The one and only Pam Shriver joins Catherine, David and Matt to get hyped for the start of the Australian Open.

Part one - Tales from the press conference room as Novak Djokovic enters this Australian Open strangely under the radar, Emma Raducanu reveals a technique change on the forehand, and Daria Kasatkina opens up about the joy of becoming an Australian citizen.

Part two (29:42) - Titles for Mirra Andreeva and Tomas Machac in Adelaide. Can they bring that form with them to Melbourne?

Part three (42:18) - A look through the order of play on Sunday. Do we foresee any upsets?

The Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open is sponsored by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours - the Premium Hospitality and Experience Provider! For 10% off the best official ticket packages for Roland Garros, go to Tours4Tennis.com/Podcast, select your tickets and use the discount code Tennis10 at checkout.

Official ticket and travel packages are offered and fulfilled by Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.

Specifically for our promotions, Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours is the Official Travel Provider of the USTA and the US

Open, and an Official Provider of Roland-Garros packages. Exclusive Tennis Podcast listener offers expire

February 28, 2026. Terms, pricing, availability, and restrictions apply. See website for details

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Catherine and Matt and are joined by The Athletic’s Matt Futterman to discuss the major talking points from media day, where the vibes were mostly very good. 

There’s chat about Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek going for the career Grand Slam, the confidence of Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner, tales from some of the smaller interview rooms, Coco Gauff’s search for consistency, and a call out from Amanda Anisimova.

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It was draw day at the Australian Open on Thursday and Catherine, David and Matt are here to dissect them, make predictions, and pick out the must-watch round one matches. 

Part one - Women’s Draw. Will Matt be going blond? 

Part two (36:06) - Men’s Draw. Can anyone stop another Sinner vs Alcaraz final? Well David has a big prediction. 

Part three (1:10:34) - Reaction to Roger Federer’s press conference.

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Catherine, David and Matt are together in Melbourne for the Australian Open and we start our coverage Down Under by reacting to the One Point Slam which we all attended on the Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night. 

We discuss how the event differed from last year’s, the parts that worked and the parts that didn’t, the glorious journeys of eventual champion Jordan Smith and breakout star Joanna Garland, and whether Roland Garros will follow suit or go down the Mixed Doubles route.

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Catherine is in Melbourne and David and Matt are heading there soon, but first we catch up on all the results from the first week of the 2026 tennis season. 

Part one (00:00 - 39:14) We discuss how Poland won the United Cup despite Iga Swiatek losing her final two matches against Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic. In what way was the nature of those defeats worrying for Swiatek heading into the Australian Open? There’s also chat about the brilliant form of both Bencic and Hubert Hurkacz, as well as appreciation for Belgium’s tournament. 

Part two (39:15 - 01:04:11) We wrap up the rest of the results, headlined by Aryna Sabalenka winning the title in Brisbane again at a tournament where Marta Kostyuk beat three Top 10 players in a row. Plus, is Daniil Medvedev back? And why can’t Lorenzo Musetti win a title? 

Part three (01:04:12 - 01:29:30) We cover some news including Stan Wawrinka’s Australian Open wildcard, injury worry for Zheng Qinwen and Joao Fonseca, and a secret meeting in London between the slams and tours over the ongoing PTPA lawsuit. 

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The new tennis season is underway! David, Matt and Catherine in Perth discuss everything that’s happened so far. 

Part one (00:00 - 42:43) All the talking points from the United Cup in Perth, including some concerns and controversy for Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff, good vibes in Team Greece, and Stan Wawrinka rolling back the years. But will he receive an Australian Open wildcard? 

Part two (42:44 - 1:09:07) We cover the rest of the United Cup action in Sydney, headlined by Poland’s win over Germany, with Iga Swiatek surviving a brilliant performance from Eva Lys and Hubert Hurkacz returning from injury and beating Alexander Zverev. 

Part three (1:09:08 - 1:33:01) We finish with some news including Novak Djokovic publicly stepping away from the PTPA which he helped to create. 

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Catherine and Matt are joined by The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare to review The Battle of the Sexes and look ahead to the new tennis season. 

Part one (00:00 - 27:12) How did the reality of the Battle of the Sexes compare to our low expectations? 

Part two (27:13 - 45:51) Juan Carlos Ferrero opens up on his split from Carlos Alcaraz. 

Part three (45:52 - 1:20:13) 2026 season preview starting with the United Cup as Jack Draper withdraws. 

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Catherine, David and Matt catch up on bits and bobs of news as the off season begins to draw to a close. 

Part one (00:00 - 26:20) We start with some more reaction to Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero splitting including reports out of Spain about tensions between Ferrero and the Alcaraz team. There’s also chat about Grigor Dimitrov’s situation as he and Dani Vallverdu part ways, as well as the surprising news that Naomi Osaka is leaving Evolve, the agency she co-founded. 

Part two (26:21 - 45:51) We cover the news that the WTA has signed a long-term deal with Mercedes-Benz, the ATP’s new heat policy, and give various takes about the Next Gen Finals, with Alexander Blockx attracting our attention. 

Part three (45:52: 1:11:46) Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff sign up for the One Point Slam, Matt’s got a backhand list announcement, and we share some Stan Wawrinka memories as he reveals that 2026 will be his final year on tour. 

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Hours after the bombshell news that Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero have split, Catherine, David and Matt were joined by The Athletic's Matt Futterman to try to make sense of it, and speculate about how it might affect Alcaraz's career.

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Catherine, David and Matt, with the help of voice notes from an esteemed list of colleagues and Friends, look back on the 2025 tennis season. 

Part one (00:00 - 40:24) - A very special discussion between Pam Shriver and Mary Carillo on Amanda Anisimova’s resilience, a year of two halves for Coco Gauff, and the way Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz separated themselves from the field. 

Part two (40:25 - 1:03:53)- Charlie Eccleshare talks about the Roland Garros men’s final, while Simon Briggs discusses men’s tennis’ hunt for its third man. 

Part three (1:03:54 - 1:44:33) - Hannah Wilks shares her perspective on how the sport’s politics got in the way of the actual tennis in 2025 and Matt Futterman helps to close the show with reflections on how a player’s narrative can change over the course of a long season. 

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The tennis off season is here and so are Catherine, David and Matt for their first catch up since the Davis Cup. 

Part one (00:00 - 26:12) - Reaction to our interview with Andy Murray and concerns as Jack Draper pulls out of playing UTS. 

Part two (26:13 - 51:49) - Everything we dislike about the upcoming ‘Battle of the Sexes’ including the platforming of Nick Kyrgios, Aryna Sabalenka’s involvement, and the broadcasting of it on BBC One in the UK. 

Part three (51:50 - 1:21:10) - We discuss lots of news such as Serena Williams shutting down comeback rumours despite reentering the anti-doping testing pool, Anastasia Potapova’s nationality switch just days after taking part in a Gazprom-funded exhibition in Russia, and the death of Italian tennis great Nicola Pietrangeli. 

FRIENDS OF THE TENNIS PODCAST: 

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New pet mascot, guest editor, Grand Slam predictions and Fantasy League slots will be opening up at 3pm UK time. You can also get yourself a shout out, intro or personal greeting, all while helping to support what we do, and gaining access to our bonus content. 

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