Serving Aces with Alexandra Stevenson

In Serving Aces, Alexandra Stevenson and Hugues Laverdiere discuss tennis and pop culture. They make a deep dive into the beginning of the Australian Open.  Alexandra throws out names of players who could make a move, including qualifying this weekend.

They also discuss Nick Kyrgios and his twitter about Djokovic not doing well with the Aussie ball in United Cup where countries played countries to give players matches.  Kyrgios in typical fashion called for one ball on both Tours.  Alexandra talks about her thoughts and how she got a ball change when she played down under in challengers.

Ougi brings a good session on focusing on your opponent in Ougi's Court.  Alexandra talks about what made the big four so great - Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray.  How they learned about their opponent.  She talks about her own career and how she looked at her own game, not her opponent in the early years.

In Auckland, Alexandra notes that Svitolina focused too much on Gauff's forehand and Gauff won Auckland.

They talk football and playoffs and Michigan Washington National Championship.  Alexandra likes the 49ers.  Ougi likes the Ravens.  Alexandra gets in the Golden Globes - the 81st edition and some of the winners - hoping Hollywood is back.

Alexandra tells Ougi about Pat McAfee - a big ESPN show in the United States, a show that McAfee used to do on You Tube.  Alexandra says that McAfee went after a big ESPN executive, calling him a "Rat."  She says it's a big story in sports talk radio because the traditional value of sports talk radio is becoming a dead end.  And McAfee is not traditional.  He called out the executive for leaking his show's ratings to a NY Post reporter, saying only this executive had the information.  McAfee is being paid 85 million for five years.  McAfee says this executive is sabotaging the McAfee show, leaking ratings, hoping to kill the show's concept.  Her quote of the podcast comes from McAfee's twitter from the movie, Scarface:  Me.  I always tell the truth.  Even when I lie.  So say good night to the bad guy."  Alexandra says that McAfee "went to the mattresses" like in The Godfather.

Alexandra and Ougi will be doing a daily Australian Open wrap-up each night during the Grand Slam.  Jan14-28.