Tennis Unfiltered

Calvin Betton, live from pre-season, joins George Bellshaw and James Gray to talk about all the biggest news from tennis this week, including:

• Why Nick Kyrgios thinks he should be ranked No 2 in the world (see link for the full 'discourse' https://twitter.com/NickKyrgios/status/1602161813998665728)
• We choose our picks for the following categories
• Player of the Year
• Best Newcomer
• Most Improved
• Coach of the Year

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Calvin Betton (coach), George Bellshaw (writer) and James Gray (journalist, inews.co.uk and the i newspaper) talk about the biggest issues of the week in tennis. This week...

• What Nick Bollettieri did for the game of tennis
• Did he really invent the tennis academy? Was he a great coach or a great motivator? And how many wives did he *really* have?
• The LTA have been fined $1m by the ATP, should the AELTC pay the fine? What will they do next summer, ban Russians and Belarusians again? Could they really be expelled from the ATP and the WTA?

We'll also answer your questions, discuss the rights and wrongs of playing in Saudi Arabia (again) and look at the latest doping ban in tennis.

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Tennis coach Calvin Betton returns to the UK and talks to George Bellshaw and James Gray about...

• The secret to Henry Patten and Julian Cash's record-breaking year, in which they've won nine Challenger titles and are on the verge of Australian Open qualification
• The ethical issues of playing in Saudi Arabia vs allowing Russian players to play in the UK
• Why Felix Auger-Aliassime can use Davis Cup success to kick on at grand slams - and why Denis Shapovalov can't
• What Rafa Nadal is doing in South America

NOTES

• Here is a link to the allegations made by Polish MP Katarzyna Kotula against Mirosław Skrzypczyński (TW: sexual abuse): https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/katarzyna-kotula-prezes-pzt-to-seksualny-predator-krzywdzil-mnie-gdy-bylam-dzieckiem/qj0rnet
• And Iga Swiatek's response: https://twitter.com/iga_swiatek/status/1595077207130787840

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Calvin Betton dials in from Italy to join George Bellshaw and James Gray of the i newspaper and inews.co.uk to talk all things tennis, including:

• Will Novak Djokovic ever age?
• Is he already the greatest 35-year-old in the history of sport?
• Will he surpass Roger Federer's record of six ATP Finals titles?
• Do we read much into Rafael Nadal's defeats to Felix Auger-Aliassime and Taylor Fritz?
• Could he still win the Australian Open next year?
• Is Casper Ruud sneakily the most consistent player on tour? Or is he just 'a Poundland Djokovic'?
• Can we possibly agree with Stefanos Tsitsipas on Andrey Rublev's 'very few tools'?
• Coaching questions for Calvin
• How gambling on tennis ruined my life, by Hannah Jane Parkinson: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/20/gambling-addiction-tennis-bet365-online-betting-hannah-jane-parkinson

WHO IS THE WORST MUSICIAN ON THE ATP?

Stefanos Tsitsipas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNHiwNG2HVQ&ab_channel=StefanosTsitsipas-Topic

Denis Shapovalov - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iu64p6RAWc&ab_channel=ShapoMusic-Topic

Andrey Rublev - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9OUNt7gjDY&ab_channel=SummerAfternoon

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Tennis coach Calvin Betton, writer George Bellshaw and senior sports journalist at i and inews.co.uk James Gray discuss all the biggest issues in tennis over the last week, including:

• Why Novak Djokovic's drinks bottle became such a big deal
• How the BJK Cup was almost a disaster, then wasn't, then was again [and later why it should only be every four years]
• What Cam Norrie should have done instead of going to Saudi Arabia for pre-season - and why it's different from allowing politics to ban Russian players from playing at Wimbledon
• The secret to a top doubles pairing

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George Bellshaw and Calvin Betton join James Gray of the i newspaper and inews.co.uk to talk about everything that has happened in the last week of tennis, with questions like:

• How can we fix the WTA Finals?
• Why did it break in the first place?
• Whose run to the final is more impressive: Caroline Garcia and Aryna Sabalenka?
• What of Holger Rune's chances of winning over the rest of the locker room?
• Why is Novak Djokovic so good in Paris (indoors)?

And many, many more!

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George Bellshaw, Calvin Betton and James Gray of inews.co.uk and the i newspaper talk about the biggest topics from the last seven days of tennis, including:

• Dimitry Tursonov discusses the 'red flags' that made him walk away from the Emma Raducanu job, and how he did *not* line up Belinda Bencic before doing so (Read the full interview here: https://www.tennismajors.com/wta-tour-news/tursunov-i-wasnt-hopping-from-one-player-to-another-i-wouldnt-do-that-631908.html)
• Iga Swiatek says she 'can't control' the hand-waving that some people call hindrances, but do the podcasters agree?
• Cam Norrie (and Nick Kyrgios) complain that Novak Djokovic has benefitted from Wimbledon by qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals but they have not. Do we agree? (Read Simon Briggs' piece in the Telegraph here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2022/10/31/cameron-norrie-atp-finals-favours-novak-djokovic-unfair-selection/)
• Daniil Medvedev has won his second title of the year, triumphing in Vienna
• Australia confirm they have replaced the Hopman and ATP Cup with the United Cup, an 18-team, mixed competition held across three cities before the Australian Open
• The WTA Finals gets underway in Fort Worth, having sold very few tickets indeed by all accounts - but listener Eli Cook asks us why one of the favourites Coco Gauff is quite so highly rated.

Plus loads more!

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James Gray of i newspaper and inews.co.uk is joined by writer George Bellshaw and tennis coach Calvin Betton to talk about all the latest tennis news, including:

• Simona Halep has been provisional suspended after failing a drugs test
• Dan Evans says he should have been playing doubles for Great Britain in the Davis Cup and could quit if he is not given the chance to do so. Is he right? (Read the original story in full here: https://inews.co.uk/sport/tennis/dan-evans-threatens-quit-davis-cup-1918744)
• Felix Auger-Aliassime wins back-to-back 250 titles - has he levelled up again?
• Dominic Thiem says his backhand, serve and movement are all there now, but can he still function properly without a fully firing forehand?
• Jessica Pegula beats Maria Sakkari in Guadalajara to cement her place as No 3 in the world, where does she sit in the eight-strong field for the WTA Finals in Forth Worth?
• Arise the Next Next Gen as Lorenzo Musetti and Holger Rune both win titles
• Filmmaker Cosmin Andrei talks to James about "OUT! The Untold Truth of Tennis", a film he wants to make in order to highlight the issues behind parental coaching in tennis (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andreea-costea/out-the-untold-truth-of-tennis)

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Live from Antwerp, James Gray joins Calvin Betton and George Bellshaw to discuss all the latest from the tennis world.

• Why Andy Murray *really* pulled out of the European Open
• What's the deal with indoor courts?
• Is Felix Auger-Aliassime the next Andrey Rublev?
• What does Coco Gauff have to do about her forehand
• Whether Iga Swiatek needs to take a look hard look at herself, or if the 'hindrances' are just part of the game

And much, much more!

Key links

• You need to follow this guy (https://twitter.com/juanignacio_ac) on Twitter. Just do it.
• Here is JI's brilliant guide to WTA Finals permutations this week: https://twitter.com/juanignacio_ac/status/1581988629475254274
• This is the compilation of what some people are calling Iga Swiatek's pattern of behaviour: https://twitter.com/tennisooc/status/1581891202705596416
• This is Anastasia Gasanova's series of posts, dating back years. Fair warning, there's lots of grim stuff in there: https://twitter.com/ukrtennis_eng/status/1581212917390712837

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George Bellshaw and Calvin Betton join James Gray to talk about the biggest issues in tennis this week:

• Novak Djokovic wins his 90th ATP title in Astana, beating a strong field and thrashing Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. The former world No 1 is now guaranteed a place at the ATP World Tour finals and has lost just two tour matches since May - is this season he is putting together being underrated?
• Daniil Medvedev was putting together a fine match against Djokovic before pulling an adductor muscle. What next for him?
• Is Barbora Krejcikova good for women's tennis? She is certainly good at it after becoming just the second player in senior tennis to beat Iga Swiatek in a final. Both women saved match points before Krejcikova triumphed in three sets.
• Emma Raducanu has ended her WTA season with a wrist injury but says she will play Billie Jean King Cup. What should we hope for next season? And will the seven-figure investment in British tennis secure her legacy?
• Where will Taylor Fritz end next year after beating Frances Tiafoe to the title in Tokyo? Fritz is the only player along with Djokovic to win a 250, 500 and 1000 event in 2022 and is up to No 8 in the world.
• There has been some movement on the Nick Kyrgios court case in Australia - James explains what but you should also read this explainer with one of Australia's top lawyers: https://inews.co.uk/sport/tennis/the-next-emma-raducanu-british-tennis-grand-slam-champion-1891939

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George Bellshaw returns to join James Gray and Calvin Betton to discuss all the biggest stories in tennis this week, and consider the follow:

• So Novak Djokovic wasn't injured then?
• Can he catch Jimmy Connors' ATP title record?
• Who will finish on the most titles out of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal?
• Was Iga Swiatek right to criticise the tour and the ITF over the timing of the BJK Cup Finals in Glasgow?
• How can tennis fix its calendar problems?
• Should Corentin Moutet be banned after a fight with Adrian Andreev?
• Who will win the race to Turin and Texas respectively?

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James Gray and Calvin Betton are joined by Michael Hincks, freelance sports journalist who got to witness the Laver Cup and The Roger Federer Show up close and personal.

They ask:

• Did Roger Federer overshadow his own event? Does it matter?
• What was Ellie Goulding doing there?
• Who was our Laver Cup MVP?
• Is Frances Tiafoe the future of the tournament?
• Should we be asking the Laver Cup to help grow the game internationally?
• What would we change about the tournament format?

Plus the latest from the tour, including a fresh injury problem for Emma Raducanu and Alexander Bublik being... Alexander Bublik.

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We're all wearing black, the crying has barely stopped and as a mark of respect George has left the country.

Yes, Roger Federer has announced his retirement.

Resident tennis coach Calvin Betton and journalist for i newspaper and inews.co.uk James Gray react to the news, and try to answer the following question...

• If Federer changed the game, how?
• Will he end up joining an elite group of billionaire athletes?
• What is Federer's legacy?
• Will we ever see another player win 20 grand slams across 15 years?
• Could Britain have won their Davis Cup group by dropping Andy Murray?
• Is the new Davis Cup format working?
• Who will win the Davis Cup now?
• Emma Raducanu is grinding the 250s, which is exactly what she needs?
• How much will we see Naomi Osaka in 2023?

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James Gray is joined by Calvin Betton and George Bellshaw to look back at two weeks of mayhem at Flushing Meadows which culminated in Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz being crowned US Open champions, both for the first time.

• Will Iga Swiatek win all four next year?
• Will Carlos Alcaraz win any?
• Has Casper Ruud proven he is a grand slam challenger?
• Is Ons Jabeur *actually* any closer to winning one?

We'll also talk about the future of Daniil Medvedev, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, whether Aryna Sabalenka or Coco Gauff can really step up to win their first slam next year, and what this all means for the rest of the tours.

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Calvin Betton and George Bellshaw join James Gray in New York to look at the two singles finals, firstly between Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur, and then between Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud.

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James reports live from New York (well sort of - he definitely is there but since this is a podcast, it can't really be called live), talking all things US Open from the last 48 hours.

This is a podlet, so sometimes he'll be alone, sometimes he'll be with a guest or two, and it will almost always be quite raw. No music, no editing, just pure, unadulterated mind dump.

Enjoy!

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James reports live from New York (well sort of - he definitely is there but since this is a podcast, it can't really be called live), talking all things US Open from the last 48 hours.

This is a podlet, so sometimes he'll be alone, sometimes he'll be with a guest or two, and it will almost always be quite raw. No music, no editing, just pure, unadulterated mind dump.

Enjoy!

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Calvin Betton joins James Gray to talk about the first week of the US Open.

• Is this really the end of Serena Williams?
• What will Emma Raducanu get out of playing a lower level of tournament?
• Where is it going wrong for Andy Murray?
• What next for Harriet Dart?
• Is Rafael Nadal really in the best shape?
• What can Daniil Medvedev expect from Nick Kyrgios?

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James reports live from New York (well sort of - he definitely is there but since this is a podcast, it can't really be called live), talking all things US Open from the last 24 hours.

This is a podlet, so sometimes he'll be alone, sometimes he'll be with a guest or two, and it will almost always be quite raw. No music, no editing, just pure, unadulterated mind dump.

Enjoy!

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James reports live from New York (well sort of - he definitely is there but since this is a podcast, it can't really be called live), talking all things US Open from the last 24 hours.

This is a podlet, so sometimes he'll be alone, sometimes he'll be with a guest or two, and it will almost always be quite raw. No music, no editing, just pure, unadulterated mind dump.

Enjoy!

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James reports live from New York (well sort of - he definitely is there but since this is a podcast, it can't really be called live), talking all things US Open from the last two days.

This is a podlet, so sometimes he'll be alone, sometimes he'll be with a guest or two, and it will almost always be quite raw. No music, no editing, just pure, unadulterated mind dump.

Enjoy!

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Check out the men's draw in full and the women's draw in full to see how the brackets might unfold, and make sure to study them carefully before entering our fantasy tennis game, which you can play by clicking here.

This week, George, Calvin and James (from NYC) discuss the impact of Novak Djokovic finally withdrawing from the US Open, why grand slam prize money should be REDUCED and how Emma Raducanu might fair in her maiden grand slam title defence.

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• Emma Raducanu enjoyed two of her most high-profile wins as she beat Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams comfortably, but then lost to in-form Jessica Pegula. Finding form at the right time, or catching two legends at a bad time?
• Borna Coric made an incredible return from shoulder surgery earlier this year and years in the wilderness to win the title in Cincinnati, his first Masters 1000 crown. He will now be seeded at the US Open; is he finally about to come of age?
• In the women's draw, Caroline Garcia won as a qualifier in. Is she now finding her way and adding yet more chaos to the top of the women's game?
• Both Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal lost in Cincinnati - which of those two is more concerning? And does it just throw the US Open even wider open?
• Andy Murray throws away a win against Cameron Norrie and suffers bad cramps. What does he have to do to finally make that jump back into the top 30?

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• Serena Williams says she will retire after the US Open, announcing in a long letter to the tennis world in Vogue that she’s “evolving” away from tennis and will focus now on expanding her family and her business Serena Ventures. What’s been her impact on the game? What’s her legacy? Where does she rank among the greatest of all-time? And what about her clash with Emma Raducanu?
• Simona Halep is back in the top 10 after winning Rogers Cup beating Zhang, Teichmann, Gauff, Pegula and then Haddad Maia in the final. How much credit should her coach Patrick Mouratoglou be getting?
• There was a first Masters 1000 title for Pablo Carreno Busta. Is he the most underrated player on tour?
• Carlos Alcaraz lost to Tommy Paul from a commanding position and spoke about feeling the pressure afterwards. Are we concerned about his US Open chances?
• Jack Draper beat Stefanos Tsitsipas for the biggest win of his career and a place on the cusp of the top 50. What do we think his ceiling is?
• Nick Kyrgios beat Daniil Medvedev. Does this change our perspective on Kyrgios’s chances at US Open?
• Dan Evans reached the semis and lost doubles final. After a big week for him, is there any sense that this US Open is last-chance-saloon in terms of having a serious chance of going deep in a grand slam?
• Andy Murray is set to take on Cam Norrie in Cincinnati, who wins?

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- Nick Kyrgios wins singles and doubles title in Washington to announce himself as a challenger for the US Open title. He will be seeded for the singles draw and is probably playing at a top-10 level, isn't he?

- Daniil Medvedev also won a title this week in Los Cabos, beating Cam Norrie in the final after another strong week for the British No 1

- Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka faced off in San Jose, but where is this rivalry going?

- Afterwards, Naomi Osaka Tweeted and deleted about not having rich parents. Is that where all tennis players' motivation comes from?

- Daria Kasatkina is third in the WTA Race after winning the title, beating Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Paula Badosa and Shelby Rogers; (worth noting Gauff is no. 4 in the race)

- Terry White asked what we think about not allowing second serves? "Too many serve bots in the game. Has this been tried before?" he wrote on Twitter

- Elena Tsourdi asked us about Iga Swiatek's defeat to Carolina Garcia, particularly her destruction on second serve, and whether that concerns us about her form going forward

AND FINALLY

- Pickleball and padel both got prominent coverage on US and UK TV this week - can tennis get anything out of people picking up these sports?

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• Nick Kyrgios withdrew from the singles in Atlanta with a knee problem but did then win the doubles alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis, the Australian Open winning pair
• Alex de Minaur wins the singles title, beating Jenson Brooksby in the final
• Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz again to claim his first ATP title on clay - how many times are we going to see that match-up in their careers?
• Also titles for Roberto Bautista Agut, Caroline Garcia and Marie Bouzkova
• Goran Ivanisevic says Novak Djokovic is targeting 30 grand slams, but has he worked out the visa implications?
• Serena Williams has been playing the part of hitting partner to Venus in Washington, but do either of them have that long left?
• Emma Raducanu has a new coach - on trial - in Dmitry Tursunov, although he is not available for the whole US swing. Needless to say, we have opinions... but he has at least got her playing doubles, it seems.
• Kyle Edmund is back! He beat Yosuke Watanuki 6-4 7-6(8) to claim a first victory at ATP level since US Open 2020

AND FINALLY

• Ash Barty got married. Nice one Ash.

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With James Gray on holiday, Calvin Betton and George Bellshaw discuss all the latest news from the tennis world, including:

• Novak Djokovic joins the Laver Cup but will having the Big Four on the same squad turn it into a global event?
• What does Roger Federer's choice of racquet tell us about his career? 
• Dominic Thiem makes a semi-final, he's not had a chance to defend his 2020 US Open title yet...
• Lorenzo Musetti goes for underarm serve on match point in the semi-finals but still wins and goes on to beat Carlos Alcaraz to the title, while the Spaniard becomes the second-youngest since 2000 (after Rafa Nadal) to reach the top five in the world
• Casper Ruud beats Matteo Berrettini to the title in Gstaad
• Irina-Camelia Begu triumphs in Palermo
• Bernarda Pera shocks Anett Kontaveit to claim victory in Hamburg
• Andrea Gaudenzi discusses a grass court Masters and hints it will lean towards Germany
• Elina Svitolina criticises governing bodies for lack of support over Ukraine war while Iga Swiatek holds a high-profile fundraiser and vows keep focus on it
• AND FINALLY... Venus Williams’ dream tennis dinner party...

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James Gray, George Bellshaw and Calvin Betton dig into the biggest issues of the week in tennis.

1:35 - Daria Kasatkina reveals she is dating a woman, and her concerns about the taboo over same-sex relationships in Russia. The Russian No 1 also said she wanted "war to end", a significant statement both for its anti-war sentiment and even for defining the invasion of Ukraine as a war, something the Russian regime continues to call a "special military operation".

14:53 - Lleyton Hewitt is inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport, giving an emotional speech in which he said he never expected to be a HoFer, that is was something for his idols. How did the Australian make it so far? And what about that Wimbledon win in 2002?

23:55 - Maxime Cressy wins the title at Newport, serve-and-volleying his way to victory over Alexander Bublik. What is his ceiling? He will now probably be seeded at the US Open, which could make him a tricky early-round opponent for someone. And Calvin's got another theory about the return of S&V in modern tennis...

38:45 - Serena Williams reveals her plans for the summer will take her to Toronto and Washington before New York. How much work does she need to put in to be competitive at the US Open?

45:18 - Inside the secret world of tennis umpires, a Guardian long read.

Daria Kasatkina puts it better than we ever could: https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/tennis-world-showers-daria-kasatkina-with-love-after-star-comes-out-as-gay/news-story/8b0b38bfb57cce0876552a94e2b9e976

Read William Ralston's brilliant piece on umpires here: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jul/07/tennis-umpires-secret-world-you-cant-be-the-players-friend

A cricket umpire puts Stuart Broad in his place: https://twitter.com/ClubRespectTeam/status/1546611539523751939

Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/lovetennispod

And YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv_pnF_62lE5rqd9qopYXcg

And you can email us lovetennispod@gmail.com

It's never been easier.

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We've got a full set! George Bellshaw, Calvin Betton and James Gray all manage to get on the same podcast to look back at two weeks of Wimbledon and forward to the hard court season.

We asked:

• Should Novak Djokovic still be confident of beating Rafa Nadal's all-time slam record?
• Is Roger Federer still the GOAT on grass?
• Would any of them beat John McEnroe?
• Is Elena Rybakina a bigger breakthrough than Nick Kyrgios?
• Will Ons Jabeur ever win a grand slam?
• Does James need to change his fantasy tennis system? (Answer: always)
• Was Wimbledon 2022 a success?
• Why is Andy Murray STILL playing on grass?
• Dominic Thiem is BACK?!

Follow us on Twitter @LoveTennisPod or get in touch with your thoughts lovetennispod@gmail.com

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Thank you so much for listening to all the podlets over Wimbledon. It has been our record fortnight, with thousands of you tuning in to listen. We really, REALLY appreciate it, even if you don't always agree with us. That's why we're here, in the end, to stir the pot a bit!

Anyway, weekly pods will be back after Wimbledon - and if you want to play me at Matchpoint Tennis Championships, just drop me a DM...

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Thank you so much for listening to all the podlets over Wimbledon. It has been our record fortnight, with thousands of you tuning in to listen. We really, REALLY appreciate it, even if you don't always agree with us. That's why we're here, in the end, to stir the pot a bit!

Anyway, weekly pods will be back after Wimbledon - and if you want to play me at Matchpoint Tennis Championships, just drop me a DM...

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Please tell your friends and tennis partners about the Love Tennis Podcast.

We will be releasing new episode EVERY DAY over Wimbledon, and it would be a great shame if we didn't get any new listeners for our trouble. You are our greatest asset, our greatest supporters and the reason we do it.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Please tell your friends and tennis partners about the Love Tennis Podcast.

We will be releasing new episode EVERY DAY over Wimbledon, and it would be a great shame if we didn't get any new listeners for our trouble. You are our greatest asset, our greatest supporters and the reason we do it.

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• 1.30pm: Ons Jabeur (3) vs Tatjana Maria
• Followed by (expected around 3.15pm): Simona Halep (16) vs Elena Rybakina (17)

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Ajla Tomljanovic vs Elena Rybakina

Rafael Nadal vs Taylor Fritz

Simona Halep vs Amanda Anisimova

Nick Kyrgios vs Cristian Garin

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(All times BST and subject to change!)

Centre Court (1.30pm start)

• Novak Djokovic (1) vs Jannik Sinner (10)
• Marie Bouzkova vs Ons Jabeur (3)

No 1 Court (1pm start)

• Tatjana Maria vs Jule Niemeier
• David Goffin vs Cameron Norrie (9)

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(All times BST and order of play is subject to change)

Centre Court (from 1.30pm)

• Brandon Nakashima vs Nick Kyrgios
• Paula Badosa (4) vs Simona Halep (16)
• Botic van de Zandschulp (21) vs Rafael Nadal (2)

No 1 Court (from 1pm)

• Elena Rybakina (17) vs Petra Martic
• Jason Kubler vs Taylor Fritz (11)
• Amanda Anisimova (20) vs Harmony Tan

No 2 Court (from 11am)

• Cristian Garin vs Alex de Minaur
• Alize Cornet vs Ajla Tomljanovic

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Please tell your friends and tennis partners about the Love Tennis Podcast.

We will be releasing new episode EVERY DAY over Wimbledon, and it would be a great shame if we didn't get any new listeners for our trouble. You are our greatest asset, our greatest supporters and the reason we do it.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Please tell your friends and tennis partners about the Love Tennis Podcast.

We will be releasing new episode EVERY DAY over Wimbledon, and it would be a great shame if we didn't get any new listeners for our trouble. You are our greatest asset, our greatest supporters and the reason we do it.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Please tell your friends and tennis partners about the Love Tennis Podcast.

We will be releasing new episode EVERY DAY over Wimbledon, and it would be a great shame if we didn't get any new listeners for our trouble. You are our greatest asset, our greatest supporters and the reason we do it.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Please tell your friends and tennis partners about the Love Tennis Podcast.

We will be releasing new episode EVERY DAY over Wimbledon, and it would be a great shame if we didn't get any new listeners for our trouble. You are our greatest asset, our greatest supporters and the reason we do it.

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Please tell your friends and tennis partners about the Love Tennis Podcast.

We will be releasing new episode EVERY DAY over Wimbledon, and it would be a great shame if we didn't get any new listeners for our trouble. You are our greatest asset, our greatest supporters and the reason we do it.

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Please tell your friends and tennis partners about the Love Tennis Podcast.

We will be releasing new episode EVERY DAY over Wimbledon, and it would be a great shame if we didn't get any new listeners for our trouble. You are our greatest asset, our greatest supporters and the reason we do it.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A look back at all the biggest stories of the last week including:

• Petra Kvitova won in Eastbourne and turned a few heads in fantasy
• Stefanos Tsitsipas "proved" he can play on grass
• Emma Raducanu's ongoing injury scare
• Nick Kyrgios is up to his usual tricks again
• Novak Djokovic still won't get vaccinated

Enter Fantasy Wimbledon here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SlzP2_ikNbyjxVJMEUynBQTKhJGtdKeLJ_qS3aUySJ0/

Follow your progress here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sb92qUwEerHozhfcw0TtTyK9l9la7oTaWOUFAPSJckg/

Plus a look forward to the Day 1's order of play:

All courts start at 11am BST unless otherwise stated

Centre Court (1.30pm)

• Novak Djokovic (1) vs Kwon Soon-woo
• Alison Van Uytvanck vs Emma Raducanu (10)
• Andy Murray vs James Duckworth

No 1 Court (1pm)

• Mirjam Bjorklund (Q) vs Ons Jabeur (3)
• Jan-Lennard Struff vs Carlos Alcaraz (5)
• Angelique Kerber (15) vs Kristina Mladenovic

No 2 Court

• Cameron Norrie (9) vs Pablo Andujar
• Bernarda Pera vs Anett Kontaveit (2)
• Jannik Sinner (10) vs Stan Wawrinka (WC)
• Maria Sakkari (5) vs Zoe Hives (Q)

No 3 Court

• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Hubert Hurkacz (7)
• Danielle Collins (7) vs Marie Bouzkova
• Tamara Korpatsch vs Heather Watson
• Ryan Peniston (WC) vs Henri Laaksonen

Court 12

• Casper Ruud (3) vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas
• Kaja Juvan vs Beatriz Haddad Maia (32)
• Belinda Bencic (14) vs Qiang Wang
• Steve Johnson vs Grigor Dimitrov (18)

Court 18

• Jodie Burrage (WC) vs Lesia Tsurenko
• Enzo Couacaud (Q) vs John Isner (20)
• Jay Clarke (WC) vs Christian Harrison (Q)
• Marta Kostyuk vs Katie Swan (WC)

Court 4

• Tommy Paul (30) vs Fernando Verdasco
• Camila Osorio vs Elise Mertens (24)
• Martina Trevisan (22) vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto
• Carlos Taberner vs Reilly Opelka (15)

Court 6

• Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs Ugo Humbert
• Clara Tauson vs Mai Hontama (Q)
• Tamara Zidansek vs Panna Udvardy
• Taro Daniel vs Sebastian Baez (31)

Court 7

• Anhelina Kalinina (29) vs Anna Bondar
• Alejandro Tabilo vs Laslo Djere
• Oscar Otte (32) vs Peter Gojowczyk

Court 8

• Maximilian Marterer (Q) vs Aljaz Bedene
• Aleksandra Krunic vs Sorana Cirstea (26)
• Daniel Altmaier vs Mikael Ymer
• Daria Saville (WC) vs Viktoriya Tomova

Court 9

• Benoit Paire vs Quentin Halys
• Federico Coria vs Jiri Vesely
• Lucia Bronzetti vs Ann Li
• Yanina Wickmayer (Q) vs Lin Zhu

Court 10

• Ylena In-Albon vs Alison Riske (28)
• Rebecca Marino vs Katarzyna Kawa (Q)
• Maddison Inglis (Q) vs Dalma Galfi
• Alexander Bublik vs Marton Fucsovics

Court 11

• Thiago Monteiro vs Jaume Munar
• Jule Niemeier vs Xiyu Wang
• Tim van Rijthoven (WC) vs Federico Delbonis

Court 14

• Adrian Mannarino vs Max Purcell (Q)
• John Millman vs Miomir Kecmanovic (25)
• Astra Sharma (Q) vs Tatjana Maria
• Oceane Dodin vs Jelena Ostapenko (12)

Court 15

• Nikoloz Basilashvili (22) vs Lukas Rosol
• Kaia Kanepi (31) vs Diane Parry
• Dusan Lajovic vs Pablo Carreno Busta (16)
• Shuai Zhang (33) vs Misaki Doi

Court 16

• Katerina Siniakova vs Maja Chwalinska (Q)
• Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Kamil Majchrzak
• Tallon Griekspoor vs Fabio Fognini
• Ekaterine Gorgodze vs Irina-Camelia Begu

Court 17

• Frances Tiafoe (23) vs Andrea Vavassori
• Carolina Garcia vs Lily Miyazaki (WC)
• Magda Linette vs Fernanda Contreras Gomez (Q)
• David Goffin vs Radu Albot (Q)

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• Novak Djokovic appears to have been given the softer end of the Wimbledon draw
• Rafael Nadal will have to battle but the podders still reckon he'll make it through
• Who is the dark horse to come out of a wide-open bracket and reach the quarter-finals?

• Is there anyone Iga Swiatek should be scared of?
• How glad is Ons Jabeur to have avoided her half of the draw?
• How many Brits can make it through?

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A PACKED podcast with more stories than ever, including:

• Serena Williams made her comeback official and will play doubles at Eastbourne with Ons Jabeur before taking a singles wildcard at Wimbledon
• Naomi Osaka will not be there though after failing to recover from an Achilles problem, and she says she is trying to master the phrase "after the storm comes the calm"
• Eugenie Bouchard said she would not play Wimbledon because it would be a waste of her protected ranking entries when she can't pick up any points
• Emma Raducanu has pulled out of Eastbourne due to an ongoing side strain and is inevitably an injury doubt for Wimbledon
• Tim van Rijthoven and Stan Wawrinka both have wildcards to Wimbledon main draw
• Rafa Nadal announces his foot is (mostly) fine and his wife is (entirely) pregnant
• Jannik Sinner has a new coach, formerly Simona Halep's coach Darren Cahill
• Ons Jabeur beats Belinda Bencic to win a stacked draw in Berlin
• Beatriz Haddad Maia wins her second title of the summer on grass while Katie Boulter also shows some form in the same tournament in Birmingham
• Hubert Hurkacz strengthens his Wimbledon credentials by beating Daniil Medvedev to claim the title in Halle
• Dominic Thiem gets accused of making an adult film, when in fact he was just grunting playing tennis!
• Has tennis gone soft on drugs?

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• Andy Murray played his first grass-court final since 2016, when he won Wimbledon, but he could not get over the line against a resurgent Matteo Berrettini in Stuttgart.
• There was good form for Nick Kyrgios who was stopped by Murray in the semi-final but revealed afterwards that he had been racially abused by the crowd.
• Stefanos Tsitsipas was another who ran into Murray in good form, and is yet to show what he can do on grass
• All of which gets us wondering.... how high can Andy Murray fly on grass this summer?
• Tim van Rijthoven comes from outside the top 200 to win in s’hertogenbosch, beating all top three seeds including Daniil Medvedev in the final!
• Dan Evans picked up the title in Nottingham, a Midlands win for the Midlands boy, while Ken Skupski and Jonny O'Mara beat Calvin's superstar pair to the doubles Trophy
• Beatriz Haddad Maia won both the singles and the doubles in the WTA event

And not forgetting... a WTA event in Berlin coming up, the ATP heads to the Queen's Club and Sue Barker is to step down from heading the BBC coverage of Wimbledon.

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PART 1

• Rafael Nadal won his 22nd grand slam title at Roland Garros, sweeping aside Casper Ruud with apparent ease. Has it changed the way we see the GOAT debate?
• Nadal did reveal he would have a non-invasive nerve procedure in an effort to limit the pain in his foot after having anaesthetic injections throughout the tournament. How long has he got left on his left foot?
• Casper Ruud admitted the occasion got to him after he managed to win just six games. Will he be back here again?
• Coco Gauff seemed to experience similar as she was beaten by Iga Swiatek. What does Gauff have to do to compete at that level?
• Iga Swiatek is now 35 matches unbeaten. Is there anyone out there who can stop her?

PART 2

• Alexander Zverev has announced he has had surgery on his 3 torn ankle ligaments. When will we see him back in any meaningful way?
• Emma Raducanu has another injury, this time an apparent side or rib strain. Is she in a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon?
• The WTA are reportedly in talks to award 50 per cent ranking points to players at Wimbledon, reneging on their previous withdrawal. Does that suit anyone?
• Who is better: Pat Cash or Patten-Cash? Get to know Britain's most in-form doubles pair.

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• Rafael Nadal is looking to win a 14th French Open title and maintain his 100 per cent record in the final of Roland Garros
• Casper Ruud is in his very first grand slam final and has never played Nadal competitively
• What could possibly go wrong?!
• And on Saturday Iga Swiatek beat Coco Gauff in straight sets to claim her second French Open title (in front of Robert Lewandowski), leaving the American tearful but proud of her achievements
• Both women used their platform during the tournament to highlight causes close to their heart
• Swiatek was asked many things in her post-match press conference, but also about what make-up she wears, a question that harked back to a bygone era

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• Alexander Zverev was taken off court in a wheelchair to end a thrilling semi-final against Rafael Nadal
• Nadal stopped keeping balls in his pocket because conditions were so humid
• Casper Ruud was interrupted in his effort to beat Marin Cilic by a climate change protestor
• The Norwegian triumphed though and will face Nadal in Sunday's final
• Coco Gauff takes on Iga Swiatek in the women's final on Saturday (2pm BST)
• Who do we want to win? Who do we *need* to win?

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