Baseline Exchanges

Baseline Exchanges host Andrew Raeburn, former GB Fed Cup doubles player Anna Smith and coach and analyst Craig Viner discuss the first week and a half of Wimbledon 2021.They review their pre-tournament predictions – which produced mixed success – and digest the first-week fates of Serena Williams, Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas.Anna praises the impact and potential of British teenager Emma Raducanu while Craig talks about how it felt to be among the fans again on the SW19 show courts.

Ahead of Wimbledon, Andrew, Craig and Anna are joined by Marcus Willis, John Parry and Nicole Melichar, who lifts the lid on what it’s like to be the centre of attention on Centre Court.Marcus Willis talks about his famous encounter with Roger Federer in 2016 and the two current top-10 names he beat in qualifying to get there.Former umpire John Parry, now 82, reminisces about his long career in the chair, which included taking charge of eight Wimbledon finals – most notably the 1987 women’s singles final between Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf, and the 1989 men’s singles final.And Nicole Melichar recalls her run to lifting the 2018 mixed-doubles title, being inspired by her Grandmother, and closing out proceedings on Centre Court.Also, Craig and Anna predict who might emerge triumphant at the end of the fortnight – and we reveal how the tournament only exists because of a broken piece of maintenance equipment.

Following Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the 2021 French Open, the 'Baseline Exchanges' team chat with WTA Sports psychologist Chantal Duarte & BBC sports journalist Ros Satar about tennis, the media and mental health. We also catch up with tennis strategist Mike James on 'Week One' of Roland Garros and how his work differs during a Grand Slam compared to the regular weeks of the tour. Subjects include: * The stresses on tennis players. * The WTA mental health team working on the tour to support players. * The work of journalists at tennis events. * The inner workings of tennis press conferences.

In episode 16 of Baseline Exchanges, Andrew Raeburn, Craig Viner and Anna Smith talk to veteran sports broadcaster John Inverdale, presenter of ITV’s coverage of the French Open. John, who in 2021 will be working at his 36th Wimbledon Championships, discusses his earliest memories of SW19, the transformation of Roland-Garros, and foresees an end to Rafael Nadal’s domination in Paris.He also expresses his fears about the sport’s future unless it modernises its formats and comes out from behind TV’s paywall. Meanwhile, analyst Mike James talks about working with French Open champion Iga Świątek and the secrets of her success. POD SUMMARY - John’s early love of tennis and how he only completed his 1977 Wimbledon autograph collection 23 years later! - The new-look Roland Garros being “one of the great sporting venues in Europe.” - Anna and John on how the presence of fans makes such a difference - John’s worry that tennis’s next generation won’t be as visible to fans if not on free-to-air TV - His belief that only a shorter format can attract a new, younger audience - Mike James on working with French Open champion Iga Swiatek - On This Day: May 26th - Predictions for this year’s Roland Garros

Andrew, Anna & Craig discuss the tennis media landscape with Caitlin Thompson, Co-founder at Racquet, & Tim Farthing, Co-owner of Tennishead, and the media's role in shaping tennis' future.In our regular feature, tennis analyst Mike James talks about Madrid, altitude and how players need to adapt.Subscribe/Follow Racquet: Website - https://racquetmag.com/ [https://racquetmag.com/]Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/racquetmag/ [https://www.instagram.com/racquetmag/]Twitter - https://twitter.com/racqetmagazine [https://twitter.com/racqetmagazine]Check out the latest issue: https://racquetmag.com/product/issue-no-16/ [https://racquetmag.com/product/issue-no-16/]Subscribe/Follow Tennishead: Website - https://tennishead.net/ [https://tennishead.net/]Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tennisheadmag/ [https://www.instagram.com/tennisheadmag/]Twitter - https://twitter.com/tennishead [https://twitter.com/tennishead]Check out the latest issue: https://tennishead.net/product/tennishead-magazine-print-march-2021/ [https://tennishead.net/product/tennishead-magazine-print-march-2021/]