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Hi, this is Billie Jean King. This is Mary and Bartori. This is Bianca and Drasco. I'm Matt's Belander. This is Mary Carillo. This is Pam Schriver. This is Janik Noah and you're listening to The Tennis Podcast. Well, hello and welcome to the tennis podcast in Olympics week. Yep, they come. But once every four years, we are in the thick of it. We have just had day three of the Olympic tennis 2024.
In fact, we're still having day three of Olympic tennis 2024. There are matches still on court. We will update you on those in soon to be out of date tennis news over the course of the next hour. David is here. Hello, David. Hello, I am enjoying Olympic tennis. I'm sort of I am discovering it along the way I seem to feel like I really should be more more clued up on what the rules are and that sort of thing.
Because you know, tennis is what I do full time, but I have I have discovered that there are tie breaks where I wasn't expecting tie breaks and they're not necessarily as long as I expect those tie breaks to be some types. So I'm enjoying myself. I mean, you probably do know the rules, David and learn them four years ago, but four years is a really long time and everything drops out of our heads in that time. Matt remembers everything. Obviously, hello, Matt.
There was only three years, isn't it? Thanks to thanks to COVID. We had one of these three years ago. Happy memories. Happy memories. Did it really count? Did it? I feel like we didn't get the full Olympic experience and this is this is much more like it. I'm enjoying it very much. I think Roll on Gauros looks pretty cool with the blue batter office sort of Roll on Gauros, but different.
And I think that's kind of like what Wimbledon was like when it was all purple for the Olympics and I don't know, it just feels a little bit elevated to me having it in a in a grand slam venue like this one that we're very familiar with. And yeah, I've been I've been glued to it all and lots of other Olympic events as well.
It's just awesome, isn't it? Like I know I'm a I'm a biased Olympic fan unashamedly, but it is just the absolute best having it mingled in and you know that mingling the fact that tennis despite the fact that all its riches and status in the sporting world. The fact that it mingles in and has equal status to all the other all these other you know seemingly smaller sports, it doesn't diminish it at all. It it elevates it somehow.
It's it's so so special to me, it's just it feels like such a relief to have a tennis event where where nobody's going to be presented with a ginormous check at the end of it.
You know, like, okay, generally speaking, I'm not I'm not enough of a, you know, naive person to and I'm not not enough of an idealist to think that, you know, money isn't important in the sport and it's a great privilege for tennis that it has all this money sloshing around, but isn't it nice to have a week off from all of that crude stuff.
I'm not worrying about Saudi Arabia this week, although you know when when the 2038 2036 Olympics hosts gets announced as Saudi Arabia, I'm worried about it then, but I don't just feels like a week of relative purity. I'm so grateful for that.
Yeah, yeah, I'm grateful for it too and I'm also being given pause for thought about scoring systems generally because we are at this event that, okay, maybe not as big as a grand slam, but the next best thing, the next the next kind of thing that you feel like you have to have on your CV. And frankly, if you've got a gold medal, then maybe you can accept that you didn't win a grand slam. I think there are some players who feel like that.
And then there are players that if they don't win a gold medal, they really feel like they've got a gap and it has, I've been thinking about it quite a lot about how, and maybe for the first time really that I'm, I'm really enjoying it. I'm really enjoying this massive stakes best of three set match situation all around in men's tennis because obviously we have this in women's tennis anyway.
I suppose I've yet to have a total duffer of a match that I really wanted to be a big deal like a final, which I still feel is a problem. If you get these best of three set match is in women's tennis at the the sharp end and they end up not, not kind of taking off because somebody's got nervous, etc. But I don't know, I've really enjoyed the high stakes of it being short.
And I like there was a moment, well obviously we'll come on to talk about the specifics, but there were moments today in the Nadal and Jokovic match when suddenly just by being a set up, but realizing how precarious it was if the other guy wins the second set and the same thing I felt with the Alcras Greek sport match, I actually really was into that, that feeling of precariousness towards the end of the second set in both of those matches in a way that I don't think I would have been in a five set match.
Yeah, and a true major event, maybe not major in the sort of technical definition of major equalling grand slam, but for me a major tennis event where there is genuine equality. And I'm not worried about how much extra time men hold on the schedule relative to women, I'm not stressing about scheduling and that potentially being unequal, it just feels like an incredible week off from all of that. It's a genuine pressure valve release.
And particularly given that whenever we rock up at Roland Garros, we are always thinking about scheduling inequality during the French Open and it turns out despite Parisian culture you can host two best of three set matches from 7pm and it will work just fine. And so people will show up and yeah, that's what we've got at the Olympics and also the best of three element does make it possible for more of the top men to play doubles as well.
And frankly this has been a tough week for a guy who has been saying that men's doubles kind of sucks a bit because the men's doubles tournament has been one of the best things about this Olympics so far. And I think obviously a large part of that is we've got the big names and therefore. And just to be clear Matt, that guy is you. Yeah, I thought that was clear, but thank you for making that even clearer. Who's come out slacking off top men's doubles?
Matt has to be very specific about what he's slacking off because of Pam. He's very very specific about it being met. It's men's doubles. He wants to remove from the universe, not not doubles in general. Well, men's doubles were all they're doing is holding serve, but enter Andy Murray at the end of his career unable to hold serve and I'm all in on men's doubles. That was thrilling.
Okay, I was going to talk about the all of the tennis torch bearers in the ceremony. I was going to have a pop at petrol sits at the pass. I'm going to do all those things, but seeing as he's taken us there Matt, I can't resist going into the Andy Murray, Dan Evans saving five consecutive match points story. And just the absolute Olympic thrill of it all genuinely as happy as I have ever seen Andy Murray and Dan Evans in the post match interview after that win is sort of purely happy.
I mean, honestly, it was it was absolutely everything the conclusion to that match and I very specifically say the conclusion to that match because what will forget almost instantly is the fact that it was pretty awful up until the conclusion. Andy Murray and Dan Evans were not a good I don't care because I'm in it for the drama and the feels more than I am for the good tennis, although good tennis is still preferable down and Andy if you could try some of that in the next round.
But yeah, this was all about all the Andy Murray things sheer will and defiance what it wasn't about was top notch tennis because neither Andy Murray nor Dan Evans who had his own physical issues yesterday big time. Were were capable of that yesterday and yet they won anyway and how David yeah, I mean how I think a can you should career in Tarot Daniel I think really did choke and blow it the nine four up in a deciding set tie break and they don't win.
He've only got a win 10 they've got nine. What are you doing first of all and secondly, Dan Evans is the guy who turned that on its head in terms of the British pair.
Andy Murray had one or two moments but not many he was really not very good and and his serve is there for the taking and that's really why there was struggling so much. He's not surprised and given what the guy had done to him a month or two ago and and the way he looked at a Wimbledon a couple of weeks ago that the fact that he's out there at all is extraordinary.
And Evans really wasn't very much better for most of it either and then suddenly he just found something they they got a couple of lucky shaves in that tie break where that where the ball didn't land in when it could have done and and they got away with it and then suddenly Evans just took over and just took it to the opponent and and took the drive volley took out the air and hit down the line which was just one of those all or nothing shots full conviction.
And he went for it and he and he landed and and I got the sense of of of a guy who just was so desperate to do it for Andy to keep him in and he was going to go out on his shield and he was going to make these shots he was a bit like that in the Davis cup last year against heart of fees when he was really getting quite badly beaten in that match set in a break down and he just found this inspiration with G.B. on his back I think and.
And so yes it's it's one of those that they they ended up benefiting from the fact that it was an a full third set I think in a way and and the occasion did to it was dramatic they were set down there were break down and looked all over the place they came back twice and won that match and and it kind of doesn't matter too much if they don't win any more matches I don't feel because Andy Murray does but you know I think for those what.
I think he's planning a career as a professional doubles player as we speak his plan is win Olympic doubles goals turn pro doubles player I think that is what's happening in his mind nothing pastor.
Yeah I think the thing is like it's been pretty bleak for Andy Murray on court for the last few months you know since since the ankle injury he was then waiting around in the rain in in Paris and he got the back injury at Queens and you didn't get to pay the mixed doubles at Wimbledon you know I know he had the lovely moment with Jamie and the ceremony but he's been he's been kind of waiting for an on court moment and this this was it it was just.
As David said Evans did the heavy lifting down the stretch there to help them save those five match points but it was kind of in Andy Murray's image this this victory you know battling fighting and just this this sense of like the whole country stopping to watch Andy Murray at dinner time one last time you know we've done that for years mostly doing Wimbledon of course but also at the Olympics and you know there have been a lot of people
watching that who are very very casual tennis fans and we're just watching the Olympics feed on the BBC and it was Andy Murray and suddenly everyone was talking about him again and I think that's kind of what he's been looking for so in sort of in that respect I completely agree with David like if they don't if they don't go on and win any more matches like at least he's at least he's had that and it was just absolutely crazy how they did it was so much.
It was so over and yet they somehow came back to win and honestly shout out down Evans because like I think he'd be playing the Olympics anyway like he given the fact that he got in it and okay he obviously knew he wasn't going to do well in the singles he got
handly beaten by a sits up as today Clay is not really his surface he's not in great form but I think he would have played anyway but he is dropping 111 ranking places this week because he's not defending his Washington title which he won last year 500 ranking points he's going to be down at about 170 in the world this is like kind of altering his career trajectory the fact that he's at the Olympics now okay there's absolutely no guarantee that he would have defended that Washington title
he probably wouldn't have done given his form he would have taken a hit anyway but this is a guaranteed hit that he's taking and yet you know I know some people are very comfortable I think with their decision to skip the Olympics and maybe the Olympics doesn't have the importance for everyone that it has in our minds I'm I'm aware of that but for Dan Evans like just being there and being part of Andy Murray stories obviously so important that he's
kind of sacrificing his own singles career in a way you know like the smart singles you know the smart decision for his singles career probably would have been to try and defend as many of those ranking points as he could in Washington but he wants this experience he wants to be there for Andy Murray and I think has kind of special as well and yeah he certainly he kind of help get them into a hole but he certainly got
them out of that hole at the end with some absolutely inspired tennis the way I was holding my breath on that drive volley that David describes wild and that's a that's a shot and an Olympics moment that I will always remember I think yeah and encapsulates what I was just talking about you know we next week you all be worrying about that drop in ranking and and where the next
paycheck is going to come from this week is a holiday from that it's a holiday from the usual driving forces of the sport that are relentless and capitalist and you know come with a awful lot of downsides I know it's only a week but I just really want to just really want to revel in it and this was you know the ceremony at Wimbledon could not have been more
politically done and I think Andy Murray loved it and appreciated it but this was far more Andy Murray than anything that happened at Wimbledon you know playing with Dan Evans was more Andy Murray than playing with Jamie Murray somehow being in a dog fight not on the main court how Andy Murray was that that he was on the bridesmaid court and not the not the bride court
and it wasn't quite full but the people that were there loved it more than anything else they've ever seen it was just so perfect so completely perfect and I agree it's not it's not about what they go on to do but it is running Murray I'll tell you and Catherine that for I don't know how long we had before the last 10 minutes I don't know how long the match actually was but it was so far removed from an Andy Murray experience for 90% of it it was so bad and so flat and so
just grew sheatingly un Andy Murray that I'm just so happy that in the end I'd that none of that matters for his sake it just doesn't matter and you know we're all we're all we're all one there I think by getting that 10 minutes so they played the Belgian pair of Giel and Vlegan next should we stay with men's doubles seeing as we're here shall we shall we talk Nadalkar as and first and foremost are we happy are we agreed on that that being the name
yeah I think that's really good yeah it's one of the few that don't wind me up so I'm quite happy to get to actually use it okay well let's talk Nadalkar as they beat Andrews Maltenny and Maximo Gonzalez the seeded Argentine pairing I found this match just quite funny fun and funny and it gave me a lot of feels kind of on reflection it feels like oh yeah maybe that that was exactly what we should have been expecting sort
of Nadal and over exuberant child being sort of parented through a new experience by paternal Raffa I'd so that's fair I was so nervous wasn't it I think doing the whole thing nervous so nervous also in very inexperienced it does and got a clue what you do so so they go oh I went to a go oh I'll just I'll just run a million miles an hour over to this
point and and hit an extraordinary forehand that that really wasn't my ball yeah it was really funny and the doll with his he's reassuring pats on the back when you know internally he's rolling his eyes like this kid
and actually I really did fear for them because they were playing against the perfect opposite to that the really dialed in organized doubles team who knew whether supposed to be in what sort of shots you're supposed to hit when and you've got Nadal who's also perfectly capable of playing excellent doubles sort of trying to usher along Alcras to follow in his kind of footsteps and Alcras just sort of
flying about the high end trying to figure out what you do and and and and being perfectly perfectly honest about that I felt too but they they got there in the end and and it was it was a joyous occasion I thought in a different way to to how the marion's Evans were but it's great that they're still in and that they that they might well have a run at this you know because because I whilst Alcras definitely wants to win single's gold I feel like he's got more than enough appetite and
resources I suppose that there are a couple of question marks over his over his health after he had a medical time out today in his match which we can come on to it is a lot but you can see he's he's up for it he's up for all of it
yeah and I saw some quotes where he kind of played down that that medical time out that he took today against Greeks ball said it's just some pain generally that he is managing I think he kind of it seems worse I think when they have to go off court but he was only going off court I think because of the
error of his body that it is sort of his is growing I don't think it's too bad he certainly says that he's going to be at his best when he plays with with the darlin the doubles tomorrow and one of the Alcras like traits that we've seen in in his short but incredible career so far is like how quick of a learner he is like remember how bad he looked on on grass on in the in the first match he played against
rinder kinesh at queens last year he played a bit on grass before but it was his it was his sort of first time since being kind of the famous Carlos Alcras and he didn't really know what he was doing and he I don't I mean he's lost what one
was called max since then and one win wouldn't twice and like he he picks that he picks things up and I've no doubt that okay he's not going to suddenly you know they're not going to suddenly turn into the Brian brothers in terms of their synchronization on the court but I've no doubt that
this will be a little bit better the next time that he plays and you know it's obviously now all about the doubles for Nadal and you know I'm sure we're going to talk about his singles but that sort of concentration I think for Nadal is going to be helpful for this pairing as well and like yeah
Nadal was kind of the better player throughout I thought but Alcras did step up in in some big moments and if Nadal can get his return going which was a which was a major problem he barely made a good return or match then I think you know that their vibes will carry them pretty far I think
yeah I mean just just the absolute best vibes in town it was it's so cool it's so so good remember when this was just a dream that we had go imagine if Alcras and Nadal played together at the Olympics that'd be cool wouldn't it now it's actually happening just and it will never happen again
it's just it's just the absolute best it's so cool we've got to enjoy it Nadal Jokovic in the singles was also a dream that we had when the draw came out that dream came true but didn't didn't live up frankly to expectations unless you're an over at Jokovic fan in which case everything everything is going your way at the moment because no that Jokovic looks simply superb albeit I would say not hugely tested in either of his matches so far
I regret to have to say I don't think Nadal I know he had the the spurt in the second set and and made it fun and interesting and gave us some Nadal trademark moments and gave us a roundhouse fist pump I think generally on aggregate for that match he wasn't able to to trouble no that Jokovic I mean there was a there was a period where we were on alerts for whether he would get more games than doubles player
and then he managed to manage in in round one which was precisely one one game against no that Jokovic it obviously didn't didn't turn out as bad as that for Nadal 6164 but I don't think overall this match was hugely competitive David what did you think?
it was 614 love wasn't it and at that point should say Jokovic even in the first two points to the match I thought okay he is on it he has come to play here and this was on his own serve he just delivered a couple of awesome serves and actually a game that ended up being competitive Nadal got that one back to juice
and played a few decent shots of his own but you could just tell the way the ball was coming off no that Jokovic is strings that G he he is feeling it today and he's come out he's got himself prepared and fizzing looping top spun forehands from the rack at a raffle Nadal on court Philips Chattray in 30 degrees Celsius and Sun
he was just middling back and taking the game away instantly just instantly in rallies and that part of that will be because Nadal's got major thigh strapping and clearly not 100% even in his current state he's not 100% let alone what he used to be when he was a completely different physical animal altogether but this was a Jokovic that would test all versions of Nadal I think I'm sure Nadal back then would have made it a very different story but he was bang on it
Nadal was clearly not able to do much more than hit a few really good shots as long as he's kind of going in the right direction in the first place and at 614 love I left the room I was finding it a tough watch from a Nadal perspective because it was embarrassing
it was humiliating for him as somebody as great as he is against his most prolific rival 60th meeting to be just getting decimated like that and I got into the kitchen I went I thought I'm gonna make a cup of tea, 12 water spritz do put the kettle on and I got there and Nadal was 30 level up on surf and I thought wonder whether Jokovic is just going to give him a game here just so that he doesn't totally humiliate him
and I hadn't watched those two points I should say and I think it was a love service camera it was very straightforward service going from the down it just went through my mind is Jokovic is going to just give him a little bit here to just not humiliate his old rival and then suddenly this and that may not be the case of Torich just what I was wondering suddenly the comeback starts and he got it from fall of to four games all and juice on his own surf Nadal
and really you know the way one the the fourth game of that set Nadal to break was so exhilarating that you did wonder just momentarily could this happen but then what has been happening to Nadal of late happened again get yourself in a big match have a chance and then just lose your surf and part of that again is Jokovic zone in back in not getting faced by that that's sort of potentially nerve-wracking moment and actually playing brilliantly focused watertight tennis
but it was all sent to Dow just playing loose letting it go not having that laser focus that has become his trademark and the physicality to back it up that was the only moment of real potential peril for Jokovic it was overall a one-sided match yeah and Nadal gave a interesting interview to Alex Kurekcher in in Spanish after the match against Fuchsia Vicks where he spoke about that loss of focus that he's experiencing on court and it kind of comes out with Nadal in a loss of relentlessness
you know he used to be able to just do this point after point shot after shot and he can't really at the moment and that was evident I think also his his movement was pretty compromised he looked he looked slow to the ball to me like all the time and I don't think his his forehand was having the same impact that it used to have you know it was not hurting Jokovic in the way that it would have done in the past
it was quite short in the court and you know so all of that we have to absolutely take into account when we consider this performance for no about Jokovic but I did think that that game that Jokovic won where he broke Nadal served to go five four up in the second set often Nadal has just won the most epic point and four games in a row and the crowd was all on Nadal's side and it was just absolutely textbook Jokovic she kind of is that that mean call an ambulance but not for me
like the way he's able to just like stop momentum in a match something's happened that you think is going to just surge the other guy to victory or at least to you know keep it going and he just stops it the time and time again he's done that throughout his career
and then he puts his finger to his ear and you know it was just absolutely textbook Jokovic and I think the fascinating question now is whether Jokovic can produce that level against Alkarez really in terms of the names left in this tournament because we've seen him play Sino and Alkarez this year who are kind of his rivals now in terms of top level and he's fallen short he's not been able to reduce his best and how much of that is because of him just having bad days
and how much of it is because of their tennis is stopping him from producing his best now I don't quite know if I've got an answer to that yet but in my mind if Jokovic is middling the ball like he was today that level will trouble even Alkarez so that I kind of really am desperate to see it because I did think Jokovic was superb today his backhand especially and the intensity was back there was a kind of a fire in his eyes
you know we know how much he wants to win this this gold medal and he's not playing doubles he is only focused on the singles and that single-mindedness of no doubt Jokovic has been one of the most powerful elements in tennis over so many years and I don't know I just have a question whether he would be able to do that against a peaking Carlos Alkarez in the year 2024 because so far he hasn't been able to but maybe above all this is the event that he's peaking for
I guess I guess we'll get our answers over the next few days but it was sad to see Nadal in that state but kind of exciting from a Jokovic perspective that it did seem like some of his best level was back albeit against a very weakened version of Nadal Is it bad that a part of me is like okay well he can focus fully on Nadal or Aznau we're not calling it that Alcanad Alcanadot
What did I know? Nadal- Alkaraz Nadal- Alkaraz I've got it in there I didn't even thought it I'd do the one who knows how to say it Is it bad that a part of me was like no Okay now that that side shows over Raffer focus on the important thing now I think it's the realistic thing like at this stage in his career it just seemed like such a long shot from to be able to actually win the singles here especially with that draw on Jokovic in the second round
but you know some magic can happen on that doubles court I think with the young guy next to him who has all the energy and all the all the upwards trajectory in his career Nadal- None of the strategy but yeah I've lent you the energy yeah I think it's a really great sharpener for Nadal- Jokovic
isn't it? You know that totally dialed him in okay not in terms of the match but just mentally knowing I'm playing my greatest rival in round two get yourself on it Nadal- No back and he you know he absolutely needed that
I know his injuries and you know haven't been as severe as Raffer on the dolls and he is only a year younger than Nadal and he has just had knee surgery and he is playing at this level and look I don't think Nadal like Nadal's style of play has obviously adapted with age and with his career
he doesn't play like he used to he's constantly tinkered with his shots and that's something that all of the top players have done but I don't think it's talked about enough how well Jokovic has done that how he's able to play to his maximum still at this age now due to just adjustments that he's made how he how he gets more out of his serve now how he understands the geometry of the court how he does that thing that David always explains so well about putting players off balance
he doesn't have to go toe to toe with everyone from the baseline anymore he's got so many different ways to win points and we kind of saw a lot of that today and yeah like it's pretty remarkable that he's reached the one more than final and then play the match as good as that so soon after knee surgery on two different surfaces like we do totally take it for granted because it's no at Jokovic but it's pretty incredible what he's doing right now
it's hard to see anybody in the draw that's really going to trouble him certainly in his quarters sits a pass is the the seed in his quarter I find that hard to see personally he's got dominant cup for next it's very over be his potential semi final opponents very but it's got best player in the world Thomas Mahatch next to beat him on the doubles court today in the mixed mixed doubles Katarina Sinyakava and guest getting the better of Laura Seagman and Alexander's Verve
have you seen the reports in the Czech media that apparently they've split up oh no but it's still playing mixed doubles together Sinyakava apparently said it after the title that she won with Kray Chikava that they've split up but they would still play the mix now must say wasn't evident at all on the court in fact Mahatch gave her a kiss on the cheek at the end and I did some digging with our sources on the ground in Paris
E.G. Matt Futterman and he said that he didn't detect anything in their post-match interview afterwards he was with them and said the vibes were very good but yes Sinyakava said in Czech press that they have split up very recently but would carry on playing mixed together because it's the Olympics
like her in Kray Chikava she's splitting up with everyone and getting soldering on for the Olympics okay pretty keen to get some confirmation of that to be honest I mean she has said it herself well maybe they're back together as I say I agree I thought they looked quite cozy during the match
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terms and conditions apply linkton the place to be to be shall we migrate over to the women's tournament and egoshriante cocoa goff I mean cocoa goff today looks just imperious she God she wants an Olympic well she wants an Olympic medal we know that but she wants it to be gold if it can possibly be gold she's going for it.
Yeah no she really is that the ultimately the problem is that if she ends up facing egoshriante in the final and egoshriante looked incredible today in beating Dian Parry what 6161 it's just it's just really hard to make a case for cocoa goff at rolling ours on clay and but at the same time I
I'm encouraged from a goff perspective that she looks like she's going to get there if she carries on this sort of form I mean there is that big question mark over people like Jasmine Paulini being in the drawer and playing so well and being in that half so there's still a long way to go but yeah she's taking care of business and we should definitely say that she has a big test first up tomorrow this is a tough pod for Pam's rival otherwise get rid of doubles and cocoa goffs through
to the Olympics final let's not worry about Donna Vekish like I do think that's a threat I think Vekish will be going after the goff forehand hard and heavy with her flat shots and yeah completely agree like Paulini made a really slow start against Anna Bogdan
but has looked fantastic ever since and Craycheek of us still there as well so I think there are real threats for goffs still whereas Shriantech has had a great few days because that that nightmare draw we talked about has really fallen apart because Noscow and Schneider one of them was due to play her in the third round they both went out Oster Panko, Oster Osorio, Rebecca and I had to withdraw it's kind of only really Collins left of the names that we identified as sort of big flat hitters
and honestly Shriantech has really got the better of Collins when they've played I know they had that one very close match in Australia and I think Collins has got a win but generally their matches have been pretty comfortable for Shriantech
and yeah it's all sort of gone really well for her and she was a bit shaky in her first round against Begu but as David said much better today against Parry and to me she's still the big favourite even when you include all the extra Olympics elements you know which I'm not sure
necessarily would be to her liking quite so much in terms of just the amount going on I think just she's so good on clay and so good on that core that it kind of negates all of that and to me she's still a huge favourite in this women's draw
One of the matches of the tournament so far surely has to be Bob Orrachri Chica very against Sarasaribas Tormo and it just reminded me this match I only watched the conclusion of it I was alerted to it by you I think that epic things were happening involving Bob Orrachri Chica
I went to a deciding set tie break in the end just reminded me that she had an incredibly tight match in the opening round at Wimbledon to against Veronica Cudimatova wasn't it and obviously ended up going on to win the title and you know that is a thing that happens and I just you know
circled her a little bit and realised that I didn't really consider her in my Olympic predictions and what am I doing she's a former champion and she's just one another ground slam why didn't I think of Bob Orrachri Chica I should have thought of her more as a potential threat to E. Gershwonsek maybe She's so gritty you know as well that that really came through to me in that match against Sarasaribas Tormo's just unless you were able to blast her off the court
you've got to prepare to go into the trenches and have a really unpleasant few hours and she did she just she fought tooth and nail to win that match and you know it's not as easy as it might be on grass where you you get some free points and you get some help with your serve and all these
sort of things but she she just stood through down and said come on and let's go let's go at it and then came out on top and and you mentioned in passing that Daniel Collins was Nihaki match that I saw earlier today or well that was the player she beat at Collins
that was a fantastic match too you know there was so much going on in that because was Nihaki was followed by huge Danish contingent of fans it was really getting after it in terms of cheering on their player Collins just decided to take that as a personal offense at one point
and she just she was getting really started to get under pressure and break point down she wins a point with amazing backhand online just turns to these six rows of fans right next to her and just just come on and just did the full fist in their faces then did it two more times
in the next two points and you could just tell that was Nihaki not getting annoyed with Collins just happy to go toe to toe have a proper drag out a fair of a match and and then a really respectful handshake between the two at the end. There have been some great matches and was Nihaki who had been involved in a match against my Sharif in in the first round where she was only I think a couple of points away from losing and ended up mocking Sharif's grunt during that match
you know it was really aggro heavy and I'd also give a shout out to actually Kerber who's who's had an incredible couple of matches you know kind of like like Andy Murray is is is playing to keep her career going whenever she takes to the court and she was just
involved in absolute epic this morning against Kristian and the atmosphere on that court was unbelievable you know shout of Angie and G like throughout and it took her several match points to get over the line there was a lot of moonballing involved it was just absolutely classic Kerber and you know I've enjoyed watching her at these Olympics very much and I'm going to miss Kerber she's been one of my favorites to watch over the last 10 years and she plays Laila Fernandez next and I'll always
remember the match they played at the US Open 2021. Yeah on route one of the many epics that Fernandez played on route to reaching that final obviously play not the preferred surface for either of them but I've got high hopes for the vibes and intensity and ground strokes in that match I think that could be really really cool presumably that'll be
tomorrow I just feel like the matches just have to come thick and fast now don't they I mean as you say Vecch and Goth both played on one today and they're back on the schedule first thing first thing tomorrow morning it kind of plays out like a 1000 event all like an old school 1000 event
squeezed into only a week in that way Maria Sackery still alive Jasmine Paulini plays Anna Carolina Schmidleve next she beat Beatrice Adagmiya who's who season just really hasn't got going Elina's Vittalina and Jessica Baguola incidentally the winner of that will be the next opponent for Borg for Barbara Coutique that's the match that's still ongoing just finished on Philippe Chatrier has it tell me victory victory for Svittalina coming from a set down wow bronze medalist of course at
at the last Olympics and flag bearer for Ukraine on Friday one of one of a few tennis flag and torch bearers tennis I think it's fair to say was well represented in Friday's opening ceremony a a a a personal highlight in a very bonkers evening expertly commentated on by Catherine on discovery
Vera dare I say and I'm glad you were there to laugh along with us Catherine on air because I didn't know what was going on after time how how long were Raffa on the Dull Serena Williams Carl Lewis and Nadia Common-Each on that speedboat for way too long for Serena Williams
it felt like about four hours yeah it was like we just been down the center we now we're now going back yeah like I actually thought that the boats generally really slightly took away from the flag bearers like I it was it was great seeing Svittalina and Coco Gough and Nicholas
Jerry like those tennis players who were holding the flag but it didn't feel quite as big a thing to me to be the flag bearer on the boat as it was in the stadium they're a little bit lost in amongst everyone and a lot of them were sharing boats as well but I'm sure for all of them it was
it was a special moment and a and a big night for tennis as you say and then when the Dull appeared to take the flame from Zinedine Zidane who gave him his first Roland Garros trophy back in 2005 like this incredible moment where once again Zidane is handing something
over to Nadal and Nadal not even French but so synonymous with Paris because of his record at Roland Garros I just think no other tennis player has got that connection with a city like Nadal has and that was a special there were a lot of not not French people
involved in that opening ceremony mat that had a lot less connection with with Paris than Raffa on the Dull yes that's true isn't it opening ceremonies all about showing off your city and your culture and the and the first sort of performer was Lady Gargare why is Lady
Gargare doing cabaret nobody has explained that to me Celine Dion she speaks French that seems to have been the thinking yeah it was fun though isn't it it was it was bonkers fun yeah and and the and the last hour or so like was so visually stunning and like I will
remember that yes me too Matt me too a couple of bits of sort of non match related stuff to talk about the fact that Petra Sitter passes now a single Olympian I said earlier I was going to have a pop at Petra Sitter pass it's actually not a pop at Petra
Sitter pass good luck to him I hope he's down that tattoo parlor as we speak but it it is it's a problem isn't it this system that they have of withdrawals where there are no there are no players on standby because there's no qualifying there's no lucky losers there's no
facility to get standby singles players into the drawer in the event of withdrawals so they have to go to the doubles players and it's it's not very good is it I mean totally uncompestive Matt Ebtan about it against no that jock of itch petra Sitter pass
being a singles player in a 64 draw at one of the biggest tournaments in the world is it diminishes the integrity of the event I think and for that reason it needs to be addressed just don't know what they can do what can they do about it well I mean do you not
think there'd be players willing to do you not think players would be willing to put their hand up for a standby list I can't see a simple solution really because I don't think you're going to get a load of singles players on a on a standby list they're not playing
the Olympics they're not going to go on the off chance they're going to go and play a tour event you know we've got Washington happening or Atlanta you don't think players would go on the off chance no I think if they're ranking was good enough they play to begin
with if they wanted to do you think maybe the two weeks should just be blocked out on the calendar so that they're on to yes that would be better absolutely it should be yeah I don't know what you do with those tournaments to be honest but no I mean it'll
never happen you know nobody's getting rid of tournaments they're only adding tournaments as there's a lot of places in the calendar where there should be fewer tournaments and this is definitely one of them so I guess yeah there's ideal world solutions
and then there's solutions that have a possibility of actually having legs within the world we're working I don't know I just I'd sign up to be a standby player give me a 1% chance of playing the Olympics yeah but you're like that kid Catherine who when
people say yeah but you wouldn't want it to be Christmas every day would you if somebody said to you you you can have the Olympics everywhere cute say yes I would sleep on a cardboard bed to be an Olympian that's that's how strongly I feel about it and I would have to if I were at Paris
twenty twenty we must come up with a solution to this we must put our mediocre heads together and come up with something because it's not good it does need solving but I agree we need to do better by Billie Jean King and have a have a solution at the ready and and I think you're right
that it probably does start with like this needs to be the tennis the only tennis event sort of at tall level that is on you know kind of like what happens during a slam like if tennis is properly being into it into the Olympics like I mean I'm no expert at all but I don't think
there's another swimming event that's that's happening now that's taking swimmers away from the Olympics you know like they're all in on the Olympics and if that's what tennis needs to do so that feels like the main solution but I agree that's probably idealistic within the
current structure and calendar I really struggle to see a solution that isn't just what they're what they're currently doing I think I would rather players receive buys in the first round in the event of the draw rules than than petross sits a pass coming in as a singles player
I think that is the alternative I think it's it's bad for the integrity of the competition he won five games never thought I'd see Catherine advocating for buyers that I saw he got a set of it would be it would be a walk over wouldn't it rather than a buy yeah yeah what's Casparade doing well
Casparade have you seen his you seen his kicked controversy no tell me everything Casparade in controversy alert yeah well he was he was wearing a kit in his first match that was definitely a lot more like the Danish flag than the Norwegian flag it was it was red
and white there was no blue in it whatsoever so he he put out on Twitter I think that he was going to try and get some blue in his kit for his second round match and lo and behold he suddenly was in a much more appropriate kit he's suddenly looks like he's wearing a sort of Mondrian painting
and he's and he's wearing some short shorts as well and I don't quite know where that kid has come from he'd worn the he'd worn the wrong kit no no was the right kit was the one he'd been given but it was it was too Danish looking and it it caused quite a quite a controversy I believe
in the in the Norwegian coverage of his first round match and today he was in much more appropriate kit for Norway well speaking of Danish things thank you for that segue Matt big news no it's not groundhog day Holger Runa has split with Patrick's more talk to you this is the fourth time isn't it
I think so and it was announced by Patrick more a toglue well I saw it announced by Patrick more talk maybe they did a similar Runa did a did his own version did he yeah okay mutual apparently apparently it'll be better for them both if they split up and pursue new new growth opportunities
just Patrick just butt out just go away what will he is he's doing both of those things stop inserting your own announcement into this situation you're not the important one oh God you're noise me he's got a cast on his arm Holger Runa it's not it's not going well for him he's a coach and an
arm down but anyway that that psychic drama continues we'll let you know when they're when they're back together again probably we're next week who will be first Ciniac of a match or Runa and more toglue and speaking of psychodramas but in this case one that isn't continuing and that is the
Neil Medvedev the doubles player because I am I am here to report on the show that I was very excited about Saurarani versus the Neil Medvedev and Irani did not lose so once in that mixed doubles match and when when she was serving for the match the Neil Medvedev missed all of his returns
it was so funny he like I knew he was that bad he has not got a clue he looks totally uncomfortable on the court and apparently he and Andreva had like never really even spoken and then ended up ended up on the mixed doubles court together and it was an absolute
car crash Irani and Vavasori just took them apart it was like it was unbelievable I might go and find a replay of that definitely watch the final game if nothing else because yeah Medvedev just misses all of his returns against the Irani serve. Junqin when just destroyed Saurarani in singles and she yeah yeah was it love and love yeah yeah what are you doing? the Olympics is so fun so good so good okay do we have a schedule for tomorrow?
yes I'm finding it hard to obtain schedules yes we do Donna Vekich against Coco Gough first up on Shatchray then it is Zverev against Guest Thomas Mahatch then Eagish Rwanda he's not even Katrinis in the Ark of his Guest anymore nobody is the best player in the world yeah he's still got that which form will you do tomorrow? Shiontek against Wongjin Yu sorry Wongjin Yu the left-hander and Sebastian Offner against Daniel Medvedev.
I think I'll stop thinking about that sorry just to go back to this like the problem like the extra problem that Medvedev was having is that his normal return position is a disaster in doubles and he was standing way back against Mavasauri's serve and just Irani was just cutting everything
off at the net like because he's so far back and like so he was immediately outmaneuvered in these points and he's trying to step in on Irani's serve and he's not comfortable doing that either like it was a it was an absolute disaster for him sounds so sensational
Long-Len tomorrow Jack Draper against Taylor Fritz, Shmeeliver Paulini and then that's where you'll find Nadal Karaz against Greeks Paul Kuhlhoff he don't don't to my knowledge have a nickname and then wow long-Len is the place to be tomorrow I think Evans and Murray against Jill and Vlegan.
Mathieu is Kerber for Nandes then Ojele is seen against Max Million Martyrr, Svitalina has got to come back tomorrow and play Barbara Krocheke but that is a tough assignment after an 1130pm finish this evening. Fritz and Goth in mixed doubles action over there. Lorenzo Muzetti is playing Mariano Navoni Mensic Paul.
Shout out Muzetti by the way who lost the U-mag final at about 10pm one evening and then was in Paris the next afternoon and beat Gail Monfice like that was that was a pretty impressive turn around from losing and Surundalo who won the U-mag final has also kept progressing and is the next opponent of Caspar Rude I believe and that's that's tricky for Rude because Surundalo is in in form.
Absolutely yeah well played then that's a that's a good effort Daniel Collins against Camilla Rosario on court 14 tomorrow as is Stan Braverinke he's won a couple of matches he's lurking in Djokovic's half I think at least but would have to win a lot more matches before that potentially became relevant we'll be back on Thursday with our next Olympics catch up pod haven't I done well to get through this whole thing without mentioning gymnastics which is what I've been talking about all day.
After the gymnastics pod now. Got any questions for me about gymnastics because I I can answer them now folks. Only that I love Stephen Neda Rosic is that his name? Neda Rosic yeah yeah American Pommelhorse guy. Yeah he only does the Pommelhorse and he he sat around with his eyes closed for most of the day took off his glasses got up on the Pommelhorse did an amazing routine. sat back down again put his glasses on and got the US the bronze just fantastic. Yeah he's a real rock star.
He is in the Pommelhorse final Matt later in the week. He's a world champion isn't he? Joint top qualifier. Yeah along with Reese McClennahan of Ireland and third qualifier is Fax and Stats from Mac's Whitlock of GB going going for a going for a third gold in a row. So do tune in to discover his coverage of gymnastics if you want to hear more facts and stats from me. Um and do join us on Thursday for our next tennis podcast about the Olympics with our mascot Phoebe.
Uh I haven't made nearly enough of Phoebe's recent Olympics photo shoot so I will be doing that soon don't you worry hello lovely Phoebe. We have our mascots David has Francis I have the Dilly department Darwin and Matt has Heider and Soma hello to Billy Jean who sponsor Billy Jean King was hanging out with Snoop Dogg today. At Roland Garros having a normal one thank you Billy Jean King in a Lana class we have top folks in the show. We have a lot of active producers Greg Chris Jamie and Jeff.
And we have a limb pick shout out Matt starting with Catherine Higgins. Oh hello Catherine Higgins. This is a same church different pew situation. Catherine with a K K. I know that this is from Fleet Hampshire. I know Fleet Hampshire. Do we know anything else? That is all we know. I'm trying to still think if I feel like I'm doing a lot of heavy lifting here David if you got anything to bring to the party. From the tennis world.
I really don't and I need to work with Catherine but as far as I'm concerned we only need you. Well I'm me. Well yeah but you're different pew. Okay on that particular pew we only need Catherine Higgins. I would mention John Higgins the sneaker player but I have a feeling that we've given Catherine a shout out before and I've mentioned John Higgins. Okay what about Alex Higgins for those that are a bit older and there we go two sneaker shout outs for Catherine.
There's also there's also an American football Higgins who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals. I think why do I receive her something like that? T Higgins. That's it. There you go Catherine you're welcome. We've also got Brona Staunton in Dublin. Oh Brona. We know Brona and Brona went to watch Ireland versus Austria in the Davis Cup earlier this year. Wow. Which meant that she got to see Dominic team play. That's cool. Well that's not something that many people will be able to say pretty soon.
Although my friend that went to Kitchbjall to interview him for the ATP for his retirement interview reported that he's in an incredibly good place emotionally and is genuinely at peace with everything. So Dominic team continues to be more at peace with his retirement than I am. But there we go. I'm happy he's happy. I'm alright in saying that wasn't just your friend. That was that was camera woman Kate who bailed us out. Camera woman Kate. Yes. Absolutely. Thank you Brona.
I think that was a nice experience for Brona to get some top level of the Guinness in Ireland. We were always saying that there was also that much and that was nice that they got that Davis Cup tie this year. And finally we have a shout out for Ashley and Aaron Bannister Hughes and their beautiful boxer Bella who all live in Canberra, Australia. And this is a shout out from their friends Alisa and Nicole. And the prize shout out I believe. Wow. So cool. Hang on a second.
Right. So we have Aaron and Ashley. Yeah. There were a lot of names there. Yeah. Aaron and Ashley and the doggy stellar. I remember that one. Ashley like Ashley Harkel Road. Yes. Very good. And then the American tennis player from about 15 years ago. And like Ashley, the Australian man. Thanks for that. Keep talking David. Alisa and Nicole are our other names. Alisa Mertens. Sort of. Nearly. Nearly. Nicole. Vider Sower. Ashley Cooper. Yes. Ashley Cooper, I've met him.
They've got a photo of me with him on my wall and I sorted other Australian legends. Ashley Cooper, he was world number one amateur and he was a great player. He was a great player. Between the years of 1957 and 1958. Oh, yes. Oh, great. Okay. So we have Ashley. Ashley and Aaron. Ashley and Aaron and Bella. Well, my old dog was called Bella. And she was wonderful. So I'm quite sure that your box of Bella is exactly the same. She would have loved anything to do.
Yes. So thank you to Broner, Catherine, to Ashley and Aaron, to Bella and to Lisa and... Alisa. Alisa. Alisa, like Mertens and Nicole. It was a lot of names, man. I know. And you just decided to go through them all again. I did. I regretted it as soon as I embarked upon it anyway. But we got there. Thank you all. Thank you to all of our friends at this tennis podcast. If you would like to become a friend, the link to do that is in our shownates.
And it gives you access to the barge where things are rocking as always and access to all of our bonus episodes that we record for friends of the tennis podcast. And we've got a US Open Relive to coming up soon. We've got other relived shows, Q&A shows, live Q&A shows, and some review shows as well that we want to those coming your way after the Olympics. So lots of good stuff going on there. And do subscribe to our newsletter as well, because there's good stuff in there too.
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