WTA Finals - Goran to guide Rybakina as Draws revealed

With the WTA Finals having reached the last four stage, David and Matt come together to wrap up the Round Robin action which saw some surprising results (Maria Sakkari finding her best form) and some unsurprising ones (Iga Swiatek serving up bagels). There’s chat about Sakkari playing with freedom again, Swiatek dominating everyone, a gripping and dramatic match between Caroline Garcia and Daria Kasatkina with semi-final qualification on the line, and the fact that Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff combined for a 0-9 win-loss record across singles and doubles. Did they just hit the wall? How will this week affect USA in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals next week? And do Pegula and Gauff need to reconsider the amount of doubles they play next year? We also preview the semi-finals and discuss the tricky situation which the WTA finds itself in regarding a host venue for this event after a week of disappointing crowds in Fort Worth. Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Become a FriendSign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, predictions, and more) Follow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramCheck out our ShopRead our profile in The New York Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Nov 202254min

The WTA Finals are here and who better to preview the tournament than 10-time WTA Finals doubles champion Pam Shriver?! Pam joins Catherine and Matt to discuss what to expect from the next week in Fort Worth. What will the conditions be like and who will they favour? Can anyone stop Iga Swiatek? Can Coco Gauff make some headway in her rivalry with Swiatek? Does Ons Jabeur have something to prove? And how is Pam feeling about having a doubles group named after her? We also talk about Daniil Medvedev rediscovering his best form, a hat-trick of titles for Felix Auger-Aliassime and what it all means, the official launch of the United Cup, and how the landscape is looking regarding safeguarding on the WTA Tour, six months on from Pam’s interview with Catherine on the podcast. There’s also time for a quick Paris preview, chat about some WTA coaching changes, and for Pam to roast David. Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Become a FriendSign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, predictions, and more) Follow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramCheck out our ShopRead our profile in The New York Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 Okt 20221h 9min

The tennis world was shocked this week by the news that Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance at the US Open. We start this week's podcast by reacting to that news and how it fits into a turbulent year for Halep.Elsewhere, with David away on holiday, Catherine and Matt discuss Jessica Pegula seizing her moment in Guadalajara, the completion of the WTA Finals lineup, and a great week for Gen Z on the ATP Tour with Holger Rune, Lorenzo Musetti and Felix Auger-Aliassime all winning titles impressively. There's also excitement about the progress of both Bianca Andreescu and Dominic Thiem, a review of a chaotic week in Napoli, and a look ahead to this week's events in Vienna and Basel. Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Become a FriendSign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, predictions, and more) Follow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramCheck out our ShopRead our profile in The New York Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

24 Okt 20221h 2min

For the eighth time this season we’re talking about an Iga Swiatek title this week after she beat Donna Vekic to win in not-so-sunny San Diego. Catherine, David and Matt discuss the impressive nature of her run and her dominance over what should be her closest rivals. There’s also chat about Andrey Rublev doing what he does best by winning the ATP 250 in Gijon, Felix Auger-Aliassime improving his finals record in Florence, the hunt for WTA Finals qualification as the tour moves to Guadalajara, Emma Raducanu’s decision to work with fitness trainer Jez Green, the shambolic events in Naples which have led to the ATP event there being delayed, and the sad news that British player Tanysha Dissanayake has had to retire from the sport at the age of 21 because of Long Covid. Come for all of that. Stay for a spectacular rant from David about Pickleball. Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Become a FriendSign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, predictions, and more) Follow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramCheck out our ShopRead our profile in The New York Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 Okt 20221h 6min

Ostrava!!! is fast becoming one of our favourite tournaments of the year and last week it lived up to its exclamation marks with an epic final between Barbora Krejcikova and Iga Swiatek.How did Krejcikova manage to do what no else could this year and beat Swiatek in a final? Where has this surge in form come from? And could Krejcikova and Swiatek develop a compelling WTA rivalry? Elsewhere, Catherine, David and Matt chat about Caty McNally and Alycia Parks teaming up to win the Ostrava!!! doubles title, Ons Jabeur’s mini run in Monastir, Novak Djokovic’s winning streak and ATP Finals qualification, the state of Stefanos Tsitsipas’ game, Daniil Medvedev’s sudden retirement in Astana, and Taylor Fritz’s run to the title in Tokyo which started with covid quarantine in Seoul. Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Become a FriendSign up to receive our Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, predictions, and more) Follow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramCheck out our ShopRead our profile in The New York Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Okt 20221h 3min

For the first time in three weeks, Catherine, David and Matt are together to record a podcast, this one to look back on an interesting week which saw some new champions and some new events. In what way is Mayar Sherif already building on Ons Jabeur’s legacy? Will Maria Sakkari ever overcome her tightness on court? What makes Yoshihito Nishioka so awkward to play against (especially for Dan Evans)? Has Barbora Krejcikova rediscovered her best form? How is Novak Djokovic able to play so well after such a long break from competition? And who is Sofia champion Marc Andrea Huesler? We also talk about Iga Swiatek’s decision to withdraw from the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, how Jabeur has helped bring about a new event in Tunisia, and strong fields this week in Astana and Ostrava!!!Friends of the Tennis Podcast help us to produce the show year-round, and receive exclusive access to bonus podcasts throughout the year, including Tennis Re-Lived, listener questions, and Grand Slam review shows. Become a FriendSign up to receive our Newsletter Follow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramCheck out our ShopRead our profile in The New York Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Okt 20221h

We nearly called this the 'ILL PODCAST' because we're all a bit under the weather. However, that's not very enticing is it, and not producing a show was never an option. So Catherine and David (get well soon, Matt) came together to talk about the extraordinarily emotional scenes at Laver Cup, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in tears. They also discussed the results of the week, how important they are, and reviewed the week's Tour events, and the Davis Cup group stages from the week before.For Friends of The Tennis Podcast, three new podcasts (David's Diary, our US Open 2022 review and a Q & A podcast with listeners) are now available, along with another 20 others. Become a Friend to access those bonus podcasts and to support The Tennis Podcast generally.Sign up to receive our weekly Newsletter (and daily at Slams), which features Matt's Stat (normally - this week it will be David's cobbled together nonsense) and our predictions.Follow us on Twitter.Follow us on Instagram.Check out our Shop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

26 Sep 20221h 1min

The world's media assembled in London to talk to Roger Federer one final time in his professional playing career. David Law was among them. This is what Federer had to say. Catherine and Matt will be back with David on Monday.For Friends of The Tennis Podcast, three new podcasts (David's Diary, our US Open 2022 review and a Q & A podcast with listeners) are now available. Become a Friend to access those bonus podcasts and to support The Tennis Podcast.Sign up to receive our weekly Newsletter (and daily at Slams), which features Matt's Stat and our predictions.Follow us on Twitter.Follow us on Instagram.Check out Shop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Sep 202236min