The Tennis Abstract Podcast

Jeff and Carl are joined by Federer super-fans and analytics junkies Sulaiman Ijaz and Edo Salvati for an in-depth discussion of the current state of the men's tennis GOAT debate.

Jeff and Carl cover the rapid rise and the fearsome gamestyle of 20-year-old rising star Aryna Sabalenka, as well the resurgence of Bernard Tomic and an interesting new player in the field of electronic line calling.

Jeff and Carl recap the 2018 Laver Cup, with its speedy courts, Federer focus, and half-hearted inclusion of doubles. Also on the agenda: The homestretch for the WTA season, and what to think of the parity that has defined the women's game lately.

Jeff is joined by guest host Peter Wetz, who reports from the Austria-Australia World Group playoff tie in Graz, Austria, and helps make sense of the radical new format for Davis Cup in 2019 and beyond.

Jeff and Carl look at the resurgence of Novak Djokovic, his US Open final victory over Juan Martin del Potro, what the future holds for women's champion Naomi Osaka, and some difficult choices on the horizon for doubles prodigy Jack Sock.

Jeff and Carl cover the upsets of Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, look ahead to the challenges facing Rafa, Novak, and Serena, and speculate wildly about the careers of some teenagers.

Jeff and Carl run down the early results at the 2018 US Open, identify the biggest matches of the next few days, and speculate about coaching and heat rules.

Jeff and Carl dig deep into the potential of the ITF's new Davis Cup format, what it will mean for player participation, and which countries might end up on top. Plus: Djokovic, Halep, and more.

Jeff and Carl focus on the two Rogers Cup runners-up, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Sloane Stephens. We also look at the unlikely defending champions in Cincinnati, and the impact so far of the new serve clock.

Jeff and Carl break down the men's and women's draws in Paris, with a focus on the unpredictability of the women's field, the towering presence of Rafael Nadal in the men's, and the big-name floaters lurking in both brackets.

Jeff and Carl recap last week's action in Rome, looking at the strongest performances and considering what they have to tell us about the fortunes of some top players at Roland Garros.

Jeff and Carl debate whether Simona Halep is a "weak" No. 1, look at the competition, and marvel at the latest dominant performance from Alexander Zverev.

Jeff and Carl consider the causes of clay success, with specific discussions of Frances Tiafoe, Hyeon Chung, Kiki Bertens, and Elise Mertens, among others.

Jeff and Carl cover Rafael Nadal's greatness, the rest of the field on clay, and the potential impact of the US Open's shot clock.

Jeff and guest co-host Peter Wetz run down the weekend's Davis Cup results, including the return of Rafael Nadal and Austria's upset of Russia. We also address the proposed Davis Cup format changes.

Carl and Jeff dive into the challenges of talking about tennis tactics, and the further difficulties of using data to test tactics-related claims. It's not quite as dry as all that, we promise.

Carl and Jeff consider the factors that go into each player's decision to go to one tournament instead of another. We also cover big steps forward for Schwartzman, Kasatkina, and Tiafoe.

Carl and Jeff look at all the comebacks in tennis today, from Federer's return to the top to various return-from-injury strategies like Kei Nishikori's challenger detour. Plus Sharapova, Serena, Bartoli, and more.

Carl and Jeff debate the fascination of Nick Kyrgios, consider the value of exhibition formats, and preview the 2018 season while pleading for better tennis data.

Carl and Jeff discuss Sloane Stephens, Rafael Nadal, and the other notable names from this year's final grand slam.