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Hello and welcome to the tennis podcast live from Wimbledon on day five of the championships and more specifically live from our wet weather position at Wimbledon. I'm Catherine Whitaker. This is Matt Roberts. This is David Law and you thought last night's crowd were die hard. We actually have a crowd over there in the distance. They can't even see us recording.
Because just off there in the distance behind us, that is our usual position. And you can probably see the rain glistening off the bench that we are usually sitting on because that just about sums up the day that we've had here in South West London. It's incredible really that any play happened on the outside courts. I think more than most people expected did end up happening.
But courts wanting to send court and court one were where it was at today, David for the fans and for the players that were scheduled there because it's been a bit of a shocker for us all. Yeah, I mean, we kind of got away with it in terms of getting any play. By the way, the weather forecasts looked. I mean, they certainly got sort of three, four hours of play on the outside courts.
So it'll be a couple of hours late. But this is where the roof on center, the roof on court number one really come into play and thank goodness for them because you know, if you think back all the years that you just sit in there. Do nothing for watching nothing. People are sat, you know, looking miserable on TV and under umbrellas in the rain.
Not watching nothing, David, watching Cliff Richard or watching Borg Mac in row 1981, which is never wasted energy as far as unconcerned. But still it's nice that those two show courts with 15,000 people are in each of them and millions around the world are getting to watch full day of tennis still. The only good thing about the rain is that it has given Matt and I an opportunity finally to be jacket buddies.
Oh great, I feel left hand. Well, you're welcome to get into the club. Yeah, I have to say I've been wearing it more than I hoped or expected this fortnight. It's been colder and wetter than than all of us hope for, but very glad to have the jacket. Very glad to have the roofs. Very, very glad about how much tennis happened at Wimbledon today and actually how thrilling so much of it was, you know, when it's the first week and you're down to a situation where there's only two matches happening.
You know, first week for me is all about that buzz of I don't know where to look and I if we're going to have a full week of rain in a grand slam, all our Roland Garros 2024 trauma. Let it be the second week and not the first because second week you're used to it having your attention devoted into just a couple of places.
But when rain interrupts week one, you feel like you're being denied something and there is the potential for a situation where there's any too much is on and neither of them are very good. Well, I don't think we were ever really in that situation today because we had a lot of good show court matches and the best obviously Carlos Alcora's beating Francis Tiafo in five sets extending his best of five set record.
Carlos Alcora's Matt to what? 12 and 1 now I think with the one being Matteo Baratini. And we debated the other day whether apologies to Matteo Baratini here, whether that won even really counts because it was kind of a different version of Alcora's. It was before he became a grandson champion and a world number one.
Well, that was the first time I looked at him and thought he looks like a man. I remember him coming out looking like beefed up and sleeveless shirts and sort of shaved head and he looked cool and strong and fierce. But he was so raw, so green, so new, freshly hatched. And now, I mean that's an extraordinary record. And he knows it, David. He knows it. It was a big topic of conversation in his press conference today and he didn't shy away from it.
It's like another weapon. He's got massive horns, got a drop shot, got a serve, volume. He reminded me of when Jockovich had that tie break record going through a while and he was totally aware of it and knew that it was in the heads of all his opponents.
And he kind of used that phrase in the Spanish portion of his press conference. He talked about putting fear into the minds of his opponents because of that fifth set record, which he really credits his physicality for why he's got such a good record. He's always felt so good in the fifth set. And it's been tested as well. He's been in a fifth set against post-pucinna. He's been in a fifth set in a women and final against no Watt Jockovich.
He's put that fifth set record on the line in big situations. It's not just been in maybe the first or second round and he's not been playing well and he's got over the line in the fifth. He's used it as a weapon in big matches and he used it again today because that was a perilous situation for Carlos Alcarez. David, you didn't get to see too much of this match but you asked whether we felt like there was more jeopardy in this one or in the US Open semi-final that Alcarez and TFO played.
I absolutely thought it was this one. Francis TFO said the same. He said this one hurts more than the Open. I feel like at the Open I was kind of hanging on for dear life. This one was kind of more on my racket. That was kind of my read on it as well. I don't think it was entirely on his racket. It did feel like if Alcarez was playing sensibly and playing well, he was going to win this match.
TFO was doing a lot of things at times to disrupt him. He was a four-all in the fourth set. TFO leading two sets to one. He had love 30 on Carlos Alcarez's serve. Alcarez missed his first serve, challenged it. It was out so he had to hit a second serve after a challenge. This is a really dangerous situation for Carlos Alcarez. From that point onwards, he was kind of irresistible. The tennis he played to get through that game, awesome. He played an absolutely phenomenal tie break.
Then he played Carlos Alcarez, fifth set, tennis in the fifth set and just took it away. It ended up not right at the end of the match. There wasn't that much jeopardy. In that moment in the fourth set, the defending champion was on the ropes. Fourth set was jeopardy central, seriously. As soon as it went to five, we were all thinking about the five set record. Alcarez is thinking about the five set record and probably TFO is as well. Not a lot of jeopardy in the fifth set at all.
But in the fourth set, big time. You said he was doing things to disrupt Alcarez. No, I didn't. He was doing Alcarez stuff. The one thing that came to me was that TFO has an ability to rush Carlos Alcarez. He's so good at just bunting the ball on the back can with such a short swing, taking it early.
Alcarez was rushed not back a few times. He was also, as Catherine said, using that combination of power and touch that Alcarez has, TFO was doing it with drop shots, with lovely play up at the net at times, but also big power at times. He was hitting his spot on serve. It was gorgeous tennis from TFO. For most of this match, it did drop off in the fifth set, big time. But it was TFO evolved.
That's exciting. He's great to watch. Really exciting. And he thinks so too. He said, I haven't been enjoying playing lately. He considered not playing this tournament. He said one of his two favorite tournaments. He was obviously gutted in the moment at having lost this match, but he said this is huge ahead of the US whole court swing and the US open. This is getting me back into a good place and getting me enjoying my tennis again. It's kind of that proof of concept that he needed to build on.
There were times when he was the showman on the court. He was getting the crowd going and they were giving big standing evations for him. Obviously they were doing it for Carlos Alcarez as well, but it takes a special player to be able to match Alcarez for that energy.
There were a lot of times today when TFO was doing it. Yeah, and I felt like, whether it was because that was happening or just because, Carlos Alcarez was trying to create a moment of magic. He was trying to do something improbable and sensational.
He won it throughout the third and fourth set and he had a few busted attempts. There was an ill-advised tweener that didn't come off. There was a totally ridiculous chase down at the ball, which the fact that he almost got to it was ridiculous enough.
He was so annoyed that he didn't get to it. There were just a few like that. He had no right to pull off, but still he sometimes does. He didn't today until the fourth set tie break. Then he pulled a couple of them off and he did start roaring from that point on. Maybe it was proof that that is what he needed and going for ill-advised tween was, in fact, a good idea.
It is so interesting though, isn't it? He then goes into his press conference and spends a lot of it talking about focus and ups and downs. At the same time, you are trying to do all this stuff. It is such a balance for Alcarez. He needs the best Alcarez is loose but controlled loose. If he is out of control loose, it is not good Alcarez. It is a real balance that he has to get right in terms of looseness and containment.
He is like the person in a relationship that wants to be in a relationship and loves their partner and they are really happy but they also are addicted to the drama. If they get too comfortable and happy, they will start an argument. He is starting them all over the place with unnecessary dreams. The sub-conscious is saying, you are doing it again. This is bad. But he just can't help himself. Something inside he needs it. He came into the press conference, Carlos Alcarez.
First of all, he came in 30 seconds after Spain and Germany, full-time whistle, blue. The announcement came through. Carlos Alcarez is on his way to press. That was a coincidence. We all knew what was happening there. Spain had scored a pretty much a last minute extra time winner in that game. He walks into press, beaming and shouting, bum-offs. It was a vibe, David.
It was great. In the Spanish portion of his press conference, he went into some detail about how he was watching it in the shower on his phone and then in the ice bath and then in the hot bath. He was just absolutely great. Several different bodies of water. The journalists were, there was a follow-up like, how did he manage to do that in the shower? In the end, he was in the press conference as well with another Bamos and Spain. He was absolutely buzzing.
He did the Jude Bellingham celebration after the match today. Oh, man, Jude. Jude will be doing it tomorrow. Well, Carlos thinks so. Well, actually, no, he didn't go that far, but I asked him about the Bellingham celebration. He said, we're in London. He is England. It felt right. I like it. I'm going to take that to mean I'm going to be supporting England over Switzerland tomorrow.
So take that, Roger. Yes. He said, a big win deserves a big celebration and then he did a big beaming smile. He loved it. He didn't mind being taken to five today. I feel like today was a perfect day in the world of Carlos Algrés. He said that when he sees other players do the kind of thing that he did today, which is back against the wall, two sets to one down and surge and win, he thinks, wow, that's impressive.
He's like, people are going to see that I did that. And yeah, he's just putting that fear into the other players in the draw. Like he knows that he needs to not have the lapses. It was a really, really poor end to the first set.
I thought this score line after two sets was actually kind of deceptive because Algrés probably should have been about six, three, six, two up. He was a break up in the first set and then had a lapse. And he needs to cut them out, especially in the first set. It's a bit of a problem that he's got starting slowly. We've seen it a lot in big matches.
He's recovered to win many of them, but sometimes he hasn't. So he knows that he needs to get better, but at the same time, he's absolutely buzzing from a performance. It's like the line, goals that we had, Fringland the other day, wasn't it? Right. I mean, his day could have ended different. Which someone on the live chat live chat has just said, what is a Jude Bellingham?
Hannah, it's over to you to explain that. Yeah, although I do, much as I love Jude Bellingham and that celebration and the fact that Coliseau, Quares, does it? I love all of that. I am with Hannah on the fact that that, like having your arms raised in the air isn't distinctive or unique enough to be a trademark celebration. He says, if you can do it by accident, is it a trademark celebration? Yeah, you can't do a dead fish by accident. Exactly. Now that's a trademark celebration.
But he still has pulled it off and that's an idea of Bellingham's magnetism. God Jude. We need you to mark that. Speaking of which, Mervidae didn't get to do any kind of celebration today because he was one of the many matches, men's matches that did not finish. Two sets to one against Yannalan, Edstruth. And he'll have to come back and finish that tomorrow, whereas his opponent, Gregor Dimitrov, already through to the fourth round.
He was under the roof today, beat Gamel, feast comfortably, feet up, can do whatever he likes tomorrow. And speaking of the same kind of situation as if it's not tough enough to face Carlos Alcoraz at Wimbledon, his opponent, whoever it might be, will not have had the day off either David. He's a brand of Nakashima or Hugo and Bear. And they have to come back tomorrow as well. Yes, I know this because I watched it. Every single point of it.
Every single point of it. Including the two-hour delay before they got going. It's two sets on to a bear. I mean, a bear should have been off the court in three sets. No trouble at all. Nakashima has lost his last six matches against left handers. He really doesn't like that combination at all. And on Bear wins the first at 76, he then races through the second 6-3. He's got set point in the third. And then he just falls apart.
And a minute later, Bear played to Nakashima, we hung around. But really, on Bear, kind of choked at the end of the third set. And deep will a confidence to get to fall back on. Has he embarrassed those sorts of moments? It was really clear the difference between him and the tight moments and in the rest of the match. And then in the four sets, he's a bit stressed, he's hanging on. He finds a bit to get to 15-40, I think at 5-4 on Nakashima's serve.
And he fails to convert. So it's two sets to one. Goes into tie break. And then suddenly there's a little conversation. You realize all the court covers are standing by. There's no rain anywhere. And then suddenly they bring the covers over because they've got a better weather app than I have. And there's was proof, right? They were their viewers. We cannot get this tie breaking. So they're going to come out and start a tie break.
So we've gone and bear is in the position that Felix Orge Ali Asim was in a few days ago, which is... Which went badly for a while. And sleeping on having had match points. Knowing that Carlos Algaraz is sleeping tightly tonight, prioritising his sleep. Not on his phone. Spending his time on his phone, watching football, just beaming his way through his day off. That's tough for a frugal and bearer.
And or Brandon Nakashima. Well, definitely not Anne. Only one of them is going to face Carlos Algaraz in a couple of days' time. The match that just finished, Janik Sinner, again to me, Mickets Manovich, 6164, 62, not a lot to report quite frankly, other than Sinner just being a class apart here. Waits for the winner of Ben Shelton and Dennis Schapp of Alov, which barely started today.
Now this one has been scheduled to start under the roof tomorrow. On court number one, I think to guarantee that it gets finished, which has to be the right call. It's just such an advantage for these players that already threw and already got to play under the roof today. Absolutely. And it's kind of the halves and the halves, isn't it? Shelton is the... She put her catch. He's been on the schedule, like, always. He's been in an permanent state of Suspondue here at Wimbledon.
I think both of his matches had to carry over. Now this third one, yeah, big advantage for Sinner. Didn't get to see a huge amount of the Sinner match tonight with everything else that was going on as we were setting up for this. But what I noticed is that once again, because generally it was very comfortable, extremely comfortable match, we sort of speculated, didn't we? Kets Manovitch just kind of feeds Yannick Sinner. It's a lovely ball, isn't it?
There's no one better off both wings if it just becomes a hitting contest. Sinner is going to win that all day. But there was a moment in the second set where it started getting a little bit tight. And once again, Sinner has stepped up. The grounds will be closing in around 15 minutes. I'm having to pivot here. You're way to the exit gates and make sure you take all your belongings with you.
We hope you've enjoyed your day here at Wimbledon and wish you a pleasant and safe journey home. Thank you. I mean, there's nobody here anyway. Oh, God. I love how Matt meets the moment every time. As you were. In fact, I, by one of our lovely members of the crowd, I just got complimented on my timing in improving. Yes, I've noticed that as well. I should blame him. Think so. I'm a lot of practice now.
But yeah, like it got a little bit tight. And Sinner just stepped up as he did against Baratini. As he did throughout Hala, like he's playing really well under pressure at the moment. There wasn't a lot in this match, but there was a little bit and he rose to it. And yeah, like they're both looking very strong. And I think Sinner and Alkaraz, gosh, I'm excited about that collision call. Well, I'm just going to go there, actually. So I'm glad you've already gone there.
I don't want to write off two whole rounds of tennis, which obviously I hope will be good, but it does really feel like Sinner Alkaraz is on, doesn't it? Who's in the way? I think Tommy Paul for Alkaraz. I have to say Tommy Paul probably had the good weather radar that you didn't have David, because he was in a hurry today. He wanted to get the job done before the rain came. And he did, I tell you what, 636462 against Alexander Bublik.
That is an impressive score line. That is Alexander, I'm not getting involved in any of your nonsense. Yeah, and then again, no. Yeah, there's rain coming. You're a nightmare. Just shut it down. No. I did think when I saw that score line unfolding from the court that I've seen to be on forever. It felt similar to what Sinner did tonight. You've just come through an epic.
Okay, Sinner's was four sets against Mattair Baratini, but it was, you know, that's a heavy juicy match for a second round, and he's come through it. And Tommy Paul was not far away from going out against Otto Burton in the previous round. It looked really vulnerable. He lost a set in the first round as well, but suddenly here he is. The Queen's champion, still in the draw, plays beautifully today. And I want to see, really, from an Alchrist perspective, him do the same now.
He's had his five setter. He's had his real threat to his, his Wimbledon hopes here. And that shouldn't happen in the next round. So, you know, let's see. Yeah, it's Roberto Batista Agu, or Fabio Fennini in the next round. They were rained off with Roberto Batista Agu just a game away from winning. Is that for Tommy Paul? Yeah, right. A game away. A game away. You get annoyed when you're so annoyed. So annoyed. Yeah. I think you'd be challenging the schedulers.
Like, God, put me on court one. I know there's not much time. I can get it done in a game under the roof. Yeah, look, they did, they did move one match to finish that was rained off earlier in the day on to court one, which, which went quickly today. And that was, that was Donna Vecch. Got the job done three sets six one in the third. I think on her eighth match point. And that was a good move to do that, wasn't it? Because her opponent was already set up.
Who'd got her match done earlier in the day. Paola Bidossa beating Derek as a Keanu. We'll talk about that in a minute. But Donna Vecch. I mean, in terms of the match, you're Stremskir. Not a strategic match, shall we say. It was a ball-bashes paradise, wasn't it? Yeah, I mean, you're Stremskir is kind of another ostopenco in terms of her approach. She's just going lights out on everything, really.
And I mean, what she did to Vecch at the end of that second set in the tie break was pretty unplayable. I mean, I thought Vecch was hitting good shots and Stremskir's just crashing them around for winners, one after another. And you watch that and you think, how can anybody ever beat this woman? But the thing, it doesn't last very long. And then within about ten minutes, she's three love down in the third set.
And yeah, she put a profile and that was those eight match points were all in the one game for Vecch. But well, she was comfortable in that decider. She's shown good tenacity, Donna Vecch, isn't she? You know, because she served for the first set, got broken, then went into a tie break, managed to hold on, get that tie break then. She gets rained off, then there's waiting around, then they're moved courts. It's kind of gritty from there, all of this.
Yeah, and like micro level within a match, you know, and macro level, having been in the final of Bad Hamburg and having to play Monday here at Wimbledon, that was gritty as well. Yeah, it's a great quality to have, especially when there's a whole lot of weather to contend with. Apparently we've done her dirty nine match points, says Hannah. I mean, I did lose count. I can believe it was nine. Poor old pal in the box. I was stressing. We were tight for pal. Trying to keep the calm face.
Pam's got a very good. She has. There was one point when the camera was on her, and you could see her rearrange her facial expression when she realised Donna had looked over. She had a very anxious phase and then she saw Donna was looking and went, good, it's all going great. Thumbs up. Totally relaxed over here. Yeah, let's look at a massive opportunity for Donna Vekitch and for this section of the draw, Vekitch plays Paola Badosa for a place in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Badosa, what a win. This is 764664, a real cat and mouse game against Dariq as a Keener today in Badosa's words, not my first time in the second week of Islam, but the most special. Oh, wow. She never thought this would happen again, is the sense I get and she burst into tears after winning. Yeah, and I've watched Badosa quite a lot this year and often been impressed with the level.
I feel like the level of tennis has been good, but I never really think that she's going to go far in a tournament because we know she's having injections to be able to play because of her back. So it never feels sustainable to me, but if she can make it work in the short term, I do think her level of tennis has been good. And in this one, I kind of, again, I was watching Al Qaraz, but realized that this match was kind of a bit of an epic on court three.
And the crowd were really into it and it was nip and tuck. And my sense was Kassikina went up a break and in that final set, four, two, and got a little bit passive at that point. And Badosa stepped on it and got it back to four all. And it was then kind of like Kassikina went, oh, suddenly I need to be more aggressive. And that isn't necessarily her game. And there was a bit of a stream, a bit of a string of errors from Kassikina from four all in that third set.
But gutsy, gutsy effort from Paola Vadasa. And I'm really pleased to see it because, you know, it wasn't all that long ago that she felt so secure and so like a banker. I reckon there's probably a tennis podcast, predictions episode out there when it was, who do you think is going to be the next first time Grand Sam Champion on the World's tour? There was a time not that long ago and I would have been answering Paola Vadasa.
I would have met her. When she did well at Indian Wells and it looked so secure and at the start of the year in Australia that time. And we know she can play on clay. She felt like she was going to be the next first time champion. She got to number two in the world. But it's just not been anywhere close to that and largely because of injury. So I'm really, really pleased that she's managing to have this round. And gosh, what an opportunity for both players to make a woman qualified.
Yeah, honestly, it wasn't that long ago that I kind of was starting to not think of Paola Vadasa as a serious tennis player anymore. I didn't think her body allowed her to be. I thought that maybe she was sort of playing out the tournament she was able to with her sort of residual ranking. I don't know. She had an EM, what she would have had protected ranking events from her injury. And she retired in Jeteer last year and was out for 10 months.
She said it took her 10 months to get right and she was just on the sofa watching tennis being told by doctors there was a chance she would never play again. And look, she isn't miraculously okay. She is playing with pain and managing pain. I still don't know how sustainable this is long term. And I don't think she knows that either. But the good news is that the Stefano Sitzapas is out of the tournament and available to be in the kitchen and makes amateurs for her.
And generally just create a lovely home and nest. Fume. Lucky her. He's jobless. Yeah, she's bringing home the bacon in that family. Hey, I'm Ryan Reynolds. At Mint Mobile, we like to do the opposite of what big wireless does. They charge you a lot. We charge you a little. So naturally, when they announce they'd be raising their prices due to inflation, we decided to deflate our prices due to not hating you.
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Emma Radikani beating Maria Sackery 6-2, 6-3, her second top 10 win in two weeks after waiting her whole career for one. Jessica Pagula and Eastbourne, of course, last week and now she's beaten Maria Sackery the ninth seed, which I know kind of feels like a bit of a false seeding for Sackery, doesn't it? Sorry, but it does.
But this is her first time in the second week of a slam since 2021 Radikani and I am now David doing the dicey dangerous dance of how carried away can we get about Emma Radikani. Catherine, I put her in the semifinals on day one in my predictions because... Must be feeling good about that right now. Very good. Listen, there are threats there still. I would expect her to win against Luliesun but it's a different type of pressure.
Today she's playing a top 10 player who's on a day is very dangerous but a bit like when they played each other in New York, it never felt in question throughout the match. And I had a chat with Naomi Cavaday, who's a former player in a broadcast of her BBC Radio and her brother Nick Cavaday is the coach of Emma Radikani and she said the strategy is quite straightforward for Emma. It is go hard into the forehand side and soft into the backhand side because she has a bit of a bun to the backhand.
And sure enough, she played that to a tee and also I went out for the last couple of games and honestly Matt, I wish I wish she both been sat alongside me because there was one moment where a full blooded saccharis herb went into the Radikani backhand and I'm thinking how was this woman ever removed from the backhand list from Matt Roberts? No, he's doing what you hate. I mean, she middleed this thing and the crowd were up before it had even gone past saccharis. It was so purely struck.
And she was just again euphoric. She's just that the 2021 US Open Emirati Kano in terms of vibe and feel and personality and enjoyment is back. And that is a reason to celebrate. I don't care whether she wins this tournament or I hope for her sake she goes further in it but it was just great to see that person back on the tennis court again and for it to be a win-button.
I mean, is the ultimate, isn't it? And she did it on Sena Court rather than court one which is the one of the things she'd been kind of building up. Yeah, but I mean, how excited to get put her in the semifinals mainly because Sabla and Crud gone out. And when I looked at the draw I'm thinking, you know, who actually do I think is going to beat Emirati Kano before the semifinals nobody? So she's in the semis and I think she ends up playing against Coco Gough.
Now, I saw that match at the start of the year last year when Radikana really hadn't got many reps. She was just on one of her attempts to become a pro really having a year and a half ago won the US Open and dealing with all his injuries. And she played Gough. That was one of my favorite matches of the Australian Open of 2023. Just two players. One with the shot making ability against one with this incredible athleticism and mental strength.
And, you know, not everybody agreed with me about how good I thought the match was but I felt euphoric watching it and so I'd love to see that match again. That would also mean that Ones Jibur isn't there, which is also a bit of a problem for me in terms of how I view that half the draw because I obviously I'd love to see her ever run.
I'd love to see Donna Vecchiaverone. You know, it's actually a half of the draw full of great storylines to me. And Badosi, you know, I mean, there's so many of them. David was. But I think it's going to be Radikana. Everyone to have a run. Everyone play one another. Yeah, I think that there was so many good aspects of of Emma Radikana who's game today that that you've talked about. And the one thing that stood out to me was was the serve. She's only drops of once all tournament, Emma Radikana.
And you know, she's changed the technique on it pretty, pretty dramatically and it is, I think, paying off right now. She's hitting her spots. She's got variation on it. It's setting up a lot of her points. Like that's a real improvement, I think, in her game. You know, we talk about kind of Emma Radikana trying to get back to the player that she was at the 2021 US Open. Well, she can also get better than that player. You know, she was so young that she can develop her game on from that.
And I think the serve is something that we're seeing that is that is better right now. And yes, it wasn't on court one. It was under the roof. And I feel like wet weather position Radikana is like one of the best versions of Radikana. She's, but I think she's made all her matches under the roof. You suggested she's better than wet weather position, Catherine, Matt and David. I mean, on today's evidence. I think we're doing well in some trying circumstances, Matt. Speak for yourself.
Like, I serious point in here. The best tennis I've seen Radikana play this year has been indoors. Yeah, absolutely. Still got the Billie Jean King Cup on the indoor clay. Like, I think she's really enjoying those conditions. Whereas flipside, she got easily beaten by Cassakina in the windy in East Fort. Yeah. So if it does keep raining, might genuinely be a factor in helping Radikana. I can't speak all of a sudden in helping Radikana out.
And yeah, like, it's a joy in those indoor conditions when the sound is contained and she's soaring. And final thing, John McImeral and the BBC use the words in the mix about Emma Radikana. I don't think he knows our definition of in the mix, but he said it's great to see her back in the mix. I think she's in the mix. Ah, mix. She might be. Yeah, I think she's in the mix. Given the tennis she's playing, given she's won a grand slam before. Is Donna Vekitch in the mix?
No. Sorry, Pam. We're here to be proved to be. I tried. I tried. A couple of points of order. David Good News, on the other half of the draw. So you can, if you like, you can have a, you can have a Jabur and a Radikani. Yes, that's right. Now I remember. You can't have. It's, it's, it can have those. It's hard to tell who's in what half of the draw. I need to drink, guys.
You have a drink, which, which means that I, I, what, my next question is for you, which I was going to give you right of reply on Radikani in the backhand list. I think I did a bad thing at the live show. Well, I put bog down back on. Oh, yeah, that was, that was a shocker. What did you do that for? It's actually a good backhand, then I felt bad. And it was fun in the moment, but. Yeah, I mean, you, you're, you're the only one who can't really come.
The very half of it now, or people will be behind you. Who's the latest backhand list? I'm Andrew Nissamova. Obviously, live 10 member. Coco Gough. Yeah. And then you're a backhander. Yeah. And a bog down. Daniel Collins. Well, you could make a change any time you fancy, Matt. You're the owner. If, if this Radikani run continues, it's going to, it's, it's going to be back on the list for sure. How far has she got to get it? I don't want to put a, put a number on it. It's a feeling.
I, I'm impressed with their forehand. I had my doubts about this. She's on the forehand list. I have my doubts about this new forehand. I watched a bit of her first match in the stadium. I've completely forgotten against who Sarah, Sarah Stewart. Sarah Stewart, yes. And look, she was, she was, she was great in that match. And overall pretty comfortable. It was a very nervous match. It wasn't nearly as clean as today. Not nearly as clean.
But I was overall very impressed as we discussed on the pod. But I, I did have, it's something about the sound. The, the contact was making on that forehand. It sounded thin and spinny and really unclean. Sort of, I, you know, I'm a sucker for this snapped carrot sound. Ever really clean ballstrike. And it just made me wince a bit, the sound of the ball. And I thought, oh, she's, she's, she's looking underpowered on that wing. But I was really impressed by it today.
And I think as she grows in confidence and swings that racket arm more freely into it, I think, you know, she's a plymal topspin, isn't she? So if the freedom of the swing isn't there, it is going to be a bit sort of thin and spinny. But with that extra bit of power and the shape as well, I was, I was impressed with it. Are we in danger of a situation where Emma Rennie can't who has to do a Steffi Gras and pull out of the mixed doubles because of the singles, right?
Oh, yes, Steffi Gras did that in 1999 when she was partnering John McEnroe. And he's never forgiven me. I never forgave her. So I was working for the ATP, taking players to press conferences at that Wimbledon and I took John McEnroe and Steffi Gras to their first press conference having won a match. And John was like a kid in a sweet shot. Is this really exciting? It's the Twilight of his career, right? I mean, he'd already retired, right? Yes, it got. So the Twilight of Steffi's career.
Yeah. It was very, very Andy Murray asked situation. This was everything for him. Yeah, yeah. This was his tennis playing. He basically retired, I think, in 1992 or three and then joined the Champions Tour but kept his fitness and his levels so high that he kind of thought he could still beat anybody in the world in doubles. And then... Probably still thinks that. Don't who asked to, but they ended up playing that Wimbledon together.
And John really thought that they were going to win the title together. I think that they might have beaten a doubles team including Venus Williams in the first round. And he was so pumped. And she was quite up for it at the time until she started to get deep in the draw and then she just pulled out. And he was, he was crestfallen. Is that in the semis that they'd say they pulled out? I think something like that. Like, no. Yeah, look, Hannah was calling us for us to get a grip with that.
And I do, she is, she is right because Andy Murray can't move. Right. Emma Radikani, I've never seen a play double so I don't know if she can. I think she's played one doubles, Matt. Right. They're not going deep. No. It's fun as it would be. They're not going deep in the mix. But if, let's say they did, I honestly think putting out the singles would be a better PR move for Emma Radikani than pulling out of the mix with Andy Murray. Like, you're never coming back from that.
I think Andy Murray would pull out of the mix doubles to enable her to not have to play it. Do you think I'd play forever if I could guy with the lack of his last Wimbledon? I do. I think he's that kind of guy. I don't. But I also don't think Andy Murray is going to be a problem. I just thought that'd raise it. Well, I mean, you know, she wasn't going to win the US Open either, but you know. No, she's, she's a lot more likely to win the singles here than she is to in the mix with Andy Murray.
Having seen Andy Murray last night, yes. I would agree with you, absolutely. Okay. So just a little bit on Luliesun who Radikani was going to be playing in the next round. She's won six matches on the trot now, three in qualifying, three in the main draw. She took out Junqin when in the first round, the eighth seed, and essentially, essentially, it essentially kind of took up her seeding. She's somebody that Emma Radikani played a lot in juniors. So they're of the same vintage.
So she's as much as she's an unknown to all of us. She's actually not an unknown to Emma Radikani. Born in New Zealand to a Croatian father and a Chinese mother raised in Switzerland, represents New Zealand, went to university in Texas. Wow. Fantastic. Love it. And yeah, in Emma Radikani's profound words, qualifies it dangerous. And is there anyone who knows that better than Emma Radikani? Like, okay, the casual view is going, well, this is in the bag from Emma Radikani, aren't they?
But I do think that'll help Radikani that she will not be taking this lightly. Yeah, I think it is important. And the first round is an example of that. She found that difficult against Sarah Sué. You know, that was not a straightforward win. Yeah, you've got to be honest. And yeah, it's, I'm just very convinced, though, by Radikani. She seems such a complete player on the surface too in this environment. And look, you know, I talked about the US Open vibe.
It was also reminiscent of the first three rounds of Wimbledon vibe that year, remember, when she got to the second one, you know. It gets so forgotten that right, isn't it? Yeah. Because it was the happy later in the summer. She beat Vondrosava. She beats Castellar, I remember. And then we overlook sometimes just how good she is, like how complete a player, how talented she is because we've barely seen her. And she never actually lost that Wimbledon. She had to retire.
Yeah, certainly wasn't outplayed, wasn't she? Yeah, although I think Tom Yannovich played well, didn't she? She did, she played great. But still, yeah. Okay, well, that thoroughly answers my... I think how we get carried away, question, doesn't it? Consider that answered, folks. Who else is into the fourth round from this side of the draw? We have a Jasmine Paulini, folks. She beat Bianca and Drescu today, 76, 6-1, 2. Just totally different sets here in this match.
First set is toe-to-toe, served dominated, genuinely decided by one point in the tie break, an error from Bianca and Drescu in the tie break. Second set, I mean, Matt Leendover to me and said, Jasmine Paulini is a marvel. I mean, Andrescu went away. It was an error first from her in that second set. But that's a thing, Paulini can keep it up all day. Playing big tennis and not making mistakes. You know, we're not talking about a pusher here. She is making things happen on a tennis court.
She is going for staff and she's not missing a lot at all. She is a marvel. It's incredible what she's doing. You know, winning Dubai was a big deal. And then get into the French Open final was even bigger. And okay, this isn't on that level yet. But backing up what she did at the French Open, even by reaching the fourth round here on, you know, different surface and, you know, having to kind of deal now with being a top player, she just seems to have taken all of it in her stride.
Like, it was a good thing, I think, for this match that, or what was a good thing for these players, that this match to me felt consequential. Because, you know, you watch them play on an outside court at Ronald Garros in the rain. And, you know, that ended up being a very consequential match because Paulini went on to reach the final. But I don't think it necessarily felt it at the time.
I don't think you were probably thinking, oh, this is like the tournament potentially hanging on this match, whereas, look, I guess I would be surprised still if Paulini went on to reach the final. But she feels a significant factor in this tournament. And that is a shift that has happened pretty quickly. And it's because of, she just passes the eye test when you watch her. You're like, it's not really much going wrong in this game. She's ripping the ball off both wings, deep on her shots.
And if there's one thing that you always think and dressed to is going to have above someone else on a court, it's the intensity and the energy. And it was Paulini that was kind of providing all of that today. She was awesome. And I'm so impressed every time I watch her. And, you know, I did kind of say to you, like, it's a scary thought for the future competitiveness of Roland Garros on the women's side that that Paulini was no in near against the EGUS Fiontech in the final.
Because Paulini is a seriously good player. And, like, we didn't give her a chance against Fiontech and didn't really have a chance. Like, I know matchups are a thing, and it's probably a bad matchup. But gosh, like... Show me a good matchup. So it's Fiontech at Roland Garros. Yeah, like, so props to Paulini. She's just triple threat, hard-court and Dubai. Roland Garros on clay, here at Women On the Grass. And, you know, it's nice that she's getting, like, court won billing for that.
Look, I know, Andreska, I'm sure was part of that. But there's still a lot of people here who won't really know that much about Jasmine Paulini. And really winning over fans. Big time. I feel like people are walking away going, yeah, she's a marble. Yeah, there. Yeah. So clean me. Yeah, Madison Keys next for Jasmine Paulini. That'll be interesting. The other... Which, I mean, having said all that about Paulini, like, that's tough.
Yeah. Madison Keys. I mean, falls around, they're all tough on that. Yeah, they are. But like, even if Madison Keys stops the Paulini run, not going to take back what I've just said about Paulini. Yes, agreed. Coco got four in love today against the Brit-qualifier Sonic Cartel, and she plays Emma Navarro now, her American Olympics teammate. Navarro beat Danish Schneider, who was...
Well, I was going to say injured, but I should say even more injured than she started the match by the end of the match, because she's been playing and playing very, very well with massive strapping on her left thigh. Well, in the deciding set of this match today, good match, good hitting this match. She was having treatment on two separate body parts at the same time. It was like we need to go for a concurrent manicure and pedicure. She...
She was icing her arm, and she was having some attention given to her shoulder area. Like, her whole left side seemed to have shot down. Right. And that's how she finished that match. Very tough for a lefty, that. Yes. I mean, tough for anyone, but especially a lefty. Just on that, you know, Navarro is... Navarro is one of those players that we so often overlook over the course of the year.
And... I mean, I feel like everybody is just assumed Coco Gough is going to the semi-finals and probably beyond... as soon as Sabile Enkel lost. And I still would back that, because she's another one. You feel like you can put your house on the fact that she's going to turn up and play hard and just be a nightmare to beat. And actually, she's also playing really well.
But Navarro is just the sort of player who could just upset that run, because she's really good for a start, almost sort of palini-like, in that way of just quietly and undramatically being super effective, and not seemingly having massive weaknesses. You know, and look who she's been. She's been a nightmare saga. She's now beaten her last year's last week's winner, Deanna Schneider. She's going to be a handful potentially, you know? Interesting line from Coco Gough in her press conference.
She said she was asked to compare this year to last year, where obviously she lost in the first round, very tough draw against Asafia Kennin. She said, I'm not serving as well as I was this time last year, but my ground game is better and my confidence is higher. And I just felt like that's so Coco Gough all over. Like, she doesn't need all the elements of her game to be right, to be having a good tournament. Like, she's the winning ugly girl, right?
She's the player that is embraced in perfection, which I think is a pretty essential part of well success in life, isn't it? It's not healthy to be a perfectionist. Yeah, but I don't think she is winning ugly anymore. No, it's not ugly, but it isn't perfect. No, it's not perfect, but it's good. It's really good. Okay, Sonny Cartel had a great spell. She was a breakdown and managed to level it up in that first set.
She was shut the crowd behind as she came out tight, but then loosened up and played well. But then, from four all in the first set, Gough reels off the last eight games, and the forehand looked great. You know, really, I think it speaks to the confidence that she's talking about there. And as you kind of reported the other day, David, she's looking to do more with it now. It's not just a case of hiding it. And yes, she said it there.
Her ground game is better, and I would definitely agree with that. And yeah, like the thing about Navarro is, I don't think she's as, I don't think she's as sort of athletic as Coco Gough, but she's a great mover on this surface. She really is. And I think some of the rallies between them are going to be awesome because they can kind of move with each other. I'm excited about that. Okay, that'll be in a couple of days time. Let's look at tomorrow.
Interesting schedule tomorrow, not full disclosure, really not what I was expecting to see when the schedule dropped in our inboxes. Center court starts with Camnory against Alexander Zverov. Then on Strabur against Lina Svitilina, and finally Novak Djokovic against Alexey Popper in court number one, starts with Ben Shelton resuming against Dennis Schappelvalov. They're three two in the opening set.
Then Egas Fiontec against Julia Puytensever, and finally El Lainar Abatkiner, Caroline Walsniaki, well finally in the singles, because then it is M&D, Radu Curry. That was my favourite from today. Andy Murray at Emeradikanu against Mossaro Aravalo, and good friend of Emeradikanu, Zheng Shui in the mix. That's last on court number one. Am I alone in being a bit surprised by that schedule? Look, again, I raised the point yesterday.
This is another schedule with two men's matches on center and only one women's. That would mean Egas Fiontec played two matches out on court one. They're not doing that to the men's number one seed. I think Egas Fiontec, you get one match on court one. Fine. I think that's pretty harsh on kind of the best player in the world. It should be a good match. Absolutely. Someone who's just won a title. Yeah, I don't know. I was surprised that Egas Fiontec is now on the center tomorrow.
She's... And Jokovic hasn't played on one. Exactly. Yeah. And I don't think he will. No, I don't either. I do wonder if there's a feeling of... As much as he is potentially going all the way to the title three weeks after knee surgery, he also is 37, could be his last win, but I think there's a feeling of... We don't want to risk him playing his last win, but the match on court number one, possibly. Which I do understand... It's fair if Norrie doesn't have to be sent to the whole... Oh, come on.
I mean, Norrie is the British player here. I think there's some logic to that. They are all individually justifiable where they are. Absolutely. Look, I do take the point on Egas Fiontec. I don't think your comparing like and like with Norrie with Jokovic. She's won this title seven times. No, I said the world number one, which is Yannick Sinner. Yeah. You know, like... I think Sinner has played two on center of his three. Yeah, two on center one on one. Whereas Fiontec is the opposite.
I think they're putting a bit of disrespect on Siontec's name there. Like, she's the runaway world number one. Maybe she prefers court one as well. I mean, possibly. I suppose that's the invalid to Germany. To use that logic of Ron and Garos, that's irrelevant. Yeah, I suppose it would be the point. I do find it interesting. You know, Mephedev loves court one, doesn't he? Yeah. Although I think he'd rather be on center than on court two on days when heavy rain is falling for Cossacks.
That's where he is again tomorrow. Court two is Harriet Dart against Wongjin Yu to start. Then Daniel Mephedev resuming against Yannick and Edster Fownell in the fourth set. And Taylor Fritz on new favourite. I was reminded when looking for photos for a social clip of Taylor Fritz yesterday that it was in fact a two handed shush. It's hard to do when you're holding a microphone. If anybody can do that. Taylor Fritz against Alejandro Tobilo is last on court number two.
Court three, Le Capouille against Alex Domino, Daniel Collins against Beatrice Hadange Meyer. That's a good watch, isn't it? Collins Hadange Meyer. Court twelve, Fembur against Nacchus Schema, resumes music to David's ears. Bernardo Perra against Yelena Ostapenko second on there. Kallin Skier, some son of a followed by Runa Alice on court 18 and Juniors starts tomorrow. How's the weather looking tomorrow? Terrible Dave, terrible. Yeah, extremely awful. It's improved. It's improved.
It's improved. It's improved. But it's great British summer time and we love it. And the football's on tomorrow. Nobody moves the lights. We're going to be needing this position. Yeah, we're going to leave everything here, including Jude, our mascot for the football. We have our Wimbledon mascot. It is, of course, Maverick owned by Carol. Hello Maverick. Hello Carol. We have our mascots, the dearly departed Darwin. David, hello to Francis from you.
Alright, Francis, we've got four in a row in the last four days and the newsletter predictions. Subscribe to the newslette to follow. Donna Vecchic today to follow Roman Safulin of the day before flying. Very good. Matt. Me and Francis. Hyder and Soma. Yeah, we've got some points today. Thanks to Madison Keys, that it wasn't a bold pick, but it's points. Matt's doing what I did at the French Open and playing it safe and not getting any grief for it, like I did at the French Open.
Billy Jean is sponsored by Billy Jean King and Alana Klaus. Hello to all those three. Alana, Billy Jean and Billy Jean. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Jamie, Jeff, Chris and Greg. And it's over to Matt Shoutout. We have Ian Nishimura in Honolulu, Hawaii. Right in. We need some Honolulu energy here, don't we? Ian Flanagan, the British player who wants to beat Mart Phillipooses at Queens. And yeah, and he's a good, used to be a good mate of Andy Roddicks.
I don't quite know how they knew each other, but he did. Maybe still is. Ian Flanagan. Yeah. There was a very brief period where something known as Flanmania was happening. It's true. I mean, after he's win over. Flanman Hill. It's very possible that I might have coined that at the time, but then it sort of took off in the room that I was in. Ian, hello and thank you for listening that anecdote. Very grateful.
We've also got Ryan Bennett, who is from Canada, but lives in Australia, just north of Sydney. All right. Like Ryan Harrison. Yes. Ryan Peniston. All the big Ryan's. Yeah. Any bigger Ryan's, David? Nope. Nope. Those two will do just fine. In Australia, did you say? Yes, just north of Sydney. Lovely, but it's warmer there as well, and it's winter there. It became a tennis fan in the 80s. I'm just seeing on your screen.
Enjoy it, Ryan. Yeah. Steffi Graf, Martina Navratel over and Boris Becker were Ryan's faves. Understandable. And says, never really played is just past middle age to late to take up tennis. No. Everyone says it's a game for life, don't they? Ryan's tweeting somebody is submittal. All the big ones. And Ryan Reynolds. Thank you, Ryan. And finally, we have Garth Simmons, who is in Ohio. Hi, Garth. Hello, Garth, home of Cincinnati, Ohio. Yeah. Which isn't actually in Cincinnati.
Well, the Garth is in Toledo. Toledo? Toledo? I think they say Toledo. I think you're right. But Matt says Toledo. Yeah, let's go off. When you said Toledo, I was like, that's right. I'm going to go off. Ohio, home of my favorite theme park I've ever been to. Of course, King's Island. Yeah. Not in Toledo, but I've ever been to Toledo. So, yes, being confirmed on the chat, Toledo. Toledo, Ohio. Thank you very much. Any tennis Garth's? No. I'm really strong in cooks.
Yeah. Yes, who was a footballer? And Bricks. And Bricks. And a quick singer. Yeah. I believe. I forgot some Garth backstory there. Yes, we do. He discovered the pod during the French Open in 2013. Good work, Garth. He said too many bad podgots from the archives, doesn't he? Well, it only took him a couple of episodes to get hooked. First one he wasn't into. Thank you, Garth. Much appreciated. Thank you to all of our shoutout friends.
If you'd like to become a friend of the tennis podcast and get yourself a shoutout. The link to do that is in our show notes. Please do. Smash that like and subscribe button if you are watching us on YouTube. And if you're listening to this as a podcast and fancy joining us live on YouTube, then you can do that. We send the link out everywhere. Social media in the news editor. Do subscribe to the news editor. And you can search for us on YouTube. And it's on our channel there.
So do join us live. Listen to us as a podcast. However you like, we're with you throughout this Wimbledon in the rain, which is now torrential. That's the update I'm going to leave you with. It is pretty apocalyptic here in SW19. And there's nowhere we would rather be. Folks, we'll be back tomorrow on Day 6 of the Championship. And we will see you and speak to you then. Hi, I'm Daniel, founder of PrettyLitter. Did you know cats tend to hide symptoms of sickness and pain?
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