Cousins Prove Dreams Can Come True

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Hello and welcome to the Tennis Podcast. podcast introduced absolutely beautifully there by long-time listener and supporter and all-around excellent human being Steve Armour. Some little in-jokes in there from Steve that some Some of you will enjoy. Some will have gone over people's heads, but that's... That's fine. I loved it. So thank you, Steve, very much for that wonderful introduction to today's show. I am looking forward to this show very much indeed. The meat of the China swing.

has reached its conclusion. Shanghai and Wuhan coming to pretty extraordinary ends yesterday. David is here. Hello, David. Hello. Yeah, they did come to quite extraordinary conclusions, didn't they? And actually, I ended up having the loveliest time watching... All of it. The last few days of both tournaments I thought were fabulous. Yes, and it was tennis happening first thing in the morning, which is...

which is your dream and my nightmare. Although here we are at 8.14 in the morning recording today's show, which this is as productive as I am able to be before. before 9am I think and it's very much a one-off. Matt how are you doing? Yeah it's 814 BC for me before coffee and yet here we are. And I think it's going to be a good pod. I think you're right. I think it was a fun, fun conclusion to those tournaments. Like a little bit for everything. If you want your big names, go to Wuhan.

If you want the Rin Lekanesh family, go to Shanghai. Yeah, let's start in Shanghai.

shall we, which we obviously talked about on our last pod. We predicted chaos, but my goodness me, we didn't know that it would be Rinderkinesh. family chaos. Who could possibly have known that a David Law pep talk could have such a powerful force field that it could impact not only Arta Rinderkinesh himself, but all tennis players? playing members of his family, David. The world number 204, Valentin Vachero, beat his cousin, Artur Rindeknesh, in the final in Shanghai to win his first ATP title.

and become the lowest ranked man ever to win a Masters 1000 title. 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, absolute scenes in the final. adding his name to the list of players defeated by cramp in shanghai and my goodness me was it a in a long list and uh yeah look there's there's so many elements to this valentin vachereau And David, you were all in on all of it. All elements of the Valentin Vachero story were right up your alley.

Yeah, oh, there really were. And listen, I kind of got into the Vashro story because I was following Rindiknish. Obviously, I have a vested interest because... I've kind of got into Arthur Rinderkinesh this year. And I had my little chat with him in the corridor in the US Open. And Simon Briggs was good enough to remind us a couple of days ago that on last week's pod, I said he might go all the way, Rinderkinesh.

sort of drew slightly startled responses from yourselves. I think, Catherine, you said, what, win Shanghai? And I sort of said, well, and then I suddenly thought, actually, that does sound a bit ridiculous. Of course, that's probably not going to happen. back a little bit. And little did I know that another member of his family, ranked outside the world's top 200,

would actually go one step further by beating his cousin in the final. I mean, absolutely astonishing turn of events, but my word did I enjoy. the run of Vachero, the story of Vachero. He talked afterwards about how he wasn't sure. you know, whether he could keep this keep going anymore if he wondered whether he would ever get inside the world's top hundred. And he said his girlfriend sort of convinced him that it would happen this year for him. And here he's managed to do it. And.

In the space of a week, he's gone from outside the top 200 to 40 in the world. Rinderkinesh, in the speech at the end, you reiterated what he said to me in that little chat on Tennis Podcast Meets, that earlier this year, he wasn't sure whether he could... carry on. He's 30 years old. It's just, it's not going well. And now he's having the best results of his career. And it was the manner in which they both did it. You know, Rinderknecht beating Zverev and playing this kind of...

Cavalier-type tennis, swashbuckling tennis, getting to the net a lot. And again, he's been one-upped by this guy from Monaco who've never had a player like this at all, who's just got...

Explosive power on both sides. He's a strapping guy. Six foot four, six foot five. Huge big... hulking guy who just takes huge swings off both sides and has somehow managed to knock out Novak Djokovic despite losing the first game and going to break down you know we'll come on to Djokovic and maybe the physical state he was in but This was just an amazing run. There were six matches coming from a set down, you know, to get through to this stage. He turned up in Shanghai.

not even knowing if he'd get into qualifying. I mean, that is incredible all around. And it's made his career. It's made him a millionaire on the spot. He just seems like the loveliest bloke. I mean, it's probably... Not that difficult to seem lovely when you've just won that thing. But he really does seem like a lovely fella. And they were crying. I missed half of the goth-pagula match. I had to relegate that to the small screen just because I had to watch this.

trophy ceremony and hear the speeches and they didn't disappoint you know they they were they were there on the stage and one guy's looking to the sky in disbelief the other guy is down on his haunches they're both in tears telling each other how much they love each other in public in front of thousands of people and then rinder kinesh starts to cramp and falls off the stage having cramp in his leg and the and the cameras had to do a sort of instant cutaway just in case he was

really seriously ill. It was the most dramatic. Thankfully, he just had cramp. The ATP trainer, fair play to him, managed to get out there and sort him out, put him on a chair. But my word, what a dramatic scene and an amazing end to the tournament. Have we ever seen a medical timeout during a trophy ceremony before? The closest we've seen is probably when Nadal played Djokovic and they kind of had to give each of the chairs. But I've never seen an ATP physio have to attend the scene.

before and i really enjoyed vashiro's response it was the most the most family-esque response just sort of look at him and basically just laugh at him like He'll be all right. Very sibling code. Very sibling code. I think we're okay. Yeah. And look, I think we probably need to hold our hands up here. Valentin Vachero was...

Not somebody that was on our radar at all. I'm not sure he was on any radar. This is not some young up-and-comer whose card... was marked as a potential future talent, you know, watch out, watch out for this guy, keep an eye on his results. We knew him, we knew his name only as a wild card into Monte Carlo. That was how we knew him, because he's a Monogask, right? We thought he was the token local wildcard into Monte Carlo. We did not...

even know that he was Arta Rinderkinesh's cousin. And we are, I think in the scheme of things, particularly one of us, we're Arta Rinderkinesh connoisseurs. I think, you know. Yeah, I think that's what we are. We didn't even know that this guy was his cousin and that he had this in him. Like, it's a lot to process, Matt. It's a lot to process.

Yeah. And when I was thinking about it, I think it kind of was almost that element that made me think it was like such a special week because, you know, we've had.

family matches before in tennis you know I've had the McEnroe brothers play each other on the men's side I think that was the last time that there'd been like an all-family final on the men's side back in the early 90s there and obviously we had Venus and Serena like the most incredible sporting story that there is pretty much those two being at the top of the sport for so long but it was the unknown and it revealing itself to us in real time and them then going on to meet in the final

during the tournament where everyone learned about it, that made it so sort of cinematic and Hollywood and all of those cliches, you know, like that element. And also extremely amusing, you know, like as it... As it was happening, I was like, this point in the season, I want the funniest possible outcome at this tournament. You know, like it's been a tournament absolutely decimated by...

injury and retirements and withdrawals and players struggling. How can we get some fun out of this tournament? And it was clear that it was the Vashiro-Rindekanesh path. the collision course, and then to get it, you know, on semifinals day, we had them going up against Djokovic and Medvedev, you know, and you're thinking, okay, neither Djokovic or Medvedev are at their peak right now, but you would still expect them to end up in the final against each.

other and no it was it was the magic of the vashiro rindikanesh story and yeah it was a real it was a real how can you not be romantic about tennis weak wasn't it you know like so their mothers are sisters um also vashiro's coach is his half brother and the nephew of rindekanesh's mother so there's another connection there And there were so many moments where you had these real...

Just beautiful family moments, you know, whether it be Basharou coming on court after Rindakanesh had won his semi-final and giving Rindakanesh a big hug when they both knew they were going to be in the final. The fact they warmed up together the morning of the final.

and all the thing that Vachero wrote on the camera after he'd won saying grandma and grandpa would be proud just lovely lovely moments the whole way through and yeah hands up I did not have any idea that Vashiro could play tennis like that he'd won one tour level match prior to this, as you said, in Monte Carlo. And the extraordinary thing...

David's kind of mentioned it, the tennis he played from a set down all week. To win six matches from a set down, including a couple in qualifying, and one of those he was two points away from defeat. There was a graphic on the tennis TV coverage just literally showing how his ground stroke speed and speed generally on his shots went up in the final sets of these matches. He was just bold, playing aggressive tennis, going for it.

The final set he played against Rindnikanesh was unbelievable. I know Rindnikanesh was really struggling physically, but Bashirou did not miss a ball, really, the entire set. He was superb. So, yeah, just... Just a really incredible week and kind of a reminder that, as kind of Ashro said himself, things can... so quickly in tennis right you know like not not normally to this extreme this is this is crazy but it really does

Sometimes just take a week, a spark, a couple of matches or two, and you can change your career. And that's what Vashro's done. He's inside the top 50. He's going to be playing on the tour now rather than the Challenger tour. entering tournaments that he hasn't had a chance to enter before and yeah kind of live the dream is what he's going to get to do off the back of this week and like just crazily special

And will he be able to continue the dream, David? Oh, you went there. I know. It's OK if he doesn't. You came to the right guy. It's OK if it was just one romantic... cinematic week. It doesn't need to mean anything but I am intrigued to know if it means something because this was a unique set of circumstances in Shanghai, wasn't it?

You know, some players not there, a lot of players falling by the wayside because the conditions were so crippling and an incredibly slow... tennis court that these two dealt with incredibly like the

The amount of entertainment in their tennis on that court was so impressive. Like, at the start of the week in Shanghai, I was worried that there wasn't going to be any particularly fun... tennis to watch and it was all going to feel like death by a thousand cuts because it was so impossible to hit winners but that court actually kind of drew the magician out of both Vashiro and Rindikinesh, and they created something really, really fun. But is this a week or a 12-day period in isolation?

david i really hope not and because i really loved watching vesero play you know that he is fun to watch and he's he does draw you in he's very likable And I think that there are a lot of players and coaches. who may look at his game and be able to tell me specifically why he isn't higher ranked than he is and why what you're laying out there isn't going to be sustainable. To my eye, I look at a guy with the materials, with raw power off both sides.

I mean, he hit some stunning shots in that final alone. You know, being pushed into corners on his backhand side and coming out with clean winners. And they didn't look like they were wild, flailing shots. They looked... compact and repeatable um on the forehand he he just he has the ability to hit through that court you know not that many people were able to do that That seemed more of a sort of muscled shot, more of a kind of heave, but he was pulling it off. I don't see why he can't cope.

in in the sort of ranking level that he's that he's now at really just by just based on what i've seen i realize he's maybe just had the week of his life and a lot of them A lot of them could have gone the other way if you'd have just lost a couple of points here and there, and we may never have been having this conversation. That just shows how wafer-thin...

a future is and isn't. And that's a bit scary to think about. But the thing with top-level sports... is once you get up there, it's a lot easier to stay there. in tennis it might not be it might not be it's in some sports but actually rankings wise once you get into these big tournaments you only you only have to have a couple of good days here and there and you you pick up points and you stay in the ranking zone that you're in

I just think the upper echelons of his game are actually a lot higher than a lot of people who have been around the 50 in the world mark for years. Whether he... sort of has a bad run i mean you know lots of things go into whether you're able to to sort of string wins together are you mentally strong enough are you sort of are you do you believe in yourself all these things are factors but

Just looking at his game and his physique, I mean, hopefully he stays fit, all these things. But I just think, well, why not? You know, he's got a big game. If he survived Shanghai physically intact... David, I think he could survive some sort of meteor event. Well, that's a good point. I back him to stay physically fit. Nine matches. Nine matches in those conditions. And he's the guy who actually was...

getting better in matches. He's the guy who, in the final set of the final match, probably played the best tennis that anybody saw all week. And he beat so many different types of players. Gerrard.

Bublik, Mahatch. Okay, Mahatch was a retirement. Greekspor, Runa, Djokovic, Rindikinesh. Like, extraordinary run. And I think Greekspor... might be doing the sort of thing we're doing and a sort of slight Vashiro apology because his quotes after that match were a bit like, I beat Yannick Sinner the other day and now I just lost to Vashiro.

what is going on? But I suppose he's probably feeling a little bit better about that loss now that Rashford has backed it up, backed it up and backed it up again and gone on to win the title. I think the thing for me is that... kind of what we've said before about like young players and you only get that chance to be young player for a very short period and that's that's something that's so sort of special about

Being a young player, you can use that in a way. I almost feel like Vachero is going to lose that underdog status that he had this week that I think was absolutely underpinning everything that he did. You know, like every...

There was a sort of just snowball effect of underdog, really. Like you're going from one match into another. Like everyone was kind of underestimating him, thinking, OK, this will be the round where the run stops. And yet he just kept it going. And I think... being catapulted into that ranking spot that he's in now literally having won a Masters 1000 title I don't think people are going to be necessarily expecting him to sort of

back it up by winning more masters 1000 titles but he just won't be able to play with that same sense of freedom i suppose again I think, is my slight sense. And I think that was vital to how well he was playing, particularly from a set down in all these matches. So I totally take the point about...

It's going to be easier for him to earn bigger points now because he's getting into bigger events. I think he can maybe even continue to go up in the rankings, certainly hover around where he is for the next year or so. But I would...

I would be surprised if this isn't the absolute high point of his career. Similar question, but this time about Arthur Rinderkinesh. Who's... whose situation here is very, very different because this is the continuation. Okay, it's a very, very high peak in terms of the trend, but it's a continuation of... of a trend for Rinder Kinesh, of becoming a consistent, credible top 40, now top 30 player. I think he's up to 28 in the world.

what's next for Artur Indikinesh? And I guess kind of what I want to know, I know we have the credible Artur Indikinesh joke, but if he plays that same match against Yannick Sinner, a Roland Garros next year...

Does he approach it differently? Does he step on the court really believing he's going to win and he's not going to be the alley shuffle, high knees, entertaining for... five games guy and he's actually going to be the the guy that can have a serious challenge have a serious go at the top players david well i i think

The thing is, you do have to look at that draw and think, well, actually, maybe he was just a bit unlucky there for a start. He played Yannick Sinner. You can lose in straight sets to Yannick Sinner, and it's no shame. Yeah, I mean, look, I think because of his whole history with Taylor Fritz and his stub on his toe... having just celebrated wildly moments before and had to retire from a match. All these things made him look like a bit of a joke, really. And actually...

That sells him short, really. He's a very serious character about his tennis. He wants to be free on a court. I think he likes those celebrations. He sees them as almost a means to an end to try to free him up and play that loose kind of tennis. What I do think is I would want to seek out his matches at Roland Garros now, because he should be...

expecting, with the protection of a seeding, perhaps, a bit of a run. Come on, David, you have been seeking out Art of Rindiknesh matches for the last... For the last six months. No, I have, but I haven't seen it at Roland Garros. That's different, you know. And it's a bit like with Mute. This last year, I felt the same about him. You know, suddenly he's actually, this isn't just...

the odd one-offs. He's doing it at a loss now. How many French players are you intending to take under your wing? I am quite into a lot of them. You are. Yeah, you've got a little stable of... The French guys. I mean, there is only one artifice, obviously. And now a monogasque as well. Yeah, well, absolutely. These are all players that move me, and they're all a bit funny as well. Apart from Artifis, he's not funny. He's just electric and cool and dreamy and amazing. But I don't know.

I mean, the interesting thing for Rinderkinesh will be, I mean, he's turned 30 now. No, I mean, look, 30 isn't old in tennis standards now. It used to feel like this dead end age years ago. of making a breakthrough. Yeah, it is. And a little like Matt said about Vashro, we may look at 2025 as the pinnacle of...

Rinderkinesh's career. I think that that's perfectly reasonable to think that that might be the case. Equally, though, he's shown his game is a problem to people. I don't quite know how his service is as a... effective as it is the way he delivers it just just on to my eye he looks like he's too front on and as though he's going to fall over to his left when he hits the serve and yet he still manages and his ball toss is like the furthest fall

in the world, isn't it? He really does fall into it. I don't quite know how he gets the success with it that he does, but he sure does have it. And I mean, you know, he's beaten Zverev twice this year. I mean, look. 16 players have beaten Zverev. So, you know, it's not that big of an achievement. But I mean, you know, to do it twice, including a Grand Slam, I think is significant. And then to just be backing it up by beating the players.

players he's beaten. He beat Felix Ogiali Asim this week, and you saw at the net the kind of acknowledgement from Felix of what he'd just been beaten by. You know, this guy's playing some good stuff. I think it takes players by surprise because they just get a bit ambushed by the accuracy and power of the serve.

He's come into the net quad a lot. I think that's a good move. I don't think he's a great volleyer. He doesn't look like a great volleyer to me. But he's a big guy. He's tall. He's rangy. He's come in on good ground strokes. And he's just, he's there. And he's a problem. So I don't know. And I just...

I just think he worries people because he looks like he's not that bothered and that makes him more dangerous. And he is really bothered, but you don't know when he's coming for you. He's not a good volleyer, but he is there. That is the faintest of compliments, isn't it? Should we talk about Novak? Well, if you were the...

The various victims of the Rindikanesh family along the way in Shanghai, starting with Novak Djokovic, who was beaten in the semis in straight sets by eventual champion. He had a wild old week, did Novak Djokovic, and ended up physically really struggling in that... in that semi-final and which you can look at two ways a lot of people were physically struggling last week in Shanghai just add Novak Djokovic's name to the list looked at another way he's 38 years old this is

part of a trend of seeing Novak Djokovic exit tournaments looking like a 38-year-old. Where do we stand on where Novak Djokovic is at after last week, Matt? I think it slightly depends what your answer is to the question why did he go to Shanghai? Because, you know, like... If he went to prove that he can still win, you know, big level tournaments and I think particularly get through big level tournaments without physical issues.

You know, I remember in that final press conference at the US Open where he was talking a lot about the problems he's having over best of five, but he mentioned best of three and like that. Over that format, he almost thinks that he would have maybe more of a shot at beating Sinner or Alcraz because he really felt like it was the physical toll of having played.

four or five best of five set matches and then having to play Suna and Alcraz at the slams that was holding him back. But we saw a lot of physical issues in Shanghai, even over... best of three you know like every match was an enormous struggle and it was a combination of I think the conditions like

They've never been his ideal conditions, that kind of oppressive heat and humidity. Particularly now, I think they're not going to be. But also he was obviously having quite a lot of back issues as well, wasn't he? And look, at times... His level was good, but equally at times he was being really pushed by guys that he's always been able to beat much more easily than that. You know, he went three sets with Hanfman, three sets with Munar.

two tight sets with Zizou Berg. You know, it was not peak Djokovic level. So if you think he went to win the title and maybe even beat a Sinner or Alcaraz, I think them not being in the tournament... Certainly Alkraut's not even starting it. Sinner having to retire so early in it. That might have just...

It might have sort of opened it up as a chance for Djokovic to win it, but he might also have gone there hoping to play one of them and test his own level against them over best of three. So from that point of view, I think you have to say, I don't think he got out of Shanghai what he wanted at all. However, I'm having a slight readjustment of why Novak Djokovic is playing tennis at all. And I've always thought he's only playing to win, you know. But he's kind of told us that...

He is looking for these moments. He is looking for appreciation and love. And he's getting that. I mean, the reception he gets in China has always been incredible. I think... He's earned it and deserved it, by the way, that he really does go out of his way to, you know, he speaks pretty good Chinese and he writes on the camera and he spends a lot of time with the fans. And, you know, he really does respect.

the culture that is over there and the fans that he has there and, you know, all of that. So, and I do think now... that is a big reason as to why he's still playing. And he got that. He got a lot of love. He got a couple of incredible moments, you know, flat on his back. after dropping the second set against Munar, looking down and out, and then coming back and defiantly winning the third set. You know, I'm starting to think that these little moments now are what Novak Djokovic is in it.

I think there's obviously still part of him that wants to win these titles, of course, but I no longer think it's the be all and end all for him. So to answer your question, I don't know, because I do think there's both. I think he wants to win, but he wants... more than that and he got more than that but he didn't win so i i really don't know i wonder whether you have more more clarity in your answer but i i feel like

That's just where we're going to be now with Novak Djokovic, constantly weighing up these different elements of why he's still playing. And some weeks will give him that satisfaction and some won't. I think on the whole, this one probably did. He had a run. He got the love. But it's hard to look past those physical issues and see how...

how much he was struggling. And when I think about him talking about LA Olympics and all that kind of thing, when you see him like this, it's kind of like, well, what state is he going to be in in two years time? Like, I think he's gathering evidence in terms of what his exit out of the sport is going to be. And I don't know whether it's completely clear in his mind.

Yeah, as always, he remains, whenever he's in the draw, he makes it, he kind of makes it more compelling and more fascinating. Do you agree, David? Do you think there's been a shift in mentality and motivation? from Djokovic? I definitely think over the last year there has. This is not isolated. Most tournaments that he has been in, he has ended up looking... physically less than when he started.

and much more than anybody else, and much more than he ever has, and he's acknowledging it. It's like his body can't really cope with the rigours of... of a full tournament up you know maybe it would in a 250 um or or something like that or a a one week 500 something i i don't know um maybe he just needs a bit of good luck and and his body to

to kind of handle it for a couple of weeks because I don't think it's for lack of preparation or anything like that. I think he, I mean, you could say it might be a lack of matches going into a Grand Slam perhaps, but I trust him to be... turning every stone over in practice and preparation. He just happens to be 38 and starting to look like it now. I think the big question mark for me is whether he has in his mind already decided what the exit is.

And it might be sooner than... I'm not so sure it is just tournament to tournament and see how I feel now. And I have no evidence for that. I don't know that. He doesn't subscribe to that. in in things he says out loud but you know he must he must think about i think he even he said he thinks about it he may just not have reached a decision or a conclusion But I still wouldn't be at all surprised if next year is his last. And I think that would be absolutely fine for him.

his legacy i just hope for him that it isn't kind of limping out of something and realizing i can't play anymore at all like it was for roger federer that's that's what i hope he manages to avoid that he can figure out some sort of that he wants to go and get that. Yeah, I think I expect next year to be his last. What exactly that looks like, I...

I don't know. But I think I do expect 2026 to be the end of the road for Novak Djokovic. And maybe he's thinking, OK, what if I do a farewell tour next year? Does that tour... go beyond the Grand Slam season. You know, maybe he's thinking this is my last chance to play Shanghai and that was his motivation for being there this year. It's certainly...

very possible, I think. I could imagine it being Wimbledon, personally. Because I think he really does want to play one more Wimbledon. And I just have a feeling that might be what happens.

that he decides that that's the perfect note. Just before we move on to Wuhan, I feel like we should touch upon... The Daniel Medvedev show in Shanghai. Matt, you said what you want at this time of year is funny. I feel like Daniel Medvedev has been delivering that, and in particular his matches with Lerna Tien, which is my favourite new... weird rivalry uh in atp tennis they played uh the match of the week i think last week i loved medford ftn even though it felt like a

a sequel to The Hunger Games. It kind of had a little bit of everything. And as much as Medvedev is delivering fun... He also does seem to be delivering some of his best tennis in a very, very long time. Yeah, I mean, sequel to the Hunger Games, sequel to their match in Beijing. the week before where you know it felt like the script writers only had one script for that and that is medvedev to to go up a set and look to be like he's going to win it and then start cramping dramatically

And for Tien to get back in the match. But this time, Medvedev did manage to get over the cramps. He didn't have to retire. And actually, an incredible display of resilience, I think, to win that match. in three sets the way he did, and then play a really good match, I thought, against Dimonor. You know, there were elements there of absolute vintage Medvedev, you know, Dimonor.

simply unable to get the ball past him. And then Medvedev able to turn the tables and hit big winners up the line. You know, really good Medvedev elements in that match. He's not back. By any stretch of the imagination, you know, like the serve for one is still nowhere near as good as it was when he was at his peak. And he is having more physical issues. I know it was, you know, extreme in Shanghai, but, you know, even in that.

Dimonorm actually looked like he was hanging on and struggling even in a straight sets win. But it's good signs, you know. There were times where I thought maybe the Thomas Johansson coaching partnership might be over at the end of that TN match, considering the volume of abuse that was going his way. And then...

he gets the win and he plays that match against Dimonor and I think, oh, it's healthy and it's never been better in the Johansson-Medvedev coaching partnership. You know, like, it was really swinging one way and then another, kind of, that was the Medvedev experience. all week but yeah like good to at least have him back getting to the latter stages of big tournaments um again whether he can continue that let's see but

I think we saw kind of the value of Medvedev in a week like this, where I thought he was extremely compelling viewing. And yeah, the TN-Medvedev little rivalry there is...

God, give me more of their matches. Like two players who construct points and struggle to hit winners cleanly, but use their minds in such an interesting way. And you know that Medvedev... really rates tn you know in that interview afterwards he was massively talking him up he basically said he can't serve his serves rubbish he basically said but from the back of the court

he is one of the very, very best players in the world. And I think anyone who's watched TN would probably agree with that assessment. So yeah, more of them playing against each other, please. More of TN generally, and hopefully more of... Medvedev looking a bit more like his old self. I know David's quite into the Johansson-Medvedev partnership. I'm intrigued by it. And I've always liked Thomas Johansson. I got to know him similar vintage. I was on the tour when he was on the tour.

I think he's a shrewd guy, but he's also, he's just got that really down-to-earth, deadpan, Swedish kind of... I'm not going to listen to any of this nonsense. I'm just going to crack on with my job attitude, you know. He did a great job of just putting his head down and just saying, come on, you know, serve out wide, you know, watch for the slider.

And he wasn't rising to any of it. It felt like Medvedev was trying to challenge him, trying to bait him, provoke him into a reaction. I've never really... I think probably McEnroe might be similar, but I don't think I've come across many like Medvedev, who's able to go from, I think, being really... rude and obnoxious actually uh to to umpires and to his coaches and and actually makes me thoroughly dislike him and then a couple of minutes later

be talking in his on-court interview, kind of owning every bit of it, but giving a really detailed analysis of what's just happened and why, and he's utterly compelling and likeable. How he manages that and kind of then turns me around, it's quite something. But...

I mean, I think it's come at the right time, this coaching change, because he needed a new injection of life into his career. Whether it's going to last and amount to much, we'll wait and see. But it was definitely the right call, I think. OK, that's it for part one. Join us in part two when we will head to Wuhan and the WTA 1000 title won there by Coco Gauff.

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Welcome back to part two of the tennis podcast, where we turn our attention to Wuhan and Coco Goff's first title there. She beat Jessica Pagula, her former doubles partner, 6-4, 7-5 in the final. Beat Jasmine Paolini in the semis. Didn't drop a set all week. She's never as high as you think and she's never as low as you think, Matt. Coco Goff is... is incredible. She's absolutely incredible. I mean, the manner of her defeat in Beijing, as much as I...

said on last week's podcast and I was telling myself, you know, let's not catastrophize about Coco Goff off the back of one poor performance. I still didn't expect her to go to the next tournament and win it without dropping a set. Same. Yeah, like a very good week for the latter part of that take. Never as low as you think she is. Yeah, she was so nearly double bageled by Amanda Nissimova a few days ago. And then...

turns it around and wins the title. And actually, this is now two seasons in a row where you've come out of the US Open and there's been a big, big part of me thinking, shut the season down. like go and have a rest go and work on the game have a block and it's two seasons in a row where she's gone on and had some really really big success you know she won

What was it? Beijing last year and the WTA finals after the US Open. And this year she's now won Wuhan. And she even said that her coach thought about shutting the season down. you know, considering it. And she said, no, I still want to play. And look, the game was a lot better this week. I think...

There are still obviously elements that she can improve. You know, she played a match against Jasmine Paolini where there were 11 breaks of serve in a row, you know, like in the middle of that match. And I thought she played a great... tactical match against Paolini to not feed her forehands. You know, she'd lost to Paolini three times already this year and she just made the matchup look different. Incredibly smart tennis from Coco Gauff to do that.

And then in the final, again, incredibly tactically smart to mix up the pace of her shots and not give Pagula rhythm, which Pagula absolutely... and is so good at. But she took pace off. She mixed up heights and spins and just really scrambled Pagula's mind a little bit as Pagula tried to take it into a third set. you know, there were still double faults looming. You know, there was a sort of run of them that meant that she went three love down in that second set.

But she was also serving 74% first serves in. There were clear improvements to her game that we've seen, even from just the week before, or certainly since the US Open. So I think... She's absolutely... It's been a good decision to keep playing and try and put some of those changes into practice, I think, and get a title like this. She's got this absolutely remarkable record in finals, hasn't she? She's never lost a final on a hard court. She's the first player ever to win her first nine.

WTA finals on a hard court it's a really impressive thing the way she competes in these big finals and yeah you come out of it just absolutely in awe again of her resilience really because you know she could easily have been really dismayed coming off uh beijing where anisimova beat her so so easily

And yet she puts it behind her, comes out and wins the title the next week. It is absolutely remarkable. It's something that has powered her whole career, really, where she's often had her biggest successes off the back of... some really poor form just in in recent in recent months so yeah like very very impressive week from Coco Golf and good to see because I did I was beginning to wonder whether

It did feel like she needed a week like this. As much as I stand by the take, I do still think she needs those little wins along the way. And she just hadn't really had one in a while. Ever since Roland Garros, it had been... Only question marks and only concerns about the game. From the outside, mostly. I think she was pretty confident in her choices and the process she was on. But...

You want these little wins along the way. And she's got a pretty big one here. And yeah, just hats off and incredibly, incredibly impressive from Coco Gauff. On Pagula, David, she might not have left Wuhan with...

trophy but she's she's confirmed her qualification for Riyadh okay that was you know that was never in in much doubt, but she's confirmed to be in that field. Fourth American to qualify this year. Reached the final, obviously, but also did the impossible. She snapped Irina Sabalenka's tie. break streak by beating her in the semi-finals in an incredible match. Yeah, and particularly an extraordinary end because she was 5-2 down in the deciding set to Irina Sambalenka.

To turn around a match like that, I'm not sure whether to be more shocked. at Sabalenka letting that go or more impressed that Pagula turned it around? I mean, I suppose on both, at the end of the day, I certainly don't want to take anything away from Pagula because I really feel like she stepped up to Sabalenka. She challenged her. She took...

play away from her. She has a brilliant way of retaliating in rallies, does Pegula. I think she's great at staying in them, reading where balls are going, and then she tries to sting you with her own shots if she can get... half a half a yard sort of thing to to swing

But that was a massive shock, really, Sabalenka. Once she'd got into the tournament, I mean, I saw Sabalenka's first match against Rebecca Shremkova, and Shremkova broke her immediately with some incredible returning. And I thought, oh, wow, Sabalenka's in trouble here.

She lost the set. And when she'd won that match and got back into it, I thought, she's going to win this whole tournament again. You know, she just doesn't lose this thing. And that's how it was looking, really. You know, she's in the semifinals against Pegula. I was sort of waiting for the tournament to catch up with Pagula. That was her eighth match in a row where she's gone.

best of three sets gone the distance and and you know matt had detailed that in his stat in our newsletter that that this is sort of in the record books stuff now you know this is this was equaling the most recent um streak of three set I can't remember who the other player was. I know Alison Risk was the leader, Matt. Who was the second one? It was Ostapenko on eight a couple of years ago as well. Yeah. Yeah. And she'd become...

Such a great watch at Peguila, the way she was just struggling to convert match points herself, but then saving match points on her own side. kind of when everybody's wilting physically and everybody's just sort of struggling at the end of the year and struggling in the conditions she seems to be almost getting better

And I definitely do think this has been the best spell of the year in many ways for her. She's looked... great she's looked full of running full of energy and and i i dare say she doesn't completely feel like that but that's how it was coming across so it's a fantastic run to the final i do think i felt like she was hitting the wall in the final she went three

loved down immediately to golf made a real match of it even though it was straight sets but as matt was saying that the strategy of golf who i would say I always remember the quote she gave at the US Open where she said, after the US Open, to me, the rest of the year really is about working on my game. So even though she hasn't taken time off for a block to work on it, her attitude shifts.

in her words, so that she's not thinking about results all the time, even though she's actually amassing these incredible results. She says it's about working on her game and trying to get better for next year. And maybe there's something in that in terms of what you actually end up with that you perhaps loosen up a little bit.

She certainly looks a lot looser than she does at the US Open, which it really struck me when we were at the US Open how not only, obviously, all the question marks about the serve and the biomechanics coming in, but... All the stuff she is signed up to do with sponsors and expectations of her at the US Open. suddenly weighed incredibly heavily this year, I felt. I was taken aback by that. And so, yeah, maybe now it's a little easier in a way. And weighed heavily...

before that on Wimbledon, I think in a slightly different way because of the amount of stuff of that ilk she did following on from the Roland Garros victory. Yeah, I think that's a... That's a really good point. I just want to echo David's sentiments on the Jessica Pergoula experience over the last two weeks. Her matches, particularly the ending of her matches, have been... So fun. And I can't tell whether she's been...

like the most clutch player on tour or the most un-clutch. Like she's won from match points down against Raducanu, lost from match points up against Noskova, made a total mess of the first set against Navarro, but ended up...

coming back to win it. Needed seven match points to beat Hayley Baptiste. Double faulted four times in a game when trying to serve out the match against Sabalenka. The only time all match she hit the double fault, but then reset to... win the tie break against Sabalenka who'd won 19 in a row like her ability and I use that word reset her ability to put stuff behind her and get back to work in matches is

ridiculous like you know we talk about Coco Goff's resilience I think Pagula is up there in terms of resilience as well like it's it's remarkable the way these matches have finished in such dramatic ways one after another And I have to come down on the side of Clutch generally because she's won so many of them. It's just taken a really long-winded route so often to get there, but she's often ended up getting the win and, yeah, full...

Full credit to her. It's been so fun to see that. Jasmine Paolini got her first ever win over... Igor Shiontek and how. 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Matt, you texted the group to say Paolini was returning like Andre Agassi. Which I know is always a dangerous thing to put in a WhatsApp group with. with david because you know under agassiz returns david will

We'll defend them to the help, put them as... He'll go to war for them. But I thought, he's not going to argue about Jasmine Paolini. I'm safe. It wasn't far off. And look, Andre Agassi... who was doing it against Gorani Unisevic's serve on a slick, fast grass court at Wimbledon. But what I meant was just the devastating impact, you know, and... Paolini was just taking Svantec's serve apart in a way that I'd never seen her do before. I'd seen other players do it, but I'd not seen Paolini do it.

Her numbers generally in that match were incredible. 15 winners, only three unforced errors. She was playing bold, risky tennis, but not making errors off it. It was like a perfect Paolini. She was so good. I think Svante looks pretty exhausted, to be honest, and like she needs the end of the season. So I wouldn't draw too many conclusions about her performance, really. I think...

It's likely that some of your worst habits are going to come out at this time of year when you're feeling like she is. But from a Paolini perspective, she needed that win. right? Like, it's important for her. She's trying to get into the WTA finals and she'd never beaten Igor Sviantek before. Even an Igor Sviantek who's not at her best, I thought would be a difficult matchup for Paolini. But she just...

dominated it and okay she couldn't keep it going against Coco Goff but she's at least like really put herself in pole position it's in her hands you know she is now ahead of Rabakina in the race and if they're both in Ningbo this week so you know if Paolini can better Rabakina's result she's gonna she's going to still be in front of her. So like a big week for Paolini, I would say, who hadn't had her best tennis before this Fiontech match and then just delivered it emphatically.

Yeah, we've got two spots up for grabs and basically three players fighting for them. And all three of those players are playing the 500 event in Ningbo this week. So it's Andreva, Paolini and Rabakina. And Paolini is very much in pole position. musician there.

And yeah, they've got a great field in Ningbo. So Andreeva, Raducanu, Rabakina, Paolini, Bencic, Mboko, Alexandrova, Vondroshova, Mukova. Great, great field. Alexandrova is a... top 10 player now when I did my fantasy league picks at the start of the year I didn't think Katerina Alexandrovich was going to be the My bread and butter. She's keeping you afloat. But I also didn't think Unchaketebu was going to be my bread and butter. So, you know. Did you have bread or butter? Yes, Alexandra. No.

No. No, my original team had Hubert Hercatch in it. Where's he been? Managed to fob him off on David. Yeah. That was a good bit of business. You named your team Buyer's Remorse. And I very much stand by that. It was like two o'clock in the morning, wasn't it? Perth? It was two o'clock in the morning and I was also hosting the... Oh yeah, that was the other excuse. The draft. It was a... Savage matter. Yeah, I really fumbled. It was a real...

It was terrible for me. I had a real crisis of confidence afterwards. Anyway, it was a learning experience. As I recall it, mid... auction, you were sort of really doubting yourself all the way through it. I thought myself was quite a good multitasker, but I really, I don't know, under the heavy microscope of a draft, I really... I crumbled, David, and ended up with Huber Hercatch and Ekaterina Alexandra, although accidentally that was a great pick.

Here we are. Folks, that is it for part two. Join us in part three when we'll cover some bits and bobs of news, including important One Point Slam news. This podcast is brought to you by WISE, the app for international people using money around the globe. With Wise, you can send, spend, and receive up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps, and save up to 55% compared to major banks. Plus, Wise won't add hidden fees to your transfer.

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Welcome back to part three of the tennis podcast, where before we get on to the section that I'm busting to talk about pertaining to the... the revamped one-point slam. Some more serious bits of news. Jack Draper has hired Jamie Delgado as his new head coach. He will continue to work with James Trotman, who's been his...

Very, very long-standing coach and has remained a part of the team even when other coaches have come on board. Obviously, Wayne Ferreira most notably for a short period last year. But Jamie Delgado will be... The primary coach, by the sounds of things, he will cover the majority of weeks on tour. And James Trotman will continue to be there, but in a slightly more backseat role. What was your reaction to this?

news david well i do think james trotman's a very good coach and they've done really well together um i don't know the circumstances behind that but i do rate jamie delgado I think he's a good bloke. I think he's proved that he can work with several different players now, and he's...

I mean, he did a solid job with Andy Murray at different stages of his career. He was there for a long time. That gave him a good grounding at the very top level. He saw things, I think, at the top level that really stand you in good stead for informing. other players what it takes. And I think Denis Shapovalov made an enormous mistake by not

continuing with that relationship and really investing in Jamie Delgado for the long run because he got an immediate return, as it turned out, with a run at the Australian Open. Grigor Dimitrov then picked up... Delgado and really has had some amazing results the last two or three years. I think absolutely maximised his game, helped him maximise his game. I know also Danny Valverde was involved there too, but just looking at the work of...

Dimitrov he finally kind of figured out what he should be doing I think and Delgado was a big part of that I think he just I think he understands tennis. I think he understands when I sometimes say I'm talking from a layperson's point of view. that I'll often go to Jamie and he'll sort of back it up. He'll back up what I'm seeing with my eyes, with the specifics. And I would have thought he will understand Jack's game very quickly. He will understand how it hurts.

people um and and there's always the question mark of how to manage jack to try to help him stay fit um which is not something a coach alone can do they need a team of people but There will be a similarly common sense approach, I think, that Delgado will provide, as will have happened under James Trotman, and at a higher level with more people in the past.

He's also happy to go all in, Delgado, isn't he? And be there as many weeks as you need him for. Yeah. Which I think can be quite a big deal. That's often not the case with the... the very top you know the high level coaches it's a bit of a negotiation of how many weeks they're prepared to be on the road

So that'll be interesting to see in 2026. We've also had the news that the ITIA has introduced a support programme for players navigating integrity investigations. So that's anti-corruption. and anti-doping investigations. This is a trial scheme which is starting immediately and it introduces support initiatives for anyone involved in an ITIA investigation including...

financial assistance to test products, confidential third party counselling and free legal support. So a review of this trial will happen at the end of 2026. of the ITIA Karen Morehouse said anyone who finds themselves part of either anti-doping

or anti-corruption investigation deserves the opportunity to defend or explain themselves and we recognise the process can come at both a financial and emotional cost. No player picks up a tennis racket as a child with any motivation other than playing the game. individuals find themselves in these situations for a lot of reasons. And so no matter what those reasons are and where the case ends up, they also deserve someone to talk to. This is kind of a, it's basically legal aid.

but in a tennis setting and does seem to be, although it's not explicitly referenced there, a direct response to some high-profile cases. You've got the Tara Moore case. which dragged on for a very, very long time. And she's been very outspoken about the toll that that took and her own personal inability, she felt, to be able to...

properly defend herself in that time. And also you've got the Yannick Sinner case where everything seems to have been above board, but he obviously has tremendous... resource available to him to be able to defend himself and get access to to every possible bit of leniency or loophole or whatever you want to call it get the best possible treatment because that is what you

hire people to do for you if you've got the resource to do it everybody would so this on the face of it it you know practically how it all works out we don't know we'll find out at the end of 2026 but As a headline, David, this seems like a really good thing. Yeah, I'm happy that this is happening. I do think, goodness, how deep are the pockets here for...

the cases that could come up, the number of cases. And given the Tara Moore example, just how long it's taken and how expensive it would have been. But look, I'm... I'm happy that something is changing in this situation because, yeah, I mean, it doesn't feel right that you just don't have a chance. of defending yourself if you are innocent because you don't have those resources. Yeah, you don't want finance and resource to be the determining factor in justice.

Nobody wants that. The sport doesn't want that. OK, that'd be an interesting one to follow. Now, the big one point slam news. It's had a makeover, folks. I'm nervous. I'm really nervous. It didn't need a glow up. Well, it wasn't quite perfect. But it was a beautiful, beautiful thing. And maybe it will continue to be. Maybe it will get more beautiful. I'm wary of not doing what I do.

What I originally did with the one-point slam, which was write it off, and then it turned out to be the absolute light of my life. This could be the same, but I am anxious. They've announced this week Tennis Australia. The winner of this year's One Point Slam will earn one million Australian dollars. There's a new format. means that there are 10 amateurs competing and 22 professionals. This year it was 16 and 16. And Craig Tiley has confirmed that Carlos Alcaraz will play.

So any Australians or international players who have registered with Tennis Australia can enter the One Point Slam events at their local tennis clubs. The winners of the grassroots tournaments will then go into a draw with one amateur player from every state and territory selected. Now, I can't believe I'm about to say this because... I would have thought that there is no event in tennis that could not be enhanced by the participation of Carlos Alcaraz.

I don't think this event needs Carlos Alcaraz. In fact, I think Carlos Alcaraz goes against the spirit of the one-point slam. Is that controversial to say? No. Like, it needs professionals, but I almost think the fact that this year the professionals were Priscilla Hon and Omar Jessica, and OK, there was a Hercatch, there was a Rublev, but like... The point is that it's pros against amateurs, not that it's... I don't know, it's not... Carlos is a pro. Yeah.

Catherine, it's going to happen all over again. You're going to turn up and you're going to bloody love it. Look, I think I will enjoy it, but I'm worried they've stripped the heart and soul from the one-point slam. You want it on the Keir Arena. I want it on the Keir Arena. I want Paul. We all remember Paul.

Yeah, and look, OK, it was won by a pro this year, but it was won by a pro for whom $60,000, which was the prize, was still a really, really massive deal. It was won by Omar Jessica, wasn't it? I don't know. I know I'll be into it. I'll love it. But I just I feel very protective of it's my favourite event of the year. And I don't think it need I just don't think it needed a revamp. It was such a beautiful thing.

All it needed was the finessing of the coin toss situation. It needed less faff. I remember there'd been quite a lot of... Yeah, it needed less faff. Yeah. It's going to get more faff, isn't it?

It's going to get more faff. Well, I mean, I think this is Craig Tiley's response to the US Open mixed doubles. It is. You know, I think that's the reason that they've... gone so big now on the one point slam like i think they've seen what the us open did in terms of hosting a big event in the lead up with top players and they've thought we want some of that They've seen what it did to Catherine Whittaker. Yeah. But it did that to me because...

Paul was the star of the One Point Slam 2025. Not Carlos Alcaraz. I don't remember who Paul is or was. I sent you a video of Paul mere days ago, David. With timestamps. Paul was the am that took the one point slam by Storm. Didn't quite win it, but he did take out. A couple of pros along the way had a swashbuckling wide serve. Paul is the point of the one-point slam, not Carlos Alcaraz, is what I'm trying to say. Still ten potential falls. Paul should be the star.

I would feel better if it was even number of amateurs and pros again. I don't like that discrepancy. It's got a little bit of, I suppose we will have to invite Andrea Vavasori to the next doubles to it. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I suppose they will say that by doing this local club grassroots stuff, they're trying to reach out to the... amateur players and get people participating that way but my response would be great but let's have equal numbers on the actual Rod Laver arena for the

you know, for the finale. I think, I don't see why you can't even that up. I don't see Al Karaz against her catch playing one point. No. That's just absolutely not the point. No. No. What makes you think her catch is in this? Because he was in it last year. He was the big draw last year. Yeah, he was. Yeah, him and Rublev were the big names, weren't they?

You think he's not going to get the call-up again, David? No. Like Matt says, I think this is their mixed doubles, so they're going to get as big of names as possible, and they're going to make it as glitzy as they can. But... It's still amateurs coming in for one point against them. I think it's going to be great. Okay.

I hope so. Thank you for your reassurance, David. It's very important to me that the one point slam remains the light of my life. You can go. I think there's an event also on the Monday, Catherine, involving. just the amateurs it's some sort of qualifying thing to get to the night session event on the wednesday and you're i'm pretty sure you're already gonna you might already be in melbourne so yeah that's my monday you've got to be there yeah yeah

Great. Brilliant. This week... Well, I... Twiddle my thumbs, just counting down to the one-point slam. What have we got to entertain us this week? Talked about Ningbo, the WTA 500 event. We've also got a WTA 250 event in Osaka, where Naomi Osaka is the... top seed. You've got Linda Nojkova there as the second seed. She must be absolutely exhausted, Nojkova. That tournament, I was watching a bit of that this morning, that's a throwback event in terms of the court colours.

Yeah, like most courts now are blue. This one is green. It's like watching tennis from David's time. Obviously, it's still David's time. Okay. But David's favourite time. Good rescue. Yeah, you could save that. What I'm saying is I couldn't see the ball. Fernandez Baptiste is the first round. I'll definitely check.

Check that out. That sounds great. We've got the ATP 250 event in Almaty. Karen Hashanov is there. Daniel Medvedev, Flavio Cabali all in the draw. We've got Mute Tomic round one. Did you all see these? social video this week from shanghai of the players trying to hit through a very very small target or three targets of varying sizes but everybody was going for the uh the top one, the smallest one. Have you seen that, David? No.

Oh, no, I have. Yes, yes, yes. It's a good bit of content. Very good. Didn't Medvedev turn up and do it first time on the backhand? He certainly did it. Not quite first time, but he did it. Everybody was so on brand. He missed the first couple and then kind of... figured it out and bunted a completely flat backhand through the slot. TN did it. Leonard TN figured it out. He looped. He plopped a topspin forehand through the slot. Flavio Caballi.

just sort of flailed a bunch of shots at the target and then just did sort of very extravagant gestures towards the target when they didn't go in. Alexander Zverev just looked annoyed and like the world was against him because it didn't work out for him. Yeah, it was a good bit of content and not necessarily revealing because everybody... Everybody was exactly who you thought they would be.

I think, in quite a fun way. The ATP is also in Brussels this week for its 250 event. You've got Lorenzo Mazzetti and Felix Orgelia Seam is the top two seeds. Joel Fonseca and Botek van der Zanschelp is around one. Yes, please. I've also got an ATP 250 in Stockholm. Holger Rune and Kasper Rude, the top two seeds. You've got Ima against Ima in round one. Mikhail against Elias, keeping up the...

the family theme in the ATP. And we've also got the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, involving Novak Djokovic, Carlos Al-Kharazianic-Sinna, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, and Dennis... Shapovalov. No, it's Stefanos Tsitsipas, isn't it? I thought that was weird. Why was Shapovalov? Have you just done a late edit to the agenda? I mixed up Tsitsipas and Shapovalov in my head.

And wrote Shapovalov when I meant Tsitsipas. My trust in you is such that I went ahead and read Shapovalov, even though every bone in my body was saying, Denis Shapovalov has not been asked to play them. The Saudi Kings. Yeah, sit to pass. Djokovic has been given the second seeding in this event, which means he gets a bye. How many of these injured players are going to make it, I wonder?

After all their various ailments. Matches on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. It's going to be on Netflix. By the way... What a wild thing a tennis season is. Joel Fonseca is now lower ranked than Valentin Vachero. He's the guy we should have been bigging up.

Predictions really are a false game, aren't they? Yeah. What about us? We are back on Monday. with our next show to talk about all of that. We also have a Friends show, a Q&A show live on Friday night this week. What fun. A Friday night live show. Disco Davis. Disco David making a comeback. So if you're a friend of the pod, that'll be live on Friday on YouTube. It'll be available as a podcast as well. If you'd like to become a friend, then the link, of course, is in.

our show notes. We have a mascot for today's show. In fact, we have two. These mascots are from lovely, lovely Carol Ray. Long time listener supporter all around. wonderful person, has been to our live shows before and she submits today Dobby and Stray. Now we've had Stray as a mascot. I think several times before, actually. Yes, Carol says you've met Stray a few times before on the tennis podcast. So I thought I'd introduce Dobby.

Dobby came to my daughter in March as a rescue from North Macedonia. He was billed as a Jack Russell. but a doggy DNA test since shows there's no terrier in him but some Pekingese, some Chihuahua and 5% wolf. That's incredible. Dobby is a pretty perfect little dog. He loves people, food and my daughter Eliza.

He adores Stray and follows her everywhere. They enjoy digging huge holes in the lawn together. Dobby can take or leave a tennis ball, but Stray makes up for that sometimes, travelling with two in her mouth. And we've got an absolutely adorable picture here of Dobby and Stray together, curled up on a sort of plushy thing, definitely being friends. And yeah, Carol sent me a message on Instagram, actually, when Dobby was added to the family. And it was all just very wholesome.

wholesome lovely time so I'm very happy for Carol and the family and Dobby and Stray who look like there. The very best of friends, which is my absolute favourite thing. So thank you, Carol. We, of course, have our mascots, Phoebe, Maisie and Roger. Hello to you. We have our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris and Jeff. Let's have some shout outs, Matt.

We have Marion and Martina from Mainz, Germany. Hello, Marion and Martina. Very Tennessee names there, like Bartoli and Hingis or Navratilova. Or Travis Ant. I was not expecting that third name. But true. And Marion and Martina say... We have now made the WTA tournaments in Stuttgart and Bad Homburg a fixed part of our calendars. I can highly recommend both. Love that. Just ticking off all the key German events.

Good stuff. Thank you, Marion and Martina. Thank you. We've also got Becky Piggott-Badare, or Bader, maybe, Piggott-Bader, from Collier's Wood in London. Oh, nearby. My neck of the woods. It is. Or the wood. Hello, Becky. And this is... Like Rebecca Marino. I don't know if she goes by the name Becky, to be honest. It's a good shout, though. And this is a present. A shout-out is a present from Becky's husband, Jimmy. Aww.

Lovely. Like Connors. Well, that's a very Tennessee name. Becky actually isn't a very Tennessee name, is it? I think we might need a bit of Pam help or some Nick Imerson help. or maybe Jimmy, has come up with Becky Vest, an American player in the 70s, had a second round ceiling in the slams. but is apparently the only Mississippi-born and raised female player to make the main draw at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. Haven't fact-checked that, but sounds good. Jimmy.

We like it when people do the research for us. We salute you. Thank you very much. Jimmy has done you proud there, Becky. And finally we have Andrew Greenhoff. From Bristol. Hello, Andrew. We've met Andrew at the US Open a couple of years ago during the Alcaraz Medvedev semi-final. Oh, yes. Gosh. And Andrew says, I'm writing this shout-out form a couple of hours before the women's semifinals at the US Open, which I agree is the best night session in Grand Slam tennis.

I'd intended to be there this year, but sadly my mother passed away in the middle of last month. So plans have understandably had to change. And instead of being at Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight, I've been getting some sleep in ahead of attempting to pull off an all-nighter watching Sabalenka Pagula and the much-anticipated tennis podcast Derby. versus Anissimova.

Andrew says the daily Grand Slam episodes have helped enormously in coping with several long motorway trips between my home in Bristol and my mother's house in Yorkshire. So big thank you to the three of you and your guests. for providing a much needed distraction and giving me other things to think about and making me laugh and smile oh Andrew thank you for that I'm sorry you lost your mum

Thank you. Thank you for listening to the pod and taking some comfort from it. That's extremely lovely for us to hear. And yeah, hope you're doing well. Andrew like Andrew Baron Murray. That's what he was when he first came on the scene, right? He was an Andrew. That's right. Like Stanislas. He had a rebrand, like the one-point slam. and that worked out all right it did yeah yeah andrew becky marian martina thank you ever so much for your support of

the tennis podcast. If you'd like to get yourself a shout out, you can do that by becoming a friend of the tennis podcast. The link is in the show notes. We've got that live show with Disco David on Friday night. We will see you then, friends of the tennis podcast, and we'll be back. next Monday on The Main Feed. We are part of the Athletic Podcast Network. Thank you for listening. We'll speak to you soon.

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