TENNIS AND TWIZZLES

Okay, tennis heads! Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and Sam (@samtaunton) are back in the Pod Laver Arena studio, bringing you searing wit and lacerating wordplay! Sam tarnishes the solid gold legacy of Craig Tiley, while Mike quietly wishes he had a private Rage Room like the one at the ATX Open. There's a weirdly long analysis of Valentin Vacherot's 'Chubb Close Call', and we crescendo to an interview with the still ruggedly handsome Tommy Haas, who performs a savage takedown of pickleball! This podcast will self-destruct by midnight tonight, so watch it before it explodes in your hands, you dorks! AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike and Lizzy carry on their tradition of singing a tennis-themed song at the start of the pod and immediately a cease-and-desist letter from Will.I.Am drops from the ceiling. We expose tennis cheaters, examine the unstoppable force that is Carlos Alcaraz, and settle on calling our legion of fans 'Laverinos', which is probably a mistake. And are we mad that Alexandra Eala appeared on The Sit-Down and not our podcast? No! No way! Why would you say that? HAHAHAHAHAHA! Also, Mike is persisting with his anagram segment and, TBH, this edition is actually awesome. Plus, an interview with the best voice in tennis, Jakub Mensik. Slurp it up, Laverinos! AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back by popular demand (we assume)! In this pod we speak to Alex de Minaur's coach, Matt Reid, hot off Alex's triumph in Rotterdam. We ask him a bunch of dumb questions and probably waste his time! Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) toys with the idea of changing his name, and he also admits to watching the Winter Olympics - the worst kind of Olympics. And, in a bombshell move, Lizzy (@lizzyhoo) admits that she is indeed a "boob girl" (pertaining to Alexander Bublik). We cap off these hijinks by speaking to none other than The Mooch - Karolína Muchová! In Pod we trust. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey we're back! And where did everybody go? Seriously... it's like a ghost town around here. No one. Nothing. Not even one Shake Shack. Anyway, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and Lizzy (@lizzyhoo) were clearly up all night partying with Kyrgios because they are dusty and barely making sense. There's tennis-adjacent chat, new (and very cheap) graphics, and some wild speculation about what AO champion, Carlos Alcaraz, will get for a tattoo. And all this happens while Ace vapes in the corner, giving off a menacing vibe. Oh, and we finish with a very special visit from the uber-sensual tennis legend, Marat Safin. Gee he's cool. And smells nice. I mean like, really nice. I would best describe it as an intoxicating mix of moisturising cream and sandalwood. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

And just like that, it’s over. We’re not crying, you are. But fear not, because we’re here to unpack absolutely everything from the men’s final, from the match itself right through to an unexpected but forensic audit of Rafa’s hair. In a welcome surprise to us, it looks like Novak Djokovic is bringing Borat “not” jokes back into the cultural conversation and frankly we’re here for it. We also relive that moment during the KIA guy’s speech, plus the epic tale of Mike and Sam getting kicked out of a media function, only to still somehow have the last laugh. Suck on that, Belinda. Mike and Sam dust off the vocal cords and deliver what can only be described as one of the songs of the summer, despite a deeply questionable attempt to rhyme the word 'Wimbledon'. And finally, things completely derail as we unleash one of the most unhinged press conferences you’ve ever heard from our very own Ace-Man. If you’re not laughing by the end of the pod, Mike will eat a tennis ball. No follow up questions. Listen to The AO Wrap to stay up to date with the latest results each day of the main draw. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You turn your back for one second, and M&Ms mascots come into the studio and mess up the place. But the boys recover to talk smack about Elena Rybakina's victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final. Great match, good times, subdued celebration. Not that Sam would know much about it - he was eating a charcuterie board with his girlfriend during the match. And will our brazen hosts sneak their way into the men's final tonight? Almost certainly not. I mean, the M&Ms mascots have a better chance, let's be honest. If that wasn't enough (which it isn't), Aussie tennis legend Pat Rafter drops in and hammers a ping pong ball into Sam Taunton's back fat. Wham! Footnote: In a breathtaking power move, Mike wears stolen sunglasses for this entire ep. It's stirring stuff. Listen to The AO Wrap to stay up to date with the latest results each day of the main draw. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine Rod Laver dripping beads in a sauna, because we talk about that AND MORE. Yes, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and co-host Sam (@samtaunton) snuck into the Alcaraz v Zverev semifinal yesterday and are still giddy as schoolgirls about it! And Mike stayed up until 3am watching the Novak beat Jannik Sinner, and it absolutely shows - the guy is fried. Anyway, marvel as we dissect the Alcaraz inner thigh massage controversy: did he abuse the rules? Or was it a Chubb close call? Also, we interview none other than Coco Gauff (and show her a piece of artwork that she DOES NOT LIKE and Lizzy almost smacks her in the head with a ping pong ball). Drink us in and dance around. Love you. #blessed Listen to The AO Wrap to stay up to date with the latest results each day of the main draw. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Podcasting from deep within the bowels of Tennis HQ, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and Sam (@samtaunton) — resplendent in their finery — talk absolute garbage about the epic event that is the Australian Open. It's funny garbage, though. The lads analyse Sabalenka and Svitolina's non-handshake, the Grunt-gate controversy, and make a bold prediction about the amount of foot blisters Novak Djokovic will end up with. Oh, and Sam delivers a rousing message to the remaining Aussies in the draw that will bring a tear to your beady little eyes. I cried. I'm not too proud to admit it. Also, I guess I'm emotional because I miss my family. They have us working crazy hours here and, TBH, I'm reaching my upper limit. I mean, I'm resilient, normally... but this tournament requires a gargantuan effort and... ah look, this is probably not the forum. Anyway, come get an insight into Aryna Sabalenka's inner sanctum as we talk to her strength and conditioning coach, Jason Stacy! Listen to The AO Wrap to stay up to date with the latest results each day of the main draw. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every day we turn up and, to our amazement, our passes still work. It's only a matter of time before we're turned away, possibly by Wally Masur himself. In this scintillating and erotic new episode, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and blow-in host Sam Taunton (@samtaunton) trade barbs and Australian Open observations. You'll hear them say things like — but not limited to — 'Golly gosh, Lorenzo Musetti had his heart ripped out'. They'll also ask probing questions like 'Gee whiz, what's with all the straight-sets matches?' They also massacre a Neil Diamond song, which is just horrendous for all involved. Oh, and we talk to USA turbo-hunk tennis dude, Ben Shelton. Are you not TENTERTAINED (tennis-entertained)?! Don't answer that. Anyway, as our sponsor would say: 'Get some bubbles up ya!' Listen to The AO Wrap to stay up to date with the latest results each day of the main draw. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Off the back of Alex de Minaur’s loss to Carlos Alcaraz, it is officially a dark day for Australian tennis and yes, the vibes inside the studio are appropriately grim. But fear not. Sam (@samtaunton) arrives armed with a bold, possibly unhinged new plan guaranteed to turn the fortunes of Australian tennis around forever. Probably. On top of his world-class tennis analysis, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) crunches the numbers on the stats that actually matter, like how many Shake Shack burgers have been consumed across the entirety of the Australian Open. If this wasn’t enough, our resident audio visual expert "Ace Man" launches a full scale investigation into Carlos Alcaraz that somehow raises more questions than it answers. And finally, it only felt right to give De Minaur the send off he deserves, so we’ve lined up one of our all time interviews with him on today’s pod. It’s a cracking chat that will absolutely lift your spirits. Lifted spirits guaranteed or your money back. Listen to The AO Wrap to stay up to date with the latest results each day of the main draw. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.