The Tennis Podcast

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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With David Law’s ferocious 24 hour bug, day jobs and a seven-hour time difference getting in the way, the Tennis Podcast’s Singapore WTA Finals show is a bit delayed, but worth the wait. Just not in quite the way you might imagine.

There’s the usual review of last week’s action, including great wins for Juan Martin del Potro, Julia Goerges, Jo Wilfried Tsonga and others, an update and insight from Singapore where David is on-site at the WTA Finals, and then something unexpected happens. 

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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Middle Sunday at Wimbledon is a day of rest, but not at the US Open, and not for The Tennis Podcast team. The rain frustrated for a while, but all the matches were played, with some stunning performances along the way.

Petra Kvitova was awesome in her straight sets defeat of pre-tournament favourite Garbine Muguruza. Could she win the title less than a year after she was attacked with a knife in her own home? Venus Williams was also victorious and will be Kvitova’s next opponent.

Sam Querrey followed Venus on to the court and hit an extraordinary 55 winners and only 8 unforced errors to thrash Mischa Zverev. One of Querrey, Kevin Anderson, Pablo Carreno Busta and Diego Schwartzman will compete for a place in their first Gran Slam final. Who will prevail?

The US Open odyssey of exciting 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov came to an end when Carreno Busta edged him out in three tie-break sets. What’s next for the kid from Canada?

And finally, will the Nadal vs. Federer semifinal match actually happen?

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. 

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In what has otherwise become known as the Upset Open, the big names just about avoided defeat on Saturday, but The Tennis Podcast team had plenty to get their teeth into.

How close did World No.1 Karolina Pliskova come to going out? Is her arm injury going to be a deciding factor in how far she goes?

Much of the conversation in New York on Saturday centred around the behaviour of Fabio Fognini. The Italian had already been fined $24,000 by organisers after verbally abusing umpire Louise Engzell during his singles match, but word came through that he had been thrown out of the doubles as well. Podcast presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law discuss the detail of the case, and have their say about what should be done about it.

The Naomi Osaka vs. Jelena Ostapenko match that Catherine was so looking forward to isn’t going to happen, as both lost. Our presenters are still able to marvel at the no-look handshake Ostapenko dished out to Daria Kasatkina. 

They also look ahead to Sunday’s play, which is highlighted by the women’s singles matches between Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza and Petra Kvitova, and those involving Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova. And there’s the latest instalment of the fledgling career of 18-year-old Canadian Denis Shapovalov to discuss.

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. 

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Feliciano Lopez, like Mikhail Youzhny in the previous round, is one year younger than 36-year-old Roger Federer, and is also yet to beat the great man. 

He hopes, he tells The Tennis Podcast’s Catherine Whitaker on today’s show, that their 13th match will be the one where his luck changes.

Denis Shapovalov is quickly becoming one of the main stories of the US Open in 2017, and The Tennis Podcast team can’t get enough of him.

His progress was aided by the retirement mid-match of Kyle Edmund, but it also felt as if he was beginning to gain the upper hand anyway in his 3-6, 6-4. 6-3, 1-0 (ret) win. 

How good do the Tennis Podcast team think Shapovalov will go on to be? What are his strengths? And can he go all the way at the US Open?

The 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash joins Catherine on Eurosport to talk about his new charge, Coco Vandewegh. She faces Agnieszka Radwanska on Saturday. We hear what Cash has to say about Coco on The Tennis Podcast. 

A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be 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. 

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The US Open still holds out hope of a first meeting between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in New York, but as the Tennis Podcast team were reminded on Day 4, that clash is still some distance away.

Both Federer and Nadal scraped into the third round, Federer winning a second successive five-set match against a man he had previously held a 16-0 record against, while Nadal toiled for three hours before quelling the challenge of Taro Daniel in four sets.

What do Nadal’s uncle Toni and coach Carlos Moya think of the form of their man? Would they like to see a clash between Nadal and Federer. ‘No’, says Uncle Toni. 

The big match on Friday is the Arthur Ashe stadium clash between British No.2 Kyle Edmund and the teenage prodigy Denis Shapovalov.

Ahead of the match, podcast presenter Catherine Whitaker spoke to former World No.1 Mats Wilander for Eurosport to see what he made of the young man. As you will hear, he was bowled over. 

A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be 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. 

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The Tennis Podcast team had their work cut out to sum up an extraordinary day in which 87 singles matches were played to catch up after the rain on Day 3, but Catherine Whitaker and David Law have done exactly that in their latest daily show from the US Open in New York. 

Kyle Edmund overcame American Steve Johnson in straight sets and now faces 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov in the 3rd round. That match will take place in the bottom half of the draw - which is increasingly looking like a land of opportunity with the loss of so many big names. 

The latest name to add to the list was 20-year-old Alexander Zverev of whom so much was expected. How much of a shock was his demise at the hands of Borna Coric? And does it raise question marks over his ability to deliver on the biggest stage?

What did the podcast team make of the latest performance by Maria Sharapova, who fought her way into the third round with a 3-set win? 

And why did Nick Kyrgios fall short again? Is he ever going to work out how to fulfil his enormous potential?

A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be 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. 

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The weather wrecked the vast majority of the scheduled matches at the US Open on Tuesday, but the roof on Arthur Ashe stadium enabled Japanese player Naomi Osaka to trounce defending champion Angelique Kerber, and Roger Federer to squeeze through in five against Francis Tiafoe.

The Tennis Podcast team dodged the showers to reflect on a miserable 12 months for Kerber in which the role of World No.1 and defending Grand Slam champion has not always sat well.

We meet her conqueror, 19-year-old Japanese player Naomi Osaka in an interview conducted by presenter David Law for BBC 5 Live. A player quite happy to answer left-field questions, she tells a knock-knock joke on air, explains why she gets nervous about running into people she ‘follows’ on Twitter, and how she reacted when she met her idol Serena Williams in the locker-room. 

Law and Catherine Whitaker reflect on the form of Rafael Nadal, who won through in straight sets, but endured a tough, testing first set against Dusan Lijovic.

And a strange, five-set win for Federer over young American Frances Tiafoe is covered. Is Federer really fully fit?

A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be 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. 

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Day one of the US Open was dominated by the women’s draw, with the big upset of British No.1 Johanna Konta and the stunning win of Maria Sharapova over Simona Halep.

After a long, breathless day, the Tennis Podcast team of David Law (BBC 5 Live), Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and Simon Briggs (Telegraph tennis correspondent) got together to look back on it all.

Did Sharapova surpass expectations, or was Halep disappointing? Will the Romanian ever actually reach World No.1 having come within touching distance on so many occasions? And can Sharapova back up this win by going on a run?

For Konta, defeat at the hands of World No.78 Aleksandra Krunic, was a big blow. Where was the match won and lost? Is Konta starting to feel the pressure of being a Top Ten player with the associated expectations that come with that status?

Elsewhere, there were impressive wins for the two British men in action - Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie. How far can they go?

A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be 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. 

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A day before the US Open gets underway, and a day after Andy Murray announced his withdrawal, Tennis Podcast presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law convened at Flushing Meadows to preview the year’s Grand Slam tournament.

Was Murray right to make the call to withdraw? Should he have done so earlier? And should that be it for the year?Why are so many top players getting injured - all of last year’s Top 5 men? Is it coincidence or the sign of a more significant problem? And does tennis need to change radically as a result?

Who do the team think will come through the men’s and women’s draws? And is Alexander Zverev getting a bit too big for his boots?

A new edition of The Tennis Podcast will be 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. 

New Tennis Podcast website - www.tennispodcast.net

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Grigor Dimitrov has made a career out of promising much but failing to deliver, while Garbine Muguruza follows Grand Slam breakthroughs with slumps. Until now.

This week’s Tennis Podcast discusses their impressive victories in Cincinnati and wonders whether they could be the forerunners to even bigger wins at the US Open, which starts next week.

With Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori all out injured, and question marks over the fitness of Roger Federer and Andy Murray, is this Dimitrov’s time to shine? Could the man he beat in the final - Nick Kyrgios - make a run of his own? And wasn’t he supposed to be injured?

Is Muguruza now a clear favourite for the women’s title? And what happened to Simona Halep in the final when she was just one match away from reaching World No.1? 

The podcast team also discuss the return of Rafael Nadal to World No.1, the US Open wild card given to Maria Sharapova, the likelihood of Andy Murray featuring in New York, and the sad case of Melanie Oudin.

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show, available on all platforms, including iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets. 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. 

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Another week and another piece of evidence that both Alexander Zverev and Elina Svitolina are the real deal in tennis terms.

Both Zverev and Svitolina won their fifth titles of 2017 in Montreal and Toronto respectively, and with the US Open just around the corner, the Tennis Podcast team are wondering whether they might reproduce those wins in the Big Apple?

Zverev saw off Roger Federer in straight sets, inflicting only the third defeat of the year on the 19-time Grand Slam champion. But as well as Zverev played in his 6-3, 6-4 win, the talk between pod presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law was as much about the apparent injury Federer was suffering from in the second set. How bad did it look? Should he pull out of Cincinnati? And will Nadal beat him to World No.1?

Sviolina swept aside Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-0, but has yet to reproduce her stunning WTA tour form at the Grand Slam tournaments. Will that change in New York?

The podcast team also discuss the arrival of 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov, who shocked Nadal last week, and then conversation turns to Nick Kyrgios. It gets heated. 

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show, available on all platforms, including iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets. 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. 

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Three weeks have passed since Wimbledon, two weeks since our last podcast, and a lot has happened.

Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka won’t be in New York. David Law and Catherine Whitaker speculate about whether Roger Federer’s decision not to play again in 2016, followed by such spectacular 2017 results, might have influenced the length of lay-off taken by his two rivals.

Former French Open finalist Sara Errani has tested positive for a banned substance and yet only been banned for two months. The podcast team discuss one of the more bizarre doping stories and verdicts. 

There’s discussion of the immensely open men’s and women’s draws heading into the US Open, and discussion about whether one of the American players might be able to take advantage. Particularly after Madison Keys and Coco Vandeweghe contested the first all-American women’s final not featuring one of the Williams sisters for 14 years. And could youngsters Alexander Zverev or Denis Shapavalov make major runs over the next few weeks?

The team touch on two of the off-court stories that have come up since Wimbledon - the reports that Amazon are about to buy the UK rights to broadcast the ATP World Tour from 2019, and the vote to try to change from best-of-5 set singles matches to best-of-3 at the Davis Cup.

After Maria Sharapova’s stuttering return hit yet another bump in the road because of injury, Catherine and David wonder whether her body will ever allow her to return to the level that she hopes to reach. And can Dan Evans come back after whatever ban he is given for testing positive for cocaine in June?

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We know about the 19 Grand Slam singles titles, the 302 weeks at World No.1, the incredible comeback to win an 8th Wimbledon title at the age of nearly 36.

But where did it all start for Roger Federer? Where did he make his professional debut? What was he like as a teenager? Is it true that he had a bad temper? And were there really doubts about whether he would deliver on his talent?

In a special edition of The Tennis Podcast, The Roger Federer Story is told through the eyes of BBC 5 Live commentator and Tennis Podcast presenter David Law, who met Federer for the first time the day before his professional debut as a 16-year-old in Gstaad, Switzerland in 1998. 

In his role as Communications Manager on the ATP World Tour, Law worked behind the scenes with Federer for four years, and remembers Federer’s growing pains as he went from boy to man with the eyes of the world waiting for him to fulfil his potential.

We learn of his struggle to come to terms with the death of his first coach Peter Carter in a tragic car accident, and hear from Federer himself in a BBC 5 Live interview with Law less than an hour after his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003. The ‘Federer Years’ of domination are covered, as are the threats to his throne from Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, the moments in 2013 when Law thought Federer was finished, and the comeback that made all those writing him off look stupid. Law and co-host Catherine Whitaker also delve into the debate as to whether Federer should be considered the greatest male tennis player of all time.

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After Roger Federer became the only man ever to win eight Grand Slam title singles titles and 19 Grand Slam crowns overall, The Tennis Podcast discussed where he sits in the pantheon of all-time greats - and not just in tennis. 

Is he better than Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, and Rafael Nadal (who has a winning record against him)? Are his achievements superior to those of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Usain Bolt? Impossible questions to answer, perhaps, but that doesn’t stop David Law and the Telegraph’s Simon Briggs and Charlie Eccleshare from trying to on the podcast. 

The debate comes after Federer ruthlessly dispatched Marin Cilic, who’s movement was impeded by a bad blister, to win the title in straight sets. 

How much of Cilic’s capitulation was physical, and how much was mental and emotional, or did the former lead to the latter?

We also review a mixed doubles title for Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis, the doubles successes of Marcelo Melo and Lukas Kubot, and Elena Vesnina and Ekaterina Makaraova, and the triumphs of Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, and Jordanne Whiley.

The Tennis Podcast will return next week with a one-hour special - The Roger Federer Story - in which David Law remembers attending his debut when Federer was 16, and the years that followed.

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show, available on iPhones and android phones and tablets. It is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. 

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Garbine Muguruza dashed the dream of Venus Williams in the Wimbledon final and the Tennis Podcast team were as perplexed by the vast difference in quality between the two sets played as everyone else. 

Williams was arguably the better player in a first set that she lost 7-5, so why did she fade so considerably in set two?

Where did that Muguruza performance come from? Should she and will she now go and hire Conchita Martinez as a full-time coach? And can she take her Wimbledon form into the rest of the year and dominate the sport?

The men’s singles final could, in the view of Tennis Podcast presenter David Law, be an absolute classic. But only if Marin Cilic is fully fit, and mentally ready to take on Roger Federer in his back yard. What does co-host Catherine Whitaker think? Find out on the show. Both make their predictions, as does Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs. 

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. Highlights of the day’s play at Wimbledon can be seen on Eurosport every night, with the final screened live. 

A new Tennis Podcast is out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

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Roger Federer will appear in his 11th Wimbledon final, his 29th Grand Slam singles final overall, and against a man that thrashed him in the US Open semifinal in 2014. 

Tennis Podcast presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law are joined by Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs to look back on Federer’s tight three-set win over Tomas Berdych, and the Marin Cilic defeat of Sam Querrey.

After six minutes of Briggs talking and typing as he tried to make his deadline, the Federer press conference was announced, and the podcast team went in to throw a few questions of their own at the great man, including …

Does he still get nervous after all these years, and how does that manifest itself if so? And would he feel disappointed in the court scheduling (putting him on Centre Court every day) if he were Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic?

Afterwards, Whitaker and Law looked at the women’s final, speaking to New York Times correspondent Christopher Clarey about the Williams family that he has got to know over the last 20 years. 

Who will win between Muguruza and Venus? The podcast team make their picks. 

And as part of the #WhatMakesGreat debate, the podcast team discuss who they see as the most ‘adaptable’ tennis player in the world. 

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. Highlights of the day’s play at Wimbledon can be seen on Eurosport every night, with the finals screened live. 

A new Tennis Podcast is out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jo Konta’s Wimbledon dream may have ended for 2017 but the journey of Venus Williams to the final is an extraordinary story, and one which The Tennis Podcast team review in the latest show.

How has a woman of 37 been able to return to the final 17 years after her first title at the All England Club? Where did her match against Konta turn? And how will she get on against Garbine Muguruza in the final?

For Konta it was a disappointing day. What happened after she held break point at 4 games all? Did the occasion get to her? And was it poor form that she didn’t wait for Williams before departing the stage?

Muguruza’s win over Magdalena Rybarikova is assessed, the team look ahead to the men’s semifinals, and make their predictions for Roger Federer vs. Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic vs. Sam Querrey. 

We also hear about podcast presenter David Law’s doorstep-interview with Venus’ mother Oracene on BBC 5 Live, how Law was captioned ‘David Lloyd - former British Tennis Player’ on the Victoria Derbyshire show (much to his delight) and Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs tells Catherine Whitaker what he will be writing about in Friday’s newspaper.

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. Highlights of the day’s play at Wimbledon can be seen on Eurosport every night, with the finals screened live. 

A new Tennis Podcast is out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have won the last four Wimbledon men’s singles titles between them, but they both exited in a manner that prompted as many questions and answers.

The Tennis Podcast team - led by presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law, and joined by Charlie Eccleshare of the Telegraph - assembled to talk it through on the daily show. 

How injured was Murray, and did the injury decide the outcome of the match? Was Sam Querrey just too good? Should Murray take a significant time out of the game to heal? All discussed.

How badly hurt was Djokovic to tap out of his match at 6-7, 0-2 down against Tomas Berdych? Is Djokovic about to ‘do a Roger Federer’ and take the rest of the year off?

There’s a preview of the women’s semifinals, with predictions for the Johanna Konta vs. Venus Williams, and Garbine Muguruza vs. Magdalena Rybarikova matches. 

And the team discuss Goran Ivanisevic, who suggested on BBC Radio 5 Live that he might like to enter Strictly Come Dancing. 

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. Highlights of the day’s play at Wimbledon can be seen on Eurosport every night, with the finals screened live. 

A new Tennis Podcast is out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manic Monday lived up to its name in every sense, with a massive upset, British history made, the World No.1 in the women’s game going out, and a will-they, won’t-they saga about moving Novak Djokovic on to Centre Court late at night. 

Afterwards, Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs joined Tennis Podcast presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law, who are part of the BBC 5 Live team at Wimbledon, to review the day.

What a story with Gilles Muller beating Rafael Nadal 15-13 in the 5th set. Did Muller win it, or Nadal lost it?

Jo Konta and Andy Murray ensured a British man and woman reached the last 8 for the first time in 44 years. How did they play, and what did they say in the interview room afterwards?

Angelique Kerber lost the World No.1 ranking, but not without an enormous fight against Garbine Muguruza in one of the matches of the tournament. But why was it out on Court No.2? Three-time champion Chris Evert reckons the inequality between male and female representation on the show courts needs to be stop. She tells Catherine Whitaker that it should be moved in line with equal prize money. Andy Murray agrees.

And, with light fading and Nadal and Muller’s match taking such a long time, Djokovic vs. Adrian Mannarino eventually didn’t happen. What did The Tennis Podcast team make of the hours of delay before a decision was announced, and the verdict when it finally happened?

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. A new Tennis Podcast will be out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a day when many of the leading female players fought through scares to take their places in the last 16, and the top male stars cruised into week two of Wimbledon, the main topic of conversation on Saturday was ‘who will be scheduled where on Manic Monday?’

It’s a topic that was picked up immediately on The Tennis Podcast, with The Telegraph’s correspondent Simon Briggs joining presenters David Law and Catherine Whitaker.

Four men’s matches on Monday (involving the so-called Big 4 of Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic) were scheduled on the two main show courts, versus two women’s matches. Is it right that these ‘marquee players’, as they are referred to, get top billing because they are the players ticket-holders are perceived to want to see most, or is a self-perpetuating problem? i.e. can the women’s game ever win the ‘market forces’ game if they are not given the biggest stage on which to show what they can do?

In a separate argument, is it fair to, say, Djokovic and Nadal, that they are having their second matches of the week away from Centre Court while Murray and Djokovic have yet to play anywhere other than Centre Court?

All discussed on the latest podcast.

The escapes of Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki are covered, as are the strolls for Federer, Djokovic, Milos Raonic and Alexander Zverev. 

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. A new Tennis Podcast will be out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Murray experienced the full Fabio Fognini effect in a Friday night thriller at Wimbledon, and came through it to tell the tale. Fognini hit an array of outrageous winners, some terrible errors, and challenged a vital call mid-rally when he had not challenges remaining. He was also warned for visible obscenities. 

Tennis Podcast presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law took a break from their BBC Radio 5 Live broadcasting duties to sit in the crowd and soak it up. Afterwards, they convened to talk all about it to Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs.

Was Murray sub-standard and a little fortunate to get through, or was this a vintage performance full of Murray grit? The Tennis Podcast team discuss and disagree.

Heather Watson came close again, but not close enough, losing out in three sets to Victoria Azarenka. Could Azarenka now go all the way? One of the podcast team think so. 

Jo Konta cruised, however, reaching the last 16 of Wimbledon for the first time. Is she starting to justify her favourite tag?

And can anyone stop Rafael Nadal?

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. A new Tennis Podcast will be out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The day after the pre-tournament favourite Petra Kvitova went out of Wimbledon she was followed onto the sidelines by her compatriot Karolina Pliskova.

That means The Tennis Podcast team’s two picks for the women's title are not going to win the event, and so our predictions lie in tatters …

Was Pliskova losing really that big a shock? What does that mean for Jo Konta? Is she, as some bookmakers have suggested, now the clear favourite for title? It’s a question that led to BBC Radio 5 Live colleagues and Tennis Podcast presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law having a massive argument on the show.

All other significant day 4 results are covered, including straightforward wins for Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. 

And finally, we wish Bethanie Mattek Sands a quick recovery after her awful fall at Wimbledon yesterday.

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. A new Tennis Podcast will be out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Tennis Podcast team reckon Jo Konta entered the consciousness of more British people than at any time in her career thanks to her classic 10-8 final set win on Wimbledon’s Centre Court against Donna Vekic. 

An Australian Open semifinal, a title win in Miami and a Top 10 ranking were enough to get year-round tennis fans on-board, but Wimbledon is where stars are made and this was a perfect setting. 

How did Konta do it? Was it a Vekic capitulation, or did Konta wrestle the win away from her? Presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law, who are part of the BBC 5 Live Wimbledon team, discuss.

What did they make of the form of Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, who were both straight sets winners?

Flying ants, a Daniil Medvedev meltdown, and a big old argument about who should be on Centre Court on Friday are also part of the show, particular after Heather Watson set up a showdown with Victoria Azarenka. 

The prediction of Law that Petra Kvitova would win the women’s title is also thrown under the microscope. She lost in round two …

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. A new Tennis Podcast will be out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Day Two Tennis Podcast from Wimbledon is dominated by discussion of injury retirements and whether the Grand Slam tournaments need to change their rules to stop players taking to the court with physical problems to ensure they still get a £35,000 first-round loser cheque.

The team quote Andy Murray from the US Open 2015. He seems to have the solution.

Meanwhile, presenter David Law gives us an insight into new Team Novak Djokovic. The three-time champion practised with his new coaching team of Andre Agassi and former Wimbledon semifinalist Mario Ancic. Afterwards, they fist-bumped and before going their separate ways, Ancic spoke to Law about the set-up of the new team. 

Law and fellow BBC Radio 5 Live broadcaster Catherine Whitaker also discuss the comments of Bernard Tomic, who admitted after a straight sets defeat that he took an injury time-out to try to change the flow of his match and interrupt his opponent’s momentum. He also claimed to have ‘no motivation’ at Wimbledon. 

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. A new Tennis Podcast will be out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

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US Open champion Stan Wawrinka lost, Andy Murray’s hip looked fine, he revealed his penchant for watching Peppa Pig, and Jo Konta was calm personified in a first-round win. 

Those were the headline talking points on The Tennis Podcast after day one at Wimbledon.

Presenters Catherine Whitaker and David Law, who are part of the BBC Radio 5 Live team at Wimbledon, convened to talk through a cracking opening day. 

Everyone was watching Murray’s movement closely, and he looked bemused by the interest after his straight sets win over Alexander Bublik. 

Rafael Nadal looked awesome against John Millman. Can Marin Cilic really see off both Murray and Nadal to reach the final, as Law has picked him to do in their pre-tournament predictions?

Petra Kvitova had played only a couple of tournaments since returning from a knife attack in her home at the start of the year, yet she’s the favourite for the title with the bookmakers. How did she look on day one?

And Whitaker and Law also discuss a marathon win for Aljaz Bedene over the giant Croatian Ivo Karlovic, the big wins for Konta and Heather Watson, and the sorry tale of Stan Wawrinka on grass - he was beaten by the very promising young Russian, Daniil Medvedev. 

The Tennis Podcast is a downloadable tennis radio show which is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport. A new Tennis Podcast will be out after play every night during Wimbledon. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Murray has a sore hip, Novak Djokovic isn’t in the form of 12-18 months ago, Rafael Nadal hasn’t reached the Wimbledon quarters for six years and Roger Federer is closer to 40 years of age than 30. But according to Federer, on the pre-Wimbledon edition of The Tennis Podcast, the Big Four are still the players to beat in the men’s draw. 

“Andy, Rafa and Novak are the clear favourites to me,” Federer told podcast host Catherine Whitaker. “Andy is the champion and Rafa is coming off an unbelievable run at the French Open. He comes with a lot of confidence even if he doesn’t have the matches on grass. Novak is going to pick up his game. Once he gets rolling and into the second week things are going to look very different - both in terms of how you guys in the media look at him and in the locker room. The same thing for Andy. The last five months have been good ones for me, I feel healthy, which is where I wanted to be for Wimbledon. I’m very excited.”

Whitaker also interviews Nadal on his hopes at Wimbledon, John McEnroe on the fitness of Murray, and the returning Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka. All can be heard on this pre-Wimbledon edition of the Tennis Podcast.

Whitaker and co-host David Law will both be part of the BBC Radio 5 Live Wimbledon coverage this fortnight, and they record this edition of The Tennis Podcast overlooking the practice courts. They go through the various runners and riders, and make their predictions. Neither with much confidence. 

A new Tennis Podcast will be out after play every night during Wimbledon. It is produced in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport, who have a highlights show every night from Wimbledon. 

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The final Tennis Podcast from the Aegon Championships at The Queen’s Club features the men of the hour, live.

The champion Feliciano Lopez tells Catherine Whitaker and Gigi Salmon just what becoming the oldest man in the Open era means to him.

“It’s the best week of my life,” says Lopez. “Not only to win at Queen’s but to beat those players (Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, Grigor Dimitrov and Marin Cilic in the final). It makes it so special. I take a lot of pride in being the oldest champion in the Open era. It’s a dream for me. This tournament is so special, and outside of the four Slams this is the tournament I wanted most to win.”

After that, the vanquished Cilic joined the podcast to talk about the pain of losing 7-6 in the third after holding match point. In lighter moments, he revealed that his encouragement to himself during matches is to shout ‘Emperor’ in Croatian, that he didn’t mind Goran Ivanisevic calling him second favourite for the Wimbledon title - “So, there’s a...

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The final of the Aegon Championships is upon us, and although it might lack the top 3 seeds Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic, who all lost on Tuesday, the Tennis Podcast team is predicting an emotional day.

The previous final appearance of Feliciano Lopez, in 2014, ended in an agonising loss in a final set tie-break. That was after he had held match point, and it hurt the Spaniard more than just any other loss in his career.

'I’ve wanted to win this tournament so badly throughout my whole career," Lopez told Catherine Whitaker. "Now I have another chance," she saiid

Marin Cilic has reached the final before, and won the tournament. The only problem is that nobody can remember any of the tennis in it. On that day, his opponent, David Nalbandian was disqualied for kicking a wooden sponsor box that injured the leg of a lines judge.

Cilic is in for a very busy day. After the singles final he plays the conclusion of his doubles semifinal against Jamie Murray and Bruno...

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While the world discussed the positive test of Dan Evans on Friday, Grigor Dimitrov, Feliciano Lopez, Marin Cilic and Gilles Muller were making their way to the semifinals of the Aegon Championships.

In the latest Tennis Podcast, we hear the statement read by Evans after his positive test for cocaine. 

One of the semifinalist at Queen’s - Gilles Muller - joins presenters Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and Gigi Salmon (BBC) to celebrate National Luxembourg Day, talk about the first two titles of his career at the age of 23, and how his driving force to play through injuries had been to play in front of his two young sons. 

We also hear from Dimitrov, who is getting closer to the title he won three years ago, and Lopez, the man that he edged out in three tie-break sets three years ago.

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Two years ago, Jonas Bjorkman was part of the Andy Murray coaching team. Now, he is a key cog in Team Marin Cilic, who is into the quarterfinals of the Aegon Championships at The Queen’s Club.

In the latest daily Tennis Podcast from Queen’s, Bjorkman joins presenters Catherine Whitaker and Gigi Salmon to talk about life with the big Croatian, who won the US Open in 2014.

For starters, they call him The President of the team, although Bjorkman jokes ‘actually he is more like a Dictator’, and that Cilic started a punishments process for any member of the team that is late for team dinners etc. “I was quite pleased,” said Bjorkman. “Marin was late twice this week.”

Bjorkman also talks about Cilic’s chances of winning the Aegon Championships title again, having lifted the giant silver trophy in 2012.

We also hear from Daniil Medvedev, one of the members of the ATP’s #NextGen group of 21-and-under players after reaching the last eight. Medvedev faces 2014 champion Grigor Dimitrov in...

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