The Tennis Podcast

Catherine, David and Matt review an eventful few days of action in Rome and look ahead to finals weekend. Part one - WTA (00:00 - 44:40). We discuss how Elina Svitolina and Coco Gauff have both reached the final, including Svitolina’s remarkable wins on back-to-back nights over Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek, as well as Gauff’s battling victory over Mirra Andreeva and gradual improvement in form. Who has the edge in the final? Plus, we analyse Swiatek’s tournament and wonder what it means for Roland Garros, and we hear Pam Shriver’s observations from her time coaching in Rome. Part two - ATP (44:41 - 1:15:10). We start with Jannik Sinner’s record-breaking run as he sweeps through the field while managing some fatigue. But there’s plenty of chaos around Sinner to discuss, including a thrilling win for Daniil Medvedev against Martin Landaluce, a late-night, smoke-interrupted epic between Luciano Darderi and Rafael Jodar, and some very graceless quotes from Alexander Zverev. There’s collective joy that Arthur Fils will be fit for Roland Garros and sadness that Lorenzo Musetti has withdrawn. Part three - News (1:15:11 - 1:37:03). We react to the news that Andy Murray will coach Jack Draper for the grass court season and give our thoughts on Carlos Alcaraz’s Vanity Fair cover. 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.

Catherine, David and the Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare look back on a dramatic opening week at Rome’s Foro Italico.Part one - WTA (00:00 - 16:41). Charlie brings us up to speed on the latest stand off between the top players and the Grand Slams over prize money, and Aryna Sabalenka’s bold claim that the players are prepared to boycott in order to achieve the revenue share they think they deserve. Is it all hot air? Do the players have a point or are they being greedy?Part two - WTA (16:41 - 50:09). After Charlie explains the bizarre circumstances around Emma Raducanu’s pre tournament withdrawal, we get into the nitty gritty of the women’s results so far, including a shock early defeat and injury scare for the World Number One Sabalenka. Part three - ATP (50:09). Injury and illness drama also dominated the early stages of the men’s event, with Djokovic compromised by stomach issues and Dino Prizmic capitalising in spectacular fashion. Is Dino finally happening? And is there anyone left standing between Darth Sinner and a maiden title in Rome?Become a ⁠Friend of The Tennis Podcast⁠: https://bit.ly/FriendOfTheTennisPodcastCheck out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠new merch shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.thetennispodcast.net/shopSign 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): http://eepurl.com/gbmzRXFollow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@thetennispodcast): / djqzbwwmk.

Catherine, David and Matt are joined by The Athletic’s Matt Futterman to discuss finals weekend in Madrid and what it might all mean for Roland Garros. Part one - ATP (00:00 - 38:00). We start with Jannik Sinner’s demolition of Alexander Zverev and what it told us about their match up and the gap between Sinner and everyone else in the field in the absence of Carlos Alcaraz. Why was Zverev so poor in the final? Is Sinner in a mix of one at Roland Garros? And who or what might be his biggest obstacles? Part two - WTA (38:01 - 1:05:01). We discuss Marta Kostyuk winning the biggest title of her career over Mirra Andreeva, the keys to that victory, and whether this puts her in contention to win in Paris. Plus, can Andreeva learn to do that really hard thing of separating self-worth from results, and why does The Mix feel bigger on the women’s side? Part three - Rome preview (1:05:02 - 1:22:11) Full details of the Mike Dickson Award can be found here. 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.

Catherine, David and Matt look ahead to the women’s final and the men’s semis in Madrid. Part one - WTA (00:00 - 29:59). The Athletic’s Matt Futterman provides a report from on the ground in Madrid before we discuss Hailey Baptiste’s thrilling upset of Aryna Sabalenka as well as the paths that Mirra Andreeva and Marta Kostyuk have taken to the final. Part two - ATP (30:00 - 56:16). After Jannik Sinner’s impressive victory over Rafael Jodar, can Arthur Fils stop him? In the other semi-final, we discuss how Alexander Blockx has got there to face Alexander Zverev. Part three - News (56:17 - 1:12:07). Jack Draper is out of Roland Garros and will drop outside of the Top 100. We also have some insight into Emma Raducanu’s coaching developments…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.

Catherine, David and Matt catch up on all things Madrid - a tournament which has been hit by a bout of apparent food poisoning, but with plenty of interesting plot lines still developing. Part one - WTA (00:00 - 32:38). We cover Post Puke Gauff’s gutsy victory over Sorana Cirstea, Elena Rybakina coming through a couple of testing three setters, and a nice run for Hailey Baptiste. Plus, David fills us in on the return to form of Caty McNally and we make some predictions for the week ahead. Part two - ATP (32:39 - 1:05:44) Rafael Jodar’s win over Joao Fonseca was the standout moment of the tournament so far. How did Jodar win it? What happened to Fonseca in the decider? And did their match prove how good they are or reveal some potential weaknesses? There’s also chat about Lorenzo Musetti beginning to rediscover his confidence, some wild Terence Atmane scenes, and debate about who might come through the bottom half to (probably) face Jannik Sinner in the final. Part three - News (1:05:45 - 1:21:51). We get some ⁠extra information from the ITIA⁠ about Marketa Vondrousova’s case and we react to the news that Portia Archer has left her role as WTA CEO. 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.

Catherine, David and Matt convened for an emergency live show to react to the sad news that defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from next month's Roland Garros due to a wrist injury.We discussed what this means for Alcaraz, how it might affect Jannik Sinner going for the Career Slam, and the different feel the tournament will have without Alcaraz. Who can step up in his absence?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.

Part one - WTA (00:00 - 32:07). We start with Elena Rybakina’s title in Stuttgart which takes her to the top of the WTA Race for 2026. What were the keys to her victory? How did she come through an extraordinary match with Leylah Fernandez? And what might this mean for the rest of the clay court swing? There’s also chat about Karolina Muchova’s brilliant run and another loss from a set up for Iga Swiatek. But were there some positive signs for Swiatek in her defeat to Mirra Andreeva? Over in Rouen, we cover Marta Kostyuk’s victory in an all-Ukrainian final against Veronika Podrez. Part two - ATP (32:08 - 1:05:08). Arthur Fils is a title winner again and David is a very happy man! We discuss Fils’ level to beat Lorenzo Musetti, Rafael Jodar and Andrey Rublev in Barcelona before David makes a very big prediction. In Munich, we analyse Ben Shelton’s improvement on clay and an emotional week for Flavio Cobolli. Part three - News and Madrid preview (1:05:09 - 1:28:49). We cover the news that Marketa Vondrousova is facing investigation for refusing a doping test before looking through the Madrid draws. How concerning is Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal? Full details of the second edition of the Mike Dickson Award can be found here. 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.

Catherine and Matt are together for a mid week catch up with events in Stuttgart, Barcelona, Munich and Rouen in full swing. Part one - ATP (00:00 - 34:41). How concerning is Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Barcelona with a wrist injury? We react to his press conference and discuss the difficulty of his clay court season scheduling. Elsewhere in Barcelona, Lorenzo Musetti has picked up some much-needed wins and now plays Arthur Fils, while Rafael Jodar has become the favourite for the title. In Munich, there’s excitement ahead of Joao Fonseca vs Ben Shelton but also more dispiriting Stefanos Tsitsipas scenes. Part two - WTA (34:42 - 59:02). We look ahead to a brilliant quarter-final line-up in Stuttgart, despite a slow start to the event. Iga Swiatek’s new era is underway and we chat about her win over Laura Siegemund and preview her match against Mirra Andreeva. And can Coco Gauff keep up her perfect record against Karolina Muchova? Part three - News (59:03 - 1:34:58). We discuss tennis’ place in the quickly changing landscape of Saudi investment in sport, with reports that the WTA Finals will not be renewing in Riyadh. Could Czechia or Poland be good hosts? There’s also bits and pieces from Roland Garros’s pre tournament press conference, retirement announcements from Jamie Murray and Roberto Bautista Agut, and a Rafael Nadal documentary coming to Netflix. 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.

Catherine, David and Matt are here to look back on the first Sinner-Alcaraz match of the 2026 season. Part one - Monte Carlo (00:00 - 30:59). We discuss Jannik Sinner’s victory over Carlos Alcaraz in the final and how it sets up their rivalry and the clay court season ahead. In what way did Sinner cope best with the windy conditions? How much confidence will he take from his? And how might Alcaraz respond? There’s also chat about the gap between them and the rest of the field after Sinner’s comprehensive win over Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals as well as a final word on Valentin Vacherot’s incredible run. Part two - Linz and BJK Cup (31:00 - 59:29). Lilli Tagger’s run may have stopped in the quarter-finals, but the fun continued in Linz as Anastasia Potapova made it all the way to the final, only to lose to Mirra Andreeva. Just how impressive was that win for Andreeva? What’s the significance of her doing it without Conchita Martinez in her box? And how do we look back on the first edition of Linz on indoor clay? In the BJK Cup, we cover Great Britain’s shock win in Australia, USA’s defeat to Belgium, a compelling comeback from the Czechs to beat Switzerland, and a devastating day for Bianca Andreescu and Canada. Part three (59:30 - 1:21:01) - Preview and predictions for the week ahead which sees Alcaraz go to Barcelona and Iga Swiatek return in Stuttgart. 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.