BJK Cup Finals Day 5 - Sara Errani, what did you just do?!

A couple of weeks off after the US Open, and the Tennis Podcast team are back with a bang to assess the Laver Cup, which took place over the weekend. What did everyone think of it? Is it tennis’ answer to the Ryder Cup, or can it only ever be an exhibition event? We hear from the Telegraph’s Simon Briggs, who was in Prague to watch it in person, and Catherine Whitaker and David Law are back together to give their impressions. Was the event scripted to provide a Federer vs. Kyrgios climax? Does the points system work, with more available on day 3 vs. day 1? Elsewhere, an update on the Race to Singapore - Jo Konta’s pursuit to be among the top eight players at the WTA Finals. Will she get over the line? Early losses in Wuhan for the two US Open finalists will help. The podcast team also look back on the conclusion to the US Open, given Catherine was unable to appear on the show because of illness, and the subsequent Davis Cup semifinals. And there’s the new Catherine Whitaker forehand, rebuilt while she was sunning herself at the La Manga Club in Spain. The Tennis Podcast is presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. www.TheTennisPodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Sep 20171h 4min

Rafael Nadal ensured the old guard collected the entire Grand Slam title haul in 2017 by winning the US Open, and afterwards the Tennis Podcast team wondered how many more he might pocket. Where was the final against Kevin Anderson won and lost? Compared to the Nadal of the past, how well is he playing right now?And can tennis expect a golden period with the return of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic in January?Finally, how good is Martina Hingis at doubles?The Tennis Podcast is presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport.www.tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Sep 201720min

Sloane Stephens completed one of the most remarkable injury comebacks in recent memory to win her first Grand Slam title, and the Tennis Podcast convened to talk about it. Stephens beat compatriot Madison Keys 6-3, 6-0 in a contest as one-sided as it sounds. So why was the scoreline so lopsided? Was Stephens that good, Keys that bad, or a combination of the two?How did Stephens recover from surgery and a ranking of nearly 1,000 to win the US Open inside a year? And will she go on to win more in the future?Tennis Podcast presenter David Law and Telegraph Tennis Correspondent Simon Briggs also discuss the fifth Grand Slam doubles/mixed doubles title won by Britain’s Jamie Murray (alongside Martina Hingis this time), and a marathon wheelchair singles match between Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid.Then they look ahead to Sunday’s men’s singles final between Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson. What can Anderson do to take the title?Eurosport will be on air for the men’s final at 8.30pm UK time. It will also be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live.A Tennis Podcast will be available to download after play. Presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. www.tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Sep 201719min

Rafael Nadal will contest his 23rd Grand Slam final and Kevin Anderson his first when they clash in the climax to the US Open on Sunday, and The Tennis Podcast team convened after their semifinals to look ahead. Presenter David Law was joined by Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs and former Top 50 player Jeff Tarango to talk about the point at which Nadal gained the upper hand against Juan Martin del Potro. Was Nadal's comeback all about him, or was Del Potro's fatigue a factor?How did Anderson go from quiet, laid-back baseline to fist-pumping, roaring warrior on the court? And what will happen when they meet in the final?The women's final will feature two players yet to compete in a Grand Slam decider - Americans Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens. Who do Briggs and Tarango feel will come out on top?A new edition of The Tennis Podcast is available to download after play every day during the US Open. Presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. www.tennispodcast.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Sep 201722min

Tennis will have a new Grand Slam champion after two of the most exciting, talented young players in the sport reached the US Open women’s final.Sloane Stephens overcame Venus Williams in a deciding set - one of the best sets of the year, and then Madison Keys hammered Coco Vandeweghe 6-1, 6-2.So what did The Tennis Podcast team make of it all? Former Top 50 player Jill Craybas joins presenter David Law to assess where the matches were won and lost.Has the 11-month injury and surgery Stephens endured been a blessing in disguise? Is Keys coming of age two years after Martina Navratilova picked her on The Tennis Podcast to be a future World No.1? And with Williams going down in a third big Grand Slam match of the year, does a player’s nerve go when he/she gets older.The Tennis Podcast is also joined by special guest Mats Wilander - a former World No.1 and winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles. He assesses the loss of Roger Federer, and looks ahead to Rafael Nadal vs. Juan Martin del Potro and Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Kevin Anderson. A new edition of The Tennis Podcast is available to download after play every day during the US Open. Presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Sep 201726min

Juan Martin del Potro partied like it was 2009 to beat Roger Federer in the US Open semifinals and deny New York the Nadal vs. Federer clash it craved. Afterwards, Telegraph Tennis Correspondent Simon Briggs joined Tennis Podcast presenter David Law to talk about where it all went right for the Argentine and wrong for the five-time champion. Federer squandered four set points in the third set tie-break with the match tied at one set all. Did he choke? Given Del Potro had nearly retired a two sets down against Dominic Thiem in the previous round, how on earth has he reached the semifinals? New York will be devastated to have missed out on a Nadal - Federer clash. Nadal kept his side of the bargain by beating Andrey Rublev in straight sets, but Del Potro had other ideas. Twice before Federer had fallen short when he held match points against Novak Djokovic in the 2010 and 2011 semifinals, with Nadal already in the final. Will it ever happen? And, with Venus Williams vs. Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys vs. Coco Vandeweghe, America is guaranteed an all-American semifinal line-up for the first time in 36 years. Law and Catherine Whitaker discuss. Plus, with Andy Murray announcing that his season is all but over, we hear from Mats Wilander on whether it's the right decision. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Sep 201731min

As the US Open nears a first ever New York clash between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the Tennis Podcast team are joined by award-winning American commentator Mary Carillo to talk about the tournament so far, and preview what is to come.As a New Yorker, who has worked for decades for CBS, NBC and now The Tennis Channel, covering countless Grand Slam tennis tournaments and 13 Summer and Winter Olympic games, Carillo gives her verdict on why her city loves comeback king Juan Martin del Potro, and what a Federer vs. Nadal match would mean in The Big Apple. Federer and Nadal remain one match away from meeting, with Nadal against exciting 19-year-old Andrey Rublev, and then Federer vs. Del Potro on Wednesday evening. A tournament full of human interest stories and unlikely comebacks continued its theme on Tuesday when Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens reached the semifinals. Williams first played the US Open in 1997, reaching the final. Twenty years on, she is one step away from doing the same again. Stephens required foot surgery and missed the best part of a year of her career recently, but she is back and enjoying the best fortnight of her career. Elsewhere, Pablo Carreno Busta and Kevin Anderson reached the final in the bottom half. The matches will be screened exclusively on Eurosport, with live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra from 5pm UK time. A new edition of The Tennis Podcast is available to download after play every day during the US Open. Presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Sep 201727min

Juan Martin del Potro produced one of the most extraordinary comebacks the US Open has ever seen on Monday night, and The Tennis Podcast team were there to witness it.Presenters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live) looked back on the match which saw the Argentine go two sets to love behind after winning only three games, nearly retiring because of a virus, saving two match points, and then coming all the way back to win in the most pulsating manner imaginable. Del Potro will now face Federer in a rematch of their 2009 final. On paper, Federer’s straight sets win over Philip Kohlschreiber was no cause for concern, but he did depart the court at the end of the second set to have some brief treatment to his lower back, and Law and Whitaker witnessed his unusually late walk to speak to the media. ‘It was just a precaution. I’m not worried,” he said afterwards. Elsewhere, Rafael Nadal produced what Whitaker described as ‘a statement performance’ - a straight sets win over Alexander Dolgopolov - and will now meet exciting 19-year-old Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. On the women’s side, World No.1 Karolina Pliskova won in just 46 minutes against Jennifer Brady, and with a possible all-American semifinal line-up bubbling, Whitaker, on Eurosport duty, was invited into the player box to talk to the coach of Coco Vandeweghe - Pat Cash. He explained how Vandeweghe is producing so many impressive wins on her way to the quarterfinals.A new edition of The Tennis Podcast is available to download after play every day during the US Open. Presented by broadcasters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport, BBC 5 Live) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport), it is produced weekly throughout the year, and daily at the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Sep 201723min