Talkn Tennis

Ep 27: Roland Garros 2026 Quarter Final Preview - Sinner Cramps Out of French Open as Mensik and Andreeva Storm Into the Semis plus Serena Makes Her Return

1 h 30 min · 4. juni 2026
episode Ep 27: Roland Garros 2026 Quarter Final Preview - Sinner Cramps Out of French Open as Mensik and Andreeva Storm Into the Semis plus Serena Makes Her Return cover

Description

The French Open 2026 has been turned on its head and the boys are back to make sense of it all. Adam, Chris and Adrian break down the biggest talking point of Roland Garros so far, preview the quarter finals on both sides of the draw, and find time to welcome back one of the greatest tennis players who ever lived. The talk of the tournament at Roland Garros 2026 has been Jannik Sinner, who led Juan Manuel Cerundolo by two sets and 5-1 in the third before full body cramps brought the world number one to a standstill. What followed was one of the most extraordinary collapses in recent French Open memory, with Sinner losing the third set 7-5 and then 6-1, 6-1 in scenes the boys watched live after recording last week's episode. The cramp debate has taken over tennis, with talk online pointing to genetics. Chris, armed with his minor degree in human studies and biology, weighs in. On the men's side of the French Open, Jakub Mensik is into his first Grand Slam semi-final after defeating 19-year-old Joao Fonseca in a battle of the young guns, capping a remarkable run that included a five-set war with Navone, coming back from a bagel against De Minaur and outlasting Rublev across five brutal sets. Fonseca exits Roland Garros with his reputation significantly enhanced after stunning Djokovic from two sets down in the third round. Alexander Zverev comfortably accounts for Spanish teenager Rafa Jodar to firm as tournament favourite, setting up a blockbuster semi-final against Mensik. The boys also preview an intriguing quarter final between Felix Auger-Aliassime and Flavio Cobolli, and an all-Italian clash between the two Matteos, Berrettini and Arnaldi, who has logged close to 18 hours on court and played eight tiebreaks getting to this stage. On the women's side of the French Open 2026, Mirra Andreeva dismantles Sorana Cirstea in 56 minutes to reach her second Roland Garros semi-final, while Marta Kostyuk continues her extraordinary clay season, now 17-0 on the surface in 2026, after defeating compatriot Elina Svitolina in an all-Ukrainian quarter final. The women's quarter final previews pit qualifier and fairy-tale story Maja Chwalinska against Anna Kalinskaya, while world number one Aryna Sabalenka, chasing her first Grand Slam title off hard court and in the middle of a run of 14 consecutive Slam quarter finals, takes on aggressive left-hander Diana Shnaider. And in news that has nothing to do with the French Open 2026 but everything to do with tennis, Serena Williams is returning to professional tennis at Queen's Club in London, nearly four years after her last competitive match at the 2022 US Open. The 23-time Grand Slam champion, now 44, has accepted a wildcard to play women's doubles alongside young Canadian Victoria Mboko. The boys react. Talkn Tennis — the only tennis podcast you need.

Comments

0

Be the first to comment

Sign up now and become a member of the Talkn Tennis community!

Get Started

1 month for 9 kr.

Then 99 kr. / month · Cancel anytime.

  • Podcasts kun på Podimo
  • 20 lydbogstimer pr. måned
  • Gratis podcasts

All episodes

32 episodes

episode Wimbledon 2026 Early Rounds Recap: Sinners Red Shoes, Williams Gets Smoked by Joint and Shelton Disappoints Again - Talkn Tennis Podcast Ep:32 artwork

Wimbledon 2026 Early Rounds Recap: Sinners Red Shoes, Williams Gets Smoked by Joint and Shelton Disappoints Again - Talkn Tennis Podcast Ep:32

Wimbledon 2026 has already delivered drama, upsets and one of the most emotional matches in recent memory, and Adam and Adrian are here to break down every moment of a breathless opening few days at the All England Club. Jannik Sinner is through, but the defending Wimbledon champion has not had things his own way. The world number one was taken to five sets by Miomir Kecmanovic in round one, dropping the first set, losing a brilliant third-set tiebreak and losing a shoe along the way before eventually steadying to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3. Round two against Nuno Borges was cleaner on the scoreline but tighter than the numbers suggest, with both sets going to tiebreaks before Sinner lifted at the crucial moments to win 7-6, 7-6, 6-4, taking his Grand Slam wins to 95 and the record as the most by any Italian in history. The takeaway from both matches though is that Sinner looks mortal. Someone with the nerve to hold their nerve in the big moments might just be able to beat him, and the boys discuss whether Wimbledon 2026 could be another upset Grand Slam. The story that had the whole tennis world talking was Serena Williams against Maya Joint on Centre Court. The 23-time Grand Slam champion, 44 years old and playing her first competitive singles match in nearly four years, was beaten 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 by the 20-year-old Australian in a match that lasted more than two hours. Williams showed the power and the fight, stealing the second set in a tiebreak and refusing to go quietly, but the movement and match sharpness were not there against an opponent less than half her age, and Joint held her nerve brilliantly to take it in three. The boys debate whether Centre Court was the right call, whether Joint deserves more credit than she is getting, and what comes next for Serena, who skipped her post-match press conference amid reports of a right knee injury. Fourth seed Ben Shelton is out in one of the genuine shocks of the Wimbledon 2026 draw, blowing a fifth-set super tiebreak he had by the throat at 8-5 and match point at 9-8 before Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen closed it out 11-9. It is a brutal exit for a player who arrived as one of the most dangerous servers in the draw and caps a year where Shelton has repeatedly failed to convert his ranking and firepower into deep runs at the events that matter most. And in the biggest upset on the women's side, reigning Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva is out, beaten 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 by former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in a two-hour 46-minute epic. Andreeva saved six match points in one extraordinary game in the third set and looked like she had shifted the momentum, only for Krejcikova to break straight back and close it out. Andreeva was in tears at her press conference and the boys discuss whether the weight of expectation that comes with a first Grand Slam title is already starting to show. Talkn Tennis — the only tennis podcast you need.

2. juli 202645 min
episode Ep 31: Wimbledon 2026 Draw Preview & Our Predictions- Sinner and Djokovic on a Collision Course plus Serena Williams Returns to Wimbledon - How Far Will She Go? artwork

Ep 31: Wimbledon 2026 Draw Preview & Our Predictions- Sinner and Djokovic on a Collision Course plus Serena Williams Returns to Wimbledon - How Far Will She Go?

Wimbledon 2026 is days away and the draw has landed. Adam and Adrian break down every quarter of the Wimbledon men's and women's draws, flag the match-ups they cannot wait to see, and make their picks for who lifts the trophies at the All England Club. On the men's side of the Wimbledon 2026 draw, defending champion Jannik Sinner headlines as the top seed and clear favourite despite his shock exit at Roland Garros. Sinner opens against Miomir Kecmanovic and is projected to navigate a quarter that also includes Casper Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz, Daniil Medvedev and teenage sensation Rafael Jodar in his first Wimbledon. Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic sits in the second quarter chasing a record 25th Grand Slam and an eighth Wimbledon title to equal Roger Federer, with a mouth-watering potential fourth-round rematch against Roland Garros giant-killer Joao Fonseca on the cards. Felix Auger-Aliassime is the nominal top seed in Djokovic's quarter and is projected to meet him in the last eight. Ben Shelton anchors the third quarter as a genuine grass court threat after winning Stuttgart earlier this month, with Alex de Minaur carrying Australian hopes alongside him and Roland Garros finalist Flavio Cobolli lurking as the danger seed. The fourth quarter is the one everyone is talking about. Freshly crowned Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev, who has never been past the fourth round at Wimbledon, opens against Alexander Blockx and is projected to meet Taylor Fritz in the quarters. Fritz, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year and back-to-back finalist on grass this month, opens against home favourite Jack Draper in one of the most brutal first-round draws of the tournament. Halle champion Frances Tiafoe and Queen's Club winner Francisco Cerundolo also land in this quarter, making it the most loaded section of the Wimbledon 2026 men's draw. On the women's side of Wimbledon 2026, world number one Aryna Sabalenka headlines the first quarter alongside Barbora Krejcikova, Naomi Osaka, Karolina Muchova, Emma Raducanu and Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva, who is projected as Sabalenka's last-eight opponent in what is already the toughest quarter on paper. Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are set to collide in the second quarter, with Gauff arriving cold on a four-match grass losing streak and Dayana Yastremska, the player who dumped her out at Wimbledon last year, lurking in the same section again. Iga Swiatek defends her Wimbledon title in the third quarter and could face the tournament's biggest storyline as early as the third round. Serena Williams returns to Wimbledon on a singles wildcard, nearly four years after her last competitive match, and the seven-time Wimbledon champion opens against Australian Maya Joint with Swiatek a possible third-round opponent. Alexandra Eala, fresh off a run to the Berlin semi-finals, is the likely second-round test for Serena and is no easy draw. Elena Rybakina anchors the fourth quarter as the 2022 Wimbledon champion, with defending runner-up Amanda Anisimova, Berlin champion Linda Noskova and 2025 Australian Open winner Madison Keys all in the same section, making it arguably the deepest quarter in the women's draw. Adam and Adrian make their picks for Wimbledon 2026, with Sinner the consensus men's favourite and Andreeva the pick to go deep on the women's side. Talkn Tennis — the only tennis podcast you need.

27. juni 20261 h 2 min
episode Ep 29 - Name all ATP number 1 ranked players in the open era? artwork

Ep 29 - Name all ATP number 1 ranked players in the open era?

In this special edition of the Talkin' Tennis Podcast, hosts Chris and Adrian dive into a fun challenge: naming all 29 male tennis players who have held the title of world number one since the rankings began in August 1973. This engaging battle, dubbed the "Battle of the Spuds," is not only entertaining but also a great way for tennis fans to test their knowledge of the sport's history. To kick off, each contestant has three strikes, and the first one to hit three strikes loses the game. The pressure is on as Adrian leads the current season of the Battle of the Spuds with a score of 11 to 8 against Chris, creating a competitive atmosphere. This format adds a layer of excitement as they must recall names under pressure. Adam discusses their strategies for the game, with Adrian feeling quietly confident despite limited preparation, while Chris hopes for a chance to catch up. As they begin to name players, they highlight the historical significance of each player mentioned, discussing their achievements and contributions to tennis. For example, they mention Roger Federer, who has been world number one for a remarkable 310 weeks, and Rafael Nadal, who held the title for 209 weeks.

18. juni 202626 min
episode Ep 28: Zverev Wins Roland Garros, Andreeva the Youngest French Open Champion Since Seles plus Kyrgios and Serena Return on Grass artwork

Ep 28: Zverev Wins Roland Garros, Andreeva the Youngest French Open Champion Since Seles plus Kyrgios and Serena Return on Grass

Two first-time Grand Slam champions, a German ending a 30-year drought and a teenager announcing herself as the next force in women's tennis. Adam, Chris and Adrian wrap up Roland Garros 2026 and turn their attention to a grass court season that has already delivered some headline moments of its own. Alexander Zverev is finally a Grand Slam champion. The German ended his wait at the fourth time of asking, beating first-time finalist Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-1 in a four-hour and 16-minute French Open final. After heartbreaking losses to Thiem at the 2020 US Open, Alcaraz at Roland Garros 2024 and Sinner at the Australian Open last year, Zverev has his major. He is the first German man to win Roland Garros since Henner Henkel in 1937 and the first German to win any Grand Slam since Boris Becker in 1996. Cobolli leaves Paris as the new World No. 10 and was class in defeat. The boys debate whether this is the first of more to come for Zverev. On the women's side of the French Open 2026, Mirra Andreeva is a Grand Slam champion at just 19 years of age. The Russian handled the wind, the nerves and a partisan Paris crowd roaring for qualifier Maja Chwalinska, winning 6-3, 6-2 to become the youngest woman to win Roland Garros since Monica Seles in 1992. Chris predicted Andreeva to win this tournament from the start and is now apparently considering a career in professional tennis gambling. Spare a thought for Chwalinska, who leaves Paris with her ranking rocketing nearly 100 spots to 21 and her career prize money tripled in three weeks. The boys discuss whether Andreeva is the next great force in the women's game. The grass court season is already delivering. Nick Kyrgios is back at Stuttgart, dispatching Corentin Moutet in round one in just his seventh match since the end of 2022. Taylor Fritz returns to defend his title. Over at the Libema Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, Felix Auger-Aliassime leads the field while Alex de Minaur headlines the Australian contingent. And at Queen's, Serena Williams steps on court for her first competitive match in almost four years, teaming up with teenager Victoria Mboko to knock off the third seeds in the doubles. There is some unfortunate news on that front overnight though. Plus the boys go head to head on the great debate: Zverev versus Kyrgios at their absolute best. ATP Fantasy grass season picks, and the Battle of the Spuds returns. Talkn Tennis — the only tennis podcast you need.

12. juni 20261 h 15 min