Perfect Match? – Details, episodes & analysis

On this bonus episode, we continue examining the awesome legacy of Billie Jean King. This portion of the story looks at her complicated coming out story, involving an affair with her assistant, a palimony lawsuit, and ultimately the acceptance of openly gay players in professional tennis.

As always, follow us on socials, rate us in your podcast app, tell your friends (!), and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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As the US Open kicks off at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Queens, NY, we discuss the Billie Jean King story. From her role in founding the first professional tennis tour for women, to the founding of the Women's Tennis Association and beyond, King has established herself as the Godmother of Tennis. To this day, she towers over the sport and sets the tone for debate on various issues affecting the sport.

As always, follow us on socials and leave us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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In which we discuss Serena Williams calling out Harrison Butker, Stefanos Tsitsipas' new controlling/abusive video, and the Wimbledon Champions. Barbora Krejčíková's unexpected win and Carlos Alcaraz' much needed defeat of aggrieved weirdo Novak Djokovic. We weigh in on whether it's okay for a player to mimic sad violin playing at the crowd (after he's won the match!) and then gaslight everyone by saying he did it for his adorable daughter. Hard to say!

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As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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In our new Midweek Mini episode, we dive into men's hair in tennis, the gym, the subway, and how it relates to "homosocial" definitions of what's okay for straight/cis presenting men to do with their hair and clothes. It's all very weird!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Here we talk about the origin of the requirement that players at Wimbledon wear all white. How did this come about? Are its origins unsavory (they are)? Also, John McEnroe has been calling big tennis matches for ages. People wonder if he still should. We wage a defense of Johnny Mac...a measured one.

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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We are joined by Kathleen Lubey, St. John's professor and author of the book "What Pornography Knows: Sex and Social Protest Since the Eighteenth Century" to discuss Wimbledon, sexuality, and Stefanos Tsitsipas' recent #tradwife Instagram Story - it's cringe! Plus, Tennis Tidbits, Michele and Kathy's TWO in-person experiences at Wimbledon, and how to watch the Tournament this time.

As always, please rate this podcast in your app and follow us on social media. Links at http://perfectmatchpodcast.com. Enjoy!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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We kickoff our Social Justice Series with a discussion about Margaret Court, the racist, homophobic pre-open era player who the tennis world can't stop talking about. She played in an era when most of her peers were off playing other tournaments, trying to form a professional women's tennis league, yet people still compare her record to that of Serena Williams. It must stop!

Also, tennis tidbits about Naomi Osaka, Rafa, Alcaraz and Serena.

As always, follow us on Insta @perfectmatchpodcast and on Twitter @perfectmatchq. Send feedback at http://perfectmatchpodcast.com and give us 5 stars on your podcast app if you are so moved.

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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Good vs. Evil: Carlos Alcaraz beat Alexander Zverev to win the French Open. This is good! Meanwhile, as US Open tickets go on sale, Ticketmaster successfully makes it as miserable as possible to buy tickets. It's as if it's a monopoly!

Also, we discuss our love for the Showtime/Paramount+ show "Couples Therapy", why we probably can't get therapy from the host, and why we are fine with NBC losing the rights to the French Open for the next 10 years. Because they fucked it up!

As always, stars and reviews and telling your friends about his pod are always appreciated.

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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We welcome our friend and radio/podcast goddess Katya Rogers, producer of WNYC's "On the Media" to discuss the recently reissued 1981 movie "The French", which is more about France In 1981 than the French Open that year. We also touch upon Rafa Nadal's "will he, won't he retire?" posture and what it means. Trigger warning for Rafa fans: we will question whether Rafa should still be playing, but in the nicest way. Also, we got a real studio this time, so the sound quality is much, much better. Bon Voyage!

Also: if you like this podcast, please rate it in your podcast app. It helps a lot!

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

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Today we discuss last week’s revelation from Donald Trump’s porn star/hush money trial that among the many ghastly people on the former president’s “close contact” list was none other than Serena Williams, whom Trump apparently spoke to “often” during his presidency. So yeah.

Also, we dive deep into Alexander Zverev, the top German player who just won the Italian Open and could likely win the French Open. He’s on a roll right now, but the tennis world has largely ignored his history of abuse allegations from former girlfriends (plural). The ATP has basically washed its hands of the affair, while the tennis commentariat gingerly tiptoes around the whole topic. We aren’t going to tiptoe! We are going to lay out the facts and examine how the ATP deals with (or doesn't deal with) allegations of this sort.

For the record: at this time, Alexander Zverev is presumed innocent of all allegations that have been leveled against him.

As always tell your friends, rate this podcast in your app, and send us feedback at https://www.perfectmatchpodcast.com/

You can also follow us on Bluesky at @perfectmatchpodcast.com or @shellsteak and YouTube at @PerfectMatchPodcast

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