Painting Lines Podcast

In this Bonus Episode of Painting Lines, Erik and Aidan discuss their immediate reactions to the 2026 Australian Open Draw. Starting off with some potential upsets their looking at in the early rounds, they move on to discussing other exciting matches they are looking forward to in the opening rounds. They then project some possible underdog stories in the tournament, and talk about which of the top contenders have the best chances to win the tournament overall. Be sure to check back next week for an update on week one of the Australian Open!

Contents
Intro/Unlucky De Minaur 0:00
Potential Top 20 Upsets 1:30
Exciting Round 1 Matches 8:32
Potential Matchups 9:52
Surprise Runs 13:27
Sinner's Path to the Final 18:05

This week Erik and Aidan discuss the first big week of tennis in 2026. Starting off in Brisbane, where the field was stacked with talent. Seeds were dropping like flies, but Daniil Medvedev put on a vintage performance, looking like he may be able to return to the highest level. In Hong Kong, the top seeds stood out, with a 1 vs 2 final, and a Top 10 breakthrough for Alexander Bublik. Finally, in the United Cup Poland finally managed to win the title after 2 years of heartbreak, while Stan the Man and Switzerland battled to second place. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!ContentsIntro 0:00Brisbane Recap 1:35Hong Kong Recap 17:35United Cup 23:02What’s New 28:05Bet of the Week/Upset Alert 33:28Match of the Week 35:07

This week Erik and Aidan discuss the most controversial player in tennis, Nick Kyrgios. Known for his antics on and off the court, Kyrgios burst onto the scene around 2015 displaying incredible talent and taking out top opponents in big matches. However, talent can only take you so far, and Kyrgios has displayed huge amounts of inconsistency over the course of his career. He has played at tennis' biggest stage, the Wimbledon final, but has never truly been a next-level player, peaking at a ranking just outside the top 10. With all the talent in the world, Kyrgios may truly be the biggest what-if in tennis history. Be sure to check back next week for another episode!

Contents
Intro 0:00
AO Wildcard? 0:41
Breakout Moment 3:26
2015 - 2022 5:37
2023 - Present 10:43
The Controversies 15:17
Overall Opinions 27:10
What's New in Tennis 28:21
Bet of the Week 33:17
Match of the Week 34:26

This week Erik and Aidan give their thoughts on the upcoming 2026 ATP Tennis season. 2025 was an exciting year, but left a lot of questions about what will happen this year. Will the top players continue to dominate? Will Father Time finally catch up with Djokovic? The discussion ranges from predicted changes at the top to reflecting on last years predictions. Some of which were right, while others were very wrong. Enjoy a fun episode and be sure to check back next week for another update!

Contents
Intro 0:00
Top 5 Predictions 1:24
Players Trending Up 4:42
Players Trending Down 7:13
Fall from grace 8:33
Young Guys to Watch 11:52
Potentially Dangerous Players 15:23
Quick Hitter Questions 19:00
What's New in Tennis 24:50
Bet of the Week/Upset Watch 29:04

This week Erik and Aidan discuss the Next Gen Finals which took place this past week in Jeddah. In a lot of ways, this tournament was unique, featuring mainly unknown players outside the top 100, with Learner Tien being a massive favorite in the tournament. However, the tournament did still give us an interesting look at the next generation of talent that will be coming up on the ATP tour, as well as showing the level of this rising American talent. We hope you enjoy the episode and be sure to check back next week for another episode!

Contents
Immediate Reactions 0:00
Breaking down the Group Stage 1:53
Semifinals 4:38
The Final 6:12
Tien in 2026 11:20
What's New in Tennis? 17:31
Match of the Week 20:45