The AO Show

As the dust settles on the clay swing, world No.1 Iga Swiatek has another Roland Garros crown and Carlos Alcaraz has completed the ‘Surface Slam’ in just his third major final — Simon Rea breaks down the champions’ performances and casts a magnifying glass over five players of interest in the lead-up to Wimbledon: Jasmine Paolini, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, Brie reveals her top 5 thinks you didn’t know about the new men’s world No.1, plus Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley stops by The AO Show. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the tours pivot from clay to grass, former Queen's Club tournament director Stephen Farrow sits down with Matt and Viv to reveal how he entered the tennis industry and rose to oversee one of the world's most historic events. Now living in Australia in his role as tournament director of the innovative United Cup, the British native recalls some of his most memorable moments across his career in tennis, and envisages an exciting future for the sport. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The women’s final of Roland Garros will feature a Grand Slam champion against a first-time major finalist, following Mirra Andreeva’s upset of Aryna Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini’s ousting of Elena Rybakina — our panel of experts previews the women’s semis and a star-studded men’s last four that includes two major champions (Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz) and two players still yet to taste Grand Slam success (Alex Zverev and Casper Ruud), quarterfinalist Alex de Minaur analyses his career-best Roland Garros campaign, and Brie counts down the top 5 moments from on-court interviews. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unseeded 18-year-old at Roland Garros 1988, Australia's Nicole Bradtke (née Provis) reached the semifinals — her best Grand Slam singles result. The clay-loving Melburnian sits down with Luke Dennehy to reflect on her charmed run 36 years ago that included a quarterfinal win over eventual three-time Roland Garros champion Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, the elusive match point against Natasha Zvereva that cost her a spot in the final, and the telegram she received from the Australian Prime Minister. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iga Swiatek has fended off fellow four-time major champ Naomi Osaka to keep alive her Roland Garros title defence — Casey Dellacqua and Simon Rea join the panel to discuss a rain-affected first week of competition, the future for Rafael Nadal following his first round exit, Jannik Sinner’s impressive numbers on his comeback from injury, and the two remaining Australians in the singles draw, Alex de Minaur and Thanasi Kokkinakis, plus — in a week that’s heralded the arrival of a new power couple, Jannik Sinner and Anna Kalinskaya — Brie reveals her top 5 tennis relationships. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Esteemed French tennis photographer Corinne Dubreuil is back at Roland Garros, capturing the tournament through her lens for the 38th consecutive year. The globe-trotting freelancer sits down with Matt Trollope to explain how Chris Evert became her gateway into the industry, why each of the Slams are so unique to cover, and how her award-winning Rafael Nadal book came to fruition, plus she reveals her all-time favourite photos and players across her dream career. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can anyone stop three-time champion Iga Swiatek retaining her Roland Garros crown? 2010 finalist Sam Stosur and 2000 men’s doubles champion Todd Woodbridge make the cases for Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina, and preview the most open men’s field in recent memory as Rafael Nadal prepares to bid adieu to the scene of his 14 titles, Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley drops by for an important update on the state of the game, and Iga Swiatek on how she’s managed to conquer the world without a dream. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Schiavone made history at Roland Garros in 2010, becoming the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title. There was also her victory over Serena Williams and her Australian Open record-breaking epic against Svetlana Kuznetsova in a career that saw Schiavone reach a world No.4 singles ranking. The 43-year-old sits down with producer Shannon Davis in her Milan home, reflecting on some magical moments in her professional career with the same passion that still drives her tennis dreams. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The top three women's seeds — Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff — are battling for the title in Rome, while the men's draw has seen the premature exits of Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud — Todd Woodbridge and Casey Dellacqua discuss the remaining title contenders including Alex Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Hubert Hurkacz, and the big opportunities for the next generation at Roland Garros, plus Brie’s Top 5 social media moments of the week, and we preview the new documentary from AO Originals, Djokovic Unmasked. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former world No.33 Paolo Lorenzi, who retired from the tour in 2021, is now the Italian Open tournament director. Having trained and competed with Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini in his playing career, Lorenzi has witnessed first-hand the spectacular rise of Italian tennis, and believes the best is yet to come. He sits down with Ursin Caderas at the Foro Italico in Rome to discuss Sinner’s enormous popularity, and how the Australian Open 2024 champion could soon not only be world No.1, but potentially one of 10 Italian men ranked inside the world’s top 50 players. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iga Swiatek has bolstered her impressive clay-court credentials by taking the title in Madrid in a pulsating women’s final against Aryna Sabalenka lasting more than three hours — Wally Masur and Viv Christie join the panel to discuss the Pole’s main threats in Rome and Roland Garros, and preview a men’s draw missing Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, giving Rafael Nadal even more impetus in his final appearance in the Italian capital, plus we discuss the outlook for former Australian Open finalist Dominic Thiem, and Brie reveals her top 5 show-stoppers of Met Gala 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wim Fissette is on tour with Naomi Osaka again following the birth of her daughter Shai and subsequent return to the court. The Belgian coach believes the four-time Grand Slam champion and former world No.1 can reach even greater heights, and has room to grow on clay. Fissette joins Matt and Viv from Madrid to discuss her potential, and his passion for coaching over a 15-year career that has featured stints with other top-ranked major champions Kim Clijsters, Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, and Angelique Kerber. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AO 2023 women’s finalists Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina renew hostilities in the semifinals of Madrid, while Iga Swiatek battles Madison Keys for the other spot in the final — Casey Dellacqua and Simon Rea preview the last four for the women’s draw discuss the outlook for the men’s draw, which lost top two seeds Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz with injury concerns weeks out from Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal has another four matches under the belt as he looks to take the next step towards Roland Garros in Rome, and as Alize Cornet prepares to bid au revoir, we look back on her momentous quarterfinal run at AO 2022. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone with more passion for tennis than Paul McNamee, a Davis Cup and Wimbledon champion who later became Australian Open tournament director. Atypically for an Australian, McNamee's favourite surface is clay — a love-affair he documents in his book Welcome to the Dance. Matt and Viv sit down with McNamee to discuss the nation's relationship with clay, his favourite clay-courts around the world, and who he most loves watching compete on the surface today. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jelena Dokic joins The AO Show for our 200th episode! After conquering Iga Swiatek en route to the title in Stuttgart, Elena Rybakina claims she can win a Grand Slam on any surface — our panel discusses her chances ahead of Roland Garros and who stands in her way of a second major crown, Casper Ruud claims his biggest title of his career in Barcelona and is back Grand Slam title contention, Rafael Nadal takes the next step in his Paris preparations in Madrid, and the tennis world bids farewell to Australian Open finalist and two-time major champion Garbine Muguruza. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former-player-turned-super-coach Brad Gilbert has added a showbiz string to his bow after serving as consulting coach for the new tennis movie Challengers. The 62-year-old, with wife Kim, was responsible for turning Hollywood stars Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor into convincing tennis players for the silver screen. And, as Matt and Viv found out during their sit-down, there was a lot more to the role than Brad expected. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stefanos Tsitsipas' emotional triumph at Monte-Carlo has put him back in the frame for a maiden major title — our experts discuss the world No.7's potential to re-establish himself as a Grand Slam contender, Alex de Minaur has become the first Australian to topple Rafael Nadal on clay, booking his spot in the Round of 16 at Barcelona and casting further doubt over the 12-time champion's future, and we have tickets to the new tennis movie Challengers to give away to Australian and New Zealand listeners. T&Cs. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Stosur’s obsession with the clay wasn’t always what it is today. As the clay-court season gets underway in Stuttgart, the 2010 Roland Garros finalist sits down with Matt and Viv to discuss how she learned to master the surface, and which European clay court she would most like to have replicated in her own home. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danielle Collins has taken all before her with back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston in what will be her last season on tour — or will it? Todd Woodbridge believes the 30-year-old might delay her end-of-year retirement if she continues her fearsome form, Alexei Popyrin has scored his sixth top-10 win to set up an all-Aussie showdown with Alex de Minaur among a star-studded Round of 16 at Monte-Carlo, and Aussie Billie Jean King Cup coach Nicole Pratt joins us from Brisbane to preview Australia's qualifier with Mexico. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1968 Wimbledon singles finalist Judy Dalton was one of the 'Original 9', a group of players who defied the establishment to form the women's professional tour. This week has seen the holding of the longest-running United States tournament from that tour, at Charleston. Dalton remains a passionate advocate for the women's game, and a great storyteller, as Matt Trollope discovered in their sit-down. AusOpen.com iHeart Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Host handles: @Viv_Christie @MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.