The Tennis Podcast

As Caroline Wozniacki walked by from television studio to television studio after claiming her long-awaited first Grand Slam title, Catherine Whitaker and David Law tried to do justice on The Tennis Podcast to an epic three-set tussle which had numerous storylines dripping with emotion. Where was the match won and lost? How did Wozniacki react after finally making her dream come true? And will Simona Halep ever get over the finish line in a Slam final herself?The asterisk of ‘never won a Grand Slam’ has been removed forever from Wozniacki’s bio, so is Halep now the best player never to have won a major title? It’s all discussed in the latest daily podcast from the Australian Open.Looking ahead to the men’s singles final on Sunday, what did Goran Ivanisevic tell the pod team he had said to Marin Cilic before his compatriot won his 2014 US Open clash with Roger Federer? And what does Goran think will happen this time?The experiences of Wayne Ferreira describing how he beat Federer many moons ago are recoun

Moments after Hyeon Chung pulled out of his Australian Open semifinal because of blisters, ensuring Roger Federer would reach a 30th Grand Slam singles final, Boris Becker joined Catherine Whitaker and David Law on the Tennis Podcast to look ahead to Sunday’s clash with Marin Cilic. The two-time champion also previews the women’s final between Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep, explains why he left the stadium immediately after match point in the 1991 final, and predicts how a peak Becker would have done against Federer.As well as Becker, Catherine Whitaker and David Law are joined by Mary Carillo, who was voted by listeners as the podcast’s favourite guest of 2017. A former player and feted broadcaster in the United States for her work on tennis, documentaries and coverage of the winter and summer Olympics for NBC, Carillo talks about her reaction to Chung’s decision to retire mid-match, her expectations for the men’s and women’s finals, and the documentary she has produced about Margaret Court.&

Moment after Kyle Edmund’s Australian Open odyssey ended at the hands of Marin Cilic, Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport), David Law (BBC 5 Live) and Simon Briggs (Telegraph) got together in the media cafe to talk over where the match was won and lost.Could he have done anything differently? How big a factor was the injury he apparently sustained? And will Cilic be able to go all the way in the final?Earlier in the day, Simona Halep saved match points for a second time in a week to reach the final. She will face another player that saved match points along the way - Caroline Wozniacki. Halep’s match with Angelique Kerber went from damp squib to instant classic in a sensational 9-7 third set, and meant that Catherine Whitaker did not have to follow through with her threat to ‘sue the tennis gods’ if another match didn’t live up to expectations.Where does the Halep vs. Kerber third set rank among the all-time greats? What did the players say afterwards that so uplifted the podcast team? And how surprising was i

All of the four quarterfinals played on Wednesday were won in straight sets, but each had its own story, and the resulting semifinals are mouth-watering, according to the Tennis Podcast team. Hyeon Chung is one of the stories of the tournament and he backed up his straight sets win over Novak Djokovic by overcoming a very difference challenge - being the favourite to win against the World No. 97, Tennys Sandgren. It made Chung the first Korean ever to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament and put him into a semifinal against Roger Federer. Sandgren continued to create headlines of his own because of his social media activity, and responded with a statement in his post-match press conference. What sort of challenge do the Tennis Podcast team think Chung can pose to Federer? Catherine Whitaker and David Law weigh up whether the similarities of his strengths to those of Djokovic might be a factor.Federer saved set points against Tomas Berdych and has yet to drop a set, but how well is he actu

In 2010, Andy Murray went through to the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time when Rafael Nadal retired with injury. His opponent in the final four was Marin Cilic. He then met Roger Federer in the final.Eight years on, Nadal retired with injury from a Grand Slam match for only the second time in his career. It was also at the Australian Open, and the result is that a British player will once again be playing against Marin Cilic for a place in the final, and Roger Federer might again be waiting. This time though, Murray is at home recovering from hip surgery, and the name on everyone’s lips is Kyle Edmund.After a tumultuous day of tennis, presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law, who are in Melbourne for Eurosport and BBC Radio 5 Live respectively, sat down with Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs to try to make sense of what they had seen.Will Edmund go another step and reach the final? What do the team think will happen between Madison Keys and Angelique Kerber, and Simona Halep a

Novak Djokovic found himself ‘playing in front of a mirror’ according to The Tennis Podcast team, as he was knocked out of the Australian Open by Hyeon Chung at the fourth round stage.Chung out-Djokovic’d Djokovic, pounding whiplash groundstrokes, hitting lines, reaching seemingly irretrievable balls in a blur of speed, and doing the splits when forced out wide. After winning 7-6, 7-5, 7-6 Chung was given a standing ovation inside the Rod Laver Arena. On the podcast, concern turned to the health of Djokovic, who admitted he was in a bad way with his elbow, and that he was back to the drawing board.Elsewhere, World No.96 Tennys Sandgren defeated Dominic Thiem in 5 sets, and will now meet Chung in the quarters. Is that clash, between the World No’s 97 and 54 one of the most unlikely last eight clashes ever? In the other quarterfinal in the bottom half of the draw, Roger Federer will take on Tomas Berdych for a 26th time. Federer leads the head-to-head 19-6, winning their last eight clashes. Can Berdych to

Grigor Dimitrov vs. Nick Kyrgios was ‘instant classic’ material, and only made better from a British perspective in that the winner plays Kyle Edmund, who is into his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.On the Tennis Podcast afterwards, David Law said the match between Dimitrov and Kyrgios was a ‘win-win’ for tennis, but not everyone agrees. Did Kyrgios cross the line with his ranting in the direction of his support team? Or is it time to cut him some slack and celebrate a brilliant performance and an even better one from his opponent? Regarding Dimitrov, is he finally ready to fully deliver on his enormous talent?Edmund’s four-set win over Seppi again saw him fight back from behind to prevail, becoming the first British man not named Andy Murray to reach an Australian Open quarterfinal in 33 years. What do the Tennis Podcast team think of his chances against Dimitrov?There’s also discussion of Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic’s tricky tussles as they set up a quarterfinal clash, and the ever-improving Caroline Wozniac

Simona Halep produced an incredible feat of fitness and fire to save three match points and win 15-13 in the final set against Lauren Davis, and afterwards The Tennis Podcast team got together to marvel at it. They were joined by British No.3 Naomi Broady, and while chatting, Andy Murray began a jetlag fuelled Q & A session on Twitter. So, Broady told Catherine Whitaker and David Law about the Andy Murray she knows, and also gave a backstage insight into Nick Kyrgios. Later, Whitaker and Law reflected on Angelique Kerber's comfortable win over Maria Sharapova. Is she now the favourite for the title?Meanwhile, what happened to Alexander Zverev, the fourth seeded German that everyone's been talking about? Beaten in a fifth set by Hyeon Chung, how much should be read into another disappointing Grand Slam loss? And what did Roger Federer say to Zverev in a quiet locker room moment afterwards?The podcast team also discuss the progress of the wonderfully named Tennys Sandgren, and Lleyton Hewitt'

On a day when temperatures exceeded 40 degrees for a second day in a row, the last thing Kyle Edmund would have wanted was a 5-set, near 4-hour match, but that’s what he got, and he came through it. Catherine Whitaker was the first person to speak to him afterwards, for Eurosport, and Simon Briggs sat watching him for the full duration. They give the lowdown on what he went through to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open, and what they make of his chances against Andreas Seppi next.Later, the win scored by Nick Kyrgios over Jo Wilfried Tsonga is dissected by Whitaker and David Law, and they assess how the Australian public is taking to the man who sampled victory on Rod Laver Arena for the first time. Whitaker reports what Kyrgios’ fourth round opponent Grigor Dimitrov was doing before taking to the court against Andrey Rublev, there’s discussion about Roger Federer’s quotes about the potential for a player union and a greater piece of Grand Slam revenues, and the WTA Finals moving to Shenzhen for te

As temperatures exceed 40 degrees celcius on day four of the Australian Open, Catherine & David question why on earth the heat policy wasn't invoked, and indeed whether there should even be a heat policy (some merciless people seem to think there shouldn't!).They also analyse those that survived the withering conditions - including a warrior-like Novak Djokovic, who 'out-bluffed' Gael Monfils in the heat of the day - and those that didn't, including third seed Garbina Muguruza, seventh seed David Goffin and Britain's Jo Konta.The Australian Open will be live on Eurosport from midnight, with radio commentary available on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra.The Tennis Podcast will be produced daily throughout the Australian Open, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Recorded live from the Eurosport Green Room during Grigor Dimitrov's epic five setter with American Mackenzie McDonald, former World No 2 Alex Corretja shares his thoughts on all things Australian Open, including heat waves, big match pressure and who he thinks will win the men's and women's titles.He also joins David & Catherine in talking through the dramatic events of the day, including second seed Caroline Wozniacki snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and a 'highly stressful' three set win for Nick Kyrgios. There was also a statement win for Rafael Nadal, shock defeats for form players Belinda Bencic and Julia Georges, and an incredible breakthrough for 15 year-old Marta Kostyuk.The Australian Open will be live on Eurosport from midnight, with radio commentary available on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra.The Tennis Podcast will be produced daily throughout the Australian Open, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out informat

Aus Open Day 2 - Novak Djokovic Is Back With A Bang But What Did He Say About That Player Meeting?Novak Djokovic was front and centre on Tuesday, both on and off the court, as he played a competitive tennis match for the first time since Wimbledon and then addressed reports about his role in the Player Meeting on Friday.In the latest Tennis Podcast, we hear his post-match press conference in which he denied talking about a potential boycott, insisted he had been misrepresented in reports, and said he merely wanted to get the players together to discuss certain ‘topics’ amongst themselves. We get the reaction of Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs on the podcast.On the court, Djokovic was imperious on his return, and he was joined by Stan Wawrinka. Podcast presenter David Law is joined by former Top 50 player Jil Craybas to assess how they looked, examine the form of Maria Sharapova in her first match since testing positive at the event two years ago, and predict who will win the men’s and women’s even

On an opening day when big names were beaten and all of them American, and Kyle Edmund scored arguably the most important victory of his career, the main topic of conversation at the Australian Open was about Novak Djokovic’s player meeting intervention.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Catherine Whitaker and David Law are here to tell you all the tales from the interview room ahead of the Australian Open. From Roger Federer's mind games to Stan Wawrinka's tough times, to Billie Jean King's stand against the Margaret Court Arena.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With the first Grand Slam tournament of 2018 upon us, Catherine Whitaker and David Law are in Melbourne, and were joined by Telegraph Tennis Correspondent to dissect the draws of the Australian Open.Who has the best road to the final? What are the outstanding first round matches? And who is likely to clash in the last 16 and onwards? The team talk it through. The fitness of Novak Djokovic is discussed, as his difficult draw.Aside from the potential match-ups, one of the main tournament talking points was why the Australian Open chose to have Maria Sharapova in the place of Serena Williams to launch the tournament at the official draw. The pod team get stuck in.And on the subject of Serena, they cover the remarkable story told in Vogue Magazine about the complications and health setbacks Williams suffered during and after the birth of her daughter, how she has dealt with having to play against her sister Venus, and the role she feels she wants to play in the sport in the future.The Tennis Podcast will be produ

Andy Murray has taken the plunge and gone under the knife after his frustrated attempts to come back from a hip injury.David Law, deserted by an ill Catherine Whitaker, gives his verdict on whether Murray has made the right call, and what happens next. He is also joined by Telegraph Tennis Correspondent Simon Briggs to talk about Murray and other main stories ahead of the Australian, and leading coach Nigel Sears to run through the long list of players on the WTA Tour competing for major honours this year.The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Andy Murray's Agony; As the 2018 tennis season kicks off in earnest, there are still some notable absences, probably most notable the man who was World No 1 this time last year, Andy Murray, who has made a gut-wrenching statement declaring that he may require surgery on his injured hip. That is discussed, along with the continued injury absence of Murray's rival, Novak Djokovic, and the persistent speculation surrounding Serena Williams' return to Tour action.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The 1973 Battle of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs was a landmark event in so many ways, and this cinematic telling of the story has been reviewed extensively in recent months. But not by Catherine Whitaker of The Tennis Podcast. Not until now. In this special edition podcast, Catherine gives her verdict on the film as a piece of entertainment, including her views on the performances of Emma Stone as Billie Jean King and Steve Carrell as Bobby Riggs.Catherine and David Law also discuss sexism and attitudes to sexual orientation in tennis, how far we have come, and how far we still have to go.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.TheTennisPodcast.net  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With the whopping four weeks of tennis' off-season well underway, Catherine & David are missing the sport so much they've decided to record a special '2017 Awards' edition of `The Tennis Podcast, which includes hotly disputed categories such as 'player of the year', 'meltdown of the year' and 'comeback of the year'.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We want to continue to produce the Tennis Podcast in 2018, and to make it better than ever. But to do that, we need your help! Please take just 5 minutes to hear why we are asking, and how you can help us.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.