What is happening in Asia (tennis edition) - Tokyo + China Open

My impression of the Asian Swing might be biased, but I would like to think it is justified. I remember being a five-year-old kid watching Li Na play in the rain on the big screen outside the stadium at the China Open. Wow. That was a lot of prepositions. But that is precisely what got me into tennis. I became a tennis fan because my mom would take me to the China Open every year. I also remember watching a final between Djokovic and Nadal. Looking back, I must have been fascinated and mesmerized with the rhythm, the strokes, the movement of the game I have grown to love so many years later. So yes, all that is to say: I love the Asian Swing. I admit I haven’t been watching as much tennis as I would have liked. Being a college student and balancing two part-time jobs while hosting a tennis podcast is a lot to handle, but I think it is manageable. However, the past few weeks have been tough with exams coming up. Still, tennis always amazes me. From Djokovic’s undefeated 32-0 record in Beijing to Rybakina’s loss to the world number 118 in her first match as world number 1, anything is possible in tennis, and so is balancing school with doing the things I love. Links mentioned: Carlos Alcaraz vs. Alex Michelson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzqTCHi-L_A Arthur Fils vs. Frances Tiafoe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFKJ_3PxbuY Novak Djokovic vs. Yuanchaokete Bu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjStKOLJ3T4 Novak Djokovic vs. Alexander Zverev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjaHThpISKk Kei Nishikori vs. Frances Tiafoe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ht1J3A0csc Leylah Fernandez vs. Maja Chwalinska: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWfAKjEnQ8U Elena Rybakina vs. Alina Charaeva: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd4MQBnmF5A Aryna Sabalenka vs. Nikola Bartunkova: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3mqDeV5E_w Naomi Osaka vs. Sara Bejlek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_kH7kg7FIc Subscribe to ⁠ The Service Game ⁠ on your favourite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. For extended analysis and written Second Serve content, check out Ivy’s ⁠Substack⁠ . Subscribe wherever you’re listening, rate the show, and send in your ideas for Second Serve . 🎾 Thanks for listening—and let the serves begin! Produced with assistance from Radio CKUT CKUT Radio: https://ckut.ca/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theservicegame.substack.com