Aus Open Day 5 - What led to Osaka aggro?

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Well hello and welcome to the tennis podcast on day five of the Australian Open recording at around about eleven thirty PM Today feels like it was all about the millennials, the remnants of the golden generation, the players trying to hold on for dear life to the sport they love and who they are when they get to play it. and taste victory and nobody epitomises that. More than forty year old Stan Warinka.

who has completely stolen the show at Melbourne Park today. Two weeks ago it was rumoured that he would be denied a wild card to play the Australian Open one last time. And now here he is, into the third round. of the tournament he won back in twenty fourteen after a four hour and thirty three minute win over a twenty one year old. in the twilight on the Kia Arena. A one man demolition job.

on fy wildcards and nonsense agenda. And I'm prepared to be magnanimous about it. And thank you Nick Kyrgios for giving up your spot. It's been a special day, hasn't it? Yeah, it has. And he not only had a moment where he got to feel the love of the crowd again, but to come out victorious, over the distance, in

in proper trademark Stanvarinka style was as much as you he could ask for and hope for, I think. I think when he set up a a third round clash with Taylor Fritz, which I would expect that's probably where it'll end for him. But Those are the sort of matches I think when you look back on on his career, there'll be some some matches where where the spectacular shop making will stand out, like the the Novak Djokovic final at Roland Garros and

the the matches he played against Djokovic here. But I think also his incredible it came up in the press conference, his incredible five set record over the years, you know He was one of those players that actually got better when he played at Grand Slams than he than on the regular run of the mill tour because he he he played better over the distance and he got that today. He got the chance to

sink his teeth into another match. He said he was struggling really at the end, physically. I mean he admitted it, you know, but he said I was cramping really at the end. Um but he also said, you know, i i it y five set ten is used to stop me getting stressed out.

because I knew that I had long enough to to grow into a match and and the beauty of the of this contest today It showed kind of the player that he's become, this economical player who's who's learnt how to cut off the corners and deflect the ball cross court rather than whipping everything because he can't get to it to get round it anymore in quite the way he used to.

He he's he's not putting stress on his body in the way that he might a done fifteen years ago, but there were still a few snapshots of the backhand down the line on the run and stuff like that and Finger to the temple and yeah, it was it was everything I hoped Stanvarink would get at the Australian Open this year, regardless of what happens now. This was

Arthur Jayers first ever five set match and it was Stan Rarinka playing well by by taking this match into a fifth set he became the man that has played more five set matches than anybody else in Grand Slam history. Right? Yeah, it was perfect, wasn't it? Uh you had those two extremes. Yeah, this was Dan Well Rinker's forty ninth fifth set match at a Grand Slam, overtaking Federer's record, in fact, uh as an open era record.

Um I suspect Novad Djokovic might have his eyes on that record. He's only a couple behind. But for now it is Stans. And yeah, it was really, really special. I mean the whole match was an absolute scene, you know, there was as you said, Ja with both of his knees taped. He also puked in a bin at one point. There was a man inexplicably dressed as Willy Wonka in the crowd like there were broken shoes going on. Like it was it was just it was like you said, it stole the show. Like everyone

just suddenly was gravitating towards Kia Arena. That's where the noise was coming from. It was just the place to be. Th the the players were so locked in that the umpire had to announce change events in the deciding set. tie break. Yeah, at uh nine three. Yeah. Yeah. Um yeah, amazing. And i even even that Wavrinka didn't hear. It it it took him a w it took him a moment to realise that he had to change ends and Yeah, I mean David mentioned it like there was a moment in this

a signature Stan Warinka shot the backhand up the line to win the fourth set, take it into a fifth. Like it was perfect. You couldn't have scripted it any better than that. That's the that's the single moment I will remember from this match. the most, I think. But it is absolutely remarkable. Like, I've got a list here of the other forty year olds to have won a fifth set at a Grand Slam. And it is Pancho Gonzalez, Frank Segman, Neil Fraser, and Ken Rosewall. That's the sixties and seventies.

Like tennis is in a completely different era in terms of physicality now. And Stan Marinka has managed to win a fifth set after four and a half hours against a guy half his age. Like It's a phenomenal feat what he's what he's pulled off there and yeah, the double pointing to his head at the end. Like i i i it i it adds to his legend this match, I think. And he's going up against Taylor Fritz next. And for Taylor Fritz and this is something I asked him about in the the press conference

a couple of hours ago f for Taylor Fritz is Fritz this has got to have echoes of what he encountered facing Guermonfils here last year. Yeah. And and Monfils won that match. Um it My expectation is that he w maybe have learnt something from that that experience, Fritz. And I think it's almost like he's facing Monfils after he's had that match and now he's playing with Rinka having had the match. Like he he's now getting I think that's a good point.

But basically overall this was the match that he needed. But he always gives a straight answer in i in press, Taylor Fritz. Like he might be too honest, but we're very grateful for it. Um and he was asked a straight up question about how his knees feeling and he basically said, I'm pain pain free and that's brilliant and I'm loving it, but it's because I'm on really great painkillers. He said I'm on anti inflammatories. It's just a question of how sustainable that is.

I guess, like and you know your tolerance builds up, doesn't it? Um and it it might be sustainable for the two weeks of this tournament, but that doesn't sound like a sort of very long term sustainable situation. And and I said just as a quick follow-up to that question, can you to to the question about Stan Rinker and sort of echoes of the the Monfisa

match last year, I said, Can you imagine playing tennis at forty? And he said, No, I can barely imagine playing in four years and he meant it. That wasn't a joke. I mean not not to say that he won't be playing in four years, but The look in his eye I could um I could imagine that he's not You know, it's it's it's further grist to the mill of the general picture of men's tennis, I think, that we're

We're talking about more and more. Mi merely as a physical feat, I find it astonishing what Vavarinka has achieved here. to get himself in this shape. Do you remember a few years ago, I think it was the same year that Murray gave his I Might Be Having to Retire press conference, which he obviously managed to delay by about five years. But I remember that year, Varenka coming back, or might have been the one after that, and his knees had just had a surgery and he was in a terrible state and he

it really didn't look like he'd got a future in the game. And that's five or six years ago. And and here he is, aged forty. I mean he's got himself absolutely ripped somehow in the off season and and it doesn't appear to bore be for for for show because he's He's he's still got enough in the tack to go four and a half hours. I mean Quite amazing. I mean i uh my mind did uh did go to his contest with Stephanos Sitzipas at the French Open because Sitsipas was playing at the same time.

um against Thomas Mahatch and I really thought Crikey w if somebody had told me when they were playing that match that The guy who's twenty eight or whatever Sitsipas is now would be looking more like the forty year old than the forty year old. That Stamrarinka would be looking the the more vibrant, the more full of life, the one with more Appetite, the one with more ideas. Like it wasn't it wasn't terrible from Sitzapass today. He was competitive against.

Thomas Mahatch, but there was something quite sad about this match from a Sitsipath's perspective. Yeah, there was. Um I don't really know where to start with this match actually. Uh look, I think it was bookended by a couple of injuries for Sitzer Pass. He had a left foot problem early on, he had a right leg problem early in the fourth set, and he I think he was affected by those, particularly

in the moment when they happened. Um, I actually thought he did some good things today. Like I do think he's hitting his forehand with a bit more intent behind it again, and that that is still a a real weapon, you know. Like there'd be a lot of players on the ATP Tour who would want the Sitsipass forehand still. Like it can do damage. But he insists on

that return position. I mean he made Mahax look like a brilliant server today. Sitsipass is standing up on the baseline trunna rip returns because Unlike with Rinka, he's never developed a real nice chip return and he ends up making a lot of err errors off it and and not pressuring them ahead. r serve and it it just feels like madness, like the same thing happening over and over again and there was also a lot of racket throws and there was his his dad tryna insert himself as always, like

All of that was a bit of a bleak picture out of Z arena. Onto the court on apostolos with a shoe. at one point f for Stefanos and then was sort of sent back to the players box but it was just go away, like it's not about you. Yeah, I mean uh he he got the coaching warning, he i he was shouting across to Sitzabas literally the width of the court and Coaching now legal. And he still manages to get a warning because he's doing it wrong.

It they have to be up there with them, they have to be near to them, they can't just be yelling it across the court. Um and that's what he does. He cannot stop himself inserting himself into matches, even when his own team are trying to get him to stop.

He ch it's I find it very sad really. And th that's a what it was a first round defeat here last year for Sitzapass, second round this year. There's no signs of progress at all, are there? I mean he was so he was talking himself up at the United Cup and I'll I look back on some quotes from just less than two weeks ago and they They look so silly now. I'll be there. Yeah, Mahatch's third one handed backhand in a row. Um after Dimitrov and Sitsipas and

You know, if he does get through Mazzetti, potentially Wavrinko waiting in the in the round after. That's basically the tour's one handers. Yeah, literally. Um I thought Mazzetti was better today than he had been in his in his first round. He's Look, he's he's got so much more game than Sonigo, who he beat today in straight sets, and it's and a very clear game plan, like everyone's got really against Sonigo. Like

if you can find the backhand with enough regularity you will get on top of the points against him. I imagine that's qu quite easier to do when you've got Mazzetti's backhand. The key for him is to go after that forehand and get it into play as much as possible. uh but then he's also got the other options in his game that he can use to defend and he was he was driving Sonic nuts but he just

constantly just pulling the ball back on the baseline. Like my if I close my eyes and think of this match, I see Sonigo having to deal with a bounce smash on the baseline as Mazzetti's got another one back and just holding your breath, not really knowing where that bounce smash is gonna go. Um he lost his way a bit in the at the start of the third set, Mazzetti dropped the intensity about twice Sonigo was up a break, twice he got broken straight back in that third set. And um I think

For Mazzetti, like I remember him playing Sonago at the end of last season in Paris indoors when he was on his nightmare tour and he let that match just slip and get away from him. And I just think Today. There was the focus, there was Just getting the job done. I think he's you know, he's obviously he's he's benefiting from having the off season and how does he look physically?'Cause he's done well, wasn't he? He got an injury of some kind at the start of the year. Yeah, he looked

i in the first match I thought he looked like he was a bit cautious to begin with. He'd he'd obviously retired from the exhibition um in the in the week before the Australian Open started. I think he was feeling something. But honestly today I thought he was I thought he was looking absolutely fine. I'm not I'm not concerned from a physical perspective. If anyone's going to retire in that match

Mazetti Mahatch I I would suspect it not Mr. Matt Roberts. Um okay, that's a couple of youngsters dealt with. Should we go back to the oldies?

How about Novat Djokovic, the ultimate oldie? Yeah. Thirty eight years of age, he's doing exactly what he needs to do, David, which is not waste any en energy in these early rounds. I watched uh quite a lot of this match against Francesco Maestrelli of Italy, who's who hits a big ball and actually I think grew into the match. I mean, he found himself sort of a setting a break down d after very little time.

but started to find his way into it. Djokovic, he was playing day session for this one and I think it was probably calculated. I suspect he's been campaigning for it so that he can then play uh his next match which is third round on Saturday in the night session when it's due to be a sort of thirty nine degree hot day which he wouldn't want to play in the afternoon. Today it was beautiful for him, sort of low twenties if that. And and uh I mean when I got here

was a was after that match had finished and Matt was wearing his hoodie and shivering in that. So it was i it was the hood up. Yeah, I mean it was clearly pretty nippy today and and it certainly was when I got here And I but I think that was perfect for Djokovic. Listening to the the commentators after the first set, John Fitzgerald was was saying that Djokovic

is playing well, but nowhere near as well as he was the other night when I was so taken with his performance. The the clean ball striking was sensational that night. But I still think it was pretty good today from'cause I watched the next set and a half of this and and i again, a little bit like Varinka, his understanding of the court and how to just not get embraced in a physical contest. was was there for all to see. And I I think you're actually r absolutely right, Catherine, because

I I suspect when he then goes back into the night sessions his timing will return more. The ten titles will come into to play and Um and he's and he hasn't expended too much energy. Okay, well the conditions might not be a problem for him on Saturday, David. But the opponent might be Who's that? It's Bertie van der Zanschuel. Oh he's inform. It's the Marvel. He is inform. I mean maybe that's the problem.

Burtic's at his best when it nobody sees him coming. Yeah. Uh but he is playing well. Straight sets today against Jerry Shang. And it is exactly the sort of match where he comes alive, isn't it? Absolutely historically. Dana how he is with I mean look i it it's f it's a far better situation than playing day session. If if the forecast does pan out for Saturday, there's no doubt a massive advantage to the night session.

Uh but it's still gonna be hot. Like it it doesn't doesn't cool down that much at night, you just don't get the burning sun. Could be very sweaty, I imagine. Could be very sweaty. I don't know have we seen Burtig in those kind of conditions? You're the Burtic expert amongst us. I personally haven't watched Burtic in those kind of conditions, but I back him. Not necessarily to win.

I don't know. Of course he's not gonna win, I don't know. Catherine's still got a newsletter prediction to come for that day. Um so you know. I will be tempted and I do need to be going for Hail Mary's at this point. I am oh for five. And I d I do think it Not insignificant that Djokovic is looking physically fine so far. Like I know we've focused a lot on his physical issues again.

Alcaraz and Cinna later in the tournaments, and obviously that's that's still a question to be answered if and when we get there. But I do think, like, through a lot of the early rounds at SLAMS last year he was having problems even then, you know, and it was therefore accumulating and

And building up. You know, like I remember in the US Open, every match it seemed like there was something I remember the T N one in that second set, the Norrie one. Like there were just a lot of moments where you thought, Jovis doesn't look right here physically. He'll probably get through. 'Cause he's he's good enough. But here he's he is looking Sharp and fine physically, so sort of everything so far is

Is going as he would have liked. Um the nightmare draw that is Bertie van der Danskorp. Uh staying with the oldies Marin Chilich folk. He's taken out Denis Shapovalov 6-4-6-3-6-2, making it fifteen games dropped across six sets. He's so difficult to read, Marion Chilich, because if you think back to Wimbledon last year when he knocked out Jack Draper and the level he was playing at that time.

I mean, he looked back, you know, and and then as the year went on, I mean he didn't get anything close to that sort of performance. I mean he's had it had his own knee surgeries, hasn't he, over the last couple of years.

But so far, through through a couple of rounds here, I mean what was it? Two six love sets against Daniel Altmeyer and and now this, I mean, I I saw a only only a couple of games of it really and I kept across the score and And there was a graphite that popped up and showed Denis Shapovalov had hit up about forty odd unforced errors in a couple of sets.

And it just told the story, really, on paper at least, of of one guy who's got his game under control and one who hasn't. Hm. And and I do think there is something about that generation. I've you know I've I've I've talked about this before, but Schillick Well drink uh Monfils the level that they had to get to to compete at the top, you know, Chilich and Wavrinka winning slams in the Big Four era, like it's there, it's in them. It's kind of like

They've just got to somehow tap into it and access it. But I just I just don't think you'd obviously you lose a physical edge. I just don't think you lose that that level and that know how and it's pretty pretty awesome to see them finding it. Um and yeah, chilich.

Jennick's just yeah, he's just been our mission, hasn't he? He's just been dismissive, like playing the sort of you know, and that was when he was at his best, that was the kind of thing he would do, he would overwhelm you with his game. Will he beat Caspar Rude in the next round? I'm gonna say no, but It's not that's not a that's not great draw for rude, is it? Like a dangerous chillick I but but you know, David mentioned the draper one. Like that's the other thing. How many

how many times can you keep doing this when you are that age? Like I do think inconsistency creeps in in a way that it doesn't when you're a bit younger. And also I think struggles with the heat, guermon feast said of his match a couple of days ago that I I mean it wasn't ev air temperature wise it wasn't even a super hot day, but he was in the the heat the heat of the day with the sun beating down on the Kier Arena and he said it really took him by surprise but he

Mae'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n mynd. Don't know whether that will be day session or night session on Saturday, but it's gonna be tough on Saturday. And you could imagine Rude is gonna make it physical. Uh and the fact that I mean he's He's uh in well, he's two sets to love up and five three up against Jerma Munar who's, you know, a physical player to to have to get past. Rude

Rood looks in good nick actually so far as well. I mean it uh Church is gonna have to play big tennis, I think. He can't just be consistent, whereas probably against Shapovalov you can afford to be that. He's gonna have to bring the heat. We should probably once again talk about Yannick Sinner, but I I don't have much to say. Six one six four six two against James Duckworth. Meaning once again that Alex de Manor is the last Australian man standing in the drawer.

I mean obviously Yannick Sinner is just far and away a better player than than James Duckworth and than Hugo Gaston, and certainly than injured Hugo Gaston like There isn't a whole lot to say about these tennis matches. No, uh Duckworth did a good job in the second set. He got it to sort of four games all and and and was making it

Uh uh th that's what you want really. You want some of these sets to see see these guys under pressure, at the very least, and you're just not getting that with Yannick Sinner. I mean, you get it sometimes with Alcaraz. We had it yesterday where he's playing Hamfman and and having to Dig himself out a little bit. Sinners not like that. That's why that's why it was so fascinating when

Tristan Schoolcate managed to produce what he did a year ago, and how obviously Dimitrov getting up to Cecilov against at Wimbledon, they are such outliers. And I mean I don't I don't know. You'll tell me w what the draw's like for Cinner, but I mean, when's the first test gonna come for Yannick Sinner? Well it depends how highly you rate Elliot Spit Siri.

I mean on paper it sounds like a good draw and I know that's I don't want to damn this guy with with that it's it's more I'm talking about Sinners level here because Spitziris got himself two wins at a grand slam. It's fantastic. I th I think the next biggest obstacle for Sinnoh is that we assume he's gonna be In the day.

on the Rod Labour Arena when it's really hot on Saturday. No, and we've seen it here last year against Holgaruna. Like that match was kind of on the I'm pretty sure that was like the one hot day of the tournament that we had and Cinna happened to be playing.

and he was you know, he was shaking, he was in a bad way. He was really helped out that day by the fact that the net broke, if you remember, and they ended up having a really long break and he got in the air con and look, he played well, he turned it around. But we know he struggles in those conditions. Look, maybe he even tries to wangle himself a night session on on the second court, you know, like to try and get out of the heat. I don't know.

Um but I would suspect him to be in the day'cause I'm almost certain that Djokovic is not gonna be in the day on on Lever. Um so that's a factor. Like obviously I don't

I must say I don't know enough about Spit Siri to know whether he is gonna enjoy those conditions or or not. But like I've got that in the back of my mind for Sinnoh in the next round, but I I suspect that the level gap will be will be such that even if he's a bit compromised he'll still have too much and he'll he'll find his way through.

He's twenty four, Spit Siri, he uh is from Connecticut and he's a college guy. Went to the University of Texas and they did this huge generalization here, but they do tend to be pretty hardened to all sorts of conditions, you know, they beat them tough in

in US college. So we'll see. w I I know who I'm picking but but we'll see. Uh Ben Shelton took out Dane Sweeney six three, six two, six two. He now plays Valentin Vacherot And maybe that'll be the match where we find out how good Valentin Vacherot actually is. I'm looking forward to it because um Vachereau having won that title in Shanghai

He was one of the fascinations coming into this year, wasn't he? Is is he more than that? Was that a flash in the pan? I still think that that is to be discovered, but the fact that he's Come to a a Grand Slam and immediately reach the third round, which which is what he's supposed to do on his ranking, I think's a really good sign. You know,'cause this is not somebody who has Grand Slam tournament pedigree.

I watched him a fair bit today against Rinky Hichikata and I and I realised that he's supposed to win that. and he did drop one set, but he was playing big tennis. He's standing and delivering on that baseline. And I'm really looking forward to watching him against Shelton, who I think has started this tournament

may be looking better than I've seen him start any other Grand Slam tournaments. And I realise it's early days and he's beaten people that he's supposed to beat um and and are not in the same sort of ranking zone as he is. But my word, Shelton is striking the ball with authority, with there's a crispness to it, as well as the kind of the brute blunt force that he has as well.

He looks fresh. He looks I mean he he was forced to have a lot of time off. I thought at at the US Open We were talking a lot about him coming into that tournament because he'd he'd won in Canada and and you got the feeling that that he was he was starting to really look like he was maybe not

necessarily closing the gap on the top two, but certainly moving his way ahead of a lot of the others in the pack. And then he got that injury. Um Now he's fresh because he's had all the he's all these un enforced months off and he looks it, he looks so healthy right now. F his face looks

fresh and and he's just busting to get out there. I I even watched his um his video blog um today which showed his off season and and he's got this r a range of of of old cars, you know, these c these uh he's really into his cars and um and I just I don't know, I just f I I like I like what I'm seeing, I loved what I'm seeing on on the court and I wanna see if Vashro cause him causes him any problems or not. best Grand Slam performances first time into a third round outside of the US Open.

he beat uh the talented young Spaniard uh who I saw compared to Rafael Nadal uh this week. Hodar? What's Hod Jodar's first name? I think it might be Raphael. Oh no that came up with that pressure. It is, yeah. Raphael Ch well just call him Rafa. Let's just call him Rafa. The new Rafa. Yeah. Oh, he's cursed, isn't he? He's the new Dimitrov. Uh Menshik will play Ethan Quinn in the third round, who took out Hubert Herkatch in straight set.

Didn't see that coming. Well maybe we should have done though'cause of Herkatch's Grand Slam record, like he is still the same guy that fails to deliver its slams. Right. Like this this kind of result is in keeping with Herkatch's career. It's just that You know? on recent form he'd look so impressive that you felt like maybe he could put a bit more of a run together at this slam. Uh but that is Greekspoor and Herkax that Quinn has taken out

in straight sets, back to back. And what I do know about Quinn, he works with Brad Stein He has got a hell of a forehand. I've I've I've I've seen him play Alcaraz and like the forehand is a real weapon and like I think he's I think he's coming, Ethan Quinn. I know I I know um I think I'm right in saying that Matt Futterman is

is quite a fan of his game as well. Um I'm sure he'll be correcting me if I've got that wrong, but I think so. Um and uh yeah, I think maybe it was just a bit of a sort of sleeper name in the drawer there, Quinn. Um but is obviously playing really well at a slam for the first time and yeah, two two big wins and now he gets a guy, like you say, Menzik, who also hasn't got a great slam record. So

Absolutely, like massive opportunity. Yeah, and like considering how strong this drawer is, you know, there have been so few upsets through it. Like some of these third rounds are between you know, establish names and Mensick, okay, Quinn is inform, he's dangerous, but It is it is an opportunity for Men Sick to to get through here. So few upsets. It's crazy. Like it's setting up an an incredible second week. There has been one in the women's draw tonight and we will talk about that in part two.

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Hi, this is Hannah Berner from Giggly Squad. This episode is brought to you by Peloton. I've been trying to stay consistent with moving my body in ways that actually fit into my real life and Peloton makes that so much easier. The new cross training series balances your workouts with 15 plus workout types for endless movements on and off your equipment. Stay motivated with weekly personalized plans that guide you from beginner to experienced. Push past your goals with routines tailored for you.

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Progressive makes it easy. Just drop in some details about yourself and see if you're eligible to save money when you bundle your home and auto policies. The process only takes minutes. And it could mean hundreds more in your pocket. Visit progressive.com after this episode to see if you could save. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Potential savings will vary, not available in all states.

So welcome back to part two of tonight's tennis podcast where we do have a a fairly big upset to talk about in the form of Belinda Bencic going out to Nikola Bartankova. But before that, I feel like we should go to the aggro. 'Cause there's been some Fairly sizable aggro tonight. This one snuck up on me. Look Sarana Casteya has a bit of a history, but Naomi Osaka, as she's was telling us in the press conference an hour or so ago, absolutely does not have a history. She said she's never had

a no look handshake before. She's never had cross words with anybody at the net. She was really startled by what happened at the end of her match with Serrana Casteya, which was

having some words with her, as I say, no look handshake. It wasn't particularly audible w what exactly Castella said to to Osaka. I think Osaka queried like what was the what was the handshake about and Castan uh Castellas seemed to say something about fair play um and not knowing what fair play is and then in the on court interview with Chanda Rubin Naomi Osaka, who won this match, by the way, six three, four six, six two, was asked what did it take to win? And Osaka replied, A lot of come ons.

first and kind of gaslit everybody about what had happened and said it was nothing I didn't know. Having just lost, by the way. Um Yeah, Kisteya said, What are you talking about? Why are you asking me about this? No big deal. I barely said anything. Naomi Osaka nothing wrong at all with with what she said. But she said that's just not

not me and, you know, if I had my time again I would not do that. In fact I thought she was incredibly generous, Asaka, and made allowances for heat of the moment and i emotions running high, cause Castella's playing in her final Australian Open her final year on tour, which s that was something Casteya was keen to talk about. She wanted to bring the narrative back to her incredible contributions to tennis over the last fifteen years. Um It was pretty graceless from Sarana Casteya, I think.

Yeah. I mean the gripe seemed to be that Osaka was sort of pumping herself up uh too much and uh saying saying come on like she does do that thing, Asaka, w if an opponent misses a serve, for example she will just sort of maybe like sort of slap herself on the thigh and give a bit of a fist pump to herself and say, maybe, come on and I think maybe a couple of times that was audible.

Um I could maybe see why you were a little bit put out by that as as a server if that's happening between your first and second serve, but she just totally b overstepped the mark and d yeah, was it w it was pretty graceless and I think Osaka was um quite upset by it actually.

upset. Um I d I don't th you know, I think anyone would be if they were sort of spoken to like that. And I don't think Osaka particularly you know, she's not someone who wants conflict, she's not someone who seeks that out. She tends to very much retreat from that. Um and yeah, Castella sort of confronted her in that way, probably wasn't wasn't nice for her. Um

Yeah, and also just like the two players history. Like who am I going to give the benefit of the doubt to? Obviously it's Naomi Osaka, not Sarana Castella. Make children innocent again. her words. Um So yeah, like fantastic surge, by the way, from Osaka to win this one in the third set. Have we been sleeping on Nami Osaka?

I don't know. I I I would stand by the concerns that I'd had a little bit about her form coming in. She was not convincing in the opening round. She was in she was in trouble here today. Like it w went one said all and Third set was closed, she went off court for medical timeout as well at the at the start of that third set. A and she said in press that she said I'm sure you can guess what the injury was on the basis of my medical history.

Right, well she had a she had a big um sort of ab problem last year. It it seemed to be a bit higher up the body but it was sort of stretching out the neck, but they did go off court for the medical time out. Um, yeah, maybe that's a that's a small concern as well. But there was good tennis in that third set. She really decided to take over the match suddenly in a way that she sort of hadn't been. And Castello is a good player. So that is a good win.

Uh and I think her you know, her her draw in the next round has opened up and then it's potentially spoilers, Matt,'cause it's Right. It's a big it's a big section for part three. But then it's potentially Igos Fiontek, I think, isn't it, in the in the fourth round. So you know, it's it's tough to look beyond that at at the moment. Um but I suppose what I'm saying is that I thought maybe she wouldn't even reach that fourth round coming in here, but now I feel I feel like she will and

Has she has she got that bright lights tennis, that big stage in her still? I I I I think I think possibly. So yeah, it's it's it's exciting. So no upset for Castella on the second court, which is you know, this was a match we were circling as potentially tricky. Castellas Castell's got

previous she gets up for those kind of matches and she's a she's a good player. The upset was unfolding on the ANZ arena and it was nineteen year old Czech, Nikola Bartankova Taking out the tenth seed, Belinda Benchich, six three, love six. six four and this feels a bigger upset than the tenth seed losing. This was Belinda Bencic, the form player of twenty twenty six that's played pretty much the best tennis I've

seen in twenty twenty six. Maybe Arena Sabalenka peaking at maybe at the wrong times, peaking too early for for majors and how much is is this? Nikola Barton Cove is gonna win the Australian Open. Yeah, we we did w we watched the closing stages, Matt and I, together here while we were waiting for you to come back from the Nomi Osaka press conference and um First first of all I do feel like uh comment on the the bench it side of things is is is right in as much as I do think she is a player who

too often has come in in great forms of Grand Slams and kind of not been able to replicate it. Or maybe there's a peaking thing that goes on for other players

And she doesn't go with them. She can't she c she needs to find another injection to withstand that and she didn't today. But I leave the match remembering Barton Cova. She is the sort of player that having watched half a dozen games is somebody I'm gonna be recommending other people go and watch half a dozen games and any chance they can get because

You don't get many players like her. Th there's a little bit of Karolina Mukova about her, the way she moves, the way she hits her backhand slice, really gets down low and digs into it, has an explosive forehand, has

Just great timing on the baseline. She refuses to back off from the baseline. It's really interesting watching a player who takes it as early as Benchic just kind of playing PlayStation tennis against somebody else who's doing the same thing to her and who actually had a greater way to shot when she really opened her shoulders.

Um that's two matches in a row where she's lost a six love set in the second set, uh against Kasakina and now Bencic and she's beaten them both in the end. Two high caliber players. And she's only nineteen. I mean m I didn't know ab about her coming into this tournament, but my word, I'm gonna remember her. Yeah, I wanna know if she's on Hannah's future Wimbledon champion list. Oh, don't curse her. Where is Ulani Meyer?

Uh yeah, I mean I just I just think Hannah's gonna like her. Like Hannah likes Mukova. Um I think she's gonna like that slice, she's gonna like the injection of pace. She was whipping up the crowd in the in the latter stages as well. Some of the shop making down the line was a joke, quite frankly, because Bengchik got it got it back level in the third. Like that was the thing. You you thought, Okay, maybe you've had maybe you've had your fun, then Bengchik's just gonna

take over, but she just did not let down at all. It was it was a real moment and uh yeah. Very very exciting'cause it honestly like there's a lot of young checks very often and I feel like a lot of them had been on my radar and I'd watched them, but I had not really come across Barton Cover. She I mean, she'd never even played Grand Some qualifying before. This is her first grand time qualifying. She's qualified. She's made the third round.

She plays Elisa Mertens in that third round, you know, very good player. Fascinated to see that. Yeah. Yeah, Mertens is like She's a test, isn't she? She's like the sort of gatekeeper. Yeah. And how much how much has Barton Cova got left in the tank is the other question. Exactly. This is all new. And there's also Valentova still in the drawer. An eighteen year old eighteen year old check. Like it Sit behind us.

Busiest people in the world. Yeah. Get those guys a beer. They are working hard. Valentova's got Rabakkina next who beat um Gorceva tonight on the in the Rodlave Arena death slot. Um Madison Keys, a winner in the first match of the day, six one seven five against Ashlyn Kruger, Kruger served for the second set twice, but Madison Keys, Matt says, is playing like it's twenty twenty five.

Are we sleeping on Madison Keys? Well, I very specifically said that about the first three points of this match that I watched. Which was the three points that she won in a row to start the comeback from five two down, like suddenly just ripping winners. You know, I'd heard that suddenly her game had gone off, it was a bit of a messy second set.

But a really nice end to this match for Madison Keys, having played a blistering first set as well. Um it it was a much more comfortable match up for her. than the first round. She wants to be playing a fellow big hitter rather than a moon baller, a slice and dice. You know, I think I think she's settled into this one much more easily today. Laura Siegman's out of the draw. More on that in part three. And she's got Carolina Plishkovin next. Next. Also partying like it's

Yeah. You know, the Chilich the Chilich Rivering career. Right, it is a bit of that classes permanent thing with her as well. Like she's come back twenty with so little tennis and yet I thought she was really good today against Janice Chen, ending ending that bit of fun. Um like it is a game that ages well. Ending fun since twenty ten. It is a game that ages well, right? Big serves, she never moved a lot anyway.

Ps you can't like she sort of just s stands still in the middle of the court and tease off and she was doing that again today, Chen can still get a bit rushed, I think, moving to her backhand corner and trying to get round it and uh yeah, Piscover was was also the steadier of the two, I would say. Uh so yeah, like Kinda wild that she's that she's doing this. I d again I would I did not fly over

To Melbourne thinking, Oh, Carolina Piscova's gonna be in the third round. Like it's just the way tennis works, isn't it? Just you can have expect expectations for something and and then it can just all suddenly look so different. Jessica Bagula is into round three and he dropped two games today against her doubles partner, McCartney Kessler. Who was injured. Yeah, medical timeout after the the first.

six three for her against Marie Bushkova and she's got uh Anna Kallin Skya next who hits a really nice ball and I always underestimate Kallinskaya but

I expect Shuantech to be fine. She's she's playing well. Look, she was breaked down in the second set, but I I didn't see any jeopardy for Sh for Shantek here really. No, no, I thought um I thought she was pretty comfortable in this one, moving really well, like sometimes sometimes her feet can seem stuck.

And they didn't today. I th I thought she was counterpunching quite well, defending well, attacking when she needed to. Um there was a there was a bizarre scene on their w of potential well potential hindrance was what w was what was being checked I think by the by the video review.'Cause Siontek had a shot that bounced on Buzkov's side and came back over the net with quite vicious spin on it.

And Buskova leant over the net in a very dramatic way to try and return the ball, but sort of claimed I think that Schviontek was in her way and and s stopped her hitting it. I mean there was just a massive infraction by Buscava anyway, being that far over the net. I've got no idea really why they needed to do the video review. But they went very comical watching. Yeah, yeah.

detail was required for those obvious infractions. Very cinematic that we saw. Yes, it it was quite challengers actually, with them both with them both up with the net there and um Well don't give me any spoilers for challenges. I just haven't watched that yet. Well that's on you, David. The ending's the worst bit, David. Okay. Um yeah. That is on you. All right, I'll get there eventually. I'm not sure you will though. Uh what else have we had today? Linda Nojkova. She beat Taylor Preston.

uh ending Preston's hopes of sensation of the day. But it turns out she didn't have a hope anyway, because well, more of that in part three. Uh Noscov has got Wang Jin Yu. Next she took out Yelena Ostepenko. Ah, I know who we haven't covered. It's Amanda Anisimova. Very unlike us to be fifty minutes into the pod. You were worried about Amanda Anisimova today, briefly. The the middle portion of the second set became So was she. Became an ordeal. Uh she was cruising, really. I mean

much better quality match, I would say, compared to her first round. Um end of the first set, start of the second set, she was in form. She was playing really well at I thought, Anisimova. But then, you know, Sinearkova

She likes a scrap. She does. And she won consecutive games, one with seven deuces and one with eight deuces. Like it was these these mini battles and Sineakopha came out on top of them, and I think that stressed Anisimova out, and suddenly she was staring down the prospect of a potential third set, but I noticed actually at four all in that second set, and Isamova who was very stressed, she looked on the verge of tears.

um the way that the match was just starting to slip away from her and she'd lost a bit of composure in her game. She went over to the her box and had a word with Shardy, her physiotherapist. And started to laugh. It was and it was just like a pressure relief. It was just suddenly like, Okay, that's happened, but it's for all, you've been playing well, you can still win this match here and it

She just she just relaxed a bit suddenly and ended up winning that game and and winning the match and yeah, I thought that was I thought that was quite notable in this one. Um, you know, the influence that you can now have speaking to your team. And I I do th I do think some players No, every player's a different button. When I've played tennis

and been stressed. I can't imagine wanting a load of information and sometimes I think just having a little conversation and being able to relax a little bit. is gonna be more helpful. I it it's gonna relax you. Yeah. Maybe that's what they were talking about. Yeah let's talk about Rachel and Stephen But

I dunno. It i it was a really positive moment I thought that. Um She I mean I've been reading about her today actually, Shardy. Like w we talked about it a lot at Wimbledon, didn't we? But just how positive an an impact and what a n transformative influence she is on Amanda Innis, maybe she she's what was

Missing. Yeah. Um th you know, there's there's so much more I could say but there's there's not there's not time m you know, obviously her being a female you know, she has she has a male coach, Vleeshowers uh Rick Flees Rick Vleesowers is it? You know, there there are men in that team but

Shardy feels like the heart and soul of that team. She feels like the the chief of staff in that team. She sets the tone, she she manages Amanda and Sumova's body and to f to to to see sort of that female energy be the dominant energy is I mean, it's so vanishingly rare in women's tennis and it's such a powerful thing when you where you witness it. It can make me quite emotional. Actually, it's it's yeah, it's it's great to see. Oh, she's got Peyton Stearns next. Has Amanda and Isamova.

Do you feel okay about that? I do, yes. Right, that's it for part two. Join us in part three for sensation of today and yesterday, and of course a look ahead to tomorrow's order of play. Hi, this is Hannah Brenner from Giggly Squad. This episode is brought to you by Peloton. I've been trying to stay consistent with moving my body in ways that actually fit into my real life and Peloton makes that so much easier.

The new cross-training series balances your workouts with 15 plus workout types for endless movements on and off your equipment. Stay motivated with weekly personalized plans that guide you from beginner to experienced, push past your goals with routines tailored for you.

It feels really approachable even if you're just getting back into a routine, which a lot of us are this January. It's nice not having to think about what to do. It's already mapped out for you. Get the new Peloton cross training series. Terms apply. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Shifting a little money here, a little there, and hoping it all works out? Well, with the Name Your Price tool from Progressive,

You can be a better budgeter and potentially lower your insurance bill too. You tell Progressive what you want to pay for car insurance, and they'll help you find options within your budget. Try it today at progressive.com, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliate. Price and coverage match limited by state law, not available in all states.

Welcome back to part three of today's Day Five Australian Open Tennis Podcast and it's a bumper. Sensation of the day. First of all, very quick adjudication on yesterday. It's Talia Gibson, isn't it, for her three match points against Diana Schneider, because Priscilla Honor ended up getting crushed by Eva Jovit. Yeah, we actually only needed to do about five more minutes of recording to get the results in for that one.

Congratulations Tali Gibson for winning Sensation of Yesterday. Unfortunately, your heroic effort against Anna Schneider has been utterly overshadowed by events of today. Because Madison, English, folks, the world number 168, has taken out. The marvel, the troll that is Laura Siegmund. 64, 67, 76 in three hours and twenty minutes. All of which I commentated on. I I don't know how Madison English withstood the Siegman show today.

she m m she must have special meditative powers. Like she'd obviously s people know what they're getting into, but look, players know what they're getting when they walk onto court against Laura Siegman. She's been out there doing this stuff for for twenty years. Uh but I think a lot of players walk out thinking, I know I know this is gonna be tough. I know I need to not l lose my head.

And, you know, everyone's got a plan until they get punched in the face, right? And Laura Siegmund is a punch in the face in in terms of wind up on a tennis court. It's penalising her more because as soon as she got a time violation warning in this match from Alison Hughes. she's she stopped taking quite so much time. Like what's she doing? Who who knews who knew that, you know, enforcing rules work?

I mean the fur the first three games took twenty three minutes. Yeah. I mean look I think the most egregious th she takes an awful long time on her own serve and it's kind of sh she's working around the rules because a lot of that time is spent in the ready position. So the the shot clock has has has been stopped. Technically she started her motion, but she's then taking another what feels like forty five seconds and it's probably actually only about five seconds but

it it's a wind up. It's like y i it's it's pushing the rules, but that is one of the least egregious offences I think. It It's not playing to the server's pace. The rule is you play to the server's pace and she's frequently holding up. Now at one point in commentary I said You should just you should just serve. She's not ready, that's on her. And then very ironically, later in the match, Siegmund did that to Madison English. and had the audacity

To argue with Alison Hughes when she was told to retake the serve. Now this was very shortly after she'd been given the time violation and her argument was, Well you told me to play more quickly, so I served quickly for what I'd said earlier in the match because Yes, that is what you should you know, the rules are that you play to the server's pace, but you of all people having the audacity to fall back on that rule in your own defence is

Outrageous. She is outrageous. It's pretty despicable, to be honest. Anyway, she did have to retake the serve and she won the point. So, you know, ch sh look, she is incredible. She's an inspiration in so many ways. She's She's thirty seven. You don't have any doubts about her physically. I feel like she could have gone another two hours.

out there. She's making so much of her gate. Like there's never been a greater maximizer than Nora Siegman. She's having some of her best results in her late thirties. It's all inspiring, but she's also an absolute troll and she must be stopped. She was and Enter Madison English. And and yeah, like you kinda love it. Because I came back to the media centre, I thought

There was part of me that thought I was gonna be coming back and you were gonna be like a different person. You I thought I th I thought we might be in a situation. I thought you've you've had done three hours of commentary, you're gonna be mad, you're gonna be derailed. And yet You were kind of buzzing. Yeah. Yeah. The faff is the problem. Absolutely. The slowness. The slowness But you do like the show and the troll a bit.

And it is funny and I funny of it. You lean into that. As I as I've stated on a previous podcast this week, I am fun. I like fun. Nothing says being fun more than having to point out that you like fun. Yeah, she's funny. It is funny. It was funny it was funny when Madison English was laughing about it in the first set. She had the most incredible attitude to it. I do there's a part of me that was like, You should be getting pissed off at this

Like why aren't you getting pissed off? That is the human reaction to this behaviour. I realised in the press conference why she wasn't Because she's just the most delightful person who just doesn't see you can be a delight and still get annoyed at Laura Seatmond's what you're trying to say. Uh she is a delightful person, she is and

She played bloody well as well, didn't she? Siegmund served for the match in the deciding set. Well well Ingus served for the match in the second set and when she didn't get that and lost it on the tie break I thought oh this this could be over. Um, and she was down through she was down a break at the the early stages of the decider and it felt even more over at that point. And yeah, she's she's she's got quite a temperament, Madison English. She's she's lacking weapons, I think.

Naomi Sarku is gonna be very tough for her in in the next round. I suspect that's where the dream run comes to an end. But She had her moment there. And boy! Did she earn it? Yeah, seven six in the third. absolute scenes out there. And Jason Kubler, her fiance, Kublev, had had to he was there at the start of match, he had to leave to warm up for his doubles. was there to watch most of the deciding set, even though we had a match to come, so that was

It was scenes and it's an absolute slam dunk for sensation of the day. Given the fact that Matt was trawing back through last year's podcast to see how we dealt with the sensation of the day segment when there were no winning candidates and was reminded that we once gave it to An Australian that bought me a beer on a day on one of the days. Considering that was the territory we were We were in for a while. Very well played, Maddie English.

And we are open to being in that situation again next week when all when all the sensations are out and we're looking for For candidates. Look, if somebody if an Australian man had presented me with a beer at the three hour mark of this match, he'd have won Australian the day over Madison Inglis. That is for sure.

Uh, tomorrow's order of play. It's round three. We're into round three. This is where the matches start. really diminishing. Yes. Y y you suddenly realise that there's not that many singles matches on the order of play. Yeah, and mixed doubles you start getting sensation mixed doubles. Yeah. Suddenly Lizette Cabrera is on the schedule. Uh right, starts on Rodleva Arena with Arena Sabalenka against Anastasia Potapova, second on, day session, Carlos Alcaraz taking on

Corinth Mute. The night session starts with Francis Tiafo against Alex de Manour. Reset Tiafo. He's he says this reset is different. new leaf he's turned over, this new team he's working with, he says it's different. The Athletic reported that he was out there, he stayed on the second court last night over his victory over Francisco Comisania to to hit some extra balls.

Who knows? He's taking on the home hero, Alex DeManor, tomorrow night. And then in the death slot after that match, it's Elena Gabriella Russa and Mira and Rava. On the second court tomorrow we start. This is the schedule that Neil and Pat Roberts have to look forward to tomorrow. They've avoided the Norrie Zverev. Well, the Nori Bomb. David broke this news to them. On the street. It was so fun. Like maybe my favourite moment of the day was the WhatsApp popping up and it was just David

Taking a selfie with my parents on the street in Melbourne. And they looked gleeful'cause they'd just been informed they hadn't travelled across the world to see Cam Norrie Yeah. Uh they're gonna see Daniel Medvedev against Fabian Marajan. Very intrigued by that one. And they're gonna see Coco Goff against Hayley Baptique.

And that one. I mean that's a great line up. It's a great lineup. Yeah, you're gonna have a great day. Uh night session on the second court is Fitalina Schneider and then Bublik et Chevery John Kane Arena, Mboko Towson, followed by Tommy Paul, Alejandro Davidovich for Kina. Uh Twilight session not before five PM is Jovich Paulini and then look if your parents want to stick around.

There is zero per cent chance they're doing that. Kia Arena tomorrow learn a TN against Nuno Borgesh, Zain Ip Sonmez against Junior Putin Saver, Mukovellinet and Sarundalo Rublev. Uh lots and lots of doubles out elsewhere. Some fun doubles in the arch of a town's end in action. Uh on court number six, the bar court, fun. I mean all sorts of sensations. We do have we have enough candidates here that I think we can find at least one.

And if anybody wants to present us with beers that will that will also uh deepen the pool of candidates and that will be most welcome. That's all for tomorrow. When we'll be back, of course, Mascot Gus today has her tongue hanging out. She looks breathless with the drama she's seen. And Gus, I find that very relatable. So thank you. You always you always sense the moment. Uh hello to Bodie, hello to Maisie, hello to Roger, hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris.

And Jeff and hello to our shout outs, whoever they may be, Matt. Hello to Fee Simpson. Hello, Fee from Brisbane. Oh perfect. Well, close to perfect. Fee says, long time listener and proud friend of the pod. I lived a life. time dream of visiting Wimbledon for my fiftieth in twenty twenty five and it exceeded my wildest dreams of how awesome it was. Oh that's nice to hear. Good on your feet. Oh Lake F Fionafero. Very good. Very good.

Unfortunately I just think of the pandemic when when you say if you're in a fairly She was a middling French woman having a good run in a pandemic, wasn't she? She was the first one to win a tournament, wasn't she? After the pandemic. Yeah. I thought she was quite good for a while. Maybe maybe sh maybe she is and was. Uh Fiona. Fee Sorry. This isn't a shout out to Fiona Ferro Ferro. This is this is Fee uh and hello.

We've also got James Nathan. Hello James. Right James. Who says like Gary Nathan. Very good, James. And like James Duckwith. Yes. Who I often call Jack Duckwith. Which is a reference that about five percent of our audience will understand. My mum will be p punching the air at that. James is from Auckland, but living in Hong Kong. And actually this this is a little bit sad, I'm afraid. This was obviously written before this Australian Open.

Uh and James says, My favourite shot of an active player is the Dimitrov backhand slice. I hope Grigore doesn't get injured at a major in twenty twenty six. Yeah, that's too late. But you know, there's three three more majors still to come. James, people bounce back. Yes. Look at Marin Chilich. Look at Karolina Plishkova. And you just never know. Look at Stan Rarinka. Yeah. You never know. Thank you, James. And finally we have Caroline Dove from Arizona. Hello, Caroline. Hi Caroline.

Caroline says, not a hotbed of tennis, but the high school and college have tennis teams and lots and lots of dogs love chasing tennis balls. I is the I feel like I know the name of the tennis team in Arizona. But actually I realise what I'm thinking of is a reference from the movie Speed. It's the big it's the big hinge moment in Speed, isn't it? Where he calls her a wildcat and she's it's the the Arizona Wildcats.

But this is a fictional movie, so maybe the Arizona wildcats don't exist. But I bet you Caroline knows that reference. Well, how old is Caroline? Who can say? Have you seen Speed Matt? No. Oh that was the bomb in the nineties that was. Yes, a good movie. Sandra Bullock, uh a runaway bus that He had to keep at a certain speed before it blew up. It's brilliant. Yeah. It does that does sound like something I've done.

Plot twists. And I've given away the rest. Don't worry, it's quarter to one in the morning. The chance of me remembering that bit of the pod. Caroline, thank you v very much. Like Caroline Dollarhide. Exactly. I I'm happy to go Garcia. There we go. There we go. Caroline Uh thank you very much, Caroline James and Fee.

We thank you for being friends of the Tennis Podcast. If you'd like to become a friend, the link of course is in our show notes. We are part of the Athletic Podcast Network. It's been a fun day. We're gonna come back and do it all again tomorrow. We'll speak to you then. Okay, pal. Let's go. That's the new Peloton Cross-Training Tread Plus, powered by Peloton IQ.

Built for breakthroughs with real-time insights and endless ways to move. Keep your chest lifted. That's PelotonIQ. Helping you lift smarter, train safer, and move with confidence. With strength, yoga, Pilates, and personalized guidance, this is the future of fitness. Let yourself run, lift, flow, and go. Head to onepeloton.com to learn more about the cross-training tread plus. Term supply. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance.

Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Shifting a little money here, a little there, and hoping it all works out? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive. You can be a better budgeter and potentially lower your insurance bill too. You tell Progressive what you want to pay for car insurance, and they'll help you find options within your budget. Try it today at progressive.com, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliate.

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