Tired of ads barging into your favorite news podcasts? Good news! Add free listening on Amazon Music is included with your prime membership. Just head to Amazon.com slash Add Free News Podcast to catch up on the latest episodes without the ads. Ruben, who launched the singing careers of Matt Roberts and the incomparable Mary Carillo and you're listening to the award-winning Life Enhancing Tennis Podcast.
Well, hello and welcome to The Tennis Podcast and thank you to Georgia Grief, their mother of Ruben Grief, long time friend of the show and valuable contributor to the show over the years. Ruben was responsible for the creation of the music video for Matt's rendition of late. It's a really, really, all-time iconic tennis podcast moment memorialized brilliantly by Ruben and Ruben, your mum, Georgia, hello Georgia, your voice is something else.
Being the voice of the Jubilee line is brilliant but people listening, Georgia needs to be doing voice of all the lines. Why do the lines need different voices? Voice of the TFL. I genuinely think I've heard that voice saying doors will open on the left hand side. I'm glad Georgia's got a good line because if she was voice of the central line, I'd be writing a strongly worded laugh. I'm writing a strongly worded letter to... Need a promotion.
Yeah, so we like the Jubilee line and we like Georgia and we like Ruben and we like today so far I think, don't we? It's a two-part today. We're coming to you now at 20 past four in the afternoon. We'll be coming to you with part two later on in the day. So don't worry, whatever happens in the second half of the day. If Al Grazlis is, if we're back in the Luz's, it'll all be covered in all the glory it deserves to be covered or if they win love, love, and love.
We'll be talking about it. But that'll all be in part two. We're going to talk now about what we've seen so far on day three of the Australian Open and we should probably lead with the World No. 1, Ega Shvantec. Amsafia Kennin, who I thought put up a very credible performance, 7662 in the end, Fischvantec. I think the tough draw dialed her in, personally.
Yeah, I think that makes sense. I was relieved that we got that Sophia Kennin because she's so good and she's won this title and I didn't want her to be dropped out there. I didn't mind who won. I just wanted it to be good. And boy, was it good? She was a break up right in the first certain you would ice. Yeah, you were right court side there, Catherine, on the side of the court in your role for TV. Now just a puddle of sweat to work. Catherine was a good one to us. And how hot was it really?
Unbelievably hot. Because like headline numbers, it's 30 degrees. We've seen 10 degrees more than that in the past. Yeah, absolutely. It's not, it's one of those where there's a lot of value in being here because it wouldn't look like a particularly hot day on paper certainly not by Melbourne standards. But the strength of the sun when it's this undiluted in this part of the world, it's just about OK in the shade.
At about two, three pm, it's pretty tough in the shade, but by and large with with a bit of breeze, it's OK in the shade. But if you're in direct sunlight, which of course, me, Gashron takes a fear can in there playing first up at midday or at Laverina, there's there's no respite at all from the shade. If you're in that direct sunlight, it is brutal, absolutely brutal. Yeah, no, it is. I was in a nice air condition commentary box at the other end of the court low down, but it was something else.
I don't think I've seen a lot of Schwerntech from that vantage point, from court level in my time because she hasn't gone that far in this tournament really to be able to commentate on big matches of hers very often. But she's quite an awesome site to just see her move around the court. And I think that movement was a big difference between the two players, wasn't it? I mean, Kennin to hit winners had to hit absolutely perfect shots, and she was hitting a lot of them.
The way she flattens out her strokes is really impressive, and the kind of shots that we do see trouble Schwerntech from other sorts of players as well. It is the type of ball that can do some damage, but Schwerntech was getting to a lot of them. They had to be perfect, and on the other side, Kennin doesn't move anywhere near as well as Schwerntech. She wants to be able to spread the court and move her around. I was so impressed on grand, of course, but with Schwerntech's backhand today.
I don't think her forehand really showed up in that match compared to how good it can be. But backhand down the line. It was so good. So many winners set up so many points with that shot. I know when she was asked here, the last year to list all of her strengths, she included her backhand and not her forehand. But it really, I think, has become a much better shot over the years, that backhand. I think she's hitting it as well as she ever has at the moment. That was good to see.
It was just nice to see EgosfilmTech tested like that in the first round. I mean, this is now her 17th straight set win in a row in the first round of a major, but like one of the tougher ones. Normally, she's losing just a handful of games. This was real jeopardy to this match, especially that first set. It was just a nice sort of point of difference about this slam. I really enjoyed it, and really, like you, David, I was really pleased that somewhere close to the real Sophia Kennin showed up.
That was really good to see. I agree. That's a hill I will die on. There was jeopardy in this match throughout that first set. And in the very early stages of the second set, I was worried about a totally flat start to the second set after Kennin kind of squandered and advantage in the first. But she actually was really dialled in at the start of the second. And set in two all, it's really, finally, poised. I think Kennin had break points in the two-all game.
And she wasn't taking news she was in a match there. She must have been having us to Penko type flashbacks, flat hitter, taking her time away, fired up, performing a few dark arts on the court. I mean, actually, more so Kennin's dad performing the dark arts than herself, but she sort of implicated. And he's very vocal from the sidelines, including when his daughter's opponent is at his end of the court. And he was calling out, while Shivuntek was serving all in between first and second serves.
Yeah, it's right on that line, isn't it? Good of him not to go and sit in Egashivuntek's coaching box, though. Absolutely. Definitely not. Definitely not. The darkest art, he's ever. I want to say Fiona Farrow. That's it. A man well plunk. Yeah. When he plunked himself there. Yeah, I think he's got a pretty blurry idea of what's OK. And yeah, there was, in this match, Shivuntek was rushed and was on the back foot by, put on the back foot by Kennin's beautiful hitting.
Early, I mean, I just enjoyed seeing Kennin hit the ball like that again. And I hope she gets some breaks in draws, because I think she came in off the back of her run in Auckland last year, didn't she? And then she got as a rancor in the first round. And that was two really typesets. I'd like to see her catch some breaks and some draws and put a ranking together and be a bit of a factor again. Yeah, here here. And just on the jeopardy thing, I totally agreed there was jeopardy.
And yet I felt more confident that Shivuntek would come through it, and I think I would have done a year ago. Like I do think she is better at dealing with stress on the core. I think she's, you know, it's still there, but I, you know, started a lot of season. How many matches? She just, as soon as she wasn't sort of winning them, wasn't going her way, she would often get blown out in straight sets.
I don't expect that at all anymore from Shivuntek. I think she's better at weathering opponents best levels, and also just raising her own game in the biggest moment, so she didn't have tie breaks. She had a great tie break, didn't she? In that first set. She did, did it surge. Yeah. If she surged in the tie break and she surged from, from two all in the second set, and she's such a front runner, she wants her teeth are into a match or a set. She doesn't really look backwards.
You probably heard the announcement there of Angelique Kerber making her way to the press conference room. That is a losing press conference. She lost out in three sets to fellow former Australian open finalist Daniel Collins on the 1573 arena. Did we ever establish what 1570? Is it a whiskey, a beer? It's a beverage. It's an alcoholic drink. I'm not sure which one. But it is one of those. Some sort of a beast. They have an expanded Melbourne Park quite that much to need 1,500 courts.
Yes, on the 1573 arena. So it will be Daniel Collins, that E.G. Shivuntek meets in round number two. This was a competitive match, Kerber Collins. I can see that from the score. I didn't watch the whole thing. I managed to only see points where Daniel Collins seemed all over Angelique Kerber. Now that can't be the story of the whole match. I think you two were able to watch more of it. But what I saw, I was so impressed with Daniel Collins.
Well, she was a set and on the brink of going a break up for 4-2 actually in the second set. And really, the stat line tells a good story in this one. There was a flash to put that point that she'd hit over 20 winners to Kerber's 9. And the unforesterious were on the side of Collins' game as well as you would expect. But I actually think, first of all, I was really surprised that Kerber managed to turn that around and level it.
And then I mentioned that to you, Matt, and you said, oh, yeah, I'm really pumped for this final set now. And I went off to get a salad. We changed our lunch plans around Matt's pumpedness. Okay, and back with my salad and the mattress over. Matt demanded we have a takeaway lunch at the desk, so that we could give this deciding set off for attention. I stand by that decision, but it did not really deliver.
Unless, and we are, unless you're a fan of Daniel Collins, just sort of hitting winners for an entire set, which is what that deciding set was. And yeah, I mean, the stats ended up 46 winners to 13. She just totally, extraordinarily took over. It is interesting when these two play each other. They've never had a set close to the 6-3. You know, you think they're both such fierce competitors.
You think that, you know, okay, different game styles, but you'd think that they would just have some battles. And honestly, all of their sets have kind of been blow-out. And of course, including two here, five years ago, when Collins absolutely sort of decimated, actually Kerber, who probably came in as one of the favourites for the title that year. Doesn't that interest you for this next match, particularly the fact that she's hit 40 odd winners?
Absolutely. And now, she'll have to face somebody who knows she's got to go for the ball like that, because there's no point in trying to outrun. She'll have to take, she's going to be big-bait tennis to quote Mary Carrillo, isn't it? Yeah. And that has been a problem for eager. Yeah. She'll be able to rush Collins aside a couple of times last year, not even close matches. And I do think the Collins, I always worry about the Collins seconds, and you know, Schvenktec's such a good returner.
And also that same thing of Schvenktec's movement just being that much better than Collins is. But then we worry about the Osterpenko's second serve as well. We do, but I do think Osterpenko is better at that start of play when it's on than even Collins is. Probably better than anyone, hadn't it? Yeah. And she is trying to be more aggressive in 2024 than the New Year's resolution. Something we learned last week, extraordinary revelation.
I would like to declare Daniel Collins victory today over Angelique Kerber, the best that anybody has ever done sport in pantaloons. What are those? I can't say I feel free to act me on that if you've got any other submissions, but I feel strongly about this one. Yeah. I mean to me, that looked like an outfit that I would expect to see on the aforementioned Osterpenko. I sort of loved it, frilly pantaloons, in bright sort of coral, salmon pink. It was such a mood.
While we're on the subject of outfits, they have been a bit of a theme of the last 24 hours. Holger Rune seems to be sort of slowly moving towards just plain tennis in pants. It feels like that's the trajectory we're on. He's like, how can I remove fabric from my looks? Certainly bedtime underwear, isn't it? Hey Nike, there's a bit too much arm on this. There's a bit too much shorts on this. He's gone full raffle on the dowel sleeveless shirt. He looks ripped and beefing.
He's quite a physical specimen. Look, as we come to you, he's once had all, and he looked awesome in the first set of the match he was playing. I kind of feel as though he was wearing almost made that even stronger feeling that he was strutting about a bit, thinking, check me out. That whole thing. It can go both ways, can't it? It made me sit up and go, wow, this guy must be feeling confident. But then it also made me think about Zverev in his knee-high socks.
At the US Open in 2017, I think it was. He lost second round. You can look very silly. You better deliver if you're going to wear stuff like that. It obviously feels like he's going to deliver. Is he still a set-all? Yes. Well, that will be covered once again in part to Grigal Dimitrov gave us real scare today, didn't he? Yeah, he was a set-down to Martin Foucivich, who just really a break as well, and just such a good pro, isn't he? He's not going to fail to give you his best.
Interesting listening to Dimitrov and the post-match interview saying he kind of broke Foucivich down physically, and Foucivich was struggling with his physicality. It's got to feel good, hasn't it? Breaking Foucivich down physically. The guy who just walks around with his shirt off backstage all the time. Rune is one day that we meet. But now I think Dimitrov, what is he in his early 30s, he said I wasn't feeling the ball well at all in that first say. It was getting away from me.
He said, I had to tough it out and play a different kind of match and rely on my physicality. It's mentally impressive when you go a set-down in these conditions to come back and win. A lot of people are struggling out there. We've had people having their blood pressure checked mid after sort of a set in a bit and two sets. Dimitrov needed to come obviously through that, and I suspect you'll start to go downhill and be able to freewheel a bit now that he's got that out the way.
I think he's got a different situation for him, isn't it? Then last couple of years he's being talked about a little bit. I wasn't watching the match, but when I saw him go a set in a breakdown I thought, right, he's on a bigger court than he would have been this time last year. He's been shown on Channel 9, wasn't he? A head of English fiontex for you Kenny. That's why. Well, well done Grigor for fighting through. David has points, that's a headline for part 1.
When Max Poussell went to set down, that meant I was 0 for 6 sets so far in my predictions. David said last night when he was asked to make a prediction, he said, I need a banker for tomorrow. Pregnant pause, Max Poussell. I need delivered in 4. Against somebody I'd never heard of. Carlos Alcarez was on the schedule today, it wasn't even that many points. Max just strikes me as that reliable champ. He can handle the sensation.
Casparou de Handy winner this morning of Albert Ramos, Vignan Askam and Nori as well. He doesn't seem to be in Jiddy pulled out of Auckland, didn't he? There was a bit of a question mark there, very straightforward win for him today. Good, low key, good start of the year for Casparou. I enjoyed what he said at the United Cup, which was that he thinks he ran too much last year.
He thinks he was basically, I got the sense of playing Clay Court tennis on a hard court, standing so far back, using his physicality, and he's trying to rip the ball a bit more. He is doing that. The way he's using that forehand, not just as a really loading it with topspin, so he can go after it and it's really aggressive shot. He's been really good. He's not beaten any one of huge note, but even for Casparou de, just stringing wins together on a hard court.
He's not something he did last year. Good start for him, and he's taking inspiration from Holgeruna doing his interior design, doing a grand slam. He said he's got a phone call. I'm telling people about it. He's got a phone call with an architect tonight. He can't go, he can't celebrate his win. He needs to speak to that guy on Zoom and talk about colors and fabrics. The glamour of life in the first lane for Casparou de. That's just about it.
For part one, of course, we'll be back with part two, lots more happening, except to tell you about, on location, the premium hospitality and experience provider, who we are proud to be sponsored by throughout the Australian Open, as you've been saying, for the first time ever, on location, will be the official hospitality provider of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.
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Packages can be purchased from there or a dedicated on-location team member can contact you directly to create your perfect package. There's a particular bedroom you want access to. You know, you can mention it. That was a joke, by the way. Please, again, please don't quote us to your on-location team member who's creating your bespoke package. That's it for part one. We'll see you in part two. Tired of ads crashing your comedy podcast party. Good news.
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And there is a potential solution that I want to share. There was one name that several people brought up. I did some digging and it's kind of nuts how much this program Miro has for developers. I have to share this. It could potentially be a game changer for you. So my favorite part about Miro is that half the work is already done. Like right now, typically we spend hours starting diagrams from scratch. Gathering information, you get buy-in from every team. You know, that's a lot of work to do.
But Miro has a full set of integrations with the tools you're probably already using. And they also offer open APIs and SDKs for custom solutions for all those niche diagramming use cases we have to do. So the end result is the same but it doesn't take forever. It's a massive, massive time saver. I'm transforming basic flow charts and network architectures and it all lives in one place. So are you using Miro? Have you used it? I want to hear.
That's m-i-r-o.com Welcome back to part two of the tennis podcast where it's eight hours later. And we are back at tennis podcast towers and a lot has happened. It's quite difficult to know exactly where to start. But given that I'm in charge, I'm going to choose to start with a lane of re-back in a 7664 win over Carolina, pushover because I missed all of it. I was detained in a commentary box on the 1573 arena with Emma, Emma Adikanu.
And we'll talk about that in a moment, but it meant that I was completely MIA for what sounded like an absolute thriller. Certainly for parts of that match. The only message I saw about it at the time was Matt saying just that he was absolutely loving life watching it. And then I got a phone moment and I turned my phone over. I can't handle this. And so please tell me about it, Matt, make me feel like I was there.
And I feel somewhat of a responsibility because you weren't alone in missing this match because Daria Kassakina tweeted that she was unable to watch it because this was yet another example of a prime time women's match not being shown on the main channel here. You need the smart TV and maybe she doesn't have that in her hotel. She said all I want to do is watch Rebecca and the hit winners from my bed, which was a whole mood.
I think we could be friends with Daria as a kid and I think she's fit right in. And anyway, so what I would say is I was not expecting to be so drawn to this match or sucked into this match, you know, kind of a total, you know, sort of two similar game styles. I can confirm this because cameraman Matthew, we were having dinner with him earlier and he had an hour or so to kill.
And we was going to go out and watch some tennis, he'd watch some curb collins earlier and he said, oh, we're back in a plush cover and Matt made the most dismissive, almost disgusted noise. And Matthew goes, oh, I know not that one, man. And Matthew said, I wouldn't. And yeah, I take it all back because I watched pretty much all of it. And what was so exciting was the first set tie break really.
We're back in the middle of a slow start in the match, lost the first eight points, but got her game together and leveled the match and it went to a tie break. I really don't like Piskovov was going to win it. She had three successive set points, two of them on her serve, missed first serves both times.
But on two of those three set points, Rebecca and her came up with absolute sheer brilliance. One of them was a run forward. I think she's an underrated mover, Rebecca and I think especially the way she moves forward, I think is underrated. And she got to this short ball hit a lovely angled sort of chipped backhand cross court for a winner. And then on another one of the set points, she hit a huge forehand onto the outside of the line as a winner.
And that was two points in a succession of five points in a row and that flipped the set and won the set for Rebecca. And it was just really high quality at the crucial high pressure moment, which is one of the things that makes a great tennis match, I think.
And yeah, so just a really impressive turn around from Rebecca and then she got the break in the second set and managed to maintain it despite a little bit of a rally right at the end from Piskovov, she kept saving match points. That was quite fun as well. Yeah, it was a good time and a good good start for Rebecca, I would say.
I'm very glad you had that cover to Matt because as David and I were very much otherwise engaged while that was going on, David, I'm sure you had more than one eye on Rebecca now because it was right in front of you in your ridiculously position five live commentary booth, but I sure you had another eye or two if you have that many eyes on Dan Evans and Emma Radikarni who were both in action at the same time.
Yeah, it was a thrilling experience to be covering tonight on the radio, which I think is a medium that is at its best when lots and lots of things are going on at all the same time and you can't really watch them all.
Unless you can do the multi screen, but I find that personally a bit of an unsatisfying and unsatisfactory method of following sport on the radio, you can just go where the best bits are you can go, you can zip around and it was so much fun and even on the radio though, it felt like we were struggling to keep up with all the stuff going on just out of the window.
I did want to add that watching Rebecca and Plichkever hit tennis balls right there, ground level is something to behold. How flat they hit it. That's the best I've seen Plichkever play in a long time and Rebecca is kind of like Plichkever 2.0. She's a better version of a similar type of player I think and I dare say she's just going to keep getting better.
But yeah, we had, I wasn't commentating really on Radicano but I'd got it out of the corner of my eye so you're better placed to talk about that one than me but Dan Evans against Lorenzo Sonnego, they are a fun time.
And they were getting high on each other I think and the occasion and Evans played beautifully for nearly two sets and frankly Sonnego was the inferior player, he was set down, he was having to hang on in the second set and then suddenly he did what he does sometimes and he just got inspired.
He's a different player when he gets inspired and he just took over that match completely, Evans fatigued and started to cramp and it looked over and he hung on in the four set Evans and then in the tie break at the end of the four set he went five love down and it looks over.
And then two things happened, first of all Sonnego wobbled, he started to get tight and offer up these dolly shots to Evans who crept his way back into it and then suddenly he gets inspired and he's looking in the eye and he's kind of challenging him to see what he can cope and he very nearly turned around that tie break Evans and forced a fifth but not quite. It was a brilliant match, it's not one of the biggest of the day but it was just wonderful to behold.
And it was a brilliant listen, I was listening in the shower just left my conditioner on far too long because it was just utterly thrilling to listen to. I had a message from my mom saying how in thralling you made her trip to wait trows. I was just loving it. You're welcome. Kevin had a shower on site today. I did, yeah. I didn't even know that was possible. No, not at all. Matt was staggered when I just slipped off because I thought I didn't know.
Sonnego was just going to go and spend some time in some air con. He said what I said. Yeah. Well, it did. And then you returned after quite a long time because I didn't have a towel. I didn't have a towel. So I had had to drip dry. And I wasn't entirely sure that the lock was working. And I was in in a international tennis media center. It was quite an anxious drip dry and I was sort of jiggling about a bit to try and create a bit of air flow to dry more quickly.
Anyway, I felt sensational after I was like a new person. You must have really wanted the shower because if there have been any concerns about the lock. Yeah, I placed my pile of clothes by the door so that if anybody came in they would immediately feel resistance. Have an obstacle course. Really sense sense the presence of another naked person. I was really worried that I smelled bad David. I mentioned it to God because I'd been caught so I'd regress you on tech in 400 degrees.
And I've had this anxiety ever since that I smell extremely bad. So Matt kept on reassuring me that I didn't but anyway I took measures. Where was I? Well, I was going to get on to talk about Emma Radikani but just quickly since you raised fatigue and cramp and heat exhaustion in the context of a British player. Should we just cover off Jack Draper puking into a bin? I think we should really. Who wants to take this one on? It was epic. I covered this match. I had an absolute ball today.
And I covered virtually all of that match and he was in trouble was Draper in the second set. In fact, I felt at the end of the first set. He was a break up. I always think it's a bit of a tell when somebody requires five set points to get over the line and the way that he was. You know, look, he's a bone and Marcus Grown was was fighting hard too, but it was hot out there and then suddenly in the second set Draper is having his blood pressure taken.
And I'd seen this earlier in the day with Yuri Vesely having the same situation against Art of Fee's. And you just think I'm not sure there's a way back from this if you're feeling like that in the second set. Went two sets to one down Draper has never played a five set match before in his career. And he won the fourth set, sixth love. He took it to him in the fifth, grown met him halfway and it was a good tussle.
And then Draper won. And on match point, it was a brilliant, brilliant rally side to side both players heaving ground strokes at each other. And then next thing, you know, Draper wins the point, runs to the net in a kind of crouch because he's kind of trying to hold in whatever's about to happen. Wants to quickly shake hands with Grown because he doesn't want to be in polite to somebody he likes and he's a good sportsman. And he doesn't want to puke on him.
Yeah, and he's saying, he's saying, please come here quickly in and shake my hand because I really need to go and do this. He just took a quick turn right and he ran to the court side bin and he just threw his guts up. And I described that live on the radio. And Simon Briggs got the photo scoop because the, obviously very polite director on that match. He cut away from the shot of the puke, but Simon Briggs was very triggered happy. Yeah, he got the shot.
Quite glad that he didn't cut away until at least I knew what he was doing because I didn't have that match in front of me out the window. Well, well, we all know what happens to players. What trajectory they go on after they puke into bins on the court. Yes, we've got, we've got the data point. He'll be, he'll be saving three consecutive match points against Novac Yokovic before you know it for Jack Draper, Yannick Sinner style. But this, this was big for Draper.
And an absolutely fascinating Draper press conference. Oh, really? Look, I think most people watching that match and hearing that report would say, well, clearly he's got sort of physical problems in these conditions, in these long matches. And we've seen that before from Jack Draper. We've seen him cramp in matches. He didn't cramp today during the match, but we have seen it.
And obviously the problems that he's got sort of manifest physically, but he was really interesting on the link between the psychological and the physical. And he said that he feels pressure in grand slams that he simply doesn't feel anywhere else. He said he played three hours, 40 minutes against Kets Manavix the other day. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. And that was in very similar hot conditions.
But he said that the nerves that he experiences in slams means that he really struggles with his breathing. And it really affects him in these matches. And sort of more generally said the pressure of the slam means he doesn't sleep as well. He finds it harder to switch off. You know, people are always messaging him during slams and a way that they're not messaging him when he's just playing the tour.
So he's anxious kind of all the time, I suppose, during these slams. And he's not got used to that yet. And he said that's the big work that he thinks he needs to do. And he needs to be able to control his breathing on the court because you can't be having matches like this way. He's really, really struggling all the time with that. It is going to hold him back if he can't sort it out. But I thought it was fascinating how open he was about that and how self-aware.
Yeah, really speaks so well, Jack. He's a thoughtful chap. Yeah, I'm pleased, Jim. I have no idea whether he's got it in him to be competitive in the next round. If he's physically there, we know he can beat Tommy Paul. He's 2 and 0 against him. Beat him last week, didn't he? He's beating him in Adelaide, in Adelaide 2. All the Adelaides. Yeah, that's a great match on paper. I don't know if feel have it in the tank.
But not that it doesn't matter, of course it matters. But that's a right-of-passage for a young player. I needed that. He's a set match and winning a five-set match for the first time. He had to go through that at some stage and to tick off those two milestones all at once, I think, is really significant for him. He can go away from this Australian swing, feeling like he's made a real step forward, I think, even though this still worked to do.
So, when Maradikarnu then, on the 1573 arena, as the sun was starting to set over Melbourne Park, it was still incredibly hot when she started this match with Shelby Rogers, who's, although at a different stage of her career, she's 31 now, Shelby Rogers, in quite a similar position. She hasn't played a competitive match since Round 1 of Wimbledon last year when she took a set off for a back-kinder, but eventually lost out in three.
And actually, I thought, among other things, what showed was how valuable it was for Adelaide Karnu to play those two matches in Auckland, even though they were just two matches. Because, by the end of the match, Shelby Rogers was playing quite well, I thought, but she was poor, really poor in the early stages. And that has to be taken into account when looking at the incredibly one-sided scoreline 6362, Shelby Rogers wasn't really competitive for the opening set.
Also, having said that, I was so impressed with Emma Radikarnu, because she was given no rhythm out there, both by the wind. It was very, very breezy and blustery. Both of them were aborting ball tosses left, right, and centre. Shelby Rogers was giving her no rhythm whatsoever.
I was really struck by how many different ways in which she was winning points. It was like someone had said to her before the match that it was an audition to be a tennis player, and she had to show everything that she had got kind of in one go. It wasn't the most neat and tidy, clean-hitting tennis match because of all those conditions that I mentioned. But she looked like a smart tennis player. She was very adaptable, and just adjusted to what was required on each and every point.
It was so focused and yet also seemed to be loose enough to be enjoying it, and I kept on looking at that court and thinking that Rocks Act full of rocks is not there anymore. She was back to taking all the photos with the fans afterwards, and in her press conference, I got the impression she was really quite moved by the support she received out there, and she had learned in her time away not to take that for granted.
That's not a criticism. That's all she's ever known, having that kind of crowd support even abroad. She said there was a guy there in the crowd. I noticed this, that she'd run over to give this random bloke her towel. She'd picked him out and run the length of the court to hand him her towel. At the end of the match, I thought, that's not a kid or anything. Why is she giving this random middle-aged man a towel?
Apparently, he had been there in New York for every single one of her matches on Reach to the Title, and she didn't know he was out in Australia. She didn't even know when she stepped on court today. She said she noticed halfway through. She didn't let on to him or anyone else that she had noticed, but she kept it in her mind. That was the first thing she did when she won.
It was his birthday. It was his birthday. I don't know what it means. She plays Yefann Wong in the next round. He's a good player. She beats Veronica Steyer today. I don't know what it means, but I feel positive about Emma Radikani generally after today. I think what you can say with certainty is that she's back on a grand slam stage playing good tennis in a tennis match and looking happy afterwards. God have missed that.
I hope it leads to lots more of it because she's a joy to watch. She's great for the sport. I just feel that she's had a really rough run of bad fortune. Yes, I think it would better preparation and all the rest of it. We've talked about Adnauseum about the way she may be needs to change things behind the scenes, but she's had eight months off to have all these injuries attended to.
I think that was the right call. She looks ready now to give this a proper go. I wish her the best. It was fantastic. Absolutely. There is the possibility of a Radikani bolter third round. Is that really? Yes. Wow. I think your commentary skills might be required for that David. But we're still too much wins away from that bolter winner today. Very impressive.
The bolter has got a seed as well next. I think that I don't know who it is. Bolter plays Junqin when? Yes, there we are. That's so true. So probably not a Radikani bolter. Possibly. Well, I want to come on to Alkaraz because he's just been on our screen. But just before we do, should we cover off sensation of the day? Because I think possibly a vote or a little discussion is required because there are two very clear candidates.
I think I lit on the anavit. We've just seen come back from a losing position in the deciding set to beat Petra Martich on a deserted John Canerino. It was all I mean not deserted. There was some very critical vocal. Australian scattered around the station. The stadium. But what with it being midnight? There weren't there weren't all that many of them.
And earlier in the day on the very same arena, we had an arse coca-canarchist beating Sebastian Othner in a deciding set tie break, which at the time felt nailed on for sensation of the day. But does anybody feel strongly about who it should be? I feel quite strongly it should be coca-canarchist after the the reversal of such a match that he had a year ago against Andy Murray and he's had a couple of them. I don't I feel like he was due one just to make him feel a bit better.
And I mean, look, it's you can make the same argument about Tom Nanovic as somebody who's come back from injury and all the rest of it. But I I want to give it to coca-canarchist. I was going to make the case for Tom Nanovic because she just had such a tough season, didn't she? You know, having had the best year of her career in 2022 and looking to build on it. You remember having when she had to pull out of the Australian Open last year was just so devastating.
And to think where she was even just, well, a few weeks ago, we all watched her opening match of the United Cup, didn't we, against Katie Bolter. And she looked so far off being the force that we saw in the match today on the John Canerina. And as I don't know if this is, I don't know if this adds weight to her to her case to be sensation of the day, but it's notable her next opponent is Yelena Ostapenko and they hate each other. Oh my God, remember the Wimbledon Agro. Oh, yes.
Oh, we need to dig all that footage out. I think the internet might do that for us. Yeah. That is sensational. Okay. Oh, that's going to be so good. I'm giving it to Tom Nanovic. Sorry, David, but I'm giving it to Tom Nanovic. It's the context. It's the back story. She was the first Netflix curse, Domino to falls. Isn't she? Holger Runa was asked about the Netflix curse today and whether he believes in it. And he said, I'm sorry, but I think that's rubbish. Netflix did all episode on it.
He said, he said, no, that joke of it could be involved in 10 different Netflix series and he would still win tournaments. Yes, Holger. They all did. You and your tiny shorts. Right, Carlos Alcras tonight. Got himself in a bit of a match against old Rishar Gaskey. He did me. He's certainly a set. What was going on out there? Well, a whole lot of fun. It was pretty nervy in that first set. Gaskey was the better player for most of it. And Alcras was stressed, I thought, in that first set.
He wasn't settled. He was often on the back foot playing reactive tennis against Gaskey. He was really swinging, you know. He clearly decided it. And he felt good. I think he was he at times he was the one doing the little stutter steps sort of pumpedness stuff between points. And Alcras just about came out with the goods when he needed it and then he started to relax. You could see it was quite instant really.
But yeah, I thought it was that's the first time I've ever seen him on that court from my commentary position that we have low down. And again, a little bit like with Rebecca. It's just something else to watch these people from that vantage point. And I suspect he will grow into the tournament. But that was a that was a nervy one. Yeah, I thought he was a bit careless in the first set because he had so many break points. And Gaskey saved a lot of them pretty well.
But there were a couple way that he just he just went for a huge forehand that just wasn't necessary. Alcras. And I was actually speaking to some of the some of the Spanish press who were surrounding me in the press seats. And and their take was that if they had to sort of identify one thing that was different about Alcras in the second half of last season compared to the first half,
they were really pointed to his break point conversion. They said it was something that he really struggled with at the end of last season. I do remember the Medvede of semi-final the US open that that was certainly the case. So he needs to get that back and he's a bit more ruthless I think on his opportunities. Because yeah, he did allow Gaskey to play some really good tennis. It was fun. It was just such a contrast, isn't it?
You know, Richard Gaskey used to be talked about in France in the same way that Carlos Alcras have been talked about in Spain a few years ago. And Alcras has obviously delivered so immensely on that talent that he's got already. And Gaskey's had had a very good career but not a sort of great career, I would say. You know, he's not one of the major titles that people thought he might. And now he's got a bit of a funny walk, isn't he? Gaskey and his hair's thinning a bit.
And he looks a bit sort of paggered generally. But he is capable of still coming up with these incredible moments of genius. But the backhand he hit down the line in the first set tie break was astonishing. Like so good. And yet Alcras is a sort of upgraded version, really, isn't he? He's fitter, stronger, hungrier. And he ended up absolutely taking over that match. And Gaskey only really had one set in the tank. But it was fun. I enjoyed it. Was there ever Jepady, a flicker of Jepady?
No, I never for a moment thought that Alcras was going to lose. Even if he lost that first set, I thought he would just win the next three because Gaskey was, well, Hannah tweeted that it was like he'd been standing under a waterfall for 20 minutes. And he just looked wrenched and soaked and sweaty and hot and bothered. And Alcras was just fine. I actually had to switch channels because I was expecting to feel like I need to shower again.
And as we've established, we're already done that twice today. Right, okay. So that's Carlos Alcras, any other major results to cover off? Alexander's very, very good himself in a bit of trouble. Well, almost quite a lot of trouble actually. He was a set down to his come Truman Dominic Kupfer and was a point away from going two sets to love. No, two sets to one down. He won the second, didn't he? Sure. And it was a real match. This one came through in four sets.
We had the news today reported initially, I think, by Annex Schneider, a colleague was from the German press that Alexander's various trial date has been set for May in Germany for the charge of domestic violence leveled at him by his ex girlfriend in the mother of his trial, Bender Patéa.
A number of players were asked about that situation today, particularly pertaining to Alexander's various recent election to the players' council by his fellow tennis players, Gregor Dimitrov, was one that was asked and it was a very firm no comment. I mean, it's got a flowery no comment from Gregor Dimitrov, who incidentally has also just been elected to the players' council. That perhaps, I Gregor, in particular, was being asked.
There was a lot of, I don't know about this, I don't want to comment more because I don't know the situation. I always stay away from the press in general, I really don't read much. Of course, there are things swirling around. Of course, I understand that on the other side. I mean, it's not only up to me who's in there, right? A lot of that kind of stuff, Camnory, yeah, honestly, I don't know too much about that.
I can't comment at all. I don't really know too much about that and what happened, so tough to comment. We had Stefano Sitzapas, I will not say on that. I don't know the situation. I'm completely unfamiliar with it. I have nothing to comment on it. And who else did we have? I think that's, oh, we had Gus Barude. I haven't had too much time to think about it. I don't really have an opinion right now, but yeah, I'm not exactly sure how to react.
So, won't give you a good answer. Sorry. You can do another one if you want. So, it sounds to me like some briefing has been happening. That's not to say that these aren't adult people who can say whatever they like, regardless of what they've been briefed. I realise it's a tough situation for them to be asked about something like that. I really do when I take that into account, but I don't know anything about that situation.
Is just incredibly pathetic, isn't it? Okay, well, we all know what you can do to know about that situation. It's all out there. If you're a member of the players council, if you've got a vote for who's going to be on the players council, it surely is incumbent on you to take some sort of responsibility and ownership and accountability for those facts. This is just feeble. Yeah. That's why I thought it was a really good question.
It was the same journalist asking the question in every press conference. He wasn't putting them in a really tricky position to comment on the case. He was simply asking about the fact that these allegations exist, which very have denies. Yet he's been voted to the player council, a position of power, leadership on the ATP tour. How do you feel about that?
He also asked the English Viontec, and she said similar in terms of she doesn't have too much to say, but she did add, given that those allegations exist, it does seem a problem that he would have been promoted or sort of elected to a position on the ATP council. She said that. For none of these men to even say that, I just found incredibly disappointing and feeble, as you say. It remains the case. A part of the problem, quite frankly.
To my knowledge, no male tennis player or statement from the ATP has any stage stated the line, the words we condemn and a bore or whatever word you want to use. We condemn domestic violence in all its forms. Not in this latest cycle of allegations from his former partner and mother is child. No, I remember when the allegations from Olga Shiripova were made, I think, that he said something like that at the time that he wanted to make it very clear whilst he didn't have knowledge of this case.
He knew there was a lot of allegations that he wanted to stay on record. It's awful. People who commit domestic abuse, it's awful. I do remember him saying that, but he was one on his own as I recall. I don't remember any others. I think probably the ATP did when they were making their statements in order to announce their investigation, etc. But it still just all feels insufficient in this latest last six months or so since those came to light. It's been crickets, quite honestly.
Yeah, it's not surprising, but it is disappointing. The journalist and I was very of himself and as I said, why would there be a problem with me being on the council? No players have said anything to me and then he said that journalists are more interested in clicks than the truth. Alrighty then. On with the pods, what a couple of other things to cover off.
One bit of news today, not related to the Australian open, Rafael Nadal has been announced as an ambassador to the Saudi-Rabian tennis federation. He's going to be doing, I believe, opening an academy there, doing some work with junior tennis over there. He says he's taken a trip to Saudi Arabia and seen the willingness and the culture around youth sport and he wants to play a part in it and all of that. I've no reason to doubt that he means well, which makes it spectacularly naive in my view.
You can mean well, but also be being paid very, very handsomely for something. That wasn't mentioned in any of the press releases. I don't know that for a fact. I suspect he's not doing it for free. The Saudi-Rabian issue, the sports-washing issue, is far too complex and important for us to try and address it now. At this stage of a daily Grand Slam podcast, we try and do it real justice wherever we have the opportunity to. But equally, it seemed remiss not to mention this news today.
It is another example of how Saudi Arabia is not going into tennis in the same manner as it went into golf in a very confrontational way. It clearly seems as though they've decided they don't want to do that. Everybody within tennis pretty much is at pains to try and avoid that. So rather than going up to a John Ram like they are in golf and lifting him out of the tour and paying him an exorbitant amount, they're doing it in different ways like this. That's what it looks like.
You're right. It's such a big talking point, but it's happening. David, I can't believe you're suggesting John Ram did that for the money. He wants to grow the game. Did you not read the press release? I forgot. I think that's just about it for today. I'm sorry that we've ended up ending on that note. We'll end on shout out. No pressure, Matt. We're relying on you to pep things up here. Maybe you could do them off the top of your head like you did the other day. You're still amazed by that.
I can't get over it. We've also got Usher. It's your job to say Usher, but I did see your picture that you posted on Usher on Instagram the other day. I've got more to drip feed over the course of the next two weeks. Usher is a very photogenic dog. Are you sure? Yeah, he, like the rapper. I don't know if Usher's named after Usher, the rapper. He's not a rapper, is he? Usher. This is more R&B. I don't know what it is these days, but I'm not sure I'm in my 20 years ago. It was R&B. Anyway.
Anyway, this Usher is definitely better. David, you have a mascot. That mascot is Francis. That Francis. What'd you have to say for yourself today? Max Purcell is what I have to say. Oh, covered this earlier. Yes, that's right. I feel like I can go to in a row tomorrow. And you've inspired me because I find myself in quite a desperate situation with Dear Old Darwin, O for three. So going sensation has worked for you.
I might be going sensation tomorrow. Subscribe to the newsletter to find out PS Apologies Darwin. Matt Heider and Soma, how you doing? We got points today, Heider and Soma. We didn't feel good about our prediction because we did back against Dan Evans. We knew he wasn't coming in fully matched fit, but we took advantage of that. And Lorenzo Sonnego, God has points. He's ruthless. Billy Jean is sponsored by Billy Jean King and Alana Kloss. We have top folks and executive producers.
And I'm thrilled to tell you that they are Greg. Chris, Jamie and Jeff. And it's over to you, Matt, for shout outs. Three shout outs today starting with Bart Les in Adelaide. Adelaide. Adelaide. Hello, Bart. Do you know? I believe that in the 90s there was a WTA CEO called Bart. That is incredible, though. It's a very 90s CEO name, I think. If this doesn't come through, I'm going ash bar see. That's the next best. I am right. Bart McGuire, CEO of what was then known as the Sannix WTA Tour.
Wow. It's the blockbuster shout out Bart was hoping for when he paid his heart and money. Did you know that Bart McGuire didn't know? No, I didn't. Whatever it is, no. No idea. He didn't last very long. He resigned quite soon afterwards. Bart, thank you very much for your support. We also have Jennifer Amadeo from Connecticut, Wilton Connecticut. We're getting a lot of shout outs from Connecticut ever since we drove through. I wonder if is that the way to build our audience?
I just drive through. Did you drive through a state or a country? At that point we had all those tennis podcast stickers, didn't we? Did you just start sticking on a lamp? To the ambulance. Jennifer says, my two boxes do not seem to enjoy tennis or chasing balls, but they so enjoy Catherine's enthusiastic dog descriptions every week. A box or two boxes that don't like chasing balls. Jennifer, wow. A wrecking cat and could talk your boxer into it. Boxes are lovely dogs. Quite slobbery but lovely.
Like Jennifer Brady and Capri R. Oh, coming up Trump. Thank you Jennifer. And finally we have Claire White, who is from County Claire in Ireland. She says, my parents didn't think too hard when picking my name. Is Claire the name spot the same as County Claire? It is. Oh wow. And Claire says, I was very lucky to win tickets to 2022 French Open after entering one of your competitions. It was my first time at a professional tournament. I remember this. That's so lovely.
And she's heading back to the, well, to Roland Garros for the Olympics this year. Fantastic. Claire, you're nailing life. Catherine's trying to sort of not be jealous in the show. Have you been spetic it? Claire, you sound like you make good decisions. Well done. Thank you for supporting us. Claire Wood. Yeah. For the blue. British number one. Absolutely. Yeah. I can't think of any other clairs. It's two. It's two middling clairs. I think we done well. Pretty good work, I say.
Claire, thank you ever so much. Thank you all for listening. Thank you to all friends of the tennis podcast without whom we would not be here in tennis podcast hours at what I am finishing up. Early night, guys. It genuinely is an early night and I'm excited for it. We'll see you tomorrow. Refreshed and peppy. Tired of ads barging into your favorite news podcasts? Good news. Ad free listening on Amazon Music is included with your prime membership.
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