Aus Open Day 9 - Can Showtime Shelton shock Sinner?

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance, fiscally responsible, financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to progressive and save hundreds. Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home, and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it, so your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance.

Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary, not available in all states or situations. Hey, this is US Olympic gold medalist Tara Davis Woodhall. And I'm U.S. Paralympic Gold Medalist Hunter Woodhall. As athletes, our lives are about having a clear path. And a team that you can absolutely trust. So when it came to getting the best We chose Penny Mac. Pennymac is proud to be the official mortgage provider of Team.

And you. Learn more at pennymac.com. Pennymac Loan Services LLC, Equal Housing Lender, NMLS ID three five nine five three. Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. Conditions and restrictions may apply.

Hello and welcome to the Tennis Podcast coming to you tonight on day nine of the Australian Open from Tennis Podcast Towers Melbourne. Which is where we will probably be for the next twenty four hours or so, quite honestly, because the forecast for tomorrow is predicting highs of forty six degrees Celsius, which is a hundred and fifteen

Fahrenheit. Buckle up, folks. Uh that is unequivocally, don't leave the house weather. So it's a very good job. We have a comfortable sofa, which is where you find us right now. after frankly another day that hasn't delivered on the drama that we've been promising, which means another hour of promising you that the good stuff is coming soon, we hope. Ooh, that wasn't the good stuff. It was competitive though. It was. Yeah, yeah, it was. I mean we didn't actually

score, but we did play points in preparation for the media one point slam, which is coming up in a few days. Maybe we can Maybe we can lead that show with that. No, that's women's semifinals night. That's gonna be an amazing day. It's coming. The good stuff is coming.

I think. I've taught you well, Matt Roberts. I've found it very odd. Like at at the same time I've been searching stats on tournaments where so many seeds get to this sort of stage of the event and you would immediately think, Oh well, if you've got all the seeds you're gonna get competitive matches And then like a day later I'm researching

Tournaments where all the matches are ending in straight sets. Like it's really, really bizarre what's happening at this tournament. Yeah, and just to underline how unusual the situation that we've got is. This is the first time in the open era that the top six seeds have reached the quarterfinals in both the men's and the women's drawers. That means, David, that nothing even in your deep, deep well of tennis Memories of

before. It has to get good, doesn't it? Yes. I mean this is the thing, it because of the the nature of the last couple of days. the lineup on paper feels like we've been pitting really good player against really good player, like at the top end, or at least, you know, as good as it can get in those sections. And yet They've kind of all been I don't want to say duds, but they haven't been dramatic.

No, some of them have, but I don't want to take away from players that have played really well and just been too good for the other player. But as as spectacles, as things to really get your teeth into and and feel your heart beating fast about, there hasn't been a lot of that.

Well I watched some of Briggs versus Roberts and my heart was was beating moderately fast. They both when I started filming for content purposes they both immediately tensed up. It was really funny. Their hearts were beating fast. They got tight. My heart was beating fast on the sofa watching the Seahawks. The pressure of fifty thousand Instagram followers watching you play. Yeah. It's not as bad as when you film a golf swing. I have more confidence in my tennis swing. Hm.

Both fall apart under the bright lights of Instagram. Not on Thursday though. I'm gonna make a sign. We've got We've got big plans for the media media one point slam. Big plans to ramp up the pressure on Matt's young shoulders. It's gonna be it's gonna be great. And if the tennis in the main Australian Open continues to be crap, then we've got the media one point slam to talk about on Thursday, folks. That's a banker. And I did decide to channel Joanna Garland and

if I get the opportunity. That's what I learnt from my hit with Brie. Mm. Hopefully other media members aren't listening to this and realising my tactics. Yeah, I th I think you might have slightly Cock that up, to be honest, Matt, you know, r revealing your tactics on a bluffing. Uh our other tactic is that David's gonna heck all the opposition. Well, that's uh definitely happening. I'm gonna be there with a Andreva esque sign. Senor Robert.

I'm open to suggestions about what else to put on the sign. My plan is to try and buy some sort of craft materials over the next couple of days, but tomorrow it's gonna be too hot to leave the flat. So that's gonna have to be a Wednesday job.

Uh, in terms of today, uh, where to start? Should we start with the defending champion going out of the women's draw today? Uh six three, six four for Jessica Pagula over Madison Keys. Incidentally, just in the women's side of things, it's the first time that the top six seeds have reached the quarterfinals.

of Islam for th for the first time since n the nineteen ninety eight US Open. The it hasn't happened in the open era combined across men and women, but women alone, it hasn't happened since nineteen ninety eight. Um and you know, Pagula was to my eye the same as she's been throughout this tournament. Excellent, solid, dependable

deceptively hard hitting, plenty of depth. Keys just never got going. She never got the c couple of moments where it where it looked like she was getting those big swings and bringing them to bear and starting to play the match on her terms. But they never translated into a proper surge, David, like we saw last year.

No, and no and not like when they played at the US Open a couple of years ago and in the words of Jessica Pagula that day, I got waxed out there today, you know, I just didn't have a play on the ball and because that's what Keys can do to you, she can make Players like Pagula a little bit. Just there, really, uh to to be teed off on.

But all the way through this tournament Pagula has looked convincing, actually. I mean I th I think maybe I've I've done her a disservice in that description because I think she is She is becoming more aggressive. She is taking matters into her own hands more. She's never gonna have the destructive power of Madison Keys, but not many not many do. But she certainly has

more bite on her shots and she s sort of takes the initiative earlier. She's also got that incredible defensive skill of of being able to read shots and and get them back into play and Yeah. the more illustrious name in many ways, and yet I think most people thought Paguda would win. I'm not sure what what the odds would have been for this match, but I think most people thought

felt that Pagula looked the more convincing of the two. Yeah, it didn't feel like an upset, did it? The the head to head was one all going in and yet Yeah, I I don't think it even felt like an upset to Madison Keys, really. I mean obviously they're good friends and podcast co hosts and uh I'm sure that helps with accepting the defeat. But I also think I really don't think Madison Keyes had any real expectations of herself defending this title. I think she's done a decent job.

you know, she's mae wedi'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i' I I don't know if Madison Keys would have signed for for it at the start of the tournament, but I don't think she'll be I think she'll be pretty sanguine about that defeat. And she already seemed it in the immediate aftermath, didn't she?

Yeah, it feels like par, I would say, for Madison Keyes reaching the fourth round here. Um and that stat about there being six well, the top six seeds into the quarters over women's singles major for the first time since nineteen ninety eight US Open. Like that is kinda the problem there for Madison Keys, right? Like there's

we talk about this sort of consistency era that the WTA is in and there's a lot of big names at the top who are regularly performing at the big events. And last year at the Australian Open Madison Keys managed to run through a lot of them to be able to win the title. But That always felt like uh

bit of a one off title run in terms of its brilliance. Like it was it was staggeringly good and she was gonna have to do something similar again if she wanted to win it because there's a group now of players who are you know, getting to the latter stage of slams all the time, really consistent.

Mae'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n r

I think Keyes crucially looked a lot better at this tournament and has done at the start of this year than she did at the back end of last year when I think she was pretty burnt out and injured and and now she feels, you know, ready to sort of go again in in twenty twenty six. But really it was Mae'n ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud

Jersey'cause that was that was never gonna happen. She was never gonna allow that to happen. That full fit seems a lot worse than the Keys one. It didn't seem to be a balanced deal. Keys has just got to eat some something that sounds apple pie. Apple pie with cheese on. Mm. Like cheese and cheese and sweet stuff goes. Like you serve grapes with cheese, like

It that's fine. That's fine. But Jessica Pagula can't wear a Chiefs jersey. No. You're you're not gonna wear a Brentford one, are you? Absolutely not. If you'd if you lose the one point slam you will be. No all right. Um in terms of that that group you mentioned consistently reaching the latter stages of slam, so many of them are American.

Um and okay we've got a a surprise one doing it this time in in Ivayovich, but you've got uh Jessica Pagula, Amanda Nisimova, Coco Goth of course and and Ivo Yovic and that makes it fifty percent Americans in the women's quarter final lineup which is pretty amazing. And it's it's another American next for Jessica Pagula. It's a Mandarin isamova. She beat Wong Jinyu, uh seven six six four on what the stadium announcer called while we were in there the People's Arena.

Well Matt Roberts and I are not the people. I've got I've got Catherine on board now. It is bad. It's absolutely fucked up my back, the uh the John Cain arena. The seats are uncomfortable. There's a weird sort of hum, there was some aggro in the media seat. There was a weird sort of Hold on, you should have been loving it then. There was a weird perspective. Yeah, why did they have those? I I I wondered that last year.

I I think because it's not a tennis arena. Right. Um anyway, I enjoyed watching Amanda and a Samova. Was it worth two sweaty hours on the John Kane arena? borderline. I was re I was relieved there wasn't a third set, put it that way. But she had opportunities

Matt to maybe get this one done more quickly. It felt like the second set was gonna be a slam dunk for for Amanda and Esamover. In fact Rydyn ni'n gwneud ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen ymlaen. um uh they i uh whilst blasting out twist and shout, which is an absolute banger, d between between the verse and the chorus in the song

Uh the announcer came through and said, Ladies and gentlemen, Wong is now receiving a medical timeout. And then the chorus. It was surreal. The chorus came in. Um So yeah, Wong was Wong was a little hampered in the in the second set and her challenge looked to have really It felt like one to just get through for both the Mandarinism over and for us now. It was quite an unusual Amanda Nissimova match because the first set ended up in a tie break and there'd been no breaks of serves.

And for any regular watchers of Amanda Isimova, they will know that her her serve can sometimes be a little vulnerable, and her return game is usually absolutely elite and dangerous.

And yet what was happening here was that Anismova was cruising through her service games pretty much. but getting quite angsty and stressed and over hitting on the return. Like she was tryna force it, I think, in a way that she probably didn't really need to, because she did have the advantage in the matchup with just her bigger game. But as long as that nervous energy existed in that first set, it it felt tense and

Wong played well and could well have won that first set tie break, to be honest. Um but came up with a bit of a bit of a dumb approach on the set point. You know, she had a she had a short ball wong and sliced it straight to the Anisimova backhand rather than the forehand, and Anisimova had just missed a running forehand on the previous point.

You've just got to go to the forehand on that one. But of course Anisimova perfectly hit the backhand pass cross court, took the first set, and then They they exchanged breaks at the start of the second set and then Inisimova got another one and then held for the rest of the match and actually has served down the stretch in this mobile was excellent.

and she talked in press about how she has been working on it and tryna tryna get more speed on it, more power. She thinks she's already got the precision, uh, but she said today was the day that it really felt like it clicked for her. Which could be a big deal. Definitely as I mean if if she can have a serve that's clicking in the latter stages, that could be the the thing that gets her over the line in in this major compared to her two finals at the end of last season, where I think

Okay, the Wimbledon final was was a bit of an anomaly, but it certainly let her down in the in the US Open final that shot. And she's gonna need it against the best players and the best returners. So

Yeah, overall I would say it was a it it was it was a good performance from an isomova and in, you know, quite quite grueling conditions. You know, it it was it wasn't really extreme, but it was I think the I think the heat index was was hovering in the three point something, pushing up to four during during that match. They weren't a million miles away from stopping. It was Matt said, what's that whirring sound?

It was my neck fan. I was I was ready to blame the John Cain arena, but actually it was Catherine sitting next to me. Um no, it was it was another good performance from me. And that improved serving could be critical for her to try and keep that up in two days' time because it's Bagula next and She's got this really poor record against Pagula. Pagula has been a problem for her. Handcuffs her, from what I've seen in the past. Yeah. I mean they haven't

Played since the Canada final of twenty twenty-four and they also played in Charleston that year. And look, obviously Anisimova is a different player, a different person since those matches. But I do think there is something in the match up that is difficult for her against Pagula. I think Yeah, Pagula has a natural slice serve, which is will be harder for anisimova to get on top of than some of the kick serves she's just played.

And Paguda, as David says, is very good at absorbing pace coming at her, I think, and she's able to stay very low to the ground, Pagula and And she's got good hands to be able to deal with pace coming at her. She's also happy throwing in short balls and slices and getting an issue over moving. Like I think I think it is a really tough matchup for an Isimova, but not not an insurmountable one, like one that if she does play really well, I I I do think she can win. But Pagula is just

Is just a tough out. Uh so she's gonna she's gonna have to watch those stress levels, I think. D do you think that Paguda is the favourite on paper? It's a good question.'Cause normally I normally I do take head to head really into account for those sorts of things. But I I would give the slight I would say Anisamova's the slight favourite'cause I just think form and the fact that those matches weren't against twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six Anisimova. She's so different, isn't she?

now for an Islamova. And generally her the way she carries herself as a player and believes in herself, I think. That and she's been around the circuit now in multiple Grand Slam finals. And sees herself as that player of things. But just yeah, I mean when I say handcuffs uh Pagulish, I think the depth of stroke w with flatness makes it more difficult to tee off on in a way for for for an isomova. So I think I think look that could be the one that could be an absolute belter.

And speaking of which the other the other quarterfinal is not allowing herself to get hyped. Well look I am I've just I've been burnt before. I've been burnt, yeah, two days in a row. Well, whole tournament in a row, quite frankly. I never run out of energy. Joanna Garland.

Well the other quarter final set up today on the women's side, Elena Rabatkina against Eager Schwantec Rebacina was sublime against Elisa Mertens. I mean the head to head going in was six and one, so now seven and one. It was six one, six three in an hour and seventeen minutes, and this was another example of it being all about levels, David, because we've seen Mertons brush other players aside and be one of the form players of the season so far, and she just look

helpless against Rabatkina today. Yeah, you can you can get taken in by these things, can't you, if you don't remember what the the matchup looks like and what Rebecca and his level looks like when it's really required and when it when she's playing at her peak. You know, I think with her she's a player you can kinda go through a few rounds without really watching how she's got there. You just look at the scores, they've they've gone by serenely.

You look at Merton's and actually her score lines looked different to what we've been used to. She was she was beating people comfortably and and she'd been on a good run and yeah, she just runs into Rebecca now and She can't cope with that with those with that power. And her ground strokes and and shots generally don't seem to have much effect on a player like Rabacina. Yeah, and now we we really get to test the level of Elena Rabakna in this tournament and the level of Igor Shjontek because

six three for her against uh Igor Schwontek. She she celebrated winning her first game like she'd Like she'd won Wimbledon. And she's got this lovely disposition about her Madison English. She was taking it all in. Um you know, she she knows she's had the most wonderful experience and the prize money that she's one by reaching the fourth round, will be able to sustain her as a a tennis player now for for the next few years and give her a real slingshot to discover how good a player she can be.

sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n sy'n by Igor Shontech, um, who was clearly pissed off about not getting the day session mash match that she requested. We knew she'd requested day session today because Jim Currier disclosed that

on uh the tennis channel this morning, which is very interesting. He said, Hey, do you want an insight into some behind the scenes scheduling stuff? And everyone went, Yeah, that sounds fun. Um and he said there was a really big sort of good natured, but quite a head to head between channel nine

uh who wanted the Australian to play to headline the the night session and between Nigershuantec who really wanted the day session. We don't really know why because This can't have been a match that she was particularly worried about. And she's gonna have to play night session from now on. Like it feels like getting in that kind of groove would be good for her.

Either way, we know she wanted w wanted to play in the day session and after the after the win in about an hour and ten minutes, she made quite a chippy comment about it in the on court interview. She was asked what she was gonna do with her day off and she said, Well I don't have that much time because the tournament seems to want me to play it at night time. She wa you know, she was clearly that was clearly on her mind. Um so I d I

I don't know what's what's going on there. And and shouldn't be putting requests in at all. I just don't believe in any of it. Yeah. Even Novat Djokovic? Yeah. I don't think it should be ham I mean, you know, they can they should do it, but the to I think the tournament should be turning around and saying, No, we want this then. You play when you're told.

Yeah, look, I agree. But it's just never gonna happen, is it? In interesting that Darren Cahill said that Yannick Sinad was quite happy to have uh have played anywhere. I he didn't put any requests in. Um Yeah, they um He disclosed in a he did one of those little interviews during the warm up I think of Yannick Sinis match on uh on the second court this evening. He was scheduled not before six PM on the second court.

Darin Cahill said that when the Djokovic match was effectively cancelled, when Jakub Menchik pulled out, that they offered Sinner the opportunity for his match to be the one that moved over, and Sinner said, no, that's fine, I'm happy with Sinner. with where I am on the second court, let's just let's just stick with the plan. So enter Ben Shulton and and Casparude, more on them later. But Seantek Rabatkiner?

Should we just give that a bit of hype? That was a match here a few years ago, wasn't it? And Rebecca won. become a very interesting head to head, I think, Schwientek against Rebecca because there was definitely a period twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four, when I would probably have said Rubakna is the most dangerous opponent for Igos Fiontek, besides Ostepenko, obviously. But you know, in terms of more on her later too, by the way. In in terms of You know, they're just

the game style and the the smooth big hitting of Robatkinov j we we just saw it caused Fiontek problems. And what's interesting is that actually since Fiontek has started working with Wim for Set Her head to heads against a lot of the other top players have got a little bit worse. She's become a little bit more vulnerable against her fellow top players.

But actually the Rabatkina head to head has totally turned around and she's really started beating Rabatkina quite consistently across surfaces and I do feel like against Rabatina we've seen slightly less of the just hiding and hiding from Sviontek. It feels like she's committed more to the

counter punching and the and the ability to stay in rallies and a only only really attack when she needs to. It just feels like she's got the blend of her game really good, really right against Rebecca when they played recently. I I don't know. A couple of years ago I might well have made Ratkin a favourite against Fielmtek on a On a hard court like this.

The way it's turned and the way Sviontek's sort of look generally this tournament, I I think I would probably have Sviontek as the favourite but She does need to serve well, you know, like that's that is a big element for her in that in that matchup and she has done recently. Um but she needs to keep doing that. I think that's gonna be an absolutely key key shot. You cannot allow Rebatkinna to get on top of that. So long as it's three sets.

I don't mind. Three sets of anything, please. Or two belting sets. Yeah, I do feel like we're owed some three setters though. I'm collecting my debts. One day one day we're just gonna have a day full of them. And then it will be four in the morning and we'll be like, Oh, it's too late Yeah, it'd be Thursday after the one point slam. Right, that's it for part one. Uh join us in part two when we'll talk about the men's crap matches.

But first, just a quick word from our wonderful sponsors of this and every episode of the Tennis Podcast throughout this Australian Open. It is, of course, Steve Fergle's international tennis. The premium hospitality and experience provider and an official provider of ticket and travel. For Roland Garros 2026. Now, why should you experience Roland Garros with Steve Fogels? Well, first and foremost, Roland Garros and Paris in the springtime is a wonderful.

bucket list experience. I cannot recommend it high. And Steve Fogels can give you official access, expert planning, and 50 years of tennis travel experience for that all-important peace of mind on your dream trip. And they can give you 10% off. Just go to tours4 tennis.com forward slash podcast. That's tours the number four tennis.com forward slash podcast and use the code Paris10 exclusive for tennis podcast listeners. Paris10. We'll see you there. Hi, I'm Cindy Crawford.

And I'm the founder of Meaningful Beauty. When Dr. Sabah and I decided to do a skincare line together, he said to me, We are gonna give women meaningful beauty. And I said, that's exactly right. We want to give women meaningful beauty, which means each and every product is meaningful. It has a a reason to exist. It's efficacious. You're gonna get results. And then you just go out and live your life. Meaningful beauty. Confidence is beautiful. Learn more at meaningfulbeauty.com.

Hey, it's Adam Grant from Ted's podcast, Work Life, and this episode is brought to you by Service Network. AI is only as powerful as the platform it's built into. That's why it's no surprise that more than 85% of the Fortune 500 companies use the ServiceNow AI platform. While other platforms duct tape tools together, ServiceNow seamlessly unifies people, data, workflows, and AI, connecting every corner of your business.

And with AI agents working together autonomously, anyone in any department can focus on the work that matters most. Learn how ServiceNow puts AI to work for people at ServiceNow.com.

Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast where we have just three men's matches to talk about. Of course, because uh Novak Djokovic and Jakub Mensch was cancelled after Menschik uh Guttingly had to to pull out ahead of that match. Shall we start with Lorenzo Mazzetti beating Taylor Fritz six two, seven five Six four. Every time I looked at this match I thought Taylor Fritz

didn't look physically fit. I think he's a heck of a competitor. I mean I think that generally, but it was underlined today by the fact that he even managed to make this as close as it was. And yet it wasn't particularly close. This is This is Lorenzo Mazzetti's first hard court win over Taylor Fritz and that feels like a m real milestone kind of f for them both in

very opposite ways. Yeah, I think that's fair. Uh because I think Mazzetti has made real game. in in recent months. I think he he was very proud of himself that he's come in with a new uh more aggressive, assertive approach, h using his forehand more, stepping onto the baseline more and not retreating so much. And he's he deserves it.

to feel like that because he's a it's not easy to to to beat a guy like Fritz, even if he is impeded and he clearly was. But at the same time, I mean Taylor Fritz was a pretty depressing sight today and I I've got endless respect for him as well because he is a real fighter. But you know, he came in his press comments afterwards. We knew he'd ha he's had tendonitis in his knee f for for for months and he's been trying to work with that and figure it out.

and stop feeling pain all the time. I mean he seems to just be playing tennis all the time with pain. Or having to dampen it with with painkillers. But he he also made it pretty clear. in previous rounds that he was dealing with something else and he didn't want to go into details with it and once he was out of the tournament he did give us details and it was his oblique, it was his sort of abdominal area

struggling with that recently as well. He's had that before. Um I mean, that's too much. That's too much at a grand slam to be trying to cope with. Um so The upshot is I think Lorenzo Mazzetti gives himself a crack at Novak Djokovic now and I'm really interested to see whether Whether he can take another step, you know, because this is a guy that's been around for years. I remember when we first saw him here winning the juniors and how won over we were just by his style and

He's now gone from that to to to being a a real factor. Um and and looking like there's there's more than just decoration of a tennis tournament. But for Fritz it's He's he's gotta he's gotta stop until this is right. Yeah, just just rounding off the the Taylor Fritz of it all. I mean, it seems so obvious that he's got to stop and yet I mean you asked him directly, David, and he was talking about

Trying to get fit in time to go to Dallas. Yeah, which is next month. Um Mae'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n. He wants to play a lot of tournaments. I I guess he wants to win Grand Slams. You you can't have everything. If you're feeling like that, you've I mean I just said to him look, Jack Draper Artifist they've taken six, seven months off.

Has he, would he consider just not playing the sport until he stops feeling pain, until he stops feeling impeded? And he did say that that had been the plan coming into this year that he He didn't he didn't want to play like this anymore and

then it crept up on him again and then you're like left with a decision, do I play the Australian Open or don't I? And the view was that he could continue to rehab what he what the problem was on his knees whilst playing the tournament and that that would work. But He said, Look, it's it has flared up again. I've had pain and and it's ho it's clearly horrible. I mean he looked so down. Um I I hope I I hope he stops until it's right. It is pretty crazy with

chronic things like that and chronic pain, how you can lose sight of how much pain you're in, how how impossible it is to judge how much pain you're in. It's only once the pain is alleviated that you go, My God, what a what a fool I was to think I was okay and it it it does sound and look to me like he's in that clouded zone which is

Which is tough to see. Um, Lorenzo Mazzetti, Matt, just picking up on everything David said about him, number three in the live rankings right now. It's up for grabs, Lorenzo. Yes, and isn't there a line that unless Verev reaches the final, the winner of Mozeti Djokovic will be ranked number three at the end of this tournament?

Which does really show you the strides and the gains, like you say, that Mazzetti has made. Like for him to even be in that conversation, you would not have thought that a year ago, but part of

that evolution and that growth for him has been evolving his game on the hard courts and making himself dangerous all year round rather than just through the clay court swing or through the grass court swing. Like you've got to be good on hard courts if you're gonna get up to number three in the world these days and Part of that has been the serve. He's he's been serving a lot better, having changed the technique on that. I think he's grown into that shot.

uh and the mind set, you know, the the going out there with a with an intent to to hurt with that forehand, which is, I believe, one of the very, very best In the world. and combine that with his natural talents and a bit more belief in himself, which I think he built up through last season. And suddenly he's he's a very, very dangerous player. I w I also think he's a lot more mature as a person and

He's having to be this this tournament as well, isn't he? Because his very long time coach Um Simone Tartarini is not here. He's had to he had to fly home because of a family emergency I think and the same also for his physio. He is two key team members down this tournament.

Is Mazzetti. Uh he has got Jose Perlas in the in the coaching box, someone he brought on and during the off season and is working with, so he has got a coach here but You know, I I mean for Mazzetti to play a match without Tartarini is something that he's never really done. You know, they've they've they've been together for a very, very long time and it just feels like he's able now as a as a person to cope with something like that much better. And

Look, Norad Djokovic has dominated there head to head, but they have had a lot of good matches. You know, a couple of them at Roland Garros, of course, when when Mazzetti has really pushed Yokovic to five set. And then most recently their match in Athens at the back end of last year on a hard court was really one of the best matches of the ATP season, I would say. Both of them brought a great level to that. And

Mozetti talked about needing to win the match rather than play the match. I dunno, I feel like in the past against Djokovic and against some big names he's he's had slightly happy to be there energy and I think he's aware that he needs to not have that. And show some fangs and I I believe he'll get chances against Djokovic. I do I do think his game and his movement, his physicality can hurt. Can he can he does he trust himself in the big moments? And I think if he

if he gets a bit of a setback he needs to keep going with the game that is eventually gonna get him through. Like he he can't can't resort to being passive just because Maybe being aggressive doesn't get him the first set, something like that. I d I could see I could see that mindset being tested by Novad Djokovic and I'm not not sure I fully trust it, but it's it's gonna be a big test of it and I can't wait.

Like the rallies in that are gonna be wonderful. Are you promising that it's gonna be good? Is that what you're doing? The thing is I think you could appreciate that match even if it isn't five sets or four sets. I I think uh individual rallies, I mean Personally, I will I can imagine being bewitched by just watching them strike the ball and move each other around because some players have got that. I felt like that with Mazzetti and Mahatch the other day. Um but if it

knife edge nail biting stuff you're after. It is. Yeah. I it is. I think s sitting here right now, my prediction would be Djokovic in four. Yeah. And I think I could see them maybe like splitting the first two and the third being a real long. Yeah, at this point I'll I'll sign for that. I just want to feel some adrenaline pumping through my veins. Is it too much to ask for?

in week two of a grand slam. It's it's not, no, but We're gonna appreciate it it's coming for for f re I think I mean unless unless one of them I mean unless Mazzetti turns shows up and just doesn't really compete properly, which I don't think will happen. I think he will. I think he'll play well, whether it's enough is another matter. I I think I I'm gonna enjoy it anyway. I'm sure it will be beautiful.

But uh adrenaline is is is what I'm after. I didn't get it from Yannick Sinner against uh Luciano Darderi. This was a This was a weird match. Six one six three seven six for Yannick Sinner, who came out by the way in white socks. uh white shorts and white cap. taken matters with Nike into his own hands and I I respect that it's a bit like a it's a bit like a football manager who picks three goalkeepers and puts on the bench when he doesn't feel like he's being given the right

Transfers. Mm. Yeah, I don't know whether they're officially part of his kip kit or whether he dug the white stuff out of his training kit. Um but it looks a lot better. Still broadly like ugly, uh, but slightly slightly mitigated by not having the weird the weird shorts. Um this This was so weird. What what a weird tennis player Luciano Darderi is. He he was having a And post hat Dardai started hitting the crap out of the ball. Obviously still lost the set.

uh, sort of flaked out. He he had a bunch of break points right at the end of the set that would have left him serving for it. Didn't take them and then obviously got broken and And that was that. I I know I should have found this match fun. I I didn't find it that fun because the result just felt

so inevitable. There were n there were no real stakes or tension, which, you know, if it's if it's not obvious is what I'm is what I'm craving just at the moment. But I I I think there will have been people out there that had a fun time watching this. There's a meme going round of the um the cartoon avatar version of Luciano Darderi, you know, that's something they do on the Australian Open YouTube channel. Uh doing something really weird sort of

Yeah, I d I don't think I looked up from my laptop really while I was writing the newsletter for the first two sets because there was nothing going on. Then suddenly the third set got fun. It was fun, yeah. Um Hitting the crap out of the ball is is absolutely right. He upped his forehand speed from one hundred and thirty kilometers per hour to one hundred and fifty like f just finding twenty kilometers per hour on average.

Yeah, I mean look, you could argue we played this match backwards, right? You gotta you gotta come out. playing like that. It's not it's not much good being two sets to love down and then doing that. That's just su giving yourself such a mountain to climb. Body language suggested he got to the end of the second set and he was like Oh, I'm gonna have to play better than this, am I? That's a surprise. I will here's that extra twenty miles per hour on my forehand.

That I've been keeping in reserve. Well you already two sets to love down to Yannick Sinna. What have you been doing? Yeah, I mean the problem is you saw what happened to his forehand in the tie break when he went when he went to love up and he's committing to still hitting that forehand. Huge and

It went off and there was one that just ballooned in the air as he as he shanked it. Like it's unsustainable. Like you can't you can't keep that up. You can only do that for a portion of the match and that Dyna'n ymwneud Yannick Sinner, dyna'n ymwneud y byddai'n y byddai'n y byddai'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n.

I don't know, I sort of I'm I'm pleased that Dardiri tried it. I agree with you. I think it would have been more effective if he'd come out playing like that and tried to rock Yannick Sinner, who I did th I thought portions of this match, but could there have been some doubt or uncertainty or vulnerability if he'd been rocked at the start, given what happened to him in the previous match? It was still very hot when he took to the court today.

Um but but no, Dardai saved all the fun for the end when he was already two sets to love down. And now Yannick Sinner faces Ben Shelton, who just to give us a little bit of fun today, lost the first set.

Uh three six, six four, six three, six four over Caspar Rood in the final match of the day on the Rodlaver arena. He He fancies himself in this in this quarter final against Yannix and I mean I think he always fancies himself, Ben Shelton, but it's good y uh you know, talking about the in your core, in your veins do you believe?

are questioning that when he takes to the court against somebody like Djokovic. You don't worry about that with with Ben Shelton and you know, I feel like tennis levels might hold him back from beating Yannick Sinna but that's not going to. He's certainly gonna give himself m as big a chance as he possibly can by going out there and

Swinging, rolling the dice, going after his shots. I think he's really confident at the moment. I think there's a bit more security about his ground strength. I think he kinda knows what's coming off the strings more than he ever has. Um I still think that I don't think we've seen the best Yannick Center at this tournament yet. And um the problem with facing him is that he can he can suddenly make you realise oh crikey.

That that works against these guys, it doesn't work against this guy. Um but look, Ruder's been playing good tennis. I think he played quite a lot of good tennis tonight. He also put in some bad double faults and and threw in some poor f points when it really mattered. What you said there, Catherine, about the fact that Rood won that first sit, that's the first disappointment that Shelton's had in this tournament'cause he's been

Imperious up until then, and that could that could have derailed him because he he was a bit off in that first set. His serve wasn't working quite right, he's on the Rodlave Arena, it's different. Um And he regrouped and he found the form that he's been displaying the rest of the tournament. He he's he's developed an incredible forehand when he's

pushed out wide and he he he's just slapping this ball but with control and he he kinda rescued a couple of points with that. He hit some good backhands. He hit some good volleys. He was a he was incredible at the net tonight. Like the success rate was was very high. I don't exactly know what his best tactic is playing against Yannick Sinner. I'm fascinated as to what they cook up to try to

try to achieve what they want. But I d but I find myself thinking it'll be closer than last year's semi. Uh I think I think he can make a fight of it. But, you know There's a difference between that and winning.

Yeah, I've been impressed with Shelton this tournament. I think it's really notable and impressive. just how consistent he is at the majors. I think I don't know. Shelton has an advantage over best of five. You know, he t he tends to make matches physical and I think he can improve as they go on. I think we saw that tonight. I think he backs himself o over best of five against the very best in the field. I think against uh Yannick Sinna or against a Carlos Alcaraz, again, against the very best.

I don't know if he's quite able to make best of five the advantage that it is. e for him against the rest of the field because he's got to sustain such a level for so long and not have lapses, you know, and I just think over those over the longer format, you know, it's an obvious point, but the better player tends to tends to come out on top and

I don't know, like if he can if he can make it physical, if he can really push Cinner to the to the sort of four hour mark, maybe that is his best route. But I I just don't know if he can get it there, you know, like He was good tonight, Shelton, but he did need those poor games from Rude to break through, you know, all of them really that Shelton won, the decisive games and those sets.

Rude played a big part in it, you know, with those untimely double faults, his forehand went off. I just don't think Sinner's gonna do that, and that might mean you end up in tie break. Or you know, one or two perhaps, but again I I'm I'm always backing Sinner to just sort of come up with the good. So I'm being impressed with Shelton, but I've not necessarily seen anything that makes me think that that match is gonna be

massively different. I agree it could be a bit closer. Um, but it it still feels to me like there's like there's a gap there. Mm.

Just just quickly finally on Cinner, he is one of uh three players that we've seen. There may have been others, but we've seen him, Carlos Alcaraz and Arena Sabalenka all being asked to remove their fitness trackers, their wearable health tech watches that they've come onto the court wearing. They've been asked to remove them

at the coin toss and this has been picked up on um and it's become a bigger and bigger story. A lot of people have been doing um some digging into it um and in fact yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw they've picked up on it and they've been tweeting and releasing uh statements on social media today. Whoop founder Will Armour described the Alcaraz decision as ridiculous.

saying let the athletes measure their bodies. Wearables provide meaningful insight into workload recovery, injury prevention and clinical uh evaluation. Um that is from Dr Robbie Sicker, medical director at the PTPA. They're starting to get involved um in this as well. Um now the ATP and the WTA have um approved the use of uh wearable health tech.

Um they've got a list of approved uh manufacturers and suppliers and all the big ones are on there. It is the Grand Slams who have unilaterally decided to ban this. Um and it does seem that they are acting as one and wanting to act as one. There's a a uh there's a BBC article that I'm reading that suggests that the Australian Open would like to approve the use of

uh wearable tech, but it's it's sort of reaching a unified decision with the other slams that is the problem. I find that a bit bizarre because they're all happy to make their own decisions on things when it When it suits them again, pick yourself up and move yourself to October. That's a thing that you can do. I'm sure you can improve these wearable health days.

Um, it seems pretty bizarre that this isn't this isn't permitted, something that is so obviously um well, A, just normal, uh, in the year twenty twenty six and Secondarily um So obviously beneficial to the athletes who you know, are managing they're gonna be manag managing a forty five degree day tomorrow, playing

stressful stressful competitive matches, those those are conditions that you can't recreate in practice. The the data that you would get from playing those matches would be invaluable, I'm sure.

Um it has been suggested and this hasn't been confirmed by Benny of the Tournaments, but suggested that it The reason for the ban at the moment from the Grand Slams is that the the data ownership, the data generated by the health tech and the commercialisation of that data um is is what at issue and until it's kind of been determined who owns the data, whether it can be commercialized and monetized in some way, they kind of don't want to

give it up for nothing if there's some potential value there, I think seems to be the situation. Um there's obviously also the potential for partnership deals with with manufacturers, but it does I I it feels so backward to be seeing this, to be seeing elite athletes going out there with with Things I mean I'm wearing one right now. I'm wearing a very primitive version of what

what Carlos Alcaraz and Yannicksen are are wearing but like it's just a weird look for tennis to be actively discouraging this. Yeah. deal with long COVID symptoms and things like that. I mean there's all sorts of uh reasons health wise why you would want to particularly athletes at this sort of level, but any anybody in the drawer. Th this is affordable technology for for all of them and something that could really help them understand their body during matches, after matches, etcetera.

I don't see this as being a sustainable situation. I I think eventually they've they've got to find figure this out and and allow Um I I I underst I would understand if they're they're worried about w if i if it if it was connected to some live database or or something like that. But as Yannick Sinner's saying, you know, no, this is just for for me to have information about my body after the mat.

I think this should be allowed. Absolutely. Hear here. Okay, that is it for part two. We'll be back in part three with everyone's favourite sensation of the day and a little cameo from Yelena Ostepenko and Laura Siegman. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance, fiscally responsible, financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to progressive and save hundreds.

Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home, and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it, so your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates, potential savings will vary, not available in all states or situations.

Your leadership team is demanding AI automation. Your employees are already using it, just not the tools you approve. Shadow AI is spreading across your organization, creating security vulnerabilities, compliance risks, and But what if your teams could innovate faster while staying Secure. That's what area delivers. combines AI security, governance, and orchestration, so you never have to choose between

Protection. Take control today and embrace Enterprise A. Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast where I have two submissions.

For sensations of the day. I have Jason Kubler and Mark Pullman, who beat fellow sensations, Lee Two, and James McCabe six four six four to reach the men's doubles quarterfinals. and I have Kim Birrell and Talia Gibson former winners of Sensations of the Day, who beat uh Guo Hanou and Kristina Medenovich three six, six four, six two to reach the women's doubles quarterfinals. Now I would like to make a case for Jason Kubler.

Well I commentated um one of his matches the other day in the mixed doubles he was playing with Madison Inglis, his fiance who of course played singles tonight against Igor Schwantek and I hadn't realised what a horrific time with his physicality he Had had um, an incredibly talented young player, uh another one that was described as a a future Raphael Nadal.

Um and of course, you know, he has had results in singles. Fourth round I think at uh at Wimbledon a few years ago. But basically he discovered that he had a degenerative n severe degenerative knee issue. He's had seven surgeries on his knees. He was told by doctors that he couldn't play on any surface other than clay. For four years of his career he's been playing exclusively on clay. And here he is.

I I know he's he's he has won the Australian Open Men's Doubles title before with Rinky Hidjukata, so this isn't new territory. But I just think that's a great story. And there he was in the in the players box on Rodlav Arena tonight supporting supporting Maddie English. And he won that doubles with Rinky Higikata when we didn't have Sensation of the Day. So he didn't get he didn't get his chance. A backdated sensation of the day.

I think it's I think it's a good case board. Good case you've made. Okay. Jason Kub it's this is tough on Mark Pullmans, his partner, is isn't it? But there are future chances to get it. Oh Mark Pullmans wasn't there on the players' box. Yn y player's box watching Maddie Inglis? No, if it's doubles, it's a joint award, surely. I don't know anything about Mark Polman.

That's enough that he's partnering Jason Coogan. Okay, but Mark, do know that you're you're riding on the coattails of Jason Coogan. Okay.

Jason Kubler and to a lesser extent Mark Pullmans. You are our sensations of the day. Uh just while we're on the doubles, we should probably mention that the defending champions went out in the men's doubles today. Henry Patton and Heliovara lost to the unseeded Czech pairing. That the Czech radio guys that sit behind us were getting fantastically excited about this evening. Peta Newzer and Patrick Riekel, who quite honestly I

hadn't heard of, wasn't aware of, but what an upset they pulled off this evening. Two straight sets over Patton and Hedi Avara. And while we're on the doubles Would somebody like to describe what Elena Rostopenko did to Laura Siegmund earlier today? Yelena Ostapenko hit a tennis ball at Laura Sigmund uh sort of knee height, something like that. And it was volleyed back to Ostepenko, who then took a full blooded two handed backhand swing and smashed it into Laura Siegman's face. Um

I I probably shouldn't laugh. I am happy to say that Laura Sigmund appears to be absolutely fine. She's confirmed she's fine. It's okay to laugh. It's okay to laugh. Because it was very, very funny. Giv giv given all the stuff that Sigmund has been doing. Uh to to wind everybody up. And because it came from Ostepenko, uh, who There's some good gifts out there. Yeah. I mean it's it was very

So I mean it was such a big swing at the ball. It was a full pelt Oscar Dostapenko backhand at Laura Siegmans. From really close. Yeah, at close range. And all's fair in doubles, isn't it? And I think Laura Siegman, you know She gets that. She and if she doesn't she really should. But I think she gets that. It was uh it's an incredible moment and it is Out there widely on social media, if you want to see it. And Shay and Ostapenko now face to Bravsky Stefani, David. Oh our favourites. Yeah.

Okay, what have we got for you tomorrow? Day ten of the Australian Open. And all the singles is on one court from now on, folks. We've reached that stage. The Rodlaver Arena starting at eleven thirty AM. Uh now my weather app says that it's gonna be forty degrees by midday tomorrow, so I would not be surprised if all matches on the the main show courts are played under the roof and

play isn't suspended elsewhere. They are starting early elsewhere, I think, to try and get some play in. They've delayed the start of the wheelchair competition until uh Wednesday. It was supposed to start tomorrow but won't be starting now until Wednesday. There won't be any play on the John Caine Arena tomorrow, but they are leaving the John Caine Arena. The um mae'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r hyn.

safe haven to go to, which is a a smart move. But in terms of the Rodlava Arena, eleven thirty AM start with Arena Sabalenka against Ivo Yovic. Uh, then not before one thirty for Alexander Zverev against Leonard Tien and that is the upset that people are picking in our in our newsletter predictions. If if people are going for an upset it does seem to be that one. I think it's hard not to have been completely taken in by Tien's performance over Medvedev yesterday.

uh night session and this is the surprise. We were all expecting Alcaraz and Duminore As demanded by by channel fi channel nine to be the headline match at seven PM with the women shunted to the vibless death slot. But good on them, Coco Goff and Alina Svitilina starting the night session and Carlos Alcaraz And Alex DeMinour last up. Yeah, I think that's good scheduling from from the organisers here um to avoid a match potentially starting at goodness knows what time, you know.

could be midnight. I mean if if Demonor and and Alcaraz play a really long match y you don't want a match starting that sort of time. It's just so this is this is a good move because even if it's a a really close match between Goff and Svetilina Okay, Al Kras and Dimor may end up playing well beyond midnight, but at least they'll start at sort of nine thirty or something like that. Um

I I think it's a good order of play all all all rounds. You know, it's it's uh it's it's gonna be interesting. I c I personally I don't see Jovic being able to go with Sabalenka. Um I I would make Zverev favourite even as convincing and exciting as Learner Tien was, but I don't think Tien's without a chance. I really think he does have a chance, but I think Zverev's playing very well too.

So um fascinated to see how how how TN handles that occasion, how Zverev handles being the favourites uh on Rodlover Arena when he's played several matches on John Cain Arena. And then yeah, the night session I th I I would make Halcar's favourite and um and Coco Goff probably's favourite, but Svizzolina was excellent, yes, uh

So it's gonna be tomorrow. It's gonna be the good one, Catherine. Don't make promises. Um all I want from the night session is for is for for nobody to be asked sort of well-meaning but ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw'n ymwneud â nhw v marriage vibes and w what somebody that's earned twenty six million dollars in their career how w how they're gonna use their husband's credit card to celebrate winning.

That's all I want from tomorrow, as well as some adrenaline pumping. Matt, any predictions? It should be too much to ask. It shouldn't be too much to ask, Matt. No. But oh Do you see any upsets? Well in the newsletter I have gone T N. Uh, I think I think that is the most likely upset of the of the four. Um Closely followed I suppose by Svitelina Goff. Like that I think Svitilina I think she's unbeaten this year, isn't she? She has played really good tennis to start this season.

I just don't really see how she beats Goth in a very clean way, you know, like blowing off the court sort of thing. I don't think she really has the weapons for that. And I back Coco Goff in a tussle. You know, I ba I back you know, s normally it would back Svizzolina in one of those, but Goff is the one I back the most. So I I I do see Goff coming through that. Um I'm really looking forward to Alcarez Dimenour. Like I really do think that is gonna be fun. Uh but

I do think Alcaraz's class will show and he'll have just too much ultimately for Demonor. But I could see I could see T N Zverev going five, and I could see Goff's Vicelina being three sets. Like I think we might get I think we might get some matches going down if not quite to the wire, then to a decider tomorrow.

I will sign for that. Right now, I will sign for that. Well you'd think, Matt, you would think. I yeah, and look, I think, as you said, like most likely these matches are gonna be indoors. So You know, I don't love that, obviously. I'd much prefer the tennis to be happening outdoors, but in these conditions, get them indoors because it's gonna be brutal. And that I'm pleased that like I don't feel like the conditions are actually going to be...

too much at play tomorrow, right? I think it's gonna be too extreme that they're just gonna take the conditions out of it. And I prefer that rather than what we saw the other day where, you know, it was it was quite a tough scene looking how stressed a lot of the players were. Yeah, absolutely. Okay, well we'll be indoors in air conditioning, watching all of it. Uh we might brave it in in the evening, very much very much TBC because

d it's serious stuff tomorrow, uh so we're gonna be careful. Uh we have lovely m Gus, our mascot. I'm looking at a picture of Gus with her brother Tumble. Mae'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n ymwneud â'n hyn. Reggie territory. We're in Reggie territory, yeah. I've had to pivot with my strategy. We are where we are, Bodie.

Swing for the fences. That's that's that's what I've always said. Uh things are going better for David and Maisie and and Matt and Roger'cause they're more sensible than I am, apparently. Uh hello to Greg, Chris and Jeff, our executive producers and all-around top folks. Matt, let's have some shower.

We have Robin Hodge from Melbourne. Oh, hello Robin. Hi, Robin. Robin with a Y. uh like uh well, like my friend's daughter, my friend's gorgeous baby, and uh like Robin the Swedish recording artist. Hm, that's where my mind went. Um Like Robin Soderling if he happened to spell his name differently for a day? I I think we can allow that. I think Robin will allow that. Wasn't there a Robin Montgomery? There still is. And I think that is the right spelling. Maybe. I don't know.

Well, Robin. There's Robin Daniels. Of course. Who's a friend of ours and who we've worked with for many years. Yeah, these are all the I think if you add all these together, I think we've done Robin Proud. Absolutely. You're a legend, Robin. We've also got Madhumita from New Delhi, India. Hello Madhumita. We know Madhumita. We do. Big on the barge. Big on the barge. That's right. What a place.

Madumita says I started watching tennis in the mid nineteen eighties. Now we're talking. Most notably Wimbledon nineteen eighty eight when Graf and Edberg won their title. Edberg's first of three titles. I remember it well. It was the Steffi Graaff Golden Grand Slam year. What a year. Thank you, Mad Umita. And finally we have Kate Bradley. Hello, Kate. Hi Kate. And Kate says I would love to dedicate my shout out to our lovely dog Bob.

who we recently lost. He was an twelve year old a hundred pound Greater Swiss mountain dog. trusty companion over the years for long walks while listening to the pot. A lovely tribute. Thank you, Kate. That's I'm sorry to hear that, but that's lovely. I I know of a Pyrenean mountain dog, but I've never known a Swiss mountain dog, but I I hope to one day.

Kate Madumita Robin, thank you ever so much for your support of the tennis podcast. If you would like to become a friend of the pod, the link is in our show notes. We are part of the athletic podcast network. Whether the tennis is We'll be back tomorrow. Please, please join us. Thank you for listening. We'll speak to you then. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance.

Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try it at progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates Potential Sings will vary, not available in all states. Thy ticket, Lady Jennifer of Cool. Well many thanks, good sir.

Heareth my discover card. They accept Discover at Renaissance fairs? Yeah, they do here. Discover's accepted at the places I love to shop. Geteth with the times. With the times? You're playing the loser. Yeah, and it sounds pretty good, right? Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. Based on the February 2025 Nielsen report.