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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

Philly, D.C.: Meet Defector at the Ballpark

Vintage Baseball Stadium Postcard

Defector at the Ballpark

IMG_5859

Giri Nathan

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz poses with his trophy after winning the men's singles final tennis match against Italy's Jannik Sinner

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Tennis

The Tour Is Theirs

Aryna Sabalenka poses with her trophy after defeating Amanda Anisimova of the United States during their Women's Singles Final match on Day Fourteen of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Susan Mullane/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

2025 US Open – Day 14

Aryna Sabalenka Is The Final Boss Of The Hard Court

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Kathryn Xu

US Open, Ride Share pick up and drop off location with NY Pavilion and Queens theater in background, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, New York.

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Transit

An Elegant Solution For Anyone Stuck Waiting On An Uber At The U.S. Open

Aaron Timms

A view of the park from behind police barriers

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The U.S. Open Could Be More Than A Fortress For Capital

Amanda Anisimova celebrates after winning the women's singles quarterfinal match between Amanda Anisimova of the United States and Iga Swiatek of Poland at the 2025 US Open tennis championships in New York, the United States, Sept. 3, 2025. (Photo by Li Rui/Xinhua via Getty Images)

U.S.-NEW YORK-TENNIS-US OPEN-WOMEN’S SINGLES-QUARTERFINALS

Amanda Anisimova Gets Revenge For Her Wimbledon Bagels

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 01: Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates after defeating Coco Gauff of the United States during their Men's Singles Fourth Round match on Day Nine of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 1, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

2025 US Open – Day 9

Naomi Osaka Is On To Her Second Act

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Patrick Redford

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 27: Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia (R) argues with Taylor Townsend of the United States (L) following their Women's Singles Second Round match on Day Four of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

2025 US Open – Day 4

Jelena Ostapenko Remains A Sore Loser

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Lauren Theisen

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Tennis Player Acts Normal

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 24: Daniil Medvedev breaks his racket after losing in five sets to Benjamin Bonzi of France during their Men's Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 24, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

2025 US Open – Day 1

Wayward U.S. Open Photographer Triggers Daniil Medvedev’s Two-Part Meltdown

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David Roth

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates a point against Jannik Sinner of Italy during the Men’s Singles Final match on Day Fifteen of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros on June 08, 2025 in Paris, France.

2025 French Open – Day Fifteen

Podcasts

A Forehand That Sounds Like Construction Equipment, With Giri Nathan

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

giricover

Interviews

Giri Nathan DISHES On Jannik Sinner And Carlos Alcaraz In This EXCLUSIVE Interview

<p>Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and co-founded the website <a href="http://popcorntennis.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://popcorntennis.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726234676777000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0PFWw6PL-FUqaCMME5TLqP">popcorntennis.com</a>. He wrote 63,000 words about the Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal rivalry that can be accessed for free at <a href="https://thegoldenrivalry.substack.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thegoldenrivalry.substack.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726234676777000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2OjAHpo4PVIhkx8Xd21lRJ">thegoldenrivalry.substack.com</a>.</p>


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Owen Lewis

Victoria Mboko of Canada reacts against Naomi Osaka of Japan during the Women's Singles Final match on day twelve of the WTA 1000 National Bank Open at IGA Stadium on August 7, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

WTA 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers  – Final Day

Victoria Mboko Is Here To Break Brains

Bill Ackman, Founder and CEO, Pershing Square Capital Management speaks about higher education and Harvard University during at the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

US-POLITICS-ECONOMY-MILKEN

Bills Week

Bill Ackman Says He’ll Give Tennis Hall Of Fame $10 Million After His Weird, Sad Match

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 13: Winner Jannik Sinner of Italy and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain embrace at the net after the Gentlemen's Singles Final on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 13th, 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images)

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Jannik Sinner Recalibrated And Got Back Into His Rivalry With Carlos Alcaraz

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates winning Championship point against Amanda Anisimova of United States in the Ladies' Singles Final on day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 12, 2025 in London, England.

Day Thirteen: The Championships – Wimbledon 2025

Iga Swiatek Mastered All Terrain

Bill Ackman, Founder and CEO, Pershing Square Capital Management, attends the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

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Capital

Bill Ackman Gets To Play Pretend In Sanctioned Tennis Farce

Aryna Sabalenka reacts to a break of serve during her victory against Laura Siegemund of Germany in the Quarter-Finals of the Ladies' Singles Competition on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon on July 8th, 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images)

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Aryna Sabalenka Could Round Out Her Game By Hiring Some Elderly Training Partners

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria gets an injury in the Gentlemen's Singles Fourth Round match against Jannik Sinner of Italy on day eight of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 07, 2025 in London, England.

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On The Brink Of A Defining Victory, Grigor Dimitrov’s Body Failed Him

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz holds the trophy after winning the men's singles final match against Italy's Jannik Sinner on day 15 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 8, 2025.

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Carlos Alcaraz Wins The Match Of A Lifetime

Paris, France - June 7: Coco Gauff of United States with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen trophy after her victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the Women's Singles Final match on Day Fourteen of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros on June 07, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)

2025 French Open – Day Fourteen

Coco Gauff Won’t Be Rattled

Iga Swiatek of Poland drops her racket as she stretches for a backhand against Aryna Sabalenka in the Women's Singles Semi Final match on Day Twelve of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros on June 05, 2025 in Paris, France.

2025 French Open – Day Twelve

Iga Swiatek Abdicates Her Clay Throne

Brazil's Joao Fonseca reacts after winning against France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert during their men's singles match on day 5 of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 29, 2025. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)

João Fonseca Loves The Pressure

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain poses for a photo with his trophy alongside his team following victory against Jannik Sinner of Italy in the Men's Singles Final match on Day Fourteen of the Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2025 at Foro Italico on May 18, 2025 in Rome, Italy.

Internazionali BNL D’Italia 2025 – Day Fourteen

Carlos Alcaraz Keeps Smiling At Jannik Sinner’s Expense

Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot against Jessica Pegula

Miami Open Presented by Itau 2025 – Day 12

Aryna Sabalenka Is Thrillingly Imperfect

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 14: Novak Djokovic of Serbia waits for the trophy presentation after his defeat by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the final of the men's singles, during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Frey/TPN/Getty Images)

Day Fourteen: The Championships – Wimbledon 2024

Novak Djokovic’s Loose Players Union Files Huge Lawsuit Against Tennis Power Structure