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Best Of Three

Best Of Three Productions

83 episodes

5 days ago

American men’s tennis looks stable at the top — but stability isn’t the same as momentum. In this State of the Union episode, Alvin and Torrey take a wide-angle look at where U.S. men’s tennis stands heading into the next season. They break down the established core (Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe), assess Ben Shelton’s rapid ascent, and ask the harder question: what happens after this generation? The conversation spans ceiling vs. longevity, talent vs. professionalism, and why dept...

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Health & Fitness,

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American men’s tennis looks stable at the top — but stability isn’t the same as momentum. In this State of the Union episode, Alvin and Torrey take a wide-angle look at where U.S. men’s tennis stands heading into the next season. They break down the established core (Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe), assess Ben Shelton’s rapid ascent, and ask the harder question: what happens after this generation? The conversation spans ceiling vs. longevity, talent vs. professionalism, and why dept...

Show more...

Health & Fitness,

Episodes (20/83)

Best Of Three

US Tennis State of the Union: Who’s Carrying the Torch After Fritz, Tiafoe & Paul?

American men’s tennis looks stable at the top — but stability isn’t the same as momentum. In this State of the Union episode, Alvin and Torrey take a wide-angle look at where U.S. men’s tennis stands heading into the next season. They break down the established core (Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe), assess Ben Shelton’s rapid ascent, and ask the harder question: what happens after this generation? The conversation spans ceiling vs. longevity, talent vs. professionalism, and why dept...

2 days ago

1 hour 17 minutes

Best Of Three

Jannik Sinner’s Skiing Background Explains Everything

Why does Jannik Sinner feel inevitable—especially indoors? In this episode of Best of Three, Alvin Owusu is joined by Patrick Parr for a deep dive into what actually separates Sinner from the rest of the ATP field. This isn’t about forehands or backhands. It’s about skiing, pressure, stillness, and why tennis feels slow to him. We unpack: How Sinner’s elite skiing background shaped his movement, balance, and mental calmWhy indoor tennis removes chaos—and why that heavily favors SinnerThe diff...

1 week ago

1 hour 4 minutes

Best Of Three

The Pressure Generation | ATP 2025 Review Part 4

In Part 4 of our ATP 2025 Year-End Review, we look at the players aged 27–29 — the most complicated group in men’s tennis. They were supposed to take over from Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer. Then came The New Two. We dive into: • Zverev’s stagnant ceiling and why the next dip could get ugly • Fritz maximizing every ounce but needing just one more gear • Medvedev’s “one more run” and what actual change looks like • Tsitsipas falling fast — is a comeback even realistic? • Rublev as the gatekeepe...

2 weeks ago

43 minutes

Best Of Three

The New Middle Class of Men’s Tennis | ATP 2025 Review Part 3

What is a tennis player’s prime anymore? This week, we dig into the emerging “middle class” on the ATP Tour — the 25–26 year olds who are stepping into the best years of their tennis lives. Alex de Minaur, Félix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, Denis Shapovalov, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina — where are they headed in 2026 and beyond? We break down: • The science and mythology of peak vs prime in tennis • Why longevity has shifted the curve into weird territory • Who among this group has another l...

3 weeks ago

1 hour 10 minutes

Best Of Three

Shelton, Draper, Rune & the “Blocked Generation” | ATP 2025 Review - Part 2

What if you were good enough to be a Grand Slam contender… in any other era? Part 2 of our ATP Year-End Review looks at the players aged 22–24 — the cohort stuck directly behind Alcaraz and Sinner. This is the group that knows the assignment: solve the best duo men’s tennis has seen in 20 years… or sit in the waiting room forever. We dive into: • Ben Shelton — the competitive mutant who has climbed faster than his skill set was “supposed” to • Flavio Cobolli — burning competitive fire ...

1 month ago

38 minutes

Best Of Three

The Future of Men’s Tennis: ATP Young Guns Breakdown | ATP 2025 Review - Part 1

The men’s game is finally entering a new era — and the heat is coming from below. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner may be the “new two” at the top of the ATP mountain, but the base has started to rumble. In this episode, Torrey and Alvin break down the youngest wave of challengers ready to push the sport forward. We dig into the rapid rise of Learner Tien, the firepower of João Fonseca, the big-man upside of Jakub Mensik, and the smooth-handed swagger of Alex Michelsen. What did each show us ...

1 month ago

44 minutes

Best Of Three

WTA 2025 Review: A New Big Three? Sabalenka, Gauff, Swiatek

The 2025 WTA season is in the books, and it might be the clearest sign yet that women’s tennis has officially entered a new era. Arena Sabalenka finished as the undisputed force at the top, Coco Gauff found another gear, Amanda Anisimova became a two-slam finalist, and a wave of young talent made serious noise. Alvin and Torrey break down: • Why Sabalenka’s “Serena 2.0” season was both dominant and revealing • Whether Coco Gauff actually has another level — and what that could mean for 2026 •...

1 month ago

1 hour 41 minutes

Best Of Three

ATP Tour Finals Breakdown: Sinner’s Edge, Alcaraz’s Ceiling, and What’s Next | Ep. 76

Sinner vs Alcaraz delivered again. We dive deep into the ATP Tour Finals—tactics, momentum swings, psychological edges, and why this rivalry already feels historic. We also zoom out to the full field: Felix resurging, Ben chasing the top tier, De Minuar’s rise, Fritz finding his ceiling, and what all of this means heading into Australia. If you’re a tennis nerd, settle in. If you’re not, you will be by the end. Send us a text

1 month ago

1 hour 14 minutes

Best Of Three

WTA Finals Review: Rybakina Just Sent A Message | Ep. 75

Elena Rybakina just put the entire women’s tour on notice. In Riyadh she didn’t just win — she took time away from the biggest hitters in the sport, went coast-to-coast, and made a real case that we have a new tier forming at the top. In this episode we break down what makes Rybakina’s game so suffocating, how she’s evolved tactically, why her compact mechanics change the geometry of rallies, and what this week tells us about the next four years in women’s tennis. Then we pivot to the men — b...

1 month ago

1 hour 9 minutes

Best Of Three

Sinner Isn’t Hot… He’s Inevitable. | Paris Masters Recap + WTA Finals Check-In | Ep. 74

The indoor swing keeps delivering clarity. Jannik Sinner beats Felix Auger-Aliassime in Paris… and again shows he isn’t just in form — he’s becoming the constraint the entire ATP field has to solve. His time-pressuring geometry is the new standard. Felix keeps showing progress, but the gap between “great ball” and “Sinner/Carlos OS level” was on display. We also connect this to the upcoming Turin Finals and what’s actually at stake — not points — but era momentum. Then we go to the WTA side: ...

2 months ago

1 hour 4 minutes

Best Of Three

WTA Finals Set: Rybakina’s Rise, Saudi Masters & Tiafoe’s Reset | Ep. 73

The 2025 WTA Finals field is locked. Alvin and Torrey unpack the storylines behind the top eight — from Sabalenka’s dominance to Gauff’s consistency and Rybakina’s late run. They also react to the ATP’s new Masters 1000 event in Saudi Arabia and discuss what Frances Tiafoe’s latest coaching split says about his future on tour. (Bonus “WTA 1–5” segment available on YouTube.) Send us a text

2 months ago

1 hour 9 minutes

Best Of Three

Six Kings Slam or Six Kings SHAM? | Why Tennis Exhibitions Miss the Mark | Ep. 72

Alvin and Patrick dive into the “Six Kings Slam” — the Netflix-streamed exhibition in Saudi Arabia that paid six of the world’s best players $1.5 million each to show up. They debate whether events like this help or hurt the sport, what makes exhibitions feel hollow, and why true stakes are the lifeblood of tennis. Later, they hit on how exhibitions could actually work, the future of Laver Cup vs. Davis Cup, and finish with early thoughts on the ATP and WTA year-end finals. Send us a text

2 months ago

51 minutes

Best Of Three

Ep. 71: WTA Top 25 of the 2000s Era: 10 – 6 -- The Vacuum Queens & Modern Giants

Alvin and Torrey are back to crack open the Top 10 of the WTA’s last 25 years—and things are getting heated. From Clijsters vs Osaka to Barty’s brief reign, Davenport’s underrated run, Sabalenka’s rise, and Hingis’s forgotten dominance—this one dives into the eras that shaped the modern women’s game. We’re ranking the Top 25 WTA players of 2000–2025, debating each pick live, no notes, and no safety nets. Expect passionate disagreements, some historical context, and a few hot takes you’ll want...

2 months ago

36 minutes

Best Of Three

Ep. 70: Asia Swing: Novak’s Turning Point, Valentin’s Rise, and Coco’s Command

Alvin and Torrey are back for another late-night edition of Best of Three, breaking down an action-packed two weeks of tennis in Asia. They unpack Valentin Vacherot’s improbable Shanghai Masters title, what it reveals about Novak Djokovic’s future, and why Father Time may finally be knocking. Then the guys pivot to the women’s side, revisiting Amanda Anisimova’s Beijing run, Coco Gauff’s dominant Wuhan title, and the razor-close parity that makes women’s tennis such a compelling product headi...

2 months ago

54 minutes

Best Of Three

Ep. 69: WTA Top 25 of the 2000s Era: 15–11

The countdown continues! Alvin and Torrey move into the meat of the WTA Top 25 of the 2000s Era — players ranked 15 through 11. The conversation dives deep into what defined greatness in women’s tennis during this golden quarter-century: sustained excellence, comebacks, and the underrated brilliance of several multi-slam champions. They revisit Victoria Azarenka’s intensity, Lindsay Davenport’s quiet dominance, Jennifer Capriati’s turbulent brilliance, Angelique Kerber’s counter-punching ar...

2 months ago

37 minutes

Best Of Three

Ep. 68: BONUS EPISODE: Seeing Carlos Alcaraz Live — Pat Parr on Presence, Boredom, and Brilliance

Writer and tennis observer Patrick Parr joins Alvin fresh off watching Carlos Alcaraz vs Casper Ruud at the Japan Open. From '87 MJ comparisons to existential boredom, they unpack what makes Alcaraz’s tennis so magnetic—and what happens when the crowd isn’t on his side. They also wander through Ben Shelton’s rise, the soul of indoor tennis, and who deserves to make the Turin Finals. Best of Three Podcast explores tennis with equal parts curiosity and storytelling. 🎾 Follow us on Spotify | A...

3 months ago

1 hour 5 minutes

Best Of Three

Ep. 67: Schedules, Sustainability, and Saying Goodbye: Tennis in Transition

Alvin and Torrey are back after a short break, catching up on the fall tennis swing between Beijing, Tokyo, and Shanghai. The guys dive deep into the growing debate over scheduling — why Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner may start playing fewer events, how player longevity is at odds with the tour’s demands, and what sustainability in professional tennis really looks like. They debate whether players should push back against longer draws and jam-packed calendars, compare tennis to other spor...

3 months ago

57 minutes

Best Of Three

Ep. 66: Top 25 WTA Players of the Last 25 Years | #20-16 Breakdown

The countdown continues! In this episode, Alvin and Torrey break down spots 20 through 16 on their list of the greatest WTA players since the year 2000. From Slam champions to former World No. 1s, this stretch includes players who dominated, divided opinion, and defined the era. The hosts debate the legacies of Garbiñe Muguruza, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka, Coco Gauff, and Simona Halep — analyzing their peaks, their resumes, and their place in the modern game. 👟 Did Wozniacki do...

3 months ago

30 minutes

Best Of Three

Ep. 65: Top 25 WTA Players of the Last 25 Years | #25–21 Breakdown

In this special countdown series, Alvin and Torrey start unveiling their picks for the Top 25 WTA players of the last 25 years. This episode covers spots #25 through #21, where the debates get spicy and the resumes get complicated. 🧮 The rules? Career peaks after 2000, pretend they’re all retired today, and no hiding behind recency bias. Expect some wild cards, some all-time class acts, and a little bit of love for the lefties. 👟 Who makes the cut between Mary Pierce and Coco Gauff? And h...

3 months ago

48 minutes

Best Of Three

Ep. 64: Alcaraz and Sinner are redefining the concept of rivalry in tennis w/Patrick Parr

Summary In this episode, Alvin and Patrick discuss the recent US Open, reflecting on the performances of top players like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner. They delve into the evolving rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner, the impact of psychological factors in their matches, and the significance of crowd dynamics. The conversation also touches on the future of men's tennis, emerging talents, and the role of literature in capturing the essence of these rivalries. The episode c...

3 months ago

1 hour 9 minutes