Nothing Major

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On this Thursday episode of Nothing Major, Sam, John, and Stevie sit down with director Jason Hehir (The Last Dance) to break down his new Amazon feature doc Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter. Hehir explains how the project began in 2017, how he came aboard in 2023, the challenges of filming a story unfolding in real time, and why the original concept “The Two Novaks” evolved into The Wolf in Winter. They also discuss the trust-building process with Novak, the similarities and differences between Djokovic and Michael Jordan, and what surprised Hehir most about Novak as a father and competitor.
Plus, the guys launch a new Sam segment: a snake draft of current top-100 players they least want on their team in a pool-table bar fight. Finally, they preview Roger Federer’s upcoming Hall of Fame induction, sharing behind-the-scenes stories about how approachable and normal Roger is off court.
00:00 Show Intro and Preview
01:26 Jason Hehir Joins
01:48 How the Doc Began
04:56 Tennis Background and Early Career
06:35 Building the Story Live
11:32 Budget and Scope Choices
13:17 Why Wolf in Winter
17:12 Novak Off Court
19:46 Mindset and Self Rivalry
21:45 Jordan vs Novak Comparisons
27:15 Final Cut and Notes
29:56 Crashing the Big Three Party
31:55 Interview Wrap and Reactions
34:31 Sam Bar Fight Draft
36:07 Nice Guys Draft Picks
36:35 More Soft Picks
37:38 Novak Debate
38:26 Colman Wong Pick
41:55 Federer Hall Of Fame
43:33 Federer Stories
45:38 Exhibition Travel Tales
49:17 Who Introduces Roger
49:59 Wrap Up And Rage Bait

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On this episode of Nothing Major, Sam checks in from Cincinnati and shares the perks (and grime) of the Great Wolf Lodge before the guys break down an all-American Masters final in Montreal, Ben Shelton’s dominant title defense without dropping a set, and Brandon Nakashima’s breakthrough week. They also discuss the rise of college-to-pro tennis and what it means for the next generation.
In Toronto, they dive into Iga Swiatek’s “vintage” run, her 12th WTA 1000 title, and what it means for the US Open and WTA Finals race. Plus, they react to Djokovic’s brutal three-set loss, Shelton’s early upset, Zverev as the favorite with stars absent, Fritz’s racket smash, Draper’s candid struggles, and whether anyone should still be complaining about 12-day Masters events.
00:00 Show kickoff
00:40 Cincy perks and Great Wolf
02:20 College tennis surge
06:44 All American Montreal final
09:23 Shelton return breakthrough
12:42 Defending champ in new city
15:25 Iga back in Toronto
18:39 WTA race and Asian swing
22:36 Cincinnati chaos and Novak buzz
25:49 Novak Health Watch
27:20 Shelton Upset Reaction
28:32 Jodar Drama Comeback
30:26 Zverev Favorite Debate
33:37 Draper Injury Struggles
37:21 Olympics Schedule Rant
41:36 Fritz Racket Smash
43:11 Servebot Shelton Stats
43:57 Masters Format Acceptance
46:16 Eala Mania Tickets
46:54 Wrap And Next Ep Preview

Submit your questions or life advice to Nothing Major through the fan participation section at https://www.nothingmajorshow.com/
On this episode of Nothing Major, Sam returns from a whirlwind Cincinnati trip, complete with a no-training 5K and an awkward realization that Jannik Sinner had just pulled out of the tournament. The guys settle into a fun show covering Canadian pet peeves in honor of the Canadian Masters, from surprise tax bills and stacked restaurant taxes to the Queen still appearing on currency, no AC in Montreal, and the metric system.
They also preview Cincinnati with both Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz out, debating who’s actually the favorite while considering Zverev and Novak, and praising Cincinnati’s player amenities, food, upgrades, and Skyline Chili. Plus, they tackle life advice on whether a dad should ever “let” his 17-year-old win, how to handle witnessing an awkward locker room moment and pitch a tennis version of golf’s Internet Invitational featuring influencers, personalities, and a prize purse.
00:00 Cold Open Chaos
00:28 Show Setup and Segments
00:51 Sam’s Cincinnati 5K Recap
02:27 Credentials Awkward Moment
04:15 Canadian Pet Peeves Draft
13:57 Cincy Preview and Punishments
15:12 Who’s the Cincy Favorite
17:42 Is Cincinnati the Best Masters
19:24 Player Perks Tour
20:18 Snack Grab Controversy
21:18 Activities And Investment
22:19 Cincy Food Debate
27:46 Life Advice Begins
28:42 Let Him Win
30:31 Locker Room Secret
32:43 Tennis Influencer Event
37:41 Wrap Up And Next Show

Canada has turned into a full-on bloodbath. Djokovic, Sinner and Alcaraz were already missing, and then plenty of the “safe” top seeds followed them out the door. Zverev calls his loss to Griekspoor his “worst match of the season,” Fritz looks cooked after his Monday final in DC, and Félix doesn’t even make it on court in his hometown because of a back issue.
The result? A wide-open Masters with a historic last eight: for the first time, every Masters 1000 quarterfinalist was born in 2000 or later, with 25-year-old Brandon Nakashima somehow the elder statesman. We break down Shelton vs. Mensik, Jodar’s rapid rise, why Canada creates so much chaos, and which young player has the biggest opportunity this week.
On the women’s side, Toronto finally delivers the heavyweight matchups. We look at the draw while debating Sabalenka’s recent losses, whether Iga is starting to turn things around, and a wide-open race to finish the year at No. 1.
Then it’s on to Cincinnati. How concerning is Sinner’s withdrawal ahead of the US Open? John thinks it matters; Stevie is waiting to see what the New York practice-court cameras tell us. Plus, Sam somehow turns his “query” into an Ealamania discussion... and, for once, we all agree!
00:00 Show Preview
02:00 Montreal Is Absolute Chaos!
05:20 Zverev’s “Worst Match”
08:15 The Gen Z TakeOver
09:22 Did Fritz Run Out of Gas?
11:27 Montreal Quarterfinals
13:25 Shelton vs. Menšík
14:59 Jodar’s Rise + The Fils Test
18:44 Why So Many Upsets in Canada?
22:44 WTA Toronto 
23:17 What’s Going On With Sabalenka?
25:14 Quarterfinals Breakdown
26:09 The No. 1 Race Is Wide Open
29:35 Sinner Pulls Out of Cincinnati
34:10 Cincy + Venus & Serena
36:18 Big Foe’s Hand Surgery
42:04 Stevie Stat's
43:04 Shelton gets Servebot of the Week
47:09 That’s a Wrap!

Career-high No. 39 Eva Lys is our guest for one of our favorite conversations of the year. We chat about growing up with her dad as a coach, the friends she’s made on Tour, and why her social media works without ever feeling forced. She also opens up about the financial reality of life on Tour, balancing sponsorships with tennis, and why WTA is more exciting than ATP.
Before Eva joins us, we break down a huge week in Washington. Alex Eala's incredible title run has everyone asking just how high her ceiling really is, while Taylor Fritz proves once again why the North American hard courts bring out his best. 
We also answer your fan questions, including whether a right-handed Rafa would still be one of the greatest players ever. Plus, how Alcaraz's new No. 3 seeding could shake up the US Open draw, dating apps for tennis players, an extremely serious ranking of Carlos' many hairstyles... and, somehow, a draft of the songs guaranteed to get every white person singing at full volume.
00:00 We're Back!
01:56 Fritz Does It Again
04:29 Eala Mania Arrives
04:59 White People Songs
10:14 Welcoming Eva Lys
11:15 Growing Up Around Tennis
12:24 Life Beyond the Tour
13:22 Friends on Tour
14:58 Favorite Cities on Tour
16:12 Social Media Without the Cringe
17:43 Rating Eva as an Influencer
19:17 Why the WTA Is So Open
21:05 Breakthrough Moments
22:20 Tour's Most Underrated Players
24:48 WTA vs. ATP
26:38 When Social Media Becomes Your Job
28:08 Sponsorships Behind the Scenes
29:09 The Financial Reality of Injuries
30:25 Instagram vs. TikTok
31:28 Prize Money Perspective
33:17 The Great Airline Miles Debate
34:45 Reality TV Draft
41:57 One Last Challenge
47:22 Wimbledon Bracket Winners
48:31 Fan Questions
48:31 Carlos as Seed No. 3?
51:29 What if Rafa was Right-Handed?
54:32 Dating Apps on Tour
55:57 Ranking Carlos Alcaraz's Hairstyles
58:20 See You Next Week!