Rafael Nadal won his 36th consecutive set of clay court tennis, dropping an average of two games per set, to claim his 11th Monte Carlo title. Afterwards, the Tennis Podcast team found themselves asking who can stop him on the surface, and how?
Presenter David Law was joined by Telegraph Sport tennis correspondent Simon Briggs to work their way through the potential candidates to ‘do a Robin Soderling’ - who beat Nadal at the French Open in 2009 - and how. Is it an in-form Juan Martin Del Potro? Could Novak Djokovic return to exert his former hold over the clay court master? Maybe big John Isner? Or is it simply impossible if Nadal is fit and at his best? They also wonder whether underarm serving might be a legitimate tactic to use against Nadal, given that he operates so far back behind his baseline.
The Fed Cup weekend results are discussed - Great Britain’s narrow, heartbreaking defeat to Japan, and the wins for Czech Republic and the United States to reach the final. Was there anything that the British team or captain could/should have done differently?
Briggs was in Miami when the controversy over Caroline Wozniacki’s treatment by the crowd erupted, and he gives his view about the reaction of the tournament, and also tells us the story of Rob Fahey and Camden Riviere, the ‘Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal of Real Tennis’, who will face off at The Queen’s Club this week.
The Tennis Podcast is produced weekly throughout the year and daily during the Grand Slam tournaments, in association with Telegraph Sport and Eurosport, and presented by Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) and David Law (BBC 5 Live, BT Sport).
Roland Garros Day 1 - Sabalenka/Kostyuk tension escalates; Pouille’s redemption
Roland Garros - Tales from the interview room
Welcome to Paris!
Rome - Medvedev, Rybakina reign in rain; Halep charged again; Roland Garros Mix chat
Rafael Nadal reflections as the end nears; Rome - stories galore
Rome - Inequalities, early results and is Pietrangeli the best court in the world?
Madrid - Sabalenka, Alcaraz win again; Women's doubles finalists censored!?
Madrid - Rivalry time, Raducanu’s agony and ‘Model Ball Girls’ must stop
Madrid - Aggro, action and agony everywhere
Barcelona/Alcaraz = Stuttgart/Swiatek in everything but prize money
Monte Carlo - Andrey at last; Aggro galore
WTA lifts China suspension - our reaction; Monte Carlo latest; News, Results round-up
An Update
Miami - Medvedev, Kvitova clean up; Wimbledon decision reaction
Miami - Alcaraz, Rybakina keep rolling; Wimbledon lifts ban on Russians/Belarusians
Magic, Madness, Miami Time
Indian Wells - Rybakina’s Revenge; Alcarazmatazz
Indian Wells - Medvedev to meet 'the famous' Carlos Alcaraz
Indian Wells - Rybakina vs. Sabalenka, The Rematch; Alcaraz is at 60% of his potential - Ferrero
Indian Wells - Dream semis set; David doorsteps Darren Cahill
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