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The Tennis Podcast
Chris Evert - Oral History
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.
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* 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.
* KICKSTARTER *
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More episodes
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1476. Aus Open Day 13 - Djokovic vs Alcaraz, for history
01:05:44||Ep. 1476The Dud Slam is no more! Catherine, David and Matt react to an extraordinary day as Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic both reached the final in impossibly dramatic fashion. Part one - We start with Djokovic’s late night comeback victory over Jannik Sinner. How did he do it? What was new from him and what was vintage? And what more could Sinner have done on his many unconverted break points? Part two (26:55) - Moving on to Carlos Alcaraz’s 5h27m win over Alexander Zverev, how did Alcaraz’s mid match cramps change everything and how smartly did he manage them? What part did the crowd play in Alcaraz’s victory? And how does Zverev reflect on this defeat? Part three (55:51) - Sensation of the Day, doubles and wheelchair results, and predictions for Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina in the women’s final.The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)AND - if you’d like to really go to town (2) spots available for our add-on riverboat cruise down the Danbue River, as part of our 50th Anniversary celebration.• Your chance to be ON THE BOAT - for 7 Nights• Departing Pre-Roland-Garros and arrives for the opening rounds• Starts in Budapest, Hungary and ends in Giurhiu, RomanianFull Details Here: https://www.flipsnack.com/E5BE57EEFB5/sfitt_rg26_riverboat-cruise/full-view.htmlBecome a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
1475. Aus Open Day 12 - Rybakina vs. Sabalenka showdown set
01:04:57||Ep. 1475Catherine, David and Matt are in Garden Square to talk about Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina reaching the women’s final. Part one - Women’s semi-finals. Some actual drama as Jessica Pegula tried to mount a dramatic comeback in the second set against Rybakina, a dominant display from Sabalenka versus Elina Svitolina which was propelled by a controversial hindrance call, and some early thoughts on what might happen in Saturday’s final. Part two (33:50) - Sensation of the day, doubles and wheelchair results, and Matt’s experience playing in the media one point slam. Part three (50:34) - Previewing Carlos Alcaraz vs Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner vs Novak Djokovic. Can we make a case for any upsets?The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)AND - if you’d like to really go to town (2) spots available for our add-on riverboat cruise down the Danbue River, as part of our 50th Anniversary celebration.• Your chance to be ON THE BOAT - for 7 Nights• Departing Pre-Roland-Garros and arrives for the opening rounds• Starts in Budapest, Hungary and ends in Giurhiu, RomanianFull Details Here: https://www.flipsnack.com/E5BE57EEFB5/sfitt_rg26_riverboat-cruise/full-view.htmlBecome a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
1474. Aus Open Day 11 - Djokovic dream still alive, or is it?
01:10:33||Ep. 1474The semi-finals are set as Catherine, David and Matt wrap up another day of straight sets matches at this most unusual Australian Open. Part one - Men’s Results. We cover the devastation of Lorenzo Musetti when forced to retire two sets up, another lucky break for Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner’s continued dominance over Ben Shelton, and whether Djokovic can rediscover any kind of form before facing Sinner in the semis. Part two (25:37) - Women’s Results. We discuss excellent performances from Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek’s commitment to doing things differently in 2026, and the players speaking out against the backstage cameras. Part three (53:00) - Sensation of the day, updates from the wheelchair and doubles events, and Matt prepares for the media one point slam.The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)AND - if you’d like to really go to town (2) spots available for our add-on riverboat cruise down the Danbue River, as part of our 50th Anniversary celebration.• Your chance to be ON THE BOAT - for 7 Nights• Departing Pre-Roland-Garros and arrives for the opening rounds• Starts in Budapest, Hungary and ends in Giurhiu, RomanianFull Details Here: https://www.flipsnack.com/E5BE57EEFB5/sfitt_rg26_riverboat-cruise/full-view.htmlBecome a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
1473. Aus Open Day 10 - What happened to Coco Gauff?
01:10:57||Ep. 1473Catherine, David and Matt discuss another day of matches without much jeopardy, but one that saw Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz all reach the semi-finals.Part one - Men’s results. We cover the total brilliance of Carlos Alcaraz in the night session, a new Alcaraz theory that David’s developed, the devastation of Alex de Minaur, and the remarkable serving performance from Alexander Zverev which helped him to beat Learner Tien. Part two (34:46) - Women’s results. We discuss Coco Gauff’s shocking 6-1 6-2 defeat against Elina Svitolina. What happened to her game? And what can Svitolina do against Aryna Sabalenka? Part three (58:21) - Sensation of the Day and a preview of Day 11 with four more quarter-finals.The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
1472. Aus Open Day 9 - Can Showtime Shelton shock Sinner?
01:09:10||Ep. 1472It was another day at the Australian Open without the matches we were hoping for, but with a record-breaking quarter-final line up in terms of top seeds, surely they’re coming. Catherine, David and Matt discuss it all.Part one - Women’s results. We cover Madison Keys going out of the tournament and look ahead to Amanda Anisimova vs Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek vs Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals. Part two (27:16) - Women’s results. Does Lorenzo Musetti truly believe he can beat Novak Djokovic? And can Ben Shelton make his quarter-final against Jannik Sinner properly close? Those are the big questions after Musetti, Shelton and Sinner all came through on Monday. Part three (53:23) - Sensation of the Day and Tuesday’s order of play as the quarter-finals begin and temperatures are set to reach 45C.The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
1471. Aus Open Day 8 - The day the big guns arrived
01:14:39||Ep. 1471Catherine, David and Matt review a day which promised much only to deliver little in the way of drama, but did feature several incredible performances from some of the sport’s biggest names and rising stars. Part one - Men’s results. We start with the news of Jakub Mensik’s withdrawal and how much it could help Novak Djokovic, before moving on to the day’s matches which saw standout performances from Carlos Alcaraz, Alex de Minaur and Learner Tien. Can De Minaur trouble Alcaraz? And how much will Tien be at a disadvantage against Alexander Zverev as a lefty? Part two (37:53) - Women’s results. We cover Aryna Sabalenka finding top gear to beat a battling Victoria Mboko, Coco Gauff continuing her dominance over Karolina Muchova in the day’s best match, Elina Svitolina keeping up her remarkable record against Russians by beating Mirra Andreeva, and an outstanding performance by teenager Iva Jovic to dismiss Yulia Putintseva. Part three (1:04:05) - Sensation(s) of the Day and Monday’s order of play.The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
1470. Aus Open Day 7 - Are Sinner and Djokovic lucky to still be in the tournament?
01:12:19||Ep. 1470Catherine, David and Matt catch up at the end of a day of scorching heat in Melbourne as Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic both survived very different scares. Part one - Men’s results. We cover all the drama of Sinner’s victory against Eliot Spizzirri as the Italian cramped badly before the closing of the roof came to his rescue. What can Sinner do to avoid these situations? As for Djokovic, just how close did he come to being disqualified for nearly hitting a ball kid? Plus, Lorenzo Musetti beats Tomas Machac in five and Stan Wawrinka says goodbye to the Australian Open in fitting fashion. Part two (41:48) - Women’s Results. We discuss Iga Swiatek’s impressive third set reset against Anna Kalinskaya, Naomi Osaka’s sad withdrawal, a dominant display from Amanda Anisimova, and the upcoming match between Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys. Part three (58:40) - Sensation of the day and a thrilling Day 8 lineup. Do we see any upsets?The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
1469. Aus Open Day 6 - Things are about to get serious
01:13:04||Ep. 1469Catherine, David and Matt discuss a day which saw almost all of the big names win through to set up a series of enticing Last 16 matches. Part one - Women’s results. We discuss Coco Gauff’s comeback against Hailey Baptiste, Aryna Sabalenka needing her tiebreak record to come through, a breakout performance from Iva Jovic to beat Jasmine Paolini, and some incredible Yulia Putintseva celebrations. Part two (26:49) - Men’s results. We cover Daniil Medvedev’s comeback from two sets down against Fabian Marozsan, his match up with Learner Tien in the next round, a brilliant display from Alex de Minaur in keeping with his reliable record in Melbourne, a comfortable win for Carlos Alcaraz, and Francisco Cerundolo winning through to face Alexander Zverev. Part three (55:46) - Sensation of the Day and the slightly adjusted Day 7 order of play with 40C heat expected.The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)The Athletic SurveyThe Athletic are asking you to fill out a quick survey about you and your podcast habits by going to theathletic.com/survey26. Three lucky entries will win $/£100 worth of Amazon vouchers too. Thank you.Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
1468. Aus Open Day 5 - What led to Osaka aggro?
01:10:03||Ep. 1468Catherine, David and Matt are together to look back on Stan Wawrinka’s epic victory and a day with some aggro as well as the first big upset in the women’s draw. Part one - Men’s results. We discuss Wawrinka stealing the show by winning a fifth set tiebreak against Arthur Gea, another comfortable day for Novak Djokovic, a somewhat surprising loss for Hubert Hurkacz, a sad Stefanos Tsitsipas scene, and an intriguing clash between Ben Shelton and Valentin Vacherot to come. Part two (34:23) - Women’s results. We cover the aggro between Naomi Osaka and Sorana Cirstea and all the fallout in the press conferences, an astonishing performance from 19-year-old Czech Nikola Bartunkova to beat Belinda Bencic, and the smooth progress of the rest of the top seeds. Part three (54:04) - How Maddison Inglis withstood the Laura Siegemund show to win Sensation of the Day.The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the USOpen, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expireFebruary 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details(www.Tours4Tennis.com)The Athletic SurveyThe Athletic are asking you to fill out a quick survey about you and your podcast habits by going to theathletic.com/survey26. Three lucky entries will win $/£100 worth of Amazon vouchers too. Thank you.Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel.