This week Erik and Aidan recap the first half of this year's Madrid Masters tournament. Without top players like Djokovic and Alcaraz, as well as a bunch of other top guys, there was some concern that the tournament would not have quality tennis. Instead, the Next Gen Players have risen to the occasion, making statement wins and deep runs in this tournament. This makes it seem as though perhaps players like Jodar and Blockx will be the ones to challenge the Sinner Alcaraz domination in the future. It is a fun one, but the tournament wraps up next week so be sure to check back for another episode!

Contents

Intro 0:00

Better Without Alcaraz? 0:40

Early Upsets 3:20

Next Gen in Madrid 7:05

Quarterfinal Preview 12:54

Stan Update 16:23

What’s New 17:27

Bet of the Week 20:37

Match of the Week 21:25

Patrick McEnroe recently took to twitter to express his thoughts about the progression of College Tennis in America and the number of international players it now features. Aidan and Erik hop on the pod for a quick reflection about his takes, giving their thoughts on the situation and whether anything can really be done about it. Enjoy the bonus episode and be sure to check back next week for an update on the progress in the Madrid Masters!

With the Chaos in the draw of the 2026 Madrid Open, Aidan and Erik met up this week for a bonus episode breaking down the draw and discussing the current state of tennis. Even outside the multitude of withdrawals from the tournament, there is a talent issue at the top of the tennis world, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz seeming to be the only true contenders at the biggest tournaments. Enjoy the discussion and be sure to check back later in the week for a full episode discussing these topics!

Contents:

Madrid Withdrawals 0:00

Top Quarter 8:35

Stacked Second Quarter 10:38

Third Quarter 14:10

Fourth Quarter 18:40

The State of Tennis 23:19

Alcaraz and Sinner Domination 26:15