What makes a great doubles partner? episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 30, 2026 · 21 MIN

What makes a great doubles partner?

from More than the Score · host BBC World Service

Jamie Murray, one of the most decorated doubles players in tennis history, announced his retirement from tennis earlier this month, aged 40. He claimed seven Grand Slam titles across his career, playing alongside four different partners, as well as teaming up with his brother Andy to help Great Britain win the 2015 Davis Cup.But what makes a great doubles player, and what are the ingredients for making a partnership tick? Does tennis take doubles seriously enough, and what does the future of the format look like?Rennae Stubbs is a six-time Grand Slam doubles champion, forming formidable partnerships with Lisa Raymond and Cara Black during the 1990s and 2000s, as well as playing along the likes of Steffi Graf, Samantha Stosur and Lindsay Davenport. She tells More than the Score's John Bennett about the strategies and qualities that took those pairings to the top of the game, and why their contrasting personalities were key to making the partnerships work.John's also joined by Ben Rothenberg, editor of the tennis magazine Bounces, who talks about the status of doubles tennis in the sport, and what experiments at tournaments like the US Open could mean for the future of the game.Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 30, 2026

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What makes a great doubles partner?

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