draw Highlights
13:49 Coco Gauff's Performance So Far
14:34 Taylor Townsend's Impressive Run
19:28 Unwritten Rules of Tennis and Fan Annoyances
20:54 Bracket Updates and Episode Wrap-Up

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We’ve got a special guest… John McEnroe crashes the pod — and yes, we’re serious! Steve, Sam, John, and Johnny Mac break down the latest results and hottest storylines, from which American he sees with the most potential, to Medvedev’s fine, and the tense Townsend–Ostapenko exchange.

We also dig into Jack Draper’s unexpected withdrawal, highlight the standout performances of Alcaraz and Sinner, and wrap it all up with bold predictions for Round 3.

00:00 Intro and Sponsor Message
01:15 US Open Round 2 Overview
02:35 Men's Singles Highlights
03:09 Jack Draper's Withdrawal
06:25 Contenders?
08:45 Mary Carillo Unexpected Appearance
11:45 John McEnroe Joins the Pod!
12:53 American Players' Performance
14:10 Medvedev's Meltdown
17:57 Djokovic’s age showing?
20:40 Young Players Physical Challenges
22:58 Round 3 Predictions
27:36 Women's Draw and Predictions
33:00 Bracket Challenge and Goodbye

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Round 1 of the US Open had it all: celebrity gossip, bad haircuts, and Daniil Medvedev screaming at photographers. 

We start with the essential Taylor Swift–Travis Kelce update (because, priorities), then break down Carlos Alcaraz’s brother-approved buzzcut. 

Medvedev’s meltdown gets the full debate treatment, with zero agreement on who was right. Venus Williams throws it back with flashes of vintage Venus, Madison Keys crashes out way too soon, and the American women keep things spicy. 

Then, we wrap the episode with the best Round 2 popcorn matches and a very questionable look at the US Open’s celebrity guest list.

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00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
00:46 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey Engagement
01:50 Celebrity Lists at the US Open
04:34 Men's Round One Highlights
04:52 Carlos Alcaraz's New Haircut
05:54 Novak Djokovic's Performance
07:41 American Players
08:21 Medvedev's Controversy
12:35 Alex Michelsen Tough Loss
13:40 Fashion Statements at the US Open
14:33 Popcorn Matches and Predictions
17:45 Women's Tournament Highlights
21:50 American Women in the Spotlight
24:37 Bracket Challenge and Goodbye!

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We dive into the main draws of the US Open, breaking down the most exciting first-round matchups and sharing our picks to win it all. Expect some surprise calls on the women’s side, while on the men’s side, most of us agree there’s one clear favorite.

We also get into the mixed doubles action, including the impressive run of Vavassori and Errani against top singles stars... including how we officially became Vavassori fans!

And don’t miss your chance to join our Bracket Challenge, where the winner takes home a $2,000 prize!

00:00 We're back!
00:44 Bracket Challenge Announcement
01:16 Congrats to HoFamers Sharapova and Bryans
02:54 Mixed Doubles Recap
08:19 Men's Draw Analysis
13:17 Can Tien Upset Novak?
13:55 Players Who Listen to the Podcast
16:39 Women's Draw Analysis
19:42 Predictions for Women's Champion
22:37 Our Take on Padel 
23:49 Live Show Recap and Goodbye!

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The Nothing Major podcast goes LIVE for the very first time, straight from the heart of US Open Fan Week, the Fountain Plaza Stage.

Sam, John, and Jack host their first live pod in front of a rowdy crowd, hungry for free hats, laughs, and unfiltered takes!

Sam announces the launch of tennis’ original Bracket Challenge for the US Open and reveals our biggest prize yet!

The boys share memories of iconic night matches, New York nostalgia, and some very bold predictions for this year’s Open.

The crowd joins in on the fun with our Buy or Sell: New York Edition” and some surprising picks are made for a hypothetical dream dinner companion among today’s draw

Finally, the guys take on the best questions from the live audience, bigger, louder, and every bit as unpredictable as the pod itself.


00:00 Introduction to the Live Show at the US Open
00:52 Showing some love to the fans
03:33 Memorable Matches and Experiences
06:02 Fun Games 
14:42 Predictions and Analysis
17:51 Trivia and Hat Giveaway
18:13 Discussion on Mixed Doubles Format
19:43 Fan Questions Begin
21:18 Favorite Pregame Songs
22:14 Laver Cup Participation
23:18 Memories of Playing at the US Open
24:42 Getting into Tournaments for Free
25:58 Favorite Things to Do in New York City
26:57 Dream Mixed Doubles Partners
28:32 Advice for Young Tennis Players
29:18 Wishlist to Coach
30:33 Pickleball Potential
33:17 Extended Game Clock Debate
34:35 Goodbye!

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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!

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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!

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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

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