The Tennis Podcast

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 Pri...

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...

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. T...

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...

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 Alex...

“History was thwarted not with a spectacular act of violence, but with a half volley. Roberta Vinci tiptoed near the net and barely brushed the ball with her racket, depositing it gently on Serena's side of the court, where it bounced multiple times and died a quiet death.”  That was Sports Illustrated’s take on the final act of one of tennis’ biggest ever where-were-you-when moments as Rober...

“In a performance so casual it was chilling, Safin announced himself as the game's next big thing by dismantling the best player ever.”  Those were the words of S.L. Price in Sports Illustrated after 20-year-old Marat Safin beat Pete Sampras to win the US Open in 2000, a story we tell on this edition of Tennis Re-Lived.  Why did Chris Clarey think Safin would be a future World No.1 from...

This episode is a discussion with esteemed New York Times journalist and friend of the pod Chris Clarey about his new biography of Roger Federer, titled ‘The Master’.  Chris speaks to David about the process of writing the book and what he learned along the way, the several exclusives he’s had with Federer over the years, the 82 interviews he conducted specifically for the book, why the likes...

Ash Barty and Alexander Zverev are the Cincinnati champions, Jil Teichmann and Andrey Rublev had impressive runs to the final, and it was a big week for new types of aggro. Catherine, David and Matt discuss all of that, as well as the pay gap between the ATP and WTA events, Rafael Nadal's announcement that he will miss the rest of the season, and the Chicago final between Clara Tauson and Emma Rad...

Catherine, David and Matt catch up to discuss everything which has happened in Cincinnati so far this week, including Naomi Osaka’s win over Coco Gauff, her two press conferences, encouraging signs for Andy Murray, a women’s tournament full of great matches, and the news that Dominic Thiem will be out for the rest of the season.  The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David...

As Roger Federer announced that he will be having a third surgery on his knee, saying there is just a “glimmer of hope” of returning to the tour, Catherine, David and Matt reflect on what feels like the end for one of the greatest ever tennis careers.  In Canada, there was an unexpected title for Camila Giorgi and a statement title for Daniil Medvedev. Where has this new level of tennis from...

While there have been some excellent matches in Toronto and Montreal, we begin by discussing the unfortunate news that none of the Big 3 nor Serena Williams will play again before the US Open, after Rafael Nadal’s ongoing foot problem has forced him to return home and Serena’s leg injury from Wimbledon will prevent her from playing Cincinnati next week. Will New York be last chance saloon?  T...

Catherine, David and Matt catch up to discuss all the main talking points from the start of the North American hard court swing.  Does Novak Djokovic’s decision to skip Cincinnati feel like the right one?  What does Roger Federer’s withdrawal from the US Open lead-in events suggest about the state of his knee?  How did Rafael Nadal seem on his return in Washington and how much of a...

So that’s it for tennis at the Tokyo Olympics. In one final podcast, Catherine, David and Matt look back on the last day of action with the gold medals going to the Czech Republic, Germany and Russia.  How is Barbora Krejcikova managing to juggle singles and doubles so successfully? What made the Russian team at this Olympics such good value? In what way did Alexandr Zverev play pretty much t...

The tennis on Saturday felt more like the Olympics we know and love, with amazing scenes as Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina and Pablo Carreno Busta were overcome with emotion after winning medals. Catherine, David and Matt talk through it all.  Will this be a springboard for Bencic or could this be the pinnacle of her career? Does Elena Rybakina have a problem with closing out matches? What i...

There will be no Golden Slam for Novak Djokovic in 2021 after he was stunned by Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals in Tokyo. What on earth happened to him when he was leading by a set and a break? And what could this defeat mean for his pursuit of the calendar Grand Slam in New York?  Elsewhere, Catherine, David and Matt discuss Karen Khachanov being guaranteed a medal and what it means for...

Is it just us or has the tennis event at these Olympics been a bit of a disappointment so far? We try to figure out why we’re feeling like that before discussing the main stories since Monday, including Naomi Osaka’s defeat, the change to scheduling which came too late for Paula Badosa, Novak Djokovic’s imperious performance against Kei Nishikori, defeat for Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury, Liam Bro...

With the whole world watching, Naomi Osaka re-emerged into the spotlight, lit the cauldron, and opened the Tokyo Olympic Games in a powerful and significant moment for tennis. Catherine, David and Matt talk all about that, as well as her excellent performances so far, the way in which the conditions are impacting matches, Ash Barty's defeat to Sara Sorribes Tormo, Iga Swiatek's tears, Novak Djokov...

The Tokyo Olympics - at long last - are almost here! Catherine, David and Matt talk through the draws before answering more listener questions.  Should Richard Williams and Oracene Price be inducted into the Hall of Fame? When did we fall in love with tennis? How does watching tennis for a job differ to watching as a fan? Which significant results from recent tennis history wou...

We’re back! Catherine, David and Matt run through what’s happened since Wimbledon - including the G.E.M.S Life wedding, some fantastic Hall of Fame inductions, Timea Bacsinszky's retirement, more drop outs from the Olympics, and yet another title for Barbora Krejcikova - before moving on to answering listener questions, guest edited by Kickstarter backer Lynn Charles.  Was there ever such a t...

The moment has arrived - Novak Djokovic has tied Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on twenty Grand Slam titles. He did it by winning his sixth Wimbledon crown, coming back from a set down to defeat Matteo Berrettini. On the podcast, Catherine, David and Matt are together one last time at Wimbledon to discuss how he managed it, his comments about his Olympics participation being in doubt, the way in w...

After Ash Barty achieved her childhood dream of winning Wimbledon, following in the footsteps on her mentor Evonne Goolagong, Catherine, David and Matt convened to discuss the significance of such a special moment. What did she do to beat Karolina Pliskova? How did Pliskova recover from her terrible start? What did Pliskova prove to everyone this fortnight? How has Barty transformed her mindset ov...

Friday at Wimbledon saw Matteo Berrettini beat Hubert Hurkacz to reach his first Grand Slam final and Novak Djokovic beat Denis Shapovalov to reach his 30th. Why did Hurkacz freeze? How has Berrettini coped with the pressure on him so well? What is it about his game that's so effective on grass? In what way does it feel like Shapovalov made a step forward despite the loss? How did Djokovic manage...

After a couple of excellent women's semi-finals, Catherine, David and Matt are joined by Pam Shriver to talk all about them. How did Ash Barty put on a tactical masterclass to stop Angelique Kerber? In what way does Barty seem more comfortable than ever in her own skin? Where has this run from Karolina Pliskova come from? How has her movement on grass improved? And will Aryna Sabalenka have any re...

Catherine, David and Matt's mood, after watching England reach the Euros final, did not match the mood at Wimbledon, as Roger Federer lost in straight sets to Hubert Hurkacz. What happened? How did Federer explain the result in his press conference? And will we see him again at Wimbledon? Elsewhere, there's chat about Matteo Berrettini living up to expectations, Novak Djokovic doing all he needed...