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PART ONE, LIVE FROM THE COPPER BOX ARENA

James Gray and George Bellshaw headed to Great Britain vs Ecuador on Sunday to watch Henry Patten and Neal Skupski close out the tie, before Harry Wendelken made his Davis Cup debut.

They discussed the future of tennis's premier and most historic team tournament, why home and away ties really are still the best, and huge performances from Canada, South Korea and Austria in particular to book their place in the Final 8, due to take place in Bologna at the end of November.

PART TWO

Calvin Betton joins George and James to look back at the rest of this week's tennis news, including...

- Jack Draper reveals he will miss the rest of the year as he continues his recovering from a complicated arm injury

- Four-time grand slam doubles champion and former world No 1 Joe Salisbury has retired from tennis

- The WTA Finals will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina from 2027

- Juan Carlos Ferrero is coming back on tour next year... but won't confirm with whom!

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Have you been missing us?

That's because you're not in the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club.

Join here for daily podcasts during grand slams, exclusive group chats with the lads, and loads of bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered

It is only with continued support of the TUSCers that we can keep doing the podcast the way we want to: covering the slams in-depth, retaining our unfiltered brand and not kowtowing to the tennis authorities. We are eternally gratefully to anyone who wants to keep helping us do this.

Now, on with the weekly podcast...

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CORRECTION: James erroneously claimed Elena Rybakina is based in Dubai. She has in fact lived in Slovakia for the last six years.

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Back together again! James Gray, Calvin Betton and George Bellshaw assess the US Open 2026.

In order, they discussed...

- Calvin reveals Henry Patten and Luke Johnson's plans for the rest of the year

- Elena Rybakina confirms her status as the best player in the world, leaving Aryna Sabalenka playing catch-up

- Where next for Iga Swiatek? Another collapse, another apparent inability to turn the tide when it starts going against her.

- Was Serena Williams a positive impact on the tournament?

- Alexander Zverev wins another slam this year, but has only had to play one top-10 player across the 14 matches at the majors he won. Lucky or opportunist?

- Ben Shelton makes his "big breakthrough" with a first appearance in a grand slam final, but we have seen this film before...

- Carlos Alcaraz came back, but not as 100 per cent Carlos Alcaraz

And more!

LINKS

- US Open report cards with every top-10 seed graded on their performance: https://substack.com/home/post/p-215571457

- Open Tabs, James empties his imaginary notebook filled with all the spare thoughts you might have missed from the US Open: https://substack.com/home/post/p-215928948

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If you want to listen to daily podcasts from the US Open - and every other grand slam - sign up for the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered

NB: MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP ON BROWSER - IF YOU SIGN UP THROUGH THE APP IT WILL COST YOU MORE IN APPLE FEES. After you sign up on browser, download the Patreon app and link the bonus podcasts to your normal feeds.

If you want a FREE newsletter every day as well, you can sign up for that here: https://tennisunfiltered.substack.com/

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Today, Calvin and James discussed:

- Henry and Harri's continued success in the US Open men's doubles draw

- The Australian Open chief deciding it might be good to re-open the best-of-five debate in his first month in the job

- Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton finishing at 3.33am and whether players really care about late finishes

- Mirra Andreeva choking two match points against Coco Gauff, who won in three sets

- Elena Rybakina beating Zheng Qinwen and becoming world No 1

And later...

- It's Alexander Zverev's US Open to lose after he cruised into the last four against Botic van de Zandschulp

- And he will play Karen Khachanov after Alexander Blockx's body 'gave up'

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The only way to get daily podcasts from the US Open in your feed every day is to subscribe to the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered

Every subscriber makes what we do possible: without TUSCers, the podcast literally would not be running, and every new person who joins makes it even more likely that we will be able to keep going in 2027.

Please get involved if you can. We need so many more of you.

In the meantime, here is the Day 6 podcast from Friday, and part of the newsletter below. Enjoy

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Women’s seeds out: No 7 Karolina Muchova (lost to Emma Navarro), No 15 Diana Shnaider (lost to Taylor Townsend), No 18 Ekaterina Alexandrova (lost to Marta Kostyuk)

Men’s seeds out: No 15 Alexander Bublik (lost to Tommy Paul); No 26 Arthur Rinderknech (lost to Daniil Medvedev)

I think the Serena Williams thing has run its course. That is not to say she is not a legend of the game, the GOAT in many people’s eyes, or that she will not continue to fill stadiums if she keeps playing. But you have to think the integrity of a tennis tournament will start to come under threat if she - in singles or doubles - does not start winning some matches. Caroline Wozniacki on ESPN hinted she was planning to play singles again in 2027. I’m not sure it’s a great idea.

This was the second time in four years that she and her sister had graced night session on Arthur Ashe for a first-round doubles match, beaten then and beaten on Friday night. The match against the No 14 seeds Maya Joint and Angel Chan did not even get onto ESPN’s main channel, instead relegated to ESPN2 so they could build up to Miami vs Stanford uninterrupted. Perhaps that is not such a big deal in the age of streaming but it felt significant.

And the Williamses weren’t particularly good, either. Chan and Joint are a decent pair - they won a WTA title only last week - but they were so much more polished and efficient than their more experienced opponents, who racked up unforced errors at a far greater rate. They did manage to nick the second set and Chan-Joint did get tight, but from 5-0 up in the deciding breaker, the Williams sisters choked, frankly. Joint has now beaten Serena twice this year but otherwise endured a difficult year, and it showed in pressure moments. Even when match point had been sealed, Joint was still apologising to her partner.

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Are you a member of the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club yet? Why not?! Come join the fun: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered

In the meantime, here is a free daily podcast from the US Open, offered free and in full because we're feeling generous.

It features Calvin's thoughts on a lucky losers who pulled out injured, a very noisy train at one point, Novak Djokovic vomiting on court and a whole lot more.

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George Bellshaw and James Gray go line by line through the women's and men's US Open draw to decipher who has come out of the randomiser with the best chance of winning the title.

PLAY our US Open FREE fantasy game here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kg8IlgjCao8ZWuuiR49TZs5Xlf29xPeMMtc3SfJZBhg/edit

You have until 6pm Sunday (UK time) to enter. Good luck!

Remember, the only way to get full daily episodes from the US Open this year is by subscribing to the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club via Patreon. DO NOT SIGN UP VIA THE APP, IT WILL COST YOU MORE. Instead, sign up via your browser (and then enjoy the Patreon app to your heart's content.)

Head to www.patreon.com/tennisunfiltered.

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Calvin Betton is in Winston-Salem, the penultimate stop on his North American tour, while James Gray is sitting on his suitcase at home, waiting for a flight... paid for by members of the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club! Thanks to the TUSCers, James is heading to New York to make daily podcasts exclusively for members of our Patreon.

To avoid missing out on our US Open coverage, head to: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered

Meanwhile, here's what James and Calvin discussed in this week's free pod:

- Arthur Fils is hitting his straps with a first-ever Masters 1000 title, beating Frances Tiafoe in a ding-dong final that ended remarkably quickly for a three-set match - but maybe that is how the paper-thin Frenchman has to play in order to maintain condition at big tournaments

- Coco Gauff overcame her sometime doubles partner Jessica Pegula to win in Cincinnati for a second time: only Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka have managed that in the Open Era

- The controversial mixed doubles championship has kicked off in New York

- Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper, Joao Fonseca and a whole host of other men have pulled out leaving the singles wide open - and we even think Carlos Alcaraz might not play

And loads more!

Remember, the only way to listen to our US Open coverage is to sign up for the our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered⁠

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Thank you to the literal hundreds of you who have signed up for the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club. TUSCers have enabled James to secured (budget) accommodation in New York and he will be wheels up to the US in just a few days' time.

If you want to hear daily podcasts with James and Calvin from the US Open, enjoy ad-free listening to the weekly podcast, get extra pods outside of the slams (like this week's one about the rise of Boris Becker), just tap here: www.patreon.com/tennisunfiltered

In the meantime, on with the podcast!

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George Bellshaw is on a ferry to Finland so misses out this week, while Calvin Betton tunes in from Cincinnati after zipping down from Montreal. What jet-setters we all are!

They discussed...

- Ben Shelton's serve is absolutely popping to help him "defend" the Canadian Open title (in a different city)

- Iga Swiatek is looking red hot too as she calls out the haters after winning her first title since September last year

- Venus Williams gets hammered in the singles again

- The US Open mixed doubles wildcards are confirmed and we go inside the qualification system that the doubles specialists have to go through

- Novak Djokovic is struggling in the heat, vomiting on court en route to defeat

And SO much more

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Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club members are listening to this podcast ad-free! You could be too, and all you have to do is sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/tennisunfiltered

(TUSCers also get an extra podcast every week, access to daily slam coverage, and great group chats with the lads and other TUSCers. Give it a whirl.)

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OFF-COURT NEWS

- Jannik Sinner is out of the Cincinnati Masters with a knee injury, raising concerns about the US Open

- Emma Raducanu has already confirmed she will miss Flushing Meadows as part of her continued recovery from a stress fracture

- Serena and Venus Williams will play doubles together for the first time in years at Cincinnati, presumably preparing for a US Open reunion

- Coco Gauff addresses the WTA trans policy (with her usual eloquence)

WTA TORONTO

- Aryna Sabalenka's poor run of form continues with a last-16 defeat to Ekaterina Alexandrova

- Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva also lose early

- Alexandra Eala goes on another raucous run but this time she is stopped by Belinda Bencic

- Iga Swiatek is marching through the draw and it looks like Francisco Roig is having the desired effect

- Elena Rybakina is still in but looking increasingly rusty on serve

ATP MONTREAL

- Jack Draper is left in tears on court after struggling with his arm again against Terence Atmane

- Cam Norrie saves match points against Alex de Minaur but then is stopped comprehensively by Arthur Fils

- The youngest line-up ever in the quarter-finals includes 8 players born in the 2000s for the first time

- Rafa Jodar is on the verge of breaking a long-standing Boris Becker record

FUNDRAISING

- If you want to sponsor George's Iron Man effort, tap here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/gd-bellshaw-1

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The Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club is the best way to experience Tennis Unfiltered: ad-free listening, an extra podcast every week, exclusive group chats with other members and daily grand slam updates from James, George and Calvin.

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We love making Tennis Unfiltered, and the Tuscers enable us to make even more. Anyway, on with this week's podcast...

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There's no Calvin Betton this week owing to a variety of circumstances, so it's just James Gray and George Bellshaw - but there was no shortage of topics to discuss...

- Carlos Alcaraz has a new (questionable) haircut... but the real news is that he will be joined at the Cincinnati Masters by Novak Djokovic

- The 24-time slam champ confirmed his participation, a growing trend that sees players more likely to miss than attend these flagship ATP events which begs the question...

- When will someone turn around and say "let's get rid of the Canadian Open"?

- Marketa Vondrousova's full judgment is out... and it does not look great for the Czech player, who will surely appeal her four-year ban from the sport to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

- Alexandra Eala comes back the next day a set down to beat Jessica Pegula and win the biggest title of her career in Washington...

- ...before Rafael Jodar falls short of what would have been his, beaten in straight sets by Taylor Fritz

- Kristina Liutova is the youngest player in the WTA top 500 but is now a 250 champion at the age of just 16, coming behind in a tight final to claim her maiden title

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A link to the story re: the PTPA threatening to sue Andy Roddick is here: https://x.com/KaplanSportsBiz/status/2084257820149457262

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Calvin Betton, George Bellshaw and James Gray are back with another look at the week in tennis. This week: the doubles fightback starts in Washington, more Masters 1000 withdrawal fallout, the 2028 Olympic schedule is announced, the most epic Davis Cup finish ever, and three new tour title-winners.

Here's what they discussed

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Washington tournament owner Mark Ein has been doing the media rounds this week (including a stop on Ben Rothenberg's Bounces), and it caught our ear when he declared himself a doubles superfan.

• Ein says Washington has gone as far as almost any tournament to promote doubles, including proactively engineering eye-catching pairings rather than leaving it to chance
• His pitch: nothing beats watching top players mixing it up in doubles on a 1,500–3,000 seat side court, right on top of the crowd.
• He acknowledges the counter-argument other tournaments make that doubles soaks up a lot of prize money, but argues the format needs to "add unique value" to earn its keep.
• Washington will live mic doubles players again this year, the third year running.

Tournament director Valerie Tetreault has called for change after both Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Canadian Masters 1000, a repeat of last year, when both skipped Toronto.

• Tetreault is disappointed but understanding of the players' need to prioritise health given the schedule.
• Her broader point is that repeated last-minute withdrawals from Masters 1000s raise a real issue for the sport, since fans "rightfully expect to see the world's best compete."
• She's calling for adjustments to better protect the integrity of Masters 1000 events.

The 2028 Olympic tennis event, to be held in Carson, near where the Williams sisters grew up in Compton, will start just three days after the Wimbledon men's final.

• Kicks off the Wednesday after Wimbledon, running as a 10-day event
• Mixed doubles starts July 19, singles draws begin July 20, doubles from July 21
• Will top players get involved in the mixed? Not likely

World No. 1043 Ammar Alhogbani was serving for the match against Malaysia when he was violently sick on the baseline, and then a monsoon hit at 5-3, 40-15 in the third set.

• Play resumed seven hours later. Alhogbani came back and won it
• Saudi Arabia are promoted to World Group 2 in the most dramatic fashion imaginable

Kitzbuhel: Quentin Halys

• Wins his maiden title at 29. Once a highly-rated junior with four Grand Slam finals (singles and doubles), he never translated it into a senior career until cracking the top 100 four years ago - and has now broken into the top 50.

Estoril: Luca van Assche / Titouan Droguet & Kyrian Jacquet

• An all-French sweep: Van Assche took the singles, while Droguet and Jacquet won the doubles as alternates — including a first-round win over Calvin's pair Luke and Jan.

Prague: Lilli Tagger

• Beat Daria Snigur 7-6, 6-2 to win the title, becoming the youngest player in the top 50 at 18 and the first player born in 2008 to win a WTA title.
• Also beat home favourite Barbora Krejcikova in the semis. Won the girls' French Open title last year.
• Austrian, trained at the Schiavone academy near Milan and coached by Francesca Schiavone.

Hamburg: Tamara Korpatsch

• Beat Hungary's Anna Bondar 6-3, 6-3 to become the first German champion in Hamburg since Steffi Graf in 1992. Germans had gone 0-4 in finals there since.
• Born in Hamburg. Her dad was a truck driver and the pair used to tour ITF events around Germany in a borrowed camper van to save money

EXTRA, EXTRA

• Australian Open caps cheap tickets after overcrowding problems
• US Open mixed doubles entries have been announced so far, but could change before the deadline
• Jiri Lehecka has snapped up Fred Fontang as coach, freshly departed from Felix Auger-Aliassime's box

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