Best Of Three

What does it take to beat Carlos Alcaraz when he's playing his best tennis?

Following his Vienna title, Alvin and Torrey examine three very different matchups to understand why Alcaraz is so difficult to disrupt. Tommy Paul possesses elite movement but struggles to generate sufficient offensive pressure. Daniil Medvedev demands exceptional baseline discipline, forcing Carlos to earn his opportunities. Alex de Minaur's early-ball game presents another challenge, but Alcaraz's heavy topspin and depth make it difficult for the Australian to dictate on his preferred terms.

The discussion goes beyond identifying weaknesses. Alvin and Torrey debate what these players can realistically change, how tactical adjustments affect their natural strengths, and why the same weapons can succeed against one opponent but fail against another.

The episode also examines the reported addition of Juan Carlos Ferrero to Ben Shelton's coaching team, the developmental priorities that could elevate Shelton into Grand Slam contention, and the approaching ATP Finals.

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What makes left-handed players so difficult to face, and how far can that advantage take them?

Alvin and Torrey begin with Elena Rybakina's late-season form before examining the tactical patterns that define left-handed tennis. From the forehand-to-backhand diagonal to serve placement and return positioning, they explain why lefties create uncomfortable matchups and how right-handed players can respond.

The conversation turns to Diana Shnaider, Alex Eala, and Leylah Fernandez, each of whom uses left-handedness differently. Torrey introduces the relationship between ball speed and foot speed, explaining why hitting harder can sometimes leave a player more vulnerable. The episode closes with Ben Shelton and Learner Tien, exploring how their contrasting styles influence their potential to reach the highest levels of the ATP Tour.

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Rafael Jódar's rapid ascent has put him in rare company, but his results may be less remarkable than the technical foundation behind them. Alvin and Torrey examine his footwork, balance, court positioning, and ability to redirect pace, exploring why his game appears unusually mature and what physical development could mean for his long-term ceiling.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina offers a different story of player evolution. After years of competing with the ATP's best, his breakthrough provides an opportunity to examine how tactical flexibility, persistence, and changing direction can overcome an opponent with superior baseline consistency. The hosts also explore how modern players attack sliced backhands, with Torrey offering practical coaching insights on positioning and balance.

The episode closes with a look at the tactical sophistication of women's tennis, including how a left-handed player can manipulate time, trajectory, and court geometry to make more powerful opponents uncomfortable. Plus, news about Best of Three's upcoming WTA Finals coverage and an invitation for listeners to help shape a future episode.

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Qinwen Zheng has returned to the top of women's tennis, but her resurgence raises a bigger question: How good can she actually become?

Alvin and Torrey examine Zheng's career trajectory, from her breakthrough Australian Open final and Olympic gold medal in 2024 to her emergence as a top-five player, injury interruption and return to prominence in 2026. At just 24, Zheng may be entering the years when her extraordinary physical tools begin translating into more consistent championship-level tennis.

The conversation takes a technical turn as the hosts evaluate Zheng's serve, return, groundstrokes and exceptional movement. They identify a specific vulnerability in her forehand when rushed by powerful opponents and examine why Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have been particularly difficult matchups.

Finally, the discussion expands to Zheng's generation. How does her game compare with Marta Kostyuk and Amanda Anisimova? Why do powerful players sometimes take longer to develop? And which of these players is best positioned to win a Grand Slam?

Following the recent BO3 WTA tiers discussion, this episode explores whether Zheng belongs among the game's true championship contenders.

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Jannik Sinner's season-ending injury gives us a reason to step back and evaluate what he's actually become. Is Sinner now the best pure tennis player of his generation? Torrey argues that, stroke for stroke, his court positioning, serve, return and baseline game may already give him the edge over Carlos Alcaraz. Alvin agrees that Sinner has the cleaner toolkit—but Alcaraz still possesses something harder to quantify: the ability to find another level when a match becomes unpredictable.

From there, the conversation expands into the ATP hierarchy. We discuss what Sinner's absence means for Alexander Zverev, why Novak Djokovic's current limitation isn't really his tennis, and why having Novak around still matters for the players trying to replace him.

An unexpected conversation about Felix Auger-Aliassime and Ivan Ljubičić then turns into one of our deeper coaching discussions: great players don't simply collect skills—they eventually have to decide what their tennis is designed to do. We finish with Carlos Alcaraz's return to form and why the remarkable run of men's tennis in 2025 may look even better with time.

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Patrick joins Alvin from Japan after spending time at the Japan Open, where Kei Nishikori’s farewell becomes the starting point for a larger discussion about greatness, legacy and how the Big Three altered the careers of the players who came behind them. They debate Nishikori’s Hall of Fame case, the importance of his career across Asia, and why his compact, aggressive baseline game allowed him to compete against much larger players.

The conversation moves across the Asian swing: Daniil Medvedev’s resurgence and unusual tactical discipline, Alexander Zverev’s opportunity to reach No. 1, Ben Shelton’s increasingly distinctive game, and Valentin Vacherot as an example of the depth that exists outside the very top of the rankings.

Patrick also shares what he saw around the Japan Open practice courts—from Jiří Lehečka and Matteo Berrettini’s serve mechanics to Lorenzo Musetti quietly doing shuttle runs away from the crowd. The episode closes with Alex Eala and the unusual competitive dynamic created by her traveling support, which increasingly turns neutral tournaments into home matches.

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What separates a genuine Grand Slam favorite from an elite player who can beat anyone on the right day?

We build a three-tier framework for the current WTA around Slam self-sufficiency, world-class weapons and the ability to impose a game without needing favorable matchups. Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina establish the standard, while Coco Gauff and Linda Noskova show there is more than one way to reach it.

The real argument begins with the final Tier 1 spot. Has Iga Świątek actually declined, or have Sabalenka, Rybakina and the evolving WTA simply raised the physical and tactical requirements around her? From Marta Kostyuk and Zheng Qinwen to Mirra Andreeva, Iva Jovic and Alex Eala, we examine who has enough weapons for today's game—and who may be waiting for tomorrow's version of it.

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Alvin Owusu is joined by Craig Shapiro to discuss the changing identity of the US Open and the larger tennis ecosystem that casual viewers rarely see. Craig argues that the issue is not tennis becoming bigger or more visible, but whether spectacle, ticket prices, drinking culture, sponsor activations, and crowd behavior are beginning to pull attention away from the players and matches themselves.

The strongest thread of the conversation is Craig’s belief that tennis becomes more meaningful when someone can fill in the blanks around the match. Using Frances Tiafoe as an example, he explains how family background, playing style, relationships, sponsorship, representation, and the player box can turn a casual viewer into an invested fan.

The episode also explores Alexander Zverev through a broader professional lens, connecting his career arc to coaching instability, agent changes, legal distractions, and strained relationships inside the sport. The conversation closes with Craig’s Golden Ticket business, which creates curated tennis travel experiences built around playing, dining, and attending major tournaments.

The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast: https://shaptennispod.com/

Welcome to the US Broken: https://shaptennispod.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-us-broken?r=6mv597

The Golden Ticket (Paris): https://www.goldentickettennis.com/academy-paris-2026

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Alexander Zverev’s US Open title over Ben Shelton is the kind of result that clarifies the ATP hierarchy. Zverev may not carry the same explosive ceiling as Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, but his professional discipline, serve, return, and baseline tolerance make him the most reliable separator beneath that tier.

We break down why Shelton’s loss should not be treated as a failure. His run to the final confirmed real progress in his return, backhand, and week-to-week credibility, but the final also showed the next stage of his development: more tactical variety, cleaner footwork under pace, and better pattern discipline against elite baseline metronomes.

The episode closes with Elena Rybakina’s win over Aryna Sabalenka and why that matchup may now be the clearest rivalry in the WTA. Rybakina’s ability to absorb pace, redirect cleanly, and pressure Sabalenka’s serve-plus-one patterns creates a problem that feels both tactical and psychological.

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Ben Shelton’s win over Frances Tiafoe was not just a power-player breakthrough. It was a match that showed a more complete version of Shelton: still dominant on serve, but now more disciplined on the backhand, more flexible on return, and more comfortable managing the tactical demands of a Grand Slam semifinal.

Alvin and Torrey break down why Tiafoe was such a meaningful test. His court sense, timing, variety, and ability to redirect pace usually expose incomplete players. Against Shelton, the expected targets were harder to find. The backhand slice bought time, the heavy lefty shape created awkward contact heights, and the surprise backhand line prevented Tiafoe from sitting on one pattern.

The episode closes with a sober look at the US Open final against Alexander Zverev. Zverev remains the favorite because of his serve, backhand, experience, and consistency, but Shelton now enters the matchup with more than just explosiveness. His title chance depends on whether this return-game leap is real under one more level of pressure.

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Coco Gauff’s loss to Elena Rybakina was not a simple regression. In the first set, Gauff showed a version of her game that can absorb elite pace, serve with real pace, defend with purpose, and transition from neutral to offense off both wings. The issue was not whether the forehand and serve exist anymore; the issue was whether Coco fully trusted them when the match became most pressurized.

Alvin and Torrey break down how Rybakina solved the match by becoming more intentional with her patterns, moving away from predictable crosscourt power and using more middle balls, jammed forehands, and selective changes of direction. They also compare the different ways opponents have attacked Coco’s forehand, especially the high, slower ball that still keeps her from hurting opponents consistently.

The episode closes with Aryna Sabalenka’s dominant win over Jessica Pegula and a preview of a fitting US Open final between Rybakina and Sabalenka. It is a true No. 1 vs No. 2 power matchup, but also a test of which player can impose their weapons without giving the other room to breathe.

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Ben Shelton’s win over Carlos Alcaraz was not framed as a simple upset. Alvin and Torrey break down why the result mattered tactically and developmentally: Shelton served big, but he also returned at the highest level of his career, used body serves with discipline, moved forward with purpose, and forced Alcaraz into uncomfortable passing-shot situations.

The larger question is whether Shelton has moved from dangerous Grand Slam threat to legitimate top-tier contender. The hosts stop short of placing him fully beside Alcaraz and Sinner, but argue that beating one of the sport’s defining players in a five-set Grand Slam match gives Shelton the strongest possible résumé point.

The episode also examines Frances Tiafoe’s comeback against Alex Michelsen, the historic significance of Shelton and Tiafoe guaranteeing a Black male finalist at the US Open, and the continued strength of the WTA field through Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka.

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Coco Gauff is still winning, but the way she is winning may matter more than the scoreline. Alvin and Torrey break down her US Open win over Iva Jovic through a tactical lens, focusing on forehand spacing, footwork, court position, and the challenge of becoming a more complete striking counterpuncher.

The episode also examines Aryna Sabalenka’s narrow win over Linda Noskova, especially the second-serve ace that closed the match and reaffirmed Sabalenka’s authority in the biggest points. Noskova’s loss is framed less as a setback and more as evidence that she already belongs near the top of the women’s game.

From there, the conversation widens to the WTA’s deeper major landscape. With players like Rybakina, Zheng, Gauff, Sabalenka, Noskova, Iga, Pegula, and others shaping the late rounds, the women’s tour is no longer defined by a simple top three. It is becoming a true danger tier, where every quarterfinal can become a legitimate Slam test.

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Emma Navarro gives this episode its strongest tactical story. The discussion centers on how her game has shifted from counterpunching, movement, and match management toward more first-strike aggression, heavier ball-striking, and the ability to dictate against players who previously would have tested her rhythm.

The episode also checks in on Carlos Alcaraz, who is moving through the US Open draw efficiently but still raises a more precise question: can he win the tournament without yet being back to the highest version of himself? The hosts separate tournament favoritism from peak-form certainty, with Tommy Paul framed as the first useful benchmark.

Taylor Townsend’s win over Diana Shnaider adds another player-development layer. The hosts connect it to the kind of match Townsend had previously let slip away, pointing to belief, physical readiness, variety, and a more stable singles foundation. The episode closes by widening the lens to Jessica Pegula, the depth of the women’s field, and the many pathways behind the current American surge.

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Coco Gauff’s win over Paula Badosa was not a finished-product statement, but it was a meaningful one. Badosa has the exact profile to test Coco’s progress: enough movement to stay in rallies, enough pace to rush the forehand, and enough backhand quality to apply pressure without giving away control. Coco still has work to do, especially when the forehand is rushed or when she is caught in transition, but the match showed a player whose weaknesses are no longer as easy to live inside.

Alvin and Torrey also break down Madison Keys’ comeback from 2–5 down in the third set against Anna Bondar, framing it as the purest version of the Madison Keys experience: stressful, volatile, powerful, and ultimately dependent on her willingness to keep swinging. From there, the conversation moves through Naomi Osaka’s win over Siniakova, the upcoming Eva Iovic–Alex Eala matchup, Amanda Anisimova’s improved emotional reset, Lily Tagger’s long-term upside, men’s draw turbulence, and Carlos Alcaraz sharpening his game round by round.

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Ben Shelton’s early US Open matches are becoming a useful test of where he stands among the American men. The question is not whether Shelton is playing flawless tennis, but whether he is now mature enough to absorb pressure, solve problems, and win difficult Grand Slam matches without needing perfect starts.

Alvin and Torrey also examine Rafael Jodar’s heavy loss to Bu Yunchaokete, framing it as a likely freshman-wall moment after a demanding first full year on tour. Torrey gives a detailed technical breakdown of Jodar’s serve, especially the mismatch between his toss, platform stance, racket drop, and leg drive that may be limiting the effectiveness of his second serve.

The episode also covers Alex Michelsen’s straight-sets win over Brandon Nakashima. Rather than treating it as a simple upset, the hosts explain why familiarity, return quality, net-point conversion, and second-serve pressure made Michelsen one of the toughest possible first-round draws for Nakashima.

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Novak Djokovic’s first-round loss to Mariano Navone becomes the center of this episode, not because of the upset alone, but because of what the match revealed. Alvin and Torrey discuss how Djokovic still found tactical solutions early, yet appeared increasingly unable to sustain the physical demands required to impose himself across five sets.

The conversation frames Navone as a difficult opponent for this version of Djokovic: durable, disciplined, and willing to extend points until the match became a test of endurance. The hosts also reflect on the significance of Djokovic finishing the match despite obvious physical distress, reading it as a sign of respect for Navone, the crowd, and the sport itself.

From there, the episode moves into Arthur Fils’ loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz’s efficient first-round performance, and Andrey Rublev’s five-set comeback. Across all three, the larger theme is Grand Slam readiness: the difference between having the tools to win matches and having the maturity, variation, and emotional control to survive a major.

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Alvin and Torrey preview the 2026 US Open from the ground level of Fan Week in New York, focusing less on bracket prediction and more on what the tournament looks like before the first ball is struck. From practice-court details to player body language, they discuss how the pace, physicality, and depth of the field are shaping both draws.

The central conversation is Aryna Sabalenka. She remains the WTA standard, but the episode argues that the old gap has narrowed. Marta Kostyuk, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina, and Jessica Pegula all represent different versions of the modern Sabalenka problem: some can match or exceed her power, while others can neutralize and punish the wrong serving day.

The episode also turns to Carlos Alcaraz’s return and the ATP window created by Sinner’s absence. If Alcaraz is healthy enough to play, Alvin and Torrey treat him as the favorite — but the larger question is whether players like Arthur Fils, Ben Shelton, Zverev, Djokovic, and others can take advantage before the top of the men’s game closes again.

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Cincinnati gave the Best of Three crew one final look at the US Open field, and the clearest signal came from Coco Gauff. Her title run was not framed as a perfect week, but as a more important proof point: the serve is heavier, the forehand is more functional, and her patterns are mature enough that she can win without playing lights-out tennis.

On the men’s side, Alvin and Torrey debate whether the ATP field is genuinely closing the gap on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Torrey sees a dangerous “dirty dozen” forming below the elite tier, capable of dragging favorites into long early-round matches. Alvin agrees the depth has improved, but argues that none of the next group has yet proven they can beat the Sinner-Alcaraz standard in best-of-five tennis.

The episode closes with a caution flag around Aryna Sabalenka. Her top-end level is still unquestioned, but the margins around return games, three-set matches, and match efficiency are thinner than they were. New York may expose the two tours differently: chaos on the ATP side, and a title race on the WTA side where Coco’s improvements are arriving at exactly the right time.

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Iga Świątek’s Toronto title was not simply a form check. Alvin and Torrey argue that her week showed a more tactically complete version of her game: more height, more shape, more patience, and a clearer sense of when to press rather than force.

The episode frames Świątek’s run as a possible entry into a second career cycle. Rather than trying to recreate her previous dominance, she may be building a version better suited to the current WTA landscape — one where the top tier is deeper, the weapons are bigger, and separation requires constant reinvention.

The discussion also covers Coco Gauff’s forehand development, Elena Rybakina’s run to the final, Naomi Osaka’s movement and defensive progress, and why Grand Slams increasingly function as check-ins for where the WTA elite really stand.

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