Jasmine Paolini has topped off her incredible 2024 by leading her country to victory in the Billie Jean King Cup, cementing Italy's status as the world's leading tennis nation. Part one - Matt, David & Catherine discuss a comprehensive 2-0 victory for Italy over Slovakia, and the stunning transformation in their taliswoman Jasmine Paolini, from also-ran to world beater in the space of a year. Part two (from 32 minutes) - The team discuss the existential challenges facing the Billie Jean King...
Nov 21, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1317
Catherine and Matt catch up on Germany's victory over Canada and look ahead to USA vs Australia and Italy vs Argentina on Thursday. Part one - Struff seals the tie for Germany as Shapovalov slips up; Altmaier overcomes his nerves Part two (from 13 minutes) - Big decisions for Australia and USA captains; can Argentina upset Italy? Buy Tickets to the Davis Cup Finals! Join The Barge! Our safe online community space to talk tennis with Friends. Become a Friend of the Tennis ...
Nov 20, 2024•27 min•Ep. 1316
Rafael Nadal's tennis career is over. Catherine, David and Matt look back on an emotional night in Malaga as Spain were beaten at the Davis Cup Finals by The Netherlands after Slovakia had shocked Great Britain to reach the Billie Jean King Cup Final. Part one - Nadal's retirement ceremony; Ferrer's decision to play Nadal in singles; Koolhof and Van de Zandschulp star for the Dutch. Part two (from 40 minutes) - Slovakia's win over GB in the BJK Cup Finals and a preview of the Italy vs Slovakia f...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 1315
Catherine and Matt react to Italy’s thrilling win over Poland - underarm serve and all - and look ahead to Great Britain’s semi-final against Slovakia at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Buy Tickets to the Davis Cup Finals! Join The Barge! Our safe online community space to talk tennis with Friends. Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to get access to The Barge, receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout 2024, read Hannah's Column and watch monthl...
Nov 19, 2024•38 min•Ep. 1314
Catherine and Matt in Malaga, and David in Solihull look ahead to the Davis Cup Finals and the final act of Rafael Nadal's career. Part one - Spain and Rafael Nadal's press conference - our reaction, a team selection dilemma for David Ferrer, and will they win? Part two (from 27 mins) - Previewing Canada vs. Germany; Any issues with Zverev and Auger-Aliassime not showing? Part three (from 36 mins) - Previewing Italy vs. Argentina and USA vs. Australia; Who is winning this whole thing? Buy Ticket...
Nov 18, 2024•59 min•Ep. 1313
David is joined by Charlie Eccleshare and Matt Futterman from The Athletic to review the ATP Finals in Turin and look ahead to 2025. Part one - Just how good was Jannik Sinner in his straight sets win over Taylor Fritz, and how good was he in 2024? Part two (from 15 minutes) - Hating indoor tennis, Golden Set Tim wins big, and reporting on Sinner with the WADA cloud hanging over him. Part three (from 26 minutes) - What will happen to Novak Djokovic in 2025? Join The Barge! Our safe o...
Nov 17, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1312
Catherine and Matt round up day four of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals which saw Great Britain and Slovakia set up a semi-final clash. Part one - GB vs Canada; Why Britain's run to the SFs feels different to 2022; Fernandez's serving woes. Part two (from 18 minutes) - Slovakia vs Australia. Viktoria Hruncakova delivers for Slovakia...and for Matt. Part three (from 26 minutes) - Poland vs Italy preview. Buy Tickets to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals! Join The Barge! Our safe on...
Nov 17, 2024•36 min•Ep. 1311
Catherine, David and Matt catch up on a thrilling day in Malaga as Poland and Italy both won doubles deciders to set up a semi-final to savour. Over in Turin, Fritz continued his recent dominance over Zverev and will now face Sinner in the final. Part One - Poland vs Czechia; Swiatek’s incredible double duty. Part Two (from 15 minutes) - Italy vs Japan; Paolini’s incredible double duty. Part Three (from 27 minutes) - ATP Finals semi-finals; why Fritz enjoys the Zverev match-up, Fritz’s fan...
Nov 17, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1310
The quarter final line up was set in Malaga as GB and Poland notched up emphatic victories; meanwhile in Turin the ATP Finals reaches the knock out stage, as Sinner & Zverev set the pace. Part one - Despite being usurped from his recording position by David Ferrer, Matt relocates to bring us the scoop from Team Poland's victory over hosts Spain, and an outspoken Iga Swiatek press conference. Part two (from 24 minutes) - David continues to eat humble pie about his Zverev take...
Nov 16, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1309
The Billie Jean King Cup made up for lost time with a fantastic opening day of action in Malaga. Part one - Matt runs us through a pretty unsettling day of rain and floods that meant a change of hotel and the event to be postponed. Part two (from 14 minutes) - Japan produced a comeback that reminded David why he was so keen on knockout tennis. Part three (from 30 minutes) - The dramatic scenes in Slovakia vs. USA Buy Tickets to the Billie Jean King Cup F...
Nov 15, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1308
Matt is in Malaga for the start of the Billie Jean King Cup! Catherine and David join him from afar to talk about what to expect. Part one - What are Matt's impressions of Malaga, and its dual hosting of the BJK and Davis Cups? How is the region coping in the aftermath of its flooding tragedy. Part two (from 21 minutes) - Breaking down the Billie Jean King Cup draws, and picking our winners. Part three (from 41 minutes) - The Barbora Krejcikova-Jon Wertheim story Buy Tickets to the Billie Jean K...
Nov 12, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1307
Catherine, David and Matt are joined by Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic to review the WTA Finals in Riyadh and look ahead to the ATP Finals in Turin. Part one - Coco Gauff’s thrilling victory over Zheng Qinwen in the final and what it might mean for the 2025 season. Part two (from 22 minutes) - Charlie Eccleshare shares his experience of being in Saudi Arabia to cover the WTA Finals. Part three (from 39 minutes) - Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe’s doubles victory in Ri...
Nov 10, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1306
Catherine, David and Matt are together in Solihull to wrap up the Group Stages of the WTA Finals and look ahead to finals weekend in Riyadh. Part one - Purple Group Review as Aryna Sabalenka seals year-end number one, there are promising signs for Elena Rybakina, and Zheng Qinwen brings in the crowds. Part two (from 20 minutes) - Orange Group Review as Coco Gauff earns a big win over Iga Swiatek but Barbora Krejcikova pinches first place. Part three (from 41 minutes) - Gauff v...
Nov 08, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1305
Catherine, David and Matt convene for a Sunday night pod to review Paris and the early stages of the WTA Finals. Part one - Zverev thrashes Humbert in Paris final; Humbert-Khachanov aggro; Alcaraz's comments about surface speed; David defends last week's Zverev takes; how much we'll miss Bercy. Part two (from 26 minutes) - Players and WTA Chief Executive Portia Archer face questions about Saudi Arabia; wins for Sabalenka, Swiatek, Paolini and Gauff discussed. Part three (from 57 minutes) - Doubl...
Nov 03, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 1304
Catherine, David and Matt bring you a preview of the WTA Finals which begin on Saturday in Saudi Arabia. Part one - Purple Group preview and predictions; Rybakina announces Goran Ivanisevic as her new coach for 2025, can anyone stop Sabalenka in Riyadh? Part two (from 30 minutes) - White Group preview and predictions; Gauff's poor head-to-head against her group rivals. Part three (from 39 minutes) - The doubles draw Join The Barge! Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to also ...
Nov 01, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1303
It was a big week for lots of the tours’ emerging talents as Catherine, David and Matt discuss titles for Jack Draper in Vienna, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in Basel, and Zheng Qinwen in Tokyo. Part one: ATP Results - Draper takes down Khachanov impressively; Mpetshi Perricard redefines the second serve; young generation get the better of Zverev, Tsitsipas, Rublev et al; an update on the Race to Turin and a preview of Paris Part two (from 36 minutes): WTA Results - Zheng Qinwen improv...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 1302
Catherine, David and Matt convene to discuss the latest results and news. Part 1: A review of last week’s tour events, including a title for Daria Kasatkina in Ningbo and Tommy Paul in Stockholm. Part 2 (from 25 minutes): Six Kings Slam. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and friends made millions in Saudi Arabia, but with precious little mention of the spectre of sportswashing. We discuss the subject in depth. Part 3 (from 52 minutes): News - Danielle Collins announces she's not retiring yet, ...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 1301
For the fourth time this year, Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner have won titles in the same week. Sabalenka won in Wuhan, beating Zheng Qinwen in a brilliant final, while Sinner became Shanghai champion by beating Novak Djokovic in a rather flat final. Catherine, David and Matt discuss both matches and the talking points from both tournaments, including how Zheng is viewed in the locker room, Coco Gauff’s 21 doubles faults in the semi-final, and whether Novak Djokovic can ever rediscover ...
Oct 14, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 1300
The day has come: Rafael Nadal has announced that he will be retiring at the Davis Cup Finals in November. Catherine, David and Matt assemble to react to the news, discuss how it's left them feeling, and share a few Nadal memories. There's also two big announcements from Wimbledon to discuss, reports of a possible ATP-WTA commercial merger, and some appalling behaviour from players towards umpires in Shanghai. Join The Barge! Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to also help u...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 1299
Remember when The Tennis Podcast didn't feature Matt Roberts? No, us neither. But here's a reminder of what we were missing. We did our best with chat about Coco Gauff's Beijing triumph, Karolina Muchova's near miss and the coaching change being sought by Iga Swiatek. Plus, there's a look at the decision to move the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup back towards home and away ties. Join The Barge! Become a Friend of the Tennis Podcast to also help us to produce the show ye...
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 1298
Catherine, David and Matt are back with a bonus pod to react to Carlos Alcaraz’s thrilling win over Jannik Sinner in the Beijing final. There’s chat about why the match was so electrifying and how Alcaraz has gained the upper hand in their rivalry this year. Elsewhere, David gets the chance to wax lyrical about Arthur Fils’ incredible title run in Tokyo, we think about what 2025 might look like for Fils, and there’s a round up of the latest action from WTA Beijing, including an impressive ...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1297
It’s been a big week of news in tennis and Catherine, David and Matt start by discussing the fact that the World Anti Doping Agency are appealing against the decision to clear Jannik Sinner of blame after he twice tested positive for a banned substance. There’s chat about why WADA have come to a different conclusion to the ITIA and what this means for both Sinner and the sport going forward. Elsewhere, there’s reaction to Wimbledon’s expansion plans being approved, Rafael Nadal being selec...
Sep 30, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 1296
After the seventh edition of The Laver Cup, which was won by Team Europe, Catherine, David and Matt are joined by Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic who was in Berlin to cover the event. Charlie reports on what it was like attending for the first time, how his view of the event has evolved, and what it's like to watch tennis with Andre Agassi. We discuss the brilliant player interactions, what we learned about some of the players involved, the one or two gripes we still have, and how it might ac...
Sep 23, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 1295
What's happened since the US Open? The answer is quite a lot. Catherine, David and Matt catch up on all the Davis Cup results which saw Carlos Alcaraz thrive, Great Britain lose, and lots of frustration about scheduling as the sport reaches breaking point. There's also Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from Laver Cup and what that might mean, a first WTA title for both Sonay Kartal and Magdalena Frech, and Naomi Osaka's split with Wim Fissette and rumoured partnership with Patrick Mouratoglou. Join ...
Sep 16, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1294
Jannik Sinner has won his second Grand Slam title, beating Taylor Fritz in straight sets in the US Open final. Catherine, David and Matt discuss the match, the way in which Sinner raised his level for the final while Fritz didn't have his best game, the post match press conference in which Sinner opened up on the struggles of dealing with his positive drugs tests, and what Sinner's victory means for the sport. AO TRAVEL The Tennis Podcast during the US Open is brought to you in partnership with ...
Sep 09, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 1293
Aryna Sabalenka is a US Open champion at last. After a series of near misses in New York, she faced down her demons and beat Jessica Pegula 7-5 7-5 in a brilliant final on Saturday. Catherine, David and Matt discuss where the match was won and lost and what the result means for both players. There’s also an existential best of three versus best of five debate, a round up of the other doubles and junior results at the US Open, reporting on the final day of tennis at the Paralympics, a discu...
Sep 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1292
Men's semi-finals day was mostly about how nerves affected Jack Draper and Frances Tiafoe. For the American, it manifested in a physical fade and loss of form at the crucial moment, for the Brit it manifested in puke. Lots of it. Catherine, David and Matt analyse both matches and look ahead to the final between Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz. AO TRAVEL The Tennis Podcast during the US Open is brought to you in partnership with AO Travel & Experiences -- your one-stop shop for the Australian ...
Sep 07, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1291
Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula will face off in Saturday's US Open final after they came through intriguing matches against Emma Navarro and Karolina Muchova on women's semi-final night. Pam Shriver joins Catherine, David and Matt to dissect both matches, preview the final, and look ahead to tomorrow's men's semi-finals. AO TRAVEL The Tennis Podcast during the US Open is brought to you in partnership with AO Travel & Experiences -- your one-stop shop for the Australian Open. Go to Ao Tra...
Sep 06, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1290
The tennis was weird and bad on Wednesday at the US Open, but there were still plenty of talking points for Catherine, David and Matt. We cover Jessica Pegula breaking her Grand Slam quarter-final duck, the state of Iga Swiatek's game and recent major record outside of Roland Garros, how Karolina Muchova overcame discomfort on court to reach the semis, Jack Draper's victory over an injured Alex De Minaur, and a bizarre match between Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev. Join The Barge! Become...
Sep 05, 2024•59 min•Ep. 1289
It was an incredible day for the Americans at the US Open with Emma Navarro, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe all reaching the semi-finals of the singles, while Taylor Townsend and Donald Young also made it through to the mixed doubles final. Catherine, David and Matt cover it all, including Paula Badosa's collapse from 5-1 up in the second set, an awesome performance from Aryna Sabalenka in the night session, how Zheng Qinwen was affected by her late finish, Alexander Zverev's tendency to g...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1288
