The Tennis Podcast

The Putney Exchange is the setting, David and Catherine are the presenters and Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the topics of discussion... where have we heard that before? Plus the duo discuss Maria Sharapova's return to title-winning ways in Tianjin, and the respective races to London and Singapore.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Back on pigeon-watch at Waterloo station, Catherine & David arrive fresh from commentary duties to discuss the brand new WTA Number One Simona Halep and the awesome woman that beat her to lift the Beijing title, Caroline Garcia. They also give live updates on a match that has already happened (Nadal vs Kyrgios), discuss the ITF judgment handed down to Dan Evans and look ahead to the return of Roger Federer in Shanghai.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Catherine & David reunite at Waterloo station to review the second week of the year's Asian swing, with breakout results for Ash Barty, Caroline Garcia and 33 year-old Vera Zvonareva. Also discussed; a first title in three years for David Goffin, more injury heartbreak for Marcos Baghdatis and a worrying trend of losses for Singapore-chasing Jo Konta. PLUS a first ever film review section as both Catherine & David give their verdicts on new release 'Borg vs McEnroe'.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A couple of weeks off after the US Open, and the Tennis Podcast team are back with a bang to assess the Laver Cup, which took place over the weekend. What did everyone think of it? Is it tennis’ answer to the Ryder Cup, or can it only ever be an exhibition event? We hear from the Telegraph’s Simon Briggs, who was in Prague to watch it in person, and Catherine Whitaker and David Law are back together to give their impressions. Was the event scripted to provide a Federer vs. Kyrgios climax? Does the points system work, with more available on day 3 vs. day 1? Elsewhere, an update on the Race to Singapore - Jo Konta’s pursuit to be among the top eight players at the WTA Finals. Will she get over the line? Early losses in Wuhan for the two US Open finalists will help. The podcast team also look back on the conclusion to the US Open, given Catherine was unable to appear on the show because of illness, and the subsequent Davis Cup semifinals. And there’s the new Catherine Whitaker forehand, rebuilt while she was sun

Rafael Nadal ensured the old guard collected the entire Grand Slam title haul in 2017 by winning the US Open, and afterwards the Tennis Podcast team wondered how many more he might pocket. Where was the final against Kevin Anderson won and lost? Compared to the Nadal of the past, how well is he playing right now?And can tennis expect a golden period with the return of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic in January?Finally, how good is Martina Hingis at doubles?The Tennis Podcast is presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport.www.tennispodcast.net  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sloane Stephens completed one of the most remarkable injury comebacks in recent memory to win her first Grand Slam title, and the Tennis Podcast convened to talk about it. Stephens beat compatriot Madison Keys 6-3, 6-0 in a contest as one-sided as it sounds. So why was the scoreline so lopsided? Was Stephens that good, Keys that bad, or a combination of the two?How did Stephens recover from surgery and a ranking of nearly 1,000 to win the US Open inside a year? And will she go on to win more in the future?Tennis Podcast presenter David Law and Telegraph Tennis Correspondent Simon Briggs also discuss the fifth Grand Slam doubles/mixed doubles title won by Britain’s Jamie Murray (alongside Martina Hingis this time), and a marathon wheelchair singles match between Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid.Then they look ahead to Sunday’s men’s singles final between Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson. What can Anderson do to take the title?Eurosport will be on air for the men’s final at 8.30pm UK time. It will als

Rafael Nadal will contest his 23rd Grand Slam final and Kevin Anderson his first when they clash in the climax to the US Open on Sunday, and The Tennis Podcast team convened after their semifinals to look ahead. Presenter David Law was joined by Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs and former Top 50 player Jeff Tarango to talk about the point at which Nadal gained the upper hand against Juan Martin del Potro. Was Nadal's comeback all about him, or was Del Potro's fatigue a factor?How did Anderson go from quiet, laid-back baseline to fist-pumping, roaring warrior on the court? And what will happen when they meet in the final?The women's final will feature two players yet to compete in a Grand Slam decider - Americans Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens. Who do Briggs and Tarango feel will come out on top?A new edition of The Tennis Podcast is available to download after play every day during the US Open. Presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC

Tennis will have a new Grand Slam champion after two of the most exciting, talented young players in the sport reached the US Open women’s final.Sloane Stephens overcame Venus Williams in a deciding set - one of the best sets of the year, and then Madison Keys hammered Coco Vandeweghe 6-1, 6-2.So what did The Tennis Podcast team make of it all? Former Top 50 player Jill Craybas joins presenter David Law to assess where the matches were won and lost.Has the 11-month injury and surgery Stephens endured been a blessing in disguise? Is Keys coming of age two years after Martina Navratilova picked her on The Tennis Podcast to be a future World No.1? And with Williams going down in a third big Grand Slam match of the year, does a player’s nerve go when he/she gets older.The Tennis Podcast is also joined by special guest Mats Wilander - a former World No.1 and winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles. He assesses the loss of Roger Federer, and looks ahead to Rafael Nadal vs. Juan Martin del Potro and Pablo Carreno

Juan Martin del Potro partied like it was 2009 to beat Roger Federer in the US Open semifinals and deny New York the Nadal vs. Federer clash it craved.  Afterwards, Telegraph Tennis Correspondent Simon Briggs joined Tennis Podcast presenter David Law to talk about where it all went right for the Argentine and wrong for the five-time champion.  Federer squandered four set points in the third set tie-break with the match tied at one set all. Did he choke?  Given Del Potro had nearly retired a two sets down against Dominic Thiem in the previous round, how on earth has he reached the semifinals? New York will be devastated to have missed out on a Nadal - Federer clash. Nadal kept his side of the bargain by beating Andrey Rublev in straight sets, but Del Potro had other ideas. Twice before Federer had fallen short when he held match points against Novak Djokovic in the 2010 and 2011 semifinals, with Nadal already in the final. Will it ever happen? And, with Venus Williams vs

As the US Open nears a first ever New York clash between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the Tennis Podcast team are joined by award-winning American commentator Mary Carillo to talk about the tournament so far, and preview what is to come.As a New Yorker, who has worked for decades for CBS, NBC and now The Tennis Channel, covering countless Grand Slam tennis tournaments and 13 Summer and Winter Olympic games, Carillo gives her verdict on why her city loves comeback king Juan Martin del Potro, and what a Federer vs. Nadal match would mean in The Big Apple. Federer and Nadal remain one match away from meeting, with Nadal against exciting 19-year-old Andrey Rublev, and then Federer vs. Del Potro on Wednesday evening. A tournament full of human interest stories and unlikely comebacks continued its theme on Tuesday when Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens reached the semifinals. Williams first played the US Open in 1997, reaching the final. Twenty years on, she is one step away from doing the same again. Step

Juan Martin del Potro produced one of the most extraordinary comebacks the US Open has ever seen on Monday night, and The Tennis Podcast team were there to witness it.Presenters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) looked back on the match which saw the Argentine go two sets to love behind after winning only three games, nearly retiring because of a virus, saving two match points, and then coming all the way back to win in the most pulsating manner imaginable. Del Potro will now face Federer in a rematch of their 2009 final. On paper, Federer’s straight sets win over Philip Kohlschreiber was no cause for concern, but he did depart the court at the end of the second set to have some brief treatment to his lower back, and Law and Whitaker witnessed his unusually late walk to speak to the media. ‘It was just a precaution. I’m not worried,” he said afterwards. Elsewhere, Rafael Nadal produced what Whitaker described as ‘a statement performance’ - a straight sets win over Alexander D

Middle Sunday at Wimbledon is a day of rest, but not at the US Open, and not for The Tennis Podcast team. The rain frustrated for a while, but all the matches were played, with some stunning performances along the way.Petra Kvitova was awesome in her straight sets defeat of pre-tournament favourite Garbine Muguruza. Could she win the title less than a year after she was attacked with a knife in her own home? Venus Williams was also victorious and will be Kvitova’s next opponent.Sam Querrey followed Venus on to the court and hit an extraordinary 55 winners and only 8 unforced errors to thrash Mischa Zverev. One of Querrey, Kevin Anderson, Pablo Carreno Busta and Diego Schwartzman will compete for a place in their first Gran Slam final. Who will prevail?The US Open odyssey of exciting 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov came to an end when Carreno Busta edged him out in three tie-break sets. What’s next for the kid from Canada?And finally, will the Nadal vs. Federer semifinal match actually happen?A new edition of The

In what has otherwise become known as the Upset Open, the big names just about avoided defeat on Saturday, but The Tennis Podcast team had plenty to get their teeth into.How close did World No.1 Karolina Pliskova come to going out? Is her arm injury going to be a deciding factor in how far she goes?Much of the conversation in New York on Saturday centred around the behaviour of Fabio Fognini. The Italian had already been fined $24,000 by organisers after verbally abusing umpire Louise Engzell during his singles match, but word came through that he had been thrown out of the doubles as well. Podcast presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law discuss the detail of the case, and have their say about what should be done about it.The Naomi Osaka vs. Jelena Ostapenko match that Catherine was so looking forward to isn’t going to happen, as both lost. Our presenters are still able to marvel at the no-look handshake Ostapenko dished out to Daria Kasatkina. They also look ahead to Sunday’s play, which is hig

Feliciano Lopez, like Mikhail Youzhny in the previous round, is one year younger than 36-year-old Roger Federer, and is also yet to beat the great man. He hopes, he tells The Tennis Podcast’s Catherine Whitaker on today’s show, that their 13th match will be the one where his luck changes.Denis Shapovalov is quickly becoming one of the main stories of the US Open in 2017, and The Tennis Podcast team can’t get enough of him.His progress was aided by the retirement mid-match of Kyle Edmund, but it also felt as if he was beginning to gain the upper hand anyway in his 3-6, 6-4. 6-3, 1-0 (ret) win. How good do the Tennis Podcast team think Shapovalov will go on to be? What are his strengths? And can he go all the way at the US Open?The 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash joins Catherine on Eurosport to talk about his new charge, Coco Vandewegh. She faces Agnieszka Radwanska on Saturday. We hear what Cash has to say about Coco on The Tennis Podcast. A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be available t

The US Open still holds out hope of a first meeting between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in New York, but as the Tennis Podcast team were reminded on Day 4, that clash is still some distance away.Both Federer and Nadal scraped into the third round, Federer winning a second successive five-set match against a man he had previously held a 16-0 record against, while Nadal toiled for three hours before quelling the challenge of Taro Daniel in four sets.What do Nadal’s uncle Toni and coach Carlos Moya think of the form of their man? Would they like to see a clash between Nadal and Federer. ‘No’, says Uncle Toni. The big match on Friday is the Arthur Ashe stadium clash between British No.2 Kyle Edmund and the teenage prodigy Denis Shapovalov.Ahead of the match, podcast presenter Catherine Whitaker spoke to former World No.1 Mats Wilander for Eurosport to see what he made of the young man. As you will hear, he was bowled over. A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be available to download after play e

The Tennis Podcast team had their work cut out to sum up an extraordinary day in which 87 singles matches were played to catch up after the rain on Day 3, but Catherine Whitaker and David Law have done exactly that in their latest daily show from the US Open in New York. Kyle Edmund overcame American Steve Johnson in straight sets and now faces 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov in the 3rd round. That match will take place in the bottom half of the draw - which is increasingly looking like a land of opportunity with the loss of so many big names. The latest name to add to the list was 20-year-old Alexander Zverev of whom so much was expected. How much of a shock was his demise at the hands of Borna Coric? And does it raise question marks over his ability to deliver on the biggest stage?What did the podcast team make of the latest performance by Maria Sharapova, who fought her way into the third round with a 3-set win? And why did Nick Kyrgios fall short again? Is he ever going to work out how to fulf

The weather wrecked the vast majority of the scheduled matches at the US Open on Tuesday, but the roof on Arthur Ashe stadium enabled Japanese player Naomi Osaka to trounce defending champion Angelique Kerber, and Roger Federer to squeeze through in five against Francis Tiafoe.The Tennis Podcast team dodged the showers to reflect on a miserable 12 months for Kerber in which the role of World No.1 and defending Grand Slam champion has not always sat well.We meet her conqueror, 19-year-old Japanese player Naomi Osaka in an interview conducted by presenter David Law for BBC 5 Live. A player quite happy to answer left-field questions, she tells a knock-knock joke on air, explains why she gets nervous about running into people she ‘follows’ on Twitter, and how she reacted when she met her idol Serena Williams in the locker-room. Law and Catherine Whitaker reflect on the form of Rafael Nadal, who won through in straight sets, but endured a tough, testing first set against Dusan Lijovic.And a strange, five-set

Day one of the US Open was dominated by the women’s draw, with the big upset of British No.1 Johanna Konta and the stunning win of Maria Sharapova over Simona Halep.After a long, breathless day, the Tennis Podcast team of David Law (BBC 5 Live), Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and Simon Briggs (Telegraph tennis correspondent) got together to look back on it all.Did Sharapova surpass expectations, or was Halep disappointing? Will the Romanian ever actually reach World No.1 having come within touching distance on so many occasions? And can Sharapova back up this win by going on a run?For Konta, defeat at the hands of World No.78 Aleksandra Krunic, was a big blow. Where was the match won and lost? Is Konta starting to feel the pressure of being a Top Ten player with the associated expectations that come with that status?Elsewhere, there were impressive wins for the two British men in action - Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie. How far can they go?A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be available to download afte

A day before the US Open gets underway, and a day after Andy Murray announced his withdrawal, Tennis Podcast presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law convened at Flushing Meadows to preview the year’s Grand Slam tournament.Was Murray right to make the call to withdraw? Should he have done so earlier? And should that be it for the year?Why are so many top players getting injured - all of last year’s Top 5 men? Is it coincidence or the sign of a more significant problem? And does tennis need to change radically as a result?Who do the team think will come through the men’s and women’s draws? And is Alexander Zverev getting a bit too big for his boots?A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be available to download after play every day during the US Open. Presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. New Tennis

Grigor Dimitrov has made a career out of promising much but failing to deliver, while Garbine Muguruza follows Grand Slam breakthroughs with slumps. Until now.This week’s Tennis Podcast discusses their impressive victories in Cincinnati and wonders whether they could be the forerunners to even bigger wins at the US Open, which starts next week.With Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori all out injured, and question marks over the fitness of Roger Federer and Andy Murray, is this Dimitrov’s time to shine? Could the man he beat in the final - Nick Kyrgios - make a run of his own? And wasn’t he supposed to be injured?Is Muguruza now a clear favourite for the women’s title? And what happened to Simona Halep in the final when she was just one match away from reaching World No.1? The podcast team also discuss the return of Rafael Nadal to World No.1, the US Open wild card given to Maria Sharapova, the likelihood of Andy Murray featuring in New York, and the sad case of Melanie Oudin.The Tennis Podcas