For the first time in three years, Catherine, David and Matt are all together in Melbourne for the Australian Open. And after Thursday's draw, the excitement has only grown for the year's first major. We talk through those draws, speculate about what might happen over the next two weeks, and cover the biggest storylines from this week so far, including Naomi Osaka's announcement that she is pregnant. Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exc...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 1064
With seconds to spare before boarding the plane to fly to Melbourne, Catherine and Matt join David from the London Gatwick Departures Lounge to look back on the United Cup, the week of Novak Djokovic and everything else that went on in the tennis world over the last 7 days. FRIENDS At 12.01am tonight (Monday 9th January), a special edition of The Tennis Podcast reviewing Break Point, the Netflix tennis documentary, will be published for Friends of the Tennis Podcast . Friends help us to produce ...
Jan 08, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 1063
Happy new year! With the 2023 tennis season very much underway, Catherine, David and Matt get stuck into the United Cup. What have we made of the event generally? Is there a way to guarantee more live mixed doubles matches? And which players have impressed? We talk Iga Swiatek, Paula Badosa, Taylor Fritz, Cameron Norrie and Rafael Nadal. Elsewhere, Holger Rune and Felix Auger-Aliassime failed to pick up where they left off in 2022, Bianca Andreescu mounted an extraordinary comeback to beat Garbi...
Jan 02, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 1062
It's our final Tennis Podcast of 2022, and Catherine and Matt joined David at his home in Solihull for the occasion! We talk about coaching changes, the ever diminishing off-season and generally hype up 2023. Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout 2023, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions pods, and Grand Slam review shows. Sign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the ...
Dec 21, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 1061
A quick pod to let you know that we’re re-launching Friends of The Tennis Podcast for 2023 - our subscription service that gives you access to bonus podcasts such as Tennis Re-Lived and Grand Slam review shows, the opportunity to enter our competitions, and the chance to involved by getting yourself a shout-out or an intro, taking us on at predictions, becoming a guest editor, or having your pet as a mascot. Become a Friend of The Tennis Podcast . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more ...
Dec 08, 2022•8 min•Ep. 1060
It was the first Davis Cup final without a European team in it for 32 years, and both Canada and Australia had produced heroics this week to get there. Catherine and David convened after the tie to talk about where it was won and lost, what was said in the press conferences, and to hear a contribution from the much-missed Matt! Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-L...
Nov 27, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 1059
Canada have set up a Davis Cup final clash with Australia after a thrilling semi final victory over Italy. David and Catherine dissect all the day's drama, including some very eyebrow raising doubles picks by both teams. Exactly how desolate were the Italians, and is it fair that the Canadians are in the competition at all? Plus a look ahead to a mouth watering final. Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout t...
Nov 27, 2022•51 min•Ep. 1058
Australia have reached a first Davis Cup Final since 2003, thanks to the heroics of Braveheart/Alex de Minaur and the unexpected doubles pairing of Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell. Who will they face in the final, and who will Italy and Canada put in to battle? Plus the fallout from Ram-gate rumbles on on Tommy Paul's twitter account. Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tenn...
Nov 26, 2022•50 min•Ep. 1057
The United States and Canada experienced very different endings to their Davis Cup by Rakuten quarterfinals, and Catherine and David are here to discuss all of the many storylines that emanated. Surely now Mardy Fish accepts he made the wrong call about Rajeev Ram. Or does he? Where did Italy win the tie? And how did Denis Shapovalov go through such a spectacular metamorphosis from set 1 to sets 2 and 3? Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to help us to produce the show year-round, and receive...
Nov 25, 2022•44 min•Ep. 1056
There is nothing quite like watching Marin Cilic, both in a positive and a negative sense. Catherine, Matt and David describe the latest instalment of the experience after Croatia's Davis Cup quarterfinal against Spain in Malaga. Plus Matt catches up with USA captain and Mardy Fish to ask him the question we've been so curious about: why did he not pick Rajeev Ram for doubles?? There's also a Thursday, and David some detective work about the absence of Wimbledon champs Max Purcell and Matt Ebden...
Nov 24, 2022•47 min•Ep. 1055
Australia have beaten Netherlands 2-0 to reach the Davis Cup semi-finals. Catherine, David and Matt discuss comeback wins for both Jordan Thompson and Alex de Minaur, Lleyton Hewitt as a captain, the good atmosphere for the tie in Malaga, and what might happen tomorrow between Spain and Croatia. Tickets for the Davis Cup Finals Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, liste...
Nov 23, 2022•47 min•Ep. 1054
Matt's in Malaga for the Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals. What's it like? Running through the teams, and what to expect. Day 1 Predictions. Tickets for the Davis Cup Finals Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Become a Friend Sign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s S...
Nov 21, 2022•42 min•Ep. 1053
Djokovic draws level with Federer on 6 titles Why were sets 1 and 2 so different? Does Ruud need to stop being so nice? What happens when this Djokovic comes up against the pack of cubs in ’23? Salisbury/Ram land title at last Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Become a Friend Sign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at...
Nov 21, 2022•56 min•Ep. 1052
Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud will face off in the final match of the 2022 ATP season after Djokovic’s narrow victory over Taylor Fritz and Ruud’s thumping of Andrey Rublev. How well did Djokovic play against Fritz? Could Fritz have done more? What happened to Rublev’s newfound mental resilience? How much has Ruud improved as a player? And does he have the belief to beat Djokovic? With Catherine joining David and Matt from Turin, we also chat about the doubles semi-finals as well as Catherine’s...
Nov 20, 2022•46 min•Ep. 1051
With the semi-final line-up set at the ATP Finals, we hear from Catherine in Turin, discuss the biggest storylines so far, and look ahead to the weekend's action. What's impressed us most about Andrey Rublev at this tournament? In what way has Novak Djokovic looked a level above the rest of the field? Will his 3+ hours on court on Friday cost him against Taylor Fritz? Why did we expect more from Felix Auger-Aliassime? And how do we reflect on Daniil Medvedev's season? All that plus reaction to S...
Nov 19, 2022•59 min•Ep. 1050
Twelve months on from the heartbreak of Prague, Switzerland are the Billie Jean King Cup champions for the first time ever after beating Australia in the final in Glasgow. David and Matt react to wins for Jil Teichmann and Belinda Bencic, discuss the celebrations, and go inside the press conference room as Matt came full circle with a very happy (and tipsy) Swiss team. There’s also admiration for Storm Sanders’ efforts, discussion about how Australia can turn themselves into champions, and curio...
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1049
The two most recent runners-up, Switzerland and Australia, will play the Billie Jean King Cup Final on Sunday after another absorbing day of action in Glasgow. David and Matt discuss the way in which Storm Sanders and Harriet Dart stepped up for their teams, whether they can take this form onto the tour, a curious team selection from the Czechs, and why Sunday’s final matters so much to both teams. Elsewhere, to top off a great day, Matt speaks to Billie Jean King about her time in Glasgow, her ...
Nov 13, 2022•51 min•Ep. 1048
Switzerland vs Canada and Czech Republic vs USA did not quite produce the spectacular showdowns we were expecting, but there’s still lots for David, Catherine and Matt to discuss, including some bold team selections by the captains, a good day for Matt’s backhand list, the state of Coco Gauff’s forehand, why Bianca Andreescu isn’t the same player as the one who won the US Open in 2019, and a preview of the semi-finals between GB-Australia and Switzerland-Czech Republic. Can Britain do it again? ...
Nov 12, 2022•58 min•Ep. 1047
It was a surreal day in Glasgow as Great Britain won all three matches in straight sets to defeat Spain and reach the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time since 1981. David and Matt discuss how it happened, from Heather Watson's superb performance to get things going, to Harriet Dart upsetting Paula Badosa, to the relatively unknown duo of Alicia Barnett and Olivia Nicholls combining to win the decisive point. Elsewhere, there's chat about Australia booking their last four ...
Nov 11, 2022•48 min•Ep. 1046
Well we got the epic matches we were craving at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, but at the cost of a post-midnight finish in Glasgow. David and Matt chat about deciding set tiebreak wins for Jil Teichmann, Nuria Parrizas Diaz and Danielle Collins, a welcome return to form for Paula Badosa, a disappointing display from Madison Keys, and an emphatic victory for Coco Gauff and Caty McNally, AKA McCoco. We also hear Matt's chat with a cheery Belinda Bencic and Teichmann, we touch on the United Cup ...
Nov 10, 2022•43 min•Ep. 1045
Day 1 of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals from Glasgow is in the books and David, Catherine and Matt are all together to talk through Kazakhstan’s victory over Great Britain and Australia’s win against Slovakia. How did Rybakina and Putintseva display their quality over Dart and Boulter? How far can Australia go in this event? And why do we think people will come to love Ajla Tomljanovic when they see her on the Netflix series next year? We hear from Tomljanovic in conversation with Matt after he...
Nov 09, 2022•55 min•Ep. 1044
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals by Gainbridge are here, or in Glasgow to be more precise. There for us is Matt, who spent the day in and out of preview press conferences talking to the teams, captains and players. That meant being reunited with the Swiss team, who Matt interrogated after a controversial loss in the final last year. We hear all of the gossip and chat from behind the scenes, despite the lights going out on Matt mid-pod, and try to work out who is most likely to come through each g...
Nov 07, 2022•44 min•Ep. 1043
We knew Holger Rune was good, but did we know he was this good? What happened to Novak Djokovic in the final, and what can we expect from them both going forwards? Stefanos Tsitsipas has left the 'sweet-spot' behind. So now what? The WTA Finals final is set, but will Catherine (Sabaelnka) or David (Garcia) win? Plus, lots of news to catch up on. Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tenn...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 1042
With the WTA Finals having reached the last four stage, David and Matt come together to wrap up the Round Robin action which saw some surprising results (Maria Sakkari finding her best form) and some unsurprising ones (Iga Swiatek serving up bagels). There’s chat about Sakkari playing with freedom again, Swiatek dominating everyone, a gripping and dramatic match between Caroline Garcia and Daria Kasatkina with semi-final qualification on the line, and the fact that Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff ...
Nov 06, 2022•55 min•Ep. 1041
The WTA Finals are here and who better to preview the tournament than 10-time WTA Finals doubles champion Pam Shriver?! Pam joins Catherine and Matt to discuss what to expect from the next week in Fort Worth. What will the conditions be like and who will they favour? Can anyone stop Iga Swiatek? Can Coco Gauff make some headway in her rivalry with Swiatek? Does Ons Jabeur have something to prove? And how is Pam feeling about having a doubles group named after her? We also talk about Daniil Medve...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 1040
The tennis world was shocked this week by the news that Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance at the US Open. We start this week's podcast by reacting to that news and how it fits into a turbulent year for Halep. Elsewhere, with David away on holiday, Catherine and Matt discuss Jessica Pegula seizing her moment in Guadalajara, the completion of the WTA Finals lineup, and a great week for Gen Z on the ATP Tour with Holger Rune, Lorenzo Musetti...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1039
For the eighth time this season we’re talking about an Iga Swiatek title this week after she beat Donna Vekic to win in not-so-sunny San Diego. Catherine, David and Matt discuss the impressive nature of her run and her dominance over what should be her closest rivals. There’s also chat about Andrey Rublev doing what he does best by winning the ATP 250 in Gijon, Felix Auger-Aliassime improving his finals record in Florence, the hunt for WTA Finals qualification as the tour moves to Guadalajara, E...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 1038
Ostrava!!! is fast becoming one of our favourite tournaments of the year and last week it lived up to its exclamation marks with an epic final between Barbora Krejcikova and Iga Swiatek. How did Krejcikova manage to do what no else could this year and beat Swiatek in a final? Where has this surge in form come from? And could Krejcikova and Swiatek develop a compelling WTA rivalry? Elsewhere, Catherine, David and Matt chat about Caty McNally and Alycia Parks teaming up to win the Ostrava!!! doubl...
Oct 10, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 1037
For the first time in three weeks, Catherine, David and Matt are together to record a podcast, this one to look back on an interesting week which saw some new champions and some new events. In what way is Mayar Sherif already building on Ons Jabeur’s legacy? Will Maria Sakkari ever overcome her tightness on court? What makes Yoshihito Nishioka so awkward to play against (especially for Dan Evans)? Has Barbora Krejcikova rediscovered her best form? How is Novak Djokovic able to play so well after...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1036
We nearly called this the 'ILL PODCAST' because we're all a bit under the weather. However, that's not very enticing is it, and not producing a show was never an option. So Catherine and David (get well soon, Matt) came together to talk about the extraordinarily emotional scenes at Laver Cup, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in tears. They also discussed the results of the week, how important they are, and reviewed the week's Tour events, and the Davis Cup group stages from the week before. F...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1035
