WTA Insider Podcast

It's going to take some time for Elena Vesnina to stop smiling. The 30-year-old from Sochi lifted the biggest title of her career on Sunday, beating Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-4 to win the BNP Paribas Open. Vesnina's ranking slipped outside the Top 100 last year and she lost in the first round of qualifying to Julia Boserup. A year on, she can't believe she had her hands on the trophy. It's been an incredible 12 months for Vesnina, who made the Charleston final, Wimbledon semifinals, won Olympic gold in doubles, and the WTA Finals with Ekaterina Makarova. Vesnina sat down with Courtney Nguyen after her 'miracle' in the desert and breaks down her incredible week in Indian Wells.

How do you say "Full Circle Moment" in Russian? No.8 Svetlana Kuznetsova is into her 1st BNP Paribas Open final since 2008. No.15 Elena Vesnina is into her 1st Premier Mandatory final. The two Russian veterans face off for the biggest WTA title of the season on Sunday at 11am. Hear from both women as the Insider team previews the final.

"I think my biggest weapon is that I can stay calm in those moments where the others are panicking." Karolina Pliskova rallied from 0-3 down in the third set to hold off Monica Puig in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open and is now 37-16 in three-set matches since the start of 2015. That's a 70% success rate, the best on tour during that span. Hear from Pliskova after her comeback win as she tips her cap to Puig, excoriates herself, and gives insight into why she's so good in deciding sets.

"Every player knows if they half-tank a match or don't give their maximum. They know it inside. If the coach lies to their face you don't build a solid relationship." Thomas Drouet is one half of one of the longest-standing coaching relationships on tour, having coached Timea Babos since 2014, when Babos was ranked No.125. Now she's up to No.28 having just won her first title since 2012 at the Hungarian Ladies Open last month. Drouet joins the podcast to discuss the keys to maintaining a healthy coach-player relationship and how their partnership is built on a foundation of honesty.

The Insider team takes a look at Serena Williams' withdrawal from the BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open and re-evaluates the newly reshuffled draw.

The draw for the BNP Paribas Open is loaded with more bracket-busting matches than you have popcorn for and the Insider team is excited and, let's be honest, a little bit overwhelmed. Courtney Nguyen and David Kane break down the draw and pay tribute to the undeniable depth in the women's game. UPDATE: Serena Williams has withdrawn from the tournament. We'll post an updated analysis soon. In the meantime, read an updated draw analysis at www.wtatennis.com or click here: wtatenn.is/JT1P8d

This episode has it all: Stern lectures, told-you-so dances, and the Emancipation of Kiki. Who's set to bring the heat in Indian Wells and Miami? The Insider team breaks down the new Heat Index rankings.

After announcing her retirement, Shahar Peer reflects on her trailblazing career as Israel's best player. From her rise to No.11 in the rankings to the controversial geopolitical waters she was forced to wade through, Peer candidly discusses her reasons for calling it quits, what the sport meant to her, and what she hopes she meant to the sport.

Welcome to the Top 10 Elina Svitolina! The 22-year-old Ukrainian continued her steady rise by winning the biggest title of her career at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, beating Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-2 in the final. WTA Insider sits down with Svitolina to discuss the progress of her career, her drive, and her quest to find the balance between perspective and ambition.

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina are still basking in the glow of their golden run at the Rio Olympics last summer. And it shows. After winning their first title of the season at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the Russians talk about how different their lives have been after winning gold, how the win has freed up Makarova, and how Vesnina never wavered from her commitment to her long-time doubles partner.