The Tennis Podcast

Novak Djokovic’s quest to win Roland Garros and complete his career Grand Slam is the focus of this episode as we look back on his near miss against Stan Wawrinka in the 2015 final and his moment of triumph over Andy Murray a year later.How can Wawrinka trouble Djokovic like nobody else? What was memorable about the ovation Djokovic received after that final? How did he bounce back from such a painful defeat? Was Murray’s fatigue a factor in the 2016 final? And how significant is it that Djokovic, by holding all four slams at once, accomplished something that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have never done?We also speak to Marian Vajda, Djokovic’s long-time coach and confidant, who tells us about the way in which Nadal’s dominance gradually eroded Djokovic’s love of clay, the emotions Novak experienced after finally beating Nadal but then losing to Wawrinka in 2015, whether he ever doubted that Djokovic would win at Roland Garros, and the stress Djokovic felt before facing Murray in 2016.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.  * NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. Our final show will be a review of Simona Halep’s victory in 2018. Her final against Sloane Stephens can be watched in full here. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 900 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2009 French Open is best remembered for Rafael Nadal’s first loss at Roland Garros and for Roger Federer’s only title there. The man at the centre of both storylines, Robin Soderling, joins us for an exclusive interview.Soderling talks about how he stepped on court against Nadal with belief that he could win despite losing 6-1, 6-0 to him in Rome a few weeks earlier, how he respected but didn’t worship Nadal, what it felt like to be the first man to beat him in Paris, and the way in which Federer was a more difficult opponent for him in the final.Was Nadal struggling with an injury that year? Would Federer have ever won Roland Garros if Soderling hadn’t beaten Nadal? How did he nervously get over the line? And what is Soderling’s place in tennis history? He opens up about his struggles with glandular fever, his attempts to come back, and the equal parts sadness and relief he felt when he finally decided to retire.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.  * NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. Tomorrow we turn our attention to Novak Djokovic and his attempts to complete the career Grand Slam at the French Open. His 2015 final vs Wawrinka and his 2016 final vs Murray can both be seen in full on YouTube. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where almost 900 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer first met in a Grand Slam in the semi-finals of the 2005 French Open when the tone for their rivalry on clay, and Nadal’s dominance at Roland Garros, was set. Nadal won in four sets and then won the title two days later against Mariano Puerta.In what way did Federer have the tennis world transfixed during this period? Did that cause people to underestimate Nadal in their matches? And what were the keys to victory for Nadal?Mary Carillo explains what made the Nadal-Federer match-up so one-sided in the early days and reveals how she felt covering their many duels in Paris. Finally, after Christopher Clarey puts Nadal’s record of 12 French Open titles into context, we reflect on his extraordinary achievements at Roland Garros.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.  * NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. Tomorrow’s focus will be Robin Soderling’s run in 2009, including his historic victory over Rafael Nadal (Set 1, Set 2, Set 3, Highlights) and his final versus Roger Federer (highlights). We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where almost 900 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justine Henin won the first of her four Roland Garros titles in 2003, beating Serena Williams in a controversial semi-final and Kim Clijsters in a one-sided final. With the help of Mary Carillo, we look back on those rivalries which shaped Henin’s career as well as her very strong record at the French Open during the mid-2000s. What made Henin such a threat to Serena? Did Henin and Clijsters like each other? What caused their rivalry to be a bit weird? How did it evolve? And why did Henin have such a special connection with Roland Garros?Finally, we hear from Henin herself who talks about the importance of rivalries and the way in which they made her a better player. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December. * NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. Tomorrow’s focus will be Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer in the 2005 semi-final, which is available in full on YouTube. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where more than 875 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2002 French Open final is etched into tennis history as the only meeting between Serena and Venus Williams at Roland Garros and the start of their run of four consecutive Grand Slam finals against each other which ended with Serena winning her first Serena Slam.How did the sisters take the sport to new heights during this period? What did Venus’ reaction to defeat reveal about her character and her relationship with Serena? And how have their careers shined a light on race issues in tennis?We also hear from Mary Carillo and Christopher Clarey who talk more about how their sibling rivalry played out on court, the way in which Serena embraced clay more than Venus, and whether or not they enjoyed watching the Williams sisters face off.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. Tomorrow’s focus will be Justin Henin’s dominance and her rivalry with Kim Clijsters. Highlights of their 2003 final are on YouTube. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where more than 875 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2001 French Open saw Jennifer Capriati beat Kim Clijsters 12-10 in the final set to win her second Grand Slam title, but this was just a small part of Capriati’s story, one we tell in full on this podcast with the help of Tom Gullikson (her former coach), Lindsay Davenport (her compatriot) and Mary Carillo (someone who tracked her career closely).We cover Capriati’s prodigious talent and breakthrough results, her downward spiral and the events which turned her into a cautionary tale, her resurgence and Grand Slam wins, and the way in which she is still troubled today.Reflecting on her run to the Roland Garros title, we discuss the symbolism of Capriati’s semi-final victory over Martina Hingis and the dramatic but error-ridden nature of the final against Clijsters.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. Tomorrow’s focus will be Serena vs. Venus Williams in the 2002 final, highlights of which are available on YouTube. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where more than 875 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not many people expected Andre Agassi to win the French Open, especially not in 1999, and certainly not when he fell two sets down in the final against Andrei Medvedev. But then he produced one of the greatest comebacks of all time, recovering to beat Medvedev and complete the coveted career Grand Slam. In this episode we talk through the events which led Agassi to that point. What had happened in his previous two French Open finals? Why did he used to skip Wimbledon and the Australian Open? And how did he get his career back on track after dropping to No.141 in the world? We hear from Brad Gilbert, Agassi’s coach at Roland Garros in 1999, who explains why Agassi’s participation at that year’s French Open was in doubt, how he came through a tough draw, and what he said to him during the rain delay. Andrei Medvedev, meanwhile, gives his version of events, and Chris Clarey of the New York Times tells us how Agassi’s Roland Garros title set in motion the most dominant spell of his career. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. Tomorrow’s focus will be Jennifer Capriati against Kim Clijsters in the 2001 final, which is available to watch in full on YouTube. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where more than 875 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martina Hingis never won the French Open, but the 1999 final was definitely the one that got away as she let slip a comfortable lead against Steffi Graf in a classic match filled with aggro.How did Hingis stir things up before the match with her comments about Graf? What incidents turned the crowd against Hingis and caused her to get a point penalty? And in what way were the scenes at the end of the match - as Hingis returned to the court in tears comforted by her mother - so pathos heavy?We hear from Mary Carillo about why she loved watching Hingis play and why she always assumed that the Swiss would win Roland Garros one day.As for Graf, this turned out to be her last Grand Slam title, and she retired shortly afterwards. Her coach, Heinz Günthardt, talks candidly about the match and reveals the exact moment Graf knew her time in the sport was up.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. This weekend, our focus is on the 1999 edition of the French Open. You can watch Steffi Graf vs. Martina Hingis in full on YouTube , and on Sunday we will be going back to Andre Agassi vs. Andrei Medvedev. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where more than 875 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost nobody had heard of Gustavo Kuerten when he entered Roland Garros in 1997, but everyone knew who he was when he walked away as the champion. So, how did he do it? Kuerten tells us about the moment he first felt the love of the French fans, his difficult matches against Thomas Muster and Yevgeny Kafelnikov en route to the final, and just how much tennis still means to him. We also hear from Sergi Bruguera, the runner-up that year, about what it was like to play against Kuerten and his memories of the final. Then, New York Times journalist Christopher Clarey explains the buzz around Kuerten’s story that fortnight and why the 1997 French Open is one of his all-time favourites as a reporter. Finally, we celebrate Kuerten’s career and his lasting impact on the sport. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. You can watch Gustavo Kuerten’s victory over Sergi Bruguera in the 1997 final on YouTube. This weekend, our focus will be on the 1999 edition of the French Open. On Saturday, we will be watching Steffi Graf vs. Martina Hingis, and on Sunday we will be going back to Andre Agassi vs. Andrei Medvedev. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where more than 875 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monica Seles’ 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 victory over Steffi Graf in 1992 is widely considered to be the best Roland Garros final of all time.Catherine, David and Matt explain how they felt while watching it and discuss some of the reasons why it was so special.We also hear from Graf’s coach at the time, Heinz Günthardt, who offers insight into why Seles caused Graf so many problems, especially on clay.New York Times journalist Christopher Clarey explains where the match ranks among the best he’s ever witnessed, and discusses the tragic interruption to their rivalry when Seles was stabbed in 1993.How did that incident change Seles as a person forever? In what way did it bind Graf and Seles together in a unique way? And how did it alter the course of tennis history?The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, featuring Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* ROLAND GARROS RE-LIVED *We are producing daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. You can watch the 1992 final between Steffi Graf and Monica Seles in full on YouTube. Tomorrow we will be going back to Gustavo Kuerten’s first title in 1997. His final against Sergi Bruguera is also available on YouTube. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where more than 875 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.