By Lucky Letcord Podcast | Thursday January 26, 2023

Alex Gruskin of Cracked Racquets joins Chris Oddo to talk about the fantastic performances of the American men at this year's Australian Open.

You can find Alex's brilliant work at Crackedracquets.com, he hosts several podcasts, covering NCAA tennis and the pro game as well, and also works as a commentator for the Tennis Channel.

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Gruskin on Twitter



Topics discussed:

Tommy Paul -- why is he the last American standing and what is his long-term upside? How is the Paul of 2023 different from previous versions of himself, which elements of his arsenal have been sharpened and why is he able to muster such success against the Top-5? What are his chances against Novak Djokovic and what could the rest of the season look like for him?



Ben Shelton -- how has this kid come from out of nowhere to be such a force? What are his assets, why are they so effective and what are some of the elements of his game that could improve to make him even better? Shelton has emerged as a fan favorite - what is it about him that makes fans gravitate to him?

JJ Wolf - He was edged by Shelton in the round of 16, but he's clearly another American on the rise. What are his weapons and how has he changed since his college tennis days? He's kinda cool, and Alex says if it's true, it's mainly due to his sister...

Sebi Korda -- will the smooth striker one day be best in class for the Americans?

Fritz and Tiafoe - They didn't join the party for long in Australia, but for now they are the leaders.

Next, a breakdown of the women's singles final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, followed by a discussion of Friday night's men's semifinals, which Tsitsipas fans are gonna love...

Thanks for joining Alex! Make sure you follow Mr. Gruskin on Twitter and check out all his work -- trust us, you will learn a lot about tennis from this passionate tennis freak!