Two weeks of triumph and trouble in tennis

**Catherine** (0:11)
Well, hello, and welcome to The Tennis Podcast. We are back, everybody. Yeah, we are back from holiday, from house moves. It has not rained one single drop in the southeast of the UK. Since we were last with you for a tennis podcast, unlike in Washington, DC, rain over in that part of the world means that it is going to be a two podcast week this week, folks. In fact, it's going to be a two podcast 48 hours.
We're going to save all the Washington stuff until tomorrow, Tuesday, until the finals have been completed. As we stand at the moment, half of the women's final between Alexandra Ayala and Jessica Bagula has been played before it got rained off, and none of the men's final between Taylor Fritz and Raphael Hoddar has been played. So we're going to come back tomorrow and we're going to talk all things Washington. Luckily, because it's been a couple of weeks since we've all podcasted together, there is plenty of other stuff to talk about on today's show. Not least, Holly David. David, welcome back. Refreshed, tanned, revitalized.

**Matt** (1:22)
Yeah.

**David** (1:22)
I mean, as much as this pasty white face can ever get tanned.
But yes, and I didn't go below factor 50 all holiday, because that's what we do in this era when we've actually understood skincare and the dangers of the sun. Not something I did when I went on my 1994 holiday with my two mates, and ended up burnt on the first day. But there we are. You live and learn, don't you? 30 years have passed.

**Catherine** (1:49)
Could definitely hear more about the 1994 holiday for David and his two mates.

**David** (1:57)
Tenerife. I was in Lineker's Bar when I found out that Jürgen Klinsman had signed for Spurs, and nobody had smartphones or internet to be able to check this news. So it was an amazing moment when the announcement went over the loud speaker mid-dance and whilst drunk, and we didn't know whether it was our alcohol talking or whether it was the actual reality of the situation. But yes, that was 1994, folks.
Wow.

**Catherine** (2:27)
Wow.
What a comeback, David. Matt, follow that. Well, you can follow that because all change in Casa Roberts. Matt has moved house since you were last with us. And if you're watching on YouTube, you'll probably note that significant efforts have been made to create an atmospheric backdrop.

**Matt** (2:56)
Yes, it's still a work in progress, I would say, but we have moved on from where we were a few days ago for our friends Q&A, where it was basically just, well, nothing behind me. I've repositioned this shelving unit and jazzed it up a little bit and we're getting there. I now have my own office, which is lovely. So I just need to make it right for the pod.

**Catherine** (3:26)
So this is the same shelving unit that YouTube viewers will have got used to seeing previously? No, this new shelving. Matt Roberts has new shelving.

**Matt** (3:39)
This one came with the new flat.

**Catherine** (3:43)
Wow. Two for the price of one. Okay. Well, happy new home, Matt. Your efforts are appreciated. David has somehow managed to wangle a double podcast Monday, Tuesday situation when we were discussing how to handle the, well, when everybody saw the weather forecast in Washington at the start of yesterday and were planning for doom. I mean, at one point it looked like they just weren't going to get anything played. So we were cycling through the various scenarios and David was always keen for a double podcast situation. So here we are, folks. I haven't been on holiday since our last pod, but I have discovered Peach Beer. So my taste buds feel like they've been on holiday.
If the good folks at Jubel want to get in touch, there is no better brand ambassador out there than me. Right now I'm doing the work anyway.
No, it's been, it's quite a summer in the UK, isn't it? It does feel like all of the rain that we usually have has been sent over to Canada and Washington. Yeah, we're all in a hosepipe ban situation. Hasn't rained for, I think it hasn't rained in London since the Thursday of Queens, of men's queens.

**David** (5:10)
Wow, it's pretty alarming, isn't it?

**Catherine** (5:12)
Yeah.

**David** (5:13)
You know, and when I think, three years ago, I was on holiday in Bordeaux, who are suffering those horrific wildfires, you know, and there's terrible wildfires in the Madrid area, isn't there? I mean, it's just, yeah. I hope people haven't been affected too much listening to this, but it's been, it's pretty scary what's happening.