About this episode
Naomi Osaka is a paradigm shifter, regardless of whether you agree with her decisions. We spend a good chunk of our Roland Garros preview thinking through Naomi's decision to skip press and how it affords the sport an opportunity to rethink how it conducts journalism and creates news. Why did it inflame such impassioned responses? What does the press conference accomplish? What are the alternatives? Amidst all this, we have the year's second Grand Slam to preview, which will happen among the most "normal" conditions we've seen since the pandemic began. Rafa, Ash, and Iga are faves, but they're not the only ones with a fighting chance. 0:45 Naomi Osaka's bombshell: she won't be doing press conferences at Roland Garros 8:30 "It's part of the job" - but why? Is this an opportunity to rethink how tennis does journalism? 20:25 What we don't want to see: personal axe-grinding against "the press" in general 35:10 Some ideas on how to rethink tennis journalism 39:50 Roland Garros men's draw preview! 55:25 Women's draw: two clear favorites and a lot of great performers right behind them 64:15 Women's bottom half -- especially the fourth quarter -- is ripe for a dark horse breakthrough