Aus Open Day 2 - Big guns progress, but who looked best?

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Well, hello, and welcome to the Tennis Podcast, coming to you from Tennis Podcast Towers Melbourne. On day two of the Australian Open. It is shortly after midnight and we've just watched a sensation lose live. on channel nine. So we're having a well-rounded Australian Open experience today. And spoiler alert, Alexi Popperin not in the running for sensation of the day. Uh it is a close fought contest. today. So make sure you stick with us for that.

in part three and for discussion of today's men's matches

in part two. We start today though with the women because once again we've had some serious drama from those matches today. Unfortunately no Elsa Giacomo on the schedule, so Who knows what got Matt's pulse racing today? Uh potentially Igor Schwytek, the second seed, because Despite it being straight set, seven six, six three on the Rod Laver Arena night session tonight, her match against Yuan Yui I thought was

but particularly in the first set, of extraordinarily high quality. You annually served for it at five four, maybe got a little bit tight, but Honestly, the fact that this was as close as it it was, I put down to Yuan Yui pulling out a a p a pretty exceptional performance. I thought I thought Sviontek was pretty great tonight, Matt. I don't know whether you read it read it differently. I didn't think she was great at the start.

I I thought she came out looking like a player searching for some confidence and definitely seemed quite shaky early on. um her serve, she was having issues with that shot again, and Yuan Yue was taking good advantage of it and twice managed to to be up a break in that in that first set and as you said serve for it at five four. Um Shantep was also quite bothered by her her skirt. She tried to rip it at one point.

Yes, and um changed it at the end of the first set and came out in the second set in some in some shorts and seemed a lot happier in those, so Yeah, I don't quite know why that was such a problem for her, but it it clearly was. Um Yeah, look Twenty nineteen was the last time he was Fiontech. lost a set in the opening round of a major. She she usually comes through these extremely comfortably, without too much fuss whatsoever.

that stat is still alive. She won tonight in straight sets. But it was just much closer than you would normally expect. And I do think Yuan Yui had a big part to play in that. Very persistent, fought hard, played well, Um good athlete, isn't she? She is and she was she was not sort of intimidated, I didn't think, by the by the occasion. I was I was very impressed with her actually. And I think Shvontek is in that slight zone at the moment where I think top player players sense an opportunity

And they're maybe also sensing a little bit of vulnerability in her and they're they're bringing it sh I feel like she's constantly coming up against people playing really well at the moment. And that's that's something that as a top player you just have to have to ride, I think. So shaky start, but I did think she found tech found her game in this one and did some of the things that we're looking for her to be doing, playing with a bit more margin, counterpunching a little bit.

did that in the in the latter half of this match pretty well and ends up coming through in straight sets but But was but was pushed and you know, sometimes that can help sharpen you up. So let's see whether she comes out in her next match more convincing from the start. Yeah, I I have to say I miss

most of those early stages or rather I was very much in a a multi screening situation in those early stages. Once I really z zeroed in on this match towards the end of the first set, I thought Shantek Considering she was under Such stress and and school board pressure at that point, you know, that's what we're looking at with Shrontech, isn't it? Absolutely. Can she do it? Can she

She played the same way that she plays when she's front running, when she's under serious stress. And at the end of that first set I thought she did. I thought that was a real test pass. I kinda there was a part of me that wanted to see whether she was able to do it if she lost the first set, but I'm quite sure there will be other opportunities to to test that from Iga Shuntek over over the course of the fort fortnight. But the test that she did face tonight, David, she really passed it.

Yeah, she got pushed and and you you find out a little bit about you where your game is in that in that situation and um and I think that that's Uh it's quite an unusual situation for her to be in at at a Grand Slam. I mean, there have been Grand Slums that she hasn't won, but very often she's gone into them as the favourite for the title, or one of the very biggest favourites. And look, she still is in that Th she's in the mix, right? I would not be surprised if she won this title.

Um but she's not in the sort of form that we've seen over the last four or five years that she's gone into most Grand Slam tournaments. Uh even if she's ended up not not winning them and and maybe having a disappointing lot.

Uh so it's it's kind of a new territory to to me at least for for her. And and I'm I'm fascinated to watch her just try to find a route through. Um because you know She lost the set on the way to the Wimbledon title this year against Katie McNally and if if somebody had told me that she's winning the title when she lost that set to Katie McNally, I would not have expected that.

So it may just click. She may find it during this tournament and um and that would be fun, wouldn't it? If she if she just found that form When Sabalenka's already in her Australian Open form and there are one or two others that are in great form too, I'd I'd love to see that.

So Shiontek in the mix, shock. Is Mira Andreva the Adelaide champion, David, in your mix? We haven't really had a very thorough in the mix chat, have we? On the cusp, isn't she? Yeah, I think I think that's probably because because Instinctively I'm going to say no, and yet

I rate her so highly and because w what we saw what she did in the first four months of last year, I know she can beat anybody in this draw and yet I I still and she you know, she won the tournament last week without dropping a set. But Again she lost the first set tonight and that's happened three times this year. I asked her about that in the press conference afterwards.

the fact that she's lost the first set in in three matches. This time it's against Donna Vecich, who was hit in the living daylights out of her forehand for a set and a half and really looked dangerous tonight. Um But there was no panic in Mirandreva. That was what interested me and that's what I asked her about. I said

Do you feel maybe that a couple of years ago you might have panicked? And she actually reminded me and everybody I mean, maybe everybody else in the room was thinking about this, but I I had I'd forgotten all about it. The way she used to do get down on herself and just start frankly throwing a tantrum on a court, you know, and she was so petulant she'd be

giving everybody in her team a mouthful and she would just b be childish really. I mean look, she is eighteen and she was sixteen back then when all that was going on and and I remember the the Conchita Martinez eye roll when they first started r started working together. putting me in my place for suggesting that she might have got over all those things. This was eighteen months ago at the French Open.

Well I think she has got over them now. Or or at least th th there have been major strides taken because She's she said, Look, I know you all know that that that is what I what I do sometimes or that I don't

find it easy to kind of withstand uh disappointment. I'm paraphrasing here, but that's the gist of what she said. And she was pointing to the fact that she used to have these outbursts and she says, We're working really hard at them to try and so that they don't happen. And the fact that I'd forgotten all about them Tells me that she's made major strides because she's not a little bit more than a little

I s I put it to you, you don't get very long in a best of three set match and if you go down a set or even a break, you've got your work cut out, and yet she just gives you the sense that it's all under control now. And and her game is is in her control.

Well that was what I saw tonight. I mean I think in terms of her tennis and her physicality she is she's in any mix, as far as I'm concerned, from what I saw tonight, I was pretty look, I I got there midway through the second set, which was when Donovekich's challenge faded and w and we David were watching on the screen and I I I was uh up until that point and you know, we were you were making

cracking it right out of the cent centre of the racket and I know Pam, who doesn't officially work with Donna at all anymore, but obviously still has a lot of affection for her and and follows her very closely. She was watching tonight and she was really heartened by what she saw from Donna Vekic for a set and a half and But what I saw when I arrived on the second court tonight was first of all

I had a moment o of being quite taken aback by seeing Miranda in real real life and I had a ha had deja vu because I realise I feel that every time I see her in real life, she is quite something as a as a physical presence. You just don't expect it from a teenager. It's Coco Goth esque. Okay, Coco Goth is the best athlete in the sport, but I'm telling you She is so imposing and so impressive as a physical

specimen it really takes you aback to see in real life. She's one of those that's deceptively tall and so strong, it it really bowled me over. And then I proceeded to see her play this Perfect set of tennis six love against the body. in the final set against okay, Donovekic who was fading physically, but it was like watching an analogue player against a a digital play it, like Mirandreva was playing chess and

Donna Vecch was playing snakes and ladders, you know, like she she she sh she's got serious weapons, Feckic. Fine. She she absolutely does. I'm I'm a big fan of her game when it's on, but She won seven points in that deciding set. She was she was schooled by a teenager. I'm sure that was tough for her to take, but the s toolbox that Mirandreva has is so exquisite. And I I I think it's good for her to to be

winning with adversity. I do, because adversity has been her struggle. Is adversity has been weathering adversity has been what's been holding her back, right? The Boisson match at at the French Open last year is the most extreme example of it. And, you know, fa facing a baying Philippe Chatrier crowd is is r is about as adverse as adversity gets, I realise that, but the the tennis is there, as far as I'm concerned.

Yeah, I think the only uh case that I could make for why I'm not putting her in the mix, like, just instinctively Uh, because you've both absolutely laid out all the reasons why she could well be is the draw. Mm. You know, la and like if the draw about the draw with you, isn't it, Matt? It always is. The draw matters, everyone. If the draw holds up, to even get to the final we should have to go through Goff and Sabalenka.

And those are the match ups which have been problematic for her. She's never beaten Coco Golf in four attempts. and okay, she does have a couple of wins over Sabalenka. One of them Sabalenka was extremely compromised at the Frank Shop and I don't really count that one. That was not Sabalenka.

She did beat her in the Indian Wales final, uh, which is absolutely legitimate and a very good performance. And relevant. And relevant. It was an odd Savalenka performance. She massively faded in that and I think Sambalenko in a major is a is is a different is a different proposition. And that would even be to get to her first major final and most likely she'd be playing someone more experienced than her. You know, so it

There's there's just a lot that she's gonna have to do if the draw holds up in one tournament for Frandreva to actually win it. But like we've definitely seen wilder things and like she is capable and sometimes you get a young player And they just need a tournament and a moment for it kind of all to to come together. And and and she does feel like she's been in that

situation for a while and now with these improvements and this increased maturity, maybe it's gonna happen. But right now I would s I would probably fall down on not in the mix just because of that and having to sort of run the gauntlet there like that. Yeah, okay, I d I defer to the drawmaster. No, you're look, you're absolutely right. I I do think it

it's gonna happen one of these times pretty pretty soon. Do you know what occurred to me when you were talking about it there uh and and the thought of h having to play potentially golf and Sabalin to reach the final? i as a friends podcast on the eve of this tournament, a tennis relived show, in which we talked about how Murray

against Nadal, suddenly realised he got a smash his backhand much more aggressively than he normally would, and then he developed the forehand and the Lendl. And I think that At some point for Andreva to win one of these tournaments, which I believe she can and will, she's actually gonna have to hit out of her comfort zone and and find something that hurts.

Right, because I probably would have been saying exactly the same about Madison Keyes last year. Like h how is she gonna beat all of these players, Rybakina and Shvionte and Sabalenka, one of the most extraordinary runs to a major title there's ever been? And she did it by hitting out. She's always had that power, obviously it is her natural game, but

to to do that relentlessly and beat these players one after the other, I do think you've you've got to be playing it on your terms, like like the way Keyes did. And obviously I think Andreva had a very similar run at Indian Wells last year to what Keyes had at the Australian Open. She did beat a lot of these players, top players consecutively. She is capable, but

I don't know, s m majors are different. Um but look, the signs are great. She started the year so well, Andreva, with uh just looking fresh again and yeah, it i it's really good to see'cause her game is Is such an addition to the already excellent pool of top players that there are. Yeah, you can see she's an Andy Murray fan. Yeah.

Yeah. how you'd be watching Andy Murray and think, Oh, well he he's he's stolen that point, he's won that point that he he had no right to win and always done it again, always done it again and you think each one is a an isolated sort of bit of luck or you know ps something something improbable. Every time you think, okay, but he you can't win a whole tennis match like that, can you? And like, oh he has. And he's done it again. He's done it again and he's made a whole career out of it.

Uh so that was Andreva on the night session on the second court day session on Rodlave Arena was opened by Coco Goff, who Cruised today it was comfortable for her against Camilla Rakimova, six two, six three, seven double faults and thirty-one unforced errors. Though, it, you know, there's, the, the... the demons are are lurking in that score line. Yeah, it's not like she's walked in here and

And is is blemish free really with in terms of of those things and th and that m that's probably never gonna be the case. She's she's got to reckon with these these elements of her her base game. But six of those seven double faults did come in the first set. Um so she cleaned things up in the second and and and and I found it v very interesting in the press conference talking about how

She's she's got to hit it harder. She's got to go for it more because in the second set when she actually went after it more, it was more more reliable. Um which which sounds almost counter intuitive really, but but but then I get it because the the players often say you've you've got to let your arm go. You know, you've got to finish the shot. Um

And um and so look, aga a little bit like you were saying earlier on about Igor Svantek, y you gotta start somewhere. You gotta make sure you're still in this tournament, uh come the second round. It doesn't really matter if you if you don't play lights out in the first round. In fact

You probably don't want to. You want you wanna be p well, you wanna peak for a start, but I think it's it's reasonable to be trying to just iron a few crinkles out really in the first round of a Grand Slam and probably two and three as well.

And is that what Amandra Nasimova was doing today, Matt against Simona Volte, six three, six two. About uh a set in a bit into this, Matt told us it was a terrible match. It was. I mean it was. It was really bad. Uh between them they combined for nine winners and thirty one unforced errors in the first set. You know, and like Glad I missed it. It's not about me, but I always feel a little bit bad when I'm out on a court watching Amanda Nissamova and the pod fans everywhere. And it's a dud.

I always feel a bit like I mean I know they're not here for me, you know, they're here for an isomova, but I always feel like a just like Like almost like it's a little bit my fault. Well it is your fault. Like I've told everyone that this is this amazing player and playing like that, like oh no. But Clean things up in the second set massively and the serve in particular was excellent in the second set for her. Um and I liked her attitude in in the press conference afterwards. She knew that

It was by no means her best tennis in that first set. By the way, she was never under any real jeopardy and even though she wasn't playing well and never thought she was gonna lose even a set in this match. She just had such a clear weight of shot advantage. Um but what I liked about the press conference was that I think She's not gonna let a performance like that get to her. She said there's no need to overthink that.

I think she she's confident in the level that she has now and that she's shown before that why should this performance where she's a little bit off it in the first set mean more than everything she's built up over the last nine months or so. And I I think she had that really in perspective. Um and I think I think what she's just looking for in these first few

ma matches is just to get through them without expending too much energy and preferably find a bit of f feel and form that she's not really quite had this season. But there were some signs that it was coming in that second set, so A different situation for Mandarin Isimova and her and her followers uh to be in compared to twelve months ago, less than twelve months ago. She she plays a Your words not mine, Matt Roberts, terrible match or terrible half match in round one, and you think

Well, you don't you don't wanna peek in round one'cause she's here for the long haul and I back her to play her way into this tournament and make it to the long haul. Like it just feels like that par now from Andra and Esamova, not necessarily to reach the final as she has done at the last two slams, but but maybe and certainly to be a factor at the latter stages. It was it was twelve months ago that she was losing in the second round to Emaradicanu here, and that wasn't a shock.

She's totally transformed her status in the game in a in a really short period of time, but I suppose in another sense in quite a long period of time. So there you go. She's amazing. Matt, you also watched a lot of uh Diana Schneider beating Barbora Krajchikova.

on the Kir Arena, which for a set David and I were were watching this on on the screens. I was a bit distracted by Bertok van der Zanskoop'cause A bit. Just can't take my eyes off. Yeah. I look forward to your review of that. But I mean he loves playing a seed. Yeah. I'm worried about the next round. Yeah. Anyway.

I think that's as much burtic as we can we can justify in a round one podcast. Um unless he's taken out Carlos Alcaraz. Uh Diana Schneider, yeah, David and I were watching this on the screen. What we saw in the first set of her match against Krajikova first set Kraichikova won, was just Krajikova looking peak, just that Smooth, utterly distinctive tennis that is so emphasized by that neon racket that she plays with. The sort of the arc of her racket.

The lightsaber racket. It's so different to any other tennis player. She just cuts different shapes and forms on the court to anybody else, and it was so wonderful to watch. Uh and that is not how the match ended. No, it's not. Um, it ended with Dana Schneider winning it in three sets. um and with Krechikov's knee.

Mm just be an increasing factor through the match. As soon as she walks out,'cause she's got enormous strapping on it, like she's not hiding anything. You know that there's an issue there. And yet As you said, played like a dream in that first set. smooth and quiet but devastating. Like she is trying to take you apart with her game. Like There's a ruthlessness to her, isn't it? There is. And it's it's cl it's surgical, it's clinical the way she

c changes the direction down the line and creates angles with the forehand and knocks off volleys. Like it's it's brilliant and Schneider had no answer. Like Kretchika was fantastic, serving well as well. But Schneider dug in well, I was quite impressed with that, like she even with a pair of sort of grabbed her chances when it when they came and sort of kind of stole the second set in a way. I I really felt like Craig Sheikov was still the better player in that second set.

But Schneider pinched it. She started to create angles of her own, um, latched onto a few returns, started to read the craek of a game a bit better, knew when she was gonna go back behind, that sort of thing, holding her ground. Um, and then in the third set, Schneider was the better player. She was the the more sort of vibrant one on the court.

as the crach of a knee just became more and more of an issue and she she had some treatment on it and it really started affecting her, particularly on the serve. I felt like like she was s sort of unable to properly push push off or push up b uh because of the knee and it was just a terrible shame because it it was kind of a

you know, it was kind of a microcosm of the quake cheek of a career really. Like you see what what she's capable of, the brilliant tennis, but also the physical struggles came and and eventually held her back and yeah, it was from Schneider to turn it around and she was a real vibe in the on core interview afterwards, talking about how she's gonna seek out some highlights that of her match today'cause she enjoyed so many of the winners that she hit. Um which I

Which I thought, yeah, you do you. That was you did hit some good winners. You should appreciate those. Um yeah. So it was Yeah.

It was a tough watch from a Kwachikova perspective. Yeah. Victorian Boko also has some serious strapping going on with her knee. Like it it's alarming to look at. Chi I mean, she was playing with it all of last week in in Adelaide and

and reached the final. Um so I knew what I was in for when I went out to fifteen seventy three arena to see her match against Emerson Jones, but still sort of when you when you s see her mummified leg, you're like, Oh God hope this isn't gonna be sort of awkward and sad, but i I

Mae'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'r hynny s uh anything anything more serious and she was th she was great today against Emerson Jones who is This was just a reminder she's a a talented work in progress. She's a seventeen year old who looks like a seventeen year old. I don't think she's ever gonna grow into Mirandrava in terms of her physical presence on the court. She's always gonna be a bit of a

mosquito type player. She's quick. She's very slight. I think for her size she packs a good punch, but she's just never gonna be able to pack an umboco punch. It's a lovely ball she hits and the backhand, I'm not pushing it on you, Matt, but it is lovely. Um and when you know, people have tried pushing it on me. Famously it only. And it's got a I I was the the media seats which

was a was a it w had a bit of a situation with my with my seating in the media area. But I was just about able to see the players if I craned my neck in the right position. horned viking hat Hm. Uh anyway, she she the the I from my vantage point the f you could the f you could see the fly to the ball and it was very pleasing from from Emerson Jones, this this lovely flat ball. But Mae'n 17. Mae'n 17. Mae'n 17. Mae'n 17. Mae'n 17. all of her time scampering.

Um and she looks really good scampering, but it can only get you so far against somebody like uh Victorian Boko. Um so look, I'll be interested to see her progress and I don't wanna you know, piss on the Australian bonfire but Give her give her a bit of time. Like the great and good of Tennis Australia were all out there in in the also cradling their necks around the the the Viking hat.

Absolute arseholes. I mean, can you imagine? Oh. It hadn't even occurred to them that They might be in the way. They might be in the way. Extraordinary. There's a b I've posted a picture of my my obstructed view uh on our Instagram. It's worth checking out, folks.

Um so yeah, Victorian Boko through to the next round. Uh Emma Navarro, her poor start to the season continues. She lost in three sets to Magdalynette, former semi-finalist here, of course. Jessica Bagula. Who by the way, Magdalinette had lost nine matches in a row at slams. Wow. Hadn't hadn't won one since twenty twenty three. And Look, I I considered picking Lynette to beat Navarro because Navarro's not had a good start to the year, she's not been in

great form for a while, but then I had a quick check of Magdalene's slam record and saw that and thought, Oh no, I'm not not going anywhere near that. Is that the year that she reached the like quarter finals here? Sem Semi Semis. Semis. Yeah. Yeah, with her spicy secrets, they never materialised did they? No. Um and and she had some issues in this one. Like she was getting uh a lot of treatment but

But still managed to win it. So yeah, Navarro's poor poor form. Not a good start to the season. Pagula, two and one over Anastasia Zakharova, um the Russian player she she was I know, I got a new one. S it's not how we pronounced the name yesterday. No. No, I've done some research since then. I could tell. Um Pagida was so good. in this and it I I think it might not mean anything'cause Sakharova wasn't good. Um and she's oh goodness me, her service w serve is weird.

yw'n y mary gorill o'r line about if your serve requires good footwork you're probably doing something wrong i think she was talking about anastasia zakharova uh because I've never seen so much footwork involved in a service motion. I was just thinking, you know, th the difference between Pagula and Krichikova as as players in terms of one always seeming available physically robust to play and and or you know, okay, the odd first round of feet, but the vast majority of the time in week two

But Krashikov has won two of them. Mm is Bigula ever gonna win one? Do you think? Thirty one now? I think it's unlikely personally. But then I wouldn't be shocked, big picture, if she won a slam. I would be surprised, but not shocked. yeah yeah she's on Sort of on my radar to potentially win a slam, but I don't think I'll ever like Pick her pick her to win the slam that we're in. Has she ever been in a mix? I get the feeling that she was in a mix at Wimbledon.

I mean she beat Eagle Sfonte, didn't she, on the on the eve of Wimbledon, who then went on to win? I think I picked her for an Australian Open once. But then I I picked Powell Bidosso for an Australian Open once. Uh she's got McCartney Ket Kessler next, by the way, who we cooed over at the one point slam briefly. Good player. K she is a good player. Yeah. Good player, Meredith. Um Ka Carolina Mukova beat Jacqueline Christian. I I think I need to stop saying that Jacqueline Christian's good.

Well she keeps losing. I keep keep saying she's a tough drawer and Change it to sneaky girl. Maybe she's the the Anti Paulini. Not Not as tough a draw as you think. Sneaky good gets you out of a lot of trouble. Sneaky good's a bit like mm, yeah, but I told you it's not that good, but

But then if he does win it's like see, told you. Right. Oh, is that what you've been doing all this time? Always. So he keeps his credibility cutter and we need to learn. Jacqueline Christian, as I've always said, is sneaky good. Uh three and six for Mukova. Today. strapping. But just the one body part which is pretty good going for Mukaba. And actually I was I was hearing um Pagula talk the other day about the fact that you will see a lot of players

with their thigh taped, particularly at the start of the season. Um often it's the landing leg off the serve. Like they uh apparently that's a very sort of w a weakness that builds up through not playing matches. And therefore they're interesting. They sort of decide that actually start of the season taping it up is a is a good sort of preventative measure just to sort of help you through and Well that's exactly what it was for Mukovit, the left thigh. Yeah, that's a landing leg off the serve.

Um, because it's a you know, it's a body part you're gonna put a lot of strain on over the course of a match that you've probably not been using so much through the off season. So yeah, it was good insight there from Pagula. I really support Carolina Muka for taking taking precautions. Taking whatever precautions she needs to against injury. Also possible that's not what this is and she's injured but let's she look fine today. She looked really good. And Christiane has discussed

Sneaky good, so that's a great win. In the next round, she will face Alicia Parks, who Beat Alexandra Ayala of the Philippines today in just a match with the most extraordinary scenes over on court number six, the bar court. It is sort of well, sort of a show court. It's got

It's got the b medium sized stand with the bar at the back of it. It's more than just one of the outside courts with with sort of standing area, but it was nowhere near big enough for the utterly overwhelming volume of Filipino fans or Australian fans with Filipino heritage war whoever that just wanted to support Alexandre Ayala today, but there were you know, th th the place felt like Manila today. It was absolutely

unreal. It was deafening anywhere in the vicinity of of court number six and There's a there's a couple of different ways to look at this. Let's look at it first in terms of the match and how on earth Alicia Parks, David, withstood that atmosphere all against her.

and losing the first set six love to come back and win six three, six two in the next two sets. Yeah, if if it wasn't so joyous on on one hand, because who doesn't want to have an atmosphere like that at at a sporting event and and it was it was incredible, not only were the thousands inside that

probably a couple of thousand, I'm not exactly sure how many you can get in there. But then there were also uh d big screens put up the the organizers realised just how many people were on site that had come to support Alexandra Ayala on a grounds pass because that's what this court was available to and and put it on all the big screens around the entire site.

That was the only match you could see. Uh and and there were people sitting on on a huge g grass sort of slope. There were people sitting i in all the public areas w at the at the tables and chairs watching the big screen. But on the court itself, every time Ayala hit a winner, and in the first set there were a lot of them, I mean she won the first set six loves, she was playing out of her mind, it was it was like she'd won the title. Pretty much every point. And when Park's won a point.

It was crickets. You you I mean, she had her own little pocket of support, but it was basically silent. um and disappointment as well. You know, if if if she got a neck cord, people were like, oh you know, it's just it's just such and and how how you withstand that? I mean y I I don't I don't exactly know how she managed it really, but she kept her composure throughout the entire match.

And found a way back into it and won. I mean I think a h uh a huge achievement, really, by Parks, Alicia Parks. And it look it was it it was Packed and vocal and uproarious and joyous on court six, but also pretty much. around the entire grounds at Melbourne Park, David, because the b I mean this factor w uh th this match was oversubscribed. in terms of ground pass holders that had seemingly come in just to see Alexandra Ayala by seemingly a factor of about fifty to one.

like all of the bars, all of the viewing areas, even we kept on getting shots of uh a uh a r roof of the uh of a nearby stadium. It might it might have m was it the Rodlever Arena? The the shop was very close up of some of some men in quite a precarious looking position dangling this enormous Filipino flag over the structure, like it was

It's something that um the journalist Ben Rothenberg has been talking about a lot over the last twenty four hours. In fact in his um substack bounces as soon as the order of play came out, he raised an eyebrow at the court allocation of Alexandra Ayala and said, Look, I think they're underestimating

the the volume of people that are going to be wanting to see Alexandra Ayala today and and and so that proved right and he's been tweeting about it a lot today and in fact in response to somebody that is that has quoted one of those, Ben Rothenberg Tweets. Uh they said if there's a Filipino player in any sport, always expect the Filipino community to show up.

this will be a learning curve for the Australian Open and they've tagged the Australian Open in. And the to they credit the Australian Open official account has

responded to that and said, Hi, uh, we really appreciate your feedback. We will take it as a learning and come back strong next year And that look that's fair enough. Perhaps they could have seen this coming, but you can't predict everything and You also have to balance a lot of things because players earn seedings and they feel like they should get

court assignments based on having got themselves up in the rankings. Um y y y y you've you've got players like Stanva Vrinka who was who was coming back and needed a big court because it's his last his last year. But overall, I feel as though you have to try to satisfy public demand and sensibly house it.

Because you had thousands there that that could have been in a big a bigger court there. Yeah, and maybe this forms

part of a wider tapestry that we should touch upon about crowds at the Australian Open. It's not something we've never never talked about before. It it feels like it's been an issue, particularly in the in the opening days for the past couple of years and we get announcements, don't we, in the press room, about attendance every day and they've been smashing attendance records by i into smithereens the past

few days yesterday, on opening day they had their first mm first day of attendance, over a hundred thousand ever, at the Australian Open. And the obviously the tournament are crowing about this, they're thrilled. And on one hand that is brilliant. The fact that that demand exists for tennis is a wonderful thing and I don't just wanna

Piss on an Australian bonfire again. But there is not unlimited supply of tennis for everybody to watch and there is not unlimited capacity at the Australian Open i there is a limit to how much celebrating increased attendance is a good thing and w we have had a number of

Uh messages on Instagram, on the barge, people getting in touch in various different ways saying that they have had disappointing experiences at tennis fan uh as tennis fans attending the Australian Open, particularly as grounds pass Holders. Whether you whether you can't afford or just don't want to fork out for a or or maybe don't get lucky in a ballot for for a a show court ticket for one of the opening days, get a grounds pass.

you'll still be able to see absolutely elite tennis on on an outside court and you'll see things that surprise you and make your heart sing and all the rest of it. And people aren't able to have that experience. Proper tennis fans aren't able to have that experience because you're having to cue for hours in some cases to get on these outside courts and

Uh unless you're prepared to kinda stay there all all day, as soon as you give up your seat, somebody else in in one of these hour long hours long queues is is taking it. We've had we've had as I say, messages on the barge, some people, somebody saying that this was their first trip to the Australian Open and they they won't be coming back. They barely e were able to to watch any tennis. Impossible to walk through

to walk through the the the grounds. And basically as a tennis fan had an extremely disappointing experience. Now It it it seems pretty clear, isn't it, there's a lot of people coming through the gates that that's not their priority. They might try and catch a bit of the tennis, but there's this festival atmosphere, there's lots of things happening besides the tennis and good luck to them, that's great. It's good to see lots of families and so on. But

for that to be happening at the expense of the enjoyment of tennis vans feels like a tough scene. It feels like maybe a a better balance is could be there to be struck. Yes, and I think there's also a c a couple of particular things which we're seeing now with this new sort of scheduling of the two hardcourt slams, you know, starting on the Sunday and having only two matches during the day session on the on the main show courts. What happens is they've now got three days to play the first round.

rather than two. So there's fewer matches on any given day. So therefore there you know, there's less tennis for people to see if they're showing up, you know, and there's more people concentrated on one place'cause there's not loads of other matches happening. And so that's one factor and then also the other factor is

Two matches on the main court, very often in the early rounds that is a top seed against someone not in their class and it's one sided and it's over quickly. And then you get Everyone on the main stadium pouring out. to go and watch tennis on the outside courts and there's not as much tennis on the outside courts as there used to be on the first few days of slams because they've got three days to play it rather than two. So this confluence of factors plus

they've expanded the sites and they've put on extra entertainment. It it it just is creating an experience for a lot of people that is involving an enormous amount of cueing to watch tennis and not that much actually watching of of tennis and yeah, I I I really sympathise. Look, I know there's a there's a lot of people I

I was lucky to spend time with my friends Trez and Luke today and Trez was completing his his fan slam today and like he couldn't have had a better day. Like He's had the time of his life and there are still a lot of people coming through these gates having those experiences, which is wonderful. ond rwy'n meddwl bod yn amlwg o bobl sy'n cael eu bod yn amlwg o bobl sy'n cael eu bod yn amlwg o bobl sy'n cael eu bod yn amlwg o bobl sy'n cael eu bod

Yeah. You c y you sort of hate to see it and you just y I'm sure I'm sure they are thinking about the organisation, but it feels like maybe they're not it's not top of their list, you know, like there are other things that they're putting ahead of Fan. tennis, true tennis fan experience, and that's getting a little bit lost along with everything else that's just brilliant.

Um but yeah, some of these organisational things are having an impact and yeah, I think it's I think it's good to talk about them. Yeah, that's very well expressed. Intentionally blank is is the enemy. Yeah, like there's so much intentionally. Outside courts just to catch a glimpse of Bertie van der Zanskool. Meanwhile all the show courts are sitting amongst them sitting intentionally blank, like, What are we doing? Yeah, yeah, no He's he's he's worth the queuing time, folks.

J just very quickly on AR though. Um I think it's gonna be important for us. not to have like outsized reactions to her defeats. And I'm I'm I'm not saying that we have done today, you know, but Because I feel like her matches are constantly gonna feel like these massive big deals and she's going to feel like a absolutely top ranked player because of the amount of interest that there is in her.

that support that she has, which she's she's absolutely phenomenal with it, you know, like she really appreciates it. She understands it's a special thing. She was she lost today, but she was signing autographs for such a long time afterwards and Talking about how she approaches these things with a spoonful of gratitude in her great little turn. But like

doing really. It just so happens that she is the only top player from her nation and there's this great interest in her. And I just feel like she needs to be allowed the space to Cynnyddoedd yn ysgrifennu yn ysgrifennu yn ysgrifennu yn ysgrifennu sy'n ysgrifennu sy'n ysgrifennu sy'n ysgrifennu sy'n ysgrifennu sy'n ysgrifennu. pretty big fundamental flaws in her game and just'cause she's got this massive support, she shouldn't be expected to be like doing phenomenal things. Does that make

Does that make sense? Like I Yeah, it's important. And and and I think um I think she absolutely understands that. You just sort of hope that with all of this attention it sort of just just stays that way. I'm a I'm a little bit

concerned about that going going forward. But I think I trust I I do trust her. I think I think she's fantastic. Yeah. Incredible poise. Yeah. Important. Very well said. Thank you, Matt. That is If for part one, we will be back in part two to talk about the men and in part three to talk about sensation of the day.

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Welcome back to part two of the tennis podcast on day two of the Australian Open. And of course the main men's story is Novak Djokovic, the man that simply becomes the main character, of course, whenever he steps on a tennis court and he was Very comfortable today against poor old Pedro Martinez, David. Three, two and two for Djokovic. Martinez, he's lost first round of the main tournament. He's gone out of the one point slam.

He's leaving here with virtually nothing, poor old Pedro. Hm yeah. And he faced pretty much the best of Novar Chokovic today, who was pristine. Um I I g I got out there onto the court at the end of the first set and I passed Matt Futterman of the Athletic going the other way. And Matt Futterman had been watching a first set. Yes, he had. Breaking his own rule. He had. And he his early impressions I said, What do you think, Matt?

Um, he said he he is going after his shots big time. Um have I been hustled by Novak Djokovic in a pre tournament press conference? Well I I mean look, I I think it's understandable I suppose that he might have been slightly more up for play in the match than he was talking to us. Um but but I mean look I I had the same uh impressions of him in that press conference as you did. He d he didn't look

exactly full of the joys and he didn't seem that up for it and he seemed a bit knackered. Um maybe he was. But he didn't look that that way tonight. And when you walk into that stadium and turn around and you see the place absolutely full of your national colours and flags flying, how could you not be energized by that? And he was. He

I I mean I I I I said to m to Matt Ferman so i it's like bully boy stuff then in that he's and he said, Yeah, it's n he's not waiting. He's going after it, he's pulling the trigger. a lot, regularly. He obviously was feeling really confident. He was feeling the ball well. Um and, you know, a couple of games into the second set or halfway through the second set

it flashed up on the screen that he hit twenty seven winners by then to single figures, I think six of of Martinez. Now Martinez is is a perfect first round opponent really. He he hits a a nice ball in the slot, really, for Novak Djokovic, uh, the level that he's at. But it still takes the execution.

that Djokovic is able to to to produce when he's playing well. He's not always playing like that, you know, in the in the last year or so. This this was a really encouraging first round performance, I think.

Wow. Rolling back the years, just like Stan Rinka. On the Kia Arena, David, he dieseled all over Laszlo Gera. It took him a few sets, yeah. And I mean look, he's he's obviously I mean of course he's not the player he was, but he's still one heck of a player. and a and a competitor and the crowd absolutely loved him. That was good court assignment from the Australian Open. Just big enough to get a really good sized crowd in, but intimate enough that it felt like

just us. You know, it was I I went out there for the for the for the final throws of that and uh And he he he played some i it's less spectacular than it used to be. There's not quite the gasp inducing backhands. with regularity. It's more canny. He's playing canny backhand slices and and c and getting himself out of trouble. Um but he found the shots when he needed to. It was great stuff. And I

y you know, like he's always been such an e explosive player, as you say with Rinker, that's always what stood out. But I I do always think that ability to be canny of his was always underrated. Like the way he developed a chip was was something that served him so well through his career and just an ability to just keep the ball low and reset points is something he has always been able to do and he he can rely on it now in

you know, as he as as he's forty years old. And I I do think it's fascinating how it feels like there's been a mindset mindset shift. since he's put this deadline on it. You know, like he's it seems to have freed him up. And every match possibly being his last in a certain place means he's getting this incredible wave of support and he really shouted that out in the encore interview, didn't he, in terms of how much that is like powering him through at the moment.

Yeah, it w it was a it was a special moment and I enjoyed um James Hansen's line in the athletic that he was playing with his heart on his sleeve and his shorts on his shirt. because he's got this little tribute to his iconic French Open shorts on his collar. Didn't I suggest he get the shorts out? Him, someone at your next, Pam perhaps. Yeah, it's great. It's a really it's a really cool

I'm sure plenty of other people had that idea. Djokovic and Varinka, just to treat them as a pair for a moment longer, they're both playing qualifiers that I'd never previously heard of. in the next round. There's another French author. Yeah, there's another French author and there's another really good Italian that's just come out of the woodwork'cause that's what they do. We've got a Francesco Maestrelli.

the Italian qualifier that beat Terren Zapman today. He is the second round opponent of Novak Djokovic. And we have Arthur Geyer? Ja. Arthur. Arthur Geya. Could b g let's go with that for now until we get confirmation. Uh he beat Yurida Hetchka, the seventh seed today. Jaya, Geya, it could be a David De Gea situation.

Uh we'll find out. Anyway, that's who Stamra Rink is playing in the next round. So look I'm saying this on the basis of nothing'cause I've just declared that I hadn't heard of them before today, but I'd say those are winnable. Yeah. I d I definitely think so. I I I think and I think Stan, if he does win that, would probably play Taylor Fritz, I wanna say, in the

in the third round, which, you know, would be kind of a moment, I suppose. I don't know what it says about men's tennis that the uh the players that most sort of captivated me today were

Forty year old Stanwaverinka, thirty eight year old Novat Djokovic and how old's Marin Chilich? But you know Similar. Similarly You can have a you can have a tight forty five seconds on Marin Chilich, Matt. Well we're on Triple Bagel Watch. And if you're listening to this you might be thinking, Oh God, was Marinchelich about to be triple bagel? No. He he was leading Six Love, Six Love, One Love.

it became Matt's entire personality for about twenty minutes. Over Daniel Altmeyer, who's a v you know, very credible Good players. Got a win over Yannick Sinoda. Grand slam. And I I saw Daniel Altmeyer walk onto that court with Marion Chilich and Altmayer seemed he had a big smile on his face. I didn't think he was gonna be in bad form. Well I have to say I wasn't watching the match until

The score line piqued my interest. You know, I s I thought it's four love. Chilich, funny, five love. Oh six love. Okay. What's happened then? And suddenly it was six love, four love and I was invested. And yeah, I really wanted the triple bagel. We've not had one since nineteen ninety three at a plan. It's m Matt becomes evil in this situation. And look, the Australian Open has teased us over the last few years. We had Djokovic.

couple of years ago we had Hatshinov do it against Nishyoka a few years ago. No, we've had Chilich, like this has been the slam which has given us a a shot at the triple bagel. Uh but you know, we have to go back to nineteen ninety three. for the last one. Um I'm just gonna pull out my favourite triple bagel stat at a slam. There've been five in Grand Slam open era history. Most recently in nineteen ninety three. Three of them came in nineteen eighty seven.

What was going on that year? Like wild stuff. W one of those was Stefan Edberg and Stefan Erickson. Uh against Stefan Erickson. I remember it happening. Yes. And then nineteen ninety three you You made money off the triple bagel. Y yes, uh yes, um back in the days when I r before I realized that that I that I shouldn't be gambling on things, uh I won some money on Sergi Picera because I saw him triple bagel Thierry Champion on the floor. He's gonna win the tournament.

And he did. By the way, Altmeyer sort of did get triple bagel because before this match he lost his previous set, Six Love. To Jean Memunar in Adelaide. So he did lose three consecutive sets, six the staring into the face of true evil right now. And yeah it it actually felt a bit precarious for Chilich and that's because I mean it was a tiebreak, wasn't it? And it was a it was a good actually quite good. Chilich was tight. Yeah. He was so tight. The moment he didn't

hadn't got the triple bagel he g he was tight. As soon as it was one all he looked really anxious. Uh we lost the seventh seed Felix Auger and he has seemed today to cramp. Well cramp and a really Tricky opponent. Sneaky good, no border. Um, yeah, d strange to see Felix struggling with crampy retired training two sets to one, obviously just well known for being

so well conditioned. You know, he might have limitations in his game, but physical conditioning is has never been one of those. And he seemed equally taken aback by this by this happening to him. He was he was pretty shocked by it today, so that was that was tough to see. Daniel Medvedev David

fairly comfortable today. Seven six six two seven six over Yesper de Yong, his first Grand Slam match win for more than a year. Um and you think he's playing a little bit differently to how he has been playing? He is shortening rallies. Ca certainly compared to a year ago. And I mean that's an incredible stat, isn't it? His first grandson match win for over a year and it was first round here last year and I remember that being five sets.

um and and really stressful against somebody not very highly ranked and then he he he didn't win an another grandstand match all year. Um and he and he was obviously very low in confidence and he he made that point y in the press conference. He he s he was quite bullish about himself. Almost like he was just just reminding everybody and himself that Hold on, I used to be

world number one and and a grand slam champion and I didn't do that just by rallying for forty shots every time. I I was an aggr I regard myself as an aggressive player. he said, you know, and and he said, When I'm playing well, when I'm confident, I will play people like Rublev and Oj Ali Yassim was people think of as these big hitters, and I've got forty winners and they've got twenty. You know he was so he was quite so he's defending himself a little bit there, but he also

observe that, you know, yes, I d I that is how I want to play. Um, you know, I've I've I know his team. when his new team that he put together, which is Thomas Johansson and Rowan Gertzka who used to work with Richard Kreichett, they share the guidance of of Marion Chilich now. And I I I know those guys a bit and I've I've spoken to them and and I mean the the

the gist of it is is they do want him shorting shortening rallies. They don't want him hang hanging around. I mean, he's twenty nine years of age. uh there's only so many rallies you can play of that length without r running your battery down. And uh and He's doing it. He's going after his serve more, he's hitting down the line a lot with his with his ground strokes, and and crucially his team have been getting him to practice at the net.

They they they want him at the net. They want him volleying. They're wanting him shortening the points. He's not a natural volley. terribly uncoordinated at times. It doesn't mean he can't put the ball away if he if he sets it up and and goes and finishes the thing.

Um and and and also I think just generally they they want him to keep control of his emotions as much as he can. I mean he is an emotional guy, you don't want to lose that. But yeah, I I think a lot of it's about trying to be efficient and That as hard as that is news that about Oj Alice and that's a shame for him. That's that's a good player that you've removed from Medvedev's path in the fourth round if if if he keeps making progress.

Absolutely. Great intel. Uh Dumino very comfortable against Mackenzie McDonald on the Rodlover Arena Day session today. Six two, six two, six three. Will this be the year he goes all the way? Words we heard on channel nine today. You never know. They're only asking the question. Wasn't that like being beamed out on the on the big screen as many people were queuing?

Yeah, behind Fed Square. Yeah. Yeah. Leonard Tien came from two sets to one down to beat Marcus Garon. Good good good effort from Tien that he's tough Garon and he was he was pretty down and out in this match. Yeah, and actually I said all the all the older chaps were holding my attention today. I I would also throw T N in. Like he this was a this was an

impressive comeback and He's he's a good show Tim. He's a great watch. And look, he's still in Medvedev section. There was a there was a part of the day where it looked like he was gonna go out of Medvedev section as well but

that is still potential fourth round and something I noticed today, twenty one aces for Tien in this match. He is he's changed his approach a bit on the serve, you know, like he's not Getting as high a percentage of them in on the first serve that's been diminished, but he's trying to get a bit more out of it, he's trying to go for it a bit more, and I

I think that's probably quite a good idea. You know, like you've m you just cannot really get to the top of men's tennis without having a serve that gives you some free points, especially in these grueling five set matches, you know. So twenty one aces, ten double faults as well. Like he he he's going for it a bit more. So it's gonna be interesting to see how that plays out,'cause obviously the serve has been the shot where

You know, we've everyone's everyone's commented on it. He he's he's gotta he's gotta improve on it'cause the rest of his game is so good. Okay, that's it for part two. Join us in part three for sensation of the day. It's a close one today. Guys, it's no use putting it all. The best time for an underwear refresh is now. Tommy John underwear is designed for a perfect fit that stays put all day. There's zero chafe thanks to four times more stretch than competing brands.

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Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast. Without further ado, we move on to the adjudication for sensation of the day. We have four contenders, folks. Four. We have Storm Hunter who beat Jessica Buthas Monero. She was the first sensational winner of the day. Six four, six four on the Kier Arena. She was three love down in the first set. She was four one down.

in the second set. Remember she's qualified Stormhunter. She spent more than a year out of the game rehabbing a an Achilles rupture, a a potentially career ending injury, one that devastated her really, when she was absolutely at her peak up until this point. She was doubles world number one when it happened, you know.

I think it's pretty clear where my vote's going. There you go. But uh I I I found that quite an emotional scene really for for Stormhunter out on the Kia Arena. Then we had Priscilla Hahn, who sort of scored a win over Marina Stakouscich. Let's just say this match ended with Priscilla Hahn off court to assist in the momentum of her wheelchair. I think she's fine, Stikusic, but those were the scenes at the end of this extremely bizarre tennis match. Yes. Think it was Kramp that Stockous had?

fell over, sort collapsed onto the court in in in pain in that third set. It was right in the hottest part of the day when this match was happening. Uh Hon herself had a medical timeout on her shoulder um and she was absolutely ruthless on when stoco six started playing again after suffering with the cramp, like First two points back, immediate drop shots. And I mean it's what you've gotta do, isn't it? Like I kinda loved it, but yeah, it was

It was was ruthless. There's a different side to Priscilla Hond, who is sort of best friends with everyone on the WTA tour. Can we remove her from the running for sensation of the day simply because a retirement win? I mean, you can't beat the Stormhunter story with a retirement win, can you? No. No. Stormhunter the clubhouse leader. Our next submission. Ila Tomlianovich, she beat Yulia Starob Dub Saver, four six, seven, six, six one. She's had

her own injury woes is Tom Lyanovich. She had to fight back from behind in this one, over on the John Cain arena. It's hard not to be pleased for Fryda Tomlyanovich, isn't it? She's She's she seems like a really good egg and she's been through a lot and it was yeah, it was It it was very sensational. It was right in the sensation sweet spot. I still think it's Storm Hunter though. I agree. And I also think Tomyanovich has like she is a sensation, but

she's been close to being too good to be a sensation. Agreed, yeah. You know, like she's got that win over Serena, she's got a couple of Grand Samp quarter finals, like she's a very, very, very good player, Tom Yanovic, when she's at her when she's at her best. She's not that at the moment. Um and I I would have thought she would Probably have expected to win this one. Our first men's Australian winner.

Of the Australian Open twenty twenty six, Rinky Hidjikata David, the wild card he beat Adrian Manarino. Three, three and one, he absolutely demolished Manorino, did Rinky. Hm. Can't quite remember how Rinky became my boy, but but I did I did like You did though, didn't you? And and it might have been his doubles run here. Yes. Oh yeah, actually that's it. I watched him play doubles and he is a great They had a nickname, didn't they? Co I can't remember. Hidgey.

It Mm we'll get back to you. Wrinkler? No. Is he your sensation of the day? No. No. It's Stormhunter. There we go. Yeah, well deserved. You've won the Australian Oakens Storm. Much better when she's not got the lead. Mm. But Stormhunter really took advantage of that, which was lovely to see. And yeah, I I I like that scheduling as well out on Kira Arena for her. She had a she had a good crowd there.

Okay, very quickly whizzing through tomorrow's order of play. We start on the Rodlave Arena, eleven thirty as always, with the defending women's champion, Madison Keys, up against Alexandra. Olinikova of Ukraine, which is a new name on me. Uh but she's uh direct entrant into the main drawer, so let's see how she gets on against Madison Keys. I think there'll be some nerves at play for

for for Keys tomorrow, very understandably. Ben Shilton against Ugo and Bears, second match on R L A. Then in the night session, Hugo Gaston against Yannick Sinner, marking your cards that if Hugo Gaston beats Yannick Sinner in straight sets tomorrow. Reggie gets one thousand points in the predictions competition and we might as well shut up shots.

For the rest of the year. Yeah, that would be enough to win this year and potentially next year's competition. He goes big or he goes home red cheeked. That is for sure. Uh Nomi Sarka is last on the RLA night session tomorrow against Antonia Ruzic of Croatia. The second court is Rendo Mazzetti. Is he fit? Who knows? Let's find out tomorrow when he takes on Raphael Colignon, then it is Elena Robatkinet against Kaya Yuvan. Night session. Katie Bolter taking on the inform Belinda Benchit.

Uh Stefano Sitapas last on the second court against Shintaro Mochizuki. John Cain Arena starts with a very tasty matchup between Maya joints. contender for sensation of the day if she beats Teresa Valentova or if she just puts in a good effort and none of the other Australians win. Uh Karen Hachinov against Alex Mickelson second on. Taylor Fritz is playing out there. We have Sensation against Sensation last on.

And I'm not sure how we we deal with that in Sensation of the Day, but we cross that bridge tomorrow. Bit Bro, we're guaranteed a winner. Beryl against English. You know, we're guaranteed a winner, so it sets the bar for the others that someone's gonna have to win. True, that's true. Yeah, my joint, you have to win. Taylor Preston, another potential sensation of the day on the Kia Arena.

Rolling back the years, it's Karolina Plishka against Sloan Stevens. Unbelievable. On Kia tomorrow. Gail Montfees playing his final Australian Open. And Grigal Dimitrov against Thomas Mahatch. Quite exciting. Mm. I'm into that. Late night key arena. That actually could be fun. We're all we're all gonna get drawn into that, aren't we? Last about ninety minutes. Yeah.

Join us for tomorrow's tennis podcast right off the back of Grigol Dimitrov retiring against Thomas Mahatch. No Or Thomas Mahatch retiring against Grigol Dimitrov. Join us to find out. Or Mahatch is not turning up. Yeah.

All likely scenarios. Uh right, folks, that is your lot for today, except to say hello to our wonderful mascot Gus, and I really do mean that. I'm looking at another picture of Gus. with uh with her sister brother I don't want to misgender uh a dog. I can't remember if Tumble is a sister or a brother, but Tumble is gorgeous and uh the the content we're getting from Gus is just

It's making my day, so thank you, Gus. Hello to our mascots. Hello Bodie. Uh hello Maisie. Hello Roger. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris and Jeff. Let's have some shout outs, Matt. We have Mary Klestadt from Melbourne. Right, Mary. Hello, Mary. We know Mary. Yeah. Long time listener. Very long time. And there I mean well there's lots of Marys, but it's Mary Carillo, isn't it? I mean you don't need any others.

Already mentioned on today's pod, so thank you, Mary, for making it a two Mary Corillo mentioned pod. Love that. Hope you're enjoying the Australian Open, Mary. Mary says I love all tennis except pointless exhibitions and I see the lot at tennis faff, which Mary spelled P H A F F

Well look, I don't think there is an official spelling of FAF because the New York Times spelling B doesn't accept accept e F A F F, so you do you, Mary. Mm I really like that. And actually I I realise how Rydw i'n meddwl wrth fynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd

Yeah, but I've learnt a new word, people a lot. If the people querying that could give me an alternative, more universal word No one wants a d different word. They love it. Oh okay. Great. Thanks. Thanks, Mary. We've also got Aaron Roth. Hello Aaron. Right Aaron. Like Crickstein. Yes, now it's hawking.

Three shout outs in a row. I don't care. It's the best one. The way Matt leaves a pause for us to walk into his booby trap. I'm not sure. Catherine came up with it this time and she was Well, that's different, isn't it, Matt? Aaron, it's different because Catherine came up with it. Not me talking about nineteen ninety one against Jimmy Connors, but I will. Anyway. Say something while I Google Tennis Aaron's Well Aaron says, what about Airin Routliff? And I'm I'm not sure um

Well that's why you're getting Aaron Picksine every year, Aaron. World class Aaron, Aaron. God, we've let him down. It is one thirty in the morning, Aaron, and that is all we've got. Yeah. Rydyn ni'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd. Thanks, Aaron. Thanks for coming back. Thanks, Aaron. You're a legend. Knowing full well it's gonna be Aaron Crixtein again. Love that.

And finally we have Dorinda. Hello Dorinda. Hi Durinda. Dorinda Bonano. Oh hello. Hi, Dorinda. Who is originally from Melbourne, but now lives in Connecticut. Is if I say we've driven through Connecticut, is Dorinda gonna say every year Catherine says she's driven through Connecticut? Actually no. Great.

Well we've done a tour, Connecticut then. And we're in Melbourne. Yeah. Exactly. And Dorinda would like to shout out her sisters in law, Catherine and Beth. Well they sound great. Same church, different pew. I'm bad. Dorinda, Catherine, Beth. Aaron and Mary, thank you ever so much for being friends of the Tennis Podcast. We love you. We love being a part of the Athletic Podcast Network. We will be back tomorrow. Thank you for listening. We'll speak to you then.

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