Season 3 Begins. Inside Tour Life with Elliemajelly, United Cup Energy, and Venus Returns

Tennis is back in that specific early-January way where you blink and suddenly there are matches on three screens, a time zone battle in the background, and at least five storylines moving at once.

For the first episode of Season 3, we brought on someone who has been giving tennis the exact kind of fresh perspective the sport needs right now. Elliemajelly joined us to talk about documenting life on tour, what it’s like entering tennis as a newcomer, and how different the reality is when you’re traveling week to week through smaller events and Challenger-level tennis. Her content hits a sweet spot. It’s behind-the-scenes, but it’s also discovery. You are learning the sport with her while also seeing the “on the ground” version of the tour that most fans never get to witness.

We also talked about the line every creator has to walk at tournaments. Being present versus filming. Supporting your person versus making the content. And the big one that is about to define the next chapter of tennis media. What happens when tournaments tighten restrictions at the top level while the lower levels still feel like the Wild West. Ellie’s point is one we fully agree with. You do not need endless match footage to tell great tennis stories. There’s so much around the sport that is interesting. The travel, the routines, the personalities, the smaller moments. The best tennis content pulls you in without trying to replicate broadcast.

From there we moved into the start-of-season housekeeping that matters. Q&As are back, but with a clearer focus this year. Think of us as your tennis hotline. If something confuses you in a match, if a rule feels random, or if you’re at a tournament and want to know what’s going on, send it in. Our first question of 2026 was perfect: how do United Cup ranking points work. The answer is basically: the maximum is 500, and the math gets very “tennis-y” very quickly depending on opponent ranking and round. You are not alone if you cannot track it.

We also introduced the weekly newsletter evolution. Ground Pass Weekly is the new home base for staying caught up without feeling like you have to follow everything everywhere. It’s the quick briefing version of the pod, plus what to watch next and what’s worth your attention. Tennis is a lot. The goal is to make it feel fun and followable.

Then we got into what made this week feel like tennis truly returned. The United Cup has that energy every year. The mixed teams, the urgency, the crowd, the little experiments the sport should be brave enough to try more often. We loved the innovations again this year, especially the clearer visual cues that make points easier to follow even if you’re watching with the sound down. It’s small, but it matters. The sport needs more of these quality-of-life upgrades.

On the court, we highlighted a few early standouts, including Coco Gauff setting the tone for Team USA and Sebastián Báez continuing his hard court glow-up after a rough year on the surface. We also could not ignore the emotional tennis threads that start early in the season. Stan Wawrinka showing up as player-captain vibes personified. Belinda Benciclooking sharp. And that familiar January feeling where half the tour is already managing injuries that are really just leftovers from the “off season” that lasts about five minutes.

Off the court, it’s been a busy week too. The sponsor switches are everywhere, and Wilson is making a real push to build a bigger apparel presence. At the same time, the player vlog era is accelerating. We talked about the difference between a real vlog that feels like a story and a highlight montage that feels like a promo. This is where tennis can win new fans. The more personality and real-life texture, the better. That’s how you turn casual viewers into people who actually care week to week.

And finally, the headline that made everyone pause: Venus Williams is back. She’s starting her season in Auckland and heading into the Australian Open with a wild card. Whether this becomes a farewell stretch or just Venus doing Venus things, we are seated.

Season 3 is here. Tennis is here. And the Australian summer is already delivering.