More than the Score

Ben Shelton's defeat by Alexander Zverev in the US Open final means it's now been 23 years since an American last won a men's Grand Slam singles title. That didn't seem likely when Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi ruled men's tennis - but what does it really say about America's place in the tennis world?
More than the Score's Delyth Lloyd talks to former professional player Denis Kudla, who's now a coach at Maryland's Junior Tennis Champions Centre - the place where US Open men's semi-finalist Frances Tiafoe and women's doubles finalist Robin Montgomery learned the game. He tells Delyth about his journey through the US developmental system, and how he built a 16-year career that saw him play at all four Grand Slams. He also shares the lessons he's now instilling in young players, and the importance of role models in their development.
Delyth's also joined by Ben Rothenberg, editor of tennis magazine Bounces, who talks about why US women have had much more recent success at Grand Slams than their male counterparts - and why he believes a breakthrough on the men's side could happen very soon.
Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.
And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

This year, the US Open gave accreditation to nearly 100 social media influencers and content creators. The tournament sees them as crucial to helping promote tennis to younger audiences - but they've also been accused of disrupting matches. Jessica Pegula and Naomi Osaka are among the players who have complained about crowd behaviour at Flushing Meadows, with umpires having to pause some matches due to excess noise and bright lights in the stands.
But do influencers deserve this criticism - and what are content creators and tennis gaining from each other?
Rachel Stuhlmann, one of the world's leading tennis influencers, tells More than the Score's Delyth Lloyd how she's built her career over the past decade, and the day-to-day realities of creating content at the world's biggest tournaments.
Delyth's also joined by Sara Gordano from the sports business site Sportico, who explains tennis's relationship with the creator economy - and why the US Open's "party" atmosphere gives it a very different character from other Grand Slams.
Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.
And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Schalke are one of the traditional giants of German football, with seven top-flight titles and the UEFA Cup among their list of honours. Their imposing stadium, the Arena AufSchalke, has hosted World Cup games and the Champions League final.
But in recent years, the team from the former mining city of Gelsenkirchen have been in the doldrums. They spent four of the past five seasons in German football's second tier - but have now returned to the Bundesliga. Can fans start dreaming big once more?
More than the Score's Mani Djazmi talks to former player Christian Fuchs and BBC Sport's Nathan Edwards about Schalke's past and present, their bitter rivalry with Borussia Dortmund, and what it will take for them to return to their former glories. We also hear from Schalke's head coach Miron Muslic, who told the BBC's Euro Leagues podcast about what legendary Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko has brought to the club.
Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.
And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

The build-up to the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations was chaotic, with short-notice changes to qualification and even the dates of the tournament itself. But once the action got under way, it was packed with shocks and surprises.
Cameroon scored upset wins over Nigeria and Morocco on their way to their first-ever Wafcon title, with star-making performances from the likes of Monique Ngock and Michaely Bihina. Malawi also had a fairytale run to the final, fuelled by goals from the Chawinga sisters.
But does this changing of the guard mean a brighter future for African's women football? Sophia Hartley talks to journalists Busisiwe Mokwena and Biola Solace-Chukwu about the big takeaways from this year's Wafcon, and what's next for the players and teams that made their names at the tournament.
Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.
And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

The Women's Professional Baseball League, or WPBL, is the first attempt this century to establish a professional women's baseball competition in the US. Four teams, representing New York, LA, San Francisco and Boston, are facing off in Springfield, Illinois for its inagural title.
Can the WPBL follow in the footsteps of what the WNBA and PWHL have done for basketball and ice hockey - and why has baseball yet to create a successful pro league for women?
Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.
And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore