Perfect tennis dinner companions, will ATP-WTA unity last, and is it ok to support Tennys Sandgren?

These days the Australian Open sits alongside the other Grand Slam tournaments as one of the best and most prestigious tennis events in the world, but it wasn’t always that way. In this episode, we tell the story of its transformative move from Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club to Flinders Park in 1988.Pat Cash, who lost back-to-back five-set finals in 1987 and 1988 talks us through it all, including what Kooyong was like as a venue, why his 1987 defeat to Stefan Edberg feels like the one that got away in his career, why a move to the new site was both necessary and a roaring success, the effect of the new surface known as Rebound Ace, and the epic back and forth he had with Mats Wilander in the classic 1988 final. We also hear from Pam Shriver - who won the women’s doubles title with Martina Navratilova in both years - about her experience. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*SOCIAL MEDIA* Twitter - https://twitter.com/TennisPodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

26 Tammi 20211h 11min

With contributions from Billie Jean King, Mary Carillo, Pam Shriver and Pat Cash, we tell Evonne Goolagong’s story, including her upbringing in New South Wales and the discrimination she faced, her early discovery of tennis, her poetic style of play, her Grand Slam successes throughout the 1970s, her crowning achievement by winning Wimbledon as a mother, her charity work for indigenous Australians, and her influence on Ash Barty. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* If you’re reading this before 8pm in the U.K. on Thursday 21st January, then there’s still time to back our 2021 crowdfunding campaign! If you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, take part in our predictions competition or guest edit a show, or just buy us a beer - https://tennispodca.st/Kickstarter2021wA huge thanks to everyone who has already done so.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Tammi 20211h 15min

Catherine is joined by David and Matt to react to her big interview with Billie Jean King. Picking up on some of the points raised by Billie Jean, we discuss the way she makes us feel when she talks about tennis, the way she forces us to challenge our preconceptions, the emphasis she puts on the importance of knowing your history, the lessons she can teach us about not alienating your audience, the place of team events in tennis, and the majors vs. slams debate.We also share our plans for Australian Open Re-Lived week and beyond. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* If you’re reading this before 8pm in the U.K. on Thursday 21st January, then there’s still time to back our 2021 crowdfunding campaign! If you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, take part in our predictions competition or guest edit a show, or just buy us a beer - https://tennispodca.st/Kickstarter2021wA huge thanks to everyone who has already done so.*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Tammi 202155min

This episode is a conversation between Catherine Whitaker and Billie Jean King. Through stories about the Battle of the Sexes, the Original 9, the awarding of equal prize money at the US Open in 1973, her time spent with Bud Collins, and knowing Althea Gibson, Billie Jean connects the past with the present, explaining why it’s so important to know your tennis history and how it impacts the modern game. Now 77-years-old, Billie Jean’s love for tennis and her desire for it to be as good as it possibly can be shine through. She makes the case for there to be more team events, recognises some elements which are holding the sport back, but ultimately provides an optimistic message about tennis’ future, buoyed by the direction leaders such as Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff are taking it. There are moments of intense introspection, too, as she talks candidly about her struggle to be her authentic self, her regrets, the challenges of competing at the top level in your late 30s, what it means to ‘stay in the room’, and the responsibility that comes with having her name on the Billie Jean King Cup. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* Our Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund 2021 went live on December 1st and we reached our funding goal just two days later.Thank you to everyone that has backed us, sent words of encouragement and kindness, and simply appreciated the podcast for what it is. You have ensured that the pod will continue weekly in 2021, daily at Slams, and with plenty of interviews and Tennis Re-Lived along the way.The Kickstarter will remain open until mid-January, so here's the link if you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, or just buy us a beer - https://tennispodca.st/Kickstarter2021w*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Tammi 20211h 45min

Positive covid cases, more than 70 players facing two weeks stuck inside without any practice, and mice in hotel rooms…it all calls for an emergency pod. Catherine and David convene to discuss the situation in Melbourne. How has it all got out of control so quickly? What is Tennis Australia’s role now? How much sympathy do we feel for the players in all of this? And does it change who should be considered the Australian Open favourite? We also speak to Pam Shriver about how she thinks she would have found the strict quarantine, how she might have tried to keep sharp and fit in that situation, how it might affect the men and women differently, what measures or format changes could be implemented by the tournament, and the inequality of the separate quarantine in Adelaide for top players. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* Our Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund 2021 went live on December 1st and we reached our funding goal just two days later.Thank you to everyone that has backed us, sent words of encouragement and kindness, and simply appreciated the podcast for what it is. You have ensured that the pod will continue weekly in 2021, daily at Slams, and with plenty of interviews and Tennis Re-Lived along the way.The Kickstarter will remain open until mid-January, so here's the link if you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, or just buy us a beer - https://tennispodca.st/Kickstarter2021w*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 Tammi 202158min

The first titles of the 2021 season have been won and players are now flocking to Australia for two weeks of quarantine. But not everything is going according to plan, with Andy Murray isolating at home after testing positive for covid-19 and Tennys Sandgren boarding his flight to Melbourne despite returning a positive test. We react to those two bits of news and discuss where it leaves the Australian Open. Wrapping up this week’s results, we ask whether Aryna Sabalenka can translate her dominance on the WTA Tour to the Australian Open, whether Alex de Minaur is in the mix, and who has more potential out of Delray Beach finalists Sebastian Korda and Hubert Hurkacz? Finally, we explain our enjoyment of Australian Open qualifying and tell the uplifting story of British qualifier Francesca Jones. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* Our Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund 2021 went live on December 1st and we reached our funding goal just two days later.Thank you to everyone that has backed us, sent words of encouragement and kindness, and simply appreciated the podcast for what it is. You have ensured that the pod will continue weekly in 2021, daily at Slams, and with plenty of interviews and Tennis Re-Lived along the way.The Kickstarter will remain open until mid-January, so here's the link if you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, or just buy us a beer - https://tennispodca.st/Kickstarter2021w*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Tammi 202158min

We’re only halfway through the first week of the new season but there’s already plenty for us to cover, including the fine form shown by Maria Sakkari and Aryna Sabalenka in Abu Dhabi, a curious collapse from Sofia Kenin, news of a separate Australian Open quarantine in Adelaide for top players, David Ferrer and Alexander Zverev’s split, Dayana Yastremska's provisional suspension after a positive doping test, our apologies to Gippslanders, and Matt’s 2021 player to watch.Plus, David speaks to Ons Jabeur about how she finds bubble life, her goals for the season and the pride she feels representing Arab women in tennis. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* Our Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund 2021 went live on December 1st and we reached our funding goal just two days later.Thank you to everyone that has backed us, sent words of encouragement and kindness, and simply appreciated the podcast for what it is. You have ensured that the pod will continue weekly in 2021, daily at Slams, and with plenty of interviews and Tennis Re-Lived along the way.The Kickstarter will remain open until mid-January, so here's the link if you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, or just buy us a beer - https://tennispodca.st/Kickstarter2021w*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Tammi 20211h 5min

In this episode we navigate Billie Jean’s mischief to cover the matches we’ve seen and the storylines that have arisen in Abu Dhabi so far, more news about the Melbourne swing prior to the Australian Open, and confirmation of some WTA quarantine practice pairings. We also pay tribute to Bob Brett and Tom Perrotta, who the tennis world sadly lost this week. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments.*SUPPORT THE TENNIS PODCAST* Our Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund 2021 went live on December 1st and we reached our funding goal just two days later.Thank you to everyone that has backed us, sent words of encouragement and kindness, and simply appreciated the podcast for what it is. You have ensured that the pod will continue weekly in 2021, daily at Slams, and with plenty of interviews and Tennis Re-Lived along the way.The Kickstarter will remain open until mid-January, so here's the link if you want to show your support, get yourself a shout-out or an intro, or just buy us a beer - https://tennispodca.st/Kickstarter2021w*NEWSLETTER*Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*EMAIL*We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Tammi 202159min