In December, British Davis Cup player Ross Hutchins was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. Last week, he announced that he is putting on 'Rally Against Cancer' - a doubles exhibition featuring Andy Murray and Tim Henman on finals day at the Aegon Championships (Queen's Club) to raise money for the hospital treating him. In this edition, we talk to Ross about the plans for Rally Against Cancer, how he is now, and the support that he has had from fans, fellow players, and in many cases, total strangers.
John McEnroe turned 54 this week, he will start his 2013 ATP Champions Tour campaign in Delray Beach this week, and he is probably the most talked-about tennis player in history. In Episode 31, we talk exclusively to the man who divided opinion wherever he went, try to understand what makes him tick, and speak to Richard Evans - who wrote two books about McEnroe.
In 1977, Britain's Sue Barker stood on the brink of reaching the Wimbledon final for the first time. She had won the French Open the previous year, beaten her semifinal opponent on each of their meetings that year, and was already thinking about a potential final against Chris Evert or Virginia Wade. And then she lost. Now the presenter of BBC Television's Wimbledon coverage, Sue talks to the Tennis Podcast about an experience from which she says she never recovered.
In Episode 30, we also discuss the return of Rafael Nadal, and the rise of Horacio Zeballos, while trying to assess whether this is the start of his rise to the top, or the peak of his career.
As Rafael Nadal takes to the court for the first time in seven months, Catherine and David discuss their first ever memories of the great man, and go through those of our listeners. And, in our big interview, Andy Murray ponders his start to 2013, looks forward to the grass court season, and welcomes back Nadal himself.