Episode
What makes a Grand Slam grand?
- Podcast
- More than the Score
- Published
- Jul 4, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1204
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct9bcv
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Summary
The Indian Wells tournament and the Players Championship are often unofficially referred to as the “fifth Grand Slam” and the “fifth major” of tennis and men's golf respectively. But could those nicknames ever become a reality – and who gets to confer that status on them? What makes some tournaments ‘major’, and why do they seem to matter more? BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter talks to More than the Score’s Ade Adedoyin about how the Open, the Masters, the US Open and the US PGA came to be regarded as the four majors of the men’s game – even though other tournaments previously had that status too. What do they reveal about where power lies in the sport? Ben Rothenberg, editor of tennis magazine Bounces, also joins the pod to explain what sets the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open apart from the rest of tennis. How much does entering their name into history still motivate golfers and tennis players today? 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