The Tennis Podcast

It was Fed Cup week, and Britain were celebrating progress, despite it going down to the wire. Captain Anne Keothavong joins David Law and Catherine Whitaker to describe the emotions she was going through and how she made her big doubles decision.Elsewhere, Czech Republic kept on rolling, and will now face USA, who were trying to deal with controversy having played a World War 2 version of the German national anthem. On the men’s tour, there were three very different winners in Grigor Dimitrov, Alex Zverev and Victor Estrella-Burgos. All three are discussed in the latest Tennis Podcast.And we debate the subject of Maria Sharapova and wild cards. Madrid have announced that they are awarding her one, but what will Wimbledon do if she doesn’t have the ranking points to qualify automatically?The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An otherwise thrilling Davis Cup weekend ended in numbed silence after 17-year-old Denis Shapovalov smashed a ball away in frustration which crashed into the eye of chair umpire Arnaud Gabas. He was instantly defaulted, sending Great Britain through, and Canada out of the competition. A few hours after the incident, Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport), freshly back from Melbourne and wrapped in a comical coat to protect against the weather, and David Law (BBC 5 Live) met at London Marylebone station to discuss what had happened. Should Shapovalov have been dealt a harsher punishment? Is a lengthy ban in order? Or was it just an accident and everyone should leave him alone?That and all of the other Davis Cup ties are covered, as is a big win for Kiki Mladenovic, and the Fed Cup is previewed.Plus, David gives the inside track on what Rafael Nadal did next after his Australian Open final defeat (they shared a plane). The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fittingly, it went five sets, and they saved the best for last. Roger Federer produced a period of other-worldly tennis to win his 18th Grand Slam title against his biggest rival of all.Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) concur that it amounts to the greatest of all of his victories. In a Tennis Podcast recorded moments afterwards, they explain why.Over the course of the 30-minute show, they discuss where the match was won and lost, what happened to Nadal after going a break up in the fifth, and Mats Wilander drops by to give his verdict.We also hear from Rene Stauffer, journalist from Tages Anzeiger in Switzerland. Stauffer has covered Federer since he was junior and is uniquely placed to sum up the victory. The Tennis Podcast in Australia was produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. The weekly show will return soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Serena Williams made history by winning a 23rd Grand Slam singles title, and then the tennis world's attention turned to Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal. In the Day 13 Tennis Podcast from the Australian Open, Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) convened to look back and ahead. What was the match like between Serena and Venus? How big an achievement is a 23rd Slam? Will she break Margaret Court's number of 24? And how long will she continue to play?As we look ahead to Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer, Catherine interviews John McEnroe, David speaks to Boris Becker, and we hear from Federer, interviewed by Mats Wilander for Eurosport.A Tennis Podcast, produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport, will be available to download after the men's singles final on Sunday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nine years since the one and only time that Serena Williams played Venus Williams, and Roger Federer met Rafael Nadal in the same Grand Slam tournament, it will happen against this weekend.After Nadal somehow subdued the brave, magical tennis of Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set, near five-hour epic on Friday night, Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport), David Law (BBC 5 Live) and Simon Briggs (Telegraph) got together on the Tennis Podcast to try to make sense of it all.Where was the match won and lost? How devastated was Dimitrov in his post-match interview? And what physical state will Nadal be in by the time he makes the final?Plus, with less than 24 hours to go until the Venus Williams vs. Serena Williams final on Saturday, who do the team think will come out on top? Will Venus win the title for the first time, in her 37th year? Or will Serena break the record she shares with Steffi Graf for Grand Slam title No.23? It’s all discussed in the Tennis Podcast. A new Tennis Podcast is available throughout the... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2003, Tennis Podcast presenter David Law covered his first Australian Open for BBC Radio 5 Live.He had brown hair, not the grey of today. Andre Agassi won the men’s title. Roger Federer had yet to win a major event and was regarded as an underachieving prodigy who might never fulfil his talent. And hardly anyone had ever heard of Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, who were effectively still children.In the women’s final, Serena Williams beat Venus Williams. Fourteen years later, they will meet in the final again.After witnessing their journey through the semifinals, and then the victory of Federer over Stan Wawrinka, Law and Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) convened to discuss a momentous day on the Tennis Podcast. We also hear from Dani Vallverdu, the coach of Grigor Dimitrov, who will take on Rafael Nadal in the second semifinal on Friday, about how they got together and the difference he has been able to make. There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grand Slam tennis tournaments always throw up a special moment or two, a decent storyline, and usually a fitting crescendo.But the Australian Open is different. Everywhere you turn there are stories.Yesterday, Roger Federer and Venus Williams, aged 35 and 36 respectively, advanced to the final four. Today it was the turn of Rafael Nadal, who hasn’t reached a Grand Slam semifinal in more than two years, Serena Williams, who is 35 years of age and chasing 23 Grand Slam titles, Grigor Dimitrov, who finally looks like coming of age, and the best of the lot - Mirjana Lucic-Baroni - who reached a semifinal 18 years after her first. 'This moment has made my life,' she said.With all of that in mind, Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) didn’t really know where to start, so they asked Mark Petchey what he makes of it all instead.Can Federer win title No.18? Will Nadal stop him in the final again? Is Stan Wawrinka going to ruin everyone’s party the way he can? Or is Dimitrov ready to... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a day that Roger Federer moved one match away from the final of the Australian Open, and Rafael Nadal is still there, Andy Roddick joined The Tennis Podcast to declare that a meeting between the two in the final could be ‘the most historically significant match ever’. Roddick, inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in an on-court ceremony, told podcast presenter Catherine Whitaker (in Melbourne for Eurosport) that it could be an earth-shifting moment for the sport if it happens. He also talks Milos Raonic, Serena and Venus Williams, and who he thinks will win the two titles.The podcast team are also joined by Christopher Clarey, who has covered tennis for the New York Times for more than 20 years. Clarey talks about his impressions of the greats and their resurgence, and the rise of Coco Vandeweghe, who will face Venus Williams in the semis. They also preview Serena Williams vs. Johanna Konta, with Martina Navratilova giving her views on the match to David Law (BBC Radio 5 Live).... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s 2017 but it feels like 2007. The Williams sisters Serena and Venus are in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on course to meet in the final, and Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will also clash if they win two more tennis matches each.While Nadal put Gael Monfils away in four sets to set up a last 8 clash with the highest remaining seed Milos Raonic, Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) sat in the Melbourne press room to discuss day 8 at the Australian Open on The Tennis Podcast. What did they think of the defending champion Angelique Kerber’s late-night loss on Sunday? How does the form of Jo Konta compare to Serena Williams, who she will face in the quarterfinals? And who is Mirijana Lucic-Baroni, who has also made the last 8?How much of a surprise is it to see Federer playing tennis like this after six months out of the game? We ask Goran Ivanisevic and Michael Chang. And is he going to go all the way here? There’s also some frustration with Monfils, a question mark... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a display of serve-volleying and chip-charging that had John McEnroe and Pat Cash drooling, Misha Zverev dumped Andy Murray out of the Australian Open in the last 16.Catherine Whitaker and David Law recorded the Day 7 Tennis Podcast in front of the Australian Open big screen during the final set of Roger Federer vs. Kei Nishikori, but it was the loss of Murray that was the headline news.How did Zverev do it? They discuss it, we hear from Mats Wilander, and the man himself. What, if anything, was wrong with Andy Murray?Federer finally found a way past Nishikori, and must be fancying his chances after the demise of Murray and Djokovic. First though, he needs to stop Zverev in the quarterfinals.Dan Evans’ Australian odyssey came to an end, and on the women’s side, Venus Williams kept on rolling, as did David’s pick for the title - Garbine Muguruza. And, in a moment that earned David's respect, Catherine tried a Brummie accent ...There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.