In this episode I sit down with Haleh Emrani, the visionary founder behind TennisPAL. With a background as an electrical engineer, Haleh has worked in the tech industry since 1991, but her passion for community-building and tennis led her to create TennisPAL—a unique platform connecting tennis enthusiasts around the world. Growing up in Iran, Haleh faced challenges as a young woman wanting to play sports, yet her love for tennis stayed strong, inspiring her to build an inclusive app for players everywhere. Haleh also holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern History from UCLA and is an active philanthropist, supporting cultural and educational causes.

This episode was brought to you by TennisPAL, a tennis community where members can find and connect with other like-minded tennis pals using the app. Download the TennisPAL app to book games and play, teach or learn tennis. Read or exchange related news, information, and original content. Learn more here: ⁠https://tennispal.com/dropshot

In a thrilling 2024 China Open final, Carlos Alcaraz edged past Jannik Sinner in a dramatic 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) victory to claim his fourth title of the year. The three-hour, 21-minute battle saw Alcaraz fight back from early deficits, including an impressive comeback in the final-set tie-break where he won seven straight points from 0/3 down. This win marked Alcaraz’s third consecutive victory over Sinner this year, extending his lead in their head-to-head rivalry to 6-4. With this triumph, Alcaraz became the first player to win ATP 500 titles on all three surfaces—hard, clay, and grass—in the same season.

We also highlight Coco Gauff’s commanding performance at the China Open, where she secured her second title of the season by defeating Karolina Muchova 6-1, 6-3. At 20 years old, Gauff became the youngest China Open champion in 14 years and maintained her perfect record in hard-court finals, improving her overall finals record to 8-1. This victory bolsters her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals, solidifying her position as one of the top players on the tour.

This episode was brought to you by TennisPAL, a tennis community where members can find and connect with other like-minded tennis pals using the app. Download the TennisPAL app to book games and play, teach or learn tennis. Read or exchange related news, information, and original content. Learn more here: https://tennispal.com/dropshot

In today’s episode our guest Stefano Tognazzi takes the reins of the podcast and guides us through a day in the life of the 2024 Wimbledon championship. In this edition of the tournament Carlos Alcaraz confirmed as the men’s singles champion after a straight-sets victory over Novak Djokovic. The Spanish star had looked set for a stress-free triumph but passed up two match points in the 10th game of the third set, before going on to clinch a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 victory. Djokovic was subdued during the opening two sets, in which the Spaniard sparkled. A break down in the third set, the Serb rallied to take it to a tie-break, which Alcaraz won to retain the title he won last year.

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