Rome brings drama, but boycott talk dominates
The Tennis Podcast
David Law
4.5 • 2.6K Ratings
🗓️ 10 May 2026
⏱️ 79 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Catherine, David and the Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare look back on a dramatic opening week at Rome’s Foro Italico.
Part one - WTA (00:00 - 16:41). Charlie brings us up to speed on the latest stand off between the top players and the Grand Slams over prize money, and Aryna Sabalenka’s bold claim that the players are prepared to boycott in order to achieve the revenue share they think they deserve. Is it all hot air? Do the players have a point or are they being greedy?
Part two - WTA (16:41 - 50:09). After Charlie explains the bizarre circumstances around Emma Raducanu’s pre tournament withdrawal, we get into the nitty gritty of the women’s results so far, including a shock early defeat and injury scare for the World Number One Sabalenka.
Part three - ATP (50:09). Injury and illness drama also dominated the early stages of the men’s event, with Djokovic compromised by stomach issues and Dino Prizmic capitalising in spectacular fashion. Is Dino finally happening? And is there anyone left standing between Darth Sinner and a maiden title in Rome?
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Well, hello and welcome to the tennis podcast here on this fine Sunday evening to talk all things Rome and the final Clay Court 1000 event before Roland Garros joining us from Sunny Solly Hull, |
| 0:23.3 | the Rome of the West Midlands, David Law. |
| 0:27.2 | That's got to be the first time that that has ever happened that it has been called that. |
| 0:32.5 | But I'm going to go with that and see if I say it out loud to people whether they're up for it. |
| 0:38.9 | They're welcome to quote me on that on the tourist posters if they like. |
| 0:42.9 | Joining us from actual Rome, it is the Athletics Charlie Eccleshare. |
| 0:48.2 | Charlie, how are you doing? |
| 0:50.0 | I already know the answer to this. |
| 0:51.7 | I know you're absolutely buzzing as an Arsenal fan. |
| 0:55.0 | I'm expecting peak Eccleshare this evening, please. |
| 0:59.0 | I'm good. |
| 0:59.8 | I will do my best, yeah. |
| 1:01.4 | Don't ask me anything about happening in the tennis |
| 1:03.4 | between the hours of 5.30 and 7.30pm local time today |
| 1:07.7 | because for me and a few others, I will in the press room all eyes were on what was |
| 1:13.9 | going on in East London but yeah I'm doing well thank you and our eyes as well quite frankly |
| 1:20.1 | all sports fans eyes I think before we get into the tennis and there is a lot of tennis to get |
| 1:26.8 | into we always bitch about |
| 1:29.0 | the slow starts that these two week long 1,000 events have. |
| 1:33.0 | But it does feel like a lot has happened already, so we do have a lot to talk about. |
| 1:38.1 | But just before we get into all of that, I feel like we should start with the big news story |
| 1:42.5 | that broke on the eve of the tournament, fueled by some pretty punchy quotes from a number of top players from the men's and the women's side, threatening in a very non-specific way, a boycott. |
... |
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