Dominic Thiem vs. Novak Djokovic was one of the best matches The O2 has ever seen. Catherine Whitaker, Matt Roberts, David Law and special guest Charlie Eccleshare were suitably thrilled on the pod. Plus, we talk to Andy Murray about fatherhood for the first time, the Davis Cup finals, what would constitute success in 2020, and how he doesn't want to end up like Ivan Lendl. Newsletter - Weekly predictions, Matt’s Stat and Memory Lane are coming your way if you sign up free, here - http://po.st/T...
Nov 13, 2019•50 min•Ep. 609
Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas started Monday with 0-5 records against Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev, but ended it with significant victories. Afterwards, Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts got together to talk about what happened, the delirious interviews they attended, and what they think will happen next for the young Next Gen stars. The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly throughout the year, daily at all of the Grand Slams, Tour Finals, and Davis and Fed Cup final in a...
Nov 11, 2019•40 min•Ep. 608
The Tennis Podcast crew were pleading with Dominic Thiem to show up on day one of the ATP Finals, and he did so with bells on. The Austrian defeated Roger Federer in the night session, and Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts convened afterwards to talk about what went on. Novak Djokovic beating Matteo Berretti wasn’t a great surprise, but the manner of it was chastening. What happened? The pod team discuss. And in the aftermath of an 18-year-old winning the Next Gen Finals, we try to ...
Nov 10, 2019•42 min•Ep. 607
France are the Fed Cup champions for the first time since 2003 after Kiki Mladenovic seized the day for her country, beating Ash Barty in both singles and doubles. David Law, Catherine Whitaker and Matt Roberts are together to talk it all through, including Mladenovic and Garcia's redemption narrative, Julien Benneteau's gamble that paid off, and Barty and Stosur's tears. Also, hear from a jubilant French team immediately after their victory, and a disconsolate Australian side in press. Does cap...
Nov 10, 2019•27 min•Ep. 606
The Fed Cup final is evenly poised going into Sunday after a very strange opening day which saw Kiki Mladenovic thrash Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1, 6-1, before Ash Barty levelled for Australia with a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Caroline Garcia. Catherine Whitaker and Matt Roberts try to make sense of it all. Why were the matches so one-sided? Was Tomljanovic simply affected by nerves? Was it really the best match Barty has ever played? And will the captains make changes to their teams tomorrow? All that and...
Nov 09, 2019•41 min•Ep. 605
On the eve of the Fed Cup final in Perth, Catherine Whitaker and Matt Roberts are together at the O2 to look ahead to the tie. They discuss the growing status of Ash Barty in Australia, the controversy surrounding Ajla Tomljanovic’s switch of allegiance, and the often-tumultuous but always-crucial relationship between Kiki Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia for France. Elsewhere, David Law speaks to Nicole Pratt for an insight into the Australian camp. She talks about the ins and outs of her role as...
Nov 08, 2019•44 min•Ep. 604
Ash Barty made history on Sunday by winning more money than any tennis player ever has at a tennis tournament. And she did so with a performance that took the breath away. Afterwards, Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts went to an agricultural public house in Putney to swap notes on The Tennis Podcast. They also talked about a disappointing Paris singles final that Novak Djokovic played superbly in, and Denis Shapovalov didn’t. The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly year-round in assoc...
Nov 03, 2019•46 min•Ep. 603
Saturday was another bittersweet day of tennis, with Belinda Bencic and Rafael Nadal both succumbing to injuries in Shenzhen and Paris respectively. But Catherine Whitaker and David Law got over it eventually on The Tennis Podcast to talk about the good bits. Namely Ash Barty, Elina Svitolina, and Novak Djokovic vs. Grigor Dimitrov. The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly year-round in association with Telegraph Sport, and daily during all four Grand Slams, the WTA and ATP Finals, and the Fed and ...
Nov 02, 2019•32 min•Ep. 602
At last! After a couple of frustrating days in Shenzhen, there was no shortage of drama on Friday with two gripping matches and one extraordinary on-court coaching timeout involving Darren Cahill and Simona Halep. Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts get stuck into it all on The Tennis Podcast. How did it feel to watch Cahill call Halep a ‘disgrace’? Was it out of order or was Cahill well within his rights to use that language and tone? And what effect did it have on Halep? There’s als...
Nov 01, 2019•38 min•Ep. 601
It was a downbeat day in Shenzhen, with alternate Kiki Bertens being forced to retire against Belinda Bencic, and Ash Barty easily beating Petra Kvitova. Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts do their best to find some talking points amid the gloom. Why are so many players getting ill or injured? Would the tennis be more interesting on a faster court? And how much better did Ash Barty play today than in her second match? In Paris, there was at least a thrilling performance from Denis Sh...
Oct 31, 2019•32 min•Ep. 600
Elina Svitolina is becoming a WTA Finals expert, Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova will meet for a place in the semi-finals, and Bianca Andreescu is injured…again. Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts talk it all through. There’s also debate over on-court coaching, and chat about the colour and speed of the court in Shenzhen, Roger Federer’s decision to withdraw from the ATP Cup, and Jack Sock losing his ATP singles ranking. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph...
Oct 30, 2019•39 min•Ep. 599
Naomi Osaka’s WTA Finals journey is over. How? Why? Ash Barty suffered a bizarre defeat from a set and break up against Osaka’s replacement - Kiki Bertens, and Daniil Medvedev did something he hasn’t done against anyone other than Rafael Nadal recently - he lost a tennis match. Catherine Whitaker and David Law talk about what happened. The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly year-round in association with Telegraph Sport, and daily during all four Grand Slams, the WTA and ATP Finals, and the Fed a...
Oct 29, 2019•31 min•Ep. 598
Elina Svitolina vs. Karoline Pliskova was all about the 14-12 tie-break. Simon Halep vs. Bianca Andreescu was all about everything. Catherine Whitaker and David Law spent half an hour in the pub over a beer to talk about day 2 of the WTA Finals, and as well as today's matches they touched on Dominic Thiem time. Is this it? The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly year-round in association with Telegraph Sport, and daily during all four Grand Slams, the WTA and ATP Finals, and the Fed and Davis Cup ...
Oct 28, 2019•31 min•Ep. 597
David Law and Matt Roberts recap the opening day of the WTA Finals as Naomi Osaka beat Petra Kvitova and Ash Barty defeated Belinda Bencic, both in three sets. How was the staging and crowd support in Shenzhen? In what way was Naomi Osaka’s honest and open coaching timeout with her father a demonstration of her mental strength rather than a sign of any weakness? And how did Ash Barty pick her game up so dramatically after a slow start? Looking ahead to Day 2, David speaks to Andrew Bettles, coac...
Oct 27, 2019•40 min•Ep. 596
In the first of daily editions of The Tennis Podcast from this year’s WTA Finals, Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts make their predictions for the tournament. The move to Shenzhen is discussed, as well as the record-breaking prize money on offer and the intriguing group stage matches thrown up by the draw. Will Bencic continue to thwart Osaka? How will Barty fare with the Fed Cup final in the back of her mind? And will Andreescu vs. Halep live up to expectations? We are produced in ...
Oct 25, 2019•33 min•Ep. 595
Just when you think Andy Murray can’t surprise you any more, he wins an ATP title just 10 months after it looks like he’s about to retire. From the most heart wrenching press conference in Melbourne, to the day after his extraordinary comeback win in Antwerp, Catherine Whitaker and David Law have been there, and this is their reaction. There were also titles for Belinda Bencic, Denis Shapovalov and Andrey Rublev to talk about, and loads of off-court substance to get our teeth into. Newsletter - ...
Oct 21, 2019•57 min•Ep. 594
Shortly after Daniil Medvedev won his second straight Masters 1000 title in Shanghai, debate raged on The Tennis Podcast WhatsApp group: is this just a 4-month hot streak, or is Medvedev actually the best of the ATP #NextGen and the current best in the world? It's a conversation which Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts continue on this week's episode. They also get stuck into the other talking points from Shanghai, including ATP Finals qualification for Stefanos Tsitsipas, aggro invo...
Oct 14, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 593
It’s the first ever Tennis Podcast road trip and Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts are together in Solihull, with plenty to discuss after a fantastic week of action in Beijing. There’s chat about a week of exciting match-ups and the current strength of the WTA Tour, the problem solving of Naomi Osaka and how this title might change the way people view her 2019 season, an actual defeat for Bianca Andreescu, the explosive tennis of Dominic Thiem en route to victory over Stefanos Tsits...
Oct 07, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 592
On International Podcast Day, Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts recorded The Tennis Podcast via Facetime Video for the first time ever. It was an experience. Titles for Aryna Sabalenka and Alex De Minaur are reviewed, there’s encouragement over Andy Murray’s performances in Zhuhai, and delight that the WTA event in Wuhan is beginning to grow. Elsewhere, the timing of the ATP’s decision to hand Nick Kyrgios a suspended sentence is discussed, and Alexander Zverev’s announcement that h...
Sep 30, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 591
After Laver Cup intoxicated tennis with its myriad storylines, content and Roger Federer swearing like a trooper, The Tennis Podcast team assembled in a pub in London to talk about it. Joining Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts was Charlie Eccleshare, and they got carried away, hence the length of this week's show. As well as Federer's language, the coaching of Rafael Nadal and future prospects of the Laver Cup are also discussed. As are Naomi Osaka's Osaka win, Daniil Medvedev winni...
Sep 23, 2019•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 590
Recorded over lunch in New York, Catherine Whitaker and David Law answer a bunch of listeners questions. · Is player abuse towards umpires on the rise? (4 mins) · Which #NextGen player is most likely to consistently challenge for Grand Slam titles? (12 mins) · Who will make the best coach or commentator out of the Big 3? (21 mins) · Which players could develop a long-term rivalry for women’s tennis? (28 mins) · If you could change the result of one Grand Slam match in history, what would it be? ...
Sep 16, 2019•42 min•Ep. 589
Rafa did it. And he did it the hard way with Daniil Medvedev pushing him all the way. Here’s Catherine Whitaker and David Law one last time from Flushing Meadows in 2019 to try to make sense of it. Newsletter - The US Open is over, but there’s one more Matt’s stat to enjoy, and then we’re weekly. Sign up free, here - http://po.st/TTP_Newsletter Support The Tennis Podcast - Help keep The Tennis Podcast going and growing. Sign up for a reminder about our 2020 crowdfunding campaign on December 1st,...
Sep 09, 2019•45 min•Ep. 588
Bianca Andreescu has arrived on the biggest stage of all. Hear all about it on the latest Tennis Podcast from the US Open. And what now for Serena Williams? Catherine Whitaker and David Law discuss the match, the aftermath and the future. Newsletter (including Rubbish Predictions, Memory Lane and Matt’s Stat). Sign up free, here - http://po.st/TTP_Newsletter Support The Tennis Podcast - Help keep The Tennis Podcast going and growing. Sign up for a reminder about our 2020 crowdfunding campaign on...
Sep 08, 2019•35 min•Ep. 587
Here's Catherine Whitaker, David Law et al reviewing the men's US Open semifinals and looking ahead to Serena Williams vs. Bianca Andreescu in the women's final. STUFF Newsletter (including Rubbish Predictions, Memory Lane and Matt’s Stat). Sign up free, here - http://po.st/TTP_Newsletter Support The Tennis Podcast - Help keep The Tennis Podcast going and growing. Sign up for a reminder about our 2020 crowdfunding campaign on December 1st, when we launch - http://po.st/SupportTheTennisPodcast Le...
Sep 07, 2019•48 min•Ep. 586
Bianca Andreescu was not born when Serena Williams won her first US Open title in 1999. They will clash in the final on Saturday. After their respective semifinals, Catherine Whitaker and David Law shared a car back to Manhattan and talked about it on The Tennis Podcast. Plus, they preview the men's semifinals - Grigor Dimtrov vs. Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal vs. Matteo Berrettini. Newsletter (including Rubbish Predictions, Memory Lane and Matt’s Stat). Sign up free, here - http://po.st/TTP_...
Sep 06, 2019•41 min•Ep. 585
After a pulsating day of quarterfinal action, it was mostly in with the new as a bunch of young guns showed what they'd got and reached the semifinals. Plus, Rafael Nadal. The Tennis Podcast is produced daily during Grand Slam events and weekly throughout the year. Support the show - we will crowdfund our 2020 season in December. For a reminder when our campaign opens on December 1st, sign up here http://po.st/SupportTheTennisPodcast Newsletter - Rubbish Predictions, Memory Lane and Matt’s Stat....
Sep 05, 2019•45 min•Ep. 584
Roger Federer will not win the US Open in 2019. What happened against Grigor Dimitrov? David Law was courtside and explains all. Serena Williams won in 44 minutes. Was she that good? Jo Konta is out, the Daniil Medvedev story continues. Catherine Whitaker joins David to look back on the day session. Rubbish Predictions, Memory Lane and Matt’s Stat - all in our daily US Open newsletter. Sign up free, here - http://po.st/TTP_Newsletter Leave us an iTunes review please! http://po.st/TTP_iTunes Want...
Sep 04, 2019•34 min•Ep. 583
The World No.1 and defending champion departed, but it didn’t feel that surprising. Why? Catherine Whitaker and David Law explain all in the back of a car heading back from Flushing Meadows to Manhattan. They also talk about the angst they felt while watching Donna Vekic overcome Julia Goerges, the curious case of Alexander Zverev and his conqueror Diego Schwartzman. Then, after the evening session, David returns to talk about Nadal vs. Cilic and the burgeoning Bianca Andreescu. Rubbish Predicti...
Sep 03, 2019•40 min•Ep. 582
Day 7 at the US Open began with a shock as Ash Barty lost to Qiang Wang, ended with another one as Stan Wawrinka knocked out Novak Djokovic, and included a big victory for Jo Konta over Karolina Pliskova. Catherine Whitaker and David Law (with a quick appearance from Matt Roberts) get stuck into it all on The Tennis Podcast. How has Konta changed as a player and a person over the past few months? What is it about playing Djokovic at Grand Slams that brings out the best in Wawrinka? And how does ...
Sep 02, 2019•44 min•Ep. 581
Shortly after watching an electrifying Saturday night session together, Catherine Whitaker (Amazon Prime Video, Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport) reacted to everything they’d seen. They discuss Nick Kyrgios’ strange performance, a heart-breaking defeat for Denis Shapovalov, and Naomi Osaka’s statement win over Coco Gauff. In the day session, Bianca Andreescu showed off her skills to the Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time, Taylor Townsend backed up her big win over Simona Halep,...
Sep 01, 2019•45 min•Ep. 580
