Tennis Unfiltered delivers honest, in-depth analysis of professional tennis. Get expert commentary on ATP and WTA tours, Grand Slam tournaments, player rankings, and the biggest stories in tennis. From Wimbledon to the US Open, we break down matches, strategies, and tennis news without the corporate filter. Perfect for tennis fans who want real talk about their favorite sport.
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Data updated on 28/10/2026
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Swiatek ends her season, Monfils defends Svitolina, and the rumour mill is out of control
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 • Duration 01:27:47
James is back! Vietnam completed, James Gray of The i Paper returns to marshal George Bellshaw and Calvin Betton through another week of tennis news.
They discussed...
Doubles open letter: More than 150 doubles players, including Calvin's own Henry Patten, a host of national federations and a number of legendary retired doubles players, have urged the ATP to rethink 2028 plans that would halve draws and cut doubles’ share of prize money from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, with a board vote due at the ATP Finals in Turin.
Svitolina and Monfils split: After Elina Svitolina announced the end of her marriage to Gaël Monfils, he publicly defended her from what he called “unkind at best, and venomous at worst” criticism.
Swiatek ends her season: Iga Swiatek has ended a tough season (one title, no slam run beyond the quarter-finals) after a thigh injury forced her out of Ningbo, so she misses the WTA Finals for the first time since 2020.
Djokovic takes a Basel wild card: Novak Djokovic returns to Basel for the first time since 2011 to boost his bid for Turin, sitting 11th in the race with Sinner now out for the rest of 2026.
Sinner on the Six Kings poster: Jannik Sinner appears on a new Six Kings poster and looks to be ready to come back in late December.
Dellavedova closing in on 100 wins: Australian Matthew Dellavedova, 26, is chasing 100 wins in a calendar year, which no player has reached since Ivan Lendl in 1982.
And more!
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Kartal shines in Wuhan, Fokina takes Shanghai and Svitolina and Monfils split
Thursday, October 22, 2026 • Duration 58:44
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Tom steps into the host’s chair alongside George Bellshaw and Calvin Betton to discuss what’s been happening across the tennis world this week, including...
Sonay Kartal’s remarkable run to the Wuhan final and what her comeback could mean for her ranking in 2027
Iga Swiatek’s struggles, Daniela Hantuchova’s controversial comments about player behaviour and the demands placed on tournament staff
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina winning his first Masters 1000 title in Shanghai, and the questions surrounding Rafa Jodar’s on-court behaviour
Alexander Zverev’s complaints about fatigue and whether the ATP schedule is really to blame
The Six Kings Slam being postponed until December amid unrest in the Middle East, reigniting debate around Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in tennis
A 24-year ban for Serbian player Stefan Milicevic and a wider discussion about match-fixing, tanking and the sport’s failure to protect lower-ranked players
Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils announcing their separation, and what the news tells us about the personal challenges athletes face away from the court
Audio Edited by Joshua Harrison.
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Djokovic rules in China, Sinner bows out and Zverev closes in on No. 1
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 • Duration 01:08:13
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****
Tom steps into the host’s chair alongside George Bellshaw to discuss what’s been happening across the tennis world this week, including...
Coco Gauff speaking out against the racist abuse she received following the China Open video review controversy
Zheng Qinwen making history with a triumphant return to win the China Open
Novak Djokovic claiming his seventh China Open title and closing in on Roger Federer’s career title tally
Carlos Alcaraz returning to winning ways in Tokyo and his prospects for the rest of the season
Jannik Sinner bringing his season to an early close and Alexander Zverev becoming the new World No.1
The latest tennis bungles, including a name mix-up from the new Australian Open chief and Wimbledon’s comments on social media influencers
Kei Nishikori’s retirement and his lasting impact on Japanese tennis
Felix Auger-Aliassime appointing Ivan Ljubicic as his new coach
Audio Edited by Joshua Harrison.
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Medvedev disqualified as Djokovic stuns “pretender” Zverev
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 • Duration 47:33
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****
With James away on honeymoon, Tom steps into the host’s chair alongside George Bellshaw to discuss what’s been happening across the tennis world this week, including...
Daniil Medvedev’s disqualification against Novak Djokovic
Djokovic setting a new record for the most consecutive opening-match wins at a single tournament
Alexander Zverev’s struggles against the world’s top players and whether he is a genuine future No.1
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina suffering early exits at the China Open
Sonay Kartal’s encouraging return from injury
Emma Navarro opening up about her health struggles and the physical and mental demands of life on tour
The latest development in Tara Moore’s legal case against the WTA
Tom will be back later this week with Calvin Betton, live from China, to discuss the Japan and China Open results, Kei Nishikori’s retirement, the Rafa Nadal Academy Slam and Jannik Sinner bringing his season to an early close.
Audio Edited by Joshua Harrison.
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The Laver Cup wins hearts and minds (bar one)
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 01:18:25
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PART ONE, LIVE FROM THE LAVER CUP
James Gray and George Bellshaw take in the atmosphere of the Laver Cup on Day 2, which featured arguably the best matches of the entire weekend. They also made up for lost time last week, when Iva Jovic's title in Mexico passed under the radar, as did a shock defeat for Alexander Eala.
PART TWO, WITH CALVIN BETTON
ATP tour coach Calvin Betton gives his assessment of the Laver Cup in London, including which player would make the best coach (and which one the worst!). He also chats with James about Luke Johnson's progress through the Chengdu draw, why Arthur Fils is in qualifiers and the formation of the Grand Slam Player Council.
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The demise of the Davis Cup has been greatly exaggerated
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 • Duration 01:21:02
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PART ONE, LIVE FROM THE COPPER BOX ARENA
James Gray and George Bellshaw headed to Great Britain vs Ecuador on Sunday to watch Henry Patten and Neal Skupski close out the tie, before Harry Wendelken made his Davis Cup debut.
They discussed the future of tennis's premier and most historic team tournament, why home and away ties really are still the best, and huge performances from Canada, South Korea and Austria in particular to book their place in the Final 8, due to take place in Bologna at the end of November.
PART TWO
Calvin Betton joins George and James to look back at the rest of this week's tennis news, including...
- Jack Draper reveals he will miss the rest of the year as he continues his recovering from a complicated arm injury
- Four-time grand slam doubles champion and former world No 1 Joe Salisbury has retired from tennis
- The WTA Finals will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina from 2027
- Juan Carlos Ferrero is coming back on tour next year... but won't confirm with whom!
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US Open review: Zverev fills the gap while Rybakina reigns supreme
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 • Duration 01:11:15
Have you been missing us?
That's because you're not in the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club.
Join here for daily podcasts during grand slams, exclusive group chats with the lads, and loads of bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered
It is only with continued support of the TUSCers that we can keep doing the podcast the way we want to: covering the slams in-depth, retaining our unfiltered brand and not kowtowing to the tennis authorities. We are eternally gratefully to anyone who wants to keep helping us do this.
Now, on with the weekly podcast...
***
CORRECTION: James erroneously claimed Elena Rybakina is based in Dubai. She has in fact lived in Slovakia for the last six years.
***
Back together again! James Gray, Calvin Betton and George Bellshaw assess the US Open 2026.
In order, they discussed...
- Calvin reveals Henry Patten and Luke Johnson's plans for the rest of the year
- Elena Rybakina confirms her status as the best player in the world, leaving Aryna Sabalenka playing catch-up
- Where next for Iga Swiatek? Another collapse, another apparent inability to turn the tide when it starts going against her.
- Was Serena Williams a positive impact on the tournament?
- Alexander Zverev wins another slam this year, but has only had to play one top-10 player across the 14 matches at the majors he won. Lucky or opportunist?
- Ben Shelton makes his "big breakthrough" with a first appearance in a grand slam final, but we have seen this film before...
- Carlos Alcaraz came back, but not as 100 per cent Carlos Alcaraz
And more!
LINKS
- US Open report cards with every top-10 seed graded on their performance: https://substack.com/home/post/p-215571457
- Open Tabs, James empties his imaginary notebook filled with all the spare thoughts you might have missed from the US Open: https://substack.com/home/post/p-215928948
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US Open, Day 11: A day of debates and debacles
Thursday, September 10, 2026 • Duration 45:52
If you want to listen to daily podcasts from the US Open - and every other grand slam - sign up for the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered
NB: MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP ON BROWSER - IF YOU SIGN UP THROUGH THE APP IT WILL COST YOU MORE IN APPLE FEES. After you sign up on browser, download the Patreon app and link the bonus podcasts to your normal feeds.
If you want a FREE newsletter every day as well, you can sign up for that here: https://tennisunfiltered.substack.com/
***
Today, Calvin and James discussed:
- Henry and Harri's continued success in the US Open men's doubles draw
- The Australian Open chief deciding it might be good to re-open the best-of-five debate in his first month in the job
- Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton finishing at 3.33am and whether players really care about late finishes
- Mirra Andreeva choking two match points against Coco Gauff, who won in three sets
- Elena Rybakina beating Zheng Qinwen and becoming world No 1
And later...
- It's Alexander Zverev's US Open to lose after he cruised into the last four against Botic van de Zandschulp
- And he will play Karen Khachanov after Alexander Blockx's body 'gave up'
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US Open, Day 6: The Serena show is over, even if it has not finished
Saturday, September 5, 2026 • Duration 51:18
The only way to get daily podcasts from the US Open in your feed every day is to subscribe to the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered
Every subscriber makes what we do possible: without TUSCers, the podcast literally would not be running, and every new person who joins makes it even more likely that we will be able to keep going in 2027.
Please get involved if you can. We need so many more of you.
In the meantime, here is the Day 6 podcast from Friday, and part of the newsletter below. Enjoy
***
Women’s seeds out: No 7 Karolina Muchova (lost to Emma Navarro), No 15 Diana Shnaider (lost to Taylor Townsend), No 18 Ekaterina Alexandrova (lost to Marta Kostyuk)
Men’s seeds out: No 15 Alexander Bublik (lost to Tommy Paul); No 26 Arthur Rinderknech (lost to Daniil Medvedev)
I think the Serena Williams thing has run its course. That is not to say she is not a legend of the game, the GOAT in many people’s eyes, or that she will not continue to fill stadiums if she keeps playing. But you have to think the integrity of a tennis tournament will start to come under threat if she - in singles or doubles - does not start winning some matches. Caroline Wozniacki on ESPN hinted she was planning to play singles again in 2027. I’m not sure it’s a great idea.
This was the second time in four years that she and her sister had graced night session on Arthur Ashe for a first-round doubles match, beaten then and beaten on Friday night. The match against the No 14 seeds Maya Joint and Angel Chan did not even get onto ESPN’s main channel, instead relegated to ESPN2 so they could build up to Miami vs Stanford uninterrupted. Perhaps that is not such a big deal in the age of streaming but it felt significant.
And the Williamses weren’t particularly good, either. Chan and Joint are a decent pair - they won a WTA title only last week - but they were so much more polished and efficient than their more experienced opponents, who racked up unforced errors at a far greater rate. They did manage to nick the second set and Chan-Joint did get tight, but from 5-0 up in the deciding breaker, the Williams sisters choked, frankly. Joint has now beaten Serena twice this year but otherwise endured a difficult year, and it showed in pressure moments. Even when match point had been sealed, Joint was still apologising to her partner.
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US Open, Day 1: Novak Sickovic
Monday, August 31, 2026 • Duration 35:14
Are you a member of the Tennis Unfiltered Supporters Club yet? Why not?! Come join the fun: https://www.patreon.com/TennisUnfiltered
In the meantime, here is a free daily podcast from the US Open, offered free and in full because we're feeling generous.
It features Calvin's thoughts on a lucky losers who pulled out injured, a very noisy train at one point, Novak Djokovic vomiting on court and a whole lot more.
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