The Tennis Podcast

David, Catherine and the Athletic's Matt Futterman had plenty to talk about after Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka completed the rare Double Sunshine Double with their Miami Open titles. Part one - ATP (00:00 - 37:45) We start with the extraordinary dominance of Jannik Sinner who has won the Indian Wells & Miami titles without dropping a set. With the points gap quickly closing on Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner is being open about his desperation to reclaim the top spot in men's tennis - will he do it, and if so, when?Part two - WTA (37:45 - 1:08:23) We cover Aryna Sabalenka's imperious run to the Miami title, including her significant final victory over resurgent Coco Gauff. How does Sabalenka manage to peak at every tournament she plays, and is Gauff coming good at just the right time?Part three - News (1:08:24 - 1:35:17) The WTA finals is set to move from Saudi Arabia - we wonder why, and where to? Plus there's discussion of Amanda Anisimova's shock coaching split and what it might lead to, and a general preview of the clay court season ahead (with punchy predictions). 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a dramatic few days in Miami, there’s lots to discuss for Catherine and David, who are holding the fort while Matt gets stopped by fans at Gatwick airport. Part one - (00:00 - 18:25) Shortly after discussing Iga Swiatek’s crisis of form and confidence on the last pod, news broke that Wim Fissette had been axed from the Swiatek team. Is it the right move? And who will the for the former World Number One now turn to for answers?Part two - (18:25 - 47:25) WTA - A dream semi final line up is set in Miami with yet another instalment of the rivalry of the moment between Aryna Sabalebka and Elena Rybakina, plus an intriguing clash between the resurgent Coco Gauff and a peaking Karolina Muchova. Who will win the title from here? Plus some reporting on the ground in Miami from the Athletic’s Matt Futterman. Part three - ATP (47:25) Arthur Fils’ comeback hits new heights after a scintillating victory over Tommy Paul to reach the Miami semi finals. David revels in every moment of it, but also warns that Jiri Lehecka is a tricky hurdle standing between Fils and the final. In the other half of the draw, Jannik Sinner is not just hunting down a Sunshine Double, but hunting down Carlos Alcaraz and his much coveted #1 spot.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a rainy first few days of Miami but things have picked up since then and a couple of big shocks - defeats for Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz - have left Catherine, David and Matt with plenty to discuss. Part one - WTA (00:00 - 43:51) We start with Swiatek’s defeat to Magda Linette as she opened up about the tennis “nightmare” she’s experiencing on court. What’s going wrong for her? And where does this leave her heading into the clay? Elsewhere there’s chat about Talia Gibson’s brilliant run, a return to form for Zheng Qinwen, a breakthrough win for Hailey Baptiste against Elina Svitolina, and a Last 16 line up filled with compelling matches. Part two - ATP (43:52 - 1:13:57) We cover Seb Korda’s wild win over Alcaraz which saw him choke in the second set but then regain his composure to win in three. Can Korda back up this win and take advantage of a wide-open top half of the draw? Arthur Fils might have something to say about that after he destroyed Stefanos Tsitsipas. There’s also chat about some of the young players impressing in Miami and some unexpected aggro between Corentin Moutet and Danielle Collins. Part three - News (1:38:58 - 1:32:21) Wimbledon’s expansion plans clear a big hurdle and video review technology is coming. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine, David and Matt are joined by The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare for a live show looking back on a dramatic finals weekend at Indian Wells. Part one - WTA (00:00 - 34:39). We react to Aryana Sabalenka’s incredible match point-saving victory over Elena Rybakina, discuss where the match was won and lost, and consider what it means for their rivalry. Plus, a Backhand List update and analysis of where Iga Swiatek is at after her defeat to Elina Svitolina. Part two - ATP (34:40 - 1:08:10). We cover Jannik Sinner’s incredible serving as he completed the set of big titles on hard courts and and a remarkable return to form for Daniil Medvedev who handed Carlos Alcaraz his first defeat of the season in the semi-finals. There’s also chat about the positives vibes we’re feeling about the current state of the ATP and yet more hindrance drama. Part three - Miami Preview (1:08:11 - 1:23:52). Draw breakdown and who needs a good tournament? 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s only been a few days since the last pod but so much has happened at Indian Wells for Catherine, David and Matt to get stuck into. Part one - ATP (00:00 - 40:17) It’s been a thrilling week on the ATP side with the return of Jack Draper and Arthur Fils helping to reinvigorate the tour. We discuss Draper’s epic win over Novak Djokovic and the technical tweaks which have helped Fils on his return. But will it still be a Carlos Alcaraz - Jannik Sinner final? There’s chat about Alcaraz’s absurd level against Casper Ruud and Sinner’s steel in seeing off a fine performance from Joao Fonseca. Part two - WTA (40:18 - 1:11:48) The matches may not have quite lived up to expectations so far, but there’s still been plenty of intrigue. We cover Iga Swiatek’s perfect tactics against Karolina Muchova, Aryna Sabalenka displaying how she’s evolved her game by beating Naomi Osaka handily, the impressive form of Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina and Victoria Mboko, and the worrying pattern of Mirra Andreeva losing her composure in matches. Part three - News (1:11:49 - 1:23:50). We react to reporting in The Athletic about how the ATP and Saudi Arabia plans to reshape the men’s tennis calendar by going on a shopping spree and buying back tournament licenses. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine, David and Matt catch up on the biggest talking points so far at Indian Wells. Part one (00:00 - 12:00). We start by picking up where we left off last week with an update on how tennis players escaped the United Arab Emirates as the conflict in the Middle East escalated.Part two (12:01 - 38:35). Men’s draw. Joao Fonseca is having a big week and now faces Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz remains the man to beat, Luciano Darderi accidentally called a hindrance on himself and lost the match, Arthur Fils and Jack Draper are continuing to impress on return, and what to make of Novak Djokovic?Part three (38:36 - 1:16:53) Women’s draw. A rare injury scare for Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova’s demolition of Emma Raducanu, excitement ahead of Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka’s first meeting since 2018, and Iga Swiatek’s recurring second set drop off. There’s also chat about the Eisenhower Cup exhibition and some predictions for the rest of the tournament.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.