The Tennis

After a brief off-season, 2026 preparations are already underway for Alex de Minaur, who joined Viv and Matt on this week’s episode from his base in Monte Carlo. The Aussie No.1 enjoyed the chance to reflect on his 2025 season, during which he reached his first AO quarterfinal and won his 10th career ATP title in Washington DC – while also overcoming burnout and shifting perspective – to achieve his highest year-end ranking. Those performances saw him nominated once again for the prestigious Newcombe Medal, awarded to Australia’s most outstanding player and ambassador for the sport. ‘Demon’, as he is affectionately known, also dived into his passion for collecting vintage cars, his wedding plans, how he switches between English and Spanish, plans for his foundation, and how he’d love nothing more than a deep run at Australian Open 2026.

Which WTA player will win their maiden Grand Slam next year? That’s the Big Question on today’s show. Aussie tennis star Ellen Perez and Luke Saville join Brie and Xave to discuss the contenders. The panel also reacts to Serena Williams re-entering the ITIA testing-pool and previews the upcoming ATP Awards, including whether Joao Fonseca or Valentin Vacherot will win Breakthrough Player of the Year. The captains have been unveiled for United Cup, Luke and Ellen give their thoughts on Stan Wawrinka, Lleyton Hewitt, Tim Henman, Petros Tsitsipas and first-time captains Lucas Pouille and Gabriela Dabrowski. Plus, Brie shares her Top 5 unmissable things this Australian summer.

Wheelchair tennis star Heath Davidson, whose profile exploded after he and partner Dylan Alcott claimed quad doubles gold for Australia at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, joins Viv and Matt this week in Pod Laver Arena. Davidson’s prominence in the sport, and wheelchair tennis advocacy, have helped shape the upcoming summer of tennis; January will see wheelchair events integrated into the United Cup and the Brisbane and Adelaide Internationals leading into Australian Open 2026. More motivated than ever to compete during the new-look summer, Davidson remains a fixture in the top 10 at age 38, all the more inspiring given the hurdles he was forced to overcome – including addiction, homelessness and “falling into the wrong crowd” – during his teens and 20s, a time he recounts in candid detail during this wide-ranging interview.

Italy has completed the first Davis Cup three-peat in more than half a century — and without its top two players Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti! Aussie stars Daria Saville and Jaimee Fourlis join Xave and Rhys de Deugd to discuss the first of our Big Questions: who’s next in line to join Alcaraz and Sinner as the new ‘Big 3’ of the ATP, with some surprising answers. As Holger Rune continues his rehab from Achilles surgery, Dasha offers him some advice to avoid burnout. Inspired by Drake’s latest tennis photoshoot, Xave takes a look at the celebrities who’ve had more than a passing interest in tennis, and Vic is back with her latest AO vox pops with 36 days until Australian Open 2026.