Aus Open Day 6 - Things are about to get serious

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Well, hello, and welcome to the Tennis Podcast, coming to you on day six of the Australian Open from of course. The Creator Lounge in the media centre at Melbourne Park on a day that has seen comebacks, thrashings. and Yulia Putin Saver. Uh more on that later, folks. Round three action got underway today. The weather was absolutely perfect and Matt's parents were here.

They were here and they had a lovely day. Yeah, every time I turned round to look at them in their seats, they were beaming. They had four hats, two each. Yep, my mum came with her pod hat, my dad with his flat cap, and they were both given free hats, which they Accepted gladly. The Roberts is a hat people, they're one step away from a koala baseball cap.

I reckon. There's a lot of those around this year, I tell ya. They they've d they've realized oh they work. Now we're gonna have every colour under the sun. You've hashtag influenced David. In fact I'm gonna put mine on. Yes, David. Uh shall we start while David puts his koala ears hat on. Shall we start by talking about one of the two thrilling comebacks that your parents witnessed on the second court today? Coca Goff beating Hailey Baptist 3 6.

Six love, six three, now I think a a lot of the time we guilty of or certainly I am guilty of, you know, looking at oh, Coco Goff losing a set, being in trouble, she must be playing badly, her serve must be a disaster, that forehand must be falling apart. And look

I don't think that first set was the cleanest, best set she's ever played, but I don't think any of those things are the reason she lost it. I think Hailey Baptiste is the reason she lost it and the The reasons she didn't end up winning the match are the

it was she had to produce a level to win that set that she was unable to maintain for the rest of the match and Coco Goff knew that. It was one of those where she was like, Okay, well first set was close. I can keep doing this all day. What have you got? Yeah, that was my read on this match too. I thought Baptiste was outstanding in that first set, particularly the latter half of it and the

stats flashed up at the end that it that she'd hit twelve winners in the set and Coco Goff hadn't hit one. You know, like it was totally Baptiste, bossing the rallies, taking charge, getting her forehand into play and Yeah, like... really impressing, I think, everyone, my parents included, on the second court. Um, like a fun game and taking it to a top seed. That's that's kinda what you want to see from Hailey Baptiste. But

at her best she is often playing a bit of a high wire act anyway, uh, because she does take risks in a way that some players don't. And if your Coco Goff you know, I think you are okay with someone like Baptiste having to take those risks against you because you know that sustaining it is blooming difficult and frankly Baptiste couldn't sustain it and

Goth improved her own game, found a better percentage of serves to sort of help help there and then really put the pressure on on the returns as she so often does and It was an absolutely crucial, uh, lengthy fourth game of that second set, which was real back and forth and when Goff won it, got the double break, that really felt like the moment to me that she was

Okay, still a set down, but now really in charge of this match and asking Baptiste to come up with with just great shots time and time again to be able to to live with her and she couldn't do that and Gough ended up I thought. really being in control of those second and third sets and yes, she's lost the opener here, but like it didn't feel to me like a huge scare today for Coco Goff, you know, like she faced an opponent playing brilliantly in that first set.

but then got it under control pretty quickly after that and I was impressed by by how she played in those second and third sets.

And she now plays Carolina Mukova. Can I have a big yes please for that, everyone? Yes, please. Um it it's quite interesting that. I wasn't quite aware that that was her next opponent when I was watching this match against Hailey Baptiste. because th the thought flashed through my head that Baptiste has not a dissimilar game to Mukwa and You can you can cause a player like Goff some issues with with with an all court game, especially if it but it all has to be functioning perfectly.

Because Actually in the past when I've seen her play Mukavert, she's kind of handled her. Just just she's her movement and her r responses, her counterattacking is too much. And it's a huge credit I think to Baptiste that she managed to impose herself the way she did. But I think that the players really the Unless Goff is having a a really bad day with a serve or with a forehand, the players that end up beating her are more like last year's Paula Badossa type player, somebody with an absolutely

Stone cold forehand that just ends rallies with without you having much say in the matter. Um and and whilst Baptiste has a good forehand and Mukova has a good forehand, they don't have that concussive forehand that just no matter where you are on the court it can hit a winner from with r with reliability.

And I think I think Goff's in a a good place. I do think Mukov is playing well though as well. She's moving very nicely into form. So that's Well that was one of the thrashings today. One and one against Magda Lynette. Yeah, I mean uh I'm not that surprised by that. I think that that is a bad matchup for a Lineth.

and I don't think she's in Mukova's class if Mucava's fit and playing well. It's so rare, even now, all these years on, it's still so rare to not really be thinking of Carolina Mukov's fitness when you watch her play tennis matches and at the moment I'm not. Um I'm please n please knock on wood as you say that, David. There you go. Um but I I just feel as though she is probably looking as as

healthy and as happy on a court as I've seen her, Carolina Mukovera. I realise I'm tempting fate and I apologize for it. But when I think back to her at the US Open when she had a run and she ended up bang out to Naomi Osaka in the end. Every match was a saga. Every match was dramatic and she was hanging on and fighting. Great great credit to her. But this is the player that may have legs in a in a grand slam to go really deep. Problem is she's gotta find a way past Coco golf.

Yeah, who as you said, she has often well always struggled against and I I do think for Mukaver it's probably an advantage that this match is coming now, in the fourth round, rather than later in the tournament where there's potential for her to have accumulated more matches in her legs or picked up a little niggle kind of along the way as she often does and

She's also not really a closer of tournaments, Mukava. You know, like she doesn't have that many titles. Uh she tends to play her best stuff going through the rounds like this. So I d I do think it's a very dangerous match for Goff, um but given the head to heads I would I would have to back Goff to win it and yeah being able to use the movement and the physicality to to negate Mukava without the one big strength.

uh the kind of the all rounded game. I I think generally generally Goff can kinda cope with that. You look at her record against Andreva as well. Like it 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. Mukova can can hurt you in lots of ways but doesn't just have that one singular reliable way that she can lean on and I think over over the course of a match Goth figures that out.

Um, but I can't wait for it. Like it's really popping off the page that for a fourth round between Goth and Mukova. As is Arena Sabalenke against Victorian Boko, which is a fourth round that was set up today not in style by Sabalenka it has to be said like this might be her duffer match that she's she's managed to navigate without dropping a set which is

incredible, you know, winning ugly is is an important skill. But this was pretty ugly from Sabalenka. Seven six, seven, six over Uh Anastasia Potopova who had four set points in the second set to take this into a decider this was an off day for Arena Sabalenka. Yeah. I I I think some credit sh needs to go to Possipova as well, not only for fighting but also for showing some power.

and m being able to move side to side with Sabalenka, that's the best I've ever seen her play. But even so, Sabalenka has to be off I think in that matchup in order to not win it comfortably. And one of the interesting numbers that jumped out at me was that she was four love up in the second set. Four love up Arena Sabalenka and then ends up in a tie break. I mean that is a

A a pretty unheard of collapse f from her f by her standards. Yeah, lost served three times from four love up to end up in a second set tie break. And of course like The one thing this match has done is is continue to show that she has this incredible tie break record and even even bolster it, you know, like I know she lost couple of tie breaks at the end of last season, like her streak is over, but it it's still going in the slams.

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for the most ever at slams. She hasn't lost one since twenty twenty three at a slam. Like it it's pretty remarkable and and like that second set eye break was a classic how do you read this match? Because there was some there were some shots in there that were, frankly, by Sabalenka's standards, ragged and pretty pretty bad, really. But then when she absolutely needed to, she got it together and played a great point to save

to save a set point with some really big hitting. So then you end up thinking, Oh, well was she actually kinda clutch in this match to end up coming through the tie breaks as she as she so often does but

Like I dunno, she's not in the form so far this tournament that I thought she was gonna be in. Having seen her in Brisbane and having seen her here before. Like I know like, you know, maybe I'm reading way too much into it, you know, she's She's by most people's standards cruised through in straight sets without you know, without dropping one into the second week.

But her game has looked a little inconsistent at times. Um but she's upset proof, isn't she, Sabalenka? Like she does not lose early in majors. She just doesn't. And here we are again with her making it through to the second week. But She's got her hands full now because Umboko is is there. Hm it was her press conference after the match, Sabalenka, have you seen the transcript for this?

There's a lot of Gucci chat. It was it was an advertorial for Gucci. Oh no. She put some Gucci sunglasses on midway through Yeah. Okay, one of those. Yeah. One of those. She's got a Gucci deal. She's very pleased. And good for her. Would be. Yeah. And it's good for tennis but have that exposure.

Yeah, sure. Cool. Lovely. Uh Mboko beat Towson. Seven five five seven six three. This was a banger. It really was. Two of my faves really and and the the different kinds of players. You've got the stand and deliver tennis of of Towson who was really teeing off. And you've you know, it's sort of bone rattling power that she's got. And then you've got Umboko who just has a bit of everything. She has the athleticism, she she can really

strike a a big ball herself, but it's not quite the same sort of one punch power. And you had the drama of her Having two match points in the second set. and not taking them, you know, setting them up with her sort of trademark backhand and movement and Tarrison having the answers and then taking it into a third and it getting really very

twitchy. I th I actually think that's a big win for from Bokan. I mean I I I went in her press comments afterwards and kind of asked her about the rhythms of Grand Slam tennis and and which is still so new to her, you know, and

She just takes it all in a stride and I get the feeling that I mean obviously she's thrilled to have won this match, but she's also learnt something from this match too. Every time she's going out there, she's she's banking information and seems to be a a pretty extraordinary student a a as she's going along. doesn't seem overawed by the fact she's about to play Sabalenka, she just sounds excited.

by it. I mean, she's got huge respect for her, but she's she's buzzing. And she's buzzing that she's gonna probably play on the biggest court, you know, and she loved that she was playing out there today. It's um It's it's she's a good news story for for the sport of tennis and uh I feel a bit for Towson because she's yet to have that big grand slam win and this could have been her chance. Um but and Boko has a has more, has more than she does. Does she have enough for Sabalenka?

I think Sabalenka needs to be on. I don't think Sabalenka gets away with playing like she did today. But if she doesn't I agree that Mboko's got the confidence and the weapons to to really trouble them. Yeah. It's it's it's gonna be interesting to see if Sabalenka can raise it. So Goth Mukova, Sabalenka and Boko both set up his round of sixteen matches that'll be played on Sunday. We have also had Ivo Yovic against Yulia Putinseva.

set up. One of those two will be an Australian Open quarter finalist. Yulia Putin saver booked her place in the round of sixteen via a six three Six seven, six three victory on the Kia Arena versus Zenmaz and all of Turkey. And she celebrated like she had defeated all of Turkey.

I was living for this. What I enjoyed was the different stages of celebration that Putin Saver went through here. Like first of all. First of all it was like the defiance. It was the giving it to the Turkish fans finger to the ear Let's hear you now then, that kind of thing. Blowing kisses. And she did the real sort of in fact, um Thomas Hatch did it yesterday to the Greek fans, didn't he?

Uh sh uh think cupping the hand to the ear and then sort of bending over and leaning into the crowd like I can't sorry, I can't quite hear you but w once again, please. Yeah. So that's stage one. Yeah. Yeah. Like for most people that would be enough. Like that It was enough for Mahatch. I enjoyed it. You know, like that's that's enough. I think there were three more stages to come for Putin's say. But next we had Look at Me which was the bow. Like Just brilliant.

Then we had shouting out the Kazakh fans. She was pointing at them and really thanking them for their support. And there was like two distinct sections of Kazakh fans amidst the the huge swathes of Turkish fans. It really was a brilliant atmosphere out there. So that's that's stage three and then stage four, pure vibes. Just dancing back to her racquetbag and the bench. Even the dance I think had multiple stages. It evolved.

As it went along it started off like a swaggery walk, like a dancy walk, and it became sort of almost a twerk. Yeah. Oh, it was sensational. Like it goes on for about a minute from match point to her being finished. Yeah and in the what was stage three? How did you phrase it? Uh sh stage three shouting out the Kazakhs. Now As part of that in her on call interview, she she how did she put it? She said something like, um, it's it's better to have smaller support but better support. I mean

And she said that while being booed. Yeah. With a huge grin on her face. Yeah, she got booed off the court with an enormous grin on her face. It was Right in her sweet spot. Right in her sweet spot. Yeah. And I mean also like this was a great match as well. You know, I didn't I didn't sort of lock in to to it in quite the same way I did some of the others today, but, you know, the sort of tactical mastery of Putin Sabre, you know, a lot of lot of loopy shots, you know, sommes we've seen

You know, sh she kind of liked playing Alexandra, didn't he? She looks to hit the ball flat off the forehand. Putin Savag just wasn't really giving her that and even after Sommez had come back in the second set, Putin Saver rallied again and and managed to win the third and Yeah, I I just feel like Sommez has brought a lot to this opening few days of the tournament. She's had some really great matches, interviews, crowd moments.

Yeah, it was just a kind of step too far today for for her against against Bootin' Saver who's so experienced in these sorts of environments, she lives for them. And s and her great quotes continued into the press conference'cause she said, I'm very happy that I kept my calm because Yulia last year would probably throw something at them. Yep. She said she kept calm by singing a song to herself uh in Russian about rabbits.

uh, which was from a movie that she hadn't seen since she was fourteen, and she has no idea why it came into her head because usually she's singing Taylor Swift. Uh but on this particular day she sang about rabbits to just calm herself down.

She's a one off, isn't she, Yulia? Yep. And in the next round she faces eighteen year old Eva Jovich, the talented young American that we've heard about for a while and is now happening. She's here. I commentated on her twelve months ago taking on Elena Rabatkina in the second round here, I think, and she won three games. It was a demolition job. I'd commentated on Rebecca beating Emerson Jones in round one and then in round two did did her match against Jovich and it was

It looked unfair both those matches. It looked like putting a child up against a a grown woman. And if you told me that only twelve months later I could see the talent of Jovich, but twelve months later for her to be in the fourth round. n not having grown six inches, you know, she's the same stature but she's so much stronger.

I would have been I would have been really shocked and you know, sh this has been a very conscious, concerted effort to to grow as strong as possible. You know, I just remembered last year her being just instantly pushed six feet behind the baseline and scampering around the whole time and she's got incredible wheels but there's only so much that scampering can do against the the big flat hits of so many of the top WTA players and

Yeah, look, she hasn't faced an Elena Robatkina yet, but she's faced some bloody good players and she's she's beaten them. Today six two seven six against Jasmine Paolini, albeit a She made it competitive in the second set. But what was immediately noticeable, I mean Paulini hits a pretty big ball. She may not be ravaccioned, um, but she she hits uh a pretty top WTA ball and Jovich just stood up to it and and actually got the better of her.

she was winning the arm wrestle in that regard. And I mean I agree with you, Catherine. I mean th i I remember seeing that match and it s it's astonishing the progress she's made and and she's played Paulinia a couple of times over the last twelve months and lost them both. And then this year she's come out, she's reached a semi final, a final, and now here she is in the fourth round. And and she also

had a nerve tested. You know, we I was talking earlier on about um uh about the way Umboko's having to kind of get these new experiences and here's Jovich doing the same thing. Twice served for this match. Twice got a serve broken. And it would be so easy to collapse, wouldn't it, and tailspin after that, when you go into a tie break. Yet she won the tie break. I think that and and Paulini was not giving it to her, she was fighting tooth and nail for that. Um and Jovich, yeah.

Great win, great win, and really cool story actually. And with a bit of coaching from Novat Djokovic. her hero. Her father is Serbian, her mother is Croatian. She's born and raised in California but goes to Belgrade a lot, has a lot of family there and in other parts of Serbia as well. And she said Djokovic Spoke to her yesterday and gave her a tip and she she was there was a follow up question in the press conference, what was the tip? And she said

She she told us, she said, to open up the court more and find more width. And she said, I tried to do that today and it really worked That's cool. Really cool. On on Paulini What she said about what was going on today was I lay down on the sofa after lunch and that was a mistake. I couldn't move my best today.

It's a bit amateur out, isn't it? From powerling. It's about taking melatonin at the wrong times, isn't it? I don't look, maybe that was She clearly wanted to give a lot of credit to her opponent and didn't want to talk too much about whatever was going on physically, but what she did say was bizarre.

That might be where I'm going wrong in life. I quite often lie down on the sofa after life on the sofa after life. If you can't. And then can't move my best. Yeah. Yeah, so it it was it seems to be sort of indigestion issues she was she was having. I guess so. Yeah. Wish you well, Jasmine. We've all been there. She was sad though. She was she even she was asked a question about

playing in the doubles with Sarah Rani and, you know, or pick yourself up and play for that and she really tried to force herself to have a bit of pep about that, but it wasn't really happening. I'm sure sh she was like you know I'll get there, but just not right now. And Irani's gonna need to pick me up'cause she got Sigmunded today in the mixed doubles. Her and Vavasori. DM me, Sarah. I'm available to form a support group.

Elina Svitilina, uh the other winner that we've seen in the women's draw today, but she beat Jana Schneider 7-6-6-3. She will face the winner of the match still on court in the vibrus death slot. on Rodleva Arena, Mira Andreva currently beating Elena Gabriela Russa, so looking like it's gonna be back to back Russians. for Svitellina and it was you know, it was a no handshake match. It was a totally locked in Alina Sviteliva S Svitolina, I mean she pretty much

Always is. She's a heck of a competitor, but she just you just feel it. There was no way she was not gonna win this tennis match. Just no way she she was a break up in the second set and she lost the break. She was furious at herself at the sit down, just at the score being i e even, just at uh just at it being on serve, like there's just a look in her eye in these matches. She's she's not letting them go. So

Uh yeah. Most likely Andreva in the next round. Uh we'll we'll keep you posted. It's uh it's five two at the moment in that one. That's it for part one. Join us in part two when we'll talk about the first comeback from two sets to love down of the twenty twenty six Australian Open. Hi everyone, this is Catherine from the Tennis Podcast, and you seem to be listening to the Tennis Podcast, and that is why we want to hear from you.

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Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast, where there really is only one place to start. It is Daniel Medvedev, the man that has suffered so much. Australian opening heartbreak. Well not today, folks. Today he became the first player to come from two sets to Love Down to win at the Australian Open

2026, watched on by Neil and Pat Roberts, who were not impressed for the first two sets with what they were seeing from Daniel Medvedev. But back he came 6746756 Love Six three against poor old Fabian Marajan.

Yeah, and uh I should probably take this opportunity to give a little plug to the newsletter stat, which is about Medvedev uh coming back from two sets of love down for the fourth time at the Australian Open that he's done it and I wanted to know whether that was an Australian Open record and a Grand Slam record for a particular slam, most comebacks.

from Two Sets to Love Down and I have the answer in the newsletter. So sign up. Yes. Uh okay, promo out the way. Now let's do analysis of the match. Um Well, I I kinda wanna know from David how How worried he was about Medvedev in this one because I was I was quite concerned for him, like after two sets. I think Marajan should have won this. Yeah, I I th I think it was there for him to win. Um but I'm curious what you think then. He needed to win it in three.

I think like as soon as Medvedev won the third item. started to feel a bit over, but should Marijan w have won't be a little bit more than a little bit. Marijan has had never lost a five set match. He'd he'd won four and lost none at s none at all. I mean, obviously playing against Medvedev is different. Or o obviously playing against um Medvedev is not like playing everybody else. Um but really he he was in charge. I think y I think he he he definitely could have won it

today and he could have won it quickly, but that takes away a little bit from one of Medvedev's superpowers, which is finding a way out of these sort of matches. He is incredibly good at that. But when you if you're asking me how worried I was, I mean t the question m that's more pertinent is how worried I am. Because the thing is you're looking at somebody who said he will reach the final, yeah.

And that was prefaced not only on Carlos Akras and and Juan Carlos Ferrero no longer being a an alliance, but also the form that that I thought Medvedev was in. Well this was like watching twenty twenty five Medvedev. Fair play to him, he found a way out of the hole. But how did he get in the hole? And part of that is because his opponent is dangerous. I mean he's a flat hitter, he's very explosive on both sides, he actually has a greater way to shot than Medvedev does. But Mm.

But then in the second set Medvedev just fell apart. He was he he was putting ground stroke after ground stroke into the net or wide or long, he was double faulting. I thought he was gone to be honest in that second set. I I thought that was him just out and and he was really agitated with his box. He was mocking them and all the things that make you think, okay, this feels Benjamin Bonzi esque. Um but

Then you have to also think well, he he he dug in and he actually got himself out of it and turned this around and that's what he wasn't doing a year ago at any point really. So It's better than it was then, but you know, the fact that he's now got a phase

Learner Tien, a guy he's gone five sets with here and lost last year and played two other three set epics and kind of jokes about their marathon matches. You don't want to be playing three and a half hours of five sets and then play Learner TN, do you? No, absolutely not.

if he plays like he did for much of today, I think TN will take him. I think he's I think he's got too much game for what Medvedev's showing at the moment. Medvedev is gonna have to find the kind of form that he had in Brisbane. Well I do you know I do think slightly the speed of that court was helping him there like get get these shots through a bit more.

to sustain it in in these matches so far at the Australian Open. Um you know, I I was I was pleased today that Marajan rallied a bit in the fifth because it it did feel like it might be one of those comebacks that, you know, on paper looked exciting but actually wasn't all that exciting in the moment. But actually the fact that Marajan, who totally went off himself in the way that Medvedev had in the second set, Marijan kinda did in the fourth set, obviously lost its six love.

But he got it back in that fifth set and and made it really competitive and there was an absolutely crucial long game. Um and yeah, just I I I really enjoyed that. fifth set. I felt like Marajan tried to get to the net a lot more, which I think was a good play'cause he'd he'd lost the confidence that he had on in his ground strokes early on. But Medvedev did

did dig in well and resist and and end up coming up with the goods, um, you know, a couple of couple of really nice shots to to sort of help him over the line towards the end. Um But yeah, TN's a problem for him. Like even when Medvedev's been

you know, playing better, I f I would feel like T M would be an issue. So like I can't wait for it. I hope it's not happening at three o'clock in the morning this time. That would be an improvement. But like from the just from the back of the court At the moment, TN's been the more Set of

uh convincing this tournament I would say. Convincing today. I mean s seven six, six four, six two. Over Borgesh, have we all seen his round the net post shot? And it was the most pleasing type of round the net post shot, which is the ones on the umpire's chair. side because they have to thread it through the gap between the chair and the post. And it reminded me of the social media um

content that I think it was Shanghai produced last year on their official channels, which was the players trying to hit through the very, very small target. It was great content'cause it was fun and throwaway unwatchable but you actually learned something about the players while watching it and TN was one of those that made the target and lots didn't. Like Kaboli was

miles away. Catherine no longer a Kaboly guy. No, no, that was before I was a Kaboli guy. Yeah, but now you're now you're using as m as an i as an example. No, You're definitely distancing yourself. No I'm not, I'm not. I can't kick a guy when he's down, he's got the watery shits. Very uncomfortable flight home. Anyway, Leonard Tien was one of those that made it and he made it on like I don't maybe there was a

maybe got a great edit, but he got made it on like the first try. Yeah, there was like a big hole, a medium hole, and then like a hole that was not that much bigger than a tennis ball. Mm and yeah, as you said, very few of them got it through the really small one and and he did so much game and the look, I don't he's not serving like Riley Apelka, but he does seem to have made improvements. I th I think TN might be the favourite for that matter.

I wouldn't have thought he's the favourites just because of you know, the the history that Nevado has, the reputation, the pedigree. But at the same time he did beat him a year ago.

uh Tien and and he is getting better, you you're right. I mean I asked him in the press comments if to to compare and contrast himself from a year ago. I mean he's he's not He's not that comfortable in press conferences yet and he he said look I've d I just he I couldn't he couldn't give hard examples, but he said I've I feel like I've improved in every way since then. So if he has and if Medvedev is like he was then then he will win TN.

But I th I'm waiting for Medvedev to step up and just hit out, especially on the serve. You know, he's got to s get back to winning. I don't know if he can on serve. Do you think not? Well that's what he's been telling us, isn't it? He he hasn't been the same since that hernia operation. He's never been quite specific about why.

But I I don't think he can. Whether that's because he can't put the time in on the practice court on the on the serve or whether there's some kind of physical block or impediment to sort of talk or throw his body into it. with full force the way you so I don't know but It's not like he doesn't know it's a problem. Yeah. He's known it's a problem for a long time. I can't believe he wouldn't be doing it if he could do it. Whether it's on the serve or whether it's in the ground stroke.

At least a set and a half. Yeah. If you think back to that finally played against Cinner, which I think he was forced into hitting out in in the first two sets'cause he'd played all these five set matches, you know. Um I just think that that is a a player he's gotta get back to and there were points in this match where he hit out. And he looks a better player then. Yeah, except it was a curious match because actually against Marijan he ended up dominating the long rally.

You know, like his you know, there were times when Marajan was engaging in backhand to back can exchanges and you just you knew that Medvedev would would end up winning those, but it's the type of long rally. He's got to like get the depth on the ball and be hitting with intent rather than just

le rather than just sort of pushing and letting someone dictate him around and push him around, he's he's got to be able to like pin them in the corner and constrict them. That's when long rallies are good for Medvedev. If he's not really doing anything with the ball Marijan's good enough to be able to dictate him and run him around. That's what he was kind of doing at the start. I think he got that balance better as the match went on and then he was starting to hit out as well.

I think against T N it's It's just so hard to shorten the rallies. Like th th this guy's so so good with his hands and can can slice the ball back and He's got the leftiness that can just give Medvedev different angles and I I just see this match being long rallies and I I probably agree needs to try and try and shorten some of it, but that's the challenge. Like can he do it? Um

Yeah, it's it it was one of like the low key best rivalries of last year. Like every time they played something dramatic happened. You know, Medvedev got the cramps a lot when they played and today took a preventative swig of the pickle juice just as he was about to serve for the match that I wasn't cramping, but I thought I'd better have some pickle juice in case I might starve.

Which I have to say, I'm smart. Very smart. Why don't players do that more? Like'cause once you start cramping, you've lost the battle. Preventative pickle juice. Whack it is. My new agenda. The wildcard agenda needs to go on the back burner for a while. It's it's suffered a it's suffered quite a bad blow. So so I just I I wonder whether Medvedev's gonna have learnt from that. in terms of being h you know, how to stop the cramping and the physical issues when he's played T N in the past.

he kind of underrated Tien because he didn't know that much about him. He knows now. You know, it his senses are gonna be sharpened, I think, in a couple of days' time and That hopefully is is on his side, but oh I can't wait for this one. Like it's gonna be great. I can't wait for the schedule to come out and it for it to be second in the night session and for your reaction, Matt.

Yeah, I'll be annoyed. Normally I kind of like it when a tournament sort of run something back, like if something's happened You know Not something that was the picture of a broken sport. But in this instance, like we don't need to do this at three AM. We've done that. And it was bad. And we don't need to follow it with a women's match either. Right. So arguably I'd put it day session. Mm-hmm.

avoid th those scenarios. Well probably the rival for for for the day session or night session, depending on which way you want to put it, will be Carlos Alcaraz against Tommy Paul. That's the fourth round match that's been set up in that section of the draw. Tommy Paul

uh with a win via retirement over Alejandro Davidovich Vikina who injured his hamstring in the third game of this match. Can't believe he really struggled on for as long as he did, although it did mean that he gave us one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen which was He went for a uh Tommy Paul had lofted up a defensive lob. Davidovich Vikina went for the smash. Missed it so wholeheartedly that he was able to run back and have another swing at the ball after it bounced.

and he connected with that one but hit it out yes it was all so chaotically davidovich fakina um yeah but that obviously ended very sadly for him so tommy paul threw to face Carlos Alcaraz, who other than a Four-game spell in the second set utterly thrashed Quintan Mute today. Six two, six four, six one, but uh But a fun six two, six four, six one. Yes, he kind of did both versions of himself in this match Alcaraz because he started off with US Open version, winning the first set.

Going along to a three love lead in the second set, just hammering poor old Corintan. And then then he c brought out his his circus act to to combat Mute's circus act and that went badly because he he won six of the next twenty two points to Darkras. And listen, some of that was Mute playing better. He started to to find his range but Really just mentally Alcras did go walkabout for a while there, and then he got himself back on track and he thrashed him again.

So overall, absolutely fine. It was interesting hearing Alkraz asked about the US Open form and and he didn't want to pretend that he's in that sort of form. I felt. I mean he he was kind of saying, look, every every tournament's different but he was smiling as if to say, that was

on real form and I'm playing fine now. I I I don't to my eye test he's not playing like that and I don't th I don't think he's thinks he's playing like that'cause he's never played like that before. Um Uh just a quick note, um the fact that he's got Tommy Paul next, a player he he he he tends to be.

I just love the fact that we're now getting the payoff for the lack of upsets. That is a a really good match to be getting and there's so many of them wherever you turn right now. Yeah, we've got Alexander Zverev taking on Francisco Surundalo and that's been an interesting match in the past. Verov has had a bit of a Surundalo problem. I know Serundolo

Um he was beaten handly by Zverev at the Davis Cup last year but Matt, you were there for that. Sorindelo was pretty gutted with his performance and maybe feels like he has a point to prove now and he was so good against Andrey Rublev today. It was really one of those like Wow, like, the game has moved on moments'cause Rublev

is the same player I think. He's not doing anything differently or wrong to what he was doing when he was number five in the world and beating Alex de Menor here a couple of years ago. But even players like Francisco Sarundolo have moved past him now, like he had a bigger, more explosive, more interesting game than Andrey Rublev today and that's not

It's not a name that Zverev who needed four sets against Cameron Norrie today, guy that he always beat, seven and oh head to head now, though Norrie did get a set. That's not a guy that Alexander Zverev wanted to see in the fourth round, I don't think. No, I remember uh speaking to Surindalo at the Davis Cup and mentioning his record against Zverev, knowing that they were gonna play as the two number one players for their countries, and he said Yeah. Like there is something in my game that

that hurts him, that bothers him and it it's it's tended to be on clay, but it's it's also been in Madrid, which Zverev loves those conditions, you know. Um so definitely Surundalo can can hurt Sperev. We've seen it. Um That match at the Davis Cup was notable because Swindelo had no feel on the ball that day. Like you did not really know what was gonna come off his racket and I don't think he knew.

either and you know, I think he made one of the sets much more competitive. I want to say there was a tie break. Um but it wasn't it wasn't Swindolo's best tennis by any stretch of the imagination. Whereas today David was the opposite. Like, you knew exactly what was coming off his racket. He knew he had the control blended with the power

And when he's playing like that, his forehand is one of the most devastating shots on the tour. I I believe he plays with like quite a heavy racket Does Sirundalemi doesn't actually swing that hard at the ball? but he gets an em a enormous amount of pop off of it and today had the control as well and it was an intensity about him. He roared with with with passion when he when he w won the match. Argentinian fans

filling Makia Arena. It was a real real scene, a real vibe and he he needs to try and bring that and channel that and have that feel and form on the ball if he is Gonna hurt Zverev, who is, as we said the other day, playing pretty well in this tournament. It's about how good they are. Absolutely right. And the ONTINU fans Always great support. Thought we were gonna get a little Argentinian sing song from you.

Let's see if he beat Zverev. Tell you what, if um I I th I think I really do think Zverev is in good form here. I think Zverev's playing better in terms of the way he's going about his business than he was last year when he reached the final. I just think his draw is tough on paper. If he and S Surrundalo play like they have, I think that's going five sets.

The final round of sixteen match that has almost been set up Alex Deminour, of course the last Australian man standing against what looks very much like is gonna be the tenth seed Alexander Bublick. He's currently two sets to love up on Thomas Martin et Chevery. Now Dumino beat Francis Tiafo tonight handily. Six three, six four, seven five.

I wonder, David, I know you and Matt were out on the Rodlave Arena for for most of this match. I wonder if Francis Tiafo, who's talked a big game about this reset he's had and is having and he's got a new coach to go with that, somebody who's known him since he was twelve years old, Doctor Mark Kovax. Kovach. Um and look

one result does not a reset make. Hopefully he's got a long term view at this. But I do wonder if right in this moment Francis Tiaffo might be feeling a little bit stunned about the gap between himself and Alex DeMinour that was shown tonight. I I would think so. I I certainly was. I I thought that Tiafo was gonna make that very, very competitive. Um I kind of have thought of them in similar breath in i over the years. I mean TF has reached two US Open semi finals. But those first two sets

They were in a different sphere altogether, those two players. That is as well as I've seen Dimenore play on Rodley Varena those first two sets. We were just in awe, really, weren't we, Matt? I mean some of the some of the mo I mean, we talk about the movement of Demonor a lot, but but I mean th it was just a joke and then he was he was cutting off angles, he was p deflecting backhand winners down the line. Hi the forehand which d Tiafa was sensibly targeting because it's it's hooked with such

with such flatness that you that that he really has to get it right because it's barely clearing the net. You know, i i it can go in the net and if it goes a little too high it flies long because it because he's ending it so flat. But he was Controlling that most of the time. He was awesome for the first two sets and he could have won it more straightforwardly, couldn't he? He had a break up I think in the third set. Tiaffa raised himself and I thought at times was playing

Okay, but De Minoir was absolutely fabulous. Yeah, like it was actually De Manour who was under a bit more pressure early on, like very early on, he was the one having to fight through some service games and we were talking David. We liked what we saw from Tiafo in the initial stages. Looked like he was playing with a purpose and an intent. You know, there was there was a

There was a focus to to what he was trying to do, but Dimonor just lifted to a level that he simply had no answer for. I mean David talks about cutting off the angles. That is the thing that I picked up on and noticed as well. Like his first

you know, his first movement is diagonally towards the ball, which I know is what sort of all players do. That is the way to move onto a tennis ball. But he does it in such a pronounced way. So quickly, takes your takes your time away because he's taking the ball I don't know, two feet earlier probably than than th than some players, cutting off those angles

The the backhand down the line was an absolute revelation for him. He also used his slice really effectively, I thought, with really check change of pace, change of angle, hitting with suffocating depth. depth some of his returns and rally balls right onto the baseline. Like he was absolutely brilliant, Dimenour. Like It's crazy to me that there exists.

A tennis player who can just swat Alex Demonore aside in the way that Yanek Sinna has done and can. Because you watch Demonore today and you think, Wow, he's he's incredible with that speed and the consistency of both ground strokes. Um And yeah, I thought there was like there was one scene, there was like a scene where De Manour won this incredible long rally and the fans were up and De Manour just looked at his team and stood there fist pumping.

And then down the other end of the court, Francis Tiaffo was flat on his back with his racket sprayed. away from him, having given everything in this point, but it was just he had no answer for what for what De Manor was producing and He showed decent fight in that in that third set, Tiafo, to get it back um on level terms, but then an absolutely shocking miss to give up the break just

y you you just can't be that careless. You know, it was really poor with a forehand put away and uh then I think Demonor was a little tight in that final game but Then another shot that he's developed came on strong his serve. He c he found a couple of timely aces to get himself out of that hole. So I really enjoyed the Dimenoir experience, you know, I was walking back to the media centre with

Charlie Aquileshare, who's on a big tiger team at Wimbledon in the in the late nineties, early two thousands. Like all the expectation Probably not gonna win the title, but a lot of people will be hoping and thinking he will and just like gripping a nation and putting on the show. And I I do think De Manor plays that role incredibly well. Like his his record here and the consistency is is extremely impressive and the way he talks about not feeling a pressure, but feeling an excitement

Um and he and he and and he and he mostly plays like that. He he he he is impressive. Yeah, I went through his Australian Open record today. He's he's played ten Australian opens. He's never lost to a player here ranked lower than him. Wow. He's lost to plenty of players ranked lower than him, as m as most players have, and all the other slams. Two of them last

Yeah. The French Open uh he lost to Bublick, didn't he? And the US Open I think was the other one where he lost to a a lower ranked player. He lost to Augier Lyasim last year.

outside outside the world's top twenty. Um and okay, you know, that doesn't always tell you anything. You can have players playing way above their ranking, but that's that tells you something about Alex DeMinour. That is so not a given. Think about Amelie Maresmo, the French Open, and Sam Stozer here and plenty of other examples, I don't wanna hammer them quite the opposite. It is hard. It is so hard and he always delivers.

to his absolute maximum under the pressure cooker of you know d' unrealistic expectation, quite frankly, given what men's tennis looks like right now. And I know that that's the job. That's the job of the broadcasters. The BBC you know, the Tim Herman comparisons are good. Like the BBC did it with Tim Herman f for years and and maybe it's mostly harmless, um, but I think it's it I think he's he's pretty incredible, really, and that that is yeah, I'm I'm

I'm I'm glad that's being recognised but I d do think public could be a problem, having said all of that. Well he's he's playing hugely explosive tennis. The one thing I would say is that one of public's Weapons is the same as one of Tiafo's which is the drop shot and diminor made mincemeat out of that drop shot.

you've still got to be careful. It's hard to hit them on a hard court in the same way as it is on clay. Mm. And and you mentioned he you know, he lost to him at the French last year and I I think he was two sets up in that one diminore and then Bublick I mean Boblick played three of the most extraordinary sets. You know, like certainly just ripped it from him and I remember De Manor thinking that Like he said afterwards that he really thought he could have done more in that.

took it from you. He had a bit of a tough spell mentally after or around the time of that match, didn't you? I remember him coming into Queens and saying he was experiencing real real burnout. Um so ma maybe some of that was was going on. But also it should be said, you know, clay is definitely Demonor's weakest surface. That that that's the one where he's most vulnerable. A lot of losses to players, right?

Lower than him at at Roland Garros and very understandably so. Okay, that's it for part two. Do make sure you stay with us for part three though because we've got a I think we've got a debate. I think so too. We'll see you in part three. We all remember the choices that shaped the course of our lives. In business, world-renowned venture capital firm Sequoia Capital calls them crucible moments.

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Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast. David's still got the koala hat on. Yeah. Can I be sensational? No, David, because you've got c great as the koala hat is, there's stiff competition. Okay. Today. We have two submissions, two contenders. We have Lee Two and James McCabe. The Australian wildcard pairing in the men's doubles who shocked the top seeds and took them out.

in two straight sets, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glaspool. First match of the day on I think the fifteen seventy three arena, this one. Uh, absolute scenes, as you can imagine, and an incredible victory, okay? That's your first submission. It's pretty strong. It is strong. It was the clubhouse leader for a long time. Until we met Fred. Who did he beat? Potentially everybody. He bought us beers. He ambled up to us, David, in a v in a he had a very

Cool. He was cool for cool cool. He had a cool manner about him. Uh while Matt and I were st chatting to Matt's parents, Ambled up to us, two beers in hand, and said Matt and Catherine, we said, Yep. He said I'm here to make a play for Sensation of the Day. and handed over the beers. Like an absolute rock star. He also um gave my dad a bit of stick about Norrie. Yeah. Yeah, he he was really cool. I really liked Fred. And I I want to give it to Fred. Me too. No chance.

You weren't there, David. You don't know. Exactly. I didn't get a beer, did I? He would have got you on if you'd been there. Fred Fred was that kinda game. I think Fred warrants an honourable mention. I think he's had it. But I think that they've just beaten the top seeds and they deserve to be the sensations of the day. I think Fred was coming back, wasn't he? Maybe Fred can make another play.

Yeah, he needs he needs to come on a day when nobody's done anything. I think days like that will be available next year. Okay, Fred, come back. Buy us more beers. We love you. Okay, Lee Two and James McCabe, well done. Fred, it's really yours. Uh tomorrow's order of play, folks, what have we got tomorrow? We start on Rodlaver Arena. Early at ten thirty AM and that is due to the weather forecast for tomorrow. Uh it's due to be

outrageously hot. Late thirties it'll i in in Celsius it'll feel like a lot more than that on the court. I think it's really good that they've taken this measure. I think it's pretty negligible in terms of the impact it can have. I realise they can't they can't really move the start time much before then, but I think it's gonna be

a very tough scene tomorrow. It feels like the sort of day when you probably shouldn't be having play during the peak hours on the outside courts. You know, the s the thought of Ball kids being out there in that just doesn't feel right. Um

But it's an outdoor tournament and it's Australia and there is a point at which they can suspend play, isn't there? I I was looking on the on their The heat policy rules and there's there's a dial that it goes through the stages and if you reach a certain point

you can stop to play. Have you ever seen that happen here? I think I have, yes. Yeah, we have had it and and it is only on days like this when you're getting towards the forties. Yeah, I I suspect if the if the weather forecasts does come off and the temperatures do reach what they're expecting, we w will likely end up with a period in the day where players suspended on the outside courts and happening under the roof on the three

show courts with a roof. Yeah. That would seem sensible. And and they've and they've scheduled an extra match on the second court. to I think try and get another one under the roof rather than on an outside court. Normally there's only four a day on the second court and there's a there's an extra fifth again sensible.

So Rodlaver started It turns out you can make senselling scheduling decisions. It turns out you can do whatever you goddamn well want with the schedule, if you really want to. Yeah. Good on them. You can pick yourself up and move the whole tournament to October. That's right. We don't we don't talk about that enough, do we? There are no rules. You just have to wanna do it enough.

Uh ten thirty AM on the Rodlaver Arena we'll have Carolina Plishkova rolling back the years against Madison Keys trying to roll back the year. Did that work? Was that anything? I liked it. Thanks, Matt. Uh second on, not before midday, Elliot Spit Siri. Trying to challenge Yannick Sinnoh. Good luck, Elliot. I need to watch this so I can figure out what he plays like'cause I haven't watched enough of him yet. I d I'd tune in early.

It's a bit a bit harsh to be judging him against Yannick Sinner, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. uh seven PM night session. on Rod Lever tomorrow. It's the men first. It's Burtek Van der Zanskoop against Novak Djokovic, followed by uh Madison Inglis, the last Aussie woman standing taking on Naomi Osaka.

Uh on the second court tomorrow. So also starting at ten thirty AM Jessica Pagula against Naomi Osaka who incidentally a lot of lot of people, lot of ex pros, lot of experts, prominent voices in the game have been weighing in on the

Asaka Kastea gate from yesterday of the last twenty four hours. And a lot of people saying they actually think Osaka was pretty out of order for the the command she was doing between s sec first and second serve repeatedly yesterday and I kind of you know, I'm happy to defer to them on sort of how okay that is in the unwritten rule book of tennis. I s I still do think

Yeah, so so do I. It's interesting actually. I didn't watch that live w you know, with proper sound on. I sort of watched clips back afterwards and I wonder whether that might have changed my mind a little bit or at least understood the irritation. for Castella because I do think if you are being heard sho saying things between points, you shouldn't really be doing that. It was between first

First and second serves was it I mean sh the the clips I saw she wasn't doing it when Kistea was there ready to serve, sort of disrupting her serve in any way. But I think th the argument that I've heard is that between first and second serves is like It's the same as it being within the point, like within the rally. And you just shouldn't it's it's hindrance to to do that, to do something like that within the

within a point, essentially. Yeah. Yeah. I mean I w we had um I I was reading some of the chat on the barge about it and And it it was it was split, you know, it was uh um but but a lot of people did did feel that that it that it wasn't the right thing for for Osaka to be doing. She's always done it but she's

I've always been aware of her doing it silently, you know, slapping the the leg and and fist pumping without being audible, which I think is is different. Um but Look, I d I also think that was an awful handshake. And um and not not not a great visual but but it did lead to some good aggro, so you know, I can't I can't be complaining, can I? We actually have we've had we're on a good run with aggro.

What else was it? Yeah, thanks to Putin Saber. Did you have a moment there of forgetting Putin Sabre? You looked at me blankly. No, I d I actually thought you were gonna say something else. when you said, Yeah, we've had I thought you were gonna say, four hundred thousand views on TikTok. You're like John from last year. The views The views Everybody loves Smith.

Right. Typically the ones that get that many views. People do not love us. Uh the second call tomorrow starts with Jessica Bagula up against uh the Russian Oksana Seleka Matova, who uh quite honestly I don't know an awful lot about, but if she beats Pagula tomorrow, we will make a point of knowing plenty about her. That's followed by Peyton Stearns against Amanda Anisimova.

Uh Ben Shelton against Valentin Vacherot, not before two thirty, the third sort of extra match in the day session tomorrow. It's the moment when we find out how good Valentin Vacherot actually is. I think that's a good point. I do think that's true. I mean, you know, you can't do it completely in isolation in as much as he may be better next time or something like that. But I'm really interested to see this as a test.

Absolutely. Me too. Seven PM uh on the second court. Anna Kanlin Skya taking on Igor Schwyontek and the men's match second. Excellent. Marin Chilic up against Kasparude. Bless em. We might be recording during that rather than after it. Definitely possible. Depends how late it goes. Rude is in a is in an Andy Marray twenty sixteen situation, isn't he? Yeah. John Cain Arena tomorrow, obviously the third court with the roof here. Lorenzo Mazzetti taking on Thomas Mahat.

First up at ten thirty, they're trying to get you to go to John Kane. Matt, you gotta face your fears. They might have succeeded. I don't really know where the media seats are on John Kane, but I'm I'm I'm prepared to explore for that one. And that really tells you how much Matt wants to see that match because Matt. Yeah, I really hate it. Uh not before midday. And I know I'm you know um I I said that earlier in the week and Pam Shriver said

Get over yourself. And I was like, You're right, Pam. You are right. I'm missing out on you know, th there are good scenes on the John Cainer Arena, I know that. And I tend to just watch them on the screen. But okay, tomorrow I'm gonna I'm gonna do it. Gotta find it first. Uh Elisa Mutten's against Nikola Bartankova is second on John Kane tomorrow. Then we got a bit of intentionally blank. Uh and from five PM we have they write it on the schedule on the order of play. Uh night from five PM.

Stamarinka against Taylor Fritz. I'm gonna go to the John Cana Arena for some of that, maybe. And finally, Elena Rabatkinet against Teresa Valentova. Uh Karen Hashinov against Luciano Daderi is on Kia tomorrow Noskova against Wong and Menchik Quinn and the rest is doubles. That's where we're at, folks. Doubles and contenders for sensation of the day. But you're all having to take on Fred.

He missed out today, so I'm gonna feel sorry for Fred if someone later in the week wins Sensation of the Day for bringing us beers. We'll remember you, Fred. We will, I promise. Hello to Gus. I'm looking at pi at a picture of Gus with her back turned to the tennis. Uh apparently, uh Renee says Gus settled into her favourite position, curled up on the floor, snuggled with her mum, locked in for a long night of tennis viewing, currently enjoying Umboko Towson. What taste, Gus?

Wondering if it's even possible to stay awake long enough to see her favourite player, Coco, take to the court in a few hours' time. Probably not. Well you'll get another chance to see Coco. in a couple of days against Carolina Mukova Gus. So settle in for that. Hello to Bodie, hello to Maisie, hello to Roger, hello to Chris, Greg and Jeff, our top folks and executive producers. Matt, let's have some shout outs.

We have Brona Staunton from Dublin. Hi Brona. Hello Brona. We know and love Brona. We do, and Brona says I attended Wimbledon last year with my mum. We had tickets for centre court and we got to see Carlos Alcarez and Arena Sabalenka play their quarter final matches. Wow. Superbrother. And uh Brona also says I'm going to roll on Garros this year for the first time. You're gonna love it, Brona.

You're gonna love it. That's given me the feels. People g people going to Roland Garros for the first time, having the David Law experience. Yeah, how long till I can go? Four months? Five months? Not long. Four. I mean you can go whenever you like, but then you're going to go and see Amelie. Yeah, she normally does a press conference in eight. Yeah. Yeah, better. Broner, d do say hi when you go to Ronald Garros and uh we'll see you there. We've also got Mark Lowerson.

Hello Mark. Right Mark. From Melbourne. Oh, perfect. Maybe Mark can buy us beers. Like Mark Woodford. Although he has been living in Hanoi for twenty five years. Bring one from there. What do we know? Like Mark Edmondson, who's it's his anniversary year this year of winning the Australian Open, the last Australian man to win it, and he's on the coin top. Mm. Oh Well, these twenty two year olds don't know who Mark Evanson is, David. Well I mean we'll get with the program. Mm. Mm.

Well and actually Mark probably remembers that. Mark says tennis player and tennis nerd since the mid seventies. First Australian I p attended was nineteen seventy six at Kooyong. Well I bet he knows Mark Edmonds. Favourite player ever, Yvonne Gulagon. Roger Federer and Ash Barty could do anything with the ball. He's a classicist, isn't he, Mark? Mmm, lovely stuff. Thanks, Mark. And finally we have Ros Vanderswet.

Hello Rose. Like my mum. Like your mum? Is this Rose with an S or with a Z? With a Z. Same church, different pew. Yeah. Y Ros this Roz probably gets mistaken for Ross less frequently than my mum. How does that go down? She she takes it well, better than I would. Can confirm. Roz says we were on centre court for women's semi finals in twenty twenty five and we were the ones

playing Blondie at the live podcast after the match between Sabalenka and Anisimova. Oh remember that? I'll never forget that day. Thank you for creating such Great memories. Thank you, Roz. Yeah. I think you did that, Roz. God, what a day. What a day. Do you remember there was a Shvontek Benchich match that day?'Cause I barely do. No, I can't remember that. Mm. That that was a beatdown. Yeah. Mm.

Bench had a hole in her shoe or something. Yeah, that rings a bell. And Siontech played very well. Yeah. Ros played quite well on a couple of days later. Thank you for those memories. Ros Bruner and Mark.

Uh thank you very much for being friends of the tennis podcast. If you'd like to become a friend get access to all of our back catalogue and upcoming episodes, bonus episodes, all of our bonus content, monthly live QA shows are History series, tennis relived, you get access to the barge, our community platform, ad free listening, all sorts of fun, then the link is in our show notes. Mira Andreva is jogging to the net, having just beaten Elena Gabriella Russa.

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