The Tennis Podcast

With Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all testing positive for covid-19 after playing the Adria Tour, we discuss the inevitability and seriousness of the situation, Novak Djokovic’s role and responsibility in all this, and the possible implications for the sport. There’s also a preview of this week’s Battle of the Brits event and we hear from Andy Murray about last year’s run to the doubles titles at Queen’s with Feliciano Lopez. 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. * NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* 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

Tennis is on its way back, but not as we know it. The US Open, the French Open and many other big events in-between have been scheduled, and not everyone is happy about it.Catherine, David and Matt review the announcement, discuss the various issues it raises, and speculate about how many of the world’s leading players will opt out of competing in any of the events. Last weekend’s exhibition events - the Adria Tour and the ‘Ultimate Tennis Showdown’ also get the Tennis Podcast treatment. 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.  * NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* 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@tennispod

Following Catherine’s interview with Chris Evert, we take the chance to tell the story of the 18-time Grand Slam champion in full.We discuss her most extraordinary records and achievements, consider her influence and legacy in the sport, ponder the reasons why she might be under-appreciated, reflect on her comments about the struggle of developing as a person while playing professional tennis, and look at the way she uses her platform for good. 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.  * CHRIS EVERT INTERVIEW * Catherine’s interview with Chris Evert is available here.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* TENNIS RE-LIVED *We have produced daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tourn

Catherine speaks to 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Chris Evert about her extraordinary tennis career.Evert reflects on how her childhood shaped the rest of her life, the early years of the WTA Tour, the challenge of being a well-adjusted human being as well as a great champion, her rivalry with Martina Navratilova and the way they were each portrayed by the media, the achievements she's most proud of, and her period of self-discovery following retirement.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* TENNIS RE-LIVED *We have produced daily shows throughout the original Roland Garros dates, looking back on 15 classic matches and stories from the tournament’s history. We will also be doing editions for Wimbledon.* KICK

When Simona Halep beat Sloane Stephens in the 2018 Roland Garros final, the tennis world could breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, she was a Grand Slam champion. We discuss her previous three final losses, analyse a memorable match against Stephens, and reflect on how she lived with that victory during the months that followed. In a fascinating interview, her coach, Darren Cahill, reveals the switch he made to his usual pre-match pep talk before the final, the tactical change that helped Halep turn the match around in the second set, the weight of expectation on Halep, and the reception and adoration she received when she returned to Romania with the trophy. 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* TENNIS RE-LIVED *W

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

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.

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 g

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

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

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

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

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 tourn

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 ge

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, isola

When Michael Chang beat Stefan Edberg in the 1989 French Open final, he became the youngest man ever to win a Grand Slam title, but it’s his fourth-round match against Ivan Lendl which is most famous.Chang was trailing by two sets to love, but several moonballs, numerous bouts of cramp, and even an underarm serve later, he’d won the match and turned it into the stuff of legend. In an exclusive interview, Chang discusses his tactics to turn the match around, the way he got booed during the tournament after mentioning his faith, his relationship with Lendl, and how he coped during the tournament despite hearing news of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.We also analyse Chang’s performance in the final, hear from Edberg about how he let that match slip and how gutted he was to lose it, and look at Chang’s place in 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 crowdfun

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova met 80 times in total, and their 1985 French Open final, won 7-5 in the third set by Evert, was one of their best ever matches.In an exclusive interview, Evert explains why she will be inextricably bound in history with Navratilova, the way they were portrayed as opposites, the reasons Navratilova was the favourite ahead of their 1985 Roland Garros final, why this victory stands out as her greatest, and the way it lengthened her 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. You can watch extensive highlights of Evert

John McEnroe never won the French Open. But he should have done in 1984. Instead, he lost a two-set lead in the final against Ivan Lendl. So, what happened?Having re-watched the whole match, Catherine, David and Matt give their analysis. In what way did McEnroe allow himself to get distracted? Did he choke? How did Lendl mount his comeback? And what did this match do for both of their careers?We also hear from Mary Carillo who recounts why it hurt McEnroe so much to lose specifically to Lendl, the way he’s still affected by the missed opportunity whenever he arrives at Roland Garros, and the poignant conversation that took place between the McEnroe brothers after the match.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

Who better to tell the story of Yannick Noah’s historic victory at the French Open in 1983 than the man himself?In an enthralling, exclusive interview, Noah takes us through it all, including the extra work he put in during the build-up to Roland Garros that year, his nerve-wracking victory over Ivan Lendl, the relief he felt when Jimmy Connors lost, the dream he had before the final, the words he exchanged with his father after beating Mats Wilander to win the title, and why he could never replicate those feelings elsewhere.Afterwards, we discuss our own Yannick Noah memories, his game style on clay, and his enduring cultural importance in France.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

We begin this week’s Tennis Re-Lived in 1992 when Gabriela Sabatini won her fourth title in Rome, beating Monica Seles in her prime in the final.How come Sabatini had such a special connection with Rome? In what way did she manage to make Seles’ game seem a bit limited in that match? And why have Sabatini’s achievements faded from tennis conversation?Then, we go back to 2006 to cover Rafael Nadal’s epic five set win over Roger Federer. In what way was Nadal kryptonite for Federer in this period? How has he developed his game since then? And might victory for Federer have changed the course of his rivalry with Nadal on clay?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 weekly news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* TENNIS RE-LIVED *Our Tennis Re-Lived series will return on