DROP-SHOT

Building community through tennis - With TennisPAL founder Haleh Emrani

In this episode I sit down with Haleh Emrani, the visionary founder behind TennisPAL. With a background as an electrical engineer, Haleh has worked in the tech industry since 1991, but her passion for community-building and tennis led her to create TennisPAL—a unique platform connecting tennis enthusiasts around the world. Growing up in Iran, Haleh faced challenges as a young woman wanting to play sports, yet her love for tennis stayed strong, inspiring her to build an inclusive app for players everywhere. Haleh also holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern History from UCLA and is an active philanthropist, supporting cultural and educational causes. This episode was brought to you by TennisPAL, a tennis community where members can find and connect with other like-minded tennis pals using the app. Download the TennisPAL app to book games and play, teach or learn tennis. Read or exchange related news, information, and original content. Learn more here: ⁠https://tennispal.com/dropshot [https://tennispal.com/dropshot]

BEIJING 2024 - Alcaraz Triumphs in Epic Battle Against Sinner & Gauff Dominates China Open Final

In a thrilling 2024 China Open final, Carlos Alcaraz edged past Jannik Sinner in a dramatic 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) victory to claim his fourth title of the year. The three-hour, 21-minute battle saw Alcaraz fight back from early deficits, including an impressive comeback in the final-set tie-break where he won seven straight points from 0/3 down. This win marked Alcaraz’s third consecutive victory over Sinner this year, extending his lead in their head-to-head rivalry to 6-4. With this triumph, Alcaraz became the first player to win ATP 500 titles on all three surfaces—hard, clay, and grass—in the same season. We also highlight Coco Gauff’s commanding performance at the China Open, where she secured her second title of the season by defeating Karolina Muchova 6-1, 6-3. At 20 years old, Gauff became the youngest China Open champion in 14 years and maintained her perfect record in hard-court finals, improving her overall finals record to 8-1. This victory bolsters her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals, solidifying her position as one of the top players on the tour. This episode was brought to you by TennisPAL, a tennis community where members can find and connect with other like-minded tennis pals using the app. Download the TennisPAL app to book games and play, teach or learn tennis. Read or exchange related news, information, and original content. Learn more here: https://tennispal.com/dropshot [https://tennispal.com/dropshot]

We went to watch WIMBLEDON 2024 (part 2) - Carlos Alcaraz wins his fourth Slam title by beating Novak Djokovic in only 3 sets

In today’s episode our guest Stefano Tognazzi takes the reins of the podcast and guides us through a day in the life of the 2024 Wimbledon championship. In this edition of the tournament Carlos Alcaraz confirmed as the men’s singles champion after a straight-sets victory over Novak Djokovic. The Spanish star had looked set for a stress-free triumph but passed up two match points in the 10th game of the third set, before going on to clinch a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 victory. Djokovic was subdued during the opening two sets, in which the Spaniard sparkled. A break down in the third set, the Serb rallied to take it to a tie-break, which Alcaraz won to retain the title he won last year. Follow the DROP-SHOT podcast on Instagram at: instagram.com/dropshot_podcast

We went to watch WIMBLEDON 2024 (part 1) - Barbora Krejcikova defeats Jasmine Paolini and secures her second Grand Slam title

In today’s episode our guest Stefano Tognazzi takes the reins of the podcast and guides us through a day in the life of the 2024 Wimbledon championship. In this edition of the tournament Barbora Krejcikova became the women’s singles champion after a hard-fought victory over Jasmine Paolini. The Czech star saw out a dramatic 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 win to clinch her second Grand Slam title. Follow the DROP-SHOT podcast on Instagram at: instagram.com/dropshot_podcast

We went to watch QUEEN’s CLUB 2024 - Tommy Pauls’s perfect win against Lorenzo Musetti

In today’s episode our guest Stefano Tognazzi takes the reins of the podcast and guides us through a day in the life of the 2024 Queen’s Club Championship. In this edition of the tournament Tommy Paul outgunned Lorenzo Musetti to win the biggest title of his career. Paul became the first American winner of the prestigious pre-Wimbledon tournament since Sam Querrey in 2010 and joined a glittering group of former champions from across the pond including John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras. Tommy Paul, who knocked out Britain's Jack Draper in the quarter-finals, said: "It means everything". Follow the DROP-SHOT podcast on Instagram at: instagram.com/dropshot_podcast