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Hi, this is Billie Jean King. This is Mary and Bartoni. I'm Matt's Vellander. This is Mary Carillo. This is Pam Shriver. This is Yannick Noah. Hi, this is Frank Gill and you're listening to the tennis podcast. Well, thank you very much, Frank, whose voice my 12-year-old son last night heard and described as sick. Catherine, that's a compliment I'm assuming. Yeah, nothing to add. If your son thinks it's sick, then I bow to his better judgment about what's sick and what's not.
Yes, indeed. Well, I actually did think it was very good if that is exactly what my son was referring to. So thank you very much, Frank, for your cool, in my vernacular and sick, in my son's vernacular voice for introducing this edition of the show.
And thank you for being a friend of the tennis podcast. If you are listening to this and thinking, oh, I wouldn't mind having an intro at the start of a show and potentially being called sick, then you can by becoming a friend of the tennis podcast, you can also get a shout out.
And also, if you are quick, you've only got a few days left to do this, you could guest at it, a show you could take us on in predictions. We even have one executive, executive producer slot left, but there are not many, many left folks. So if you want to become a friend of the tennis podcast at one of those levels, get in there quickly. Catherine, how are the caucus? Where to begin, David? They did not disappoint. It was, it was a magical day. Absolutely magical.
Yeah. Catherine has been in Perth for a while, Dunne United Cup, and then yesterday did the caucus. And Matt, what did we wake up to yesterday on the tennis podcast? What's that group? Just an avalanche of photos, fantastic photos that we had to judge and decide which was the best one. I mean, I'm still getting my head around the fact that Catherine booked the early ferry to go and see the Quakers. It was either a seven or a ten, the earliest ferry.
Yeah, the earliest, incredible. I mean, who is this person we're going to meet in Australia? Honestly, you saw, you saw about 20% of the total Cocker photos that are on my phone. I thought I was incredibly restrained with my spam quite frankly. Ration yourself, Catherine. We've got three weeks to look at them.
I would also just like to say, as an accompanying bit of knowledge to all the Quaker photos that lots of people might have seen on our social media, the lengths that I went to to get those photos. When you're judging that my Quaker selfie against Roger Federer's, just please bear in mind that I could be wrong about this, but I don't think Roger Federer physically crawled on his hands and knees inside a tree in the Aussie bush, which is what I did. I have cuts all over my legs.
I know, Mad on his knee. No, I woke up this morning, absolutely done in. I cycled 30 kilometres yesterday in search of Quakers. Stopping at the occasional beach, but mostly prioritising the Quakers, lengths were gone too. And not in vain. I'm not sending a great deal of sympathy from our listeners right now. Your 30 km ride of bike in the sunshine. Looking for coccas. But I take your point. I take your point.
You did go to extreme lengths and Matt's eagle-eyed observation of mud on the knees in the photos was really quite something and it does tell its own story. So listen, we've got loads of tennis to talk about and in terms of getting up early, nobody's gone to great lengths than Matt this morning because he has been up basically all night watching the extraordinary numbers of tennis match. She's going on back to back and some of them at the same time. So we've got loads and loads to catch up on.
Before we do that, let's just remind you of the fact that this edition of the tennis podcast is sponsored by On Location, the premium hospitality and experience provider. On Location, I can't do it in Sinckept Catherine. I have to be in your company to pull that off. Okay. So I'll work on it. And also thank goodness you'll be presenting by the time I get to Melbourne. On Location will be the official hospitality provider of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.
That means that you can gain unparalleled access to the Olympic Games when they take place in Paris from Friday the 26th of July to Sunday the 11th of August 2024. So this year it's only seven or eight months away and you could be in Paris at the Olympic Games. On Location offers you the chance to be a part of history with tailor-made offerings that include guaranteed tickets and a wide range of options to make your time at Paris 2024 truly epic.
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That's tours the number 4 tennis.com forward slash podcast. This can be purchased online or a dedicated on Location team member can contact you directly to create your perfect package and of course the link is in our show notes and also in our newsletter. If you're not subscribed to that yet, get on it. Matt's snap is back, predictions are back, I've already got one wrong and that's because Raffa and the Dow didn't win Brisbane, Catherine. Maybe I should have named better.
Well, I've got one wrong as well because Poland didn't win the United Cup and what I was going to say is an addendum to the On Location blurb read the Olympics and the incredible experience that you could have at the Olympics courtesy of on location is TBC on whether you'll have the chance to see E. Gashiontek and Hubert Hurkatch in mixed doubles I would say.
Aha, because we've just witnessed the Poland against Germany final which E. Gashiontek started perfectly by winning the opening rubber against Angeloid Kerber. Then Hubert Hurkatch had two match points against Alexander Zwerov. He wasn't able to take them. There was one frankly incredible passing shot on the run from Zwerov that caught the outside edge of the line to save the match and then I'm afraid from a Hubert Hurkatch perspective.
I don't think it's an exaggeration to say he kind of reverted to type and just disappeared for the rest of the match. He was not a factor in the rest of that match and then by the time they got to the mixed doubles really Germany were always the better team. They got into the decider, did Poland but I don't know. What did you two think? I always felt like Germany would end up winning that tie. What did you think, Matt?
Certainly once it got to the mixed doubles and that match started it did feel like Germany had the momentum and also the upper hand on that doubles court. Laura Seagman is a very very savvy doubles player isn't she? She really positions herself well on the court and comes up with some great shots at the right time and gets in opponents heads. We know all about that as well. So Zwerov and her made a very very good combination but it just shouldn't have been allowed to go to the doubles.
I mean Hubert Hurkatch. I'm sorry but Annie's on this very ever got to bed at 5.45 am that morning and he was totally there for the taking and Hubert Hurkatch showed why we don't pick him to go far in slams. Why he doesn't go far in slams. Why he does have not a great record against sort of players ranked high in the world. He's got such a good game. He's got such an amazing serve and his backhand is kind of on the money all the time. He can come forward.
You know there's so much good about his game and yet in those biggest moments you don't trust him. And okay Zwerov came up with that amazing passing shot on the first match point. Incredible shot. But then Hurkatch made three unforced errors and gave away the tie break and then his energy in the third set was really really poor. You know compared to Zwerov who was knackered clearly. You know that was the element where Hurkatch had such a huge advantage. He sort of lost it a bit mentally as well.
He was lucky not to get disqualified at one point the way he threw his racket and almost hit the ballkid at the back of the court. It was just all over the place from Hurkatch. You know he was, I know he was trying his best but it did just feel like he was sort of doing everything he possibly could so that Poland didn't win this title.
And you know and then that sort of carried over into the mixed doubles as well where you know he was going after Sriantech shots and leaving the court a bit open and just not positioning himself well you know just a really tough day for you but Hurkatch. But one that isn't that much of a surprise really like it is kind of in keeping with what we've seen from him in the past in really tight big moments. His game can fold in on itself a little bit and then that's not a good trait to have.
And it is so contrary to Eugish Vyantech who raises her game in big moments. Seeing that contrast was just kind of extraordinary to witness but yeah an unbelievable comeback from Germany who were on the ropes in the semi-finals as well. So to win it in such dramatic fashion in both the semi-finals and the final later night both times hell of a team effort from Kerber, Seagmund and Zwerve.
Yeah it will be interesting I mean I think Kerber I don't view as a factor at the Australian Open other than it's great to see her back I just feel like it's too big a stretch to imagine that she could contend for the title and she did take pretty lopsided defeats to Sakari and to Svion Teckle though she had a good win against Tom Yanovich in a really epic match.
Packed house very great good contest I think it will be interesting what Svion Teckle does at the Australian Open because I think he's rarely come in to the events.
I think he has a great end of seasons but this is the first time he's come out of the start of the season and really looked like he's elevated and I wonder whether this has taken maybe a bit out of him but then he does have a week to prepare for the event but he was frankly incredible the last couple of days and yeah we'll watch to see what he ends up going on to do. He did though take a defeat the day before Catherine to Alex Dimonore and talking about people elevating their levels.
I would say he is elevated his level to probably a point that I didn't think he'd got in him and based on the results that he's had this week I know it's not quite the same as an Australian Open but what is he beaten?
He's beaten Taylor Fritz he's beaten Novak Jokovic who well I didn't see the match I know he was feeling his wrist and I don't believe that is the same Novak Jokovic as we'll be getting in a week's time but it's still significant that he actually beats him in a competitive match and then he's thought back to beat a guy who got a 6-1 record against him in Zwerve. What did you make of what you saw from Dimonore?
Yeah we're just taking these very much to start with I think that's a heck of a win for Alex Dimonore at personally I think as impressive as the Winover Jokovic because all respect to Dimonore for that Winover Jokovic is always a winover Jokovic I do think it will have a pretty heavy asterisk next to it in terms of Jokovic's fitness and his willingness to go to the Jokovic in dark places to win.
I think he would have preferred to win of course he's Novak Jokovic but there is a difference between Jokovic that is willing to put his body on the line for victory at all costs and that wasn't the Jokovic that Dimonore was playing.
Zwerve though as you say David this is Zwerve in peak Zwerve form utterly grooved, utterly in that groove you know played himself into possibly the best tennis I've ever seen in play and Dimonore however well he's playing has this 6-1 head to head against him that does not lie.
That match up is well up until last night was horrible for Alex Dimonore and it looked pretty horrible throughout that opening set I thought it was very gritty from Dimonore but it felt like he was hanging in all the way through that opening set and then the inevitable damn bursting and Zwerve winning it in the end it all felt like it was proceeding to script really and I'm so impressed with the grit that Alex Dimonore showed and not just the grip but the game to back up that grit.
He is his movement and his speed has always been gasping juicing but to see an element of explosivity in his game sort of added to that his made him actually in moments quite spectacular and I would never I don't think I've ever ever said the word spectacular and Alex Dimonore in the same sentence.
Sorry like I've always had a lot of respect for him and liked him as a person in all the rest of it but spectacular explosive these have not been the words that I've associated but look I don't have I don't have the numbers in front of me I'm not I'm not a slave a slave
to them but from the I test and I've watched him in person over the course of the last week he is beefed up every single shot there must be more kilometres per hour on absolutely on the serve and on the ground strokes as well I mean he is a he physically looks bigger
to me on the court he looks taller in stature you can see he's you know he's always going to be a certain certain body type he hasn't suddenly turned into the Hulk but he just looks more solid and he has more presence I can just he just feels like a different tennis
player to me I still think there's a ceiling he's not suddenly Carlos Alcarez but I thought there was a ceiling prior to what I've seen this week and he's pushed that ceiling upwards so who's to say that he can't again I am I'm so impressed with him I think I think
the draw is going to be crucial and very interesting from an Alex Domenore perspective but he's a top 10 player and that's kind of snuck up on me a bit Alex Domenore making it into the top 10 but he deserves to be yeah first Australian to reach the top 10 first
male Australian to reach the top 10 since he went in 2006 like that's that's a big deal for Alex Domenore to get there and look I think he he had that win last year at the United Cup didn't he against Raffa and the Dahl and that was a little bit similar to his one
over and over at Djokovic this year I suppose like it was a it was a slightly compromised version of that all-time great but I think he he he backed it up brilliantly with that win overs very of here and it does show an elevation and the one against Fritz as well you
know it's three top 10 wins in a row that's really really impressive and I thought his serve against Djokovic was so good I mean as we said Djokovic was struggling he was out of sorts he was feeling as wrist but even so I would have felt like maybe Domenore previously
would have been one of those players that Djokovic would be able to beat even not at his sharpest but Domenore just didn't allow that he only lost one point on serve behind his first serve against Novak Djokovic I mean that's the sort of thing that John Isner or Raleigh
Apelka or Evo Kálovich might possibly do but probably still not and even that was when he was serving at the end of the match yeah wasn't he was so close to the clean slate I had to I had to change my tweet that was ready about 100% first serve points one but you know
you know and and also he's he was using his slice backhand that was something that Jim Kurea was very impressed with in commentary and I've seen him do that a little bit against Medvedev he's he's had a couple of wins over Medvedev and that slice has been a good
shot and yeah just these little incremental improvements in his game to create an overall package that is much improved on where he was a few years ago and I do think he gets a boost playing for Australia you know he is one of the players who is a better version
of himself when he when he puts on the green and gold as he would say and he he particularly loves the Ken Rose Walerina in Sydney doesn't he he describes that as his favorite court in the world so you know being able to replicate that outside of this event is is another
challenge for him but I think he can and I hope he can because he's as you said he's a really he's a really fun presence to have around when you combine just this potential to win big matches with the with the speed and explosivity that he has in his game he he's a really good watch so yeah fair play Alex Domenore he's he's got the he's the spirit of a sensation isn't he but in the in the body of a top 10 player.
Well he certainly gets the hype of 10 sensations when he's over in Australia and I mean look if he plays Jacović again you watch they will be referring back to this win he's had as if this is the hit the moment that we should all be remembering rather than the absolute
drumming he took at the hands of Jacović a year ago I'm afraid to say I still think he would he would probably lose fairly handly if they played each other in us in Melbourne but but I think he'd make it closer certainly so we'll see we'll see what happens in terms
of Jacović generally while I didn't watch the match I did watch the interview you did with Goren Ivanez of its court side Catherine in which he very clearly made it clear that this was not a serious injury in his mind and no that Jacović had got three matches in
where his words you know got a few matches in and and I think that he's exactly generally where he'll probably need to be obviously we don't know whether an interview he might be more serious than than we see but just based on history and the vibes I got from that I think Jacović will be just fine by the time Melbourne comes around.
Just as a final point on the United Cup we did touch on it a week ago and I feel even more strongly now this was a major move on from a year ago in terms of the format they used in terms of the kind of acceptance of the the public and the the the buy-in really
that the atmosphere the last few days and I would expect a good atmosphere when Australia play but it was immense and even today Poland against Germany which is which is a test for for an event a big final like that in Australia I would say it was packed and it was a great atmosphere and and it was just so cool that so many matches came down to the mixed doubles decider Catherine I just feel like that event two years in has already shown that it has got the goods.
Yeah absolutely felt very apt didn't it that the final came down to to the mixed doubles and indeed to to a match tie break in the mixed doubles because it did feel to me that so many of the matches had been decided that way and for me that's exactly what you
want from this kind of event that's its USP and you want that front and center as much as possible and I really really enjoyed it I enjoyed seeing these players in different types of environment both sort of tennis wise and atmosphere wise Eagish Vlentech for
example I don't think she's a natural team environment person just like Novak Djokovic really I think she's an incredibly tunnel visioned, festeriously no stone unturned in the pursuit of my own personal goals type person and and I still you know I don't think she's
had a personality transplant over the course of the last 10 days and yet I saw her sort of find a way to make that fit within a team environment that she she had a really cool vibe I thought up until about 25 minutes ago with you but I guess not sure what the vibe
will be like right at this moment she was she was absolutely gutted wasn't she in defeat the intiers on the sidelines and and I know I'm I always sound so awful when people cry because I'm like I love to see that but I I do love to see that I love to see provided
that she's you know overall okay I love to see the the indicators of of how much they care especially in this event which is finding its feet and its place in the tennis world I think things like that kind of kind of matter in terms of its its validation in the tennis
world I still think there's some tweaks that could be made I don't love the whole best best runner up qualifying for the quarter finals thing I think that is a bit muddy and complicated I'm not sure tennis is ever figured out the best way to do round robin and I certainly
haven't figured it out either but I do know that it's not three three teams slash players in a group I don't think and this applies to Billie Jean King Cup like this applies across the board board I don't think three teams in a group really works I know what they've
tried to do it I know where they have to have lots of teams I know I know why they have to be six groups of three they have to provide you know it's essentially a tour event they have to provide playing opportunities to as many countries as possible it can't just be
for the elite nations etc etc I'm as always I'm quite sure there are factors at play that I either don't know about or haven't considered and I know it's incredibly difficult but for me I would find a way to change that because I just think it's proven not to really
be the best way forward as a format but but I like that this event has a min2 proud to make really significant changes and I kind of trust them to continue tweaking it for the better on the basis of the progression over the past couple of years yeah well I just
hope ultimately that it is allowed to have a future because there's so much talk currently about a Saudi Arabia event coming in to disturb that situation one last point and this is as everyone will know not unique or specific to the United Cup but matches in general shouldn't
be finishing at 1am and certainly not you're too the culminating moments of your two biggest ties shouldn't be taking place at 1am local time after the last train has literally left the station stop doing this tennis stop it yeah yeah I'm glad you said that because Alex
Dimonore had just won this incredible match over Alexander Zverov in the semi final and that that followed the Kerberton Yanovic epic and it was set up for this dramatic brilliant mixed doubles which was dramatic and brilliant 1513 I think in the match tie break and Alex
Dimonore had pleaded for the crowd to get noisy and get rowdy and you know that was exact I was so pumped for it but then you realize actually it's like it's the early hours in Sydney and people have got to get home and the trains left and by the end of that mixed
doubles in the semi final I mean the stadium was was virtually empty understandably I mean those that were there were still making a good noise but it was a shame and tennis does keep doing this and it's so frustrating because everything else about the event you know
I completely agree about the the group stage format with three in the round robin but sort of everything else the emphasis on the mixed doubles the look of it on TV or all the social media that was that was produced by the tournament was all really really good
what you want for an event and it's it's it's much improved on last year this this like a streamlined version and yet I hope it's I hope it's got a future because it really adds to the to the first week of the season I think the ATP cup took away you know it's
sort of it sort of kai Bosch to the other events and there was just there was just too much fat and there was also sort of what's the point of this we've just had the Davis cup but the United Cup really does add I think to the first week of the season and I hope they're
allowed to just keep improving it and as you said I I trust that they will if they get that chance tired of ads crashing your comedy podcast party good news ad free listening on Amazon music is included with your prime membership just head to amazon.com slash ad free comedy to catch up on the latest episodes without the ads and without a cash
goes ad free for prime subscribers so shows me how that. And it's great to see Brisbane back as you reference last sweet matters as part of the new setup and overnight we had the two biggest names in that draw facing off in a Lena Rebecca and a Rena Sabilenker
but I did not expect to wake up to a school line a school line of six love six three for a back in a you were you were up you were up at 430 to watch that tell us tell us what happened so much overwhelming tennis stuff happened this morning and it was not even 930
am I mean so much to get your head round and and this was one of the biggest things to get your head round because I guess I've just come to expect Rebecca in a Sabilenker matches to be really really great and high quality and close because so many of their
matches have been of course we all remember last year's Australian Open final which was just one of the all time great grandstand finals but I suppose it it was this score line the kind of thing that can happen when you get to massive hitters coming up against each
other and I think it's been extraordinary that their matches have been so good up and up until this point because it doesn't take much for just one player to be a little bit off and one player to be at the absolute peak of their powers as was the case here Sabilenker
was pretty error strewn and Rebecca was unbelievably good and then you get this this huge disparity in the school line mostly what I remember is how good Rebecca was I mean it took an hour for Sabilenker to hold serve the difference in demeanor was just kind of
extraordinary Rebecca in a so calm so poised Sabilenker a little bit like the Sabilenker we sometimes see in these really big matches you know she can she can get a little flustered a little in her own head but I thought Rebecca was stunning and if anyone needed the
off season I think it was her wasn't it you know her her first half of 2023 was much better than her second half when she got ill and injured half way through the season and it always felt like she was she was trying to catch up to a level that she'd shown at the start
of the year but never quite able to do it with the just relentlessness of the schedule but she's had a break and she's come out and she's just playing the most brilliant tennis only dropped only dropped 15 games in in five matches so it wasn't just a one off in
this final you know she was absolutely on it the entire week yeah really really impressed she has served was back you know we talked a lot last year about how her served tailed off through the second half of the season high percentage today a lot of cheek points
yeah just impossible to be anything other other than impressed and anyone who can take the racket out of arena Sabilenker's hand like that's a remarkable feat because Sabilenker normally you know normally when she loses I still feel like Sabilenker's in control of
the match you know I think of her losses at the slams last season Mukavar Jaburgh they were all able to disrupt Sabilenker and throw her off her rhythm but ultimately the match is felt on Sabilenker's racket and this one just did not at all today because
of how brilliant Revatkin it was with her own power game yeah just just an incredible performance and I look I think it puts her right up there as a favourite at the Australian Open you know I think she's I'd probably put her in Sv'om Tech side by side as as the favourites
right now and that's so fascinating isn't it because of their head to head and the difficulties the even peak Sv'om Tech has had against Revatkin her in the past I mean I feel like going into to every slam there's kind of one match that I insist that the draw and the tournament
gives us and on the women's side for me it is Shion Tech Revatkin her I'm desperate for it because Shion Tech has made technical adjustments to her game this off season specifically geared at dealing with with Revatkin her and Sabilenker but in particular Revatkin her I think
because she's had a bit of a match up problem Revatkin her seems to have been able to take time away from her consistently in their meetings better than anybody can she looks rushed or she has in the past looked rushed against Revatkin her and she's she's been trying
to shorten those swings doesn't she and get more out of her serve to try and kind of match Revatkin her for cheap points I mean I'm not sure anybody can can match Revatkin her just just at the moment at her peak but I so desperately want to see that match and I've
no idea who I would pick to win it I've seen I've seen so much of Shion Tech in the past week and I've been so seduced by her game she just looks so bang on it I can't can't believe how well those changes have been in as I said on the previous podcast but equally I know
it's different against Revatkin her and matchups are everything in this sport and this looks to be absolute peak Revatkin her again and it really does emphasize the fact that I don't think she was physically I don't think she's been physically right since the start of
the Clay Court season I really don't think that second half of last year was was the real Revatkin her and I think on the basis of this week the real Revatkin it is back and that's exciting yeah that was that was occurring to me as as you were talking us through that match that
we've finally got what you've been asking for Catherine a fresh human being again somebody who's not just jaded by the the rigors of the tour it's so relentless so yeah Rebecca and it goes in in Tip Top 4 as the Shion Tech it will be fascinating we also had in Brisbane victory for a very
different kind of player in Grigor Dimitrov who overcame Holgeruna 7664 in the final first title since 2017 more than six years ago and I felt pretty moved by what I saw from Grigor Dimitrov who anybody who's listened to this over the last nearly 12 years of podcasting Catherine well
know that he's always been kind of a guy hasn't he and we've always hoped that I guess he would have done a lot more with his career than he has certainly I thought he would do a lot more than he has and yet it's only now and his only 30s I said this a few times last year and I feel even more now
that he understands his own game today better than he ever has and frankly if he could have come to this realization and this focus and kind of just self belief as to what he's doing and clarity he would have been somebody achieving a lot more over the years and yet maybe there's still maybe there's still something ahead what do you think Catherine that's a hell of a win today
he's looking dangerous isn't he? You never know a look I I think yeah I don't want to take anything away from the man himself but this is a heck of a coaching job from Jamie Delgado think of how many people Grigal Dimitrov has
worked with over the years and no this isn't his first title it's not even his biggest title and I know general age and maturity will be playing a part in what you just described David him sort of coming to realizations about his game but age and maturity come with downsides as well they come
with an awful lot of baggage so for Jamie Delgado to be getting this out of him this that others have tried to unlock and and tried valiantly to unlock and yet still failed I find tremendously impressive actually I find it tremendously impressive that he's managed to carry over
form indoor form from the end of season into outdoor form at the start of the next season that's bloody difficult to do especially with a player like Grigal he just feel like instinctively because of because of that baggage he just described because we carry that baggage as well from
watching him it just instinctively feels frail doesn't it you feel like oh god don't nobody move it could all it could all fall apart I'm not going to answer your question about what it means and what he's going to do with Melbourne I'm gonna oh I just I don't know Matt come on what do you think
it's it's so interesting isn't it because I would say he's playing like the smartest tennis of his career as you said like he he understands his game better than he ever has and crucially he's he's managed to do that at a time where he's still incredibly good physically like I like
he's he's still able to defend when he has to and then sort of seeing him go toe to toe today in those rallies with Horgruna you know who is you know an incredible athlete as well shows that he hasn't he hasn't lost the lot there so there is still time I think it's you know it's not like
it's not like he's suddenly figured out his game but he's physically declined and he can't make the most of it but of course the big the big question is that that baggage that he's that he has built up and whether he's you know whether his nerve lasts in in big matches when he you know if he
has if he has Yannick Sinner in the quarterfinals for example like tennis wise I think Gregor can can maybe win that match you know obviously Sinner's tennis is phenomenally good as well but Dimitrave's got ways to hurt him but do we trust him mentally and I don't think we can answer
that question until we see it but it's it's amazing that he's that he's making these strides at this stage in his career there was a slight there was a slightly amusing moment at the end of the match when he had won it and he held out his his five fingers which which everyone was interpreting
as that's how long it's been since his last title and and I was like well I hope it wasn't that because actually been six years like so maybe maybe the five fingers was something else but generally it's it's a really good time to be Gregor Dimitrave and and I loved the way that going into that
final with Hulgeruna the interviewer said to him all you're up against a great all court player and he said yeah but I'm a great all court player as well you know he there's a confidence to him and he and I loved I loved hearing that and yeah what a what a special moment for him to finally
win another title and he did have a good year last year he didn't take many bad losses at all he just wasn't finishing tournaments off and once he put himself in a good position he might crack but already he's shown an improvement in in 2024 again so really really impressive and I can't
I can't sort of do this section of the podcast while we're getting our hopes up without just mentioning the fact that the only player to to take a set off him in Brisbane was one Andy Murray so maybe there are good signs for Andy Murray as well he yeah I'm just looking up per Dimitrave's live ranking by the way 14 so that'll unless there are pullouts that'll be his seeding at the Australian Open so he's going to be a fourth round opponent for one of the very top guys and none of them are
going to want him to make a little bit sure and it's very everyone so because he always beats him I mean this is the certainly cool there's just certain people that are real problem for Dimitrave over the best of five I think and there's certain people he can cause real problems too so the
draw really will be important I think for him and I think that that's true of a few of these guys I think and on both sides on the women's draw two I think it's a really interesting draw one of the most interesting that I can remember for a while he's beat now Krasnye
beat Al Krasnye at the end of last year yeah no it's it's I think it's fascinating and I think there's a lot there's a lot of depth to the to the draws and a lot of intrigue I can't wait for it all one one person who isn't part of that intrigue I'm sorry to say is Raffa on the down and I think if
you went back a few days and you were in the tennis podcast what's up great you'd have been very much thinking that Raffa that I'll be part of the intrigue because we went from thinking what chance has this guy got to to think in anything's possible because he did the full broadcast
on Thursday because I think we'd have to delete it now I posted a photo of him with the road on Garros trophy publicly no you know what's that oh one yes you did Dominic team first of all got beaten and then he defeated Jason Kubler and he just he just looked so ravenous for the sport
he looked like he had been caged and was let out and he was just going to run a mock all over everybody that's one way of looking another way of looking looking back on it is Matt posted a picture of him with the road on Garros trophy after a victory with over Jason Kubler yes
but you know it's possible it's possible guys we were getting a bit ahead of ourselves he can say and then while we were recording our tennis relived edition looking back at the 2008 Australian Open he also happened to be playing against Jordan Thompson at the time which we'd all got up on
the screen and we're sort of concentrating on that as well do you go and have a listen to that tennis relived show if you're a friend of the tennis podcast or become a friend for that matter and and you'll be able to listen to that and many more other bonus podcasts aside really enjoyed
doing that tennis relived on 2008 rolling back the years but but shortly after this match against Jordan Thompson and towards the end of it you saw him having conversations with a very pensive looking Carlos Moyer and Mark Lopez and the dad was in the box and he he'd hurt himself
you could tell you'd he'd pulled something it was just a question of what how bad was it he gave a press conference he said I don't know what my future is going to be and then this morning about four seconds after Gregor Demetrov had won the title he posted a tweet to say that
during his last match in Brisbane he'd had a small muscular problem in a similar sort of area a micro tear and a muscle in the similar sort of area where he had the surgery but not actually that same thing it doesn't sound serious he says but he's going to pull out the Australian Open and
try to avoid being out for several months rather than just a little while and so yeah no Australian Open for Rafael de Dalmat can we afford from a Nadal perspective to be enthusiastic and optimistic based on what we've seen or the the the the fact that he's put two matches in two
and half matches in and pulled up injured make you feel this is probably not going to happen it does make me regret putting the photo of him with with the Royal Gowers trophy in the WhatsApp group what I would say is that Nadal is being positive isn't he that is overall quite a positive
message and Nadal is not always that guy he he is sometimes very serious with with these statements and you know he really lets you let's you feel when it's bad and I didn't quite get the sense with this one I think it's very much a well there's absolutely no way I can play the Australian Open
but it doesn't mean that my comeback generally is is ruined and and he's mentioned in that statement that he wants to be at his best level in three months and of course that is conveniently the time when the clay court season starts and I I get the sense now that that is that's the heart of his
comeback isn't it and generally he has not been injured on clay through his career you know that that has been a surface which has I mean it's kind of on everyone's body isn't it but it's it's you know Nadal and Clay they just they just go hand in hand with each other and he's
tended to be able to get through the clay court season without without too many injuries but it is a worry that he's you know staying fit is going to be the problem I think because we saw the level of tennis if he's playing like that on any surface but especially on clay he's going to be beating
most players I think but whether he can whether he can actually stay fit is the issue but I I trust Nadal's statement there and I'm taking some positives that this is not the same injury it's minor it's obviously a huge blow to be out of the Australian open it really is when he's
gone all the way over to Australia and he had this huge green on his face didn't he you know and he was he was talking about his comeback being a great news and I just thought we are so back and then to have it end like that so abruptly is is such a shame but I do hold out some hope that
the clay court season can still bring a lot of joy for Raffa and Nadal this season I do believe that Nadal on clay is is different it's it's less less bad on his body and he's got another three months to build up some strength I think I think we can be optimistic
but I won't be posting him with the captain musketeer again until he's actually holding it probably best to ditch Indian Wells and Miami Raffa I think somebody somebody might have even written we are so back in the WhatsApp group I can't remember the other interesting additions to the WhatsApp
group Catherine were were when I am a circus playing and it's quite fun when there's a match that's sort of about 2am our time and Catherine's love this was perfect and saying our soccer looks seriously good and then I still say she looks good even though plish give a one in the next message
but I mean you were generating courage Catherine weren't you you know you you you saw that match I didn't see it I did see the first round actually played we talked about that last week but generally you know that the chances are you're gonna run into somebody who's got it together a bit
more than you when you've had that long out and she was close and she was encouraged and you were encouraged I was really encouraged I mean I the last thing the hardest thing to get back when you're coming back as I understand it is the match toughness the ability to
you play your best when the pressure is most on it's something you absolutely just simply cannot replicate in practice the only way to do it is to put yourself in those positions which is why I think it was it was good for her that she ended up going three sets in her opening match I think
it'll end up being good for her that she had a tough match against plish give it even though she lost it I think I don't think you know winning matches two and two is necessarily what she needs by now I'm pretty convinced that the level is there that she she can she can hit that level I
thought the ball striking was great the movement was great I mean if you got those two things if Nomea Sarka can get herself in the position to strike a tennis ball then she's as good as anybody at it so those are the two things I was looking for I thought the serve looked pretty good it was
it was just when the pressure was on she just drops a little bit either either made an error or just backed off a little bit or doubted herself a little bit I I think that will come back I don't think she's lost her nerve I just think she needs to keep being in those situations so I actually
think that I mean look the draw is going to be critical for her she's not going to be seated she could face eagish me untaken the first round so obviously the draw is critical but I actually think it could be good for her to have some tough matches earlier on obviously tough matches that
she ideally wins but I don't think it'll be any bad thing for her to really work her way into the competition but you can't do that if you get get eagish untaken the first or second round so all eyes on the draw once again but I think the level is there for Miss Sarka I was overall
extremely impressed and I just loved the way she was talking and loved there was so much more likeness about her energy around the place and I know that's the freshness of the start of a season and the start of a comeback and I'm sure some of the scene will wear the sheen will wear off but
hopefully not all of it I'm I'm I remain extremely excited but I won't be posting photos of her with the definitely outcast trophy and I won't set group just yet we're learning the glory of that you wait you weren't you see what I'm going to post of Grigor right anyway
the two remaining tournaments that were happening amongst the 600 that Matt watched overnight were Auckland and Hong Kong Coco Gough winning Auckland beating Alina Svitalina 6-7-6-3-6-3 in the final André Rublev beating Emil Roussevore 6-4-6-4 in the Hong Kong final I watched him overcome
our defeats obviously about three days ago in a in a pretty tight match and and Rublev yeah that is yeah that is troubles in that but he got through it and he just kind of wins what you what he's supposed to win doesn't he what about Coco Gough Matt because I guess you could say
she won what she was supposed to as well but it's it's it's lightly impressive isn't it that she just comes out no sort of drama and just wins yeah so this is back-to-back Auckland titles for her now she she won it last year she's defended it she was the favorite to defend it you know she
was by far away the best player in that draw and she crews through to the final without without dropping a set but then really really tested in this final against Fitalina and it probably should have been 6-3-6-3 to Coco Gough she was 5-3 up in that first set serving for it had 40-15 hit a
double fault and struggled at the end of that set and once Fitalina gets her teeth into a match she becomes so difficult to shake off so I think it's really impressive that that Coco Gough managed to reset after losing that first set in a tie break and then she won the next two set 6-3-6-3 it was
kind of like okay put that first set behind me I've just got to just got to do that again but just finish it off and she did that twice there were certain occasions West Fitalina was was trading forehands with her and trying to break it down and target it and it did leak some errors
but generally it was a good all-round complete performance from Coco Gough and she goes into the Australian Open you know for the first time as a as a major champion going into a grand slam I always think that's that's an adjustment for a player you know that can that can be a great thing to have
that experience I always remember what Naomi Asaka said about actually kind of I mean she did just win her second slam immediately after her first didn't she but she said it's hard because you know how hard it is to win a slam you know whereas when you're going into a slam without it
you're maybe you maybe play with a bit more freedom but Coco Gough is we're the bit of a target on her back and it's just it's just a new experience for her and I can't wait to see to see her at the Australian Open she's she's perfectly tuned up for it and this was a very impressive win and
also a very impressive week for Alina Spitalina who has continued where she was last season I don't think she played after the US Open did she but you know she was right back there again as the player we saw last season a little bit more aggressive a little bit more on her ball brilliant Tussle with
Emma Radikanu that she had she looks physically really strong as well so lots lots to to enjoy from her perspective as well just a nice tournament Auckland I always think yeah and actually as you mentioned there some encouragement for Emma Radikanu who has like Naomi Asaka and Raffaand Adal just
come out of zero really and and found a way to piece some good tennis together seemingly okay physically had a real Tussle there with Spitalina and now gets a wild gets into the Australian Open without needing a wild card because one or two players have been forced to withdraw so let's hope Radikanu can stay fit as well also just a quick note from Hong Kong on the form of Jerry Shang who is a player we've mentioned once or twice over the course of the last year have a very good
run just loved seeing these players have a bit of a break out and then following their progress when they're going to a grand slam can they can they build on it and and that's what we'll be looking to monitor over the next few weeks because we'll be off to Australia in just a couple of days time
Matt and I to join Catherine in Melbourne and yeah we've we've thoroughly enjoyed I think the first week of the tennis tour but what we also just wanted to touch on was the coverage of that tennis tour because Matt has as you've been hearing been up all night watching tennis matches they've
been available which is which is great all you want to be able to do is watch the tennis matches one note I saw this morning from the the German German Sianneck Schneider was that despite Germany winning the United Cup it was an event that wouldn't have been seen by that many people in Germany
because it was only on tennis TV I don't know what the exact right situation is in Germany but that's disappointing and we here in the UK we have been inundated with emails from tennis fans over the last couple of weeks concerned about the sort of coverage of the sport on TV because this follows a right change over here with Sky Sports taking over the ATP and WTOs along with
the US Open which which was from last year from Amazon Prime Video. Now a bit of background Sky held those rights for some 20 plus years until 2018 I mean that's how I grew up really got interested in the sport was watching Sky's coverage I used to love watching Jerry Williams and
Bill Threllfall and all the all the 90s commentators and the coverage they had it was absolutely fantastic and that went to Amazon Prime Video in 2018 they held those rights for for five years and Sky have now come back to take them over now you probably know that Catherine of course hosted
the Amazon coverage and and I do want to be open and disclose that and and reference it as part of the conversation but it is frankly irrelevant I think to that conversation it's not why we're talking about it we know many people who work for the Sky team I've worked many grand stams with Gigi Saman
and Jonathan Overhand to a heading up their team they're brilliant they're really excellent broadcasters and I have no doubt they're going to do a really good job with it the reason we're getting so many emails and the so much chat about the coverage and its future at the moment is A because at the
moments Sky haven't replicated the Amazon service in terms of the ability to choose which match viewers want to watch Matt touched on that a week ago it's it's kind of like being going back in time I here's here's your running order watch it and no choice involved and the second thing is
is the price I have had a look into the price and what you can get Sky Sports 4 here in the UK if you don't already have it you can get it without any other channels just the sports stuff on now tv for 34 pounds 99 so that's about 420 pounds a year if you already have Sky without sports it will
cost you about another 20 pounds or so to add them so that's going to be about 500 and something in total now by where comparison the current Amazon Prime membership is costing me 95 pounds a year or 8 pounds 99 a month so you're talking about a quarter of the price of what tennis fans are
going to be asked to pay now as a result of this change there is the option of tennis tv as I mentioned in Germany that's going up though from 99 to 11 99 and they only show ATP matches you won't get the WTA tour on that at all or the US open and Matt said you said last week really the
WTA tour is the loser in that because there are just so many matches have the last week that have not been available to watch here in the UK so I asked somebody I know at Sky whether they are going to have match by match service and was told that at the moment they can't say anything
about it and when they can they will let us know I did see on Twitter that somebody wrote to a one of the Sky Sports tennis producers and just pleaded for them to to bring all court coverage and give them the choice and the answer to that tweet was we will so fingers crossed I wanted to
at least look into that for the many people asking us about what's what's happening and I have to say personally I mean I am a fan of Sky Sports coverage generally of the sports that they do I've watched I watch football there I watch NFL I watch the golf it's not cheap but it's a really
good service if you're if you're into all those things I think the problem comes when you're not into all those other sports and obviously that the sheer cost of it I mean it is a heck of a lot of money for a lot of people and if you only want the tennis then you've really got a dig deep in
order to see it the plus side from a tennis perspective whilst they're going to lose I think a lot of those particular dedicated tennis fans who simply can't afford it they're probably going to gain a lot of people by the fact that they are an established platform and and they're advertising
it really heavily on their main platforms I saw five million people were watching the darts final the other day and tennis at the same time was advertised at the head of it so that's that's really good news but it is a concern the sheer amount that's been paid for that you have
to pay for it and the hope is that if if in the future that match choice will be available I personally think it will I think that that'll just take a little bit of time to come but matter is it's an important element to watch in TV in 2024 isn't it yeah and I think you've put it really
well there in terms of it it feeling a bit like going back in time because it has felt like that this opening week of the season you know I mentioned last week the Amanda and this and over come back was not available to watch here I tried to watch Arena Saberlenkers match against Zoolin the
other day and that was not available and I think there are some questions about what that match choice will end up looking like you know Sky is just it's not an app on a smart TV like like Prime is or like tennis TV is which is so so ready made for a streaming option to have lots
available you know it I don't know whether it will be a red button situation or whether it will be a skygo situation I mean those would be much better than nothing but even those don't quite feel like replicating the standard that have been set by by Amazon and by tennis TV for the ATP
I saw Steve Fraser make make the point this week on Twitter that Steve Simon's decision all those years ago to take WTA off tennis TV has has really hurt the tennis fan you know and and it's really hurt the WTA I think in terms of promotion I mean it's I said last week it's so stark that
when tennis TV has the United Cup the promotion that they're then able to give the women's matches and the highlights package they're able to create is just something we don't get the rest of the year and I think it's such a shame I agree I'm sure they will get their sky with the match
choice but I've been disappointed that it wasn't ready to go from the start you know you've you've got the rights already and there are multiple matches to watch and it just feels pretty unsatisfactory that through the first few months of this season we're not we're not getting that option one thing
I would say is I get and this is I'm sorry to anyone who isn't in the UK for this but I get I get sky sports through a virgin stream box and and that works out at about 18 pounds 50 a month which I think is the the cheapest way that I've found to get sky sports but you have to have virgin
internet for that but if you wanted to sort of get a bit of a package with internet and sky sports that is one way of doing it that's what I've done but yeah as you said there are lots of benefits they are promoting the tennis I was watching Monday night football and it was promoted
on there they're doing you know social media as well so you know it can be a good thing for getting eyeballs on tennis but it feels pretty sort of obstructive so far as a as a way in for for the sort of dedicated tennis fan it's yeah it's it's not been a great start to the season to be able to
watch WTA tennis in the UK it's just been it's just been so hard and you've been you've been limited by what you're able to watch which is a shame well fingers crossed that all improves in time I mean knowing some of the people involved I'm sure they are listening and going to
do what they can to improve it and that can't come soon enough now a couple of other bits of news just before we finish up Madison Keys sadly he's out of the Australian open with a shoulder injury Liam Brody from a British perspective as well as out with an ankle injury he was
making the point today on social media that he he doesn't want to take the check and it's massive I mean it's 64 thousand pounds that he's sacrificing but he doesn't want to be out for three months by playing on it and he also doesn't think it's fair which I think is a really good message
you know to give to other players to think about you know the importance of the sport and the other players opportunities that you're taking away if you just if you just pitch up but it's a heck of a loss a heck of a hit in the pocket for him having finally got into the Australian open
there is a there's no wild card for Rodgian over despite being the top ranked Australian woman goodness me that's a that's a bit of a controversy I think she was quite outspoken about that as well as a center remember on the on the old social media I'm not surprised to be honest
we've we've got loads more tennis this week I tell you what Matt you're going to have to have your apps ready again and you're very you're various strictly you can find them at WTA Adelaide 500 has got Rebecca and a Pagula Craticava Palabadosa is going to make her return we've got Hobart
happening we've got Auckland 80p event happening this time with Ben Shelton as the top seed a Dennis Schapperval of making his return I wonder what he sees uh thanks when he sees um Jamie Delgado coaching Gregor Dimitrov to such success maybe that's a decision you should have made
anyway uh there's the tournament in Adelaide with Tommy Paul and oh big surprise Nicholas Jerry's in the agenda top two seeds in in the Adelaide 250 and we've got Australian Open qualifying starting as well um so yeah that's the week to come we will be out in Melbourne joining up with
Catherine on Wednesday night following our flights the draw for the Australian Open is on Thursday so the three of us will be getting together to record a post draw show with that we've then got all the press conferences from the players on Friday and if all goes according to plan our general
idea is to have a live show on YouTube on Saturday morning from Melbourne which will be night time or evening time on Friday in the UK it'll be afternoon uh or earlier in the day in the United States depending on where you are um but yes we will let you know keep across our newsletter
uh and we'll let you know when our live show is going to be we'll also be making that into a podcast of course as well reacting to media day and all the press conferences and then the tournament don't forget it's a bit like bringing your clocks forward and back it starts on Sunday so don't
get caught out and think the tournament starts on Monday like it used to because you'll have missed the whole day so don't plan anything for Sunday all right you've just got to watch tennis and listen to us Catherine final bit of business we have a mascot for this episode and I don't
really know how to pronounce the name of the dog owned by Ted Vazquez but I'm going to give it a go chiclet or chiclet I think it's chiclet okay Ted says chiclet is a six year old what is this a sheep sheep who sheep who uh shit shit to um poodle cross okay great um and Ted adopted a when he
accompanied a friend who is adopting a dog at a local shelter and decided to go along for the right my friend left with no dog I left with chiclet she loves chasing lizards and iguanas and romping on the beach can you tell we live in Florida that's Ted talking about chiclet who is wearing a little
pullover a little pink woolly jumper it's a lovely little jumper but he seemed good in that very fetching it's giving him a dog it's a it's a oh it is great great dog and it's a great look thank you Ted for bringing a chicklet into our lives
she's really gorgeous really gorgeous yeah and if you haven't heard your pet talked about and drooled over on the tennis podcast it's just because we haven't got to him or her just yet and uh we will be sending out a note asking for details of pet mascots and shoutouts for the 2024
additions which which have been snapped up um with great fervor over the last month or so yeah we'll be sending out a note asking for those but we're still trying to get through the 2023 backlog enjoy never every minute of it at the moment you'll be able to see a picture of chiclet in the
newsletter which we'll be going out in a few days time so make sure you sign up to that and as a final point of business we have our own presenter mascots i've got france is the cat Catherine's got Darwin, Matt has got Heider and Soma and we have our top folks in an executive
producers Greg, Chris, Jamie and Jeff thank you all as always and Matt we have shoutouts yes we have five shoutouts starting with Laura Slattery who is in Dublin hello Laura we've had Laura before haven't we be no Laura yes Laura says i'm an Andy Marion
Ones Jaburfan who's been a listener since 2016 good stuff Laura these are good things like Laura Seagman's United Cup champion well they were supposed to call her Laura aren't we and maybe Laura Slattery is also a Laura but maybe not like Laura Robson
indeed go thank you Laura we've also got Katura we know Katura oh Katura she is a quiz themed Katura yeah she beats me every year she was also the owner of our first ever mascot Charlie the Ferret yeah debut mascots Charlie will always have that thank you
Katura thanks for your ongoing support always it's much appreciated we've got Courtney McCreish who is in Vienna Virginia USA okay there was a Vienna in Virginia me neither Courtney says my brother got me into the tennis podcast during the pandemic we love it
oh thanks Courtney we love it when good things come out of the pandemic like Courtney Walsh the Australian tennis writer yeah who will be seeing in a few days time lovely but who's a mean tennis player isn't he Matt yes he'll be he'll be beating me in a few days time thank you Courtney
and we've also got Karthik J. Aramun who is in Melbourne hello Karthik oh perfect well that's yeah we might actually do we know anything else about Karthik a long time listener and fan of the pods obsessed with tennis and has been going to the Australian Open for the last
15 years since moving from the US oh that's more years than me that's gone Karthik so do you maybe just missed out on the 2008 show that we relived yes but but we'll have access to the opportunity to relive it courtesy of being a friend of the tennis podcast so exactly well done Karthik
thanks Karthik and finally we have Wilson Lee who is in San Jose and Wilson would like to give a shout out to Chris Everett because Wilson says for nine years I had the privilege to drive for the longest running women's tournament in the world one year Chris Everett stepped into my car and
instead of sitting in the usual rear seat insisted on riding in the front normally passengers are too preoccupied to chat but in this case Chris asked for my first name before I could even greet her she asked about me and my life for the whole journey as we reached the destination she told me how
delighted she was to talk remembering my name said goodbye Wilson her geniality made her more than just an all-time great I want to take an opportunity to give her a shout out she thought was a love that's so wonderful wow thank you Wilson thank you Wilson those are really lovely words they
they tally with the person that that I've come across a few times Chris Everett and I think all of us would like to just wish her the very best and what is a really difficult time with her having to undergo treatment once again for cancer we hope that that Chrissy is going to be really well
really soon and back on the tennis scene but Wilson thanks so much for being a friend of the tennis podcast thank you for those kind words thank you to all friends the tennis podcast because you're enabling us to really do what we're doing and to to throw ourselves into this job of producing the
tennis podcast doesn't always feel like a job but we do work hard honest and we're going to be out in Melbourne producing nightly editions of the show we can't wait Catherine Matt I'm just going to burst with excitement so we better get off here and yeah we'll speak to you soon Tired of ads crashing your comedy podcast party good news ad free listening on Amazon music is included with your prime membership just head to amazon dot com slash ad free comedy to catch up on
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