Roland Garros Day 12 - Semis reviewed, Alcaraz-Djokovic previewed with Mary Carillo

How could Andy Murray play that well and not win? That was the first thought of Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) on the The Tennis Podcast, recorded shortly after the semifinals.The answer, they concluded, came from down the other end of the court, where Stan Wawrinka was firing his bullets for more than four hours. Where was the match won and lost? What did Murray think of his performance? - we hear from him. And what sort of chance do the podcast team give Wawrinka in the final against Rafael Nadal?Meanwhile, with the women’s final coming up on Saturday, what do they expect to happen? And what did Halep’s coach Darren Cahill say to Catherine when she asked him for an interview on Eurosport?Both finals will be broadcast on Eurosport and Eurosport player. The Tennis Podcast is a free, weekly, downloadable tennis audio show, with daily editions during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Kesä 201720min

Andy Murray is now playing like the man that reached World No.1 at the end of last year, according to Boris Becker. As Murray prepared to take on Stan Wawrinka in the French Open semifinals, Becker spoke to Tennis Podcast presenter Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) to assess the British player’s improvement over the course of the tournament. “Andy Murray now looks like the Andy Murray of last year,” said Becker. Even after the match against (Juan Martin) Del Potro in the third round, he has looked like himself. I think Ivan Lendl arriving has made a real difference. It’s like Murray is unchaining himself from everything that has gone before earlier this year. He’s a champion, and champions know how to win. He’s No.1 for a reason, and with Wawrinka playing so well, this could be a classic between two titans.”Becker also previews the semifinal between Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem on the podcast, and Whitaker speaks to Eurosport commentator Chris Bradnam about the superb... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Kesä 201710min

After a busy day in which all four of the men’s quarterfinals and two of the women’s quarters were played, the question on everyone’s lips was ‘what was wrong with Novak Djokovic’.Listeners to The Tennis Podcast will know that it has been a recurring conversation over the past 12 months, and if anything, this latest episode - a straight sets defeat to Dominic Thiem - was even more mystifying.So, what is wrong with Djokovic? Did he, as John McEnroe suggested in commentary on Eurosport, ‘tank’ in the third set? Or, are we damning Thiem with faint praise after registering his first ever win over the former World No.1? Either way, what should Djokovic do from here?The Tennis Podcast team also talk about Andy Murray’s hard-fought win over Kei Nishikori, and the size of the task he will face against an in-form Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals. Who do presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law think will win that one?They also talk about Rafael Nadal’s serene progress, the wonder... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Kesä 201736min

On a largely frustrating, rain-sodden day in Paris, Jelena Ostapenko and Timea Bacsinszky were two of the only people at Roland Garros smiling at the end of the day.Unseeded teenager Ostapenko stunned former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki in three sets, while Bacsinszky defeated home favourite Kristina Mladenovic. On the latest Tennis Podcast, Catherine Whitaker is joined by her Eurosport colleague, commentator Chris Bradnam, to review where the quarterfinals were won and lost.With the two of the men's quarterfinals held over to Wednesday because of the rain, meaning that all four are played on the same day, Catherine was joined by Pat Cash on Eurosport to chat all things tennis.Cash revealed that Andy Murray's coach Ivan Lendl was 'by far the most annoying person I have ever met in a locker room in my life', that Andre Agassi revealed to him that Novak Djokovic was still very much a work-in-progress, and that Dominic Thiem could take advantage against the defending champion in the heavy, soggy... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Kesä 201729min

‘Night and day’ said Andy Murray to Catherine Whitaker on Eurosport, when comparing his form before the French Open to the tennis he displayed in reaching the quarterfinals on Monday.That interview, reproduced here on The Tennis Podcast, gives an insight into his growing confidence, self belief, and relaxed state of mind. What does he expect to happen against Kei Nishikori in the next round? What do he and Ivan Lendl talk about in the locker room after matches? And is his daughter Sophia showing any signs of interest in tennis yet? He answers them all, with a twinkle in his eye that comes across even in audio form. On a busy day for Whitaker in Paris, she also tells us about a conversation she had with Goran Ivanisevic, on the day that he separated with Tomas Berdych. Ivanisevic told Whitaker the alliance between Novak Djokovic and Andre Agassi 'is not going to last'.The form of Stan Wawrinka is covered, as his that of his quarterfinal opponent Marin Cilic, and there’s a... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Kesä 201743min

Garbine Muguruza departed the French Open wagging her finger in anger at the local crowd. They didn't care. Kristina Mladenovic, or Kiki as she is known, reached the quarterfinals in a tumultuous atmosphere at Roland Garros, and afterwards the Tennis Podcast team assembled to talk about it.Were the crowd out of order or do players just need to accept and take it? Could Mladenovic go on from here and win the title?Elsewhere, the only man that looked anything like as impressive as Rafael Nadal on day 8 was Dominic Thiem. Could the Austrian find enough inspiration to take out Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals?On Monday, Andy Murray takes on young Russian Karen Khachanov in the last 16. Who is Khachanov? Presenters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) reveal all they know.The rest of the results on Sunday are reviewed on the show, with previews of Monday's matches thrown in. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Kesä 201732min

As the French Open enters week two, Andy Murray has started to look like the World No.1 for the first time this year, according to the Telegraph's Tennis Podcast team.Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and the Telegraph's Tennis Correspondent Simon Briggs met up after Murray's straight sets defeat of Juan Martin del Potro to dissect his win, including a mind-boggling 85 minute first set.We hear from Murray, talking to Whitaker on Eurosport straight after the match, and Briggs proudly airs his down-the-line-drop-shot theory again, which was backed up throughout the contest.They discuss Kyle Edmund's narrow loss to Kevin Anderson, the progress of women's favourite Simona Halep, and the tension between French players Caroline Garcia and Alize Cornet, who face off in the last 16.We also hear from Mats Wilander, who joined Catherine Whitaker in the rain to fill some airtime on Eurosport, and ended up giving the most fascinating insight into the difference between Federer/Nadal and... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Kesä 201736min

The French Open Day 6 edition of the Tennis Podcast started with Novak Djokovic two sets to one down. By the time it concluded, he had extricated himself from trouble.Presenter Catherine Whitaker was joined by Eurosport colleagues and commentary team Simon Reed and Frew McMillan as they stepped out of the commentary box following one of their shorter shifts - a 6-0, 6-1, 6-0 victory for Rafael Nadal over Nikoloz Basilashvili. ‘He looked unbeatable’ said McMillan, and Reed agreed.As well as reviewing that awesome performance, Whitaker, Reed and McMillan talked about Djokovic’s struggles against Diego Schwartzman and his alliance with Andre Agassi, as well as all the other week one storylines. Later in the show, we get the chance to hear the thoughts of the Great Britain Davis Cup captain Leon Smith, and his Argentine counterpart Daniel Orsanic ahead of Andy Murray vs. Juan Martin del Potro on Saturday.The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 Kesä 201728min