The Tennis Podcast 2026 - Who’s started well, and who hasn’t?
20 snips
Jan 5, 2026 The new tennis season kicks off with a buzz around the United Cup in Perth, featuring discussions on Team USA's concerns with Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff. The hosts celebrate standout performances from Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari, while debating Stan Wawrinka's potential wildcard for the Australian Open. Highlights include Iga Świątek's tactical adjustments against Eva Lys and Hubert Hurkacz's impressive return from injury. Novak Djokovic's split from the PTPA brings major governance discussion, alongside exciting forecasts for the season ahead.
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Technical Fixes Can Hurt Short-Term Form
- Coco Gauff's visible unhappiness and ongoing serve changes suggest technical fixes need time and may temporarily worsen results.
- David Law warns last year's early-season peak for Gauff didn't translate to sustained major success.
Celebration Sparked Fiery Comeback
- Matt Roberts described Taylor Fritz's lob celebration that mocked height, noting it's common in US sports and likely spontaneous.
- He felt Fritz wasn't malicious but got a strong on-court reaction from Sebastian Baez and his captain.
Wildcard Debate Exposed By Wawrinka
- Stan Wawrinka's United Cup run shows he's still competitive and could plausibly request an Australian Open wildcard.
- Catherine Whitaker argues wildcards expose systemic unfairness and suggests reform or prioritising former champions.