The Tennis Podcast

I-- it may not be confirmed, but, uh, that was the news that I heard, and I put up a bit of a reel, um, which went relatively well.

And then another thing that I saw today, uh, I check some of the charts sometimes to see how the podcast is going, and the podcast is the second most listened to podcast in the Czech Republic or Czechia, as it's now known, and it was ahead of "Andy Roddick Served," it was ahead of "The Tennis Podcast," it was ahead of Pegula's podcast, it, and Madison Keys'.

It was ahead of "Nothing Major," which is the show with John Isner and Sam Querrey, so it was amazing.

And I don't really know what's driven it.

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Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast.

Uh, outside of the finals qualifiers, there were other World Group ties, uh, in fact ties at every level of the Davis Cup going on this weekend, including one for Denmark, which saw the return of Holger Rune to professional tennis finally after rupturing his Achilles almost a year ago.

We've had so many false starts with his comeback.

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Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast, with the big news that dropped this week that Charlotte, North Carolina, has been chosen as the new home for the WTA Finals on a three-year deal that will start in 2027.

Obviously, the 2026 edition of the WTA Finals is going to be held in Indian Wells.

[upbeat music] Hello, and welcome to the Tennis Podcast, our final daily tennis podcast from the 2026 US Open here at Flushing Meadows, New York.

Today is the end of a long, grueling, thrilling three weeks for us here at the final Grand Slam of the season.

If you're new to what we do, we are me, Catherine Whitlock, Matt Roberts, and David Law.

That is it for part one.

We'll be back in part two to talk about the big picture, throw forward to 2027.

Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast, the part two where we ask, what does it all mean for the future? Alexander Zverev is now a two-time major champion.

He's won both those titles this year.

He's won more this year than Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner.

We'll be back with a podcast at the end of it all, our final US Open podcast from Flushing Meadows for the tournament this year.

We'll of course be back with our review show for friends of the Tennis Podcast in a few days' time as well.

Uh, we say hello to our mascots, to my mascot Bodhi, to David's Maisie, and to Matt's Roger, to our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris, and Jeff, and a big finals weekend hello to Leo, who David is pumped and celebrating in style.

[laughs]

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Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast.

Let's talk Alexander Zverev, the top seed into his first US Open final with a victory over the unseeded Russian, Karen Khachanov, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6.

In the words of Ava Wallace from The Athletic in her writeup of this, she said, "Zverev grinds down Khachanov in three mostly turgid sets."

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Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast.

Just before we look ahead to tomorrow, the women's singles final, some other big results from today here at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast.

Just before we get into previewing the two men's single semifinals tomorrow, the Coco Gauff press conference has dropped.

She seems pretty philosophical.

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Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast, where we have now two, and let's get out ahead of this, two quite frankly disappointing men's quarterfinals to talk about.

Let's start with Alexander Zverev beating Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 in the night session match.

This was, it w- what was it, David?

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Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast, where we turn our attention now to the best session in tennis, US Open Women's Semifinals night.

Both matches played in the night session from 7:00 PM, and this time around, it is the top four women's seeds that will play in the semifinals for the first time since 1975 here, and for the first time at any Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2009.

Or should I say later today, because Matt Roberts and myself, David Law, come to you just outside the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, following the Carlos Alcaraz against Ben Shelton match in the middle of the night.

Welcome to tennis, if you haven't heard tennis before on the Tennis Podcast.

Before we get cracking, uh, if you're new to us, and particularly if you're listening to us via the New York Times app, you may not know that we are now in our 15th year covering this sport for the Tennis Podcast weekly, year-round, daily at all four of the Grand Slam tournaments.

So do come back and listen to us throughout the year on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And it's quite a baptism, Matt, if people are joining us for the first time, isn't it? Because here we are, what time is it?

It's just that we don't need it now-

[laughs]

... because we need to be back and watching that match and covering it here for the Tennis Podcast.

And Josh Bain.

And you're listening to The Tennis Podcast.

[upbeat music] Hello, and welcome to The Tennis Podcast coming to you from New York on day nine of the US Open, and we have just been introduced beautifully there by Josh and his husband, Aladson, who by total chance we all met just yesterday out in Fountain Plaza at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Josh is a longtime listener and friend, but he's now managed to convert Aladson.

We like that.

Well, it's not quite followed by, it's not before 4:00 PM, but it's Karen Khachanov against Lerner, Tien.

Uh, we are big Tien fans in this Tennis Podcast Towers household, aren't we?

Oh, yeah.

What a, what a watch he is.