Indian Wells - Andreeva and Draper are the real deal

Juan Martin Del Potro came  close to hanging up his tennis racquet for good 18 months ago. In Glasgow he did what no man had ever done before - beating Andy Murray on home territory in the Davis Cup, as Argentina eventually knocked out the defending champions Great Britain.  After his win over Murray, he spoke to BBC 5 Live commentator and Tennis Podcast presenter David Law about the experience.  And, moments after Leonardo Mayer sealed victory with a win over Dan Evans, Law joined Murray’s former coach Miles Mclagan to discuss where the tie had been won and lost, o consider how long Murray might need away from the game to return energised, and to look ahead to the Davis Cup final between Argentina and Croatia.  The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Sep 201611min

After two gruelling weeks in which Stan Wawrinka stood a point from defeat against Britain's Dan Evans, and spent more than 20 hours on the court, it was Novak Djokovic's body that ultimately broke down in the final. A pulsating four-set tussle was won by Wawrinka - his third Grand Slam title - and afterwards the Telegraph's Tennis Podcast team got together to work out where it went right for Stan, and wrong for Novak. Eurosport presenter Catherine Whitaker and BBC 5 Live commentator David Law discussed the comments of Mats Wilander, in which the seven-time Grand Slam title winner said peak Wawrinka is the most exciting player in the world. And they wondered what has gone wrong with the body of Djokovic over the past few months since he won the French Open. Has he just overdone it over the past couple of years?     The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 Sep 201617min

Eight months ago, Angelique Kerber was match point down in the first round of the Australian Open. Eight months on, having saved that match point, she is the Australian Open and US Open champion, the World No.1, a Wimbledon runner-up, and an Olympic silver-medalist. After a classic 3-set tussle between Kerber and Karolina Pliskova, the Tennis Podcast’s team of Eurosport presenter Catherine Whitaker, BBC Radio 5 Live commentator David Law and Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs caught up to review it all while racing for the bus back to Manhattan. How has Kerber gone from solid Top Ten player to World No.1 inside a year? What next for Pliskova after her impressive wins over Venus and Serena Williams, and narrow defeat in the final? And who will win the men’s final between Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka? The podcast team debate it all, and review a second Grand Slam doubles title in 2016 for Jamie Murray. The men’s singles final will be broadcast live on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Sep 201612min

Novak Djokovic will take on Stan Wawrinka in the final of the US Open on Sunday, but the main question that needed answering on the Tennis Podcast on Friday night was: what on earth was Gael Monfils doing? Playing in his first Grand Slam semifinal for eight years, and with a 0-12 record against Djokovic, Monfils appeared to adopt ‘Rope-a-dope’ tactics, trying to mess Djokovic around to a point where he might lose his form. It didn’t work. Accusations of ‘tanking’ - not trying - were levelled from various quarters, but Monfils fiercely denied them. So what did happen?  Presenters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) describe the extent of the humidity felt in New York during the semifinals, and try to imagine what it would be like to play in.  During the podcast, Wawrinka walks past and he looks every inch the seasoned Grand Slam finalist after reaching the third of his career. He is yet to lose one.  This is the 250th edition of The Tennis Podcast, which... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Sep 201623min

With a single double-fault, Serena Williams handed Karolina Pliskova a passage through to her first Grand Slam final, the World No.1 ranking to Angelique Kerber, and dashed her own chances of going ahead of Steffi Graf in the all-time list of Grand Slam title holders. Afterwards, David Law (BBC 5 Live) and Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) got together on the daily US Open Telegraph Tennis Podcast to discuss a couple of hours that shifted the tennis world on its axis.  Where was the Williams-Pliskova match won and lost? What caused Williams to double-fault at match point? Could her nerve be going? How big a factor was the knee injury that she revealed afterwards. Was it poor form to mention it? All discussed on the Tennis Podcast, as well as an assessment of the rise of Kerber, and a preview and predictions of the men’s semifinals. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Sep 201619min

Catherine Whitaker pre-warned that Kei Nishikori and Michael Chang had been plotting the downfall of Andy Murray on the practice court, and they got what they wanted in the US Open quarterfinals.  Murray had lost over five sets only twice in 8 years - both of them to Novak Djokovic - but for once he dipped into his enormous reserves and found nothing there. Afterwards, Catherine and David Law got together to discuss the match, Murray’s struggle to deal with some of the distractions on the court, and the possible reasons. They also cover the wins of Karolina Pliskova and Serena Williams, as the semifinals approach. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Sep 201620min

Caroline Wozniacki has looked anything but a Grand Slam finalist this year, but her excellent form has continued at the US Open and she will clash with Angelique Kerber on Thursday.  Catherine Whitaker and David Law took to the 5 Live commentary box to talk about it, and to preview Andy Murray's quarterfinal with Kei Nishikori. Catherine reveals some insight from a Nishikori/Chang practice session, and how Ivan Lendl threw them off the court, and then David reflects on a night-session that was all a bit of damp squib.  Novak Djokovic reached the semifinals of the US Open after his third opponent of the fortnight failed to finish. The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Sep 201624min

24 hours after Novak Djokovic sent out a statement of intent with a straight sets humbling of Kyle Edmund, Andy Murray responded with one of the most ruthless wins of his career against Grigor Dimitrov.  David Law commentated for BBC 5 Live on Murray’s 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win, Catherine Whitaker interviewed Murray on-court straight afterwards for Eurosport, and then Law and Whitaker got together to compare notes on The Tennis Podcast. Having reached 23 successive last 16 rounds at Grand Slams, was this Murray’s best performance ever at that stage of a major tournament? Will he and Djokovic be able to recreate those performances over the next few days to meet in the final on Sunday? What of Murray’s quarterfinal opponent Kei Nishikori? How did he look against the giant serving of Ivo Karlovic? And what of sentimental favourites Venus Williams and Juan Martin Del Potro? How did they get on? The Tennis Podcast is produced in association with Telegraph Sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Sep 201611min