US Open Day 11 - Bad, Bizarre, Brilliant: Women’s semis reviewed; Men’s semis preview

Just when we thought the 2020 French Open couldn’t get any weirder, Day 4 began with a Sonic Boom over Paris as a fighter plane broke the sound barrier, and this was followed by Serena Williams withdrawing from the tournament with an Achilles injury. Elsewhere, we discuss Anna Karolina Schmiedlova's story after she beat Victoria Azarenka, the drama and fallout between Sara Errani and Kiki Bertens, impressive wins for Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Stan Wawrinka, and yet another five-setter for Alexander Zverev at a Grand Slam. 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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.*MASCOT*Thanks to everyone who sent in their #TennisPodcastPets photos as we searched for a new French Open mascot. To find out why we’ve chosen Cam, please watch this video from Steve Armour - https://youtu.be/sbXLQUFPZ6M * PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*SHOP*Let everyone know how you feel with our new I LOVE TENNIS range - https://thetennispodcast.teemill.com/* 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*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 1000 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Sep 202059min

On Day 3 of this mysterious French Open, there were plenty of reasons for it to feel more like a normal Grand Slam: epic matches, new stars emerging, familiar names winning, and results which left predictions in tatters. But Catherine, David and Matt still have a nagging sense that something isn't quite right.Jelena Ostapenko. Remember her? (0-4 mins)Clara Tauson breaks Brady’s heart (and more importantly, David’s) (5-9 mins)Who is Clara Tauson, anyway? (9-12 minutes)Danielle Collins - that’s how to deal with underarm serves (12-14 mins)Sloane Stephens, Karolina Pliskova, Sofia Kenin (14-31 mins)No Brits left in singles (31-33 mins)Double-bounces - should you call them on yourself? (33-40 mins)Imperious Djokovic (43-44 mins)Tsitsipas, Rublev come-of-age-in-best-of-5 (44-54 mins)Is it any less weird yet? (54-61 mins)Spider-gate (61 mins to end)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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.*MASCOT*Thanks to everyone who sent in their #TennisPodcastPets photos as we searched for a new French Open mascot. To find out why we’ve chosen Cam, please watch this video from Steve Armour - https://youtu.be/sbXLQUFPZ6M * PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*SHOP*Let everyone know how you feel with our new I LOVE TENNIS range - https://thetennispodcast.teemill.com/* 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*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 1000 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

29 Sep 20201h 7min

Some familiar faces took to the court on day two, but that didn’t stop things feeling weird. Catherine, David and Matt convened to look back on those that won, those that lost, and where we go from here. Nadal is back, but how did he look? (4.00 - 12.00)Serena soared, eventually. Her prospects discussed. (12.30 - 16.20)Medvedev out, again. Will he ever conquer clay? (21.00 - 25.00)Thiem looks the business, but his draw is tough. Help or hindrance? (27.30 - 31.00)Svitolina, Bertens, Muguruza - who will come through? (35.00 - 40.00)Giustino vs. Motet - 6 hours and 5 minutes of lovely chaos (45.30 - 47.00)Kyrgios slams Wilander in defence of Murray. Yawn (47.00)The definitive Marco Cecchinato pronunciation (49.00)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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.*MASCOT*Thanks to everyone who sent in their #TennisPodcastPets photos as we searched for a new French Open mascot. To find out why we’ve chosen Cam, please watch this video from Steve Armour - https://youtu.be/sbXLQUFPZ6M * PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*SHOP*Let everyone know how you feel with our new I LOVE TENNIS range - https://thetennispodcast.teemill.com/* 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*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 1000 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

29 Sep 202057min

The opening day of the French Open somehow managed to make 2020 just that little bit weirder, with the cold and blustery autumnal conditions dominating discussion and impacting matches. It meant there was plenty for Catherine, David and Matt to cover, including Victoria Azarenka’s stand, Stan Wawrinka’s destruction of Andy Murray, Mats Wilander’s comments about Murray, defeats for Jo Konta and Dan Evans, and much more. 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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.*MASCOT* Thanks to everyone who sent in their #TennisPodcastPets photos as we searched for a new French Open mascot. To find out why we’ve chosen Cam, please watch this video from Steve Armour - https://youtu.be/sbXLQUFPZ6M * PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*SHOP*Let everyone know how you feel with our new I LOVE TENNIS range - https://thetennispodcast.teemill.com/* 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*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 1000 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

27 Sep 202059min

A few months later than usual, but the French Open is here and the draws have been made.We reflect on the significance of the headline match between Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka, discuss Jo Konta’s chances against Coco Gauff, break down a tough route for Stefanos Tsitsipas, consider a wide-open bottom half of the women’s draw, and debate whether Rafael Nadal can be viewed as more of a favourite than Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem.We also review “Drip” by Denis Shapovalov and Corentin Moutet, salute Liam Broady for qualifying at Roland Garros, discuss Casper Ruud’s impressive form in 2020, look ahead to the Laver Cup at London’s O2 arena in 2022, analyse the ramifications of Simon Briggs’ story in The Telegraph about the dramatic decrease in drug testing during lockdown, and revisit our discussion about a non-gendered word to describe Alexander Zverev.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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*SHOP*Let everyone know how you feel with our new I LOVE TENNIS range - https://thetennispodcast.teemill.com/* 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*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 1000 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Sep 20201h 4min

Despite having scarcely recovered from the US Open, Catherine, David and Matt are back to reflect on the week in Rome, which created plenty of talking points ahead of Roland Garros.How did Djokovic look en route to the title in his first matches since his US Open default? Why did Diego Schwartzman and Denis Shapovalov both catch the eye? In what way is this year's French Open looking like a slightly different proposition for a rusty Rafael Nadal? How much of a favourite is Simona Halep? Is Victoria Azarenka a legitimate contender in Paris? And why is everyone suddenly talking about Lorenzo Musetti?We also discuss concerns about the French Open's 'bubble' and reveal plans for an exciting competition for all #TennisPodcastPets.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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*SHOP*Let everyone know how you feel with our new I LOVE TENNIS range - https://thetennispodcast.teemill.com/* 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*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 1000 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

22 Sep 20201h 15min

Dominic Thiem is finally a Grand Slam champion, but he had to do it the hard way, becoming the first man in US Open history to mount a comeback from two sets to love down in the final, triumphing in a deciding set tiebreak against Alexander Zverev.On the podcast, we try to get our heads around what happened. Why did Thiem start so slowly? In what way did Zverev's gameplan impress early on? How did the match turn around? What did it feel like to see both players confront nerves in that excruciating decider? How scarred will Zverev be by this defeat? And what will the result do to Thiem? We also round up the day's wheelchair matches and reflect on the tournament as a whole. 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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to support the podcast and receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Sep 202059min

Naomi Osaka has won her third Grand Slam title and second US Open, defeating Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final. We discuss her growing significance in the sport, how she turned the match around, the perfection of her post-match celebration, the line which summed up her activism, and her future in the sport. Catherine also reveals why she missed yesterday's podcast (a story not to be missed) and we look ahead to the men's final. How much of a chance does Alexander Zverev have and what does he need to do to beat Dominic Thiem? 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. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers, predictions and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX*SHOP*Let everyone know how you feel with our new I LOVE TENNIS range - https://thetennispodcast.teemill.com/* 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*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 1000 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Sep 202049min