This year has been a wild ride of persistence mixed with long, highly-caffeinated word smithing and ideation sessions on my Macbook. Getting this passion project/brand off the ground has been no small feat, but along the way, I’ve crossed paths with some truly dope tennis minds—both online and in person. Among the most notable voices is the incomparable Myles David of Tuned Into Tennis, a creator I’ve admired from afar and now have the honor of calling a collaborator.

Myles is not just “Tuned In” he’s one of THE driving voices in the space with a wealth of knowledge and insight about the sport—with roughly 5,000 followers spread across Twitter/X, YouTube, Clubhouse, BlueSky, Spotify, Apple Music, and Instagram. The man’s got range. With his friendly baritone voice, he’s a staple in the podcasting, video creation, and live-streaming landscapes of black tennis creators, and is continually improving and growing his personal brand.

Our paths officially crossed during the U.S. Open earlier this year. I hopped on his podcast straight from my hotel room in New York back in September and more recently floated the idea of doing “Year End Awards” for 2024. After a bit of thoughtful mulling, Myles was in. This time we’re back on the mic for a year end recap convo that was supposed to be a quick hour. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. Turns out, when these two tennis enthusiasts with big voices and bigger opinions link up, time flies faster than the serve clock in a Frances Tiafoe match.

So, yeah, it’s about 90 minutes. We’re sorry and you’re welcome. It might be a bit long for your commute, but if you’re taking a holiday flight, grab some champagne or tequila (your choice, no judgment) and settle in. Even if you’re only half-listening, our voices alone will have you gliding through the air in first-class luxury. Awards list is below for the skimmers, but honestly, you’ll want to hear it all!

Tuned Into Tennis x LoveGame 2024 Year End Tennis Awards

Player of the Year
Myles David (MD): ATP - Carlos Alcaraz ; WTA - Aryna Sabalenka
Wen Davis (WD): ATP - Jannik Sinner; WTA - Aryna Sabalenka

Most Improved Player of the Year
MD: ATP - Jack Draper, WTA - Jasmine Paolini
WD: Alexei Popyrin, WTA - Jasmine Paolini

Comeback Player of the Year
MD: ATP - Matteo Berrettini, WTA - Paula Badosa
WD: ATP - Matteo Berrettini, WTA - Karolina Muchova

Newcomer of the Year
MD: ATP - Shang Juncheng (Jerry), WTA - Lulu Sun
WD: ATP - Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, WTA - Zeynep Somnez

Best Tournament - 1000
MD: ATP - Montreal, WTA - Beijing
WD: ATP - Indian Wells, WTA - Dubai

Best Tournament - 500
MD: ATP - Queens Club, WTA - Tokyo
WD: ATP - Hamburg, WTA - Charleston

Best Tournament - 250
MD: ATP - Dallas, WTA - Palermo
WD: ATP - Houston, WTA - Bogota

Match of the Year
MD: ATP - Shelton v. Tiafoe at US Open, WTA - Gauff v. Kostyuk at Australian Open
WD: ATP - Alcaraz v. Djokovic at Olympics, WTA - Paolini v. Vekic at Wimbledon

Class Clown(s)
Unanimous: ATP - Daniil Medvedev, WTA - Yulia Putintseva

Best Dressed
MD: ATP - Frances Tiafoe, WTA - Marta Kostyuk
WD: ATP - Artur Fils, WTA - Coco Gauff