The Tennis Podcast

Well that was one of the most surreal nights of tennis we’ve ever seen. The announcement of a Victoria state lockdown from midnight in Melbourne put the attendance of fans at the Australian Open on a ticking clock and led to one of the most electric atmospheres imaginable for all five mesmerising sets of Nick Kyrgios vs. Dominic Thiem and then to a mass exodus of fans mid-way through Novak Djokovic’s match against Taylor Fritz. The rest of it, as Djokovic struggled on through injury to win in a decider, was played in eerie silence. We did our best to process it all on the podcast. It was also a day which saw Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek set up blockbuster R4 matches against Garbine Muguruza, Aryna Sabalenka and Simona Halep respectively. Their performances are analysed, Su-Wei Hsieh’s post-match interview is praised, and we learn about Aslan Karatsev. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-r

After the joy of Wednesday’s atmosphere at Melbourne Park, Day 4 at the Australian Open had a tough act to follow, but it certainly delivered drama.Why was it not surprising that defending champion Sofia Kenin lost? How did Stefanos Tsitsipas find himself in a five set battle with Thanasi Kokkinakis? Should we be talking about Karolina Pliskova as a title contender? Is Jennifer Brady in the mix now? How did Rafael Nadal react to being given the middle finger by a fan? And what on earth was the post-match aggro between Fabio Fognini and Salvatore Caruso all about? 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.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@te

Days of tennis don’t come much better than that. In a packed podcast, we cover: The joy of tennis with crowdsKyrgios sending Melbourne Park into a frenzy Inspirational Venus carrying on despite injury, but losing to Errani Hsieh bamboozling Andreescu Tiafoe testing Djokovic on a hot and quick Rod Laver ArenaFucsovics beating Wawrinka in fifth set tiebreak Halep coming back from the brink against Tomljanovic Osaka, Swiatek and Serena easing through Cirstea upsetting Kvitova Tank tops and tennis bodies - a new perspectiveThe 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.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcas

Even on a relatively quiet day at the Australian Open, there were still significant results and storylines which altered the feel of the tournament. We discuss Sofia Kenin’s nerves, the ongoing talking point about how much hard quarantine is affecting players and impacting results, defeats for Maria Sakkari and Victoria Azarenka which have opened up their quarter, a 6-0 6-0 victory for Ash Barty, an injury for Jo Konta, how Rafael Nadal’s back held up in his straight-sets victory, Dan Evans’ disappointment at losing to Cameron Norrie, and Stefanos Tsitsipas' very awkward post-match interview. 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.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our

After an exhilarating opening day at the Australian Open - featuring dominant performance from the leading women’s contenders and culminating in a five-set epic under the lights - Catherine, David and Matt had plenty to discuss on the pod. In what ways did both Shapovalov and Sinner impress in their late night epic? How did Kyrgios respond to Djokovic’s comment that he doesn’t “respect” him off court? Who sent the biggest statement - Halep, Serena or Osaka? What did Kerber have to say about the impact of 14-day quarantine after her heavy defeat? Why did Gael Monfils get so emotional in his press conference? And how did it feel to watch Andreescu play and win a tennis match again? 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.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provid

There have been moments over the last few days, weeks and months when the chances of there even being an Australian Open in 2021 have felt slim. But one of the great feats of organisation has been pulled off, some bullets have been dodged, our fingers remain crossed, and play is set to get underway in a few hours. In this episode we wrap up the results from the six lead-in tournaments. What is Dan Evans’ ranking ceiling after he won his first ATP title? Why has Felix Auger-Aliassime not even won a set in his seven finals? Will Jannik Sinner be physically compromised after his efforts this week? In what way did Ash Barty send a statement to the rest of the tour in her victory over Garbine Muguruza? And is Andrey Rublev in the Australian Open mix? We also discuss the major talking points from the pre tournament press conferences, including what Novak Djokovic thinks of Nick Kyrgios, Iga Swiatek’s honesty about how she’s dealing with being a Grand Slam champion, updates on the fitness of Rafael Nadal a

After a 24-hour stoppage with everyone holding their breath, tennis returned again in Melbourne with all six Australian Open warm up tournaments now hurtling towards the finish line. In the first half of the show we discuss the possible motivation behind the large number of retirements and walkovers, assess how concerned we are about Simona Halep and Rafael Nadal’s physical state, marvel at Garbine Muguruza’s form, and cover Dan Evans’ run to the semi-final of the Murray River Open. Then, it’s time to break down the Australian Open draws. What makes the bottom half of the women’s draw so mouthwatering? And in what way does the men’s one look more balanced overall? 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.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form

A positive covid test from someone who had worked at the Australian Open quarantine hotel appeared to leave the tournament teetering on a cliff edge last night, with hundreds of players and staff forced to isolate again. After 24 hours of mass testing, however, Craig Tiley says the tournament will go ahead as planned. For now.It’s a situation which has served as a reminder of the precariousness of Tennis Australia’s operation to stage the event and in this episode we talk all about it. We also reflect on what we’ve seen so far from the the lead-in tournaments. Who has impressed at the ATP Cup? How is Iga Swiatek adjusting to life as a Grand Slam champion? How do we feel about the latest Nick Kyrgios circus? And what makes Carlos Alcaraz so good? Finally, we respond to some of the feedback we’ve received about our decision to refer to the second stadium court at Melbourne Park as the Evonne Goolagong Arena. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Ro

With six tournaments all taking place at Melbourne Park this week, we try to get our heads around it all and discuss what we’ve seen so far. How did Serena Williams look in her first match? What about Katie Boulter? What do we expect from Bianca Andreescu in her first tournament for 15 months? Why have the crowds not shown up yet? And will the ATP Cup provide good preparation for the Australian Open? We also reveal our plans to refer to the second stadium at Melbourne Park as the Evonne Goolagong Arena. 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.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*SOCIAL MEDIA* Twitter - https:

In this episode we travel back four years to bask in the wonder that was the 2017 Australian Open. There was so much to cover (hence the length of this show) from shock defeats for Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, exciting runs from Dan Evans and Jo Konta, the re-emergence of Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, controversy surrounding Nick Kyrgios, and ultimately a throwback finals weekend which saw Serena defeat Venus and Roger defeat Rafa. We react to clips from the daily pods, get Mary Carillo's take, and consider the lasting significance of the tournament. 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.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*SOCIAL

In 1995, Pete Sampras was the world No.1, a five-time major winner, and the defending Australian Open champion. He was also a dominant and stoic figure, labelled by many as boring and representative of a sport in decline. All that changed early in the fifth set of Sampras’ quarter-final match against Jim Courier when, overcome with emotion as he thought of his friend and coach Tim Gullikson, who had flown home from Melbourne with serious health problems, Sampras began to weep uncontrollably. He somehow managed to ace his way through the tears and win the match, but it was an extraordinary moment, and one that altered the public’s perception of Sampras. Mary Carillo, who was commentating on the match for ESPN, tells the story from her vantage point, and David remembers how he felt at the time, as a huge Sampras fan watching it all unfold on TV. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during t

These days the Australian Open sits alongside the other Grand Slam tournaments as one of the best and most prestigious tennis events in the world, but it wasn’t always that way. In this episode, we tell the story of its transformative move from Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club to Flinders Park in 1988.Pat Cash, who lost back-to-back five-set finals in 1987 and 1988 talks us through it all, including what Kooyong was like as a venue, why his 1987 defeat to Stefan Edberg feels like the one that got away in his career, why a move to the new site was both necessary and a roaring success, the effect of the new surface known as Rebound Ace, and the epic back and forth he had with Mats Wilander in the classic 1988 final. We also hear from Pam Shriver - who won the women’s doubles title with Martina Navratilova in both years - about her experience. 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 tournam

With contributions from Billie Jean King, Mary Carillo, Pam Shriver and Pat Cash, we tell Evonne Goolagong’s story, including her upbringing in New South Wales and the discrimination she faced, her early discovery of tennis, her poetic style of play, her Grand Slam successes throughout the 1970s, her crowning achievement by winning Wimbledon as a mother, her charity work for indigenous Australians, and her influence on Ash Barty. 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.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* If you’re reading this before 8pm in the U.K. on Thursday 21st January, then there’s still time to back our 2021 crowdfunding campaign! If you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, take part in our predictions competition or guest edit a show, or just buy us a beer - https://tennispodca.st/Kickstarter2021wA huge thanks to everyone who has

Catherine is joined by David and Matt to react to her big interview with Billie Jean King. Picking up on some of the points raised by Billie Jean, we discuss the way she makes us feel when she talks about tennis, the way she forces us to challenge our preconceptions, the emphasis she puts on the importance of knowing your history, the lessons she can teach us about not alienating your audience, the place of team events in tennis, and the majors vs. slams debate.We also share our plans for Australian Open Re-Lived week and beyond. 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.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* If you’re reading this before 8pm in the U.K. on Thursday 21st January, then there’s still time to back our 2021 crowdfunding campaign! If you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, take part in our predictions competition or guest edit a show,

This episode is a conversation between Catherine Whitaker and Billie Jean King. Through stories about the Battle of the Sexes, the Original 9, the awarding of equal prize money at the US Open in 1973, her time spent with Bud Collins, and knowing Althea Gibson, Billie Jean connects the past with the present, explaining why it’s so important to know your tennis history and how it impacts the modern game. Now 77-years-old, Billie Jean’s love for tennis and her desire for it to be as good as it possibly can be shine through. She makes the case for there to be more team events, recognises some elements which are holding the sport back, but ultimately provides an optimistic message about tennis’ future, buoyed by the direction leaders such as Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff are taking it. There are moments of intense introspection, too, as she talks candidly about her struggle to be her authentic self, her regrets, the challenges of competing at the top level in your late 30s, what it means to ‘stay in th

Positive covid cases, more than 70 players facing two weeks stuck inside without any practice, and mice in hotel rooms…it all calls for an emergency pod. Catherine and David convene to discuss the situation in Melbourne. How has it all got out of control so quickly? What is Tennis Australia’s role now? How much sympathy do we feel for the players in all of this? And does it change who should be considered the Australian Open favourite? We also speak to Pam Shriver about how she thinks she would have found the strict quarantine, how she might have tried to keep sharp and fit in that situation, how it might affect the men and women differently, what measures or format changes could be implemented by the tournament, and the inequality of the separate quarantine in Adelaide for top players. 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.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* Our

The first titles of the 2021 season have been won and players are now flocking to Australia for two weeks of quarantine. But not everything is going according to plan, with Andy Murray isolating at home after testing positive for covid-19 and Tennys Sandgren boarding his flight to Melbourne despite returning a positive test. We react to those two bits of news and discuss where it leaves the Australian Open. Wrapping up this week’s results, we ask whether Aryna Sabalenka can translate her dominance on the WTA Tour to the Australian Open, whether Alex de Minaur is in the mix, and who has more potential out of Delray Beach finalists Sebastian Korda and Hubert Hurkacz? Finally, we explain our enjoyment of Australian Open qualifying and tell the uplifting story of British qualifier Francesca Jones. 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.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST*&n

We’re only halfway through the first week of the new season but there’s already plenty for us to cover, including the fine form shown by Maria Sakkari and Aryna Sabalenka in Abu Dhabi, a curious collapse from Sofia Kenin, news of a separate Australian Open quarantine in Adelaide for top players, David Ferrer and Alexander Zverev’s split, Dayana Yastremska's provisional suspension after a positive doping test, our apologies to Gippslanders, and Matt’s 2021 player to watch.Plus, David speaks to Ons Jabeur about how she finds bubble life, her goals for the season and the pride she feels representing Arab women in tennis. 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.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* Our Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund 2021 went live on December 1st and we reached our funding goal just two days later.Thank you to everyone that has backed us, sent words of encourag

In this episode we navigate Billie Jean’s mischief to cover the matches we’ve seen and the storylines that have arisen in Abu Dhabi so far, more news about the Melbourne swing prior to the Australian Open, and confirmation of some WTA quarantine practice pairings. We also pay tribute to Bob Brett and Tom Perrotta, who the tennis world sadly lost this week. 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.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* Our Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund 2021 went live on December 1st and we reached our funding goal just two days later.Thank you to everyone that has backed us, sent words of encouragement and kindness, and simply appreciated the podcast for what it is. You have ensured that the pod will continue weekly in 2021, daily at Slams, and with plenty of interviews and Tennis Re-Lived along the way.The Kickstarter will remain open until mid-January,

We’re starting the new year with a bumper edition of the pod to conclude our countdown of the best ever moments of tennis aggro. The Top 5 looks like this: 5 - Andy Murray, “Shut up!” & “Everyone hates you” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo_E_azZOoc & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-XiZF08DY84 - Jeff Tarango defaults himself at Wimbledon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzQ2-EwgdXQ3 - Broady/Ostapenko Auckland 2016 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPhiBazkhMU2 - Mirka & Wawrinka, “crybaby” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JROFhZOf1_M1- Medvedev, Miami 2018 vs Tsitsipas & 2019 US Open - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDX6K7t-JcE & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JzLthGcTKE & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=861XVx0ge2k & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CQYJlU5_EwEnjoy!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.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS