<p>Joel, Amy and Gill discuss Novak Djokovic's quest for major title #18 in New York, what style of play tends to bother Novak? Hint: not Jan-Lennard Struff's, how he looks to recover physically after playing the maximum number of matches last week in the Western &amp; Southern Open, where he won the title, and how Djokovic's biggest threats, Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem, match up with the Serb. It wouldn't be an episode of Three if we didn't get off topic, and we also discuss return position in this episode.</p>

<p>On Ep. 7 of Three, Joel, Amy and Gill talk about why Novak Djokovic is the ultimate "coaches player." The Serbian has stood on top of the ATP tour for most of the last decade with his stunning backhand, return, movement and mental strength. What can recreational players learn? Plus, we discuss Novak's quest for a 18th major title in New York. What does the absence of Nadal and Federer, a neck issue, quicker court conditions and a packed schedule mean for Djokovic's chances?</p>

<p>On Ep. 6, Joel, Amy and Gill speculate on legacy of the 2020 US Open, tackling the widely debated question: will the champion deserve an asterisk? &nbsp;&nbsp;Then, following Roger Federer last week, we transition into things recreational players can learn from Rafael Nadal's game. Everyone can agree his mentality is legendary. Debates emerge on the subject of tactics: is classical Spanish tennis- with emphasis on consistency, fitness, racket speed and great footwork- at odds with recent data about the importance of rallies under four shots? Regardless, Nadal has developed as much more than a classic clay court grinder. We discuss.</p>

<p>On the fifth episode of Three, Joel, Amy and Gill talk about what recreational players can learn from Roger Federer. With his 39th birthday recently past, we discuss Federer's longevity, something all club players hope to achieve. We hit on Federer's one-handed backhand, his variety, his footwork and his temperament. But first, a shout out to Racquet Magazine and WTA Lexington.</p>

<p>On Ep. 4 of Three, Joel, Amy and Gill discuss the players who rivaled the Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, albeit often unsuccessfully. We discuss dangerous competitors like Stan Wawrinka, David Ferrer and Dominic Thiem. We go through the generations- from Hewitt, Safin and Roddick, to Tsonga, Berdych and Del Potro, to Raonic, Dimitrov and Nishikori, and finally, Tsitsipas, Medvedev and Zverev. We grapple with the reasons that these players have come up short when tested against the Big Three? But first, we react to the news that Nadal will not play the 2020 US Open due to covid-related concerns.</p>

<p>On Ep. 3, Joel, Amy and Gill discuss the GOAT debate, which has dominated men’s tennis discourse for the better part of a decade. It is the most obvious way to discuss Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s greatness, but should we really be asking who the greatest player of all-time is? The Big 3 aren’t done playing yet- but will finality bring any clarity to what is already an extremely complex question. What role does the grand slam race play? Is it fair to compare eras at all? The questions are endless, which brings us to the original question. Should we be asking about GOATS?</p>

<p>On the second episode of Three, Joel, Amy and Gill discuss the largest mystery heading into the 2020 ATP restart. Will Rafael Nadal play the US Open? Many factors are at play, including his history of hard court injury and what it means to miss a major. We discuss the history of slam skippage and career longevity, using Andre Agassi as a case study. Then, we bring the conversation over to Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who have had healthier careers than Nadal, but still have had their fair share of injuries.</p>

<p>On the first ever episode of Three, Joel, Amy and Gill address the odd man out. British three-time major champion Andy Murray was often considered to be a member of the Big Four, but over time the term Big Three largely adopted as the best representation of the top of men's tennis. We talk about what Murray did so well to enable consistent winning results on tour, but why he wasn't quite as good as Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. &nbsp;</p><p>Three is a show about Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. These competitively dominant tennis icons have been a lifeline to millions of fans around the world. We look to tell their stories through discussions of tennis history, tactics, psychology, technique and more. &nbsp;California-based Joel Drucker has been writing about tennis for nearly 40 years, his work appearing in such outlets as Tennis Channel, Tennis.com, Racquet and a host of general interest media, including the New York Times, HBO, CBS, Cigar Aficionado, Men's Journal and People Magazine. Author of the book, "Jimmy Connors Saved My Life," Joel is also a historian-at-large for the International Tennis Hall of Fame. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy Lundy is a reporter whose work has been featured on ESPN, CNN and The Golf Channel. She is Director of Films at The Tennis Congress. &nbsp;Gill Gross is the host of Monday Match Analysis. His weekly YouTube show, which analyzes ATP matches and news, has amassed over 5,000 subscribers.</p><p>Music: Big Bird's Date Night by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/</p>

<p>Gill, Joel and Amy talk about how the universe led them to doing a show together about Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. This is the introductory episode of Three.</p>