The Tennis Podcast

No shortage of talking points as we discuss the formation of the Professional Tennis Players’ Association with Simon Briggs, Naomi Osaka’s stand against racism, titles for Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka at the Western and Southern Open, a wide-open women’s draw at the US Open, the Bryan Brothers’ retirement, and the sad news that legendary commentator David Mercer has died.What do the players hope to achieve with the PTPA? Why set it up now? Where does it go from here? How does Djokovic keep winning despite his off court distractions? Is Azarenka now in the US Open mix? And what about Milos Raonic? 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.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast

Following on from our most recent edition of Tennis Re-Lived on the life of Althea Gibson, in this episode we turn our attention to Arthur Ashe.We cover his formative years growing up in Virginia under the Jim Crow laws, his development as an amateur tennis player while at college, his Grand Slam titles, his fights for civil rights and social justice, his passing from AIDS, and his enduring legacy.Along the way, James Blake reveals how he indirectly credits Ashe with getting him into tennis, Leslie Allen talks about what it was like at Dr Johnson’s training facility for African-American players, Steve Flink analyses Ashe’s 1968 US Open victory and what made him so exciting to watch, Richard Evans discusses Ashe’s tactical masterclass against Jimmy Connors in the 1975 Wimbledon final , John McEnroe describes his special relationship with Ashe, Mary Carillo tells some of her favourite stories involving Arthur to explain what he was like, and Chanda Rubin reflects on his impact in tennis.After looking closely at

In this special edition of Tennis Re-Lived, we examine the life, career and legacy of Althea Gibson, the first black player to compete in and win Grand Slam titles.We cover her early life growing up in Harlem, her development as a tennis player under the guidance of Dr Eaton and Dr Johnson, Alice Marble’s influential letter challenging the USLTA’s whites-only culture, Gibson’s dramatic first appearance at the US Nationals at Forest Hills in 1950, her friendship and doubles partnership with Angela Buxton, her US Open and Wimbledon titles in 1957 and 1958, the way tennis turned its back on her, and the desperately sad final few decades of her life as she lived in poverty.We also speak to people who knew her to get a sense of what she was like. Tennis historian Steve Flink tells us what made her such a good player, journalist Richard Evans remembers taking her to the Wimbledon ball, Mary Carillo recounts the first time she met Gibson and the WTA’s emergency meeting to raise funds for her, Zina Garrison looks bac

ATP Tour tennis is back with the first big, combined women's and men's tournament since the pandemic struck down Indian Wells in March. With the 'Cincinnati' draw made, Catherine, David and Matt assembled once more to discuss the highlights, catch up on latest news, and also release our big interview with Lindsay Davenport (from 38.00).Is the WTA draw now more star-studded than the men's draw, despite the withdrawals?What did we think of Novak Djokovic's interview with Chris Clarey in the New York Times (linked below)?And thoughts are exchanged about Denis Shapovalov's rap video.Later, Davenport talks about tennis in front of no fans, her own career, and the greatness of Serena and Venus Williams.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts, and will be daily throughout the US Open.Next week, we will produce two big special editions, focusing on first Althea Gibson, and then Arthur Ashe.* TELL YOUR FRIENDS *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please

Tennis’ return went up a notch last week with many of the biggest names competing in Lexington and Prague.We discuss the way in which champions Jennifer Brady and Simona Halep picked up where they left off six months ago, describe how it felt seeing top level tennis at a small club in Kentucky, assess Serena Williams’ form, marvel at Venus Williams’ remodelled service motion, and analyse yet another step forward for Coco Gauff.  David also speaks to Dan Evans about life inside the US Open bubble. What do players have to do when they arrive? What’s the hotel like? And how confident is he that players will follow the protocols?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.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.c

On this week’s episode, with actual tennis from Palermo to look back on and the Kentucky-Prague double-header to preview, we find ourselves in unfamiliar, but very welcome, territory.We react live to Fiona Ferro’s victory in Palermo, and discuss what the players have been saying in their pre-tournament press conferences, including Serena Williams on her caution over the virus, Coco Gauff on how she’s used her platform to tackle issues of social justice, Jo Konta on her American road trip, and Eugenie Bouchard on the possibility of a fresh start.Finally, after Roger Federer celebrated his 39th birthday last week, we get insight from Stefan Edberg about why he's advised Roger Federer not to retire in the same way he did. 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.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please s

Rio 2016 was a particularly emotional and memorable Olympics for tennis, with Andy Murray defending his gold medal, Juan Martin del Potro entering people’s hearts, and shock defeats for Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic.But it was Monica Puig’s run which best encapsulated the spirit of the Games. Catherine talks to her about how it felt to win Puerto Rico’s first ever gold medal.As our journey through tennis’ history at the Olympics arrives at its final destination, we also speak to Christopher Clarey and Mary Carillo about their favourite memories and experiences of covering the Games.Finally, we reflect on tennis’ place in the Olympics and consider the impact of Tokyo’s postponement.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.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on yo

The London Olympics will never be forgotten by our Tennis Podcast team, for the opening ceremony, the incredible athletic feats, all of it happening on their doorsteps, and David's inability to watch any of it. Andy Murray and Serena Williams were the champions, their gold medal winning runs are discussed, and David talks to Laura Robson, who won a medal alongside Murray. 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.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*SHOP*Let everyone know how you feel with our new I LOVE TENNIS range - https://thetennispodcast.teemill.com/* EMAIL *We hope that the p

The Beijing Olympics are perhaps best remembered for the world-beating achievements of Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, but it was also an unforgettable Games for tennis. We discuss Russia’s clean sweep of the women’s singles medals, how much a gold meant to Elena Dementieva, the way China embraced tennis, the lasting influence of the Beijing Games on the sport, how much Roger Federer values his doubles gold, and Rafael Nadal’s ascension to World No.1. There was also an epic semi-final between James Blake and Fernando Gonzalez featuring a moment of controversy over whether or not Gonzalez’s racquet had touched the ball. On the podcast, Blake explains exactly why it made him angry, and Gonzalez gives his version of events. Blake also discusses his one and only victory over Roger Federer and reveals how difficult it was to bounce back from a loss and play the bronze medal match. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and da

We begin this episode by discussing the news that Rafael Nadal has opted not to defend his US Open title due to health risks before moving on to re-live the 2004 Olympics in Athens.It was a Games which saw Justine Henin-Hardenne win gold, Roger Federer stunned by Tomas Berdych, and double gold for Chile as Nicolas Massu won singles and doubles, alongside Fernando Gonzalez.We hear from both men at length about their magical week together and what it meant to their country.The men’s singles silver medallist, Mardy Fish, also opens up about the heartbreak of missing out on gold, what he was feeling while standing on the podium with silver, and why the scar tissue from that experience meant he never played again at the Olympics.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.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please s

Tennis is back. But there are still question marks about the sport’s short-term future.In the first half of this episode we discuss the return of the WTA Tour in Palermo and the mood surrounding the US Open before wrapping up the results from the various exhibition events. Then, we hear from former World No.4 and current Miami Open tournament director James Blake (starting 43:26).He takes us through what happened during the week in March when Miami was cancelled and explains why he’s struggling to envisage the US Open going well.He also praises the way in which Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff have used their platform for good during the last few months and declares why he thinks more unity between the WTA and ATP would benefit 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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast

The 2000 Sydney Olympics were a happier time. Steve Redgrave won his 5th gold for Great Britain and Cathy Freeman became a symbol of national reconciliation for Australia. In this episode, we look back on a tennis event which also delivered compelling storylines, including double gold for Venus Williams to cap an extraordinary summer and a 4th place finish for a young Roger Federer. We also hear from men’s singles gold medallist Yevgeny Kafelnikov (starting 23m 27s) about his epic final against Tommy Haas, his experiences in the village, why his gold medal has defined his legacy in Russia, and how he compares it to his Grand Slam titles.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers 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. I

David was at university, Catherine was 10 and Matt was a baby.The 1996 Atlanta Olympics saw Michael Johnson dominate, Britain struggle, and some wonderful tennis stories unfold.In this edition of the podcast we talk to four medallists who had very different stories. From the bittersweet feelings of Gigi Fernandez, to the disbelief of Lindsay Davenport, and a life goal achieved for Leander Paes.Gigi Fernandez (gold in doubles) - 11m 38sLindsay Davenport (gold in singles) - 23m 17sSergi Bruguera (silver in singles) - 30m 55sLeander Paes (bronze in singles) - 37m 01s* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers 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

This is the first of several podcasts telling the story of modern tennis at the Olympic Games.We start with 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona, events that produced so many memorable moments. If you want to go straight to Barcelona, it begins at 50m.20s.We have spoken to five medallists for this podcast.1988 Seoul Zina Garrison (bronze in singles, gold in doubles) - 19m 55sTim Mayotte (silver in singles) - 38m 36s1992 BarcelonaMarc Rosset (gold in singles) - 1h 02m 04sMichael Stich (gold in doubles) - 1h 11m 28sGigi Fernandez (gold in doubles) - 1h 25m 50sNOTE - This episode is longer than we intended it to be, so we may split them up for the future!* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging

We're back! And we're answering your questions, as selected by listeners Drew and David, who backed our crowdfunding Kickstarter so generously. Here are the questions:• Is it the players’ responsibility to do what’s safe for themselves, or is it the tournament’s responsibility to guarantee safety regarding covid-19? (4:30)• Is the Western & Southern Open too ‘intense’ for the first sanctioned event of the restarted ATP Tour? (10:30)• If we were players, would we be happy to travel to New York for the US Open? (15:30)• How fundamental is tennis’ scoring system to the DNA of the game? (27:00) • What do we think about the use of artificial crowd noise for behind-closed-doors matches? (32:28)• Will covid-19 hasten the progress of all electronic line calling, or will there be an emotional appeal to return to the norm when restrictions ease? (37:40)• Should Thiem prioritise the US Open or Roland Garros? (39:10)• Was talk of more ATP-WTA unity just a flash in the pan? (42:54)• Who should be the commissioner

The 1983 French Open champion, Yannick Noah, is our guest this week.In an exclusive and extensive interview with David Law, Noah tells stories in his inimitable style about the influence Arthur Ashe had on his career, the time they played doubles together, the dream he had before the Roland Garros final, the words he exchanged with his father after beating Mats Wilander to win the title, why he could never crack Wimbledon, what it was like playing in the same era as legends like John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, and the emotions evoked by winning the Davis Cup.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.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation d

The biggest scare Serena Williams faced en route to winning the Wimbledon title in 2015 came from an unlikely source, as Heather Watson pushed her right to the brink in a third-round match which encapsulated the idea of a plucky Brit.The occasion was also memorable for the raucous atmosphere, and we discuss the elements of that which we felt crossed the line, along with how Serena managed to fight through and why Watson has not gone on to back up that performance at the Grand Slams.  There’s also a big tangent about Henmania and a rundown of the latest news, including Wimbledon’s decision to pay players and officials, the announcements from the ATP and the WTA about ranking points, and the ever-changing likelihood of the US Open going ahead. So, come for all of that, and stay right until the end for some unmissable cameos and naughty behaviour from Magnus…The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily d

In the penultimate episode of Wimbledon Re-Lived, we take ourselves back to July 7th 2013 when Andy Murray became the first British man to win Wimbledon since 1936 by beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.In what way had the British public come to embrace Murray before the 2013 final? What impact had Ivan Lendl had on Murray’s game and his rivalry with Djokovic? How much of a factor was the weight of Britain’s 77-year drought for Murray? Why did Djokovic put in a flat performance? And what was everyone feeling during that final game?We also speak at length to Judy Murray about the journey that led to the 2013 Wimbledon final and her experiences of that day. Judy talks about how the 2012 Olympics helped Murray to get over his Wimbledon final defeat to Federer, the stress of sitting in the player box at Wimbledon, the scrutiny she faced for her role in Murray’s career, the champion’s dinner, and how Murray’s victory in 2016 compared.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and feature

Finding new words to do justice to the 2008 men’s final at Wimbledon between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is not easy, but that’s our task on this episode as we look back on the match regarded by many as the greatest in tennis history.There’s talk about the sense before the match that it could finally be Nadal’s time, Federer’s missed opportunities in the first two sets, the way in which their match-up favoured Nadal, Federer’s fitful forehand, why the epic fourth set tiebreak echoed Borg-McEnroe, Nadal’s ability to recover in the fifth set as darkness fell, and the graciousness between the two camps.We also hear from Mary Carillo who explains why the match lives up to the hype, Larry Stefanki about how Nadal had adapted his game to help him thrive on grass in 2008, Nadal’s PR manager, Benito Perez-Barbadillo, on how Nadal was feeling during the fifth set rain delay, and Chris Clarey to sum up the rivalry and relationship between Nadal and Federer.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and Da

Venus Williams’ 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 victory over Lindsay Davenport in 2005 is the longest women’s final in Wimbledon history, and possibly the greatest. We discuss the sustained excellence from both players, the joy of watching Venus in her prime, the way she fought for equal prize money the night before the final, and how her uninhibited and jubilant celebration revealed a side to her which we don’t usually see. Davenport also describes the particular challenge of facing Venus on grass, the point the match slipped away from her in the deciding set, and how she was able to appreciate how good the match was even while playing it. 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. * TENNIS RE-LIVED *We will be doing daily shows throughout the original Wimbledon dates, looking back on some of the tournament’s best matches and most important stori