The Tennis Podcast

The 2000 Sydney Olympics were a happier time. Steve Redgrave won his 5th gold for Great Britain and Cathy Freeman became a symbol of national reconciliation for Australia. In this episode, we look back on a tennis event which also delivered compelling storylines, including double gold for Venus Williams to cap an extraordinary summer and a 4th place finish for a young Roger Federer. We also hear from men’s singles gold medallist Yevgeny Kafelnikov (starting 23m 27s) about his epic final against Tommy Haas, his experiences in the village, why his gold medal has defined his legacy in Russia, and how he compares it to his Grand Slam titles.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 950 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David was at university, Catherine was 10 and Matt was a baby.The 1996 Atlanta Olympics saw Michael Johnson dominate, Britain struggle, and some wonderful tennis stories unfold.In this edition of the podcast we talk to four medallists who had very different stories. From the bittersweet feelings of Gigi Fernandez, to the disbelief of Lindsay Davenport, and a life goal achieved for Leander Paes.Gigi Fernandez (gold in doubles) - 11m 38sLindsay Davenport (gold in singles) - 23m 17sSergi Bruguera (silver in singles) - 30m 55sLeander Paes (bronze in singles) - 37m 01s* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 950 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the first of several podcasts telling the story of modern tennis at the Olympic Games.We start with 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona, events that produced so many memorable moments. If you want to go straight to Barcelona, it begins at 50m.20s.We have spoken to five medallists for this podcast.1988 Seoul Zina Garrison (bronze in singles, gold in doubles) - 19m 55sTim Mayotte (silver in singles) - 38m 36s1992 BarcelonaMarc Rosset (gold in singles) - 1h 02m 04sMichael Stich (gold in doubles) - 1h 11m 28sGigi Fernandez (gold in doubles) - 1h 25m 50sNOTE - This episode is longer than we intended it to be, so we may split them up for the future!* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, offers and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 950 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back! And we're answering your questions, as selected by listeners Drew and David, who backed our crowdfunding Kickstarter so generously. Here are the questions:•Is it the players’ responsibility to do what’s safe for themselves, or is it the tournament’s responsibility to guarantee safety regarding covid-19? (4:30)•Is the Western & Southern Open too ‘intense’ for the first sanctioned event of the restarted ATP Tour? (10:30)•If we were players, would we be happy to travel to New York for the US Open? (15:30)•How fundamental is tennis’ scoring system to the DNA of the game? (27:00) •What do we think about the use of artificial crowd noise for behind-closed-doors matches? (32:28)•Will covid-19 hasten the progress of all electronic line calling, or will there be an emotional appeal to return to the norm when restrictions ease? (37:40)•Should Thiem prioritise the US Open or Roland Garros? (39:10)•Was talk of more ATP-WTA unity just a flash in the pan? (42:54)•Who should be the commissioner of tennis? (50:17)•How do we view Madison Keys’ potential to win Grand Slam titles? (53:25)•And will there be a flood of retirements following Tokyo 2021 or after the full regular season of tennis? (59:52)* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 950 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1983 French Open champion, Yannick Noah, is our guest this week.In an exclusive and extensive interview with David Law, Noah tells stories in his inimitable style about the influence Arthur Ashe had on his career, the time they played doubles together, the dream he had before the Roland Garros final, the words he exchanged with his father after beating Mats Wilander to win the title, why he could never crack Wimbledon, what it was like playing in the same era as legends like John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, and the emotions evoked by winning the Davis Cup.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December.* PODCAST LINK *If you enjoy listening to The Tennis Podcast, please spread the word and share our link on your social media platforms - https://podfollow.com/the-tennis-podcast* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 950 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The biggest scare Serena Williams faced en route to winning the Wimbledon title in 2015 came from an unlikely source, as Heather Watson pushed her right to the brink in a third-round match which encapsulated the idea of a plucky Brit.The occasion was also memorable for the raucous atmosphere, and we discuss the elements of that which we felt crossed the line, along with how Serena managed to fight through and why Watson has not gone on to back up that performance at the Grand Slams.  There’s also a big tangent about Henmania and a rundown of the latest news, including Wimbledon’s decision to pay players and officials, the announcements from the ATP and the WTA about ranking points, and the ever-changing likelihood of the US Open going ahead. So, come for all of that, and stay right until the end for some unmissable cameos and naughty behaviour from Magnus…The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December. * TENNIS RE-LIVED *We have done daily shows throughout the original Wimbledon dates, looking back on some of the tournament’s best matches and most important stories. A full replay of Serena Williams vs. Heather Watson from 2015 is available on YouTube.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where 950 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the penultimate episode of Wimbledon Re-Lived, we take ourselves back to July 7th 2013 when Andy Murray became the first British man to win Wimbledon since 1936 by beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.In what way had the British public come to embrace Murray before the 2013 final? What impact had Ivan Lendl had on Murray’s game and his rivalry with Djokovic? How much of a factor was the weight of Britain’s 77-year drought for Murray? Why did Djokovic put in a flat performance? And what was everyone feeling during that final game?We also speak at length to Judy Murray about the journey that led to the 2013 Wimbledon final and her experiences of that day. Judy talks about how the 2012 Olympics helped Murray to get over his Wimbledon final defeat to Federer, the stress of sitting in the player box at Wimbledon, the scrutiny she faced for her role in Murray’s career, the champion’s dinner, and how Murray’s victory in 2016 compared.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December. * TENNIS RE-LIVED *We will be doing daily shows throughout the original Wimbledon dates, looking back on some of the tournament’s best matches and most important stories. Extended highlights and the final game of Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokovic in 2013 are available on YouTube, along with a full replay of Serena Williams vs. Heather Watson from 2015, which is our final match to cover.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where 950 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finding new words to do justice to the 2008 men’s final at Wimbledon between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is not easy, but that’s our task on this episode as we look back on the match regarded by many as the greatest in tennis history.There’s talk about the sense before the match that it could finally be Nadal’s time, Federer’s missed opportunities in the first two sets, the way in which their match-up favoured Nadal, Federer’s fitful forehand, why the epic fourth set tiebreak echoed Borg-McEnroe, Nadal’s ability to recover in the fifth set as darkness fell, and the graciousness between the two camps.We also hear from Mary Carillo who explains why the match lives up to the hype, Larry Stefanki about how Nadal had adapted his game to help him thrive on grass in 2008, Nadal’s PR manager, Benito Perez-Barbadillo, on how Nadal was feeling during the fifth set rain delay, and Chris Clarey to sum up the rivalry and relationship between Nadal and Federer.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December. * TENNIS RE-LIVED *We will be doing daily shows throughout the original Wimbledon dates, looking back on some of the tournament’s best matches and most important stories. You can watch a full replay of Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer from 2008 on YouTube, as well as extended highlights and the final game of Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokovic in 2013, which we will cover tomorrow.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 940 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Venus Williams’ 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 victory over Lindsay Davenport in 2005 is the longest women’s final in Wimbledon history, and possibly the greatest. We discuss the sustained excellence from both players, the joy of watching Venus in her prime, the way she fought for equal prize money the night before the final, and how her uninhibited and jubilant celebration revealed a side to her which we don’t usually see. Davenport also describes the particular challenge of facing Venus on grass, the point the match slipped away from her in the deciding set, and how she was able to appreciate how good the match was even while playing it. The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December. * TENNIS RE-LIVED *We will be doing daily shows throughout the original Wimbledon dates, looking back on some of the tournament’s best matches and most important stories. You can watch a full replay of Venus Williams vs. Lindsay Davenport from 2005 on YouTube, as well as Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer from 2008, which we will be covering tomorrow.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 940 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Maria Sharapova beat Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final, few could have predicted the path their rivalry would take over the next fifteen years.In this episode, we discuss why Sharapova’s run aged 17 wasn’t completely out of the blue and the way in which Serena was slightly under prepared, and Mary Carillo explains what impressed her most about Sharapova’s performance on that day and why she felt Serena was surprised by Sharapova’s level.Then, we look more closely at the development of the Serena-Sharapova “unrivalry”, including an analysis of the language Sharapova used to frame herself against Serena in her autobiography.Finally, Sharapova’s coach of seven years, Michael Joyce, gives an insight into the Maria he knows, the pressure she was under after winning Wimbledon aged 17, and why he thinks Serena came to dominate their matches.The Tennis Podcast is presented by Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and features Matt Roberts. It is produced weekly year-round, and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments. It is crowdfunded by listeners each December. * TENNIS RE-LIVED *We will be doing daily shows throughout the original Wimbledon dates, looking back on some of the tournament’s best matches and most important stories. Extended highlights of Maria Sharapova vs. Serena Williams from 2004 are available on YouTube, where you can also watch a full replay of Venus Williams vs. Lindsay Davenport from 2005, which we will be focusing on tomorrow.* NEWSLETTER *Sign up to get our news, isolation diaries and Matt’s Stat - http://eepurl.com/gbmzRX* EMAIL *We hope that the podcast helps to provide some form of escape during these challenging times. If you ever feel like writing to us, our e-mail is open – info@tennispodcast.net*REDDIT *We have a sub-reddit page! It's a growing online community where over 940 listeners chat about the show and all things tennis. Join in - https://www.reddit.com/r/thetennispodcast/* KICKSTARTER * We are crowdfunded for 2020, but if you’d like to receive a reminder e-mail when we launch our next Kickstarter in December, then you can put your details here - http://eepurl.com/gwWILX*SOCIAL MEDIA *Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetennispodcast/Twitter - www.twitter.com/tennispodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.