It’s a great podcast, but it lacks consistency and reliability in the upload schedule
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“The Mini-break podcast is in a position where it has a great opportunity to be a consistent one-of-a-kind daily tennis podcast, yet it squanders this opportunity because our host Alex Gruskin intermittently has other events and obligations he attends to without there being a secondary host, and this prevents this show from being a true 'daily' podcast that it claims itself to be. And this is most unfortunate.
I never understood why the Cracked Racquets team never decided to hire a second host (and perhaps an additional superproducer?) so that this podcast that would at the very least be able to fill up the days that Gruskin himself wouldn't be able to host it. In that way it wouldn't even be a replacement but an addition that would keep this show a true 'daily podcast'; Something it is only now in name, but not in practice for many if not most weeks of the year it seems.
It is frustrating as a listener when you don't know in any given week or often not even the previous day whether you're getting a true full week of content or whether you're only getting a couple of days of content, not to mention that often the most significant days (the last few days in the week) are skipped. Yes, those days of tennis are usually addressed in a later podcast that covers all of those days in one show, but this is not the same as being able to listen to the content within a 24h period of the last point of the same/previous day being played.
The worst period of it all is when Gruskin and the Cracked Racquets team are so involved in something like College Tennis that it completely does not upload a single episode or otherwise just a couple over the stretch of multiple weeks. If my memory serves me correctly this happened somewhere back in the spring.
I am not saying that neither Gruskin nor the Cracked Racquets team needs to drop all or even any of their college or even challenger-level tennis involvement, but I have never gotten the impression that the team made a serious effort to make the Mini-Break podcast a true 'daily podcast' that uploads 5, 6 or 7 times each week consistenly every week of the year (maybe with the exception of the off-season).
At this moment, it is simply not that kind of show, and I find that unfortunate because I truly think that with a bit of effort and possibly the need for someone like Gruskin to put aside his pride of being the 'lone host' of this podcast (and no, David Kane does not count), that it will be possible for this podcast to live up to the potential that I know it has; Which is to be a true 'daily' tennis podcast that covers all things ATP and WTA each and every single day; The only one in the world as far as I can tell.
Other than all of that, I do think it's a great show and I would give it a 10/10 were it not for all these things mentioned above (I'm actually serious haha). I love the spontaneous and enthusiastic character of our host Alex Gruskin, I like all the little data and statistics he brings to us about the players, and I like the fact that sometimes he seems to be able to get just as enthusiastic about someone who just entered the top 100 than someone who is doing great things within the top 10. So in that sense: Keep it up!”Read full review »
Tuzzz94 via Apple Podcasts ·
Netherlands ·
11/01/23
More reviews of The Mini-Break [Tennis Podcast]
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“This podcast is a must listen for tennis fans who want to know what's happening on any given week across both tours. Alex covers every tournament, every week, making sure to give each event their time and let listeners know what match ups and storylines they should watch for. It's rare to...”Read full review »
NickThomas1210 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
10/05/22
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“So much tennis knowledge! Any chance you can talk about betting odds a bit more?”
Rublev's Toe via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
04/14/22
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“So much potential here, but no consistency. I want to hear about WTA and ATP tennis, but then the host does nothing but challenger/college/his own personal age and tennis playing…come on now! The eating / burping / mouth sounds scream “I’m not professional.” Last week he said Swiatek “won her...”Read full review »
Honestly Ya'll via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
03/04/22
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