The Tennis Podcast

After finally making it through a tumultuous and protracted opening round, Day 4 at Roland Garros was all about the tennis, and it certainly delivered the goods. Catherine, David and Matt talked all about it.Vondrousova, Kasatkina, Badosa - will one of them reach the SFs? Has Sabalenka figured out how to win when she’s not at her best? How well is Serena playing? Can Tsitsipas handle the expectations? Is Medvedev conquering clay before our eyes? The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon -&nbs

After a difficult, distressing few days, attentions returned to happier matters on the Day 3 pod.Monfils makes us all feel betterCarla Suarez Navarro’s French Open career is over, but she didn’t go quietlyRafa, Novak off and runningRublev & Auger-Aliassime out in a bad day for The MovementBarty's injury concernsBrady explains her split from coach GesererNaomi Osaka - A final word, for nowThe Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers,

As the Paris curfew came into effect, day two of Roland Garros ended in a silence which reflected the sad and somber mood after Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal. On the podcast, we begin by talking about that, wishing Osaka well, and wondering how it all came to this. Turning our attention to the tennis, we discuss the lovely vibes between Iga Swiatek and Kaja Juvan, a strong start for Serena Williams, an important win in a fun match for Sofia Kenin, an early exit for an under-prepared Bianca Andreescu, the disappointing lack of shenanigans between Medvedev and Bublik, Medvedev’s insights about how covid affected him, an escape for Jannik Sinner against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, and Roger Federer’s winning return to Grand Slam play after 487 days. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The

A lot happened on the opening day of Roland Garros 2021, but it was still a day where the headlines were dominated by Naomi Osaka. We discuss Osaka’s victory over Patricia Maria Tig, her on court interview, and the joint statement released by the Grand Slams warning that she could face expulsion if her media boycott continues. Was such an escalation necessary? And how could this all end up? Elsewhere, we analyse Dominic Thiem’s loss from two sets up against Pablo Andujar and ponder what’s going on with him, react to more disappointment at a major for Dan Evans, and cover an impressive win for Victoria Azarenka over fellow two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. And lots more, including some tales from the press room. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast ever

The draws are out, most of the top players have spoken to the media, and the opening day of Roland Garros 2021 is almost here. We discuss the significance of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer all being in the same half of the draw, the pressure on Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the final, the mouthwatering first-round clash between Alexander Bublik and Daniil Medvedev, the main contenders in the women’s draw, and what to expect on the opening day. But the build-up has of course been overshadowed by Naomi Osaka’s decision not to speak to the press during the tournament. We analyse her statement, give our reaction to her decision, and discuss how other players have responded. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, masco

When Jim Courier beat Andre Agassi in the 1991 French Open final, it wasn’t just his first Grand Slam title, it wasn’t just a win which would set him on his way to dominating the sport for the next two years, it was also a sweet moment of retribution against an old roommate from the Nick Bollettieri Academy who had been tipped for greatness ahead of him. On this episode, with the help of Mary Carillo and Courier’s coaches at the time, Jose Higueras and Brad Stine, we tell that story. What was life like at the Bollettieri Academy? Why was Agassi favoured over Courier? How did Higueras and Stine develop Courier’s game to turn him into a champion? What happened for Stine to confront Courier in a car park in Rome prior to Roland Garros? In what way did Stine’s one-year-old daughter play a part in helping Courier win a five-setter in round three? And how did Courier’s tactical switch during a rain delay change the course of the final? We also discuss the narrative that Courier got to the top through

With Roland Garros around the corner, Catherine, David and Matt discuss the biggest stories from last week’s tune-up tournaments, including setbacks for Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Dominic Thiem in their preparation, a second career title for Coco Gauff, and victories for Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud which underline their French Open credentials. There’s also discussion of Denis Shapovalov’s unfortunate withdrawal from Roland Garros, news that Indian Wells will be held in October, and reaction to Federer’s comments about the allegations against Alexander Zverev. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.Coming soon: Roland Garros Re-Lived: Jim Courier and daily French Open podcasts. SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on a

In this episode of Tennis Re-Lived we venture back one hundred years to cover the remarkable career and life of tennis’ first superstar, Suzanne Lenglen, whose name now adorns the second show court at Roland Garros. We talk about her upbringing by an overbearing father, how the war both delayed her career and created a world which was ready for her, the extraordinary records she achieved in amateur tennis, her boundary breaking fashion choices, the reasons why she was so famous, her controversial decision to turn professional, and her lasting legacy in tennis. Along the way we cover some of the landmark moments of her career, including her memorable first and last appearances at Wimbledon, her ill-fated trip to America in 1921, and her match of the century against Helen Wills in 1926. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each De

The current Roland Garros champions - Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek - reigned in Rome last week. But they took different routes to the title. Catherine, David and Matt react to Swiatek double bagelling Karolina Pliskova and Nadal earning a tight three set win in his 57th meeting with Novak Djokovic. How much of the 6-0 6-0 scoreline was about Swiatek being amazing and how much was it down to Pliskova’s performance? Where does Swiatek’s ruthlessness come from? Why was Djokovic vs. Tsitsipas so wonderful? How should Djokovic feel about his week in Rome? Is Nadal in perfect shape for Roland Garros? And how has the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry evolved on clay over the past few years? There’s also a look ahead to next week which sees Serena Williams in Parma and Roger Federer’s return in Geneva, an update on Andy Murray, and a huge tangent about Cobra Kai after Lorenzo Sonego gets a mention. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It publishes on

With time running out ahead of Roland Garros, the Rome draws have been packed to the rafters with big names. Not all of them are in form. We talk about our first sighting on clay of Serena Williams, our impressions of Naomi Osaka, a big week so far for Coco Gauff, what we made of Rafael Nadal extracting himself from the jaws of defeat, and why Daniil Medvedev continues to entertain us massively.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It publishes on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://

The last few weeks have seen the blossoming of a new rivalry in women’s tennis and the latest meeting between Ash Barty and Aryna Sabalenka didn’t disappoint. Catherine, David and Matt discuss how Sabalenka won the opening set of the Madrid final 6-0, the impressive way she competed in the decider, and whether or not this victory changes her prospects at Roland Garros. We then turn our attention to the men’s event. Is Matteo Berrettini a better player than we’d realised? Why did we enjoy watching him compete so much in Madrid? Does Dominic Thiem have enough time to get ready for Roland Garros? And what should we make of Rafael Nadal’s week? Finally, we analyse the title-winning tennis of Alexander Zverev and reflect on how we should cover him when the allegations against him continue to make us feel uncomfortable. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It publishes on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUP

Ash Barty is World No.1 and with good reason. Aryna Sabalenka is sweeping quality players aside as if they’re nothing. So what will happen when they clash in the Madrid final on Saturday? Catherine, David and Matt assemble ahead of the business end of the tournament, give their picks, and look at the other big storylines from the men's event in the Spanish capital. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It publishes on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXEMAILWe

Madrid is bubbling away and Catherine finishes a day of presenting Amazon Prime Video tv coverage of the event by joining David and Matt to pick the bones out of the stories so far. What happened when Ash Barty faced Iga Swiatek? Why has Naomi Osaka yet to transfer her hard court form to clay, and will she in the future? Karolina Muchova - what makes her so dangerous?Dan Evans - maximiser.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat -&n

In this fragmented week for tennis - with WTA Madrid getting underway while ATP events take place in Estoril and Munich - we’ve split today’s podcast into two halves. We begin by covering the incredible WTA draw in Madrid, Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal, the return to form for Kevin Anderson and Marin Cilic, and news that there will be play on Middle Sunday at Wimbledon from 2022 onwards. Then, in part two, we tackle questions, guest edited by listener and Kickstarter backer Eli Kronenberg, on the biggest threats to tennis as we know it, what a World Cup of tennis could look like, whether the increasing longevity of players will be the new norm, TV camera angles, the potential for a grass court Masters 1000 event, players who would provide for a good coaching opportunity for Andy Murray, and the Grand Slam prospects of Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Aryna Sabalenka and Jen Brady. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced on Mon

Catherine, David and Matt discuss an exhilarating finals weekend of clay-court tennis across Europe. Has Aryna Sabalenka conquered clay now after her run to the Stuttgart final? What is Ash Barty’s best surface? How did Aslan Karatsev save 23 break points against Novak Djokovic in Belgrade? In what way has Matteo Berrettini been a forgotten man? Can Stefanos Tsitsipas take belief and confidence from his performance against Rafael Nadal in Barcelona? Why did victory mean so much to Nadal? And how did Sorana Cirstea win her first title in 13 years?  There’s also news of Bianca Andreescu’s withdrawal from Madrid due to covid and the impressive results of Jenson Brooksby on the ATP Challenger Tour. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at

With ATP and WTA 500 tournaments in full swing in Barcelona and Stuttgart, Catherine, David and Matt react to the action so far, including what Felix Auger-Aliassime’s win over Denis Shapovalov tells us about both players, a lovely moment between Frances Tiafoe and Carlos Alcaraz, Fabio Fognini’s disqualification, aggro between Dan Evans and Corentin Moutet, another anxious performance from Rafael Nadal, a cracker between Maria Sakkari and Petra Kvitova, Ash Barty’s first steps on red clay since winning Roland Garros and a first Top 10 win of the season for Anett Kontaveit against Sofia Kenin. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder on December 1st - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr if you don’t want to wait and prefe

After Stefanos Tsitsipas easily beat Dan Evans and Andrey Rublev on finals weekend in Monte Carlo to claim the title, Catherine, David and Matt talk it all through. Why does Tsitsipas’ game transfer so well to clay? How significant was it that he won a Masters 1000 event for the first time? What did we learn about Rublev this week? And what should we make of Rafael Nadal’s first tournament back on his favourite surface? We also cover a career best week for Astra Sharma at Charleston 2, discuss Ons Jabeur’s ongoing quest for a first WTA title, round up the results from the Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs and react to news that Roger Federer will play on clay in Geneva and at Roland Garros this season. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us o

After Dan Evans stunned Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo for the biggest win of his career, we thought we’d better record a podcast. How much was Evans’ victory down to his inspired play and how much was it due to Djokovic being below par? Can we read anything into this defeat for Djokovic? Where has Evans’ clay court form come from? And in what way is his new approach on the surface similar to the one taken by Tim Henman when he reached the French Open semi-finals in 2004? Elsewhere, we discuss Stefanos Tsitsipas’ unpleasant rant at an umpire, dominant victories for Rafael Nadal, an inauspicious start to life with Toni Nadal for Felix Auger-Aliassime, progress for 15-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova in Charleston, and Wimbledon’s expansion plans. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shou

Catherine emerges from a day talking to Billie Jean King, Victoria Azarenka, Chanda Rubin, Caroline Weir and Annika Sorenstam on the ITF’s global forum on gender equality to share her experience with David and Matt. If you would like to watch the forum, you can - https://youtu.be/YFnEdyIIycE.After that, Catherine, David and Matt discussed the start of the springtime clay court season, why they love it, and the early storylines. They also pick over the appointment of Toni Nadal by Felix Augur-Aliassime. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder on December 1st - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign

Our guest this week is wheelchair tennis legend Esther Vergeer. One of the sport’s greatest ever champions, Vergeer spoke to Catherine about how turning to sport helped her after she became paralysed from the waist down as a child, why she embraced using a mental coach throughout her career, what it’s like psychologically to be on a 470-match winning streak, the time she almost lost at the Beijing Paralympics, designing her own wheelchair, how she feels about the word “inspirational” to describe disabled athletes, and her hopes for more integration in the future. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced on Mondays and Thursdays, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder on December 1st - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon