The Tennis Podcast

Alexander Zverev has already won a trio of Masters 1000 titles, been ranked as high as No.3, and qualified for the ATP Finals for two straight seasons. He’s a major player in the sport, and promises to be for years to come. We know he isn’t afraid to complain about the length of the season and the content of interview questions, but do we really know what he’s like? To find out more about him, David chats to his long-time friend and colleague Andrej Antic, a German tennis writer who has worked for Tennis MAGAZIN for over two decades. How is Zverev viewed in Germany? Could he create a tennis boom in the country, like during the days of Boris Becker and Steffi Graf? And what is his relationship like with Ivan Lendl? Antic reveals all before discussing his own career. How has his job of producing a magazine changed in the era of social media? On court today, Zverev was beaten by Novak Djokovic. What happened in the match? And are we entering ‘foregone conclusion’ territory with Djokovic this week?

Catherine is back! And there’s plenty to talk about…Does Roger Federer receive preferential treatment from tournament directors? That was the allegation made by Julien Benneteau on French radio last week. On today’s podcast, Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Simon Briggs discuss the ins and outs of the story, including Federer’s relationship with CEO of Tennis Australia Craig Tiley, the conflicts of interest within the sport, and the importance of market forces in all this. Later in the podcast, hear from Federer himself as he answered Benneteau's reported allegations. David and Grad Matt, who were both there, describe the atmosphere in the room. David says it was one of the steeliest looks he’s ever seen Federer give. On court, Federer was a comfortable winner against Dominic Thiem. How much better did he play than on Sunday night? And how bad was Dominic Thiem? Less bad than Kei Nishikori, who was thumped 0-6, 1-6 by Kevin Anderson. What are the qualification scenarios for that group? And why

Former British doubles player Colin Fleming spent the day at the O2 arena as a fan, and afterwards he joined David and Charlie Eccleshare on The Tennis Podcast. Beers in hand, they start by discussing a masterclass from Novak Djokovic who dispatched John Isner in the evening session.How did he handle the Isner serve so easily? And can anyone realistically stop Djokovic this week? The day’s other singles match saw Alexander Zverev defeat Marin Cilic. It was a match in which Cilic once again let a lead slip. Why does this keep happening? And how can he stop it? As for Zverev, how well did he play? Why was he talking to his coaching team so often? And what does Fleming think of Zverev’s partnership with Ivan Lendl? Finally, discussion turns to the Next Gen Finals, and specifically the different format showcased. Fleming was in Milan for the event and is a big proponent of many of the innovations. Why does he believe short sets could add intrigue to the ATP Tour? He defends his views against a

London arrived in numbers to celebrate another year of Roger Federer, but his fans left disappointed as Kei Nishikori became the first man to beat him in straight sets in the round robin stages of the ATP Finals. After a tumultuous, but error-strewn night, David Law was joined on The Tennis Podcast by Grad Matt Roberts to discuss what happened. What happened to Federer? Why did he lose his temper with umpire Damien Steiner? And what did Nishikori do differently to beat a man he had trailed 2-7 in head-to-head meetings?Earlier, David and Matt were joined by Simon Briggs of the Telegraph to cover the afternoon’s match between Kevin Anderson and Dominic Thiem. Why does Anderson always beat Thiem, and how much further can he go?Memories of O2 events gone by are discussed, including the Federer-Wawrinka-Mirka saga, and Andy Murray reaching World No.1 in 2016. In the Fed Cup final, the Czech Republic defeated the United States 3-0, but the third rubber was an absolute epic. Why are the Czech’s such an ama

With the ATP Finals just a couple of days away, Catherine and David get together on The Tennis Podcast to preview all the major storylines and make some predictions.After Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are heavily favoured to come through their groups, but who do Catherine and David think will join them in the semi-finals? Is Kevin Anderson the tournament’s dark horse? Can Marin Cilic overcome his recent habit of losing from a winning position? And might John Isner capitalise on his late-entry?Elsewhere, Grad Matt was on the ground at the O2 on media day, and he’s told David and Catherine all about what the players have been saying, including Federer’s comments about his scheduling and the developing ‘aggro’ between Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, has opened up in a rare newspaper interview with Simon Briggs of Telegraph Sport, part of which you can hear on the podcast. Why did Djokovic feel ‘guilty’ after having surgery? Was he surprised that he

As 2018 draws to a close, a new man has arrived on the scene, beaten the best players and won the biggest title of his life. His name is Karen Khachanov. In a Tennis Podcast to review Paris, the Tennis Podcast team analyse the performance of the big Russian, how he ended the winning run of Novak Djokovic in the final, and what he might do next. Will he win a Slam before Zverev or Tsitsipas?The return to form of Roger Federer is discussed, whether he and Cilic choked against Djokovic, and the Elite Trophy victory of Ash Barty in Zhuhai is covered.Catherine Whitaker and David Law are joined by a special guest as the Next Gen Finals and ATP Finals are previewed, and the lack of top Americans as part the Fed Cup final is lamented.The Tennis Podcast is published every Monday throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournament. It is produced in association with Telegraph Sport.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After a few weeks apart, Catherine and David are back together in London for this week’s show, with Elina Svitolina’s sensational title run in Singapore at the top of the agenda. Why did nobody see it coming? Can she now ‘do a Wozniacki’ and go on to win her first Grand Slam next year?The other major storylines from the WTA Finals are also discussed, including Wozniacki’s rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.In Basel, Roger Federer won the 99th title of his career, but what should we make of his week? Did he find form just in time for the ATP Finals or did his run just paper over some cracks?Elsewhere, the past week featured yet another case of ‘tennis player treats ballkid badly’, this time involving Stefanos Tsitsipas. His behaviour is bemoaned, but his public apology is commended.As the tour heads to Paris, Nadal and Djokovic are locked in a battle for the World No.1 ranking, but they’re also coming under increasing pressure to cancel their controversial exhibition in Saudi Arabia. They’ve both been talking abou

Catherine and David began a recent episode of The Tennis Podcast by delving deep into Kyle Edmund’s ongoing title drought. This time, a mere two weeks later, they start by lauding Edmund’s emotional maiden title victory in Antwerp. How significant is it that he’s got the monkey off his back?Edmund was one of three young titlists on the ATP Tour this week. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov were the other two. Out of that triumvirate, who will have the best career?On the women’s side, Daria Kasatkina won a thrilling final in Moscow against the marvellous Ons Jabeur. It was a match that turned on its head after Phillipe Dehaes delivered a rousing message during a coaching timeout. But should it be allowed? In light of Patrick Mouratoglou’s comments on Twitter, in which he made a strong case in favour of on-court coaching, Catherine and David re-open the debate.Elsewhere, Wimbledon announced the introduction of final set tiebreaks at 12-12 from next year. Is that a good decision? Only a tiny number of matche

Novak Djokovic looks as if he has stepped in a time machine and taken us all back to 2015, such is the level of tennis he is producing in the second half of 2018. In the latest Tennis Podcast, Catherine Whitaker and David Law get together to look back on Djokovic's victory in Shanghai, where he didn't lose a set and never looked likely to. Who, when, where and how is anyone going to stop him? Or will his level inevitably drop?The man he beat in the final - Borna Coric - has made major strides recently, and his journey is reviewed, and Roger Federer comes into view after a so-so week in which he reached the semis but went down comfortably to Coric. What would be the tipping point for Federer to call it a day? And why do people get so upset when anyone dares to bring it up? Well, we do it on The Tennis Podcast.The latest Davis Cup frustrations are discussed, events on the WTA Tour in Hong Kong and Tianjin covered, and while recording the podcast, news breaks of Juan Martin del Potro suffering what sounds like a

Inspired by a certain Tennis Podcast presenter’s loss from match point up, David and Catherine begin this week’s show by discussing the phenomenon of ‘choking’ in sport. What causes it? And what’s the biggest choke in tennis history?In Beijing this week, Kyle Edmund didn’t choke, but he did miss a big opportunity to win his first ATP title. How important is it that he overcomes this hurdle sooner rather than later?Two men who have got the title-winning bug, however, are Daniil Medvedev and Nikoloz Basilashvili. David and Catherine hail their respective victories in Tokyo and Beijing, as well as their rise up the rankings in 2018. Why do their efforts seem to slip under the radar compared to those of Shapovalov and Tsitsipas?Caroline Wozniacki, meanwhile, won her first Premier Mandatory title since 2011, doing so without dropping a single set in Beijing. After a few months of injury and poor form, where did this flawless week come from?There’s also time to salute Kevin Anderson’s good nature, debate the differ

2018 has been a turbulent year for tennis, with warring factions and uncertainty over where the sport is heading. In this week’s podcast, Simon Briggs joins David and Catherine to discuss the political state of the sport.How optimistic can we be that the governing bodies will eventually find a solution that works best for tennis rather just their own agendas? Will the sport produce a Davis Cup that works as well as golf’s Ryder Cup? And what will happen about on-court coaching?Briggs reveals the contents of his recent conversation with Wimbledon’s Phillip Brook, who admitted to him that the level of political tension within tennis may be at an all-time high. Despite the ongoing background noise, there has been lots of compelling action throughout Asia in the past week, including a title for Aryna Sabalenka in Wuhan. Catherine and David are really impressed by her immense appetite for the sport. Can she rule the women’s game for years to come? Plus, with the WTA Race to Singapore coming to an end, what ar

There’s a lot to cover on the new Tennis Podcast.For the second week in a row, David and Catherine begin by talking about the form of Naomi Osaka. The Japanese reached the final in Tokyo to back up her US Open title. Why was that so impressive? And just how well did Karolina Pliskova have to play to beat her?Elsewhere, Andy Murray has decided that he will shut down his 2018 season after Shenzhen and Beijing in order to focus on being in the best possible shape for Australia. David and Catherine agree that it's a smart move.There’s also discussion about Serena’s complicated relationship with her coach Patrick Mouratoglou, Mohamed Lahyani’s suspension by the ATP, and more progress for Dominic Thiem on hard courts. Plus, tribute is paid to Mikhail Youzhny following his retirement.Finally, this week saw the second edition of the Laver Cup. What do David and Catherine think of the event? And what does the future hold for it?The Tennis Podcast is uploaded weekly throughout the year and daily at the Grand Slam tourn

The US Open may be over, but Naomi Osaka’s new life is just getting started. While her victory in New York was overshadowed, she’s capitalised brilliantly on the moment by signing an endorsement deal with Nissan and appearing on The Ellen Show.On The Tennis Podcast, Catherine and David wonder how Osaka will handle her newfound status as a Grand Slam champion. What are some of the challenges she will face?Elsewhere, this past weekend saw the first Davis Cup action since the vote to revamp the competition. How did Catherine and David feel while watching it? Did the Croatia vs. USA tie showcase everything that’s good about the current format? Or did it prove everything that’s wrong with it?The decision to award two wildcards for next year’s Davis Cup Finals still sits uncomfortably with both David and Catherine. Will they just be a way of guaranteeing star power?There’s also discussion about the decision to stick with 32 seeds at Grand Slams, reaction to the latest developments surrounding Serena Williams and Ca

Enric Molina has umpired four Grand Slam singles finals, four Davis Cup finals and two Olympic finals.So what when through his mind when he saw the events of the weekend at the US Open, with former colleague Carlos Ramos warning Serena Williams three times, docking her a point and then a game, and the subsequent reactions from former players and governing bodies?Molina joins David Law on The Tennis Podcast to give his view on the decisions taken by Ramos, whether anything could have been done differently, and what should, in his view, have happened afterwards.The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Novak Djokovic is the US Open champion for the third time, beating Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. On The Tennis Podcast, David and Catherine discuss his brilliant performance. Does the straight-sets scoreline do Del Potro a disservice? Was he a little too cautious early on? Did the slow conditions play a part? How crucial was that epic 20-minute game? Djokovic is now level with Pete Sampras on 14 Grand Slams titles. It suddenly looks possible that he might bridge the gap to Nadal and Federer, doesn’t it? Without question, his relentless dominance is back. How has he turned his season around so spectacularly since losing early at the French Open? Will he now end the year as World No.1? Elsewhere, the fallout has continued from the women’s final. David and Catherine discuss the statement from WTA CEO Steve Simon and tackle the big question: was there sexism at play? Finally, there’s time reflect on the 2018 US Open as a whole. What were the highlights? How will it be remembered? The Tennis Podcast is uplo

At the end of a mind-blowing day, and one of the most controversy-filled Grand Slams finals in history, David and Catherine sit down to run through the events in full.With emotions running high, the theme of the discussion is the need for nuance. Can we accept Serena as a highly-inspirational role model who is also capable of quite unedifying behaviour? And were all three code violations justified?Not for the first time this tournament, the incident brought the role of the umpire into question. How can Carlos Ramos be criticised for sticking to the letter of the law? Could he have issued a soft warning? Are different standards applied to men and women?None of the controversy should detract, however, from the spell-binding performance of Naomi Osaka. Before everything kicked off, she was beating Serena handily. In fact, was her brilliance the root cause of Serena's bad temper?Has there ever been a better performance on debut in a Grand Slam final? We knew Osaka could strike the ball cleanly, but she also

The US Open men’s semi-finals did not deliver the competitiveness they promised – partly due to Rafael Nadal’s knee, partly due to Novak Djokovic’s brilliance.On The Tennis Podcast, on his birthday, David is joined separately by Simon Briggs of Telegraph Sport and Catherine to talk about it all.Nadal’s knee meant he had to retire when trailing Juan Martin del Potro by two sets. Is it a coincidence that he’s had to pull out of both hard court slams in 2018? How will he manage his body going forward?On a wider scale, Simon points out that a concerning pattern is developing: a number of showpiece matches this year have been compromised by injury or fatigue. Is tennis becoming too physical? Does something need to change? And is the solution to get rid of five sets?Del Potro’s victory was almost lost in all this, but he played well. His powerful-again backhand, in particular, was impressive. But what chance will he stand against Djokovic in the final?Djokovic beat Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Nishikori actually pl

The women’s final is set: Serena Williams will face Naomi Osaka on Saturday. On The Tennis Podcast, David and Catherine discuss how both players got there.Serena beat Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-0. What made this such a formidable performance? David was struck by Serena's net game. Has she ever been forward more? And was it a pre-planned tactic or a mid-match adjustment?Is there a difference between “needing” and “wanting” Grand Slam titles? Catherine wonders whether, with Olympia now in her life, Serena no longer “needs” to win the US Open….but she might just want it more than ever.Naomi Osaka, meanwhile, saved all 13 break points to beat Madison Keys in straight sets. How did she turn the negative head-to-head record in her favour? There’s lots of talk about her improved movement and defence, as well as her loveable interviews.How will Osaka handle the occasion in her first Grand Slam final? She idolises Serena. She also beat her in Miami this year. But this is a different Serena.Looking ahead to the men’s

For the first time in the Open Era there will be a Japanese man and woman in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam after contrasting wins for Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori.Osaka was brilliant again, cruising past an out-of-sorts Lesia Tsurenko. Is she playing the best tennis of anyone in the draw?Nishikori then reeled in Marin Cilic to win in five sets. Was he inspired by Osaka’s victory? Not for the first time, Cilic suffered an alarmingly sudden loss of form and became very agitated. Why does this keep happening?In the night session, David and Catherine lament the 'disrespectful' crowd noise during the Madison Keys vs. Carla Suarez Navarro match. Could the umpire have done more? Does the US Open need to embrace the power of silence?Despite the atmosphere, Keys played well again. Will she beat Osaka tomorrow? In the other women’s semi-final, are there any weaknesses with Serena’s movement that Sevastova could expose?In the Djokovic vs. Millman match, which Djokovic won pretty comfortably in the end, there was a bi

For the second night in a row, the end of The Tennis Podcast had to be recorded at past 2am in New York.That’s because Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem played a marathon match long into the night, with Nadal prevailing in a thrilling deciding set tiebreak.This was tennis at its absolute best, say David and Catherine, and also a brilliant advert for fifth set tiebreaks.Nadal will now face Del Potro in a repeat of last year’s semi-final. Del Potro beat Isner in a match that played out as most people expected. Is there an irresistible force behind Del Potro pushing him to the title?Elsewhere, there was a big surprise in the opening match of the day when Sloane Stephens was beaten in straight-sets by Anastasija Sevastova. How did Sevastova “bamboozle” the defending champion? Did Stephens show mental weakness?Will Sevastova’s variety and court craft trouble Serena Williams in the semi-finals? Serena was a comfortable winner against Karolina Pliskova on Tuesday night. How well did she play?There will be daily edition