¶ Intro / Opening
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¶ Welcome and Grass Season Kickoff
Hello and welcome to the Tennis Podcast, our first pod of the grass court season. The tennis never stops, folks. We're here to cover titles for Donovekit. Ben Shelton, Robin Montgomery and Camille Meyershack, plus a look ahead to the coming week's events and a deep dive on some interesting announcements from Wimbledon this week, in including a hotly anticipated one on prize money. Uh I say we are here Uh that we is myself and David. David, how are you doing?
I'm okay. In fact I'm very okay and it was interesting to arrive back in the UK from Paris and think, you know what, I'm all tennis out.
I've had enough for a bit. I'm gonna just, you know, have a good rest and be a normal person without tennis of my life for a minute. Oh this looks like a good grass court match. Oh Um, and on it went and I was hooked within about three hours and I'd got the iPad on in the kitchen for the remainder of the week and when it was raining I was annoyed'cause there was no tennis on, so What can I say? I'm on the right podcast.
like two hours of getting home. And including Matt, who had a lot of washing and unpacking and repacking to do ahead of his trip to Chicago. Which is where he is right now. And he actually is in actual Chicago right now, I think, and not in Bloomington, Illinois, which is where he's spent the majority of the trip so far. He's swanning around Chicago. He's back tomorrow, I think, and he will be on our next next pod on Thursday. So you don't have to miss Matt for long, folks.
Uh and if you do want to check in on in on him and see how he looks in uh in a wedding suit, then Instagram is the place to go for that, folks. It won't disappoint.
¶ Queens WTA: Vekic, Raducanu's Form
Uh we are gonna start talking now about the tennis that has happened this week on the green green grass starting at Queens. And the WTA five hundred there obviously uh they introduced the WTA event at Queens back to back with the men's last year the inaugural champion was Tatiana Maria who i i it controversially was not awarded a wild card to defend her title this year. She did qualify. She won through a round. She put in a valiant effort
against the Elena Rabatkina uh and had a few things to say about not being given that wild card. The title was one by former Wimbledon semifinalist Donna Vecich, a lucky loser from qualifying. She lost, did Vecich to Anna Blinkova. in the final round of qualifying. She gets in as a lucky loser after Marta Kostiuk's withdrawal. She finds out the day of her first match that she has got the place as a lucky loser. She she hotfoots it across London, she gets to Queens.
She starts her tournament, she finds herself in the final, which she wins six love, seven six over Britain's Emma Radicani, who also had a sensational week. And David If I was writing a film script about this week at Queens and the two eventual finalists and champions
I think the the hook of it would be two players returning to past coaches and trying to recapture something of what they had with those par co past coaches. I felt like the the parallels between them on that I found really fascinating because of course we've known for a while that Radhakanu was back working with Andrew Richardson again, who she worked with when she
Triumphed at the US Open in 2021. Donovekich this week had David Feldgate courtside, who was Her coach when she first burst through wanted the tennis scene at the age of sixteen, which was Quite a long time ago now.
Yeah, if you think she's twenty nine now. Um, and if you go deep back into the archives of the Tennis podcast in I think twenty thirteen, March of twenty thirteen, when Vecich was sixteen, there are back to back episodes where I interviewed Donna in Miami, who was new on the on the circuit, and then her coach at the time, David Felgate, who, in Donna's words, in the aftermath of today's win, raised her as a tennis player and from the age of twelve, and
And, you know, for for many years after that too. And David obviously a a vastly experienced coach who's worked with Tim Henman had a similar kind of raising of him, you know, in all into the the the the pro ranks and he's worked with other people like Xavier Melis and Dan Evans and many others over the course of time. But I think he always
Hoped that
She would have all of her best results with him there and and obviously the way things tend to go, that didn't happen, you know, they they broke and uh and and now they're back together. And I don't think it's an accident. that players play their best stuff when they're with somebody that they feel comfortable with and who obviously has to have great coaching ability and has to
understand the game and they need to be on the same wavelength, but you could see in Vecich and Radakanu just how comfortable they are with the people that were there from the past. And I mean I think there's definitely an argument to suggest that Radicanu should never have split from Richardson. Who knows how that would have gone, but just in terms of the vibe between them, it just seems to work.
And I and I d and I think Richardson's absolutely in it for the right reasons, always has been. Um and I've and so I'm a big fan of that collaboration. And yeah, I think that they both look And it's uh it's health permitting. Radakarna took a nasty fall in a a couple of rounds ago and and I worried for her on that and let's hope that that that is okay. She looks okay to me, I thought I thought she just got outplayed for a certain a bit today.
¶ Raducanu's Resilience, Vekic's Dominance
Um but these are two players that have the games to to really make something happen at Wimbledon. They they s they fit on grass perfectly. Um and I think it's I think they're both a great story. I'm I mean I You know I'm biased, I'm British and I've got a
Croatian family and my my wife's Croatian. So I I loved sitting in front of the T V seeing a British player and a Croatian player doing battle in the final Queens and and being up in lights, being celebrated like that. And um and I think that they could both Make things happen the next few weeks.
I'm gonna need you to be more specific, David, about make things happen. Because I look I watched that first set of the fi I mean I watched all of the final, but the first set of the final and look, I Radicani was She was clearly nervous and n nerves can make your feet stuck in the mud, can't they? And she was also she had played two matches the day before. They were blighted by
the weather earlier in the week and uh Radicanu had to play both her quarter final and her semifinal match on on Saturday and as you said she'd sustained um that injury in the first of those two matches. Incredible really that she came back and put in the performance that she did in the the second match against Iviovich who on paper I would have had his pretty strong favourite for that match going in actually. I thought that was a a stunning, stunning win from Radicanu. And look, she she was
She wasn't a h huge opposition in that first set to Donovekich, I do realise that. But that tennis From Vecich, I was like, Oh, she's gonna win Wimbledon. Like this this tennis is absolutely unplayable. Obviously I know it doesn't work like that, David. Seven matches, you know, keeping it going, anybody can play well for a set. But if sh if she could find that level
At Wimbledon, that top level on grass really is close to unplayable. It was It was breathtaking at points during that final today, I thought.
Yeah, I see I d I don't think Radicana was playing terribly in that first set. She was playing f fine. You know, it was not as good as as yesterday and it wasn't as good as her second set. But there was there was nothing wrong with it, you know, it was sort of Against most players you'd be on surf, probably, or or you know, maybe maybe four three in a breakdown or something like that. Um and Vecich is not
a player I think of as a mover on the on the court. She she she gets about it fine, but she's she's not fleet footed the way Radicano She just got there in time and then once she was there she was destructive and it was forehands and backhands. And then she also has one of the most difficult to read drop shots on the circuit. You know, she can go from all out power to feather like touch in an instant and you don't see it coming.
I am always surprised by that drop. We all know she has that drop shot and yet I'm surprised every time.
She never hits it on the forehand, it always seems to be a backhand struck shot, but it works a treat for But it all comes off the serve. And, you know, as usual in this situation I would tip my hat to Pam Shriver because she was in was watching this match. She was she was tipping us off. She was saying, Look The serve is working and therefore it frees up the rest of the game. And sh she said she's in the zone right now, you can see it. And look, she won the first seven games of the final.
And I actually think Redekana did incredibly well to to establish a foothold And get into a position to win that second set. I mean look, Vecich's level did drop because the first I mean I don't y I like you said, I don't think you can sustain that level. I mean she was just hammering. Good good grand strikes from Radicani. She was hammering for winners. Like like there was like there were nothing. And
Yeah, she dropped her level a bit in the second set. Radakarna really lifted hers, led five two with a double break, and didn't win the set. I think we've got a We've got to note that because yes, Rad uh Vekich dug in and hit the zone again, but I still don't think you should be losing the set when you're five two double breakup. Um
had issues l with serving things out. In the past, Radicanu, and and and therefore it it can become a self fulfilling thing. Like I think she knows she's had issues serving things out in the past. She would far rather break to to win a set or a match, I think, than than have to serve it out. But Yeah, it it's almost like the more it's a thing, the more it becomes a thing. And it definitely is a a thing now.
Yeah. I I I don't think she has one of the strongest serves around, but it should be okay. Certainly on grass. A bit like look, she served out the US Open final, but that is a long time ago. She needs to build some she needs to build momentum really and it's um I think she's done that this week. I think I think if she could get a half decent draw at Wimbledon, she could get momentum. She's a real momentum player. Um so to answer your question about like what could they do at Wimbledon?
¶ Wimbledon Prospects and Seeding
There are a lot of examples of players that I've seen look amazing at Queens and not and if they're not one of the top players They don't necessarily carry it into Wimbledon. Tatiana Maria I think lost in the first round at Wimbledon. Feliciano Lopez lost in the first round of Wimbledon after winning Queens. I mean he's a lot older. But but I've seen you know, that sort of thing does.
Did once, didn't he?
Yes, that's right. He lost to Guido Pella. Do you remember that? I mean he felt he felt like almost like the joint favourite for the title when he lost that match and he was two sets up in that match. I think he felt the pressure of suddenly realising, geez, I'm I'm one of the favourites, you know, and and he couldn't really handle it. Um these two I don't think will go in thinking that. It's really do they stay fully fit?
And do they get some rhythm? Because they've also got to kind of get a foothold in the draw before they run into somebody really high ranked. You know, and they could do because their own rankings they could end up playing a Sabalenka or Rubakina fairly early, and I don't I I think you've gotta think. I mean I know Rebecca and lost to Katie Balter at this tournament, but I don't read
her future into that match, she is gonna be better at Wimbledon. She'll have peaked by then and I think that I definitely feel like Rodokano and Vecich have got the ability to have deep second week runs, like uh and draw dependent, but I could see both of them capable of reaching a semi final.
I could see both of them going all the way. If it all if they played this level and it all fell their way and they didn't but the fac the likelihood is they're gonna run to a into Jessica Pagula or Coco Goff. I mean I know Goff's not that comfortable. or Sabalenko or you know, there's so many great players in women's tennis that the chances of you not running into somebody who makes life really tough for you are a are a lot slimmer than they are at Queens. So
¶ Strategic Scheduling for Wimbledon Peak
And they've got some tricky decisions to make now. It's quite an awkward week to have a great run, isn't it? In terms if you are somebody that's thinking in terms of Wanting to peek at Wimbledon, having this great run two weeks before Wimbledon is actually not hugely convenient. Next week is the best week to reach a final. Easy. You've got maximum number of matches you could possibly have got in. You get
Y you it's n a week isn't long enough to kinda lose your momentum. You can keep that up, but you can also really settle into a to a to the Grand Slam and and uh the practice courts at Orangi and and and all of that.
This week.
It's uh two two weeks is too long to keep up momentum, but going on and immediately playing next week, you know, Emma Aducanu is in the draw in Nottingham. And Donovic is in the draw in I can't remember actually which of the two it is, but she's in the draw Somewhere. Um, and they're both gonna have to make very difficult decis decisions, I think, about whether they press on and and play those two tournaments.'Cause I don't think you can just
not play na now or certainly wouldn't be wise to just not play now before Wimbledon. You want you know, especially if you're in some form, you don't wanna sit on the sidelines and and lose that, but I don't know. I I think I I think Yeah. I mean I I find it tricky because I would I just I would never be a play the week before a slam person. Never. Like I'm a get to the get to the airport really early. Settle in, have some food and a drink, contemplate the flight ahead. Um you know I just
I can't get it.
I ca I find it quite hard to get into the headspace of somebody that would want to like arrive at a grand slam the day before it starts and not feel like settled into it. But I obvious obviously do like objectively recognise that Some people are are like that and it suits them. Those people are casparood.
And Martian and Everett all over. Yes. See, I wonder whether if you'd have been sort of following her progress when that was the norm. She would play Spawn, win that, play Wimbledon, win that. And that was the most normal seeming thing in the world. It's only more recent years that that's started to feel not the best idea. Um and I mean I I definitely think the last twenty years or so, put people have not People have tended to want to do this arrive for the for the for the week before thing.
Maybe if we're at a car new day. good event, very valid grass court preparation. I think she'd have a a good chance of going deep there. And it's still a British tennis event where there would be attention on her, but most of the attention is on Wimbledon at that point and she gets to avoid all of that. She would if she went deep at Eastbourne she would you know, she'd still have to do pre tournament press at Wimbledon, but
it might not be on the big pre tournament press day. She might be one of those stragglers that comes in even once the tournament has already started, you know. She could just
Just stay away from it all a bit, maybe. Like there's something so like in it about Eastbourne, like it it is a part of the grass court season and there are so few events in the grass court season that every one of them is almost kind of elevated in status on it on what it would be within another part of the tennis swing, but it's also so like quaint and out of the way and like n not feeling like a big important tennis tournament. Like it feels like a village fair, doesn't it?
I get that.
The the thought th that year that Serena Williams played, like s just conceptually Serena Williams at Eastbourne, it's like when Beyonce played the Stadium of Light. Where does she stay? Where does she go out to dinner?
It's really popular. I mean it always gets full crowds and they and it feels like it's got bigger, but it still maintains that that feeling. I agree with you. It's lovely really. I love you. But but I do think d listen, I I I don't feel qualified enough to to judge about next week um in a really confident manner. But but but I do feel I did feel worried about Redekana, the way she felt and the way she's had that strapped up. I I wouldn't be
burst into go up to Nottingham straight away and play that event. Personally, if I were her, I'd be c I I would be more inclined to play Eastbourne. Have a week now and actually have have a week now and make a call. Make a call on it, you know, sort of see how you feel.
The problem and this is where Radicani's situation differs to Vecich is Wimbledon seeding, right? Like next week is the week that can impact Wimbledon seeding. She's currently thirty one in the live rankings, so if seedings were done tomorrow she'd get in. And probably, you know. high twenties might get you in because there will be dropouts, but
that could change a lot in the space of a week. She could very easily just miss out on a seeded position. And that could be the difference between a semifinal and a first round loss. Like that is a big deal for somebody like Emma Radicani, but it's also very It's very difficult to plan around, I think, and maybe not necessarily healthy to to plan around. Vecich Despite the five hundred points today, no chance of being seeded at Wimbledon, which is
a nightmare for everybody else, David. Can you imagine, you know, Sabalenka drawing Donovicic in round round one? I mean Very fun. And if Matt were here, he'd be salivating at the thought of the the velvet pouch and the drawer. Um, but yeah, I mean she's she's regardless of what happens in the next two weeks, the definition of a dangerous floater.
Right. Yeah, and yet I think I'd uh I'd feel w more concerned for her than them because She you know, if she's not s not being seeded, the chances are she's gonna play really good players. Um
¶ Raducanu's Resurgence, Fan Love
And some of them l like I I wouldn't fancy her chances against the Sabalenko or Rebecca personally, as well as she's playing. I just feel like They do what she does and even a bit better. So um but Look, I I do love the fact that she's found form because I thought that we'd seen the best of her really after the Olympic final run, after the Wimbledon semi final run, after she parted ways with Pam, it didn't go very well with Sasha Bain.
Uh but David Felgate is a really smart move. I can see you can see it's it's had a similar effect to what to what I feel like Pam had in that way of just, okay, right, the real Donovekich is here now. Um So I don't and I'm and I'm really chuffed to see Radicano playing like this. It's i it's I feel like she could absolutely rip through Wimbledon. Um
kinda the way she did at the US Open if she had I know I not everybody agrees with me about that and sometimes I think maybe I want that to happen because I do. I I want to see her have a run at Wimbledon. I think she's she lights the place up, you know, people love it. She she loves it.
Um and and I do think there is a danger that you can get a bit carried away with how her game looks against less powerful opponents. And then when you see her against the real power hitters it can you can suddenly get a bit of a reality check. But On grass, I think if she can get a bit of flow going
She's a heck of a player, and she's going in a lot as well. I like the fact that she's sort of hitting that forehand, that's how she turned it around against Vecage, hitting the forehand down the line and following it in. Really sort of hitting it almost on the move whilst going in.
There's definitely more conviction in that forehand than I have seen for a long time. And more clarity more clarity about that game. I still think that potential to be overpowered is probably always going to be there for Radicarni, but There's definitely something different about the way she's playing in terms of clarity and and intent and yeah, like she'd lost the first seven games of the match and then suddenly she she holds serve and she does this
laughing celebration to the crowd who get behind her and suddenly she's on a roll. It's there, you know, six games, six games in a row. Like these are both momentum confidence players, aren't they? Like that was the story of This match like it it came it came in waves, didn't it?
It was also a slightly pleasant reminder that that actually as as horrible as the world is out there to Emma Radicano at times and it really bothers me, there's actually huge support for her as well. Like she is really loved in this country by a lot of people. You can get You can get swayed by the people in the comments section or the the the hate that is out there and the jealousy that's out there but
When you see when you see her having a good run, you see the numbers, the live numbers on the BBC Sport website, tracking her matches, they're like multiples more than everybody else. Um and you hear it in the stadium. So, yeah, I wanna hear and I wanna see that at Wimble.
Yeah, and I hope that she has that s if if she needs it, I hope that she has that same sensation of like Oh, there's thousands of people here rooting for me to do well, like putting their heart and soul into that and like man on the internet is not is not the people. It can sometimes feel like it, but it it's it's not. Um, a few other uh points of note from Queens. Great week for Katie Bolter, biggest win of her career over
¶ Boulter's Success, Anisimova's Stress
Elena Rabatkina, six four in the third. Uh that was on Friday, the day that she and uh Rabatkiner had had to play
Two matches. Uh found it very tough to follow it up against uh Donovec the following morning, but um yeah, h absolutely huge, huge win for Katie Bolter and uh big run for her through to the semifinals. It's been um been a Tough tough time for Katie Bolter, results wise, and it feels like there's quite a lot on this on this grass court season for her, so yeah, big deal for her to reach that semi final.
Uh, Amanda and Esimova, David, tough week for her. She beat Laura Siegmund easily and like I'd circled that as a real danger match for her. She breezed through that and and it really well, it settled my nerves. on her behalf. And then she played this three setter against Eva Yovac uh Evi Yovic, who is he she's a tough out Iva Yovic and I think for A young ish American to play a younger American is a tough thing.
You know, like I mean I think any kind of intergenerational like, oh, you're the you're the new big thing, are you? Like I just think that's a a tough dynamic. Um and I always thought this could be tough for Anis Amova, like she's so She's got that low centre of gravity yovic, she's so strong, she handles the low bounce really well. As I said, I thought it was a cracking win from Radicani to get the better of her as she did, but Anisimova David looked so stressed.
To me, so so stressed. I know she's she's out of Berlin next week, which suggests that maybe this wrist injury is is still recurring and that is that is a worry and I'm sure feeding into the stress. I'm worried for her with how the feeling of defending all these ranking points is weighing upon her.
Hm. I feel like she's another one who I mean obviously ph phys physical issues are a a separate point and they feed into the the problem that that that I identify of not having momentum. She is a little bit like I feel with Radicani. She needs To start getting some wins in a row, to feel like she's getting somewhere, to feel like this is on autopilot. It doesn't feel like it's on autopilot the way it was last year. And her game on autopilot is absolutely devastating because she's got
power on both sides that most people don't have. But yeah, Jovich is so quick, so tenacious. So many questions and for a while and there's some overhead answers to them, but there's not really room for for for being off it. And
And it's just not quite there at the moment, you know, and and I mean look, Yovich I think is is just gonna keep getting better for the next couple of years. I don't know what her ceiling is because I don't know how much power becomes a factor for her that maybe she doesn't have, you know, but what a competitor and
Anissa Mova needs to be absolutely bang on it to win that sort of match and she she did she just wobbled a bit late on. She sort of uh you could see the doubt, she could feel the doubt.
Yeah, and you know, quoting what Pam said to us about Donovekich about how k a positive mindset is th the serve is the most important shot from a mindset perspective. You know, I've got these kind of mental mindset concerns about Anisomova and the serve is a is a problem at the moment. And I'm sure that's both chicken and egg. And I
I think big picture it might be a situation of she she realises the serve isn't where it needs to be. She's trying to make some changes to it. The ball toss looks very high at at the moment. um sort of my heart goes in my mouth when it goes up and I'm like, is that ever coming down? Um and it might be a two steps back for one step forward situation with with the serve, which it so often is. Like it's so hard to
make technical changes to a shot while you're on tour and competing. Like it's kind of bonkers really, but the schedule is stuff that that's what you have to do. So Yeah, like I think it's just a tumultuous period for Amanda and Asimova and just her situation of all these ranking points suddenly to defend made me think of um I'm D I I'm reading the um audiobook for Matt Futterman's book that is gonna be coming out. uh at the start of August, um which is
A tremendous honour to have been asked to do that and I I really hope that I'm doing an okay job of it because it is such a wonderful book. Um and I don't wanna spoiler at all what's uh what's in there but There's a passage which I just read in my latest um recording studio session about how, you know, anybody that's, you know, done any sort of self reflection or therapy or whatever it is will know that like The most unhealthy thing you can do.
possibly do as a human being is compare yourself to a past version of yourself. Like it m it made me think of it this week when Emma Radicanu Very understandably was our Is the old Emma back? And she gently um rebuffed that concept. She said, No, this is this is a new me and she's great, you know, like let's not compare me to twenty twenty one Emma. And that is that is the healthy mindset to have, but the way that tennis operates and the way the rankings operate the rolling twelve month system
It is trying to force you into comparing yourself to the past version of yourself, to the 12 months-ago version of yourself. It is designed to force you into this vortex of deeply unhealthy self- think. And I think it takes a tremendous amount of work to try and not be defined by that, I suppose. And I I I really
¶ Serena, Mboko & Injury Woes
feel for them with that struggle, I suppose, is is all I'm trying to say, as well as the fact that the book is excellent and I think all our listeners would enjoy it. Um Some tough news from uh Queens with Victorian Boko. Obviously she was kind of in the headlines going into the week because who she was partnered with
in the doubles, and that was a huge story at the start of the week. All eyes were on Serena and Mboco uh playing their first round doubles match against Nicole Melikar Martinez and Erin Routliff. It was the the end of the day on Tuesday, full crowd in. It had been uh I think a I mean most of the days earlier in the week were kind of wet and miserable at Queens, but the sun had come out, it was one of those glorious Queens evenings.
Serena Williams and Victorian Boko were victorious. I mean I think Melicar Martinez and Erin Routliff kind of shat themselves a bit about who was at the other end of the court and I think that could happen quite a lot for Serena Williams on on her comeback. And it was just you know, it was just a an incredible scene, really. Serena had her husband and children on the court and was clearly absolutely thrilled to be back and then Victorian Boko takes to the singles court the following day.
And she suffers this awful looking fall, which immediately looks bad. Immediately. Um and she has to retire from that match against Plishkova, withdraws from the tournament, withdraws from the doubles, so that run with Serena Rends with ends with a whimper and then we hear the news that Victorian Boko is out of the rest of the grass court season, including Wimbledon, and it's just such a bummer, David.
Yeah, it really is. And it was such a joyous scene really with her and Serena and wow, Victoria and Boko just reminding everybody what a what a talent she is, e even in that doubles match I think. You know, the way she moves, the way she hits. And she was one of the players I was really looking forward to seeing over the next uh month or so. Um, devastated for her really. Um at the same time, you know
That was a very good looking Serena Williams performance, considering the woman hasn't played for four years. Um and I am fascinated to see. I mean she's playing Berlin now. Um with
Do you read much into it in terms of If there is singles in the offing. Did she did it make you think oh she could c'cause my I always think what of course she can hit the tennis ball well. Like she'll be able to do that when she's ninety and we know we know she's been training very hard from this for this and we know that service technique is so good that she'll kind of always have that serve. I don't know. I th for me th m movement is the whole it really.
And you don't really see that's not a big thing.
Get in around the court well. In a limited manner, because you you're not asked the same questions, absolutely. But there was uh there were some crossings over where I thought, Wow, you know, she really still bounds around a tennis court, um, at the age of four what is it, forty four? Um So uh amazing. Um
I think she will play singles again, absolutely. Um I don't know whether it's too early and I and she sort of intimated that for Wimbledon. To to n to not play any singles and then play singles at Wimbledon Wow, that's that's quite a quite a thing to do. I still wouldn't put it past her. I would not be surprised if we're talking in a few days time about Serena Williams getting a wild card for Wimbledon. Really wouldn't be surprised. Kinda hope we are, personally. Um but um
Yeah, i it's it's that bittersweet feeling'cause that day was pretty joyous and the and the crowd looked like they couldn't believe the luck. And Victoria and Boca looked like she couldn't believe it. And yet she's the one at nineteen years of age who's going home and can't play now. It's just terrible. Um but um yeah, it certainly it certainly makes next week's well card announcement interesting.
Yes, I feel like I don't know, just like hindrance calls and uh puking is on the rise, water watery shits are on the rise, I feel like sort of A big deal wildcard or controversial or headline wildcard announcements are also on the rise. Maybe it's that's recency bias perception, but that is how it feels to me.
¶ Robin Montgomery's Comeback Title
Uh before we move on to the men's uh
Bye.
So Toganbosch, uh WTA two hundred and fifty and an ATP two hundred fifty there this week, uh huge bummer today for them over there. There was no singles final because Barbora Krechikova had to withdraw ahead of it with illness, which handed a first W T A Tour title to Robin Montgomery. Now Robin Montgomery is a remember i i is a name you might remember from A couple of seasons ago, I remember her from Madrid. A couple of seasons ago, we definitely talked about her on this pod.
She qualified there and won a couple of rounds, including a win over over Katie Bolter, and then she played Arena Sabalenka. and gave her a run for her money. It was an electric match, we were both we were all really I've I've a raised mat. He's gone, he's dead to me. Um we were all really taken with Robin Montgomery's tennis. Um six four in the third, I think it was, against uh Sabalenka.
And it hadn't really occurred to me that we just hadn't heard from her in the past year, David. She's she's only twenty one years old. But she didn't play between June of last year when she had reached a career high ranking of ninety five in the world until April of this year. She she was out with with a wrist injury for that time and has had a r really terrible time in these
formative early years of her career. She won the Orange Bowl in twenty nineteen. Then a pandemic hits. You know, I'm always kind of fascinated by these players that were hit by the pandemic at that formative early turning pro stage of their careers. I think that's just been such a huge setback for them in particular. Um and here she is, David, coming out of nowhere, beating well, qualifying for starters, then beating Dari Kazakina, Grit Minen, Darius Sniger and Ida Tomyanovich.
en route to this title. And okay, these aren't, you know, the biggest names in the sport. But they're all sorts of different players and they're players that know their way around a grass court and they're all players that probably would have been the favourite ahead of world number four hundred and eighty-four, Robin Montgomery, David.
Yeah, it's uh I I do tend to forget people I'm afraid in that situation. We had it with Katie McNally recently, didn't we? When you suddenly realize, wow Where where's she been? And oh goodness, she's had an injury like that. That's horrible. Um and uh actually I was reading Chris Clary's uh tweet uh about Robin Montgomery. He he he said Grass is a good fit for her big, often sliced lefty surf.
You know, and I was suddenly thinking, yes, now this is coming back to me, you know, th that that she's a left hander with this sort of game. And and yeah, another another one's to sort of throw into the mix and make you feel like the grass quarters are alive and well, that they can impact people with that s that sort of game. Um and he was saying that she's the lowest ranked player to win a WTA title since Alina Svitolina, who was five hundred and eighty.
when she won uh Strasbourg in twenty twenty three. Um yeah, it's a it's a false ranking. She's g she's gone up Good couple of hundred places after this. Um so Yeah, it's i i it it's great to see somebody I obviously shame for critique of it, but it's great to see somebody like this who's had a a real rough time with their luck and their ranking is deflated as a result, suddenly get somewhere immediately. and can get back into the conversation.
¶ Krechikova's Wimbledon Potential
She's definitely a dol dormant volcano, Krachikova, isn't she? And interest I was very relieved to see that it was ill obviously get well soon, but illness rather than injury that kept her out of this final because in terms of a potential eruption at Wimbledon, you know, she's got time to recover from an illness and be an interesting factor at Wimbledon. I think like a fit Krechikova in form. Another nightmare to come out of the velvet pouch potential.
I don't I don't remember anybody prior to the tournaments picking Vondrosova or Kurchikova to win those things. So Fascinated.
Okay, that's it for part one. We'll be back in part two to talk about the men.
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¶ Ben Shelton Conquers Grass
Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast where we head to Stuttgart now and the All American final between defending Stuttgart champion Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton that was won by Shelton six two two six. six four, his third title of the season and his first ever grass court title. He did it the hard way, David. All of his matches were three setters. He saved match points. against uh Yuri Lehetchka in the semifinals and another great final against uh Taylor Fritz today.
Yeah, and that's the second time he's beaten Fritz in a final this year. Um it's uh it's good stuff this from from Shelton. He he he it's what makes that loss at Roland Garros seem so surprising. that when he gets an opportunity he usually just goes and takes it. He becomes more dangerous when when the stakes are higher. Um and I think that the door was opening for him at Ron Garris, even though he's not
the most confident clay quarter, I think he'd become better. Um and it's quite interesting on grass too because y even though the game should work on it, it hasn't always worked. It ha it hasn't really come together and so this could be a real moment, you know, and Crikey had to fight hard to get there. I mean w that there was a there was a think a sixteen fourteen tie break against Yuri Lehechka as part of that and he saved a couple of match points and
You know, it's it's hard going to get through these matches, but I I do back him in those situations. Um this final I think showed Fritz once again just lacking that little bit of match toughness. You know, he he he's he was right with him and suddenly his server's gone and the match is gone. You know, it's kind of
Three all it's going like that, and then suddenly he's lost his serve, and that's that. Um and I think Th these sort of runs where he he gets to a final and gets a lot of wins but doesn't actually end up getting the title. Probably by the end of the summer, if he if he if if if his knee isn't bothering him, I think he could be a real factor in the summer. I'm I'm not sure whether Wimbledon might be a bit too early for him but
Just such a solid player, isn't he? So um yeah. B both of those two uh I'd be If I was an American tennis fan right now I'd be quite quite buyed by that because they haven't had the greatest results in men's tennis on ground Really in recent years.
I do wonder if what happened in Paris, you know, letting that opportunity slip away and I think Ben Shelton would be somebody somebody that would really front up. With himself he was about that, probably publicly too, but most importantly with himself about
squandering that opportunity at least to go deep in that draw. I do wonder if that'll make him even hungrier at Wimbledon or I I don't think he ever lacks for hunger, but I think he might wanna kind of put things right and on a surface that, you know, should should suit him better and I think does
That's it, isn't it? Sort of waiting for him to kind of grab grass, you know. And Been been uh looking up um Richard Krychek's results because he's the focus of uh one of our tennis relived episodes coming up in a in a in a week's time about his nineteen ninety six Wimbledon win and He had terrible results early on on grass at uh at at Wimbledon, he didn't get anywhere for years.
Um, and then suddenly you won it. I'm not saying that will happen to to Shelton, but I am wondering whether maybe might just click the movement, the place to be, the sort of how much to go in, how much to stay back, those kind of things.
Um but yeah, I think uh I think he would really lighten the place up and i if he did have a run and I think still in his mind must be the thought, well Al Kraz isn't gonna be there. You know, this is still a chance for me. This is a These guys it's not that deep.
Men's tennis, you know, i there's not that many players you look at and think, Well hi if he's playing well I can't win. Uh I mean I'm sure he doesn't go into any match thinking that, but I think we do with with a couple of players, but not that many.
I love it i in the lead up to uh a relived recording when David's uh interviews scheduled interviews with, you know, people from the nineties just start popping up in our shared calendar like, Oh, Dave's having a chat with Malawi Washington tomorrow. Good for him. I love it.
Can't wait.
Uh
Bye.
¶ Majchrzak's Unexpected ATP Title
Uh the ATP two hundred fifty event in Satogan Bosch was won by Camille Meyershak, his first ATP tour title at thirty years old. How about this? for a run. He absolutely tore up the draw, did Meyer Shakabi. Otto Vertinen and James McCabe in the first couple of rounds. Good players, but, you know, okay. Then he beats three top tenors back to back, Felix Ugey El Yassim, Daniel Medvedev, and in the final, Alex Deminour, 7-6 in the third.
He's gonna break the top fifty David for the first time in his career tomorrow at thirty years of age. And he seems like the rest of us like, where's this come from? I Yeah. I'm as surprised as you.
And he almost lost in the first round to Vertinen. You know, he was right on the brink there and and and that's the thing, I think he almost felt like he got a second chance at a a at g at making progress and then like like like Donovekich, then suddenly you hit form and it's like, Oh well, I'm playing with the house's money now. I thought it was out. Um Very, very emotional scenes at the end with Maychek and uh and his coach um just
Sobbing. Both of'em just sobbing as they hugged each other at the end. Um and and quite f I mean he's he's Diminor is such a decent guy, isn't he? You know, he was so generous and so sort of magnanimous and he he was saying how much he loves playing in the Netherlands and I I've just looked back and of course he won Rotterdam.
uh earlier this year, you know, and uh beat Ozielia sim in the final uh must say when this match went into a final set tie break, I kind of assumed that Diminor would get the job done. Um but my check wasn't having it at all. I mean that you know, y you must build real strength of belief when you start beating people like Medvedev, you know, uh on courts like this. And I always get the sense with Majik that he's sort of
He's g he's better than he believes he is, you know, in the moment and actually'cause I remember him knocking out Hachinov out of the US Open, I was courtside for that final set tie break. Like he's got a level in him, he's he's quite a surprising player. Um but yeah, this was cool to see him just so emotional.
Yeah. Incredible. Made me think was it To Tog and Bosch a few years ago where Tim Van Rijthoven Popped up.
That's a knife.
Tim Van Ryout.
Rings a bell.
Like different level of random. Like we very much know who Camille Myershak is, but we also very much did not think he was gonna do anything like this this week. But w was it, if I remembered that, was it Titulgenbosch? He is Dutch, isn't he, Tim Van Rijoven, so I assume so. And then we w he was a name that we were excited about coming out of the pouch at Wimbledon. Yeah.
I seem to remember him doing decently at Wimbledon then then running into a top player and
Yes.
That's uh
I think Jock of it. I think we were very briefly hyped for a Tim Van Rijthoven Novak Djokovic. at Wimbledon and then we all forgot Tim Van Riethoven existed until this very moment.
Fourth round of Wimbledon in twenty twenty two, got to the last sixteen. Yeah.
Pretty fantastic. Where's he been since? Tim Van Riethoven relived. Coming your way when we when we run out of ideas. Folks, that's it for part two. We'll be back in part three to look ahead to this week and talk a bit about Wimbledon.
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¶ LTA Wild Card Policy Debate
Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast. Turning our attention now to the grass court events we have this week in uh Queens again, the ATP event. Halla has an ATP event too, and the WTA. is in Berlin and Nottingham. Starting, David, with Queens. And the wild card situation at Queens. I touched upon it with Tatiana Maria in terms of the women's event. All of their wild cards at Queens went to British players. One of those was Katie Bolter and she ended up reaching
the semifinals, Harriet Dart won through a round against Ludmiller, Samsonova. I think it was only uh Fran Jones of the three well, there were four world cards, weren't there? Um Stoysavlovic lost out to Donovekic. So those were the the four wild cards uh in the women's event. Tatiana Maria had things to say about not receiving one as uh as the defending champion.
In terms of the men's event, there are three world cards. They've all been given to British players, Arthur Ferry, uh Toby Samuel and Jack Pennington Jones, not to Dan Evans. who announced this week that he would be retiring after Wimbledon that this grass court season will be his last. Evans played qualifying at Queens and lost in the second round, I think, of uh of qualifying and no
No, in the first round actually.
In the first round. Sorry, Dan.
Against uh Marcus Garon, so quite a tough player to get in the first round of qualifying.
Yeah, I mean the cut-off for these events are low. You know, Queens is a it's a thirty two draw. Um So yeah, Colik's Collies is always tough at Queens. No wild card either, David, for former champion Grig or Dimitrov. You told me earlier that he's playing a seventy five K in Dublin. Yeah.
a good time, aren't they, watching it?
I mean good on him. The LTA have made their position th this shouldn't be a shock, is it? The LTA, and these are LTA, the you know, the British governing body of tennis, they've made their position on wildcards at these events very clear. These are LTA events, they put a lot on the line, staging them and it they it is up to them what they do with their wildcards and they want to use their privilege.
a as stages of these prestigious events to give benefits to to British players and that is their that is their right. Um how do you feel about the various Wildcards awarded here across these two weeks.
¶ Criticizing Wild Card Culture
Well, I I would do it differently, uh, if it was up to me. Um it's not. I don't put the money in. I totally understand. where they're coming from and they're absolutely within their rights. I'm not gonna tell them what they should do. Um but I also but but I would tell you what I think is is a better idea. Um
Personally, I I think they should mix it up a bit. I think that there should be roo there should absolutely have been room for Tatiana Maria as the defending champion. I thought that was poor.
Um Dimitrov has had wild cards before, so and so is Evans. You know, I don't think I think there's an argument to be made for both of them on in terms of um how much fans want to see them, but you know they they always say the LTA they'll always say well, you know, judging by our research, our market research, fans want to see young British players.
Um or they want to get behind the British players. Now Dan Evans what I would say about Evans is he is one and he has produced over so many years and he said it's his final year. I feel like He deserves the Um really now. Just to sort of certainly a Wimbledon I'd love to see him get one so that he could Be celebrated and give it give it one more go, you know. Um I hope he does. But I think there is another point. I think
The wild card culture has been a problem ever since I've been working tennis, uh ever since I've known about wild cards in Britain. I think that they that it's too easy in Grand Slam nations to just Subconsciously lower your standards because you if you only have to get to a certain level and you'll get a wild card into Wimbledon. And these days we now know that if you get a wild card into Wimbledon you get eighty thousand pounds guaranteed for losing in the first round. Um and I just think
I...
Players should be aiming higher than just trying to get to a standard where they get a wild card. And you ma and they the argument may be well yeah, this is a way to help them have a bit of a leg up, you know, as they get a win in this draw It's worth a hell of a lot more points than it would be in another draw. I just think that a your
You're gonna be you're you're gonna be tougher and more ravenous, I think, just on the whole. Not everybody. There are players that take these privileges and fight like Tooth and nail. But I think culture wise you've got more chance of of having tougher, more ravenous players. if they're not getting these sorts of help in hands and handouts really. Um I also think that if they play qualifying and they get through it
They're going to be playing players that are not quite as good as they're likely to play in the first round, so they've got more chance of getting a win. And if they get three wins and get into the main draw in qualifying They're gonna be in better form, they're gonna be matched tight, they're gonna be played in.
So I think they've got more chance then of doing something in the first round than just if they turn up with a wild card and try their best, you know and I just d I don't necessarily think it's helping them. But that's just my view. I t I do understand why they do what they do and they're they're within their rights to do it.
And I guess it's particularly exposed but obviously these aren't grandsime events we're talking about here in Wimbledon while the LTA have a say in Wimbledon Wildcards. they don't have the final say in in Wimbledon Wildcards. That is a separate thing. Obviously they you know Wimbledon is a is a private club. Um but these are events
run by the governing body of a Grand Slam nation. So the you know, the point that Charlie Eckelshow is always making that I completely agree with these are further privileges for players from an already heavily privileged Grand Slam Nation, like you've already got the leg up of being from a Grand Slam nation on everybody else from all but three other countries. So to then request or take the benefit of further privileges.
feels well, maybe it's a socialist in me, but it doesn't doesn't feel right. But then I also think You know, there are no rules about what people do with wildcards, so of course people are going to use them to benefit themselves. That's what the
They that benefited. You know, if you look at the Grand Sum Nations.
I agree with you.
Players only wildcards did well out of France, um in Paris recently.
I agree with you, but everybody is short termist, aren't you?
Everybody.
You know, everybody's looking at their five year reign period in in charge of things. Nobody's taking well, sorry, excuse me, David. Emily Moresmo is taking an holistic approach to tennis, but uh but nobody else is. Um so yeah, I kind of think well, in the absence of anybody really having any clear sense of what wild cards are for. Of course people are just gonna use them to mostly benefit themselves.
¶ Grand Slam Wild Card Dilemmas
I do I agree with you about Dan Evans for Wimbledon. Really hope he gets one. My goodness me, I hope Gregor Dimitrov gets one, David, after what happens.
Absolutely. I I can't see the club not giving him one after last year.
I think they will. I don't think
ご視聴ありがとうございました
I don't think this Queen's decision is a is a harbinger for for Wimbledon. I I agree. I think I think they will. But I I mean, this is gonna be a recurring theme even with the US Open. I mean, you've got we've got Germul Fis retiring this year, we've got Stan Rodrinka retiring this year on the men's side, Grigor Dimitrov
As far as I know isn't planning to retire, but he's gonna be needing a US Open wildcard. I d I doubt he'll get one. But Jack Draper is gonna be in qualifying for US Open assuming he's fit. You know, there'll be one reciprocal French wild card. Well does it go to Gamorfis, who's Uncompetitive, but it's gonna be his final slam, or does it go to Moyes Kwame? 'Cause he's gonna need one. Like there's gonna be quite a lot of
existential wild card questions continually arising in uh in tennis. And of course Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Yeah. Wildcard drama is on the rise, David, with puking and hindrance drama.
On the men's side, the only one I think that should be getting a US Open Wildcard is Stanovrinka as a as a former champion.
Look, I agree with you, but the they have this reciprocal wildcard thing, don't they? So there is a French one up for grabs. Is Monfils going to Take it from Kwame? Is that gonna be his last act? As a I'm not necessarily judging him if that like, I don't know. I'm just but that would
Dick Quama in the qualifying, be good for him.
But M Montfils is uncompetitive, David, and he's had two send offs at his home slam. He's had a an exhibition, Monfils Gale and Friends. How many shout outs has Gail and Friends had on this pod? All of them from me. Uh and he's had a competitive one against Hugo Gaston, like I dunno. What are wildcards for? Nobody knows. Uh the event
¶ Next Week's Tournament Previews
this week. Uh ATP Queensfield is, let's be honest, quite diminished, isn't it? No Carlos Alcaraz this year, no Jack Draper, no Lorenzo Mazzetti. They've been kind of The pillars of this draw for for a long time. The top seed is Alex de Manor. He has got Gabrielle Diallo in round one and uh the second seed is Yevila Hetchka last year's finalist. He has got Camille Meyershak.
the uh Tsatogumbosh champion in round one, which kind of sounds like a terrible draw, but I think Mayershak might be kind of high on the uh the win for a w I'm not sure his head will necessarily be right bang in the Queen's game. straight away, put it that way. Uh Jakub Menschik, the third seed, he's got Adrian Manorino in round one. A Andre David Fekina. Fourth seed he's got Cam Norrie round one. And we have Rafael Hodar David
Playing his first ever senior match on grass as the fifth seed against Ignatio Buse in round one. S I think he reached the semis of junior Wimbledon. A couple of years ago, but I'm interested t to see what hodar on grass looks like, put it that way. Uh the ATP event in Halle this week, Alexander Zverev, the French Open champion, is the top seed. He's got Vit Kapriva in round one and a prop a possible round two against Joel Fonseca.
Uh Felix Auger Eliasim the second seed. He's got Nuno Borgesh round one and a possible round two against Leonard Tien. Uh some great first rounders thrown up by the Halidraw, Caboli against Tiafo. Her catch Rublev, Bergs Fritz, and Ben Shelton against Nick.
It's certainly a lot more namey, isn't it, Hallow this year?
Yeah. Yeah. In the middle. Definitely. I think I think Queens Men's is uh is suffering this year.
Queens got unlucky, you know, because of who they lost. But That's when you need to have a dimatrop handy, isn't it, or someone like that?
Yeah, and look, Alcaraz is expensive, isn't he? Like if you if you've got Alcaraz, if the chips are in that basket there aren't many leftover chips, I don't think. Uh the WTA this week has a five hundred in Berlin. How's this for a stack to draw? Arena Sabalenka the top seed, uh the top seeds get buys in Berlin, boo. Uh, but then a possible round two against either uh well a definite round two against either Anastasia Potobova or Ikaterina Alexandrova.
Uh Len Rabatkina is the second seed at the bottom of the draw, bye for her and then either Donovekit. Or Alexandra Ayala, not sure she's all that comfortable on grass, Ayala so if it's Well, if she manages to get her head in the game, Vecich Rabakina, round two in Berlin. Uh other round ones include Alina Svitolino against Anna Kallen Skyer, Nikola Bartankova against Diana Schneider.
Uh and that Pottopova Alexandrova match I mentioned. You've also got Pagula, Mukova, Keys, Nog Nozkova, Towson, Goth and Eva Lisa. In the Berlin draw and uh mention Mook over there, she will be the doubles partner for Serena Williams this week. That'd be a good watch. Incredible draw in Berlin. They do yeah, they do attract good fields in Berlin.
And there's also W T two fifty in Nottingham where Eva uh where Eva Yovich is the top C she has Carolina Plishkova round one. She's just showing up and being a pest to people, isn't she? Karolina Plyschkoverd in 2026. You just go, oh god, I've got Plyschkoverd in round one. Uh possible round two, the winner of that to possibly face Katie McNally, which is uh which is interesting. Uh Leila Fernandez is the second seed. She's got Janice Chen and round one i in round one rather and if she plays
A possible round two with Emma Raducanu, which of course would be a rematch of the twenty twenty one US Open final. You've also got Bolter against Dart in round one. That's always eggy, isn't it? I think they hate one another. Yeah, I mean maybe maybe fences have been mended, I don't know. Haven't heard of any fences being mended. Uh Junction Wen is in the Nottingham Fields.
Very strange to think of a bit like when Beyoncé played the stadium, but like very strange to think of Jun Chim Wen at the courts that I used to play on when I was at university. Uh she's got Maria Sacary round one and Lois Boisson against Diana Stremska is also round one. You've got uh Barbara Kreczyk, Verma Navarro, Maya Joint, Tatiana Maria.
¶ Wimbledon Prize Money Increases
and Talia Gibson also in the field. Just before we wrap up today, we had the pre-tournament Wimbledon press conference uh which is where they announce their prize money for the year, amongst other things. But the big announcement is usually the unveiling of the prize money pot and its distribution. And this year there was
extra attention on that because of the movement from the top players which kind of Reached its loudest point at Roland Garros with their media day Walk out or boycott or whatever we ended up calling it in protest at the percentage of revenues being allocated by the Grand Slams to prize money.
Uh and Wimbledon announced on Tuesday of this week that it is increasing its prize money by twenty percent on twenty twenty five and those top leading players have welcomed it as, quote, a genuine and significant step forward. A statement issued on behalf of those top players described the announcement as a meaningful statement of intent.
while also pointing out that it still does not equate to the sixteen percent of tournament revenue that they are requesting. Uh so the total prize fund at this year's championships will be sixty four point two million pounds. represents the largest annual increase in the events history. Each singles champion will take home three point six million pounds and as David was saying, first round losers
will receive eighty thousand pounds. There's also been more than six million pounds set aside for the qualifying competition, which is an increase of twenty five percent. It certainly, David, seems to have been Enough of a statement from Wimbledon to quash any suggestion of protest action at Wimbledon.
Yeah, I I had a little chat with them a few days ago. There's certainly nothing in the making at the moment the so uh I don't get the sense there is anyway and I mean that may change of course, but I d and ev but the wording of what the players have said here
I think it's very encouraging for them thinking that this is pretty good actually. You know, it's not okay, it's not what they want, that what they asked for. You're never gonna get exactly what you asked for. But I would say that probably their stances and uh the pressure they've been putting on over the last year has made some difference. Um you know, this is a sign this is more than I would have expected, um, really. And and uh yeah, it's it's definitely a meaningful amount. Um I think
¶ US Open Boycott Threat
Then all eyes turn to the US Open, don't they? And that's the thing. You get one announcement and you know that another one's on the on the horizon on the heels of it.
I mean know that Wimbledon is the most profitable of the four Grand Slams, so it's quite tough, I think, for the US Open to follow. Wimbledon. I also think it's quite tough because Wimbledon is uh because US Open rather is mo the most overtly commercial. of the foreground slams, like it's so you know, the money making is just cravenly, unashamedly there for all to see. Um, in a way that I just think optically will make it easier f you know, PR wise for the players to make a a case.
I guess. And there are you know there's a report in the Times this week by the tennis correspondent Tom Kershaw that the players are considering a boycott of the mixed doubles event at the US Open, which I think it's quite a clever concept. I think they found a little loophole there because it is boycotting a competition but one that they don't give a shit about. The tournament give a lot of shits about.
I think it really matters to the tournament. It was a big success last year. I think they want it to be even bigger this year. It is a it is a a mini event that is totally propped up and dependent on names and star power. And actually the the quality of the matches and the competition is is kind of here nor there.
Um but there's this huge imbalance because the players don't really care at all. So I think they've actually identified quite a clever loophole there where they can cost the tournament something without costing themselves something, which, you know, I still think The really big test, if it's required, will be are you prepared to give up something that you care about for this cause? But I think this is quite clever.
Yeah, I'd agree. Uh I I think they would view it as a nice to have. I don't think that they want to lose it. I mean there's a million on the line for the winner. Um it gets them great publicity. It was fun. I think I think they all enjoyed it last year and I think they've wanted to play it. But they're not that bothered, you know, and i.e. it's expendable. This is something that if they don't see what they're what they're gonna get without it.
then I could definitely see this being a lever to Paul which really would impact th the tournament because they now that they've provided that to ESPN and All the other rights hold you know, and ESPN's the ones that matters for them. They've created this event for ESPN and that's where they get their big money from. They don't want to be not providing it um or at least providing it in a massively diminished state.
Um I I also think that the US Open does like to be the one that pays the most in prize money. It likes to th it likes to do this stuff, you know? Uh even though it doesn't want to pay as much as the players want, or the players say that they should Um I think that we're probably gonna see a pretty a pretty sizable and
attention grabbing number from them too. That's m that would be my expectation. Because and and with just with this little thing in the background of the mixed doubles as well, whether whether that's something serious or not. You know, it's uh they won't want to have to do that. They won't want to have to get involved in that.
They are the tournament with the big checks, aren't they? I mean literally the b you know, it's a tournament where money yeah, it's America. Money is they're unashamedly the most capitalist country in in the world. It's Money matters. Okay, that is it for this week folks. Uh big week coming up. All those events we talked about, the Wimbledon Wildcard announcements are expected either Tuesday or Wednesday. Uh we are back with our next pod on Thursday. Matt is back.
Good.
No no offense, but you know.
Ha ha ha.
Matt is back and we'll work him extra hard to make up for his jaunt to Illinois. So yeah, we're back Thursday and then we'll back be back with uh another show on Sunday, Monday, the end of next week. Two pod week is all you need to know about next week. That's the most important thing. David, it's been a pleasure to have your company. Who needs money? Us is the answer to that. Uh but no, I think we've I think we've we've coped.
I'm pleased with her.
I'm pleased with us too. Hello to our mascots, Bodie, Maisie and Roger. Roger Matt is back next week. Worry not, he has not abandoned you for long. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg Chris and Jeff. No shout outs this week because no mat, but they'll be back along with me.
Thursday.
At the Athletic Podcast Network.
🎵 Music
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