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Lew Hoad is considered one of the all-time greats of tennis. Those who saw him play—including many of his peers—considered him the best they ever saw. In the latest episode of the pod, we try to recreate the mythical Aussie legend. To unpack an exercise like this, you need the right crowd—and we have exactly that. Tennis historian Richard Evans and Aussie great John Alexander join TWAA hosts Saqib Ali and Skip Schwarzman for an incredibly rich discussion about Hoad’s talent, fitness, playing style, and backstory. It’s packed with details, detours, and anecdotes that bring one of tennis’s most fascinating legends back to life.

The recently concluded US Open takes center stage as host Matt Zemek is joined by TWAA analyst Andrew Burton and renowned tennis historian Steve Flink for an in-depth look at the tournament’s biggest storylines. The panel breaks down championship runs from Elena Rybakina and Alexander Zverev, both of whom leave New York with their second Grand Slam titles of the year. What made their victories possible, and what do these results mean for the evolving landscape of men’s and women’s tennis? The conversation also examines several of the tournament’s other key players, including Ben Shelton, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Carlos Alcaraz. From breakthrough performances and championship pressure to the bigger picture of the 2026 tennis season, Matt, Andrew, and Steve offer expert analysis and historical perspective on an event packed with compelling storylines.

Hall of Fame tennis writer Steve Flink returns to the podcast to discuss his latest book, The Immortals of American Tennis. Across a career spanning more than five decades, Flink has witnessed multiple generations of tennis history from the closest vantage point. In his new book, he profiles many of the greatest figures in American tennis, including Arthur Ashe, Pete Sampras, Bill Tilden, Chris Evert, and Serena and Venus Williams, along with several other legendary champions. In this episode, Flink explains the criteria behind his selections, discusses some of the notable omissions, and reflects on what separates the truly immortal players from the rest. The conversation also explores the evolution of American tennis and the lasting impact these icons have had on the sport. Whether you’re a lifelong tennis enthusiast or simply interested in the game’s rich history, The Immortals of American Tennis offers a compelling look at the athletes who shaped the American legacy in tennis.If you’d like, I can also make these show notes more SEO-friendly or tailor them to a more conversational podcast style.

This week, we’re joined by Marco Trungelliti, one of Argentina’s most resilient and inspiring tennis professionals, for an incredibly honest and candid conversation. Marco reflects on the highs and lows of life on the professional tour, sharing the challenges, sacrifices, and defining moments that have shaped his remarkable career. He talks about his Argentine roots, why the longer format of tennis has always suited his game, and the mindset required to compete at the highest level. His longtime association with coach Albert Portas is also a focus of this interview as Marco has transformed his career on Portas's watch. We also explore the turning point that led Marco to reset his goals, rediscover his love for the sport, and produce some of the best tennis of his career. Now, at 36 years old, he has broken back into the ATP Top 100, proving that perseverance, perspective, and passion can be just as important as talent.

Linda Noskova and Jannik Sinner are Wimbledon champions. Noskova captured her first title at the All England Club after overcoming Karolina Muchova, while Sinner defeated Alexander Zverev to add another Grand Slam trophy to his growing collection. Both finals delivered high-quality tennis and showcased the resilience of four outstanding competitors. On this episode of The Tennis with an Accent Podcast (TWAA), host Matt Zemek is joined by Andrew Burton, Skip Schwarzman, and Mert Ertunga to break down Championship Weekend at Wimbledon. The panel analyzes both singles finals, discusses the defining moments of the tournament, and explores the biggest storylines shaping the ATP and WTA Tours heading into the North American hard-court swing.

We’re kicking off a brand-new series on the podcast: Barstool Conversations at TWAA. In our inaugural episode, we dive into The Championships, Wimbledon, with a panel that brings together perspectives from across the tennis world. Joining the conversation are Steve Flink (media), Gene Mayer (former player), and Skip Schwarzmann (fans), each offering a unique lens on one of the sport’s most iconic events. Together, they explore Wimbledon’s enduring prestige in tennis’s evolving landscape, discuss whether it’s time to move beyond historical traditions such as grass-court seedings, and examine how the tournament continues to balance heritage with the modern game. The result is a lively, thoughtful conversation that blends insight, experience, and passion, offering a well-rounded perspective on some of tennis’s most enduring and evergreen topics.

TWAA regulars Coach Mert Ertunga and Andrew Burton join host Matt Zemek to preview The Championships, Wimbledon. The panel agrees that the women’s draw features a broader group of genuine title contenders, while the men’s event appears more concentrated at the top. Mert and Andrew take a deep dive into both draws, breaking down their favorites, dark horses, and dangerous floaters capable of making surprise runs as in Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka among others. The conversation also covers the return of Serena Williams, one of the tournament’s biggest storylines, and what her presence could mean for the fortnight. Rounding out the episode, the panel highlights the must-watch first-round popcorn matches, potential upsets, and the key storylines to follow as Wimbledon gets underway.

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash is this week’s podcast guest. Cash returns to the show to relive some of his greatest victories and most painful defeats along with the overall arc of his career. A tennis career is about more than wins and losses—it also involves training methods, overcoming chronic injuries, and making significant lifestyle sacrifices. During the mid-1980s, Cash transformed himself into a physical powerhouse by changing his nutrition and becoming one of the first tennis players to embrace weight training. He also discusses his decision to hire a sports psychologist, a relatively uncommon move at the time. In an extremely candid conversation, Cash reflects on the expectations placed on Australian tennis players and explains how their careers are often judged by two measures: Wimbledon and the Davis Cup.

Mirra Andreeva and Alexander Zverev each captured their first major title over the past fortnight at Roland Garros, but the significance of those victories was very different. For Andreeva, it was a coming-of-age triumph that could mark the beginning of a long and successful reign among the sport’s elite. For Zverev, it was about finally seizing a golden opportunity, taking advantage of an open draw, and shedding the burden of years of near misses on the biggest stage. The fortnight delivered no shortage of drama across both draws. Flavio Cobolli, Maja Chwalińska, Matteo Arnaldi, and Diana Shnaider were among the players who made memorable runs and took important steps toward greater prominence in the tennis world. The tWAA crew is assembled in full force to break down one of the most compelling majors in recent memory, featuring unpredictable weather, stunning upsets, and thrilling tennis from start to finish. Host Matt Zemek is joined by Mert Ertunga, Skip Schwarzman, and Andrew Burton to reflect on all the action from Paris.

This week's podcast guest is Hana Mandlíková — a four-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 3, widely regarded as one of the most talented players of her generation. With this edition of Roland Garros marking 45 years since her victory in Paris, Mandlíková joins host Saqib Ali for a candid and wide-ranging conversation covering the full arc of her storied career. She reflects on her fierce rivalries with the dominant duo of her era, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, while also discussing the influence of her coach Betty Stove. The episode further explores her successful transition into coaching, most notably her work alongside the late Jana Novotná. A winner of 27 tour-level titles and twice a finalist at Wimbledon, Mandlíková remains one of the most compelling figures of the Open Era.

We preview the Roland Garros draws- WTA and ATP in this episode of the podcast. Host Matt Zemek is joined by tennis historian Steve Flink and podcast resident guest Andrew Burton. The WTA draw is loaded with more balance of power and depth compared to the ATP and is the bigger draw card. The trio breaks down all the burning questions ahead of the draw. All the top favorites and contenders are covered - brew a cuppa coffee and get ready for the draw rundown!

Rome champions were crowned this weekend. TWAA crew of Matt Zemek, Andrew Burton and Skip Schwarzman return to talk about the finals and key takeaways from the eternal city. The crew tires to address the fact is Jannik Sinner being so good means his game is boring? What does the Elina Svitolina’s third triumph in Rome means for her status as Roland Garros favorite? We have detail and nuance filled observations from the two finals for your consumption.

Roland Garros is a tournament where some of the most attacking players on the men’s side have come in short. In this episode we talk about those very players - the best of their generation who could not lift the French Open title. 1990 Roland Garros champion Andres Gomez and Hall of famer Steve Flink join host Saqib Ali to share their respective lists of tennis greats who did not win the title in Paris. The lists carry a lot of the usual suspects like McEnroe, Edberg and Connors but there are also some names that will make this exercise a fun listen for the listenership of the pod. Gomez also gives his views on some of the attacking players of his era and how the surface posed them challenges. The conversation gradually finds its way to current players of today’s ATP and how the clay court prowess has evolved over the years.

Marta Kostyuk and Jannik Sinner won their maiden Madrid 1000 events over the weekend. TWAA panel of Andrew Burton, Skip Schwarzman and Matt Zemek break down some of the key talking points from Madrid and also look forward to Rome. The WTA event had three players - led by the eventual winner Kostyuk making their first semi final at a M1000 event. Madrid is an outlier on the road to Paris given that it's played in high altitude but we all know in sports there is no substitute for confidence and Kostyuk has not lost on clay this season. Sinner on the other hand is also unbeaten on clay this year on top of winning all four M1000 events on the men’s side. The trio also discussed other key players on both tours like Djokovic, Sabalenka, Zverev, Swiatek and Andreeva.

Hall of famer Steve Flink and Tennis Channel commentator Gill Gross reunite with host Saqib Ali to breakdown the clay power rankings of the ATP. The episode was recorded few days before Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal from Roland Garros was announced. The other names discussed by the panel makes this a compelling listen given we are still in the heart of the clay season. Brew your favorite cup of coffee and get ready to compare our tiers of rankings with yours. There are some usual suspects and some surprise picks.