Russia won the Billie Jean King Cup and Matt had himself quite a day. A last minute selection change from Russia did not go down well with Switzerland, and Matt was in the middle of one of the more tense press conferences we’ve witnessed. Hear it all on this edition of The Tennis Podcast. And if that’s not enough, Matt sat down with Billie Jean King for a chat on the pod about her memories of this event, her time as captain, and her experience in Prague. Finally, we reflect on the significance o...
Nov 07, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 914
Russia and Switzerland booked their places in the final of the Billie Jean King Cup in contrasting fashion on Friday. Russia had to work extremely hard to beat USA, with Liudmila Samsonova starring in singles and doubles. Switzerland, meanwhile, were comfortable winners over Australia. David and Matt talk about both ties, react to press conference clips from Danielle Collins, Jil Teichmann and Heinz Günthardt, and preview tomorrow’s final. To subscribe and watch a stream of the action for €7.99 ...
Nov 06, 2021•36 min•Ep. 913
Switzerland will face Australia in the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup after a day of surprises in Prague. How much was Switzerland’s win down to their brilliance versus Czech Republic underperforming? In what way was Belinda Bencic the MVP of the tie? And how much does Australia’s team spirit help them on court? David and Matt discuss all of that, react to Ajla Tomljanovic’s press conference, and preview the mouth-watering semi-final between USA and Russia. To subscribe and watch a stre...
Nov 05, 2021•31 min•Ep. 912
It seems the USA team said “and I took that personally” after losing to Slovakia. On Wednesday, they qualified for the semi-finals by beating Spain, with Danielle Collins thumping Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-1 6-0. David and Matt react to that awesome performance and discuss what Sloane Stephens had to say in press after her victory. Elsewhere, hear Matt’s chat with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova after she beat Alize Cornet in a thrilling match to secure a semi-final spot for the Russian Tennis Federation. ...
Nov 03, 2021•30 min•Ep. 911
It was a day of upsets in Prague as Viktoria Kuzmova (remember her?!) led Slovakia to a thrilling win over USA and Daria Gavrilova, playing her first match for 10 months, set Australia on the path to victory against Belgium. David and Matt talk about a nail-biting decisive doubles match, react to Gavrilova’s press conference in which she talked openly about the tough year she’s had, and admire Belinda Bencic’s performance against Angelique Kerber. To subscribe and watch a stream of the action fo...
Nov 03, 2021•40 min•Ep. 910
The pressure was on the Czech Republic, and Barbora Krejcikova in particular, to produce in front of a passionate home crowd on Day 1 of the Billie Jean King Cup in Prague. Matt Roberts was there to witness it all, and afterwards he joined David Law to talk about the upsets, injuries and inspired play that lit up The O2 Arena on Monday. To subscribe and watch a stream of the action for €7.99 - https://video.billiejeankingcup.com The Tennis Podcast will be with you nightly throughout the week. SU...
Nov 02, 2021•34 min•Ep. 909
Matt is in Prague for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, and Catherine and David are jealous. Find out what he asked in a weekend of press conferences, which group he sees as the Group of Death, and what the vibe is like on the ground. Elsewhere, Catherine assesses Emma Raducanu’s week, reveals her feelings about Halloween and the clocks going back, the form of Frances Tiafoe gets bigged up, and Anett Kontaveit's incredible run to reach the WTA Finals is discussed. Finally, remember Marin Cilic? S...
Oct 31, 2021•59 min•Ep. 908
Catherine, David and Matt tackle another set of listener questions, guest edited by Dave Courteen. How will Raducanu’s US Open victory affect her career in the long run? Has the ship sailed for the Dimitrov-Nishikori-Raonic generation? In what order will Swiatek, Fernandez, Gauff and Raducanu be ranked at the end of 2022? Who will be the next first-time major winners? What would tennis be like if there were only one serve? Has electronic line calling been a positive or negative addition to the s...
Oct 25, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 907
Paula Badosa and Cameron Norrie are the 2021 Indian Wells champions! Catherine, David and Matt discuss why the women’s final was a contender for match of the year, whether Badosa can use this victory as a springboard for further success, how #shoegate returned to bother Norrie before the biggest match of his life, the Nadal-like qualities to Norrie’s approach to tennis, and whether or not he will qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin. We also review Citizen Ashe and King Richard which were screene...
Oct 18, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 906
Catherine, David and Matt discuss the biggest moments from the last few days at Indian Wells, including premature congratulations to Ons Jabeur for reaching the Top 10, Jelena Ostapenko making her way into the semi-finals impressively, Daniil Medvedev’s collapse from 6-4 4-1 up against Grigor Dimitrov, a return to form for Alex de Minaur, more encouraging signs for Andy Murray (even if he doesn’t think so), Reilly Opelka’s no-holds-barred interview, and much more. The Tennis Podcast is presented...
Oct 14, 2021•57 min•Ep. 905
With Indian Wells in full swing, Catherine, David and Matt talk about some of the biggest stories so far, including Andy Murray’s fantastic three-set win over Carlos Alcaraz, Leylah Fernandez picking up where she left off in New York, and Iga Swiatek donating her prize money to a nonprofit mental health organisation. In the U.K. much of the coverage has been centred on Emma Raducanu’s defeat to Aliaksandra Sasnovich. We discuss the match and why we’re not going to read too much into the result b...
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 904
Indian Wells is back! As the tours return to Tennis Paradise, Catherine, David and Matt are together in the same room to talk through the draws, the pre tournament press conferences, the fact that Emma Raducanu is the favourite for the title, how big The Mix is on the men's side, and drama involving Andy Murray's shoes. Before all of that, we also discuss Monday's announcement that the ATP has launched an internal investigation into the abuse accusations against Alexander Zverev. The Tennis Podc...
Oct 07, 2021•44 min•Ep. 903
With new tournaments in San Diego and Chicago proving a big hit, Catherine, David and Matt are together to talk through the last week in tennis. How far can Casper Ruud go over the next few years? In what way does Cameron Norrie keep impressing? Did we learn anything new about Jannik Sinner after he successfully defended his title in Sofia? What’s made Chicago champion Garbine Muguruza so enjoyable to watch in 2021? And how did Alison van Uytvanck keep up her 100% record in finals? Elsewhere, th...
Oct 04, 2021•59 min•Ep. 902
For the first time in a couple of weeks, Catherine, David and Matt are all together to review what was a pretty busy week in tennis, headlined by the fourth edition of The Laver Cup. We discuss Europe’s dominance, what we continue to like and dislike about the event, how it might be improved, and Mary Carillo’s decision to step down from her Laver Cup role due to the event’s handling of Alexander Zverev and the accusations against him. Elsewhere, there’s chat about Annett Kontaveit’s victory ove...
Sep 27, 2021•55 min•Ep. 901
One week on from the most extraordinary Grand Slam tennis tournament in recent memory, David Law returns to give his takes! What did he think of Emma Raducanu’s win, what has he made of the media coverage one week on, and what should we expect in the future? Joined by Catherine Whitaker with Matt Roberts is on holiday, David is grilled about the men’s final between Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic, the latest win by Clara Tauson, and the discord over Laver Cup. The Tennis Podcast is presented ...
Sep 20, 2021•51 min•Ep. 900
Rod Laver in 1969 is STILL the last man to complete the calendar Grand Slam after Novak Djokovic fell one match short by losing in straight sets to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final. Catherine and Matt talk about Djokovic's sub-par performance and the possible reasons for it, the extraordinary moment he received the support of the crowd and what that meant to him, the ways in which Medvedev played a fantastic match, and the story behind his legendary celebration. Elsewhere, there's chat about...
Sep 13, 2021•51 min•Ep. 899
Emma Raducanu is the US Open champion. At 18, on just her second Grand Slam appearance, she qualified and went all the way to the title without dropping a set. There's never been anything else like it in tennis. At the end of an incredible night, Catherine and Matt react to her 6-4 6-3 win over Leylah Fernandez, the high-quality tennis on display, the feeling of joy it elicited, the extraordinary post-match speech by Fernandez, and why it's a moment beyond compare. Looking ahead to the men's fin...
Sep 12, 2021•48 min•Ep. 898
Novak Djokovic is on the verge of history; after beating Alexander Zverev in five sets, he stands just one match win away from completing The Grand Slam. His opponent will be Daniil Medvedev who easily beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in the other semi-final. On the back end of the pod, we take stock of the Canadian's career, discuss how well Djokovic was forced to play, and consider how on earth Medvedev might stop him in the final. To start the show, Catherine, David and Matt are back together to pr...
Sep 11, 2021•46 min•Ep. 897
The teenage dream will extend all the way to the US Open final after Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu booked their places in Saturday's showpiece event. At the end of an extraordinary women's semi-final night, David and Matt try to convey what they saw and how they felt. How much was Aryna Sabalenka her own worst enemy? What did Fernandez do to cause Sabalenka's downfall? In what way did Raducanu neutralise Maria Sakkari's physical presence? And how did the Brit maintain her composure througho...
Sep 10, 2021•42 min•Ep. 896
Emma Raducanu is into the semi-finals of the US Open. It sounds unbelievable, but it's happening. David and Matt try to make sense of it all with a discussion of how she beat Belinda Bencic and the hype surrounding her run. How might she fare against Maria Sakkari after her victory over Karolina Pliskova? Will we see an all-teenage final or will Aryna Sabalenka have too much for Leylah Fernandez? On the men's side, there's chat about how Lloyd Harris missed his chance against Alexander Zverev as...
Sep 09, 2021•35 min•Ep. 895
David is back! Feeling better after a few days away, he chats to Matt about all the stories from the last 24 hours, including Maria Sakkari's thrilling win over Bianca Andreescu, a weird victory for Daniil Medvedev against Botic van de Zandschulp, and the continuation of Leylah Fernandez's magical run. There's also a look ahead to Emma Raducanu's quarter-final against Belinda Bencic and a mid-pod surprise involving Catherine. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, a...
Sep 08, 2021•45 min•Ep. 894
Recorded while watching Jenson Brooksby throw everything at Novak Djokovic during the night session, Catherine and Matt wrap up yet another excellent day at the 2021 US Open, headlined by Emma Raducanu reaching the quarter-finals. We discuss how she overcame her nerves, the way in which she belongs on the big stage, and whether or not she's 'in the mix'. And if she's not, who is? Elsewhere, there's praise for Matteo Berrettini, recaps of Belinda Bencic vs Iga Swiatek and Alexander Zverev vs Jann...
Sep 07, 2021•49 min•Ep. 893
Halfway through this US Open and it just keeps getting better and better. Catherine and Matt chat about how defeat for Ash Barty changes the complexion of the draw, the way Leylah Fernandez out-Kerbered Angelique Kerber and took the New York crowd with her, how Spain is covering Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev's masterclass against Dan Evans, the way Elina Svitolina stepped up to beat Simona Halep, and a big moment for Botic van de Zandschulp. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitake...
Sep 06, 2021•51 min•Ep. 892
Just when you think this US Open has peaked, it throws up yet more drama. Catherine and Matt discuss Naomi Osaka's defeat and emotional press conference, an extraordinary performance from Emma Raducanu, the way in which Novak Djokovic was tested more than usual by Kei Nishikori, a ruthless and efficient victory for Bianca Andreescu, and five set wins Frances Tiafoe and Jannik Sinner. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced we...
Sep 05, 2021•52 min•Ep. 891
Quite simply, that was one of the best ever days of Grand Slam tennis. Surely. Catherine and Matt recap Carlos Alcaraz's stunning performance to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas, the way the crowd turned on Tsitsipas, Simona Halep's victory over Elena Rybakina which included an epic tiebreak, a significant step in the career of Dan Evans, the continued reawakening of Angelique Kerber, and the chilled energy of Garbine Muguruza which is producing big results in New York for the first time. The Tennis Podc...
Sep 04, 2021•56 min•Ep. 890
Catherine, David and Matt react to Wednesday night's storm, a dazzling display from Emma Raducanu, smooth progress for Angelique Kerber and Ash Barty, a fun win for Matteo Berrettini over Corentin Moutet, and the Movement-stopping powers of Andreas Seppi. We also invent a game called Relay Tennis. Finally, there's discussion about the responses from top male players to a question from Matt, on Pride Day at the US Open, about the lack of openly gay players on the ATP Tour. What's the next step fo...
Sep 03, 2021•52 min•Ep. 889
Catherine, David and Matt discuss Pride Day at the US Open, Sloane Stephens schooling Coco Gauff, the discrepancy in quality and intrigue between the R3 women's line-up and the R3 men's line-up, statement wins for Garbine Muguruza, Simona Halep and Daniil Medvedev, confusion over the difference between booing and Rune-ing in Novak Djokovic's first win, and Bianca Andreescu's thrill ride of a round one victory. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt...
Sep 02, 2021•51 min•Ep. 888
Day 2 started with a tweet as Andy Murray threw some more shade at Stefanos Tsitsipas. It prompted yet more discussion about bathroom breaks in tennis and that's where Catherine, David and Matt begin this episode. Elsewhere, we talk about Emma Raducanu's impressive performance on her US Open debut, a test passed for Ash Barty in her opening match, and a couple of enthralling fifth set tiebreaks. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is...
Sep 01, 2021•46 min•Ep. 887
Day one felt like the US Open again and Andy Murray looked like Andy Murray again. Those were the big takeaways for Catherine, David and Matt on the first nightly podcast from this year’s tournament at the end of a day packed with drama, epic matches, and even some aggro. How did it feel different watching Murray this time compared to other recent matches? Should he have won? And why has he “lost respect” for Stefanos Tsitsipas after the Greek’s lengthy bathroom break? Elsewhere, we discuss how ...
Aug 31, 2021•40 min•Ep. 886
With Catherine and Matt together at Tennis Podcast Towers, and David in Salford, we discuss qualifying success for Britain's women, how Novak Djokovic is embracing the challenge of his Grand Slam pursuit, whether Andy Murray has a chance against Stefanos Tsitsipas, what to expect from Naomi Osaka, and why Sloane Stephens vs. Madison Keys in round 1 makes us a bit sad. There's also reaction to Alexander Zverev's press conference after more allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-girlfriend Olga...
Aug 29, 2021•55 min•Ep. 885
