Best Of Three
Alvin and friends discuss a wide variety of tennis topics, both on and off the court.
Episodes
110 episodes
Jannik Sinner and the Problem the ATP Has Not Solved
Jannik Sinner’s height is part of the story, but it is not the explanation. In this episode, Alvin and Torrey look at why Sinner has become such a difficult structural problem for the ATP: he combines elite movement, early ball-striking, return...
Rafael Jódar and the ATP’s Next Tactical Separator
Rafael Jódar has quickly moved from interesting young player to serious ATP prospect, but the reason is not simply his size or power. Alvin and Patrick break down why Jódar’s game already looks unusually mature: a clean backhand return, control...
Chris Eubanks Explains What Tennis Fans Get Wrong About the Pro Level
This is how pro tennis actually works.Former ATP Top 30 player Chris Eubanks breaks down: Why players don’t “just play bad” What separates Top 10 from Top 50 How scouting reports a...
Ben Shelton’s Clay Evolution and Arthur Fils’ Pattern Identity
This episode examines a significant developmental moment for two of the ATP Tour’s emerging contenders: Ben Shelton and Arthur Fils. Shelton’s title...
Jannik Sinner vs Carlos Alcaraz: Execution, Margin, and the Next Phase of a Rivalry
This episode examines the latest installment in the evolving rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz following Sinner’s straight-sets win in Monte Carlo. Rather than isolating the result, the discussion frames the matchup as part of a ...
Belinda Bencic’s Backhand and the Real Demands of Clay Court Tennis
Clay court tennis is often described as slower, but that simplification misses the deeper reality: the surface fundamentally reshapes how players manage space, construct points, and move through contact. In this episode, we break down the techn...
Jannik Sinner and the New Tactical Standard in Men’s Tennis
Jannik Sinner’s Miami title completes a dominant Sunshine Double and reinforces his position—alongside Carlos Alcaraz—as one of the defining forces in men’s tennis. This episode examines not just the results, but the underlying mechanics of Sin...
Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and the Pressure of First-Strike Tennis
This episode examines the evolving matchup between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka following Sabalenka’s Miami Open victory, using it as a lens to understand broader trends in the women’s game. Rather than framing Gauff as a player limited by te...
Sebastian Korda’s Blueprint vs Carlos Alcaraz
Sebastian Korda’s win over Carlos Alcaraz in Miami serves as more than a standout result—it offers a tactical framework for competing against one of the sport’s most explosive players. In this episode, we analyze how Korda’s controlled aggressi...
Alcaraz vs Fonseca, Świątek’s Confidence Dip, and Gauff’s Forehand Questions
Carlos Alcaraz’s straight-set win over João Fonseca in Miami looks routine on paper, but the match offers a clearer view into the developmental gap between emerging talent and established elite. We break down what separates “competitive” from “...
Sabalenka vs Rybakina and the Tactical Hierarchy Emerging After Indian Wells
Indian Wells offered more than just two championship matches — it provided a revealing snapshot of how the tactical hierarchy of professional tennis is evolving.In the women’s final, Aryna Sabalenka’s victory over Elena Rybakina became a...
Jannik Sinner vs João Fonseca — and the Pressure on Carlos Alcaraz
Recorded during the middle of the Indian Wells tournament, this episode explores one of the most overlooked tactical questions in modern tennis: where should players actually stand on the court relative to their skill sets?Alvin Owusu an...
Jean-Yves Aubone on Intense Tennis and the Push to Modernize Professional Tennis
In this episode of the Best of Three podcast, Alvin Owusu and Torrey Hawkins sit down with Jean-Yves Aubone, Director of Player & Coach Relations for the Intense Tennis League. The conversation explores why a new format has emerged in respo...
Jack Draper’s Ceiling, Francis Tiafoe’s Window, and the Reality of a Serena Return
With Miami approaching, we assess three players at very different stages of leverage.Jack Draper, now 24, already owns a Masters 1000 title and deep Slam credentials. The gap between him and sustained Top 5 status is narrower than it app...
Carlos Alcaraz’s Depth Revolution & Jessica Pegula’s Sustainable Ceiling
Carlos Alcaraz’s Doha title signals more than form — it signals evolution. We analyze how his depth control, tempo manipulation, and backhand assertion are redefining his dominance. His ability to gain time without sacrificing position may be t...
WTA Doha 1000 Recap: Muchova Breaks Through, Mboko Arrives, and the Next Gen Is Here
The WTA Doha 1000 wrapped up with one of the most satisfying storylines of the season. Karolína Muchová wins her first WTA title in six years, Vicky Mboko announces herself as a top-10 player, and the next generation keeps forcing its way into ...
Alcaraz’s Genius, Zverev’s Window & Sinner’s Response | Post Australian Open Breakdown
The Australian Open is in the books, and we’re joined by Patrick Parr for a wide-ranging post-AO conversation that goes well beyond the scoreboard.We unpack Alexander Zverev’s durability and why the French Open may represent his clearest...
Australian Open 2026 Recap: What We Learned About Alcaraz, Rybakina, Zverev & the Tours
The Australian Open is in the books, and we zoom out on what actually mattered.In this episode of Best of Three, we break down what the 2026 Australian Open told us about the state of both tours — from Aryna Sabalenka’s continue...
Carlos Alcaraz Wins Australian Open 2026 | Beating Djokovic with Brains, Legs & Legacy
Carlos Alcaraz defeats Novak Djokovic in four sets to win the Australian Open and complete the career Grand Slam before age 23.In this episode of Best of Three, we break down:Why this wasn’t a simple passing...
Elena Rybakina is your 2026 Australian Open Champion
Elena Rybakina is your 2026 Australian Open Champion, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in a razor-thin three-set final (6-4, 4-6, 6-4).Alvin and Torrey break down one of the highest-level women’s finals in recent memory:• why this...
Australian Open 2026 Mens Semis Recap: Djokovic Survives Sinner, Alcaraz Outlasts Zverev
Novak Djokovic delivers another reminder at the Australian Open, surviving an all-time semifinal battle with Jannik Sinner, while Carlos Alcaraz ALSO outlasts Alexander Zverev in a five-set war.Alvin Owusu and Torrey Hawkins break down <...
Sabalenka vs Rybakina Final Set | Coco Gauff Concerns | AO 2026 Women’s QF & SF Breakdown
The women’s side of the Australian Open is delivering heavyweight tennis.We break down:• Sabalenka’s dominance and why she’s in a class of her own• Elena Rybakina surviving Pegula and setting up the final we’ve been waiting...
Australian Open 2026 Men’s QF Review & SF Preview | Djokovic, Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev |
We break down the men’s quarterfinals at the 2026 Australian Open and preview the semifinals.Topics include:Djokovic vs Musetti (and what it says about Novak in 2026)Sinner vs Shelton and the “wrong generation” probl...
Australian Open 2026 R16 Review & Quarterfinal Preview
The Round of 16 is in the books at the 2026 Australian Open, and now the real fun begins.Alvin and Torrey break down the women’s and men’s quarterfinal matchups, starting with Aryna Sabalenka’s form and the rapid rise of Eva Jovic, then ...
Australian Open 2026: Rounds 1–2 Breakdown | Next Gen Reality Check + Early Contenders
We break down the first two rounds of the 2026 Australian Open on both the ATP and WTA tours.From why the top seeds largely survived, to what the early exits of several Next Gen players really mean, to the subtle differences between tou...
