Tennis Weekly

It's finally over! After two weeks of action, the Madrid Masters has come to a close with Iga Swiatek coming through an epic final against Aryna Sabalenka to capture her first Madrid crown, and Andrey Rublev snapping his losing streak and overcome illness to claim his second 1000 event with a battle over surprise finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime.With Madison Keys finding form to reach the semis, Rafa Nadal earning a few wins in his final (?) Madrid outing, plus retirements and withdrawals aplenty in the ATP draw, the trio chat through the highlights from the past week on tour.They also look well ahead to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals draw in Seville in November, lament the ending of the TSITSIDOSA relationship recently announced on social media, reflect back on the infamous blue clay Madrid event of 2012 and make quarter by quarter predictions for the upcoming Rome Masters which have already got underway.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

We review Challengers, the tennis romance film from Luca Guadagnino and Justin Kuritzkes starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist that has hit cinemas and taken the box office and tennis twitter by storm.To unpack the film the Tennis Weekly threesome aren't asking for 'three tickets to Challengers please' rather four tickets as Culture Editor, critic and writer Sarah Carson of the The i Newspaper joins to keep them in check.They discuss the tennis sequences, did we believe Zendaya as a top tennis player, was the film really about Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Mirka and ultimately was the film even about tennis? The delve into the topic of love triangles, pancake grips and bisexuality!A fun Film Club edition and movie review that reveals what we really thought and allows tennis fans and the not so tennis invested to talk about the movie, what they liked and didn't like and ultimately how they rate the film.ABOUT CHALLENGERSFrom visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist – West Side Story), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor – The Crown) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Nadal is making magic at the Caja Mágica in Madrid. He turned the tables on Alex de Minaur avenging his loss in Barcelona and Joel, Chris plus special guest Molly McElwee are on hand to unpack his comeback. Elsewhere, Sinner and Swiatek have been making serene progress whilst Sabalenka and Tsitsipas have struggled at the Mutua Madrid Open. They also touch upon Raducanu’s surprise straight set loss in round 1, after her return to form in previous weeks. Elsewhere there are talking points on WTA Finals as Daria Kasatkina comes out in support of the decision for the finals to move to Saudi Arabia and the Billie Jean King format change and the Davis Cup and ATP Finals clash.Molly and Chris team up for Joel’s game and put in a strong performance - but can they get over the finish line?Follow MollySubstack - ‘But Do You Actually Like Sport?’ here: https://bit.ly/49SQFkA X - https://twitter.com/molly_mcelwee Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Joel, Kim and Chris are back to round up the latest clay court action from around the tennis world, as Casper Ruud gets revenge over Stefanos Tsitsipas to claim his first ATP500 title in Barcelona, and Elena Rybakina downs World No.1 Iga Swiatek en route to the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix trophy.The trio also celebrate the return of Rafa Nadal to the tennis court, Emma Raducanu finding form in Stuttgart and Sloane Stephens’s first title on red clay in Rouen. They discuss how Jan Lennard Struff dispatched Taylor Fritz and the cold weather in Munich to clinch his first ATP trophy, debate how complicated the Olympic tennis selection criteria are, and reflect on the career of Garbine Muguruza as she bids farewell to life as a professional tennis player in her recent retirement announcement.Joel also tests Chris and Kim on their knowledge of WTA Players with short stints at World No.1, and the trio make tentative predictions ahead of this week’s Madrid Masters tournament (Spoiler alert: watch out for Tomas Etcheverry!)Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Tsitsipas is back to his best in Monte-Carlo and picks up his third title in the principality. The week in Monaco saw the Greek secure victories over Sinner, Ruud and Zverev as well as a surprise exit for Novak Djokovic, in the semi-finals of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Elsewhere the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers were taking place, Emma Raducanu returned to form to lead Great Britain to victory against France. She picked up two come from behind wins and Katie Boulter bounced back from defeat to help seal the victory. In Seville they will be joined by Japan, led by Naomi Osaka and the USA led by Jessica Pegula. There was heartbreak for Ukraine as they went down to Romanian from 2-0 up. Joel and Chris discuss Andy Murray’s injury update, the prospect of Rafael Nadal back on tour, whether the ATP players are willing to play on used courts to allow for a WTA tournament at The Queen's Club the week prior and Kim joins in to ask the duo about Holger Rune, Medvedev and Rublev and whether their on court behaviour is good for the game.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Joel, Kim and Chris reunite to catch up on the week in tennis, which saw Danielle Collins storm to her second title in as many weeks and Matteo Berrettini return to the winner’s circle after his comeback from injury.Chris and Alina also report from their week in Estoril where Hubert Hurkacz picked up his clay court title with a final victory over in form Pedro Martinez. Meanwhile, Ben Shelton is soon to become the US Men's Number 1 after his title victory in Houston, and Camila Osorio delights home fans with a triumph in Bogota.The trio also reflect on the news that Saudi Arabia are set to host the WTA Finals for the next three years. They also consider the upcoming trial of new ATP Doubles rules at the Madrid 1000 event, as well as looking forward to this weekend's Billie Jean King Cup ties and the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters which sadly will not feature the return of Rafael Nadal.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Joel and Kim are back to catch up on the Miami Open, which saw soon to be retiring Danielle Collins clinch the biggest title of her career with a dream run in her home state, and Jannik Sinner continues his fine run of form in 2024 with his first Miami trophy and a rise to World Number 2.The duo also discuss Grigor Dimitrov’s revival in form and ranking, Iga Swiatek’s shock defeat at the hands of Ekaterina Alexandrova and why Caroline Wozniacki and Casper Ruud were not happy with recent decisions made at the Miami Open.Chris and Alina also join briefly from the Estoril Open as the clay swing gets underway, and Joel tests Kim with a unique Par for The Courts! They also discuss what Novak Djokovic’s next coaching move will be after the news that Goran Ivanisevic has left the team, and they look ahead to the ATP 2025 Calendar which has recently been revealed.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Halfway through the Sunshine Double and it’s Carlos Alcaraz who finds form to take the men’s title at Indian Wells whilst Iga Swiatek asserts herself once again as the ‘final boss’ in the women’s event with her second triumph. Tennis Paradise also saw a resurgent Maria Sakkari, Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry renewed and… a bee invasion taking over spider cam.Elsewhere, the gang chat about all the rumours of Saudi Arabia’s bombshell billion dollar deal for tennis plus the idea of a Premium Tour, what went wrong for Netflix’s Break Point as it ceases production and react to the news that Simona Halep is back and ready to go in Miami.There’s also another tricky round of Joel’s Game - can Kim and Chris finally win as a team for the first time?Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***

Bumper catch-up! Joel, Kim and Chris are back to discuss the many, many stories to emerge from the last week on tour as well as preview Indian Wells.They chat current tennis IT couple Katie Boulter and Alex De Minaur's tournament trophy wins at 500 level events (and the distinct difference in prize money), Andrey Rublev's unsavory default in Dubai, and the recent news that Simona Halep's doping ban has been reduced meaning she is now free to play professional tennis once again.The trio also share their impressions of the inaugural Netflix Slam and discuss the recent partnership between the ATP and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, whilst Kim and Chris have to work together to defeat Joel in his tricky game.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com.Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!***