French Open Preview, Arthur’s agony and an extraordinary Oliynykova interview

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Hello and welcome to Roland Garros and daily podcast number three of eighteen from the grounds of the second Grand Slam of the season. David, Matt, and I are in what is Fast becoming our usual spot in the shadow of Court Suzanne Long Lend. The temperature's still in the Hi twenties here in the early evening. It's been an absolutely beautiful day in Paris and we are joined today by special guest Ava Wallace, the newest addition to the athletics tennis team. Ava.

Thank you very much for coming on the show today. I know the tennis beat isn't new to you and Roland Garros the place isn't new to you, but Roland Garros the Tournament is. Now I don't know if you know but David had a sort of out of body experience the first time. he came here in a good way. Okay. Yeah. How how has your experience, uh first Roland Garris experience been?

Oh no, I I don't know that it's been out of body. I would love to hear more about that. Um it's been wonderful. It's lovely. It's it's funny. The um French Open was always my favorite as a kid watching I think because it was it felt like such a long time between the Australian Open and the French Open that I'd be like, yay the tennis is back on TV. And when I was walking

to sight for the first time. I just like looked to my left and saw practice courts and came through kind of the back way and I was just like, God, these courts are beautiful. It's just like everyone talks about Wimbledon and the grass is wonderful but I like I was looking at those clay courts and they just looked like velvet and I said oh this is great I can't wait for another slam so I'm very happy to be here. That was actually very David Law esque I would say.

Yeah, no, I uh I mean it's uh I was taken by surprise by it really because I didn't expect to like it. Um I I'd always thought this is gonna be the poor relation of the Grand Sams, and I'm quite sure that's because I just had not been to it. Um and I was always at the Queen's Tournament in London waiting for that to begin. Um and it always looked damp and wet and you know, t everybody looked cramped and People were annoyed and well, mostly you, Kitchen.

when I would speak to you when you were here. But um when I came I realized there was that there were a lot of times in between that then you weren't annoyed and there's a reason why and it's'cause it's beautiful and it's David, I can get annoyed anyway. That is true, yeah. Geography unspecific. Um now look the the show generally this show is generally a it's

the one we do on the eve of the slam, it's our our last preview show, it's where we get communally hyped for the tournament and we are gonna do that. That is still today's show. But we we do have to start with some pretty rough news, quite frankly, not necessarily shock news given the atmosphere and the kind of fact pattern uh that's been swirling over the past few days, but we do now know for sure that art of feast

of Roland Garros. Uh he came he practised this morning with Eurida Hetchker on Court Philippe Chatre. Huge crowd for that, almost everyone kind of willing him to be fit, David Law included. I called a press conference for five thirty, ended up coming at around about four, four o'clock, came early, uh which

Which didn't feel like a good good sign. The writing felt like it was on the wall. And indeed it was. He came in and announced to the room, I'm not gonna be playing at Roland Garros. Um he was asked for a bit more detail about his situation. He said it it It's a hip injury or certainly it is pain in his hip. He said he had scans after Rome and they didn't show anything.

and he's still experiencing extreme pain and he just doesn't know what it is or what the treatment path is. He said, if it would have been the last tournament of my life I would have played but I have another ten or fifteen years as a professional tennis player and he said I can't keep making the same mistakes because of course a reference there to sustaining the back injury here last year and continuing on and and and playing his next match and taking that big risk with his body, um

There is there is nowhere around this, David. It's a massive bummer. Yeah, uh I nobody needs me to remind how I feel about Artifice as a player and and as a character on the circuit. To me is the m just about the the the best news the sport's had in years, you know, certainly one of them.

And for a second year in a row we're here not only with him unable to play his home Grand Slam and honestly that I know it's Yannick Noah Day which is where all the kids come out but the the place couldn't have been more excited to see. And he just owns the place when it when he's out there. And here we are, second year in a row, he's unable to play. And more to the point.

He doesn't really know what the solution is. He doesn't you know, I've spoken to Goran Ivanizovich. They don't really know what it is. They don't know w I mean I'm sure they'll find out, you know, that once you get out of the sort of

the rat race of trying to get ready for a big tournament you can properly do some investigation. But let's not forget he did eight months of that. He found the solution. He came back and he played So far in excess of what I would have expected in his return, seemingly without any physical setback. And for this to happen now is devastating for him on a sort of micro level, but also a real concern on a macro level because he's right, he's doing the right things

But there can't be any guarantees that he sorts this out because maybe a body is just not cut out for what you're asking from it, if it's got a certain vulnerability. I hope that that is not the case. And I am prepared to be optimistic and believe that he will find a solution. But there's no getting around it. This is just terrible, terrible news for him. And it's kind of a little bit more than a little bit.

deeper pool to dive into now. But It it seems like maybe not the only young exciting body. Yeah.

That is that is not cut out for for men's men's tennis, right? This is this is another name on a pretty terrifying list, quite frankly, of long term young injured players whose future feels quite uncertain and okay, they're all different injuries and it's very difficult to draw a binary line between length of the season or length of Masters One Thousands or the physicality of the sport but it's hard not to feel that there's something going on here that is a a worry.

Definitely, yeah, I mean five names come immediately to mind. Alcaraz, Mozetti, Draper, Runa, Fees. You know that's five young players. all not here at this year's French Open, all with different stages of injury, all with different injuries but Yeah, look, everyone has their own sorts of preferences of players they like, but you know, personally speaking those five would be pretty high up in my power rankings in in terms of excitement and Yeah.

And and just generally as well, like for the sport. You know, they've all they've all shown how how great they can be and that is a big pool of players and yeah, it's just quite interesting that we that we have this happening as well at the same time as, you know, player action is taking place and you just kind of As much as

Prize money is is part of those talks. I I do sort of really hope and I think as well that There needs to be talks happening about all of this really and the reasons why maybe maybe we're seeing this increase in injuries and the scheduling and the amount that players are playing and

you know, when w when players talk about sort of welfare, you know, you I I really hope that the tournaments are listening to these players and the players are putting that point across as well. I think it's in very very important that that is right there alongside prize money as as a real priority for for tennis to improve on at the moment because it's it's an issue.

That's an interesting tie in actually and again a very very deep pool to to dive into right now, but Th the the players are now very much citing this twenty two percent target, aren't they, for for prize money as a percentage of Grand Slam revenue because that is what the tours are offering. Well

The tours are offer are able to offer that, they've increased that on what they were previously offering as a result of extending to two week long masters, right? Which most people would agree is likely contributing to this picture of ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud ymwneud.

This is an ATB issue for me, like Grand Slams aside, but I I think of uh I have covered the slams for several years, but my background is in NBA and and the WNBA, so I I think of it my first thought is always from a league perspective and The NBA is having the same thing, an incredible increase of injuries, and they know why it is because they've collected data on it and they've had studies on it because they can't continue to lose stars the way they've been losing stars.

To me, this is something the ATP absolutely should be investing in and the five guys you mentioned, all such different injuries, but so you have to look at, okay, we know the games become more physical, we know that players are being asked to cover more on the court and move their bodies in different ways. The ATP has all of that data. They need to get on to me. The injury issue is something that

i if you can't fix you can at least inform your players about it and inform fans about it and say we're looking into it too, it's a it's a priority for us too. We understand that even if maybe it's not our responsibility, I'm not them asking to come out and say that because I think That's unrealistic, but um I think it's their responsibility certainly to keep their players informed.

Yeah, it's really interesting. I mean we do have an update on the the player or a small update I suppose on the player protest from yesterday via The Guardian that came out a couple of couple of hours ago. Mae'n ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r ymwneud â'r the French Tennis Federation and the the players representative Larry Scott and a group of player agents um described by sources as positive talk.

um and the the the players feel as if their media boy boycott has been vindicated. Um and one source told The Guardian that um one day of direct action had achieved more than over a year of discussions behind the scenes. Um, Ava, we all read your piece in the athletic um a couple of days ago when

the news of the media boycott or or walk out, what protest, whatever you wanna call it, um, came out and we knew it was gonna be happening, whatever it might have ended up looking like. And we were quite taken with how with how taken you were by by these plans. Um How do you feel about what actually ended up transpiring? Like what's your how are your feelings about the whole thing evolved?

I've been on a roller coaster with this, but no, I I was really heartened just because um or actually more just interested to see that okay.

you're willing to give up something. And it's not I I understand that players don't often love coming and talking to us. Some of them a lot of them do. Um but to me it was the part where they said they were also limiting interviews with rights holders. To me that was a big deal and and Media Day is both like, yeah, it's a slog, but it does matter for the ecosystem of a tournament.

All that stuff goes on social. All that stuff is like clips that they play before it goes to commercial on TNT and things. Like those things do actually matter. So I was I was interested in that part. I thought it was a good PR move. You put the 15 number out there if if people hear about that and associate it with it.

I do think they're making more noise um than they had been. Like before I was set to go to Paris, my neighbor was like, oh, you're going to the French Open? Is it happening? And I was like, what do you mean? And he thought that there was going to be no tournament because the players were boycotting.

So media literacy issues there, but I they are getting the word out. Um I was excited about that and and the way it happened practically was a little bit deflating um in terms of like, oh this isn't really Of anything.

People did go over fifteen minutes. I think it was so chaotic like in the mixed zone area or in in any of the smaller rooms that if someone had abruptly stood up and say, Okay, I'm leaving now, it it wouldn't have necessarily seemed like it was because of the protest. Like people were kind of doing that anyways.

Um but it did get us asking players questions about it and it did get us asking questions about if players would be willing to give up more than just limiting media days. There were so many options between what they did yesterday and a true boycott that I think they have a menu of things on the table and it did seem like they were willing to at least do that, so

It was it was kind of a mixed bag. Practically did it work, I guess if if they saw progress from the FFT didn't play out like such a strong statement, but more and more players were talking about it. Interesting. I mean i uh s Sinner in his press conference yesterday was very I mean, obviously he he wants the prize money increase, but he was he was very big on the disrespect angle, wasn't he? And and the fact that

It had taken the slams so long to get back to the group of players. He felt really disrespected by the lack of response. and the lack of setting a meeting. So it sounds like just this meeting happening and the mark of like, we are taking you seriously, we're giving you our time and attention. that feels like something in itself.

And it is so interested how genuinely unified the players feel and it's it's such an it it it feels like this exact moment in tennis that would have had to happen in terms of like there are a lot of players aside from Cinner and Alcaraz who are kind of at the same level of fame, at the same level of recognition, are kind of all fighting to be the next guy or the next woman or whatever on tour.

I don't know that this would have happened in the era of of Rafa and and Federer and everything, even when they were young and still kind of on the come-up. Like there was such a clear stratification in terms of how big of a deal certain players were. And it we kind of feel like we're in an era where like

Yeah, you got these two guys, you got these four women, and then everybody else is kinda all all there together. Um so it was interesting to hear Medvedev say this is the most unified I've I've ever seen players be. Um and Coca was kind of I I asked her about that'cause I I said, Were you surprised? I know it's been a year in the making but

It feels like even getting people on the same group chat might be hard. Like, and she was like, No, we've just kind of been doing it. So that that part was very Someone's gotta find out what that group chat is called and what their icon is. That's the real journalism for. Sure, that was neat. Yeah, I fear the answer will end up being disappointing. Like top ten play nope, let me I would still like to know. I'm desperate to know. It's a tennis ball, right? That's what the icon is, yeah. Come on.

Mm-hmm. It's the right shape and everything. How many group chats are they in with tennis balls is the icon? It's the money bag then. I thought it would be all like Cuba Goodding Junior doing Show Me the Money. They're all too old. How many of that? Such a dated millennial reference. Matt's looking at us like what? That came out the year Matt was born. Jeremy. Have you seen it? Oh, you're younger than me. I know. Sorry to. Discussing. I go through this a lot, Ava, don't you?

Yeah. David sounds as surprised about it. Yeah. It's not quite Gen Z though, you're right on the Right on. I call him a spiritual millennium. Okay, that's it for part one. Join us in part two when we'll get into the fun stuff. Amazon has everything for every kind of birthday. Whether that's a three tier cake stand, Happy birthday Comet balloons for your Sun's space theme party. Or gifts like a karaoke machine for that friend who never stops singing. Have a Yeah yeah.

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Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast. We are gonna get into tomorrow's order of play, the first tournament order of play in a moment. But first let's have a chat about some of the stories. from qualifying because there have been some very good ones here this week, Matt Roberts. They have, yeah. And I think we should probably start with uh the French men who've who've qualified. It's the first time since twenty eleven that four French men have qualified.

Uh one of those is Pierre Bert, now now thirty-five years old. He had his five year old son watching on and you know one of our favourite things about Uh this sort of build up week at the French Open is their staging of of qualifying and and that that final qualifying match took place on Court Suzanne Longue Len. It was absolutely packed for Air Bear and interestingly that he beat uh Swiss guy Leandro Rieddi in three sets and that's interesting because A bear actually briefly coaxed Ried.

During during Herbert's own injury layoff, he was on talk just did a week or so travelling with him. I think they I think they shared a coat. Um and then when Herbert was was injured, he actually travelled with Riedi to a tournament. So they had a very Special bond, really, and a a really nice moment at the at the end of the match there, which I thought was uh really interesting, like a classic qualifying story there. Can't have happened. many times, if any, before, surely.

I mean I've not heard of anything like that before. Um but I love it. Yeah. Um so yeah, he's in the draw. Um and also of those French players we should probably shout out Thomas Forel. Yeah. Dad's guy. He's great. who also I think was on Longlem, wasn't he, getting through and he now faces Valentin Vachera. Oh.

We we saw Vachero stride through the um press conference uh through the media centre yesterday. I briefly misidentified him as Bornagoyo, but it was uh it was from the back and from a distance and it was a hair thing, okay? Okay. That uh but um my goodness me he's confident as Nevachere. That is a swagger enough. When he walked through the restroom he just saw all these eyes follow him, my own included. You just can't take your eyes off him, he just owns the place.

And I don't think you'll love playing a French guy and being very much cast in the you're not the French guy. Bro. Yeah,'cause I'd kind of exp been expecting him to have a lot of support at this year's Roland Garros, you know. Uh but yeah, I I don't think he'll be the the crowd favourite in that one. So that will be fascinating. Those th those four qualifiers are four of twenty two

uh French players in in the draw. So big big contingent. Um also got two Bolivians making it through, qualifying. Uh Pam Shriver, who we uh saw yesterday said that She's been properly paying attention to qualifying for the first time in in a while in her new role as a as a coach uh with Yonex, a mindset coach, and she's been out on all the practice courts in the in the cold at the start of the week, in the heat at the end of the week.

It was interesting how the weather changed through qualifying and she's sh she's kept an eye on Juan Carlos Prado Angelo, who is one of those uh Bolivians, twenty year old Makenzie Macdonald, Cullman Wong, Wong wedi'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'

But Prado Angelo now plays David's guy, Landaluce in uh in round one. So that is one to look out for. And the other Bolivian who who qualified as the at the other end of his career, thirty-two year old Hugo Delien, a very experienced Clay Quarter. Uh we've also had a lot of Americans making it through, Amelia Nava on the men's side, and um I think probably most interestingly is Sloan Stevens. on the women's side, the the twenty eighteen runner up here. I I have not really been able to

Sloan's level ov over the past few months. She's had some very one sided losses. I remember her losing two and love to Zarazua in Charleston and She's taken a couple of losses to Padres on the clay, but that's a that's a really nice qualifying run she's put together here and it's it it's great to see her back in the main draw. what does it mean for her role at T N T? I was gonna say was she included in the She's on that roster. Interesting.

Well, even if she wins a round, she's likely got Igor Sviontek in round two. They'll pencil her in for punditry from Wednesday onwards. I thought so. Mid m mid match interviews. Catch her in. That's what I want to hear. Right, yeah. Okay. Do you wanna wanna hear that from Sloan actually? Just maybe not. Okay. And then I think the the sort of other

name to touch on here is a twenty three year old Brit, Toby Samuel, whose story is pretty incredible really. Uh he went to the University of South Carolina Uh and this is his first time in the main draw of a slam. He he missed much of the twenty twenty-four season because of bone bruising on his right arm. and fell almost two thous well, f fell to almost two thousand in the world, but since coming back from that injury has transformed his career, made huge strides uh last year in particular.

and in the past year he's actually won sixty seven of his last eighty matches. He's been on an incredible streak. He won um back to back challenger titles earlier this year in March and he's he's kind of on the cusp of of the world's top one hundred and fifty and Yeah, as I said, his first time in into the main draw of a slam and he's beaten Martin Dam junior, he's beaten David Goffin and he's beat uh Peruz Gonzalez

Gonzalo Bueno to um to make it through and he faces Alex Diminor in in his first round. So Nice easy one. Yeah. Won't have to do much running in that one. Mae'n rhaid i'r Brits yn ymwneud â'r Brits yn ymwneud â'r Brits yn ymwneud â'r Brits yn ymwneud â'r Brits. Mae'r Brits yn ymwneud â'r Brits yn ymwneud â'r Brits yn ymwneud â'r Brits. Okay. to Jacob Ferm. Yeah. Honestly, Jacob Fernie must have felt like a rock star, the crowd that he had around him yesterday. Um really cool stories.

Hmm. And and I probably also should have should have shouted out Claire Liu, the American who qualified. She only lost six games. In three matches. She had three 6-1 sets and two 6-love sets. So she's in uh she's in good form. I think she's got Uchijima. Good luck to her!

Yeah, watch out for her. Okay, good stuff. Thank you, Matt. Let's have a look at tomorrow's order of play. What have we got? What we've got, folks, is a pretty soft launch on Chatrier. We start uh on Shay. First matchup, Synja Krauss. The Austrian qualifier taking on Belinda Bencic. That is at midday. I'm sure they'll be packed in for that and definitely not all enjoying London.

while that match is happening. Uh second on Chateauer, Benjamin Bonzi against Alexander Zverev in the heat of the day. We've seen I think we saw Benjamin Bonzi practising yesterday in two different locations. Yeah. Yes, we we we did. And and I I don't exactly know what he looks like sometimes, uh, but I'm reliably informed that that was him both times. But anyway, I'll have my eyes keenly uh keenly on him tomorrow because we know he k he likes the big occasion, doesn't he?

He does take a set off Yannick Cinner in Madrid. I mean taking a set off Yannick Sinner in on Clay in twenty twenty six is y you get a little medal for that. That makes me nervous for that match now. Oh dumb okay. And he took out Medvedev at two slams last year. Maybe he's ready. Maybe he's ready. Uh third on Chatroge Marumira Andreva against Fiona Ferro and then the night session. Um I think this was anticipated when uh Giovanni Pesci Perica had been spotted hitting at night.

quite a lot. I think, you know, word had trickled down uh that his opening match was likely to be a night session because it is against Novak Djokovic, who I'm sure saw the weather forecast and thought Rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n rwy'n

Well yeah, y you would you would think so. I what what I do think is you could end up with some very close sets at the at the least, because if he gets that serve rocking I mean I don't care how good you are as an opponent, it's really difficult to get a record on that serve. Um crowd behind him, you know, he might play out of his mind. Greg behind him. Greg behind him. Plus great. Better many years ago.

Arguably the greatest return of the men's game has ever seen. So that could end up being some spectacular rallies w if Djokovic can get hold of the Just short ones, but spectacular. Thank you. Explosive. Long len tomorrow opens with uh a Frenchman, which is what you love to see, David against Karen Hashinov is Arthur ge Arthur I don't know too much about this Arthur. But you you you do need a new French arth. French authors. How convenient. There you go. Testing it out.

Yeah, I mean it would be unexpected for me, David, starting his tournament with Karen Hashinov but That's what Suzanne Longland does too. Frenchman of England. Uh second non long length. This will get you going, David. Hailey Baptiste against Barbora Krajchikova. This is where the fun starts, I think. That's my that's my Yeah. I'm gonna be locked in on that one. Do you do you circle an order of play, um in terms of what you want to go on?

Highlight or underline and it has to be in a different cup color. But yes, lots of circling and lots of letting my editor know what I've circled in advance. If you wanna cover this. Right. So Baptiste Kreichikov are very much circled. Any of the others m I've mentioned so far had a had a circling?

Uh Novax, but I I I'm mostly just keeping an eye on how much energy is expended on on every match because I do think it's It's gonna be one where I'm there's not really anybody who can I think unseat him, but I think he's Tired and beat up by like Sunday. Taylor Fritz, Neshesh Basavareddi. It could be a circling. Yeah, I'm kind of intrigued.

by what Fritz has got here, right? Because we've just not seen him that much. I know he played on on Clay last week and lost to Popperin, I think, didn't he? But um you know, like I've kind of written Fritz off this tournament and yet when he's at his best he's a pretty reliable presence in a in a draw. So if he if he looks good and he certainly thinks he looks good, uh after after those photos, um He gave us his stats yesterday, didn't he? The lifts are going up, the weight's coming down. Okay.

You know, like i i that that changes the draw a little bit I think if if Fritz is a is a serious prospect because he's in that section with Hollar, he's in that section with Zverev and he's got a good record against Zverev. Like I don't know. So I'm just I'm I'm keeping an eye on that one to try and learn something about about where Taylor Fritz is at, I suppose.

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He can be fun. He can be really fun. I think I think intrigued is out also how I feel. I just wanna see where he's at and see honestly see how he like now that tennis players are are talking about breakups and and how that affects like focus and every I'm I'm interested to see him back on court. The most single man in the world. Last on Long Len tomorrow, Senior Ephraimova, the French Wildcard, very talented junior player she was, um, against Saranica Steyer, who's eighteenth seed. On a heater.

Yeah. Bit of a heater. Uh court Simon Mathieu tomorrow opens with Martostuk against a Russian player. We have a few Russians against Ukrainians in uh in the opening round Oksana Selecomatova. uh the Russian opponent for fifteenth seed Marta Kostiuk in the opener. Then it's Katie Volinets against Clara Burel, the French wildcard second up. Uh Titoin

Troguy against Jakob Menzik, another French wild card. Third on Mathieu tomorrow, and then Joel von Seca against a French qualifier, uh Luca Pavlovich. That could be a scene. Yeah. You know, remember last year, David, when we were on uh court seven, I think, wasn't it, watching Fonseco and like it was clear that court was just not big enough.

And there was there was people standing on kind of everything just to get a a a viewing po point of that and yeah, playing a Frenchman. I I th I think they've learned that Fonseca needs a slightly bigger chord. So yeah. That could be eventful, end of the day. Court 14 tomorrow. Alejandro Davidovich for Kina. 21st seed against Dimid Jumho Fran Jones against Beatrice Hadaj Maier. Remember when Hadaj Maier was in the semi-finals here?

I mean she's just dropped off a cliff, hasn't I mean you'd almost say that's potentially a good draw for Fran Jones, which is pretty crazy. Uh Sophia Kennan against Payton Stearns, that could be feisty. Sonigo against Pierre Huguenbert is last on 14. Court seven has Teresa Valentova and Magdalene. Ostapenko, if she wins. Yes, I've I've kind of circled that one myself just because that section of the draw intrigues me so much. I'm so invested in it.

Yeah, that suddenly feels like quite a consequential. It does. because of the Ostapenko implications. Conta Alice and Mathia Bellucci are over on Court 7. What else have we got? here we have I mean there's French players everywhere, which is absolutely what you want from early rounds at uh Roland Garrett.

Ciaran Jacquet wedi'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i'i' Circles. on seven um Tomlianovich and Katie McNally just because McNally's become all of a sudden very interesting to watch to me. Like she's a she's a she's a good watch and I think she could

Maybe do some damage, get a couple of good matches under her belt. But um yeah, I always like watching her. Lily Tagger is first on court nine. She turned us down for tennis podcast meets, but we we don't hold that against people. I'll be there. We still tagger people. I need to see the backhand in real life. Yes. I need to make a in life assessment.

And it was here last year she won the junior title, wasn't it? And we kind of first first became aware of her. So yeah, I'll be checking her out as well. And Mahatch against Berg. Second on Court twelve. So I reckon you're gonna go court nine for Tagger and then Mahatchbergs second up. Yes, although I do also want to see uh Baptiste Kreichikova, but I think Berg's Mahach follow uh follow a men's map. They do.

Yeah, so I'm hoping that goes five and then I can get my two women's matches in and then head over to Berg's Mahatch. I've I've I've thought this through. You do surprise me. Uh Emirda Carnu against Solana Sierra, probably worth pointing out that is third on court thirteen. tomorrow. Uh okay, we will be doing predictions. That'll be coming up in part three of the show. Just before we move on, we should round up results.

From the tournaments that have been happening this week, we've had a W T A two fifty in Rabatt One by Petra Marchenko. Uh disappointing scenes in the final there. Angelina Kalinina had to retire at a set and three love down. So Marchenko the uh titlist in Rabat in Strasbourg, which is a five hundred Huge win, huge title for Emma Navarro, who's had a s tough time recently, lot of lot of health inj issues, struggling with with form. Um

And this is absolutely massive. Five hundred points, uh, a lot of confidence in the bank and a win over a top ten player in the final. She beat Victorian Boko, six love, five seven, six two there. So uh Congratulations to Emma Navarro. On the men's side of things, we've had Geneva going on this week. That's a two fifty, one by Learner Tien, three six, six three

seven five. He beat Alexander Bublick in a very entertaining semi final yesterday. I mean it was only a year ago that TN couldn't function on anything other than a hard court. I mean Winning it's jumping. year on it. Very promising. Yeah. It's a tough draw for Americans this time. Um I'm Mm. I haven't seen him enough on Clay. Um I usually watch him on on hardcourt. He's kind of one of those guys that I circle at the US Open because he also gets crowds behind him in his and

kind of place to fun atmospheres on hardcore. But um I don't know, the the Americans I was just looking at Tommy Paul's results today. Down kinda bad. What else is new? And he's got Medvedev in his section, David. Yeah. Oh that's the like the most random quarter of Yeah.

Yeah, I think Kaboli's in there as well and yeah it's i it it's a fun little section. Uh yeah, it's it's it's a good question the American to go further. I mean Shelton's been really reliable at slams ha recently, hasn't he? But he's just His tall form in the last few months has been Up and down. Yeah, so he's he's struggled but I don't know in these hot conditions I think that that serve could get jumping up and firing at people like he might he might actually like these conditions I think.

We were watching highlights of Tommy Paul last night, Catherine and me, against Alex Dimonor. Oh wow. We were jumping out of our seats at midnight, but Saw on social, just like was it the the sh tiniest shorts and the and the best runners on tours? I was like, Oh, that's He he was a set and three one down, Tommy Paul and Alex Duman all playing out of his mind, and Tommy Paul turned into Crazy. I I mean talk about afterburners like just Just sort of went, Oh, screw this.

I don't know, like the injection of pace on on his back can in particular was sort of took us aback, didn't it? It felt like he was jumping out of the out of the laptop screen. Um You didn't win the title. Lost out to Ignacio Bufay. Peace out, peace out Boose. He's a good player, Business.

Yeah. Um and he's got uh Andre Rublev in the opening round here which I had eyed as an upset when the draw came out but it is it's tough to turn around, you know, obviously physically but also that's a big deal for Busso winning a an ATP five hundred title I think I'd say I think at this stage in his career you probably want the title rather than around uh

second or third round or maybe fourth round at the French. Like I think winning a title is really valuable and getting that win over a more experienced guy like Paul. Uh yeah, he's he's building, isn't he, Busse, from Peru, which is uh quite fun to to see. I think that's it

We're seeing it more and more, like players from countries which don't have quite so many players and therefore they're getting a lot of support themselves. There's a lot of them on the women's tour at the moment and I feel like Hussey is carrying the flag for Peru right now and yeah, it's it's it's great to see. It's got a it's got a fun game. Okay, that is it for part two. Join us in part three for predictions.

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With refined styling, intuitive technology, and visceral power, the Range Rover Sport sets a new standard for performance SUVs. Discover what's possible when you drive your desires. Build yours today at ranger.ca. Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast, our Roland Garros preview show where we are gonna get into some predictions shortly. Colours are going to be pinned to Mars.

Uh but first we wanted to share part of an interview that we did today with Ukrainian player Alexandra Olinikova. We had asked for five minutes with her to form part of our tennis podcast meet show that we do before every Grand Slam for our subscribers and she came back and said I'll give you ten.

And then when I actually sat down with her she ended up speaking for more than fifteen minutes. Um Friends of the Pod can hear the full interview in the tennis podcast meet show that's going up later today and also Features David's chats with Ethan Quinn, Martin Lander Luthe, Stefan Ositzerbas, Alexander Blocks. I had a lovely chat with Zanep Sonmes yesterday. Um but we did want to share an excerpt from Olinikova's interview on this show today because

It is so powerful and because the reason that she was so generous with her time is because she understands the value of her platform and is prepared to take risks in order to speak about what she thinks matters. So we thought her voice deserved as big a platform as we could give it. Um we talked about a lot of things, her unique playing style, her strong sense of self and individuality, but we also talked about her

experience of being a Ukrainian player on tour with a war going on at home. I started on that topic by asking her about her decision to use her platform wherever she can to raise awareness about the war in Ukraine and How big a motivator that is for her in terms of success on the tennis court.

Yeah actually for me it's the reason I'm playing because uh I live in Ukraine. My home is in Ukraine, my father is a his uh uh he's volunteered to go to to war in two thousand twenty four and uh he was always w with me before before he went to army on tour. And uh of course uh Thank you. to share our story is a huge motivation

I see my future in Ukraine and the war is actually define my life how it will be. So tennis it's uh it's a big And uh I think for sport it's very important, you know, also to speak about the values of humanity and uh to unite people uh for what is right. And yeah, other I'm someone who is enjoying game but I don't need a big stadium. So yeah I was always I I always tell that I love tennis in any way. You know, I can just play in a small club in my country.

I'm not z that much focused on the results but th the motivation to be on the big tournament it's of course to do my best to help people in my country and to to put the attention that we still need a support. You are the only top player that still lives and tr from Ukraine that still lives and trains. On a practical level, can you share a little bit of what that's like, the challenges of it? I imagine there are difficulties with travel in and out of of Ukraine and facilities, that kind of

Yes, it's uh for me this is very hard because uh um I mean I this is my choice. I want to live and uh live at home and I want to build my future This is very important for me because uh the people I love there and um I love my country and uh yeah, the other players they outside and this is their their decision. I mean it's it's normal but uh yeah I have my you know my own uh and it's hard to travel sometimes uh I'm uh because it's not possible to fly there and I live in Kiev.

over seven hundred kilometers from the border. So you know, first you need to get to the border, then you need to drive ten hours inside Ukraine. So yeah and uh I sometimes I'm not seeing uh my family, I'm not seeing my boyfriend be so much easier if I will just to be able to come home between the tournaments like all the other players. So yeah, sometimes I'm just c I just feel crazy on tour. Uh but yeah, um like I have so many supportive people.

I just think I do the good thing by playing tennis. Does that ever feel lonely that your experience on tour is so different to everybody everybody else, all the other players. Uh I mean of course of course it's uh it's difficult. Mm many players are supportive and they are saying uh lots of kind words. They you know they are r really informed. So I can hear uh Yeah.

But this is something that means a lot today and for me in my Um I Helps helps me to feel better. In terms of sort of bigger gestures, I mean we've had the players the last couple of days. I don't know if you know prize money kind of proving that when something matters to them they can speak out and put themselves on the line. Do you find that frustrating? around around Ukraine. Yes, uh this is very frustrating and this silence on tour um For me, um this is

Something what's very problematic. This is something what's uh affecting my life directly because if we will speak about tennis players. The people who can change a lot. You know, I believe that sport um this is you know the part of culture which unites people for the right things. But now when we see this side of the world, we're not going to I think this is the very bad message. Um, especially when on the tour so many people, uh so many tennis players.

who are um supporting their regimes and there is a lot of effects of the um media activity on the s uh on the social media, comments, likes, uh um many uh activity like in the past, uh by playing with uh uh Pro War sports uh pro war uh sponsors, by going to the Gazprom tournament I think you know that we are not allowed to participate in the tournaments which are uh um organized by betting comp.

But uh there is no any reaction on uh players participating uh of the tournament of the company uh which is financing war crime. And there is no reaction on this. I don't understand how it's possible. Um the players, uh let's say top uh female player, Arina Sabalenka, world number one. She signed uh in two thousand twenty the document to support uh Lukashenko. She never pulled out. There is multiple video uh photos her with Belarus dictator.

She is not commenting this, nobody is commenting this. We're protecting like nothing happened. Let's make a photo of new Guccibeck. And me when I come bo when I come back home, I live in uh the attacks with the massive drones and rockets will come from Belarus to my home and how should I feel? I mean for me it's terrible when let's say this person

She's the most famous Belarusian woman in the mo in the world. When she says uh that she uh don't have any influence on what is happening uh uh in her in her country by being now the most um let's say the most important uh a person in the western world for from Belarus who can speak out. It I mean for me it's the absurd. She can influence on so many And uh yeah, we say we see same silence leave from

uh Russian tennis players, from many of them. We uh for me it's a very big problem also You know, the WTA, this is the organization uh was made with the idea that the woman That we can you know, we are the serious athletes. So we also can speak about important things. The WTA was created by by the Billie Jin King, you know, and uh What's happening now?

the women players were so many influence pretending like the only thing they can think about is a Gucci bag. That's an absurd, you know, and for me it's very triggering. Yes, yes, he's here. He's actually came to Strasbourg. But because I stretched my leg uh during uh the first match with Allah, I supposed to retire from uh my second round but uh now I'm recovering, I'm having a bit rest. Tomorrow I will start to practice. So I hope it will be fine. And yeah, for him

to be here, this is his dream. So yeah, his emotions, like I'm so happy. He's a bit even like a kid, you know. So he's inspired by everything. He's super happy to be here and I mean that's this is an amazing tournament. Uh Uh August two thousand twenty four. Uh and uh he watched this match and uh after this he went straight to the army I remember it was uh ITF thirty five in Йор in Romania.

Uh I remember it very good. Unfortunately it was the final but unfortunately I lost and I was so upset because I mean my opponent in the ma in that match he showed great tennis but you know when you're playing not your best and I think it also what was the part that it was so important for me so I was just shaking on the court. And yeah, I'm so upset that this match was not not not my best. But yeah, now he's here and he's also having this contrast with futures and Grand Slam. So yeah.

Yeah, so many things changed. So I think the most important thing and for him it's the most Um we m made our dream real Do you know your draw? Yeah, I know So you know you play a a Russian Can you just tell me what that experience is like for you? Uh you know, um when I'm facing Russian opponents I'm not uh thinking too much. I feel uh I feel unfair that we're closing uh eyes on some facts and it's also when I see Russian players in the draw.

I always have this in my mind uh but you know, I uh don't uh w when I play I just try to to play to show my tennis. This is what important for me when I'm on court. And what I'm knowing that I'm speaking out, I speaking out the facts, I speaking out uh um I speaking out about uh about what's happening in my country, about how sport is important and how the things we will do on tour can Change the things to better or worse. You know, it depends. Right now the silent leave.

very big problem. But again I'm speaking out and yeah I'm not over thinking but because it just a But of course I always when I see this draw I have on my mind the things which are behind. What's what's happening on course One day Tournament ma match by match, tournament by tournament. You know, we play s so many so many matches during the year, so it's like not that important but uh I I believe I do the right I wish you the very best of luck. It's been wonderful to speak to you. Thank you.

Thank you. And actually I I stopped the recorder but m my next words to Alexandra Olonikova were that Billie Jean King I felt sure that Billie Jean King would would like her and that they would have a lot to talk to one another about and she was really

She was really taken aback by those words and actually the WTA communications manager that was there for the interview was sort of nodding and she said, Yeah, we we need to make that happen, Billie Jean King meeting Olen a cover and you could you could see what the prospect of that meant to her. And just before I get your reaction to that interview, David, I I should just say that for her own part, Sabalenka has been asked about similar comments that Olinakova has has made like you just

heard there earlier this year and she said at the time, I want peace and if I could change anything, I would definitely do that. Other than that, I have nothing else to say. David, I know you were I was very struck by what you heard from Olenek over there and her reaction to the prospect of meeting Billie Jean King.

Well, whenever we spend any time with Billie Jean King, she she always talks about wanting to have a player like Olinakova who's prepared to speak out on things that she's paci that they're passionate about. Pay lip service, not hide away and just regard themselves as tennis players because there are too many important subjects out there that the platform can be used for and I mean I I have not really come across an interviewee intent

quite like Olyna Covert i in that interview and in many others. I know Charlie Eckleshair spoke to her for the athletic but I mean i it is I don't know how you how you find it, Ava. I mean you speak to a lot of athletes and you've come across a lot of people, but that is quite something.

It it's nice, it's and I'm glad you brought up Billie Jean King and it was I that seems like it was a lovely reaction from her too, but it does remind you that that really such a crucial foundation of the WTA is that they were women who were so involved in activism and they had to be at at that point in time, but um it's just an interesting time and and I'm glad you guys kind of got into also the

what players are willing to speak out about and what they're maybe not as as willing or not as impassioned to speak out about because Um, as we can see it's not as if we don't have players who are willing to put put things on the line these days. So it is I it it's it's interesting and it must be so um aggravating for her to see that, but not for the thing that she's trying to fight for. So it's a it's an interesting dynamic. Mm. It was you know

She had the a the the the the WTA communications manager sat behind her for the whole interview and she she didn't intrude at all. She was just doing her job. She was she was great and and let it go long'cause she could see that Olenikova was was totally happy. But you know, the WTA

will have heard that interview and and you know this is somebody that's been threatened with fines by the WTA for saying things exactly like she's just said in that interview. She is not afraid to cost herself something. She's not just doing this'cause it's easy and she can and she might as well. She's she's prepared to suffer consequences and cost'cause it matters and I un I totally understand why, but there's not an awful lot of that around.

It's pretty incredible when you hear it and it was it was pretty incredible for me sort of sitting in front of her and she made eye contact the whole time and she was She was a very impressive person so I'm glad I'm glad we were able to to give her that platform and I'm very grateful to her for being so so generous with her time and speaking like that in a second language. Oh I know that I always think about that. Articulate and impassionate. When you're emotional also.

Absolutely. Yeah. Okay. I'm afraid the time has has come. Ava, I'm sorry.

I'm so happy to be making a fool of myself in my debut probably. We are happy to have company in making a fool a fool of ourselves. It is predictions time. I'm gonna ask for finalists and winners on both sides, but feel free to throw in any other random predictions you might have about things that you just have a feeling might happen over the course of the next two weeks. David, you look like you might want to go first.

Well I I made a a a a change of my mind today and decided that Rafael Hodar was not actually going to lose in the quarterfinals to Alexander Zverev. He was going to beat him. And play against Caspar Ruth. Um he would eventually fall at that point. Rude will be in the final, beaten by Mr. Yannick Sim. Would you like my women's dress? Yes.

Okay, well it's gonna be the top four seeds uh as I as I picked from uh from third round onwards. It's going to see Elena Rebecca in a Overcome Igor Sfiante this time, face Serena Sabalenko in the final, who will beat Coca Gough, and Sabalenko will win the whole thing. Yes. I like that and that was just for the listeners at home. No notes on that by the way. Just off the top there. That was impressive, David. It doesn't need to be right. It just needs to be impressive. That's right.

Who would like to follow that? Matt, Europe. Matt. Yeah. Okay. Wow. Uh I will shock no one and and pick Yannick Sinner to to win the title on the men's side. Um Yeah, w we were kinda talking earlier what's our what's our mix to get out of the of the other side of the draw. Who wouldn't surprise us?

to get to the final. I I I think three names jump out to me and one of them is Casper Rude. I had a chance to speak to Rude in the press conference today and ask ask him why he played Geneva basically, which was kind of what we were debating at breakfast this morning, Ava. These are the kind of conversations we have. Uh

And uh he said, you know, because I was like, You got to find of Rome, like surely you had everything you needed and he was like, Well, when you're when you're playing well sometimes you gotta be greedy he said. And when you're feeling good you gotta take advantage of those moments, keep playing. Uh he talked about it in terms of having he's gonna have three weeks off after the French Open. He's playing nothing on grass before Wimbledon, that is You shock me.

His way of scheduling, getting some rest in. And he actually talked about wanting some long matches because he didn't feel like he got them in Rome. Every match he played was quick. Winning them and then kinda losing in in the final there to Cinner. So I think he wanted a bit more court time. The thing is though to me that didn't sound like sort of It sounded like capitalizing on the form he's in and making getting as most points as he can get right now. It didn't sound like

necessarily that was preparing himself for the best for the French Open in the best way he possibly could. I I just don't really I'm not sure I trust Rude to reach the final here. Like I think he's gonna have a good tournament.

before I know but I'm not sure he's quite as I just don't I don't think he's quite as consistent as he was back then. I think he's a little bit more vulnerable and This way, I was wavering on whether to put Casparude in the final and what I've just heard there is made me Stop wavering at all and decide not to be able to do that. Okay. Serious contender. I think my look, I I know I said the other day that I think my my pick at this stage is Djokovic.

I think I'm gonna go Zverev and I think it might be a kind of pick up the pieces route to the final. I think he would might play Hodar and Hodar's legs might have gone by that point. And I think he might play Djokovic and Djokovic kind of to Ava's point earlier, that might be the point where his physicality comes into question. So Even less bold than David, I've got one V two in the final. I've got I've got Sinarov and Zverev at this point. On the men's side.

Yeah, I I I think I've got the same. I th I I think I thought I was gonna put Djokovic in in the final, but um I I was slightly I did read slightly more into his press conference yesterday than than you did Matt and I totally understand why you weren't

Um I was mugged off by his Australian Open pre tournament press conference as well, which turned out to be worse than meaningless, sort of actively misleading. Um but I I don't think he's fit for seven best of five set matches, so I'm gonna go with Zverev as well because Kasparid is Talking like that. He was very relaxed today. He was there was not it was not

when you're feeling well like there's one reading of that quote when you're playing well you have to be greedy that it's like yeah you gotta go for things and I'm taking my opportunities and that's not what it sounded like. You're right. It sounded like I gotta get points where I can and and yeah he he was a little bit just It's not champion speak, is it?

Or maybe I mean maybe and maybe that's the speed that feels best for him when he feels like he's in in his own, but it it um I wanted a little bit more oomph from Casper. Isn't that the story? I think he's gr I respect him, I think he's really nice. I you've you've Aver has summed up my position perfectly there. I just always want a bit more room.

He said he was playing what taking three weeks off he and and I knew I was like there's a bad bunny concert the Saturday before Wimbledon. I was like and Casper Roode will be there. That's exactly what I thought. Your umph guy though, isn't it? Well exactly, that's why he's just not me. And that's fine. People like different things. I've nothing against him. He's not an oomph guy. I like umf And David, do you like him in that matchup against Verev?

I yeah, I I think he if If they face each other, I'd I mean and they're both I'd be back in route. two or three years ago and they played each other and Rude got on well with A parasite? Yeah. I mean that was awful. That was horrible. Terrible luck last year. Um and look I know I know that might be taken away from Zverev a little bit because he he turned that around and won the match and really pushed Al Kras in the final but

I do I think matchup wise you needs if if somebody's gonna hurt Zverev they need to have something to hurt him with a weapon. You can't just rally with this guy, you've got to hurt him. And Rude can do that with his forehand. That's why I've gone for Hoddar. Because I know I I totally accept that he's a novice at best of five set match length and grand slam platform, but he's also got no mental.

He's gonna come out and swing. Yeah. Um whether he gets there is another matter. But I th I feel like if he he he would have to play Fritz if they both got through, and that's that's a big question. You know, Fritz can hurt can make you run a lot. But I think if you could get by Fritz I'd be back in him to play Zverev and then I'd be back in him to be Yeah. Okay, so my actual prediction I think is

Cinner over rude. But I want to make the argument for Novak Joker. I just I think if you're Novak Djokovic, you don't waste this opportunity. And I understand that we're kind of past the point of him wheeling himself past whatever his body is breaking down for, but

I think that guy is taking, what did Nadal have at the French Open, the 14 cortisol shots or whatever in a day? I think he is doing absolutely everything, medically, spiritually, like nutritionally. We already know he's doing that, but I think that he's not wasting this opportunity and Wimbledon. Um and I I just Without outcome. Without Acaraz, yes. Um being in the draw. And I I

both don't believe his body is gonna hold up through this draw and still think he can do something with that and make the final. So I I think that there's no guy who can really Hurt him deeply. Like yes, you can you can ding him up and dent him and everything, but I don't know that anyone has anything to actually close out a match against him. Um so I I I want to believe No, no oh my gosh, no, not at all. No but It was a good it was a good poker face for me. Yeah, yeah. He sees, yeah. Yeah.

So that's I I do wanna see I wanna see Djokovic in the final here for sure. I think Sinner's gonna win it all anyways, but I I wanna see Rude's physicality will get Djokovic in the end. I I think the way the physicality of every match is gonna add up and compound. I do think I think he's gonna be in a in fairly bad shape if he does reach the final. Um it's just those are a bunch of guys again, it's like they can dink they can bend him but they can't break him basically. And he will he will

It's just gonna be i I hope it's not rough to watch. How about? Right. Mm. Much more succinct group to choose from here. Um I think I was thinking I think I'm gonna go Rybakina again. I think Wow I think I'm gonna go Ribacina. For the title. For the title. Yeah. She beats I wanna see her against Sabalenka. Yeah, I I'm feeling good about her. I think she's kind of sneaking in under the radar.

She had kind of a weird roam, kind of a just like meh roam, but I feel like she's gonna come here and do it. I don't think Sabalanka's. I d I don't know why I'm feeling off about her. I don't know if it's the the w weird scheduling that's kind of been this way that I actually appreciate from her of saying, I'm just gonna get take the fine. It's it's it's okay, I'm gonna play a fewer tournaments but um

I don't trust Sabalink on Clay yet. How about that? Uh and I think It's just gonna be a good time for Ribakana, especially if it's if it stays hot like this. That's an interesting shout because I feel like everybody's putting Rabakina in the mix. But I've not heard anybody actually pick her yet, even though it's if that doesn't feel like a I'm here to make a fool of myself. I appreciate it. But d well David's put her in the final and I do think I

I do like Rabakina in that matchup with Shontek. I really do. Ev even on clay. And a at the Indian Wells when um when Sablanka and Rubakna played that incredible final in Indian Wells and Sablanka said afterwards, um, I was watching that final serve

in Australia and she did the exact same thing. If I'm Rybakina, I hear that and I'm like, great. Going going back to the tape, back to the drawing board, like, let's go. You think you know my game? So that's I yeah, I'm liking that that rivalry we got. Matt. Deep sigh. I kinda think it's cocoa weather. Ooh. Like I don't know. Like I just think uh Haha.

He says that and then he thinks actually I think it's also Sabalenka weather. You know, the a a hot fast Fr French open I think is better than a a c a a cold one where she she has to try and get through the court, I think I think it's gonna accentuate her weapons and and her power, th this kind of weather, as it is for Rabatcana, I think as well. I think Rabatcana's serve is just gonna be a nightmare to to get back in this in this kind of weather.

Again, it doesn't overheat. She does she is also one who yeah. Yeah. Um so I've I look, I've got Rebecca going through to the final. Um like maybe all of us, I think. Um Which, you know, f kind of feels bold when you've got Sviontek down there as well. Uh but just what we talked about yesterday with Sviontek's path and there's just so many names in there. I I'm I'm I'm gonna go Rebecca in the final.

And then I've got that dilemma of Sabalenka Goth in the in the semis, which I do think we'll see. Um Yeah. I think okay, I'm gonna go Sabalenka. I'm gonna go Savalenka and and then I'm gonna go for her to get revenge and and win the final as well. I think Mm. I know that what we've got in terms of data of of her on clay this year is is not all that promising for her with those early losses. But I'm trying to look at the year as a whole.

And I just think I've been so impressed with her. The the way she turned that final around and stepped up in the big moments against Rabatkinna at Indian Wells, that felt really meaningful for me. I think she's so determined to write. In her mind the wrong of last year. I think she thinks she should have won this tournament last year. Um I'm I'm gonna go Sabalanka to win the time. I think I might go for golf in the final against

Rebecca. I still I I I believe Sabilenka when she said her back is fine right now, but I do wonder if it will remain fine, like nothing You know, all she's done is kind of all that's happened is time. I she's not had a any treatment or anything, I don't I don't think. So I do you know, uh that is quite a question mark for me. And I agree the It feels like golf weather. Um so yeah, I'm gonna go golf Rabatkiner in the final. And they haven't played for a No, and I d I'm sort of like See that.

What does that look like? What does that look like here? I I would have gone with um Goff who is by the way if you run your Google through a translate like if it you know if your Google pops up and it says like translate this page from French or whatever, um

her name is Coconut Waffles in French Google Translate. I'm not joking. She like on the draw if you leave your Google Translate thing on. Coconut waffles. So that's in my in my head I've I'm like, ah, Coconut Waffles today, round one. Um What stopped me was Back to back Grand Slams. Yeah. That's something. I think that's what's stopping me saying we're back to Whereas me I'm like, Well that was a different grand sign, that's fine. All of these scenarios are great though.

Right. Like I mean, I and I know they're not necessarily happening, but like all of these match all of these potential matchups, all of these scenarios, like the men's we're just hoping for something that sets it alight, right? And makes it feel less Like a foregone conclusion. Rydyn ni'n dweud, rydyn ni'n dweud, rydyn ni'n dweud, rydyn ni'n dweud, rydyn ni'n dweud, rydyn ni'n dweud. I mean I I think the thing is it'd be a real surprise if the women's tournament wasn't brilliant.

Yeah. And full of good matches. Obviously the Australian Open waves its hand and says, No, no, it can be crap. Um even with all these great players. But but no, I think I think the the

the expectation is it's gonna be brilliant and that those that a lot of top names are gonna be left at the end. In the men's draw really it's it feels like it's gonna be Yannick Sinner and someone and then Yannick Sinner will win. The wild card's the weather, isn't it?

But the questions in the women's draw are interesting questions, right? It's it's like where is Iga Shvantek at with her game? Is Coco Goth gonna feed off all the momentum like she always does? Like I'm they're answers that I'm interested in learning, whereas like even the answers to the questions in the men's draw, I'm like Okay, well, come US Open Time. Am I still gonna be interested in whoever is stepping up at the moment? I don't know.

Time will tell. Aver I feel confident you have not humiliated yourself at all. That's all I want at the end of a podcast appearance. I feel confident you haven't totally blown up your career. Yeah. Frankly me too. Uh it's not quite over. Uh are you an animal person? Oh yeah. Is that or is that not the most beautiful cat you've ever seen? That's like an animated Disney cat with those like just looking up at you with the eyes. Shear could be AI generated.

That was a very that was a r great reveal also Matt just a slow He's staring at me. So beautiful and And uh Elise, his owner, tells us that he is very excited to return as the French Open mascot. For listeners who may not be familiar with him, he first held the prestigious role two years ago with great pride but minimal effort.

Which is absolutely the cat vibe, isn't it? He's an eight year old rescue cat who lives in Abu Dhabi with his humans, Elise and Vincent. We're not entirely sure about his breed, says Elise, although some people have suggested he might be part Egyptian man. But whatever he is, he's definitely the sweetest and most handsome cat there is. He has brought so much happiness into our lives. His presence is incredibly calming and comforting, especially his loud purring and his signature nose kisses.

Bashir loves treats, stretching out dramatically and sleeping belly up in the sunshine like a king. The very best moments are when he pads softly onto the bed at night to sleep between us, or when he climbs onto my lap while I'm watching tennis on TV. Admittedly, he mostly sleeps. But I guarantee that when Rafa was playing, he was watching. And finally, hi Catherine, David and Matt. I was so happy to see you in Australia. Matt we were happy to see you, Elise. Matt loves David.

Okay. He turns and look at you like oh Looking at me like the sheer. I'm halfway through the tennis podcast fan slam, says Elise. Now I just need to meet you at the French Open and the US Open maybe next year. That would be wonderful, Elise. Matt we haven't got you many dates. Either type. Either time. Yeah. Ha ha ha. What a miss. Um Bashir, I'm distracted by your beautiful eyes. Uh That's a luxurious coat. Well done to his humans.

I I mean I I think he's living a good life. Yeah, I think I think Bashir's got things figured out. Uh he will be going in our newsletter, on our Instagram, he will be he'll be everywhere. I'll s I'll spam you with Bashir because He he is a handsome boy. So welcome back, Bashir, and uh thank you Elise for bringing him back on board. Hello to our mascots, hello Bodie, hello Maisie, hello Roger, hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris, and Jen.

Rydyn ni'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd We have Yao Jihong from Seattle. Hey, Seattle, home of the Seahawks. Do you have an NFL team either? Yeah, it's my team. Oh okay. So yeah. So sorry, no I don't have an NFL team. Okay, David Dave is enthusiastic enough about the seahawks for to to go around. Uh what do we know about Yao? Uh started listening to the pod uh at the twenty seventeen Australian Open. What a time.

Yao says I have a daughter and a son, and their names happen to be the same as the two twenty eighteen Australian Open champions. That's Roger and Caroline. Awww. Pretty good. N named after? Unclear. Uh yes, actually bo we're both born at the time. So Oh wow. Now that's a tennis fan. Yeah. Yeah. It'd be pretty cool to just have people name in their kids after you, wouldn't it? Yeah. Well Martina Hingis is named after Martina Novatilova, isn't she? Please.

I don't think you have any other tennis tennis namesakes, do we? Like players named after other players. That's the only one that springs to mind, but Yeah,'cause Rafa is Rafa Hoda is not named after Rafa Nadal, it's just the name in the in the family. Yeah, thank you very much. Go Mariners. That's the Seattle team I'll shout out. Yeah. Big Mariners fan, that's true. Is that baseball? Yes. I see. Matt Sutton was talking a lot about baseball last night. Yeah he does that. Glazed over.

We'll stop it there then. We've also got Pierre from Montreal. Hello Pierre! Up yeah. Who says he's also known as Pete by his friends, which might give at least one more shout out option. Pete Sampras, who's in the first time. Very good. Perfect name for a pre French open shout. And Pierre's a longtime listener introduced to the show by my sister Isabel and Pierre says uh met David at the US Open a while back while waiting for coffee. Cool. Introduce yourself again. Yeah. Pierre, thank you.

And finally we have Greg from Austin for his wife Lauren. Greg like Greg Rosetsky, coach of Giovanni and Pesci Pericar that you'll be seeing on your tellies on Sunday night. There's only one Ava. Yeah. I mean Greg Allensworth. Greg Allen's word. God I almost forgot that. That would have been bad. He's my guy, eh? I feel like everyone's mean to him. Oh. I'm sorry. I guess I was just mean to him by forgetting him. Apologies, Greg.

Uh Greg and Lauren got married in March this year after eleven years together. Greg says she's a devoted listener who introduced me to the show. She has a wicked flat forehand. We first met on a tennis court in our hometown when we were kids. I didn't know then that she would become the love of my life. But that became obvious not long after. For our honeymoon, we'll head to Paris for Roland Garros. Kicking off the first leg of our career fan grand slam together.

Super. Cute story, Greg. What a legend. Oh that's so lovely. Congratulations. Uh, Greg, if you see us, do you say hello? Absolutely. Yeah, it'd be great to see you. It's absolutely lovely. Greg, Lauren, Yao and Pierre. Pierre slash thinking Pete. Pierre slash Pete.

Uh thank you very much for being friends of the tennis podcast. Uh if you want to become a friend and listen to our episode of the Tennis Podcast Meets, which is going up later on today, probably be up by the time that you're listening to this, then the link to do that. is in our show notes. We are part of the Athletic Podcast Network. Ava, it has been a joy to have you on today's show. Thank you very much indeed and we hope to speak to you again.

Thank you so much for turning me from listener to participant. I'm just absolutely delighted. Until the next time, Ava. And until tomorrow when we'll be back with our first daily Roland Garros twenty twenty six podcast from the tournament. It all begins in earnest at eleven A. M. tomorrow morning when Matt will be out watching See ya there folks.

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