French Open Day 1 - Djokovic fights through, but how did he look?

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Hello and welcome to the Tennis Podcast coming to you from the grounds of Roland-Garros on day one of the 2026 French Open. It is Shortly before midnight here in Paris, although it doesn't feel like it, it feels more like a sticky Melbourne evening. We are sat in our usual spot at the far end of the grounds with Court Suzanne Longlain in the near distance. And over on the horizon is Court Philippe Chatrier where we and 15,000 other people here have been watching the Novak Djokovic.

Did actually. And I think the different vibe of this night session to most of the ones we've experienced in Paris here before did help and I'm talking there, yes, about the weather because I've worn Three maybe four layers for night sessions here in the past and being cold. Needed one of those blankets that they give out to people. Whereas

David and I watched a lot of this together in Broken Spells because David was on a quest to find me an ergonomic chair, which he very much succeeded in. Oh by the way. Not all heroes wear capes. Um

I've got one.

But um I was really torn between you know, there were portions of this match, most of them early on, where I thought Djokovic just looked absolutely cooked and I really was lured into the trap of thinking this is the one.

Our friend and colleague Itamar left and came back.

Right.

he was thinking he was thinking, wow, this this could be Djokovic going out.

Right. Yeah.

So you left the ground.

Yeah.

Wow.

Yeah, he he looked really ropey. He looked old and sweaty and totally lacking in confidence and fitness and yeah, unprepared to pull the trigger, pr shot dropping short and looking like they didn't have an awful lot on them and playing a guy who's pumped up by his coaching box that were, you know, on something tonight. They were just abs you know, as fired up as it gets by fifteen thousand people and by, you know, this enormous serve that he can always

Yeah, that's what I think. Um I I I it's a real challenge to play a guy like Pesha Perikar when he's playing well at a grand slam in front of his own crowd, etcetera but Don't forget how little tennis Sneviat Chokovic has played of late. He's just not had any real rep to get form, to get his eye in, to get the feel. I mean he said he wanted to go to Rome almost just to hear the umpire call a score and make himself feel part of a tennis tournament again.

It's taken thirty nine years, but they've given him a good Roland Garros kit.

Yeah, I think it's beautiful. Orange shirt and and the vivid orange shorts. Um But suddenly that didn't look quite so sweaty as it did in the first set, you know, and and by the end of it I think he comes out of that as long as he's physically okay, I mean we'll see how he pulls up, you know. I think when you're thirty nine you you don't know until next day and maybe when you next play a match. But I th I think this is perfect.

Now the Frenchman next, Valentin Royer. Hmm. I I mean i g sorry to keep banging on about the weather, but it is set to be like mid thirties for the next sort of nine or ten days. I I think Novat Djokovic is gonna keep requesting night sessions. You know, if that's how much he was suffering at n at night.

It's tr sort of twenty four degrees now, isn't it? It's it's

it's

Warm to n tonight. We're all sitting here in short sleeves. And as Matt said, I've never done a podcast around midnight here that I can remember like

This is unprecedented for for this this slam this this time of year. Um I think Djokovic is gonna keep requesting night sessions and I think he's gonna get them'cause he's known about Djokovic so Th fine, but um Zverov is the one that is gonna suffer the consequences of that I think,'cause he'd be the other contender for for night sessions in in this half of the draw. Although there i where is Gail Morphine?

Well he's playing tomorrow night session, isn't he?

No, that's that's sinner will be Tuesday Tuesday night session.

Yeah.

So obviously they've got you know they'cause they spread round one over three days, they've got three night sessions to play with, but one's been narrowed down to to sides of the draw. I mean Monfist might not. might very well not win and this this problem is is solved for them. But uh I suspect Zverev will find himself in in day sessions.

Quite a lot of them. I I I would have thought so.

Um I mean he was untroubled by it today, David. Three, four and two against against B Benjamin Bonzi. A as comfortable as it sounds, that one for his very

I thought Sverev certainly the first two sets was r really quite unconvincing. Um Bonsey played that type of match where He he he made an error in both the first two sets in one game, lost his serve as a result. Not just one single error, what I mean is his focus seemed to go a bit, his confidence went.

And

Even though Zverev was was shanking a lot of forehands. he was sort of keeping Bonzi in the score because he was making so many mistakes himself. I thought it was a really messy first couple of sets from Zverev, bit like he had against Gabriel Diallo at um uh uh the Australian Open in the first set there, which I think he lost that first set. Um and then obviously he went through and had a really good tournament in the end. By the third set

Mighty need to be a better Zverev against the best player in the world.

If Thomas Mahatch plays like he did today, Zverya will have to play a hell of a lot better than he did today himself.

Or if if if if with Thomas, isn't it?

I wanna believe I've got I've got two full days now, Monday and Tuesday, to talk myself. into believing and by Wednesday when that match happens I'll probably be thinking that Mahax can can do it. Just been burnt too many times by flat Mahax performances on those big stages. You know, he's he's got something to prove. You know, there's ve there's very

Bringing it when you're ahead or when the scores are level. Bonzi kept bringing it when he was behind. Right.

Doing it when it matters.

He never played well when the scores were close.

Yeah.

Yeah.

In his draw.

It's that interesting thing, isn't it? with Prime here and and the night session, like they're the ones paying the big money for the for the rights, but they're also the ones with the far smaller audience. You know? Like compared to you know, free view French TV when more people would be able to watch it. But you do get the sense that they will go with what Prime

I think so. I think so, yeah. So Could could be an interesting little wrinkle in the days to come, but Hugo Gaston will will do his best to have a say in that tomorrow night.

Well I mean having witnessed now a day of this tennis and this heat, it really has put the the factor of the weather and Yannick Sinna into a

It feels like Melbourne and not sort of mid Melbourne. It feels like hot Melbourne. It ri uh there is and the difference is there's no shade here. I mean it it's uh look. Nobody was expecting weather like this. Like I can understand why they've been caught out by it. This is really, really extreme. But, you know, climate change is happening. Like we are we are on the road to to these extremes and these places have gotta have more shade. Like Craight Isle was was very

Yeah, for sure.

And and maybe even worse than Melbourne in that like there was no suggestion today that the roof was gonna be put on. Like it's in that it's in that spot where It's really hot, but it's not put the roof on hot, dangerous levels of hot like it was in in Melbourne when Cinner had the Spitzeri match, you know, like

Amen.

Doesn't feel like it's gonna get to that level, so you're just having to sustain in the beating sun with no shade for Well, however long it takes. I mean the thing is

Yeah.

It it's still gonna be a question of whether it's hot enough to to put Cinner off. I dun I still don't quite really know what what causes the the physical issues we see him have, whether it's just pure heat, whether it Players testing him tennis-wise and stressing him out like it's a combination of all these factors, isn't it? I don't think it's as simple as.

Especially given how quickly he manages to make so many of his matches. Because he's that good.

Exactly. So yeah, it's but but you're right. I it's an element I didn't think we'd have and I think we are gonna have it.

Not a problem for Taylor Fritz. He is out in the first round for the second year in a row, seventh seed here this year. I mean obviously expectations around him were relatively low given how little he's played, and and yet, given the state of the draw, it it also felt plausible that he maybe Could play his way in and go deep here, but not to be uh beaten today in a a really great match actually on on Longland by Nishesh Basavaredi, the uh the young American seven six seven six.

Yeah.

I mean suddenly he's three love down in eight minutes.

And he finished that third set by screaming. It's a bit unclear what he said, but something like this is all me or something like that. It was kind of giving when he talked up his mixed doubles and then went out in the first. over mixed doubles. He had this big high and then this crash and suddenly he's five love down in a quarter of an hour.

Yeah. And it he was talking himself up in in his press a couple of days ago, wasn't he? Feeling himself all his all all his heavy lifting, boom. G go back to eating junk food, Taylor. I mean look he said he said he thought he played pretty well. today. And he's pretty he he's pretty honest about this stuff, isn't he? Fronts up. He said he thought he played better this year than when he lost in the first round last year. I mean obviously not you know, there were things he would have liked to have

Uh look I didn't see the first couple of sets. I saw the end of the third and then I saw the fourth. And what I saw in the fourth in that what was it, seventeen minute set or something like that? Taking Taylor Fritz's serve early on the rise and just smacking it away for clean winners as as if it's a nothing serve. It was hitting drop shot after drop shot from

Well it's interesting. I yeah, I did talk him up sort of eighteen months or so ago. He played that match against Djokovic, didn't he, at the Australian uh a couple of years ago.

Andy Murray's behavior in the...

So actually only a year ago. Took a set off him. So, you know, everybody was aware of him at that time and he just didn't It sort of disappeared last year, really. And and look I know it's you know, you see these people play great for a set at a Grand Salmon, that doesn't mean they're then gonna be a factor on the biggest stages from that point onwards it's you know, this development is really nonlinear. But I mean he really he didn't seem to be making progress, I guess, and

Say that.

And to back it up and not shrink out there and and have just the right amount of swagger that's not annoying. And that's exactly what he had today and I I really like that about him and the issue is has always been up until this point that he doesn't have a weapon. There's no obvious weakness, but he does lack a big hammer blow. But maybe the drop shot could be it because He's he's a wizard a and Fritz gave a really great breakdown as he does of

Yeah, that's that's great insight from Fritz there and I think that speaks to what Bassavred is able to do without those weapons.'Cause I agree with you, yeah. so many more players on the ATP tour who have bigger power and more obvious weapons and more obvious ways to win points. But You know, he's not a defensive player, Basavred.

I don't think he knows what his ceiling is. He was kind of asked that at the end of his press conference and he was a bit taken aback by he was like, Whoa, that's a big question. Um and obviously didn't you know, they're always so reluctant, aren't they, to commit to you know, publicly to what their goals are.

Yeah, it was it was interest it was difficult to to get any sense of what that relationship was like'cause I remember it ending with Medvedev and Jill Savaro had obviously been with him for so many years and then they announced that they're together and I thought, Oh, what a fascinating combination this is with this young, talented

And I think it was Savara that Announced it first, which is never a great sign, I don't think. I mean it was couched in sort of tell me about your coaching situation genu generally. So he was able to talk about his new coaches. He's working with um Dean Goldfein and David Nainkin, who are very well known, well established USTA coaches. It's Dean Goldfein that's that's with him here in Paris. But he did dodge the Gilles Savara element.

Sound like it.

The sign.

I mean we must we must be mates. By now.

I I I think for Fritz by the way, like even in his pre tournament press conference I got the feeling that very much grass is what he's thinking about in terms of Maybe being able to have some more results.

I think so. I think a bit nervous about his n it.

'Cause you mentioned that as well, didn't he? You said like that that's gonna be the test of the knee because the movements.

Yeah, he said...

really test out the knee.

Yeah, he's I think he used the phrase you n you your knee gets jammed about a lot on grass. And that made me wince a bit.'Cause he's still on anti inflammatories. He said my new feels feels all right, but Anti inflammatories might be masking it, so I don't really know.

Must be horrible playing professional sport when you've got half an eye on and feeling about what's hurting and whether it's bad or not.

John Fonseca, a winner today. Weathered some storms against the French qualifier Luka Pavlovich over on Simon Mathieu. Came through seven six six four. Uh not quite sure what the score was in the third set. I I

I think it was six two.

Yeah, one sided in the end. I've written David was watching, uh but actually what David was doing was standing at the back of a a throng of people unable to get anywhere near the court because it was so busy. Uh but you were you were soaking up the atmosphere and you heard the booing. when Fonseca smashed the ball out of the stadium and got a a ball abuse warning in that first set tie break.

Yeah. Fonseca with all of his support that he brings with him to to tennis tournaments and he's up against a f a French player who's got the locals and there and so when I arrived at the court, yeah, every seat was filled. And they were about eight people deep all around the stadium just craning next to to try to get a look at the court and obviously I walk up and then just have pretty much perfect vantage point over everybody's head.

Reminiscent of his moment against Hoddar in uh in Madrid which was a racket smash, but just Just a fraying that we haven't seen from Von Secker before. I mean obviously got it got it on track today, even won that tie break, so that that's impressive. But just Sunday to watch from a Fonteco Sective and he's he's got Dino soaring now.

Oh he's got dinner prism, yeah.

He sure does. Winner likely to face Djokovic.

Excited.

It's a it's a fun little section.

And Prismage won easily today.

He did, he's soaring.

Ha ha ha.

Officially.

Need to change the group chat b

Okay.

I know we ditched it after one.

So quickly.

He was really poor against Hashinov, wasn't he?

We're getting f pretty trigger happy, aren't we?

Yeah we are. Uh what do we got? Alejandro Davidovich Fakina, Matt survived against Damir Jumho. Tell us about it.

peaked Davidovich for Kina really. I feel like everyone on Court fourteen, as we walked in this morning about twenty minutes before play started, it was already packed. I was thinking must be a Frenchman on there. And nope, it was Davidovich Fakina, but everyone knew what they were getting themselves in for and it was exactly that. You know, just this roundabout win for Davidovich Fikina. And actually a a very gritty win. He was struggling in this one big time. He only arrived from

Wow. Incredible. Uh final bit of reporting, important journalistic reporting uh from the men's side of things today. We've had our first watery shits of this Week of this Grand Slam.

It came so quickly.

So quickly.

Talking last night, what's more on the rise? Puking. slash watery ships or hindrance drama. Real it was real debate and we we we end we landed on

Yeah. We have more data points for the for the watery shits. I feel like puking has been on the rise for longer. You've got more sustained evidence of of uh of a of a climbing peak. But Hindrance in the last six months is is really hot on its heels. Yeah. But today it was all about the watery shits for poor old Artahe Gea from uh from France on Longland. First match of the day against Karin Karen Ashinov. Um and uh

And at 4-2, he hit a running four-hand winner and kept on going towards the exit.

That's it because it was mid game. He wanted to leave mid game and they were like

Yeah.

Can't do.

I don't think you understand how urgent this is.

You need to rewrite the rule book right now or You're gonna have another problem on your hands.

It was both a w both a watery shit and a hindrance for him.

Uh do you speak French? I have diarrhea is going straight into my essential tennis quotable vocabulary.

Incredible. It's the it's the best next sentence that's ever been asked after do you speak a language to then just say, I have diarrhea.

Yeah.

It's so chaotic. I love this.

Well it didn't seem to be crucial whether or not he spoke.

It's one of those things that translates. Doesn't really doesn't really matter what language you speak, does it? Everyone

So communicated it in English very clearly. Uh anyway, that is it for part one. What a note to end on. We'll be back on uh in part two to talk about the women with far more decorum.

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Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast. Let's turn our attention to the women's matches on day one here at Roland Garros. Let's start with Hailey Baptist. who's only gone and done it again, Matt. She's done it her way and her way It's definitely the hard way, isn't it? But it's also the fun way. Six seven seven six six two in two sweaty hours and fifty three minutes. against former champion here, Barbora Kraichikova. Oh, it was fun.

It was, wasn't it? It wasn't like sustained brilliance from both players. It wasn't it wasn't one of those matches where no matter what part of it you joined you were entertained. You had to you had to ride out some

She pulls off. Probably more.

So she's done that in the first set, she's let that first set slip a little bit, and then it looks like she's gonna lose it in two when Craig Chikova has has two match points. And I you know, one of those sort of semantics things but Yes, you can say Baptiste saved the match points. It was two Krechikova forehand errors on the match points. Krechikova who has a great forehand, one of the greats on on the tour.

I think she's one of the best shows in tennis at the moment, Hailey Baptiste. If you have the chance to watch her, it's an absolute treat. And and honestly I I I I've missed Barbora Krachikov. I love her tennis. I I I was very pleasantly surprised by how how herself she looked. today I was worried that she would look sort of a shadow of herself like she was kinda here last year where she didn't

Yeah. No, I I did too. I I there were so many moments that reminded you of just how good Krechikova can be. the accuracy on on her shots. You know, it's not necessarily Huge power, it's enough power, but it can just catch you by surprise how she can just direct it exactly where she wants it to go. Um and yeah, another another quote I pick out from Baptiste was I refuse to let myself be the reason that I lose a match.

Mirandrava, a very comfortable winner against Fiona Ferro, uh on Chatrier today, third match of the day. Totally drama free match, not a lot to report other than the fact that it was drama free is pretty significant for Miranda. She was back on Philippe Chatrier playing a French player and okay, it wasn't the cauldron atmosphere of playing Lois Boisson. Last year, you know, as you said, Soperific crowds around the place today, but the fact that she just no mus no fuss came through that didn't

Actually, yes. I i and it was uh it was Hannah Wilkes who who works with us uh and looks after the barge and writes so wonderfully on there that drew my attention. to this match, um, because and she was the one who who called it a hot mess and and and I could confirm having been out there that's exactly what it was. Because it was four games all by the time I joined. um in the third set and they'd be already been going on for two and a half hours by this point. I mean Lynette, you know

And I'm sure she can expect the same in the next round when she faces Yelena Ostapenko, known for her warm and magnanimous handshakes. Right.

Yes. Let's not jinx Ostepanko Sviontek before you know

How many rounds away is that?

Well Ostefenko needs to win well they both still need to win two matches.

I didn't send you this because I'm known for I I'm trying to learn and grow, but I'm known for falling for things on the internet that aren't real. And there's there's more and more of that around these days. But I So I'm trying to be I'm trying to be uber cautious but I did see something do during the rounds which was a screenshot of um somebody that had or a supposed screenshot of somebody that had DM'd Yelene Rostopenko to say

Perfect.

It fails.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Uh Marta Kostiuk uh was over on Simon Mathieu today. She opened proceedings over there of taking on Olga Selekmatova, who Formerly represented Russia. Uh we understand she got her Spanish citizenship on Friday. Just after Matt Roberts. They're they're dishing'em out like candy, Matt.

Our paths did not cross at the consulate.

Um so yeah, her flag changed to Spanish today on the Roland Garros website. Still no handshake in this match.

Yeah, because what I love about the way she plays the sports is when it's close, when it's tight, when she's in a bit of trouble. She she will go for all the more audacious shop. She will pull out the drop shot when it's really tight and there's a lot of players who Who aren't like that. You know, I watched uh Solana Sierra today against Emma Radicanu and and as she was closing in on the finish line, time and time again you could feel

Six love seven six, incidentally that uh result for Sierra over Emma Radicani I mean did so well to make a match of this Radicani'cause frankly the the media centre was on double bagel watch for this after the first set which was Not pretty for for Radicani fans, I think. Zero zero winners and a a lot of unforced errors. I mean plenty of evidence of this new style of play or this old new old style of play she's going for she was

Yeah, same. Uh and I d I did think that was a really good pullback because she was Six love four one down and it would look like it was gonna go five one. And then suddenly, you know, I ended up going and watching the rest of that match because she got it back to um four three and and it was getting close and she she had chances in that second set. And more to the point, you know it's a very important thing.

Couple of other results to bring you from the women's side. Uh not to be for Lily Tagger today. This is where Matt started his day in the blazing sun. Wanted to see the Lily Tallaba Tagabackhand in person for the first time. Uh lost out to Wong Jinyu six three three six six four. Did you like what you saw of Lily Tagger?

I did, yeah. I mean it is a lovely backhand. I mean I d I I don't know how much I learnt really about about the backhand. Um but It's a lovely shot, obviously single hander, so it really stands out on on the on the W T A Tour and actually it was her It was her more solid wing today. It was the the forehand that was frequently breaking down. She she started off really well, went up a break straight away, tagger but

Yeah, like...

Um you you just gotta remember how young Tagger is. You know, she was she was the junior champion here last year. She hasn't played all that much on on the on the WTA tour and I just think bridging that gap there's still there's still players with

Last story to mention from the the women's side today, Fran Jones beat Beatrice Adajes 1676. Six two, real comeback win. She she seemed down and out so many times in this match, played in the Pounding heat of the day. It's her first Grand Slam main draw win for Fran Jones on the the seventh try.

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Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast. Before we look ahead to tomorrow, one bit of important business. from today and we had to wait until part three because there was a potential musketaire still on court until moments ago, but poor old Pierre Hugues Herbert. was unable quite to put himself in the running. He's just lost in five to Lorenzo Sonago and that is why there are sad looking French people trudging past us right now. They had been on that court.

Absolutely. I mean if you think yesterday we were talking about Artifice being out and he it was all built around him, really in terms of the actual hopes for somebody to go deep. They always get behind their players here, they're always sort of optimistic, you know, and and Frankly, uh it's it's it really has been slim pickings to use your words.

things to pick two pickings to slim from, to to what Alright. Uh your pickings are Conta Alice, he beat Mete Mattia Bellucci. It's gonna be tough to pick actually. Alice beat Metea Bellucci in straight sets and Valentin Royer. beat Ugo Delien also in straight sets. I think Royer lost the fewer games. He's the one that now faces Novak Djokovic. But Alice was the one to break the duck. for for French players today, so maybe he deserves it for that reason. I'll let you decide amongst yourselves.

Yeah, I've got a bit of a soft spot for release because I feel like he doesn't get a lot of A lot of kind of Promotion or You know, he's a bit agricultural sometimes, but you know, he's gone and put them on the board, first man of the day from from France. I think that that deserves mousquetaire of the day.

At least for me for that reason too.

Co signed Quentin, it is yours. This is your day two order of play here at the twenty twenty six French Open. Chatrier opens with a women's match. Emerson Jones, the Australian Reciprocal wildcard, the youngster, she takes on Iga Sviantek, first on Chateau.

Feels like a godspeed Emerson, doesn't it?

Ja, ich denke, das wird ein Duffing sein.

She does have a good backhand, so everyone in Australia keeps telling me.

I'd say.

think it'll look against women women against child.

And that's fine.

And that's absolutely fine. Yeah, she is pretty much still a child. I think maybe officially still a child. She was seventeen in Australia, I think, so I don't know. She might have had a birth. Spiritually woman against child. Uh second on is uh Iravich, uh not sure of her first name, don't know anything about her against Elena Rabakkina, potentially Godspeed there too.

Could be a quick afternoon on the old...

Yeah. It's almost as if they want to get the women's matches out of the way quickly.

'Cause the big one's coming up first.

Mass not miss.

I mean this will be the match of the day that my dad's most interested in. Ugo and bear against Adrian Manorino.

Ha ha ha

The goal of it.

Yeah, in the prime slot. Well, I mean prime slot for us. Uh for the for the tournament I think though certainly for prime video, the uh the prime slot is the night session and that is of course Gamor Feast. against Ugo Gaston. Uh Longland tomorrow opens with Artur Rindekinesh.

I mean I'm not sure what's worse actually. Like this one being first up on Long Glen is quite something.

Rindoknesh Rodyanov. David was like, If it is a late one tonight, I don't think I need to be in for first match tomorrow.

But Mathieu star is strong.

Yeah.

When we get there.

Get there. Second match on Longlen is intriguing. Alina Svitelina against Anna Bondar. Bondar, a reminder, is won the last four sets. Against Selina Svitilina. Third on Longlen, also interesting. Amanda Anisimova hasn't played an awful lot recently. How is that risk? She is taking on Sarah Racatomanja, Rojana, the young French wild card. Uh and finally on Long Len, it's Ben Shelton against Daniel Merida.

Yeah. Shelton hasn't got a lot of confidence, I don't think, at the moment.

Uh Kortzumacha opened strong with Jasmine Paulini against Dionia Stremska. I was wondering earlier who's even the favourite for that match.

Yeah, I I I picked in my big draw that I did, I I picked Yostremska to win.

Second on Mature, Stam Rinka. One last dance for him. He takes on the lucky loser, Yesper de Young. Uh who can be entertaining. I think that'll be fun. Uh third on Kasper Rude against Roman Sefuelin uh and finally Karolina Mukova against Anastasia Zacharova. uh the Russian player. What else we got tomorrow? We've got Alex Staminor against Toby Samuel. That is first up on court fourteen. Jung Chin Wen is first up on court seven. Elliot Spitsiri, remember him?

Yeah, it turns out he always he's not played since Delray Beach in February. Or or even Dallas. I don't think he even got to Delray.

Elbow injury.

Yeah, nasty.

Takes on Francis Tiafo tomorrow, does Elliot Spit Siri. We got Andre Rublev against the Hamburg champion Ignatio Busse, that is third on court seven. That's an interesting one. Elisa Mertens is on fourteen. Flavio Caboli. It's a roller coaster having him in your fantasy team, let me tell you.

D do you get the sense that Catherine's ever so slightly questioning her choices about whether to be a Kaboli guy?

Yeah.

Drop him like a hope.

Be annoyed.

Just be annoyed about it, yeah. I need to feel my feelings, David.

Yeah, if it's reliability you want. I'm not sure Flavia Cabolis you may

For root?

He always delivers cafes.

You troll.

Do you want Catherine?

No reason.

Never happy.

No, no. I know. Right, that is it for today, except to tell you about Bashir. Um looking at a picture of Bashir. Uh who looks lovely and cozy in some shade. And shade is really all I want from my day two at the French Open. So well done, Bashir, you beautiful, beautiful boy. And our mascot. For this French Open hello to our mascots Bo Bodie, Maisie, and Roger. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg Chris.

We have Amy Helfeld from Seattle.

Seahawks are taking over. Well they've already taken over.

Creep creeping up on New Jersey a bit, Seattle, isn't it?

I've been sleeping on that. Hello, Amy.

Amy says, love the podcast. It's like an hour with friends who I've never met, excited for the 2026 Seahaw season.

Yeah, me too. So yeah, we're gonna go back to back, Amy.

Ha ha ha.

You got in there before me, David.

Well, that's'cause I knew it and you didn't.

Uh Amy, thank you very much. Go Seahawks

We also have Katie Shalton from Hertfordshire.

Hello, Katie. Like McNally.

Yeah.

Yes, although spelt like bolter.

Right.

Yeah, and we know Katie. Katie's in our fantasy league. And uh Katie is g is has I think in the past has zoomed in to our fantasy league meetings from from a hotel, uh bc because as she says, I'm a tennis parent as well as a tennis fan now. It's often on the road, Katie, travelling to tournaments.

Tennis parents are made of strong stuff.

Is it is Katie the Katie's the one who I offered Taylor Fritz to for about four different players?

Yes, and Katie stood firm.

Продолжение следует...

He was not interested in Taylor Fritz. He's very available.

I found a willing taker uh in Reggie who is happy to accept Taylor Fred.

Yeah.

Briefly in exchange for Joao von Secret. And then he traded in Fritz and used the money.

Yeah. Got himself a pagoon.

Which was a really smart play from Reggie.

Mm.

Yeah. Katie could have done that. Mr. Trick, Katie. Uh thank you, Katie.

And finally we have Gail Nell from Madison, Wisconsin.

Gail like will Gail accept Gail Monfit?

I hope so.

Yeah.

yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r yw'r

It's this big night tonight, on day two. I can say tonight now.

Madison is the capital of Wisconsin and I know that Matt because I was a cool teenager. Quite right. And you'd have loved to be friends with me.

The geographical whiz.

Uh I can tell you more about Gail. Gail says I've been listening to the podcast since twenty sixteen. This year my husband Mike and I will be adding our third Grand Slam into our fan slam. We will be attending the French Open. And we can hardly wait. We've been to the US Open and Wimbledon in past years. To see you there.

Say hi Gail.

Superb, yeah. Hope to see you girl.

Hope to see, we're very easy to spot. We've sort of got a regular location now. David's enormous.

I spotted David on the on the stream of Valentova Lynette.

I was on the television.

I was thrilled about it.

I was concerned that you didn't have your hat on.

Yeah, I didn't have my hat on and I came back all a bit red faced, didn't I? But I've learned my lesson, I've got my hat on now. Well I've I've brought it with.

And speaking of David Lawrence Clothes. David has launched his uh his T shirt today.

Yes. It's got the word pumps on the back. With a big exclamation mark. Because I am.

If you'd like to get yourself a David Lord tea then just head to our shop. We'll uh pop the link in our show notes and uh it's on our Instagram, it's everywhere. and you can look and feel like David. It's like having a sort of David L Pep talk in clothing form.

Yeah. And if you're a friend of the Tennessee Podcast you can get ten percent off with our code.

There you go. All sorts of reasons to be a friend of the tennis podcast. Folks, that is it for your day one pod. From the French Open here at Roland Garris. We'll of course be back with a day two pod, whatever that may hold. We are part of the Athletic Podcast Network. Thank you for listening. We'll speak to you tomorrow.

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