Catherine, David and Matt are joined by the current British No.1 and Indian Wells champion Jack Draper for an exclusive, wide-ranging interview. Having been forced to shut down his season early due to an arm injury, Draper talks through some of the highs and lows of the year, updates us on his preparation for next season, and delves deep into the current scheduling issues on the ATP Tour.Part one (00:00 - 29:59) - Jack tells us about the arm pain that blighted the second half of his 2025 season, and takes a deeper look at the way that injuries and his relationship with his body in general have shaped his career so far. There's also chat about what it's like to be part of the Alcaraz-Sinner generation, the way the word "pressure" is thrown around when it comes to Wimbledon, and how he is preparing for 2026.Part two (30:00 - 1:09:40) - Having opened up a bit on social media recently about scheduling issues, Jack speaks to us in depth about the calendar, detailing the toll that the 12-day Masters are taking on the players. There's debate about revenue-sharing, exhibitions, the off-season, and what needs to change for tennis to protect its players better.Part three (1:09:41 -1:43:50) - We get into the more light-hearted stuff with Jack including the experience of the US Open mixed doubles, his idolisation of Rafael Nadal, his relationship with Andy Murray, and The Traitors. Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
1:43:40
--------
1:43:40
WTA semis set - who wins it all?
Part One - Serena Williams Group. With Anisimova beating Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek to qualify, we’re officially at the ‘silencing the doubters’ stage of our prediction. We analyse Anisimova’s improving performances through the week, offer some reflections on Swiatek’s curious season, and discuss the remarkable form of Rybakina at this tournament so far. Can she keep it up? Part Two - Steffi Graf Group (23:00). We cover Aryna Sabalenka’s flawless record, including an impressive victory in a Roland Garros final rematch against Coco Gauff, and we make sure to pay some much needed respect to Jessica Pegula’s record. Part Three - Semi-final predictions, doubles results, and a very exciting podcast announcement! (36:22) Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
1:01:30
--------
1:01:30
Is indoor Sinner unbeatable in this form?
Catherine, David and Matt react to Jannik Sinner’s title in Paris and the first couple of days of action at the WTA Finals. Part one - ATP. Sinner is the Paris champion and the World No.1 again, but he will finish the season on top or will it be Carlos Alcaraz? We chat about that race, Sinner’s astonishing performances all week in Paris, and how the final spot in Turin all comes down to the last week of the season as Felix Auger-Aliassime and Lorenzo Musetti’s fates could be decided by Novak Djokovic. Part two - WTA (30:17). We all predicted Amanda Anisimova to win the title at the WTA Finals, but she lost her opening match 6-3 6-1 to Elena Rybakina. So what happened? And can she bounce back? We chat about the disappointing matches so far, Jasmine Paolini being under the weather, and the return of Coco Gauff’s double fault issues against Jessica Pegula. Plus, Victoria Mboko has ended the year on a high with another title. Part three - News (50:31). We pay tribute to the retiring Rohan Bopanna and we say goodbye to our beloved Rosie. Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
1:04:05
--------
1:04:05
Is Anisimova the favourite for the WTA finals?
The groups have been drawn for the WTA Finals in Riyadh and Catherine, David and Matt are here to preview the tournament and reflect on the opening stages of the ATP 1000 event in Paris. Part one - WTA Finals singles preview. We break down the groups and make predictions for the week ahead. How will Iga Swiatek fare against the big hitters? What will happen when Coco Gauff faces Aryna Sabalenka for the first time since Roland Garros? And can Amanda Anisimova keep up her superb form? Part two - WTA Finals doubles preview and Paris results so far (32:26). We cover Carlos Alcaraz’s loss to Cameron Norrie, the latest instalment of the cousin clash between Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech, and how Lorenzo Musetti’s defeat leaves the Race to Turin. Part three - Jannik Sinner calls out the Grand Slams for delaying player welfare and prize money talks (51:58). Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
1:07:48
--------
1:07:48
Sinner survives, Fonseca fires and Saudi footprint grows
Catherine, David and Matt round up the latest tour results before Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic joins to discuss the news that Saudi Arabia will be hosting an ATP Masters 1000 tournament from 2028. Part one - Results. We cover lots of Jannik Sinner talking points, including his victory over Alexander Zverev in an excellent Vienna final, his repeated cramping issues, and his decision not to play the Davis Cup Finals. There’s also chat about Joao Fonseca’s win in Basel, the ongoing heartbreak for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina as he tries to win his first title, Belinda Bencic’s victory in Tokyo and her remarkable season coming back from giving birth, and Elena Rybakina booking her place at the WTA Finals. Part two - Charlie Eccleshare reports on the ATP’s announcement that a 10th Masters 1000 event will be added to the schedule in 2028 and that it will be held in Saudi Arabia (41:50). We don’t yet know all the details, but Charlie explains how this might affect the rest of the tennis calendar, the growing power that Saudi Arabia will hold in the sport, and why we mustn’t ignore the human rights abuses. Part three - News and a look ahead (1:08:50). We pay tribute to John Beddington and chat about the Paris Masters. We’ll be back on Friday with a full preview of the WTA Finals. Become a Friend of The Tennis PodcastCheck out our new merch shop! Talk tennis with Friends on The Barge! Sign up to receive our free Newsletter (daily at Slams and weekly the rest of the year, featuring Matt’s Stat, mascot photos, Fantasy League updates, and more)Follow us on Instagram (@thetennispodcast)Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Your definitive tennis round up, daily at the Slams. Part of the Athletic Network. Named in Time Mag's Top 100 podcasts of all time.Friends of The Tennis Podcast have access to exclusive Q & A's, new editions of Tennis Re-Lived and more bonus content.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Australia