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Catherine, David and Matt react to another seismic upset at Roland Garros as Aryna Sabalenka lost 12 of the last 13 games in her quarter-final against Diana Shnaider. Part one - Our reaction to a shocking Sabalenka loss in the wind. How did she lose 10 games in a row from 6-3 5-3? How come she didn’t learn from last year’s final against Gauff? And can we now say she’s under performing at the majors? We also chat about how Maja Chwalinska’s life-changing run continued with her victory against Ann...
The podcast delves into a dramatic day at Roland Garros, celebrating Marta Kostyuk's powerful win over Svitolina and her dedication to Ukraine, while also praising Mirra Andreeva's flawless quarter-final performance. The hosts analyze Jakub Menshik's hard-fought victory against Joao Fonseca, discussing the impact of indoor conditions and Menshik's mental toughness. The episode also previews the highly anticipated semi-final matchups and other quarter-final clashes, exploring player strategies and potential upsets.
Day 9 at Roland Garros saw Aryna Sabalenka deliver a masterful performance against Naomi Osaka, showcasing her evolved game and competitive edge. The men's draw featured thrilling five-setters, including Matteo Arnaldi's epic comeback against Frances Tiafoe, highlighting Italy's surprising success amid an open tournament. The hosts also discuss Felix Auger-Aliassime's quiet progress and share mixed, complex reactions to the confirmed return of Serena Williams, delving into her legacy and public image.
Day 8 of the French Open saw major upsets, including former champion Iga Swiatek's defeat by Marta Kostyuk, who showcased remarkable composure. Discussions delve into Swiatek's struggles with serve and pressure, and her potential path to recovery. Meanwhile, emerging stars like Joao Fonseca and Jakub Menchik impressed with their resilience and electrifying performances, revitalizing the tournament's energy. The podcast also critically examines the French Open's decision to finally feature a women's night session match, highlighting past gender disparities in scheduling.
Day 7 of the French Open brought major upsets and grueling contests, headlined by defending champion Coco Gauff's defeat to Anastasia Potapova and Amanda Anisimova's challenging loss. Naomi Osaka showed remarkable form, while Matteo Berrettini and Juan Manuel Cerundolo endured record-breaking marathon matches. The hosts discuss the physical and mental toll on players, debate the impact of night session scheduling, and re-evaluate the title contenders in both draws after a week of intense competition.
The podcast delves into the seismic upset at the French Open, where 19-year-old Joao Fonseca defeated Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller, leaving the men's tournament without any Grand Slam champions. It covers other dramatic matches, including Casper Ruud's comeback and Rafael Jodar's gritty win, alongside discussions on player conduct and court safety. The episode also previews key women's matches, like Kostyuk vs. Swiatek, and reviews controversial comments about female umpires, setting the stage for an unpredictable second week.
Day 5 of the French Open saw a shocking upset as Jannik Sinner, a tournament favorite, collapsed dramatically against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, sparking debates about heat, conditioning, and competitive mind games. This pivotal loss has opened up the men's draw, offering new opportunities for other players, including emerging talents like 17-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame, who delivered a thrilling performance. Meanwhile, the women's draw saw strong performances from Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Naomi Osaka, alongside inspiring stories of comeback and resilience.
French Open Day 4 was a whirlwind of upsets, injuries, and unexpected drama. Top women's seeds Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko were eliminated, potentially clearing the path for Iga Swiatek, though concerns about her form and the intense heat persist. The men's side saw Novak Djokovic battling through a tough four-setter and expressing frustration over match lengths in brutal conditions, while Jakub Mensik suffered a distressing on-court collapse, sparking a vital discussion about player welfare and heat rules. Off-court stories, including a coach ghosting a player mid-tournament, added to the day's frenetic energy.
Day 3 of the French Open was marked by significant upsets, as Daniil Medvedev and Jessica Pegula both exited the tournament, leading to discussions about the extreme heat's influence on player performance and match outcomes. The podcast also delves into the strategic importance of night sessions for players like Yannick Sinner and highlights the breakthrough wins of rising stars Adam Walton and Moise Kouame, while raising concerns about court safety.
Day 2 at Roland Garros featured challenging hot conditions, testing players' endurance. Elina Svitolina displayed remarkable resilience to overcome a tough Anna Bondar, while Casper Ruud endured a bizarre five-setter, battling heatstroke to advance. The day also marked the emotional French Open farewells for fan favorites Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils, celebrated for their impactful careers. Rafael Jodar delivered a dominant performance, hinting at deep tournament potential.
On a hot opening day at the French Open, Novak Djokovic overcame a stern challenge from Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, while Nishesh Basavaredi caused a major upset by defeating seventh seed Taylor Fritz with impressive tactical play. The women's side featured Hailey Baptiste's dramatic win saving two match points, Marta Kostyuk's emotional victory amidst personal turmoil, and Fran Jones's resilient comeback after significant health setbacks, setting a challenging tone for the tournament's initial days.
The podcast kicks off the French Open preview, covering the disappointing withdrawal of Arthur Fils and a broader discussion on the rising trend of young player injuries and scheduling demands. Guests analyze the recent player media boycott, its impact, and the unified stance for prize money and player welfare. A highlight is an extraordinary interview with Ukrainian player Oleksandra Oliynykova, who shares her challenging experience on tour amidst the war, criticizing the silence of the tennis community and calling out players supporting problematic regimes. The episode concludes with varied predictions for both men's and women's singles champions, considering player form, draw complexities, and the influence of the Paris weather.
This podcast dives into the Roland Garros Media Day, dissecting the top players' organized protest regarding prize money allocation, which created minimal impact on general media activities but highlighted a movement for lower-ranked players. The hosts also provide crucial updates on various players, including Aryna Sabalenka's full fitness, Emma Raducanu's positive mindset shift with her reunited coach, Novak Djokovic's ambiguous fitness, and Alexander Zverev's back recovery. The episode concludes with a moving tribute to the Associated Press tennis reporter Howard Fendrich, celebrating his integrity and contributions to tennis journalism.
This episode from Paris discusses the Roland Garros draws, highlighting key matchups in both the men's and women's singles. A major talking point is Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal due to a wrist injury, raising concerns about his career and impacting the men's draw. The podcast also delves into the players' planned media walkout, a coordinated protest against Grand Slam prize money distribution, assessing its potential effectiveness and implications.
The podcast unpacks Elina Svitolina's thrilling Rome title win over Coco Gauff, highlighting her improved aggression and mental fortitude, and assessing her chances at Roland Garros alongside other top contenders. It then delves into Jannik Sinner's "Golden Masters" sweep, discussing his physical and mental toughness through a challenging semi-final, his dominance, and the debate surrounding his status as the heaviest Roland Garros favorite. The episode also touches on upcoming tournaments and Emma Raducanu's coaching reunion.
This episode reviews the eventful Rome tournament, where Elina Svitolina's incredible comeback wins against Rybakina and Swiatek, alongside Coco Gauff's resilient run, set up a compelling WTA final. On the men's side, Jannik Sinner continues his dominant, record-breaking streak, though fatigue and injuries plague other top players like Musetti, and Zverev faces criticism for his graceless remarks. The hosts also discuss the bizarre smoke delay, tournament scheduling issues, and the intriguing news of Andy Murray coaching Jack Draper for the grass season, plus Carlos Alcaraz's notable Vanity Fair cover.
This episode delves into a tumultuous opening week at the Rome tournament, dominated by top players threatening a Grand Slam boycott over prize money and revenue share, sparked by Aryna Sabalenka's bold statements. On the courts, the WTA saw surprising withdrawals, including Emma Raducanu's unusual exit, and an early injury scare for Sabalenka. The ATP faced its own injury woes with Novak Djokovic's illness and Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal, while young talents like Dino Prizmic shone and Jannik Sinner continued his dominant run.
This episode delves into the Madrid Open finals, highlighting Jannik Sinner's commanding win over Alexander Zverev and his psychological impact on opponents, raising questions about the men's Roland Garros "mix." On the women's side, Marta Kostyuk's breakthrough WTA 1000 title is explored, with emphasis on her mental transformation and sustained consistency, contrasted with Mirra Andreeva's emotional response and the challenges of high-pressure professional tennis. The hosts also preview the upcoming Rome tournament and discuss potential contenders for the French Open.
The Tennis Podcast team dives into the Madrid Open, celebrating Hailey Baptiste's incredible upset of Sabalenka and analyzing Mirra Andreeva's journey to the final, marked by mental battles. They also praise Marta Kostyuk's impressive run and discuss the women's final prospects. On the men's side, Jannik Sinner's evolving game and Alexander Blockx's surprising breakthrough are key topics. The episode also covers Jack Draper's injury withdrawal, various player retirements, and intriguing rumors about Emma Raducanu's coaching situation.
This episode delves into the Madrid tournament, marked by an apparent food poisoning outbreak affecting several players, including Coco Gauff's resilient comeback win. The discussion also highlights the exciting emergence of young talents like Rafael Jodar and the strategic implications of Carlos Alcaraz's absence for other top ATP players. Additionally, the podcast covers the unexpected departure of WTA CEO Portia Archer and updates on an anti-doping case.
This emergency episode reacts to the surprising news of Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal from Roland Garros due to a wrist injury, analyzing its impact on his career, the tournament's landscape, and rivals like Jannik Sinner. The hosts discuss the added pressure on Sinner, the interesting open draw for other contenders, and the broader issue of player health and scheduling, while also sharing light-hearted off-court news.
Part one - WTA (00:00 - 32:07). We start with Elena Rybakina’s title in Stuttgart which takes her to the top of the WTA Race for 2026. What were the keys to her victory? How did she come through an extraordinary match with Leylah Fernandez? And what might this mean for the rest of the clay court swing? There’s also chat about Karolina Muchova’s brilliant run and another loss from a set up for Iga Swiatek. But were there some positive signs for Swiatek in her defeat to Mirra Andreeva? Over in Rou...
Catherine and Matt are together for a mid week catch up with events in Stuttgart, Barcelona, Munich and Rouen in full swing. Part one - ATP (00:00 - 34:41). How concerning is Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Barcelona with a wrist injury? We react to his press conference and discuss the difficulty of his clay court season scheduling. Elsewhere in Barcelona, Lorenzo Musetti has picked up some much-needed wins and now plays Arthur Fils, while Rafael Jodar has become the favourite for the title. In...
Catherine, David and Matt are here to look back on the first Sinner-Alcaraz match of the 2026 season. Part one - Monte Carlo (00:00 - 30:59). We discuss Jannik Sinner’s victory over Carlos Alcaraz in the final and how it sets up their rivalry and the clay court season ahead. In what way did Sinner cope best with the windy conditions? How much confidence will he take from his? And how might Alcaraz respond? There’s also chat about the gap between them and the rest of the field after Sinner’s comp...
The podcast breaks down the Monte Carlo Masters, analyzing Daniil Medvedev's shocking 6-0, 6-0 defeat and the resilient wins of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. It also highlights impressive runs from rising stars like Joao Fonseca and Valentin Vachereau. Additionally, the episode previews the Linz tournament's new indoor clay format, featuring Lily Tagger, and discusses the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, including format changes and team lineups.
Catherine, David and Matt are together to discuss the start of the clay court season and a fascinating week of coaching changes on both tours. Part one - Coaching carousel (00:00 - 33:55). With the news that Iga Swiatek has hired Francisco Roig, we talk about whether her training block in Mallorca with Rafael Nadal can help inspire her for the clay court season ahead. Could this be just the boost Swiatek needs? What are some of the potential challenges in this partnership with Roig? Elsewhere, t...
David, Catherine and the Athletic's Matt Futterman had plenty to talk about after Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka completed the rare Double Sunshine Double with their Miami Open titles. Part one - ATP (00:00 - 37:45) We start with the extraordinary dominance of Jannik Sinner who has won the Indian Wells & Miami titles without dropping a set. With the points gap quickly closing on Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner is being open about his desperation to reclaim the top spot in men's tennis - will he do...
After a dramatic few days in Miami, there’s lots to discuss for Catherine and David, who are holding the fort while Matt gets stopped by fans at Gatwick airport. Part one - (00:00 - 18:25) Shortly after discussing Iga Swiatek’s crisis of form and confidence on the last pod, news broke that Wim Fissette had been axed from the Swiatek team. Is it the right move? And who will the for the former World Number One now turn to for answers? Part two - (18:25 - 47:25) WTA - A dream semi final line up is ...
It was a rainy first few days of Miami but things have picked up since then and a couple of big shocks - defeats for Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz - have left Catherine, David and Matt with plenty to discuss. Part one - WTA (00:00 - 43:51) We start with Swiatek’s defeat to Magda Linette as she opened up about the tennis “nightmare” she’s experiencing on court. What’s going wrong for her? And where does this leave her heading into the clay? Elsewhere there’s chat about Talia Gibson’s brilliant r...
This episode delves into the thrilling conclusions of Indian Wells, highlighting Aryna Sabalenka's dramatic victory over Elena Rybakina and Jannik Sinner's triumph against Daniil Medvedev. The hosts analyze the evolving rivalries and discuss Iga Swiatek's unexpected defeat, raising questions about her current form. Additionally, they preview the upcoming Miami Open, examining key draws and players to watch while also exploring the resurgence of aggressive play and controversial on-court hindrance drama.
