The US Open may be over, but Naomi Osaka’s new life is just getting started. While her victory in New York was overshadowed, she’s capitalised brilliantly on the moment by signing an endorsement deal with Nissan and appearing on The Ellen Show. On The Tennis Podcast, Catherine and David wonder how Osaka will handle her newfound status as a Grand Slam champion. What are some of the challenges she will face? Elsewhere, this past weekend saw the first Davis Cup action since the vote to revamp the c...
Sep 17, 2018•51 min•Ep. 467
Enric Molina has umpired four Grand Slam singles finals, four Davis Cup finals and two Olympic finals. So what when through his mind when he saw the events of the weekend at the US Open, with former colleague Carlos Ramos warning Serena Williams three times, docking her a point and then a game, and the subsequent reactions from former players and governing bodies? Molina joins David Law on The Tennis Podcast to give his view on the decisions taken by Ramos, whether anything could have been done ...
Sep 13, 2018•36 min•Ep. 466
Novak Djokovic is the US Open champion for the third time, beating Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. On The Tennis Podcast, David and Catherine discuss his brilliant performance. Does the straight-sets scoreline do Del Potro a disservice? Was he a little too cautious early on? Did the slow conditions play a part? How crucial was that epic 20-minute game? Djokovic is now level with Pete Sampras on 14 Grand Slams titles. It suddenly looks possible that he might bridge the gap to Nadal and Feder...
Sep 10, 2018•51 min•Ep. 465
At the end of a mind-blowing day, and one of the most controversy-filled Grand Slams finals in history, David and Catherine sit down to run through the events in full. With emotions running high, the theme of the discussion is the need for nuance. Can we accept Serena as a highly-inspirational role model who is also capable of quite unedifying behaviour? And were all three code violations justified? Not for the first time this tournament, the incident brought the role of the umpire into question...
Sep 09, 2018•39 min•Ep. 464
The US Open men’s semi-finals did not deliver the competitiveness they promised – partly due to Rafael Nadal’s knee, partly due to Novak Djokovic’s brilliance. On The Tennis Podcast, on his birthday, David is joined separately by Simon Briggs of Telegraph Sport and Catherine to talk about it all. Nadal’s knee meant he had to retire when trailing Juan Martin del Potro by two sets. Is it a coincidence that he’s had to pull out of both hard court slams in 2018? How will he manage his body going for...
Sep 08, 2018•36 min•Ep. 463
The women’s final is set: Serena Williams will face Naomi Osaka on Saturday. On The Tennis Podcast, David and Catherine discuss how both players got there. Serena beat Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-0. What made this such a formidable performance? David was struck by Serena's net game. Has she ever been forward more? And was it a pre-planned tactic or a mid-match adjustment? Is there a difference between “needing” and “wanting” Grand Slam titles? Catherine wonders whether, with Olympia now in her l...
Sep 07, 2018•27 min•Ep. 462
For the first time in the Open Era there will be a Japanese man and woman in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam after contrasting wins for Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori. Osaka was brilliant again, cruising past an out-of-sorts Lesia Tsurenko. Is she playing the best tennis of anyone in the draw? Nishikori then reeled in Marin Cilic to win in five sets. Was he inspired by Osaka’s victory? Not for the first time, Cilic suffered an alarmingly sudden loss of form and became very agitated. Why does this...
Sep 06, 2018•34 min•Ep. 461
For the second night in a row, the end of The Tennis Podcast had to be recorded at past 2am in New York. That’s because Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem played a marathon match long into the night, with Nadal prevailing in a thrilling deciding set tiebreak. This was tennis at its absolute best, say David and Catherine, and also a brilliant advert for fifth set tiebreaks. Nadal will now face Del Potro in a repeat of last year’s semi-final. Del Potro beat Isner in a match that played out as most peo...
Sep 05, 2018•36 min•Ep. 460
This is a Tennis Podcast in two parts. First of all, David and Catherine recorded almost half an hour of chat about the day session, reflecting on wins for Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys and Novak Djokovic, and looking ahead to the quarter-finals. Then the night session happened. And all hell broke loose. At 2:15am, David and Simon Briggs tried to pick up the pieces following Roger Federer’s shock defeat to John Millman. Federer hit 76 unforced errors, made 10 double faults and landed less than 50% o...
Sep 04, 2018•40 min•Ep. 459
With no obvious headline on Day 7 at the US Open, David and Catherine start the Tennis Podcast by purring over the form of Sloane Stephens and trying to pin down what makes her such a sublime player. They agree she has a sixth sense, but is she unstoppable at her best? It certainly felt like it against Elise Mertens. Another good performance from Serena is discussed. How well did she do to weather the second set onslaught from Kaia Kanepi? Will the quietly impressive Karolina Pliskova provide he...
Sep 03, 2018•31 min•Ep. 458
Federer vs. Kyrgios may not have lived up to our lofty expectations, but it still delivered a number of talking points for Catherine and David on The Tennis Podcast. It was neither a total capitulation nor a fully-engaged performance from Kyrgios. Why does Catherine believe it was a step backwards? Will he finally get a coach? Federer, meanwhile, produced a shot of genius. You must have seen it. Where does it rank in his long list of memorable moments? Elsewhere, it was a day laden with upsets. ...
Sep 02, 2018•31 min•Ep. 457
After all the off-court drama of the past few days, the excitement on day five at the US Open was to be found on the court. David is joined separately by Simon Briggs and Catherine to talk about it all. Serena vs. Venus was a remarkable occasion, as expected, but Serena’s brilliance made it a one-sided contest. Has she sent a message to the rest of the field? The match of the day was undoubtedly the four-hour epic between Karen Khachanov and Rafael Nadal. Is it time to raise our expectations of ...
Sep 01, 2018•32 min•Ep. 456
Not for the first time, a Nick Kyrgios match dominates discussion on The Tennis Podcast. This time, however, Kyrgios is ceding much of the spotlight to umpire Mohamed Lahyani, whose decision to get down from his chair and apparently give Kyrgios a pep talk has caused a lot of controversy. David and Catherine give their reaction to the incident and its aftermath. Was Lahyani trying to cajole and counsel Kyrgios? Did he overstep the mark? What would be an appropriate sanction for Lahyani? And how ...
Aug 31, 2018•34 min•Ep. 455
Andy Murray is out of the US Open. But not without a fight. Not without looking much like his old self in a four-set defeat to Fernando Verdasco. After another scorching day in New York, Catherine joins David on The Tennis Podcast to discuss the match in detail. What made this the most encouraging performance of Murray’s comeback so far? What did Murray say in his press conference? How well did Verdasco do to hold his nerve in that thrilling final game? In the women’s draw, defending champion Sl...
Aug 30, 2018•36 min•Ep. 454
On a day of extreme heat and humidity at the US Open, when merely breathing was a challenge, Simon Briggs of Telegraph Sport joins David to salute all the players that managed to actually play high-level tennis in such brutal conditions. The decision of the tournament organisers to invoke the heat rule, including one for the men, is praised. But should play have been cancelled altogether? Novak Djokovic was one of a number of players to be seriously affected by the weather, but he battled throug...
Aug 29, 2018•28 min•Ep. 453
Former World No.5 turned Amazon Prime Video UK pundit Daniela Hantuchova joins David and Catherine to review an eventful opening day at the US Open. For the first time in the tournament’s history, the women’s top seed lost in the first round. Where did it all go wrong for Simona Halep against Kaia Kanepi? Why was there no real fightback? Has she become over-reliant on Darren Cahill? Hantuchova thinks she might still need time to recover from the high of winning at Roland Garros. From a British p...
Aug 28, 2018•30 min•Ep. 452
Spirits are high on the new Tennis Podcast with David and Catherine back together on Fifth Avenue to preview the US Open. David may have just stepped off the plane, but Catherine has been in New York for a couple of days. In that time, she’s seen the brand-new Louis Armstrong Stadium, soaked up the joy of Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day and spoken to a number of players at the “Superbowl style” media day, including Andy Murray. What state of mind is he in? And how far can he realistically go this fortnigh...
Aug 26, 2018•49 min•Ep. 451
It was a monumental week for tennis as the ITF’s proposals to reform the Davis Cup were approved. The decision sparked a huge reaction, with much of it negative. But is it all doom and gloom? On the new Tennis Podcast, Catherine and Charlie Eccleshare of Telegraph Sport give their take on the news. Can the new Davis Cup and the planned World Team Cup possibly co-exist? Will the $3billion investment help smaller tennis nations? And are some players scared to come out in support of the reforms? On...
Aug 20, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 450
With David away on holiday, The Telegraph’s Charlie Eccleshare joins Catherine on The Tennis Podcast to review the action from the Rogers Cup in Canada, where world No.1s Simona Halep and Rafael Nadal picked up the titles in Montreal and Toronto respectively. Halep battled past Stephens in a thrilling final. Can the pair now establish a genuine, lasting rivalry at the top of the game? And is it too early to call them the two clear favourites for the US Open? Nadal, meanwhile, withstood the chall...
Aug 13, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 449
Unsurprisingly, the eventful return of Andy Murray dominates discussion on this week’s Tennis Podcast. After Murray played and won his first hard court matches since March 2017 by advancing to the quarter-finals in Washington, David and Catherine are on hand to talk all about it. What did we learn about Murray? How well did he play? And why did he end up in tears after beating Marius Copil? The 3:02am finish might have had something to do with it… On that note, the scheduling issues in Washingto...
Aug 06, 2018•49 min•Ep. 448
Catherine and David are back with a bumper edition of The Tennis Podcast to reflect on everything that’s happened in the sport since Wimbledon. From Newport to Nanchang, all the noteworthy results and their implications are covered. Can Cecchinato or Fognini reach the ATP World Tour Finals? Who is 17-year-old Moscow titlist Olga Danilovic? And what’s the key to John Isner’s sustained success in Atlanta? Moreover, Britain’s Jay Clarke won the Binghamton Challenger. His prospects are discussed, as...
Jul 30, 2018•59 min•Ep. 447
After producing 39 podcasts in 50 days during the French Open, the Fever-Tree Championships and Wimbledon, Catherine and David have handed over editorial control to the listeners for the latest show. In the fourth instalment this year of Ask Catherine & David, the hosts do their best to answer all the questions selected by executive producer Melanie Bose. What does Rafael Nadal need to achieve to become widely considered the GOAT? Would tennis be better off with a commissioner rather than a ...
Jul 23, 2018•42 min•Ep. 446
Novak Djokovic has been through some dark times over the past couple of years, but his 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 win over Kevin Anderson in the Wimbledon final proved that he is very much back in the big time. Afterwards, Tennis Podcast presenter David Law was joined by Charlie Eccleshare of the Telegraph to look back on a final that didn't get going until set three, and ultimately proved a step too far for Anderson. Just how good was Djokovic? Where does this leave him for the US Open in a few weeks time? ...
Jul 15, 2018•33 min•Ep. 445
With Royalty in attendance - the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex - Angelique Kerber defeated Serena Williams to win the Wimbledon title, and Novak Djokovic overcame Rafael Nadal in an all-time classic to reach the men’s final. Afterwards, Catherine Whitaker was joined by Charlie Eccleshare of the Telegraph, and later David Law, to review the day. Why was Kerber such a comfortable winner over Williams? How will the final be reported in the pages of the Telegraph? And what next for both players?...
Jul 14, 2018•40 min•Ep. 444
A memorable, bizarre, pulsating day at Wimbledon ended with Kevin Anderson in the men’s singles final after a 6 hour 36 minute epic, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal needing to come back out to continue battle on Saturday with Djokovic ahead 2 sets to 1, and a women’s final likely to be delayed as a result. In total darkness after the 11pm curfew had brought play to a halt, Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Simon Briggs got together to review matters. Is it time for a final set tie-break to be br...
Jul 14, 2018•34 min•Ep. 443
After two one-sided women’s semifinals at Wimbledon, the prospect of a Serena Williams vs. Angelique Kerber final is mouthwatering, and who better to talk about it, and everything else, than Mary Carillo. The Tennis Podcast’s favourite guest joins Catherine Whitaker and David Law on the broadcast roof to cover matches galore, look ahead to Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal, and tell us an anecdote involving Roger Federer’s kids! The Tennis Podcast is produced daily throughout Wimbledon, presented ...
Jul 12, 2018•42 min•Ep. 442
A day that began with Roger Federer looking serene ended with him out of the tournament, Rafael Nadal fighting through at the last, and David Law speaking to a couple of special guests - BBC commentators Vassos Alexander and Russell Fuller - to try to cover it all on The Tennis Podcast. Federer was felled by Kevin Anderson, who saved match point and came back from two sets to love down to overcome Federer in 5. Was it a question of sensational play from the South African, or did Federer look sho...
Jul 11, 2018•24 min•Ep. 441
After a women's quarter finals day that did not disappoint, David & Catherine are left to dissect four quarter final matches, and four deserving semi finalists. David picks Serena as the title favourite while Catherine thinks Angelique Kerber is the one to watch, and what about Jelena Ostapenko, a woman who is capable of hitting any opponent clean off the court. And although not a winner on Tuesday, Daria Kasatkina sure did seize the opportunity to show the Centre Court crowd what she's made...
Jul 10, 2018•31 min•Ep. 440
As the annual tennis festival that is 'Manic Monday' comes and goes, David & Catherine meet in their usual spot on the broadcast roof to analyse not only the matches themselves, but also their scheduling. Six men's and three women's matches on the three main show courts, and Djokovic relegated to Court One once again while Federer enjoys his usual Centre Court procession - is it fair? And if not, does it even matter so long as the paying public are happy? And what of the women's round of 16 ...
Jul 09, 2018•30 min•Ep. 439
As the first week of Wimbledon 2018 draws to a close, Catherine & David meet on the broadcast centre roof overlooking the grounds to discuss yet another shock defeat in the women's draw, that of top seed and French Open Champion Simona Halep to perennial Grand Slam giant-killer Su-Wei Hseih. They also discuss the rest of the day's women's results which included wins for 'tennis magicians' Daria Kasatkina and Belinda Bencic, and another jaw-dropping performance by on-fire Jelena Ostapenko. Th...
Jul 07, 2018•33 min•Ep. 438
