The Tennis Podcast

The US Open men’s semi-finals did not deliver the competitiveness they promised – partly due to Rafael Nadal’s knee, partly due to Novak Djokovic’s brilliance.On The Tennis Podcast, on his birthday, David is joined separately by Simon Briggs of Telegraph Sport and Catherine to talk about it all.Nadal’s knee meant he had to retire when trailing Juan Martin del Potro by two sets. Is it a coincidence that he’s had to pull out of both hard court slams in 2018? How will he manage his body going forward?On a wider scale, Simon points out that a concerning pattern is developing: a number of showpiece matches this year have been compromised by injury or fatigue. Is tennis becoming too physical? Does something need to change? And is the solution to get rid of five sets?Del Potro’s victory was almost lost in all this, but he played well. His powerful-again backhand, in particular, was impressive. But what chance will he stand against Djokovic in the final?Djokovic beat Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Nishikori actually played pretty well, but Djokovic was simply exceptional. David thinks he is playing as well as ever.Will the crowd influence the final? Del Potro can be inspired by the chanting of his name, but Catherine reckons it will also bring the defiant best out of Djokovic.Finally, who are Catherine and David predicting to win the women’s final between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams? There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The women’s final is set: Serena Williams will face Naomi Osaka on Saturday. On The Tennis Podcast, David and Catherine discuss how both players got there.Serena beat Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-0. What made this such a formidable performance? David was struck by Serena's net game. Has she ever been forward more? And was it a pre-planned tactic or a mid-match adjustment?Is there a difference between “needing” and “wanting” Grand Slam titles? Catherine wonders whether, with Olympia now in her life, Serena no longer “needs” to win the US Open….but she might just want it more than ever.Naomi Osaka, meanwhile, saved all 13 break points to beat Madison Keys in straight sets. How did she turn the negative head-to-head record in her favour? There’s lots of talk about her improved movement and defence, as well as her loveable interviews.How will Osaka handle the occasion in her first Grand Slam final? She idolises Serena. She also beat her in Miami this year. But this is a different Serena.Looking ahead to the men’s semi-finals, there’s lots of excitement about the potential for epics. Will the matches deliver the goods? Catherine and David still have a feeling for Del Potro. But conditions are set to be less hot and humid. How much will that favour Djokovic? There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time in the Open Era there will be a Japanese man and woman in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam after contrasting wins for Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori.Osaka was brilliant again, cruising past an out-of-sorts Lesia Tsurenko. Is she playing the best tennis of anyone in the draw?Nishikori then reeled in Marin Cilic to win in five sets. Was he inspired by Osaka’s victory? Not for the first time, Cilic suffered an alarmingly sudden loss of form and became very agitated. Why does this keep happening?In the night session, David and Catherine lament the 'disrespectful' crowd noise during the Madison Keys vs. Carla Suarez Navarro match. Could the umpire have done more? Does the US Open need to embrace the power of silence?Despite the atmosphere, Keys played well again. Will she beat Osaka tomorrow? In the other women’s semi-final, are there any weaknesses with Serena’s movement that Sevastova could expose?In the Djokovic vs. Millman match, which Djokovic won pretty comfortably in the end, there was a bizarre moment when the match stopped to allow Millman to change his clothes. What was going on?Finally, Catherine reflects on a day in the Amazon Prime Video studio with Jimmy Connors. Who is the 5-time US Open champion predicting to win the men’s title? And does he feel protective of his long-standing records?There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the second night in a row, the end of The Tennis Podcast had to be recorded at past 2am in New York.That’s because Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem played a marathon match long into the night, with Nadal prevailing in a thrilling deciding set tiebreak.This was tennis at its absolute best, say David and Catherine, and also a brilliant advert for fifth set tiebreaks.Nadal will now face Del Potro in a repeat of last year’s semi-final. Del Potro beat Isner in a match that played out as most people expected. Is there an irresistible force behind Del Potro pushing him to the title?Elsewhere, there was a big surprise in the opening match of the day when Sloane Stephens was beaten in straight-sets by Anastasija Sevastova. How did Sevastova “bamboozle” the defending champion? Did Stephens show mental weakness?Will Sevastova’s variety and court craft trouble Serena Williams in the semi-finals? Serena was a comfortable winner against Karolina Pliskova on Tuesday night. How well did she play?There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a Tennis Podcast in two parts.First of all, David and Catherine recorded almost half an hour of chat about the day session, reflecting on wins for Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys and Novak Djokovic, and looking ahead to the quarter-finals.Then the night session happened. And all hell broke loose. At 2:15am, David and Simon Briggs tried to pick up the pieces following Roger Federer’s shock defeat to John Millman. Federer hit 76 unforced errors, made 10 double faults and landed less than 50% of his first serves. Why was he so off his game? Where does he go from here? In his press conference, Federer admitted that he suffered badly in the heat and humidity. Has he ever sweated so much?Also in the night session, Maria Sharapova endured her first ever defeat under the lights in New York against Carla Suarez Navarro. How much longer will Sharapova put up with not contending for Grand Slams?There will daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With no obvious headline on Day 7 at the US Open, David and Catherine start the Tennis Podcast by purring over the form of Sloane Stephens and trying to pin down what makes her such a sublime player. They agree she has a sixth sense, but is she unstoppable at her best? It certainly felt like it against Elise Mertens.  Another good performance from Serena is discussed. How well did she do to weather the second set onslaught from Kaia Kanepi? Will the quietly impressive Karolina Pliskova provide her biggest test yet in the next round?Dominic Thiem pulled off the result of the day on the men’s side, beating last year’s finalist Kevin Anderson in straight sets. Did Anderson’s five-setters catch up with him?Thiem’s next opponent is Nadal. The world No.1 was rattled by the brilliance of Basilashvili, with the Georgian adopting a similar aggressive approach to Khachanov. Has Khachanov softened Nadal up? If so, can Thiem deliver the knockout blow?Elsewhere, John Isner and Milos Raonic played a five-set match without any tiebreaks. How on earth did that happen?On Monday, Maria Sharapova has been handed another night session slot. That’s four in a row. Is that fair?There will daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federer vs. Kyrgios may not have lived up to our lofty expectations, but it still delivered a number of talking points for Catherine and David on The Tennis Podcast.It was neither a total capitulation nor a fully-engaged performance from Kyrgios. Why does Catherine believe it was a step backwards? Will he finally get a coach?Federer, meanwhile, produced a shot of genius. You must have seen it. Where does it rank in his long list of memorable moments?Elsewhere, it was a day laden with upsets. The defeats of Angelique Kerber, Caroline Garcia, Lucas Pouille and Alexander Zverev are discussed. David is refusing to talk about Petra Kvitova…Were we expecting too much too soon from the Lendl-Zverev partnership? When will the German solve the Grand Slam conundrum?The devastating form of Naomi Osaka also gets a mention. She’s won three 6-0 sets in a row! There will daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After all the off-court drama of the past few days, the excitement on day five at the US Open was to be found on the court. David is joined separately by Simon Briggs and Catherine to talk about it all.Serena vs. Venus was a remarkable occasion, as expected, but Serena’s brilliance made it a one-sided contest. Has she sent a message to the rest of the field?The match of the day was undoubtedly the four-hour epic between Karen Khachanov and Rafael Nadal. Is it time to raise our expectations of Khachanov? How much of a concern is Nadal’s knee for the rest of the tournament?Elsewhere, Saturday’s order of play is another cracker. Eyebrows were raised when Federer vs. Kyrgios was scheduled for the day session, but David is on hand with an explanation. Will the conditions favour either player?There will daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not for the first time, a Nick Kyrgios match dominates discussion on The Tennis Podcast. This time, however, Kyrgios is ceding much of the spotlight to umpire Mohamed Lahyani, whose decision to get down from his chair and apparently give Kyrgios a pep talk has caused a lot of controversy.David and Catherine give their reaction to the incident and its aftermath. Was Lahyani trying to cajole and counsel Kyrgios? Did he overstep the mark? What would be an appropriate sanction for Lahyani? And how would the situation have changed if Pierre-Hugues Herbert had reacted on court?The media storm has covered up the fact that Kyrgios was tanking. Surely he can’t keep doing this? His approach frustrated David and Catherine immensely, but they both agree that he will give his all against Roger Federer in the next round.Elsewhere, Angelique Kerber let a healthy lead slip, but eventually won in three sets. Will coming through this test serve her well later in the tournament?Finally, there’s lots of excitement at the third round line-up. Has there ever been a better one in Grand Slam history? Will Sabalenka beat Kvitova? Can Shapovalov topple Anderson? And why is no one talking up Naomi Osaka’s chances? There will daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Murray is out of the US Open. But not without a fight. Not without looking much like his old self in a four-set defeat to Fernando Verdasco.After another scorching day in New York, Catherine joins David on The Tennis Podcast to discuss the match in detail. What made this the most encouraging performance of Murray’s comeback so far? What did Murray say in his press conference? How well did Verdasco do to hold his nerve in that thrilling final game?In the women’s draw, defending champion Sloane Stephens survived a three-setter against the impressive Anhelina Kalinina. Stephens didn’t play her best, but Catherine and David are full of praise for her attitude. They also can’t get enough of her opponent’s name…Elsewhere, a number of fascinating third round matches have been set, including Serena vs Venus. What will the atmosphere be like for that one on Friday?In a packed podcast, there’s also reaction to the statements given by the USTA and the WTA in response to Alize Cornet’s controversial code violation, chat about the latest Twitter activity of Nick Kyrgios, and a look ahead to day four.There will daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a day of extreme heat and humidity at the US Open, when merely breathing was a challenge, Simon Briggs of Telegraph Sport joins David to salute all the players that managed to actually play high-level tennis in such brutal conditions.The decision of the tournament organisers to invoke the heat rule, including one for the men, is praised. But should play have been cancelled altogether?Novak Djokovic was one of a number of players to be seriously affected by the weather, but he battled through in four sets. Djokovic certainly looked exhausted, but isn’t it a good sign that he’s no longer hiding his emotions on court? Elsewhere, David and Simon pick up the pieces from Jo Konta’s straight-sets defeat to No. 6 seed Caroline Garcia. Does Konta need a plan B? Why has her serve become less effective? And how much longer will her coaching relationship with Michael Joyce last?In the night session, Roger Federer cruised through against Yoshihito Nishioka and Maria Sharapova held off Patty Schnyder’s mini-fightback. Finally, there’s a preview of Andy Murray’s second round match against Fernando Verdasco. Murray owns a 13-1 head-to-head record. But conditions are set to be even worse on Wednesday. Who will that favour?There will daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former World No.5 turned Amazon Prime Video UK pundit Daniela Hantuchova joins David and Catherine to review an eventful opening day at the US Open.For the first time in the tournament’s history, the women’s top seed lost in the first round. Where did it all go wrong for Simona Halep against Kaia Kanepi? Why was there no real fightback? Has she become over-reliant on Darren Cahill? Hantuchova thinks she might still need time to recover from the high of winning at Roland Garros.From a British perspective it was a pretty chaotic day, with Andy Murray, Kyle Edmund and Heather Watson all playing at the same time.Murray came from a set down to defeat James Duckworth, with his movement improving steadily throughout the match. Hantuchova gives an insight into what it’s like to return from injury, and draws a fascinating comparison between Halep’s on-court negativity and Murray’s emotional ramblings.Edmund, meanwhile, broke down physically in a four-set loss to Paolo Lorenzi. What happened?Elsewhere, Stan Wawrinka eased past Grigor Dimitrov. Nobody was surprised by the result, but the 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 scoreline was alarmingly lop-sided. Why is Dimitrov struggling so much in 2018? Does he need to become less ‘stubborn’?In the night session, Serena's dress and Nadal's sleeveless top caught the eye.David and Catherine will be back with daily shows throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spirits are high on the new Tennis Podcast with David and Catherine back together on Fifth Avenue to preview the US Open.David may have just stepped off the plane, but Catherine has been in New York for a couple of days. In that time, she’s seen the brand-new Louis Armstrong Stadium, soaked up the joy of Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day and spoken to a number of players at the “Superbowl style” media day, including Andy Murray. What state of mind is he in? And how far can he realistically go this fortnight?On paper, Novak Djokovic has the draw from heaven, while Federer’s is a bit of a nightmare. Will we see them face off in the quarter-finals?We will also get our first look at the new partnership between Ivan Lendl and Alexander Zverev. Will Lendl be the difference-maker? On the women’s side, can Stephens pull off the rare feat (unless you’re Serena Williams) of defending her title? And how will Halep cope without the on-court coaching of Darren Cahill?Angelique Kerber, meanwhile, is looking relaxed. Can she win back-to-back Grand Slams?There’s also the possibility of Serena vs. Venus in the third round. But David and Catherine both think it might not happen.Elsewhere, there are some bold predictions and a couple of cameo appearances from two former British No.1s…David and Catherine will be back with daily shows throughout the US Open fortnight. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with the Telegraph and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a monumental week for tennis as the ITF’s proposals to reform the Davis Cup were approved. The decision sparked a huge reaction, with much of it negative. But is it all doom and gloom? On the new Tennis Podcast, Catherine and Charlie Eccleshare of Telegraph Sport give their take on the news.Can the new Davis Cup and the planned World Team Cup possibly co-exist? Will the $3billion investment help smaller tennis nations? And are some players scared to come out in support of the reforms?On court this week, Novak Djokovic claimed an elusive maiden title in Cincinnati to become the first singles player ever to win all nine Masters 1000 events. How big of an achievement is it? And is he now the US Open favourite?Djokovic beat Federer in the final in Cincinnati. Catherine and Charlie both think that Federer played very poorly in the final, but they disagree about his prospects in New York.On the women’s side, Kiki Bertens produced a brilliant run in Cincinnati. She toppled Wozniacki, Svitolina, Kvitova and then World No. 1 Simona Halep in the final. Can we now stop calling her a clay-court specialist?The Tennis Podcast is uploaded weekly throughout the year and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments. It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With David away on holiday, The Telegraph’s Charlie Eccleshare joins Catherine on The Tennis Podcast to review the action from the Rogers Cup in Canada, where world No.1s Simona Halep and Rafael Nadal picked up the titles in Montreal and Toronto respectively.Halep battled past Stephens in a thrilling final. Can the pair now establish a genuine, lasting rivalry at the top of the game? And is it too early to call them the two clear favourites for the US Open?Nadal, meanwhile, withstood the challenge of Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek beat four top-10 players in a row to reach the final, capturing hearts and turning heads in the process. What makes him so exciting to watch? Can he win a Grand Slam title before Alexander Zverev?Speaking of Zverev, he described his match with Tsitsipas as “pathetic” and said his opponent didn’t even play that well. It’s fair to say those comments divided opinion, but what did Catherine and Charlie make of them?Other talking points to come out of Canada included promising signs for Jo Konta and Stan Wawrinka, a glimpse of the Shapovalov-Auger-Aliassime bromance and a positive player response to the shot clock.Elsewhere, with the news this week that the venue for the ATP Finals after 2020 is being put out to tender, Catherine and Charlie weigh up the pros and cons of moving the event away from London’s O2 arena.Finally, this Thursday will see member nations vote on reforming the Davis Cup. The specific proposals, and the wide-ranging reactions they have provoked, are discussed.The Tennis Podcast is uploaded weekly throughout the year and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments. It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unsurprisingly, the eventful return of Andy Murray dominates discussion on this week’s Tennis Podcast.After Murray played and won his first hard court matches since March 2017 by advancing to the quarter-finals in Washington, David and Catherine are on hand to talk all about it.What did we learn about Murray? How well did he play? And why did he end up in tears after beating Marius Copil? The 3:02am finish might have had something to do with it…On that note, the scheduling issues in Washington are discussed, as well as the way in which tournament director Keely O’Brien misguidedly called Murray’s fighting spirit into question.While Murray hogged the headlines in Washington, it was ultimately Alexander Zverev who won the title. Zverev is still officially considered #NextGen, but the way he brushed aside Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex De Minaur emphasised the superiority he has over his contemporaries. When will he start producing such dominant displays at Grand Slams?On the women’ side, tribute is paid to Mihaela Buzarnescu. The Romanian spent ten fruitless years attempting to qualify for a WTA Tour event, but her perseverance is finally paying off. Her title victory in San Jose is covered.San Jose also produced by far the most eye-catching scoreline of the week: Jo Konta 6-1, 6-0 Serena Williams. What happened there? Is Konta back on the right path? And can we read anything into Serena’s subsequent withdrawal from Montreal?There’s also reaction to Donna Vekic’s tearful speech after losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Washington final, as well as a quick look ahead to the Rogers Cup. Which players have the most to prove in Canada?The Tennis Podcast is uploaded weekly throughout the year and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments. It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine and David are back with a bumper edition of The Tennis Podcast to reflect on everything that’s happened in the sport since Wimbledon. From Newport to Nanchang, all the noteworthy results and their implications are covered. Can Cecchinato or Fognini reach the ATP World Tour Finals? Who is 17-year-old Moscow titlist Olga Danilovic? And what’s the key to John Isner’s sustained success in Atlanta?Moreover, Britain’s Jay Clarke won the Binghamton Challenger. His prospects are discussed, as well as the proposals to revamp the ATP Challenger Tour from next year. Are the changes a good idea?Elsewhere, Marian Vajda has had some less-than-positive things to say about Pepe Imaz’s influence on Novak Djokovic. Those remarks came shortly after Djokovic wrote an open letter revealing the struggles he’s faced over the last two years. Catherine and David give their take on both subjects.Serena Williams has also made the headlines after tweeting her frustration at the way drug testing is carried out in tennis. She feels she has been subjected to discrimination. But is she ignoring some of the facts? It’s a murky picture, but both David and Catherine agree that tennis needs more drug testing, not less.There’s also debate over the pronunciation of ‘Bastad’, rumours that David and Catherine’s rematch may be around the corner, and a look at some of the quirkiest head-to-head records of all time.Last but not least, the winners of #TennisPodCastaways are announced.The Tennis Podcast is uploaded weekly throughout the year and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments. It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After producing 39 podcasts in 50 days during the French Open, the Fever-Tree Championships and Wimbledon, Catherine and David have handed over editorial control to the listeners for the latest show.In the fourth instalment this year of Ask Catherine & David, the hosts do their best to answer all the questions selected by executive producer Melanie Bose.What does Rafael Nadal need to achieve to become widely considered the GOAT? Would tennis be better off with a commissioner rather than a committee? Should women be playing best-of-five sets at Grand Slams? And what might Andy Murray do once his playing career is over?Catherine and David get stuck into all that and more.The Tennis Podcast is uploaded weekly throughout the year and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments. It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Novak Djokovic has been through some dark times over the past couple of years, but his 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 win over Kevin Anderson in the Wimbledon final proved that he is very much back in the big time. Afterwards, Tennis Podcast presenter David Law was joined by Charlie Eccleshare of the Telegraph to look back on a final that didn't get going until set three, and ultimately proved a step too far for Anderson. Just how good was Djokovic? Where does this leave him for the US Open in a few weeks time? And how many more can Djokovic win? The Tennis Podcast team give their views.As the subject of the men's doubles championships is covered, and the transition from junior tennis to senior success discussed, conversation takes a more troubling turn when the subject of player mental health is brought up. Eccleshare and Law have both discussed the issue with players that have struggled, and those struggles are detailed on the show. The Tennis Podcast is uploaded weekly throughout the year and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments. It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Royalty in attendance - the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex - Angelique Kerber defeated Serena Williams to win the Wimbledon title, and Novak Djokovic overcame Rafael Nadal in an all-time classic to reach the men’s final.Afterwards, Catherine Whitaker was joined by Charlie Eccleshare of the Telegraph, and later David Law, to review the day.Why was Kerber such a comfortable winner over Williams? How will the final be reported in the pages of the Telegraph? And what next for both players?Where does Djokovic vs. Nadal stand in the list of all-time great contests? Is it the best rivalry of them all? Did Wimbledon get its scheduling decisions right, or do they need to look at it for the future?The Tennis Podcast is produced daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A memorable, bizarre, pulsating day at Wimbledon ended with Kevin Anderson in the men’s singles final after a 6 hour 36 minute epic, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal needing to come back out to continue battle on Saturday with Djokovic ahead 2 sets to 1, and a women’s final likely to be delayed as a result. In total darkness after the 11pm curfew had brought play to a halt, Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Simon Briggs got together to review matters.Is it time for a final set tie-break to be brought in at all the Grand Slams to avoid a scoreline like 26-24? Will Anderson be able to recover for the final? And who is he going to end up playing against - Djokovic or Nadal?In the women’s final, Serena Williams will take on Angelique Kerber, but it might well be delayed. Is that satisfactory, or should they have resumed with the men’s semifinal afterwards?The Tennis Podcast is produced daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After two one-sided women’s semifinals at Wimbledon, the prospect of a Serena Williams vs. Angelique Kerber final is mouthwatering, and who better to talk about it, and everything else, than Mary Carillo.The Tennis Podcast’s favourite guest joins Catherine Whitaker and David Law on the broadcast roof to cover matches galore, look ahead to Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal, and tell us an anecdote involving Roger Federer’s kids!The Tennis Podcast is produced daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A day that began with Roger Federer looking serene ended with him out of the tournament, Rafael Nadal fighting through at the last, and David Law speaking to a couple of special guests - BBC commentators Vassos Alexander and Russell Fuller - to try to cover it all on The Tennis Podcast.Federer was felled by Kevin Anderson, who saved match point and came back from two sets to love down to overcome Federer in 5. Was it a question of sensational play from the South African, or did Federer look short of his best? Did the change in scenery for Federer on Court One bother him after 19 successive Centre Court appearances?  Nadal vs. Juan Martin del Potro was described by Andy Murray in the BBC commentary box as one of the best matches he has ever seen ‘live’, and it was hard to argue. Del Potro led two sets to one, but Nadal came back to win it in a marathon 5th set. Where was the match won and lost? Will Del Potro ever win another Slam? Is Nadal about to win Wimbledon and close the gap on Federer to just two major titles?Nadal will face Djokovic, who looked pretty sprightly in a four-set win over Kei Nishikori. Is Djokovic now back to his best? Will he beat Nadal?Isner bravely fought past Milos Raonic in four sets, from a set down. Could this be the 33-year-old’s time?Law, Alexander and Fuller all look ahead to the women’s semifinals and give their predictions for Angelique Kerber vs. Jelena Ostapenko and Serena Williams vs. Julia Goerges. The Tennis Podcast is produced daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a women's quarter finals day that did not disappoint, David & Catherine are left to dissect four quarter final matches, and four deserving semi finalists. David picks Serena as the title favourite while Catherine thinks Angelique Kerber is the one to watch, and what about Jelena Ostapenko, a woman who is capable of hitting any opponent clean off the court. And although not a winner on Tuesday, Daria Kasatkina sure did seize the opportunity to show the Centre Court crowd what she's made of...Also discussed is the surprising and welcome decision to put Roger Federer vs Kevin Anderson on Court One on Wednesday, and the guest appearance by pundit Andy Murray on BBC TV's Wimbledon coverage, during which he hinted that he thinks his old rival Novak Djokovic could be the men's champion come Sunday.The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the annual tennis festival that is 'Manic Monday' comes and goes, David & Catherine meet in their usual spot on the broadcast roof to analyse not only the matches themselves, but also their scheduling. Six men's and three women's matches on the three main show courts, and Djokovic relegated to Court One once again while Federer enjoys his usual Centre Court procession - is it fair? And if not, does it even matter so long as the paying public are happy?And what of the women's round of 16 matches.. How much can we really learn from Serena Williams demolition of Evgenia Rodina? And why does Catherine have a funny feeling that Saturday's Champion might end up being the winner of the quarter final between Angelique 'The Absorber' Kerber and Daria 'The Magician' Kasatkina? And just how on earth is Camila Giorgi averaging 36 winners per match? All this is debated and dissected, with a small dollop of #PollVault thrown in for good measure.The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the first week of Wimbledon 2018 draws to a close, Catherine & David meet on the broadcast centre roof overlooking the grounds to discuss yet another shock defeat in the women's draw, that of top seed and French Open Champion Simona Halep to perennial Grand Slam giant-killer Su-Wei Hseih. They also discuss the rest of the day's women's results which included wins for 'tennis magicians' Daria Kasatkina and Belinda Bencic, and another jaw-dropping performance by on-fire Jelena Ostapenko.The day's men's results saw straightforward victories for Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin Del Potro, but also the end of British hopes at the Championships as Kyle Edmund battled valiantly before losing in four sets to a defiant and resurgent Novak Djokovic. And what of Kei Nishikori's 'best ever' grass court performance to beat Nick Kyrgios in fading light, and of his fourth round opponent Ernests Gulbis, whose rankings history is quite the rollercoaster ride. And as the order of play dropped mid-episode, discussion moved on yet again to contraversial court assignments, including inequitable distribution of men's and women's matches, and a seeming refusal to put three-time champion Djokovic on Centre Court.The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a day that drew to a close with just two of the women's top ten seeds left standing, Catherine & David are joined by BBC commentator Phil Studd to dissect a horrific defeat for Madison Keys to the world no 120, and a battling defeat for five-time Champion Venus Williams to the no-longer-a-clay-court-specialist Kiki Bertens. Oh, and while we're on the subject of Venus.. what's up with her court assignments in recent years? The Tennis Podcast team delve into the debate.While seeds tumble left and right though Serena Williams to continues her remarkable comeback, and Karolina Pliskova has for once ensured that she isn't one of the first week Wimbledon casualties.And on the men's side Roger Federer has been casually making yet more record-breaking history, but should he always be doing it on Centre Court? And who is Stefanos Tsitsipas, the first Greek man ever to make it to the second week of a Slam? We find put a little bit about 'the future of men's tennis'.The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A stunning day of upsets at Wimbledon saw defending champion Garbine Muguruza go out, podcast-pick Marin Cilic fall, and Jo Konta defeated, and The Tennis Podcast has an equally dramatic line-up of guests to round it all up.John McEnroe and Tim Henman talk to The Tennis Podcast about Kyle Edmund’s win over Bradley Klahn and look ahead to Edmund vs. Novak Djokovic in round 3. Could Edmund score a stunning win?The BBC’s Iain Carter joins presenter David Law to reflect on the losses of Cilic and Konta, that he commentated on for Radio 5 Live in the UK. Carter also looks back on the match he commentated on between Gilles Muller and Rafael Nadal last year, and reminisces about his 5 years as the BBC’s tennis correspondent when Henman was trying to win Wimbledon. Finally, in the press room, Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs reacts to the shock defeat of defending champion Garbine Muguruza. The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the English footballing euphoria of Tuesday night, day 3 at Wimbledon occupied national centre stage and the main talking point on The Tennis Podcast was the demise of one of the top seeds.While Serena Williams and Roger Federer strolled to victory on Centre Court, Caroline Wozniacki endured a torrid time on Court One, crashing out at the hands of Ekaterina Makaraova. Afterwards, Wozniacki was in somewhat uncharitable mood towards her opponent and doesn’t think she will go much further.There’s talk of rare rain, flying ants and sadness over the plight of Laura Robson who is about to undergo hip surgery.David Law and Charlie Eccleshare also look ahead to Thursday, when Johanna Konta, Kyle Edmund and Katie Boulter will be in action for Britain, and Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic also return. The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second day of the Wimbledon Championships saw popular pick for the title - Petra Kvitova go spinning out at the first round stage.Afterwards, Catherine Whitaker and David Law got together to talk about what happened to the Czech, what they thought of the performances of Rafael Nadal, Johanna Konta and Kyle Edmund, and what constitutes an ‘introvert’.The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the day that Serena Williams returned to Wimbledon for the first time in a couple of years and won her first round, Stan Wawrinka scored the biggest win of his career since returning from knee surgery.Wawrinka overcame Grigor Dimitrov in exhilarating fashion on Centre Court, commentated on for BBC 5 Live by David Law. Afterwards, he and Catherine Whitaker met up to mull over the day’s action, including a shocking loss for Sloane Stephens, they talk about the clothing label change of Roger Federer, and find out what Catherine made of Venus Williams and Katie Swan in her interviews.The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What looked like being the calm before the storm on the day before The Championships, erupted into life a day early with Andy Murray’s sudden withdrawal.The news is crow-barred into the preview pod after its initial recording, with more considered attention given to who might win the men’s and women’s singles titles. David Law is joined by Simon Briggs from the Telegraph, who thinks that Roger Federer fans are going to be disappointed this time around. So who will dethrone the mighty Swiss?There’s talk of the chances of Nadal 10 years on from his first victory, and the return of Serena Williams for the first time since giving birth.Will Petra Kvitova or Simona Halep take the women’s title, or perhaps someone else?And what of Kyle Edmund, who comes into Wimbledon as the British No.1 male for the first time?The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout Wimbledon, presented by David Law and Catherine Whitaker.It is produced in associated with Telegraph Sport and sponsored by Amazon Prime Video, the new home of the US Open in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year ago, Marin Cilic cut a disconsolate figure as he lost the final against Feliciano Lopez from match point down. A year on, it was his turn to save match point against Novak Djokovic before winning through in the longest match in the history of the Fever-Tree Championships at The Queen's Club.Afterwards, Cilic spoke to David Law, and, sitting overlooking centre court, Law and Catherine Whitaker debriefed over the match they had just witnessed. What happened to Djokovic - was it a choke? Or did Cilic wrestle it away?What does it all mean for Wimbledon? Is Cilic now the favourite for the title? Is Djokovic a real contender?The Tennis Podcast will be daily throughout The Championships at Wimbledon, in association with Telegraph Sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Novak Djokovic is into an ATP final for the first time since he returned from a serious elbow injury, and afterwards he spoke to The Tennis Podcast. He is up against Marin Cilic in the title-decider for the Fever-Tree Championships. The Croatian also joined Gigi Salmon to chat on the pod.Elsewhere, we hear from Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett during the ever first wheelchair exhibition tournament at Queen's, and from Novak Djokovic's coach Marian Vajda, who explains why he returned to his man's side. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Down to the final four at the Fever-Tree Championships, and on quarterfinals day at The Queen’s Club, Marin Cilic, Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic and Jeremy Chardy were all in formidable form.On the Tennis Podcast, Catherine Whitaker and Gigi Salmon discuss their respective wins, and we hear from Cilic whose week on the court is going as well as that of his country Croatia in the World Cup. We dip into the press conferences of Kyrgios and Djokovic who both seem serene and ready for a big weekend. And Gigi Salmon has a good chat with Jeremy Chardy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not every celebrity tennis fan could hold court on the Tennis Podcast, but not everyone celebrity fan is Jason Isaacs from Harry Potter fame.Isaacs comes straight from watching Nick Kyrgios edge Kyle Edmund in the second round to join David Law in the players lounge at the Fever-Tree Championships at The Queen’s Club. What does someone known for being one of the great character actors make of a character like Kyrgios? Later, Novak Djokovic overcame Grigor Dimitrov comfortably, and afterwards spoke to Gigi Salmon about his form, fitness and what he’s addicted to.After that, Catherine Whitaker and David Law have a chat in person for the first time in a while and remind us what The Tennis Podcast used to sound like. The Fever-Tree Championships at The Queen’s Club is broadcast on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from 11.30am every day. Their coverage is presented by our very own Catherine Whitaker, alongside Ross Dyer, Daniela Hantuchova and Greg Rusedski. The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly throughout the year and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments and The Fever-Tree Championships, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Prime Video) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Queen’s Day 3 - Meet Frances Tiafoe; Hewitt Rolls Back The Years; Querrey overcomes WawrinkaHello and welcome to take 2 of Wednesday’s Tennis Podcast from the Fever-Tree Championships.Take 1 was an award-winning edition featuring Catherine Whitaker and Gigi Salmon. That one didn’t record…Take 2 features David Law and Queen’s Tournament Director Stephen Farrow having a beer after work in Stephen’s office, and looking back on a day in which Lleyton Hewitt and Nick Kyrgios won their doubles match against Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut. Before that, Sam Querrey, Marin Cilic and Frances Tiafoe were all winners, and the latter joined Gigi Salmon for a good chat. We also hear from Kyle Edmund and former Prime Minister David Cameron, who was a guest of the club. The Fever-Tree Championships at The Queen’s Club is broadcast on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from 11.30am every day. Their coverage is presented by our very own Catherine Whitaker, alongside Ross Dyer, Daniela Hantuchova and Greg Rusedski. The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly throughout the year and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments and The Fever-Tree Championships, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Prime Video) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three hundred and forty one day days had passed since Andy Murray last took to a competitive match court, and few people would have expected him to play as well as he did at the Fever-Tree Championships on Tuesday. The five-time champion fought, scrapped and dragged himself to within each of the finish-line, but Kyrgios found a way through in the end. Afterwards, Catherine Whitaker and Gigi Salmon convened next to a covered Centre Court to assess how Murray looked, and whether Kyrgios should be doing more at this stage of his career.They also looked at the contrasting fortunes of Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans, spoke to Feliciano Lopez, and played the cocktail sticks game with Stan Wawrinka. ‘What would surprise you about Stan Wawrinka?’ was one of the questions.His answer was surprising. The Fever-Tree Championships at The Queen’s Club is broadcast on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from 11.30am every day. Their coverage is presented by our very own Catherine Whitaker, alongside Ross Dyer, Daniela Hantuchova and Greg Rusedski. The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly throughout the year and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments and The Fever-Tree Championships, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Prime Video) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day one of the Fever-Tree Championships at The Queen’s Club saw some cracking tennis, no big shocks, and the arrival of Nick Kyrgios.Ahead of Kyrgios vs. Andy Murray, Catherine Whitaker spoke to the Australian to find out how he’s feeling, where his game and health are at, and how he planned to get a first win over a man he freely admits is ‘a mate’.We also hear from Dan Evans on his return to the game after suspension, and Grigor Dimitrov tells Gigi Salmon about his visit to see the Duke of Cambridge. There’s a day one review, and a day two preview.The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly throughout the year and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments and The Fever-Tree Championships, in association with Telegraph Sport and Prime Video. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Prime Video) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Murray is back! After almost a year side-lined by injury, he will make his competitive return at The Queen’s Club against Nick Kyrgios on Tuesday.In the first of daily podcasts from the Fever-Tree Championships, Murray’s last-minute decision to play dominates discussion.In an incredibly honest interview, Murray opens up to Catherine about his difficult year and his prospects for the future. How has his relationships with the sport changed? How low did he feel during the long months of rehab? What unfinished business does he have left in the sport?Hear the full-length interview on The Tennis Podcast.The other big news is that Novak Djokovic is back at The Queen’s Club for the first time since 2010. Speaking to Gigi Salmon, Djokovic recounts in detail his own struggles over the last twelve months. What lessons has he learned? Have his problems been more physical or mental?Finally, Cameron Norrie will face Stan Wawrinka on Monday. But what is the Brit’s party trick?The Fever-Tree Championships at The Queen’s Club will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from 11.30am every day. Their coverage is presented by our very own Catherine Whitaker, alongside Ross Dyer, Daniela Hantuchova and Greg Rusedski. The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly throughout the year and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments and The Fever-Tree Championships, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Prime Video) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of his return to The Queen's Club for doubles in the Fever-Tree Championships, Lleyton Hewitt sat down with David Law and Charlie Eccleshare of the Telegraph for half an hour to talk about why he can't and doesn't want to give the sport up, what it was like facing a man arguably even more intense than him - Rafael Nadal on Clay, and why he thinks the plans to try to change the Davis Cup must be stopped. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rafael Nadal is the French Open champion. Sound familiar?On the Tennis Podcast, Catherine and David look back on the way Nadal overcame Dominic Thiem and a bout of cramp to win at Roland Garros for the eleventh time.The scoreline shows that Nadal won 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Does that reflect harshly on Thiem? Could he have done anything differently? And has his run to the final justified his decision to play such a packed schedule?As for Nadal, he came through a closely-fought first set and then took control. Is his game more complete than ever? How does he continue to dominate at Roland Garros after all these years?There was a moment of concern for Nadal in the third set when he had to call the trainer for cramp in his finger. What was going on? Should he have been allowed the treatment he received?Elsewhere, David and Catherine react to the positive reports about Andy Murray’s recovery, and respond to the rumours that Roger Federer might be switching clothing sponsor.There’s also a tribute to Brazilian great Maria Bueno who has died at the age of 78.The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly throughout the year and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simona Halep is a Grand Slam champion at last.Having lost her previous three finals, Halep finally ended her drought by battling past Sloane Stephens in a captivating contest at Roland Garros. On the Tennis Podcast, Catherine and David pay tribute to her resilience.Trailing by a set and a break to Stephens, who was looking close to unbeatable, it felt like Halep would fall short once again. So how did she turn it around? Did the quality of Stephens' tennis actually help Halep to play more aggressively? Catherine says that Halep had to become "not afraid to lose".Halep’s win has been greeted by an outpouring of goodwill from fellow players. What makes her such a popular champion? How might she celebrate? And can she now become a multiple Grand Slam champion?Elsewhere, David and Catherine look ahead to tomorrow’s men’s final. Thiem is the only man to have beaten Nadal on clay in the past two seasons. But can he possibly do it over five sets in his first Grand Slam final? And is the challenge more physical or mental for Thiem? David and Catherine talk up his chances. But do they think he’s going to win?There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the French Open, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The one and only Mary Carillo is back! After debuting on The Tennis Podcast at last year’s US Open, Carillo is at her storytelling best as she joins Catherine from Roland Garros to preview Satuday’s women’s final between Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens. Carillo is the first to admit that this year’s French Open hasn’t caught fire. But that doesn’t dampen her enthusiasm for the women’s final. Will it live up to expectations? Find out why Carillo’s nerves are jangling for Halep, how she’s got to know and love the real Sloane Stephens, who she sees as the slight favourite and who she thinks the crowd will be supporting. As well as all that, there’s time to get Carillo’s thoughts on a range of other topics, including whether she thinks Sharapova is playing to prove that she can win without meldonium. Carillo also talks about her “jam”, coins a new word, explains her love for Judy Murray, and gives Catherine some advice on how to get more dog-related work gigs. All in the space of 25 minutes. As ever, she’s hilarious and insightful.Elsewhere, Catherine chats to Simon Briggs about the men’s draw on a day when Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem booked their spots in the final. In truth, the semi-finals were underwhelming. Will the final be better? There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the French Open, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simona Halep has lost all three of her Grand Slam finals. Will she make it fourth time lucky on Saturday at Roland Garros when she faces Sloane Stephens?On the Tennis Podcast, Catherine and David discuss how both players got there, marvelling at the way in which they handled their big-hitting opponents with relative ease in Thursday’s semi-finals. Halep put up an impenetrable wall to defeat Garbiñe Muguruza in surprisingly straightforward fashion. Why was it not the blockbuster we were expecting? Stephens, meanwhile, continued her serene dominance over Madison Keys. Halep vs. Stephens will be an intriguing clash between two players with similar game-styles, but very different personalities. Who will the crowd be supporting? As the preview for that match develops, there’s plenty of praise for the way Halep exhibits her human side, while Catherine brings Stephens’ developing relationship with the media into focus. Who will win? David believes Halep will break her Grand Slam duck eventually. But Catherine wonders how Stephens can possibly be beaten in this form. On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal was firing on all cylinders on Thursday to quash any remaining threat posed by Diego Schwartzman. But is the pressure of having everything to lose affecting him? Can Del Potro challenge Nadal in the semi-finals? He certainly has the weapons, but how much does he have left in the tank after a physical 4-setter against Cilic? David says fatigue shouldn’t be a problem. Instead, the biggest factor could be the weather. The other men’s semi-final features Dominic Thiem and Marco Cecchinato. Above all else, there’s hope that it will display the single-handed backhand in all its glory. There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the French Open, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David and Catherine convene on The Tennis Podcast to discuss another rain-hit day at Roland Garros.Before play was suspended prematurely, a huge upset was brewing on Court Philippe Chatrier when the free-swinging Diego Schwartzman took the first set against Rafael Nadal.That’s right. Nadal lost a set. On clay. At Roland Garros. It ended his streak of 38 consecutive sets won on the Parisian clay. Schwartzman also led by a break in the second set and David and Catherine are full of praise for his aggressive game-plan.Nadal eventually swung the momentum back in his favour, but to what degree was he saved by the rain? And why did he tape up his wrists? Can Schwartzman possibly win another two sets tomorrow?Elsewhere on Wednesday, the women’s semi-final line-up was completed as Garbiñe Muguruza demolished an erratic Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep displayed great mental fortitude to come from behind and beat Angelique Kerber.Muguruza and Halep will now meet in a match that will determine who ends the French Open as the World No.1. But who will win? David and Catherine aren’t sure. But it promises to be an absolute belter, doesn’t it?There’s also a preview of the intriguing contest between Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens. Keys has never won a set against Stephens, but they’ve never played on clay. Who will that favour?There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the French Open, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The match of the tournament came a day later than expected at Roland Garros.Just 24 hours after the Serena-Sharapova non-event, World No.72 Marco Cecchinato stunned Novak Djokovic in an exhilarating encounter, and one that will be remembered for a pulsating fourth-set tiebreak that transfixed everyone watching.Catherine Whitaker is joined on The Tennis Podcast by The Telegraph’s tennis correspondent Simon Briggs in the immediate aftermath. Speaking from inside the press centre at Roland Garros, they try to make sense of what happened.First of all, there’s plenty of praise for Cecchinato. The Italian, who was embroiled in a match-fixing scandal two years ago, had never won a match at a Grand Slam prior to this tournament. But he played with heart to defeat Djokovic, impressing everyone with his blend of on-court craft, penetrative groundstrokes and smooth movement.Can he keep this improbable run going? He will certainly be the underdog against Dominic Thiem in the semi-finals. Thiem brushed aside Alexander Zverev on Tuesday as the German’s exploits finally caught up with him physically.Then, mid-podcast, there’s a bombshell. News filters through from Novak Djokovic’s terse press conference. Catherine and Simon react to Djokovic’s declaration that he may skip the entire grass court season. Was this a comment borne of frustration? Or was it indicative of deeper issues? It certainly caught Catherine and Simon off guard.In the women’s draw, Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys set up a semi-final clash. The Americans have both looked convincing on the clay, but who do Catherine and Simon think will prevail?Finally, there’s an injury update from Andy Murray. The Brit is still hoping to make his comeback on grass in the coming weeks.There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the French Open, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was the match everyone wanted to see. But in the end, it didn't happen.Catherine and David come together on The Tennis Podcast to discuss a day of immense frustration at Roland Garros after Serena Williams was forced to withdraw before taking to the court against Maria Sharapova due to a right pectoral injury.Were there warning signs from Serena’s doubles match yesterday? Should Serena have even played doubles? And when was the last time the tennis world was so disappointed because a match didn’t happen?Fortunately, there was some tennis to talk about elsewhere as the quarter-final line-ups were confirmed. World No.1 Simona Halep was in blistering form against Elise Mertens and Angelique Kerber breezed past Caroline Garcia. Those two will meet in a mouth-watering last eight clash.On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal pulverised Maximilian Marterer, whose pre-match chat with Catherine helped him to a flying 2-love start, and then it was all downhill. Marin Cilic just about outlasted Fabio Fognini in 5, and Diego Schwartzmann pulled off the comeback of the tournament to beat Kevin Anderson from 2-6, 1-6.There's a preview of Alexander Zverev vs. Dominic Thiem tomorrow, and Sloane Stephens vs. Daria Kasatkina.The Tennis Podcast is produced daily throughout the French Open, and all the Grand Slams, and weekly throughout the year. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cancel your plans, Serena vs Sharapova is happening. After days of speculation, Catherine and David are giddy with excitement on the latest Tennis Podcast. But will the match live up to expectations? To preview a showdown of such magnitude, Catherine speaks to the perfect guest – esteemed New York Times writer Christopher Clarey. He’s the man who first described this match-up as an ‘un-rivalry’, but does he think Sharapova is primed to score her first victory against Serena since 2004? Clarey also gives his take on why Serena has historically had such a hold over Sharapova, debates who has more of a point to prove and explains why Serena vs. Sharapova matches still have such a fierce edge, despite the lopsided head-to-head. Elsewhere, for the third time this week, Catherine and David find themselves discussing a 5-set victory for Sascha Zverev. Is this shaping up to be a coming of age tournament for the German? Or might his exertions so far be his downfall against Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals? There’s also more analysis of Novak Djokovic. The Serb convincingly beat Fernando Verdasco and will now play Marco Cecchinato who was a surprise winner over a fatigued David Goffin. Plus, it was a day of straight-set victories in the women’s draw as Yulia Putintseva, Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys all booked their places in the quarter-finals without much fuss. But Caroline Wozniacki vs. Daria Kasatkina ended for the night in bizarre fashion, with both players wanting to go off for darkness, even though it wasn't particularly late. What was going on? There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the French Open, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kyle Edmund is out of the French Open. His five-set loss to Fabio Fognini brought an end to the British challenge at Roland Garros for another year. David and Catherine assemble on The Tennis Podcast to talk about it.Edmund vs. Fognini had looked thrilling on paper, but it ultimately failed to catch fire. Why was it such an ordeal? Why was Edmund unable to nullify the Fognini threat? And how much of a missed opportunity was this for the British No.1?Meanwhile, there was a familiar feeling on Court Philippe Chatrier as Rafael Nadal swept aside Richard Gasquet for the sixteenth time. Catherine bemoans Gasquet’s lack of belief and ponders why most players are so reluctant to do something completely different to try and perturb Nadal.The predictability of that contest sparked debate over the scheduling logic, particularly because the women’s No.1 Simona Halep was shunned to Court 18. Would that ever happen to a men’s No.1? Catherine and David have their say.Elsewhere, there’s no doubt that the women’s draw is shaping up very nicely indeed. On Saturday, Kontaveit beat Kvitova, Muguruza thrashed Stosur and Stephens squeezed past Giorgi. Those matches are all discussed. Plus, Maria Sharapova was awesome in blitzing her way past Karolina Pliskova. Is she in Serena-conquering form?Finally, Catherine reveals the spine-tingling buzz created by the magnificent Goffin vs. Monfils match.There will be daily editions of The Tennis Podcast throughout the French Open, in association with Telegraph Sport. It is presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.