WTA Insider Podcast
170 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 113 ratingsThe official podcast of the Women's Tennis Association, hosted by Courtney Nguyen, Senior Writer, WTA Insider. Bringing fans closer to the WTA with weekly analysis and interviews with players, broadcasters, and the men and women behind the scenes who drive women's tennis.
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Episodes
In Conversation: Maria Sakkari is the consummate professional
May 12, 2024 15:53 - 15 minutes - 21.9 MBAs the Hologic WTA Tour winds through the clay season, Maria Sakkari joins the podcast to discuss the realities of life as a touring professional. From reviewing invoices to enduring daily performance reviews, sometimes a job is still just a job.
Champions Corner: Iga Swiatek wins No.20 in an absolute epic in Madrid
May 05, 2024 15:01 - 10 minutes - 14.4 MBHow'd she do that? Iga Swiatek isn't entirely sure. The World No.1 joins the podcast to discuss her incredible match-point-saving win over Aryna Sabalenka to win her first Mutua Madrid Open title and 20th Hologic WTA Tour title overall.
Taylor Townsend is a Tennis Player. Period.
April 29, 2024 13:00 - 13 minutes - 18.7 MBTaylor Townsend isn't here for any asterisks or qualifiers next to her name. The fan-favorite American joins the podcast in Miami to discuss the challenges of living a full and balanced life as a professional tennis player.
In Conversation: Paula Badosa goes deep on the challenges of coming back
April 21, 2024 21:11 - 18 minutes - 26.1 MBFrom a prodigious junior career to World No.2, Spain's Paula Badosa has been through it all. Now, as she plots her comeback from a serious back injury, she joins the podcast to discuss the struggle to get back where she belongs.
How Zheng Qinwen stays humble and hungry
April 14, 2024 23:04 - 12 minutes - 16.5 MBAt just 21 years old, Zheng Qinwen started her season by becoming the first Chinese player to make a Grand Slam final since her idol, Li Na. But she's not resting on her laurels. Zheng joins the podcast to discuss her preternatural confidence and how she's keeping her feet planted firmly on the ground.
In Conversation: Katie Boulter on federations, female coaches and the challenge of clay
April 08, 2024 05:19 - 15 minutes - 21 MBKatie Boulter's hard work is paying off. The top-ranked Brit picked up her second career title at the Cymbiotika San Diego Open in February and boosted her to a new career-high ranking at No.27. As she looks to build on that momentum during the clay season, Boulter joined the podcast to discuss why everything is coming together for her now.
Champions Corner: Danielle Collins gets her 'happily ever after' in Miami
March 31, 2024 18:04 - 14 minutes - 20.3 MBDanielle Collins couldn't dream up a better farewell tour after her stunning run to the biggest title of her career at the Miami Open. After announcing her decision to retire at the end of this season, Collins is already having one of the best seasons of her career. She joins the podcast after her emotional win to reflect on her bare-knuckled 10-year journey to become a WTA 1000 champion.
Champions Corner: Iga Swiatek doubles down in Indian Wells
March 22, 2024 19:44 - 9 minutes - 12.6 MBWorld No.1 Iga Swiatek did not lose a set on her way to winning her second BNP Paribas Open title. After a quick coast-to-coast turnaround, she's gearing up for the Miami Open, where she could become the second woman to win the Sunshine Double twice. Swiatek joins the podcast to discuss the challenge of trying to do something you already know you can do.
How Charleston's Emma Navarro became a winning machine
March 14, 2024 02:11 - 15 minutes - 20.8 MBEmma Navarro is living the good life. The 22-year-old from Charleston is closing in on her Top 20 debut after beating No.2 Aryna Sabalenka at the BNP Paribas Open, the biggest win of her career so far. Navarro joins the podcast to discuss the evolution of her self-belief and relive her sobering Hologic WTA Tour debut in 2019.
In Conversation: Anna Blinkova re-lives The Longest Grand Slam Tiebreak
March 10, 2024 06:15 - 18 minutes - 25.8 MBAnna Blinkova is in the midst of an incredible season. The 25-year-old has already beaten two top-five players and won a historic tiebreak at the Australian Open in January. She joins the podcast from the BNP Paribas Open to reflect on her rise, re-live her wild ride on Rod Laver Arena, and discuss her passions for language and literature.
Jasmine Paolini talks pizza, Poland, and mastering the hard courts
March 04, 2024 06:51 - 12 minutes - 16.6 MBJasmine Paolini didn't play a hard court tournament until she was a teenager. But the 28-year-old Tuscan found a way to go from dirtballer to shot caller, as evidenced by her run to her first WTA 1000 title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Coco Gauff's Culture Corner: On Juneteenth, Beyonce and Gen Z
February 25, 2024 12:06 - 11 minutes - 15.7 MBWorld No.3 Coco Gauff joins the podcast to celebrate Black History Month and shares five inspiring moments or aspects of the culture that have left a lasting impression.
In Conversation: Jelena Ostapenko gets her groove back
February 18, 2024 11:13 - 17 minutes - 24 MBAfter winning titles in Adelaide and Linz, Jelena Ostapenko has her swagger back. Then again, was it ever really gone? The big-hitting Latvian joins the podcast from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships to discuss her surge, her innate confidence, and her joyous shopping habits.
Champions Corner: Aryna Sabalenka goes back-to-back at the Australian Open
January 28, 2024 04:53 - 10 minutes - 14.9 MBAryna Sabalenka stormed through the draw to defend her title at the Australian Open. She didn't lose a set -- or her cool -- to capture her second major title. And she looked like she had a whole lotta fun doing it.
Champions Corner: Coco Gauff wins the US Open
September 10, 2023 22:08 - 13 minutes - 18 MBCoco Gauff is the moment. The 19-year-old bested Aryna Sabalenka in a physical three sets to win her first major and become the youngest American to win the US Open since Serena Williams. Gauff joins the podcast to discuss the star-studded crowds, ASMR sounds, and, yes, the haterade that fueled her in New York.
Champions Corner: Coco Gauff cements her summer in Cincinnati
August 20, 2023 23:00 - 12 minutes - 17.7 MBCoco Gauff won the biggest title of her career at the Western & Southern Open, sealing a sizzling summer that has seen her win two titles and 11 of 12 matches. But is she ready for the roiling cauldron of New York City? Gauff joins the podcast to discuss the highlights of her week, her win over Iga Swiatek, and how she plans to keep things in perspective at the US Open.
Champions Corner: Jessica Pegula taking it all in stride after Montreal win
August 16, 2023 22:18 - 9 minutes - 13.4 MBJessica Pegula's week in Montreal didn't start well, but it finished with a flourish. In a week that saw the American defeat No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.7 Coco Gauff en route to her first title of the season and second WTA 1000 title, Pegula kept her cool and went to work. She joins the podcast after winning the Omnium Banque Nationale to discuss her growing comfort at the top fo the game.
Champions Corner: Iga Swiatek reigns again at Roland Garros
June 11, 2023 18:25 - 9 minutes - 7.06 MBWorld No.1 Iga Swiatek shut out the noise and the chaos to defend her French Open title, becoming the youngest woman to win four majors since Serena Williams. Swiatek explains how she managed to keep her mind quiet to win the toughest Grand Slam final of her career.
Champions Corner: Elena Rybakina's wild ride in Rome
May 21, 2023 23:23 - 8 minutes - 6.26 MBElena Rybakina won her second WTA 1000 of the season and her biggest title on clay at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. As the new World No.4 explains, it was a week where everything seemed to break her way.
Champions Corner: Aryna Sabalenka takes Madrid
May 07, 2023 00:32 - 10 minutes - 7.79 MBAryna Sabalenka took home her third title of the season after fending off No.1 Iga Swiatek to win her second Mutua Madrid Open title. The World No.2 joins the podcast to reflect on the foundations of her game and how she's evolved into the tour's winningest player this season.
Champions Corner: Iga Swiatek loves Stuttgart...and books
April 23, 2023 22:46 - 10 minutes - 7.3 MBNo.1 Iga Swiatek stormed through her competitive return to defend her title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, defeating No.2 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-4 in the final. Swiatek joins the podcast to discuss her week in Stuttgart, look ahead to the challenge of winning Madrid, and talk about her love of books.
Champions Corner: Petra Kvitova wins No.30 in Miami
April 02, 2023 18:27 - 10 minutes - 8.48 MBPetra Kvitova captured her 30th Hologic WTA Tour title at the Miami Open, where she defeated Elena Rybakina 7-6(14), 6-2 in the final. The victory vaults Kvitova back in the Top 10 for the first time since 2021. Kvitova joins the podcast to reflect on her stunning run to the title and explain why practice doesn't always make perfect.
Champions Corner: Rybakina rolls in Indian Wells
March 20, 2023 04:46 - 10 minutes - 7.94 MBElena Rybakina put her stamp on the 2023 Hologic WTA Tour season with a rousing run to the title at the BNP Paribas Open, where she defeated No.1 Iga Swiatek and No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in back-to-back matches to win her first WTA 1000 title. Rybakina joins the podcast to discuss why her game is coming together and yielding big results in 2023.
Champions Corner: Aryna Sabalenka wins the Australian Open
January 29, 2023 05:38 - 9 minutes - 6.74 MBAryna Sabalenka still hasn't lost a match in 2023. The 24-year-old will return to World No.2 after winning her maiden major title at the Australian Open. She joins the podcast to discuss her winning fortnight and how she learned to a new side of her fighting instincts.
Champions Corner: Sabalenka tames the tiger in Adelaide
January 09, 2023 00:11 - 10 minutes - 7.12 MBThe 2023 Hologic WTA Tour season is here and Aryna Sabalenka is already bored. The World No.5 kicked off her season by winning her first title since 2021 Madrid, winning the Adelaide International 1. Sabalenka's title run was not without its adversity, but the 24-year-old showed a calmer, more zen approach to her tennis. She joins the podcast to discuss her evolution.
Champions Corner: Jessie Pegula takes control in Guadalajara
October 24, 2022 07:47 - 14 minutes - 9.48 MBJessica Pegula captured the biggest title of her career at the Guadalajara Open Akron, winning her first WTA 1000 title after defeating Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-3 in the final. Pegula joins the podcast to discuss the title that felt like a long time coming, tapping into her ambition, and why she now feels like the main character of her own story.
Champions Corner: Sizzling Samsonova dominates Tokyo
September 26, 2022 02:57 - 11 minutes - 8.11 MBLiudmila Samsonova captured her third title of the season at the Toray Pan Pacific Open and took her record to 18-1 since the start of August. For the second time this season, the 23-year-old did not lost a set in her title run. Samsonova joins the podcast by phone from Tokyo to discuss the mental work she's done with her sports psychologist and why she's keeping her blinders on for her last two tournaments of the year.
Champions Corner: Swiatek conquers New York
September 12, 2022 00:10 - 13 minutes - 10.1 MBWorld No.1 Iga Swiatek became the youngest three-time major champion since 2008 after winning her second Slam of the season at the US Open. The win is her seventh title of the season and 10th overall. Yet despite her domination this year, which included three hard-court WTA 1000 titles, the 21-year-old had reason to doubt whether she could go deep in New York. Swiatek joins the podcast to explain why.
Champions Corner: Caroline Garcia surges in Cincinnati
August 21, 2022 22:38 - 12 minutes - 8.63 MBCaroline Garcia made history at the Western & Southern Open, becoming the first qualifier in tour history to win a WTA 1000 title. The 28-year-old Frenchwoman will return to the Top 20 after capturing her 10th career title and third WTA 1000 title, after defeating Petra Kvitova in straight sets. Garcia joins the podcast to discuss her return to a more aggressive game and how difficult it was to navigate the five years between her breakout 2017 season and now.
Champions Corner: Elena Rybakina stays cool, wins Wimbledon
July 10, 2022 08:38 - 12 minutes - 10.6 MBElena Rybakina went into Wimbledon wondering if she would ever feel as confident as she felt when she announced herself in the first two months of the 2020 season. She leaves as the first player representing Kazakhstan to win a major title, beating Simona Halep and Ons Jabeur in back-to-back matches to win The Championships. Rybakina joins the podcast to discuss her doubts, her shock, and her growing belief that she can do it again.
Champions Corner: Swiatek reigns at Roland Garros
June 05, 2022 16:57 - 12 minutes - 8.88 MBWorld No.1 Iga Swiatek's astounding win streak remains intact. The 21-year-old dominated once again in Paris, losing one set en route to her second major title. Swiatek joins the podcast and tries to find the words to explain how it feels to win 35 consecutive matches and six consecutive titles.
Champions Corner: Swiatek sweeps through Rome
May 15, 2022 18:15 - 7 minutes - 5.73 MBWorld No.1 Iga Swiatek continued her winning ways to successfully defend her title at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. The 20-year-old has now won five consecutive tournaments and extended her win streak to 28 straight wins.
Champions Corner: Jabeur makes history in Madrid
May 10, 2022 09:43 - 20 minutes - 15 MBOns Jabeur continues to blaze trails. The Tunisian became the first Arab or North African player to win a WTA 1000 title at the Mutua Madrid Open, defeating Jessica Pegula. Ons reveals the secrets to her success, which include the whispered secrets of the animal kingdom.
Champions Corner: Swiatek races away in Stuttgart
April 24, 2022 16:19 - 14 minutes - 9.68 MBWorld No.1 Iga Swiatek continued her winning ways at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, winning her fourth consecutive title and extending her win streak to 23 straight matches. But how does she feel about being a meme queen?
Champions Corner: Bencic comes full circle with Charleston win
April 11, 2022 05:31 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBBelinda Bencic captured her first clay title at the 2022 Credit One Charleston Open, holding off Ons Jabeur in three sets in the final. The win comes eight years after the Swiss star marched her way to her first WTA semifinal as a teenage qualifier ranked No.140 in the world.
Catching up with Jessica Pegula in Charleston
April 05, 2022 06:32 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBWorld No.13 Jessica Pegula joins the podcast from the Credit One Charleston Open to dish about the highs and lows of her hard court season, marvel at Iga Swiatek's rise to No.1, and laugh about being a rookie on the WTA Player Council.
Champions Corner: Swiatek makes history in Miami (w/ Daria Abramowicz)
April 03, 2022 21:09 - 40 minutes - 26.2 MBNew World No.1 Iga Swiatek and her sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz join the podcast to reflect on the 'Swiatek Sweep', after Swiatek dominated the Miami Open to become the youngest player to win the Sunshine Double and first to ever win the first three WTA 1000 events of the season. On Monday, the 20-year-old will become Poland's first-ever World No.1.
Ash Barty bids farewell after her fairytale finish
March 28, 2022 11:41 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBUndefeated on the season and firmly entrenched as the World No.1 Ashleigh Barty stunned the world after announcing her retirement from the Hologic WTA Tour. Barty joins the podcast to discuss her decision to hang up her racquets.
Miami Open Preview and Indian Wells Recap
March 22, 2022 17:37 - 56 minutes - 51.1 MBWTA Web Editor Alex Macpherson returns to discuss Iga Swiatek, Maria Sakkari, and the biggest storylines from the BNP Paribas Open and look ahead to the Miami Open presented by Itaú.
Champions Corner: Swiatek soars to No.2 after Indian Wells win (w/ doubles champions Yang/Xu)
March 21, 2022 02:24 - 19 minutes - 13.8 MBIga Swiatek captured her second straight WTA 1000 title on Sunday, defeating Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 to win the BNP Paribas Open. The 20-year-old Pole is now on a career-best 11-match win streak and will rise to a career-high No.2 on Monday. Swiatek joins the WTA Insider Podcast to try and process what's she's accomplished so early in the season. Doubles champions Yang Zhaoxuan and Xu Yifan also sit down to reflect on their 'lucky' title run.
2022 BNP Paribas Open Preview and February look-back
March 09, 2022 05:20 - 50 minutes - 35.6 MBWTA Web Editor Alex Macpherson joins the podcast to reflect on the lessons learned from the Middle East and Mexican swings and preview the BNP Paribas Open, a WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells, California. Note: This episode was recorded before top seed Barbora Krejcikova withdrew due to elbow injury.
Champions Corner: Gauff/Pegula find their chemistry to win doubles in Doha
February 27, 2022 09:35 - 15 minutes - 15 MBIn their fourth tournament together, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula captured their first team title and it was a big one. The American duo came from a set down to win the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, a WTA 1000 event, defeating No.3 seeds Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova in the final. Gauff and Pegula join the podcast to discuss their team chemistry, how they handle pressure in both doubles and singles, and how the win sets them up for the Sunshine Swing.
Champions Corner: Swiatek puts the puzzle together in Doha
February 27, 2022 08:19 - 19 minutes - 17.1 MBIga Swiatek captured her second WTA 1000 title at the 2022 Qatar TotalEnergies Open, defeating Anett Kontaveit, 6-2, 6-0. Playing a more aggressive game style, the 20-year-old Polish star defeated three Top 10 opponents at a single event for the first time in her career. Swiatek joined the podcast by phone from Doha to explain the changes she's made to her game under new coach Tomasz Witkorowski.
Champions Corner: Kontaveit's indoor dominance continues in St. Petersburg
February 14, 2022 11:23 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBAnett Kontaveit has no idea how she's doing it, but she's doing it. The Estonian extended her indoor winning streak to 20 matches after a resilient comeback to defeat Maria Sakkari in the final to win the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy. It's the longest indoor winning streak in over a decade and it earned Kontaveit her sixth career title. Kontaveit joined the podcast from St. Petersburg to reflect on her winning week.
Australian Open 2022 Takeaways
February 01, 2022 17:41 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBHow dominant is Ash Barty right now? Who left a lasting impression in Melbourne? What does it all mean for the remainder of the spring hard-court season? WTA Web Editor Alex Macpherson joins the podcast to break down the 2022 Australian Open.
Champions Corner: Barty brings it home in 'perfect' Australian Open win
January 30, 2022 17:22 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBAshleigh Barty capped off a perfect fortnight in Melbourne by becoming the first homegrown singles champion at the Australian Open, capturing her third major title with a straight-set win over Danielle Collins in the final. The World No.1 joined the podcast after a whirlwind media tour in Melbourne to explain why her Melbourne run was different from her first two major wins and what's next after a dominant start to the year.
Champions Corner: Badosa gets aggressive in Sydney
January 16, 2022 08:33 - 11 minutes - 9.42 MBPaula Badosa finds her comfort on the clay. Which is why her victory at the Sydney Tennis Classic cemented the Spaniard as an all-court threat. Badosa joined the podcast after her hard-fought victory to reveal the adjustments she's made to her game to succeed on quick hard courts.
2022 Australian Open Preview and Early Takeaways
January 14, 2022 03:17 - 52 minutes - 37.5 MBAfter a short hiatus, the WTA Insider Podcast is back! WTA Web Editor Alex Macpherson joins the podcast to ring in the new 2022 WTA season. We break down the key takeaways from the first two weeks of the season, dive deep into the draw for the Australian Open, and analyze the favorites, dark horses, and match-ups that matter.
Champions Corner: Swiatek's lessons learned in Rome
May 19, 2021 07:58 - 14 minutes - 12.4 MBIga Swiatek captured her second title of the 2021 season and third overall with a stunning week at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-0 in the final to capture her first WTA 1000 title. The 19-year-old saved match points in the third round and went on to tally two Top 10 wins to book her own spot in the Top 10 for the first time in her career. Swiatek joined the podcast after her dominating final performance to reflect on a week of winning ugly that ended w...
Champions Corner: Sabalenka conquers clay in Madrid
May 12, 2021 02:48 - 15 minutes - 14.9 MBAryna Sabalenka won her 10th career title at the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open, defeating World No.1 Ashleigh Barty 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 to capture her first title on clay. As a result, the 23-year-old will rise to a career-high No.4 in the rankings and zoom up to the No.3 position on the Porsche Race to Shenzhen Leaderboard. Only Barty and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka have earned more points this season. Sabalenka joined the podcast after her Madrid win to discuss her magical week, why she need...