PODCAST · sports
Pod Laver Arena
by Tennis Australia
What happens when tennis and fun collide at high speeds? The answer is: Pod Laver Arena. It’s tennis news, hot gossip and a bevy of unforced errors, hosted by comedians Mike Goldstein and Lizzy Hoo.We chat to the world’s best players, explore the AO with an ‘all access pass’, and probably get into shouting matches with fans. So talc up your thighs and charge into the net, this is Pod Laver Arena! Putting the ‘fun’ in tennis ‘fundamentals’… or something.
Episodes
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THE AO 2027 OYSTER INCIDENT
In this hurly-burly ep, Mike reveals he was force-fed an oyster while blindfolded at the AO 2027 launch and Lizzy examines the deep parallels between Alexander Zverev's rise to world No.1 and Steven Bradbury's baffling gold medal victory at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. They talk about what…
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ALL EYEZ ON MEDVEDEV
This bumper edition of Pod Laver Arena features our first ever Crimestoppers Edition of Watch Watch and a comprehensive look at Daniil Medvedev's disqualification from the China Open for smacking a ball into a spectator's eyeball. Fun! Also, Mike pokes the bear by suggesting Aryna Sabalenka posts...
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A BANANA FOR EALA
In this episode, Mike freely admits to dropping Alex Eala's name at a Filipino wedding to win people over and Lizzy sees the milky beauty in Morgan Riddle's perfume bottle. Andre Agassi reminds everyone why he is still the tennis world's favourite drunk uncle, Andrey Rublev turns on the charm for...
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ALEX EALA'S WANDERING DAD
Lizzy is back and falls into line immediately. She and Mike discuss how Andy Murray has sewn up the lucrative shortbread market and reminisce about the time Alex Eala's dad came into the PLA studio just to have a 'sticky beak'. Against all odds, they hit on a winning formula for a new themed...
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SAUSAGE ZVEREV SLIPS UP
As Alexander Zverev lifts high the US Open trophy, our hosts Mike and Sam call him out on a few things like: Why didn't he know he'd won? Why did he give away his gameplan secrets in the presser? And why did someone refer to him as 'Sausage'? They also lament the loss of oversized novelty cheques…
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TEARS FOR TIAFOE
Grand Slam tennis has finally its toll on perennial hardman Mike Goldstein, as he admits that Frances Tiafoe and the US Open have reduced him to a blubbering mess. Today, he's joined by crooner and cocktail aficionado Oliver Clark, who's also on the verge of tears but for very different, very...
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NOVAK vs FATHER TIME
The US Open is underway, but that's nothing compared to the news that... MIKE IS IN THE NOVAK DJOKOVIC 'The Wolf in Winter' DOCUMENTARY (albeit for 3-4 seconds)! Which means he's now an Amazon Prime star, which means he's now in the running to be the next 007, obviously. Also, tennis chat…
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RAFA JODAR & THE ABOMINABLE GARBAGE GRAVY
Tennis tragic Mike and baseline brawler Sam rip into all the news and shocking moments from the tennis-sphere, with erotic results. Is global warming affecting Novak's current fitness? Rather than entering official tournaments, would a nice WhatsApp group chat between players be a better way to...
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GIMME SHELTON
Tennis-head Mike is joined by professional agitator, Sam Taunton as they break down Canada, and also break down emotionally. We celebrate Ben Shelton's win, and laud Brandon Nakashima's excellent ability to throw shade on entire cities. We also marvel at Iga Świątek because she just bossed the...
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THE NOTE EPISODE
Mike and Sam (now mad with power) delve into what makes great tennis trash talk and how a player apologising after hitting the net cord is dumb. They also chat about actual tennis stuff - which might appeal to you, if you're into that sort of thing. Mike also freely admits that he would play in a...
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CORNROWS FOR M'LADY?
While Lizzy is off pursuing her dreams or something, Sam Taunton graces us with his presence and sassy mouth. He and Mike get lost in a labyrinth of cornrows, fedoras and tennis adjacent ramblings. We marvel at Alex Eala's recent victory and whet our whistles at the impending triumphant return of...
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MILO AND IBIZA
In the last show before Lizzy embarks on a stint at the Edinburgh Fringe, she and Mike share stories of fans in the wild, questionable opinions on Milo and Ibiza, plus plenty of laughs. They break down the latest on-court drama, where a match point is spoiled and then saved, discuss live results...
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TENNIS AND THE LORD OF FASHION
Mike and Lizzy go rogue with some top of the pod beats. Lizzy dared to 'dis' the Carlos and his long locks. How dare she! She wants him to get a haircut. The pod pair continue to champion Bernie Tomic's challenging journey and drill down on the Karolina Muchova 'mystery' procedure. It was hard to...
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THAT'S TENNIS!
Wimbledon is Wimble-dover! So, our hosts crack open a JD can and chomp into a Chiko Roll while dissecting the entire tournament. Is Novak done? How did Noskova come back like that? Why do they keep making Jannik Sinner dance against his will? Also did you see the hat that Jennifer Lopez wore?…
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HOT TAKES AND WARM CREAM
Mike and Lizzy are running on adrenaline and courage - and a little bit of whisky - as they slice into the biggest moments to come out of Wimbledon so far. There's also a scorching hot take on the tournament's ridiculous 11pm curfew, some chatter about excessive post-win celebrations (think…
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PARISIAN NIGHT SUITS
A Wimbledon preview with slam poetry, tennis adjacent stories and the long-awaited return of Watch Watch. The guys try to read the mind of Jannik Sinner and also marvel at the bold rapping stylings of Dominic Thiem. Also is Novak's yoga pose as strong as it could be in the new Lacoste commercial?...
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WILD THINGS
Serena Williams has a Wimbledon wildcard and the news is sending us all loopy. Mike takes the opportunity to vent about a stranger sitting too close to him on a plane. And Lizzy questions the necessity of naming an asteroid after Jannik Sinner. Was Corentin Moutet's $40,000 fine too harsh? Is…
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TENNIS ADJACENT
Comedians Mike Goldstein and Lizzy Hoo talk all things grass season and try to solve the bone-chilling mystery of 'Why Were There Loose Coins in the Shower?' Watch in disgust as the butcher the pronunciation of the names of several international tournaments, and then decide once and for all which...
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FROZEN TOMATOES
Mike and Lizzy reflect on Roland Garros and compare Flavio Cobolli's overhead smash technique to that of Mike's aunty Linda. They then effortlessly transition into offending the entire Kingdom of Great Britain with some dubious accent work and cultural digs. But you simply have to listen to hear...
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A NET POSITIVE
Sam and Lizzy cannot get enough of the spicy affair that is: Roland Garros 2026! Dodgy line calls, soiled shorts, and a player whose frenetic legs have reached the coveted 'Quick Sticks' power rating. It's everything we ever dreamed. Plus, we have an extra delicious helping of Bernie Tomic…
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TEENY TINY SMILES
Comedians Mike Goldstein and Lizzy Hoo are on the scene to blubber about Roland Garros drama, and brag about their recent viral video success (dissing Pickleball/Mike's mile-high drunken run-in, etc). They examine Naomi Osaka's recent fashion choices, the beauty of allowing humans to make...
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HUGHESY, WE HAVE A PODCAST
At first, we thought a vagrant had got past security, but the more he spoke, we realised... IT WAS NONE OTHER THAN COMEDY LEGEND/TENNIS AFICIONADO DAVE HUGHES! He joins hosts Mike and Lizzy to talk about his red-hot love of the game, and to brag about all the times he's sat front row at…
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COURTNEY TENNIS LATELY?
Tennis journalist and all-round lovely bloke, Courtney Walsh sits down the Pod Laver crew before he flies to Roland Garros. It's a French Open preview that asks all the big questions! Who's in form? Who's not doing so great? What's with the panama hats? How do you pronounce "Jodar"? If you love…
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SABA THE HUTT
Mike and Sam are back, and many people are now saying these two knuckleheads are culturally more important to tennis than The Woodies and Rod Laver combined. Not me though, I would never say that. They talk Madrid, Sinner's dominance and the appropriateness of Marta Kostyuk's celebratory…
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HUNKY PIRATES AHOY
Join Pinder Award-winning comedian Lizzy Hoo, as she passes judgement on fellow comedian Mike Goldstein's deplorable on-court behaviour. The guys also dig into the fallout from Flavio Cobolli telling his girlfriend she is not welcome back to his games, and question why no one has yet noticed that...
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MONTE CARLO INSANE WINNRS
Join comedians and tennis-loving freaks Mike Goldstein, Lizzy Hoo and Sam Taunton as they slice up the week's tennis. The guys have - quite understandably - lost their minds at the year's first matchup of Sinner v Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo final. We also marvel at the ferocious tennis...
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IT AIN'T STOSUR 'TIL IT'S STOSUR
OMG, the humanity! Mike and Sam become quivering wrecks in the presence of Aussie tennis greatness. In this very special edition of Pod Laver Arena, they talk to the heroic captain of Australia's Billie Jean King Cup team — none other than Samantha Stosur! Watch in awe, as Sam moves from genuine...
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BADDIES AND BALL DADDIES
What happens in Miami... is up for full and frank discussion! Such as: why did Coco Gauff wear a hat? Also, in this bombastic episode, host Lizzy Hoo reveals that Monte Carlo — the place — is actually, a sh*thole. Hot take, Lizzy! We marvel at the tennis-themed wizardry of Jannik Sinner, and dive...
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LAUGH EMOJI LAUGH EMOJI
In this bone-rattling episode, we dig down dangerously into the Miami Open, at the exact same time of making fun of Mike's little moustache. We give a laser-focussed analysis of the Danielle Collins and Corentin Moutet SHORT KING DRAMA, and it ends with Lizzy speaking in a dubious French accent...
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IS SINNER THE BEST?!
Pod Laver Arena — the only tennis podcast in the world (please don't Google) — is back! Hosts Lizzy, Mike and Sam dive racquet-first into the week's tennis news, and also into things that are barely tennis news. Mike's been to Indian Wells and he crosses to us from a dingy room to talk about it...
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DESPITE ALL THEIR RAGE... ETC.
Okay, tennis heads! Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and Sam (@samtaunton) are back in the Pod Laver Arena studio, bringing you searing wit and lacerating wordplay! Sam tarnishes the solid gold legacy of Craig Tiley, while Mike quietly wishes he had a private Rage Room like the one at the ATX Open....
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WE BE PIGGIN'
Mike and Lizzy carry on their tradition of singing a tennis-themed song at the start of the pod and immediately a cease-and-desist letter from Will.I.Am drops from the ceiling. We expose tennis cheaters, examine the unstoppable force that is Carlos Alcaraz, and settle on calling our legion of…
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TENNIS AND TWIZZLES
Back by popular demand (we assume)! In this pod we speak to Alex de Minaur's coach, Matt Reid, hot off Alex's triumph in Rotterdam. We ask him a bunch of dumb questions and probably waste his time! Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) toys with the idea of changing his name, and he also admits to watching...
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IS THIS THING ON?
Hey we're back! And where did everybody go? Seriously... it's like a ghost town around here. No one. Nothing. Not even one Shake Shack. Anyway, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and Lizzy (@lizzyhoo) were clearly up all night partying with Kyrgios because they are dusty and barely making sense. There's...
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CLOSING TIME
And just like that, it’s over. We’re not crying, you are. But fear not, because we’re here to unpack absolutely everything from the men’s final, from the match itself right through to an unexpected but forensic audit of Rafa’s hair. In a welcome surprise to us, it looks like Novak Djokovic is...
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PAT TO THE RAFTERS
You turn your back for one second, and M&Ms mascots come into the studio and mess up the place. But the boys recover to talk smack about Elena Rybakina's victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final. Great match, good times, subdued celebration. Not that Sam would know much about it - he was...
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GUZZLE THIS
Imagine Rod Laver dripping beads in a sauna, because we talk about that AND MORE. Yes, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and co-host Sam (@samtaunton) snuck into the Alcaraz v Zverev semifinal yesterday and are still giddy as schoolgirls about it! And Mike stayed up until 3am watching the Novak beat...
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SLURP IT UP, SLURP IT DOWN!
Podcasting from deep within the bowels of Tennis HQ, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and Sam (@samtaunton) — resplendent in their finery — talk absolute garbage about the epic event that is the Australian Open. It's funny garbage, though. The lads analyse Sabalenka and Svitolina's non-handshake, the...
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GIMME SHELTON
Every day we turn up and, to our amazement, our passes still work. It's only a matter of time before we're turned away, possibly by Wally Masur himself. In this scintillating and erotic new episode, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and blow-in host Sam Taunton (@samtaunton) trade barbs and Australian...
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THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIAN TENNIS (PROBABLY)
Off the back of Alex de Minaur’s loss to Carlos Alcaraz, it is officially a dark day for Australian tennis and yes, the vibes inside the studio are appropriately grim. But fear not. Sam (@samtaunton) arrives armed with a bold, possibly unhinged new plan guaranteed to turn the fortunes of…
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WE ATE APPLE PIE WITH CHEESE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO
After Madison Keys lost her bet with Jessica Pegula, the tennis world has been left asking one question: is apple pie and cheese actually as cursed as it sounds? In a bold act of podcast-on-podcast solidarity, fearless hosts Mike and Sam step up to answer it once and for all. The results will…
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UH OH … CRAIG TILEY WANTS TO SEE US
When you get a message saying Craig Tiley is coming into the studio, it usually means one of two things, you’ve either been absolutely flying or you’ve messed up badly. There is no middle ground. If he’s here to fire us, at least Lizzy (@lizzyhoo) won’t mind because yes, this is her final day on...
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NAOMI AND STAN HAVE LEFT THE BUILDING
It’s a sad day, everyone. Stan Wawrinka’s glorious run has come to an end and no, we’re not crying, you are. To honour the great man, we crack a few cold (lukewarm) ones and reminisce about the good old days. We dive headfirst into all the drama from the last 24 hours, including Jannik Sinner’s...
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LOVE IS IN THE AIR
Love is officially in the air at the Australian Open and shockingly it is not just Lizzy’s (@lizzyhoo) Raya account. Speaking of Lizzy, we drop a massive announcement about her future with the show. Brace yourselves, hearts will be broken. Despite being a little under the weather, Mike...
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STAN WAWRINKA APPRECIATION POD
Tennis beef is very much in vogue and frankly we want a slice. Our first target, Andy Roddick, we’re coming for you and your podcast. On today’s episode, our fearless hosts Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and Lizzy (@lizzyhoo) dive into all the chaos from Day 5 of the AO, Stan the Man’s epic five set...
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CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF BALL KIDS
Finally, the debate that’s been tearing the tennis world apart is settled. What actually dries a wet court faster, 10 ball kids armed with towels or one futuristic drying machine? The answer will shock you. Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) has gone far too deep on Google and uncovered a truly…
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FASHION FIRST, TENNIS LATER
The Osaka dress broke the internet. Naturally, we responded the only way that made sense and brought in our very own fashion correspondent, Liza West, to unpack what it means to be Naomi Osaka. Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) may have taken this a little too seriously … we’ll let you decide. Lizzy...
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HEAVY ON THE PICKLE
When will Lizzy learn that it's a tennis 'match', not a 'game'? I hate when she does that. Anyway, this episode will blow your ears clean off. We speak to the uber cool Canadian turbo-hunk, Felix Auger Aliassime, Mike drops the stunning revelation that he was once in a marching band, and the…
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MARTA KOSTYUK IN DA HOUSE
It's all fireworks here! Lizzy and Mike come to terms with some scathing feedback from Janice as they dissect the best and brightest and downright funniest stuff from Day 1's play. We interview the recently eliminated Marta Kostyuk (and make her sing, which is weird), and Lizzy drops the…
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KASATKINA CHAOS!
The Pod gets a visit from the funny-as-hell Daria Kasatkina; a terrific tennis player who is now Aussie as! Staying with the theme of stealing the best international players, Lizzy (@lizzyhoo) ponders what the world would have been like if Roger Federer had been Australian (HINT: it would have…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
What happens when tennis and fun collide at high speeds? The answer is: Pod Laver Arena. It’s tennis news, hot gossip and a bevy of unforced errors, hosted by comedians Mike Goldstein and Lizzy Hoo.We chat to the world’s best players, explore the AO with an ‘all access pass’, and probably get into shouting matches with fans. So talc up your thighs and charge into the net, this is Pod Laver Arena! Putting the ‘fun’ in tennis ‘fundamentals’… or something.
HOSTED BY
Tennis Australia
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Pod Laver Arena have?
Pod Laver Arena currently has 56 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Pod Laver Arena about?
What happens when tennis and fun collide at high speeds? The answer is: Pod Laver Arena. It’s tennis news, hot gossip and a bevy of unforced errors, hosted by comedians Mike Goldstein and Lizzy Hoo.We chat to the world’s best players, explore the AO with an ‘all access pass’, and probably get into...
How often does Pod Laver Arena release new episodes?
Pod Laver Arena has 56 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Pod Laver Arena?
You can listen to Pod Laver Arena on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Pod Laver Arena?
Pod Laver Arena is created and hosted by Tennis Australia.
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