

The Tennis Podcast
The Athletic
Your definitive tennis round up, daily at the Slams. Part of the Athletic Network. Named in Time Mag's Top 100 podcasts of all time.Friends of The Tennis Podcast have access to exclusive Q & A's, new editions of Tennis Re-Lived and more bonus content.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 1, 2021 • 46min
US Open Day 2 - More toilet chat; Barty, Raducanu roar through
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 produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 31, 2021 • 40min
US Open Day 1 - Total Andy Murray
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 Sloane Stephens vs Madison Keys exceeded expectations, gritty performances from Garbine Muguruza, Angelique Kerber and Coco Gauff, and a big win for Simona Halep. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 29, 2021 • 55min
US Open Preview - All eyes on Djokovic; Osaka's search for meaning
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 Sharypova and to the growing issue of vaccine hesitancy among players.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.TO READOlga Sharypova says her ex-boyfriend, tennis star Alexander Zverev, abused her. Why hasn’t the tour addressed it? - https://slate.com/culture/2021/08/alexander-zverev-domestic-abuse-allegations-olga-sharypova.htmlSUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 27, 2021 • 1h 12min
US Open Re-Lived: 2015 - When Vinci beat Serena
“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 Roberta Vinci ended Serena Williams’ quest for the Grand Slam at the US Open in 2015. In this episode, we remind ourselves of how Serena had dominated since turning 30, look back at her title runs at the first three majors of 2015, explain the story of her emotional return to Indian Wells that year, reminisce about the hype in New York as she went for history, and analyse how it all went wrong in the semi-finals. What were the signs that Serena was stressed? How did Vinci turn the match around? And could Serena have done anything differently? The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 25, 2021 • 1h 27min
US Open Re-Lived: Marat Safin 2000
“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 the moment he saw him? What did Yevgeny Kafelnikov think of Safin when they first met at the Davis Cup? Why was Safin the ideal guy to be front and centre of the ATP’s ‘New Balls Please’ campaign? And how did a coaching change in April 2000 help Safin to rediscover his best form after a glut of bad results at the start of the year? Turning to New York, how much of a contender was Safin going into the tournament? In what way did he struggle in the opening rounds? And why did he need to borrow some socks from Jeff Tarango? We hear from Mary Carillo in the commentary box about what made Safin’s performance in the final so special and Paul Annacone in the coaching box about the moment he knew Sampras had a problem. Afterwards, we reflect on what happened next in Safin’s career, with Marat himself explaining the pressure he felt to win a second Grand Slam title, which eventually came in Australia in 2005, and the injuries which ended his career. Should Safin be considered an underachiever? And in what way did he leave his mark on the sport beyond his results? The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 24, 2021 • 60min
Making of The Master - Roger Federer, by Chris Clarey
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 of Mirka Federer, Peter Carter and Pierre Paganini have been fundamental to Federer’s success, how Federer has changed over the years, and how his rivalries with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have shaped him. We also get Chris to do a quick-fire Federer round and afterwards David chats to Matt about his impressions of the book. You can buy a copy of The Master, here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Master-Brilliant-Career-Roger-Federer/dp/1529342058/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ABL1O2T8YDE5&dchild=1&keywords=the+master+christopher+clarey&qid=1629812297&sprefix=the+master+chris%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 23, 2021 • 1h 1min
Cincinnati - Barty getting even better; Zverev zoning
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 Raducanu.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 19, 2021 • 59min
Osaka Returns - to the court and the interview room
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 Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 16, 2021 • 57min
Federer - Is this the end? Canada - Giorgi, Medvedev take titles
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 Giorgi come from? Does Karolina Pliskova have a finals problem? Is either player in the ‘mix’ for the US Open? And what makes Medvedev the biggest threat to Novak Djokovic’s calendar Grand Slam pursuit? There’s also chat about the weeks of Ons Jabeur, Bianca Andreescu, Reilly Opelka and Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 13, 2021 • 55min
Canada update - Who’s hot, who’s not and things look rough for Rafa
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? Turning our attention to the week’s tennis, Catherine, David and Matt talk about how nice it is to see Bianca Andreescu and Simona Halep back on court, review a bittersweet week for Johanna Konta, make some big Coco Gauff predictions, explain why Aryna Sabalenka continues to impress, try to figure out why Maria Sakkari keeps losing close matches, and dissect what went wrong for Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov. There’s also a tangential debate about whether there’s too much faff in tennis and what - if anything - can be done about it. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCASTWe crowdfund The Tennis Podcast every December, with shout-outs, mascots and chances to take us on at predictions. For a reminder when the next campaign goes live, put your e-mail address in here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILXOr, if you don’t want to wait and prefer to support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheTennisPodcastNEWSLETTERSign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXSOCIAL MEDIA Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.