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Hi, this is Billie Jean King. This is Mary and Bartoli. I'm Matt's Belander. This is Mary Carillo. This is Pam Shriver. This is Yannick Noah and you're listening to the tennis podcast. Hello folks and welcome to Roland Garros on day 14 of the tournament. We're in our outdoor position in the Eves and Philip Chattrace stadium.
I am looking over the left shoulder. I can see Eges Fiontech fresh from a visit to the tennis channel set showing off her trophy to a waiting collection of tennis fans who have just watched her put in an absolutely sublime performance yet another sublime performance this fortnight to beat Jasmine Paulini. Six to six one in an hour and eight minutes making it four French open titles in five years and adding a fifth to her total of Grand Slam titles overall.
And while that school line I guess is terrible news for back Jasmine Paulini. Excellent news for our takes yesterday which for once have aged quite well. I'm not sure what it takes. My moments are good. There was a moment in there. I was thinking right it's two one Paulini with a break and and then it was three two and 30 or or two three 30 on our thought she holds here. I'm going to do the sunglasses emoji for showing off about my tape publicly or to the group to the group. Maybe to the bar.
And then she lost 10 games in a row. Yeah, that is what Eges Fiontech does when somebody wrongs her by having the audacity to break serve. She goes, oh, that's what we're doing. Is it and wins 10 games in a row? That is who Eges Fiontech is everywhere. Of course, she is the world number one, a dominant world number one. But in particular, on play and at this tournament, there is a lot to talk about here. There's also immense final to look ahead to tomorrow.
A lot of other results, a lot of other finals been taking place in Paris today. Before we get into all of it, this edition of the tennis podcast is brought to you in association with on location. The premium hospitality and experience provider on location arranged the best tennis experiences imaginable to all of the biggest tournaments in the world, including the Australian Open.
Oh, come on, wait, already. Just think Eges Fiontech went Wimbledon, you know, no big deal. Just casually went Wimbledon. She'll be on for the career slam in Australia. And Alcarazza could be as well. Feed it into my veins, experience a summer down under in January with Steve Furgles, international tennis doors.
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That's tours the number for tennis dot com forward slash podcast to get your Australian Open package. And if you're a friend of the tennis podcast, you can have access to a five percent discount code to get a hold of that. Just contact us at friends at tennis podcast dot net and we will respond with the code. That's Australia. That's a way away. She wanted to be on for the career slam. Who knows. I wouldn't put anything past her right now. She is peerless. Peerless in this sport right now David.
Certainly on this surface on this surface. She is looking like one of the best ever right now. If you think of Steffi Graf, I think one six of these Chrissy ever one seven. Yeah, she feels like the very best of her generation on this surface by such a long way. We've made cases for her in the Sabbelenker because of that Madrid classic that they played.
We've certainly looked at Elena Rebecca and her thought her at her best would be fascinating because of her record against the English Fierce Anteck but her specific skill set on this surface. I just don't see how you could you could have a better skill set for it. There's no limit to what she could end up amassing titles wise if she stays fit and interested. As the historian among us, I know you're always quick to kind of dampen premature comparisons to greats of the past.
You made me have so far. I don't know you now. Whose greatness can be kind of forgotten or eroded with time. There's been a lot of Chris Everett chat and comparison. I know Chris Everett was one of the two women that presented her the trophy today. Along with her great rival Martín and Avattal over him, we'll talk about that in a little while. I'll tell you a little bit about her. Chris Everett had only one two. In terms of tracking, she'd won more grand slimes in social.
She'd won seven, graphic 11, 11 at the same age. We are talking French Open specific here. She's on for it. We said the other week that thinking about Raffa and Adal's French Open numbers is ludicrous at this stage. I stand by that. But if Raffa and Adal is that world record line in a swimming race at the Olympics. I love the way they do that. The one that's on that pace right now, which is mad. She's won the same number of Ruan Garas titles at the age that Raffa and Adal were.
She's doing incredible things. Absolutely no doubt about that. In the words of Jasmine Palini, she's definitely going to catch her Chris Everett on seven. I don't think you can never be sure. I think Eagish Fjontek will do it or not. That's a crazy thing to predict for someone to become the greatest on a surface of all time. Chris Everett said it in her text to Mary Carrillo the other day. She thinks that Eagish Fjontek has got that potential as well. It's an extraordinary feat.
I always think it's a bit of a weird feeling when a Grand Sam Final is as one side of it as it was. You absolutely know that winning a Grand Sam is one of the hardest things to do. It's been a lifetime of work and this is the combination of one of the great play court seasons. She has swept Madrid, Roman, Ruan Garas and yet the ultimate crowning moment just felt really quite easy for Eagish Fjontek. That in itself is a demonstration of her greatness.
Especially given what the final look like in Madrid and the fact that she was beaten by Rebecca in Stuttgart, there has been a lot of struggle for Fjontek to achieve that record on play this season. It's saving a match point against the soccer here. Exactly. It just won't be reflected in the day new more, I suppose. That's the irony that tennis can present. The most stressful part of Eagish Fjontek's day was the on-call speech, wasn't it? Yes. It kind of always is for her.
Like Grand Sam Finals, no problem at all. The speech, that's an awkward time for her. And it's kind of relatable, that element, I suppose. Thank goodness Chris Everett was there to give us some tips about how to cope with the reverb, which is a nightmare. I've been there. It is an absolute nightmare when you can hear yourself back.
And it is crazy that just on kind of how different this tournament has been for Fjontek since the soccer, the start going round, she lost 17 games against Nomiya Saka, she lost 17 games in the five matches that followed against Nomiya Saka. What is that? I suppose the first thing to say is, if Jasmine Palini gets the plate here, a Saka should get something, because she has pushed... What have you got in mind? She has pushed Fjontek like nobody else.
And that's worth remembering that how different this tournament could have been. Could have been. We were at Sasha Crossroads there, but she went again. Her press talking about how much she backs herself now when she's not necessarily playing her best tennis to find her best tennis, as she did in the closing stages against Saka. And it just lifted her up to an even better level.
She talked about this being an emotional tournament, and I got the impression she was specifically talking about that Saka match. She was bringing it up a lot, as you would. We're all thinking about it a lot. That's what we will remember from this women's tournament, I think, if you can pick out only one thing, one match. Well, she was pictured crying in the gym afterwards, wasn't she? In a moment that I think she probably found a bit invasive.
The fact that there were cameras in there capturing her in that moment. But I rather suspect that that was the source of an awful lot of emotion and release for fish on taking this tournament. For me, we will talk about the match and Paulinean, analyse all of that. But for me, it's the three in a row. I find that so impressive. It was a question of one of our Q&A shows, one that's like an underrated record in the sport. And I always cite Roger Federer as five in a row at the US Open.
I think doing these things in a row consecutively like that. Look at Daniel Mepere. He's a former World No. 1, and he's been right there all there about. He's never, ever defended A.E. title, or won a title twice, even. To come to the place where we have the most pressure and most expectation of you on you. And to just back it up and back it up and back it up as all of that pressure and expectations ramped up. I find I find pretty unreal.
What is it just seeing in Anand Monika Seles, who have done it in the Open era apart from Egaschvanteg? Look at that for company to be in. And she's the youngest one to reach for. It's in the Open era. It's absolutely staggering, really, what she's doing. And I think because it's happening in real time, we may be aren't fully appreciating just how great this is yet. I think in years to come we'll look back on it and realise, we're in the middle of four. And that was only a journey to many more.
Do you remember when Nadal got to four? Do you remember, like, we're not necessarily exactly four, but around this stage of Nadal's career. When he was winning them easily, really, and it felt like, okay, let's put a calendar alert in Anule for Nadal winning the French Open. Remember what the discussion was at that time? I suppose I probably remember it in the framework of him losing to Saddling. The moment I think that was more the fact that he was unbeaten.
So 05, 06, 07, 08. He's 1-4 and then he lost one. Okay, he won four in a row. He'd never lost. So he got a factor down in his match, Sadd. But yeah. She wasn't X-O2. A whopping two. She has. And yeah, the comparison isn't fair. But at the same time, she's making all of them apart from that one unavoidable. And she's even making that one sort of, you talk about the on-pace bit. And just the manner that she's doing it in.
Nobody, if you put them side by side, can match her on this stuff in a logical sense. And yet, one of them had a match point against her this tournament. That's what's so exciting. And that is sport, but that is the beauty of somebody as good as Asaka. And actually think Asaka kind of gets the assist for Shfiontech as well, because she played her in and helped to ride out a difficult moment and then she was unstoppable.
And I think what you're saying there about how, like, in individual cases, we've seen players threaten Eagish Fiontech on clay this season. But I think that's the reason why I would agree with Catherine about, like, three in a row is so impressive. Because Shfiontech's just so consistently bringing that level. Like, some players are bringing it occasionally. And we know how well they can play in one-off matches. And that's a bit harsh, because Sabalanka is bringing a consistent level.
But not as consistent as Asaka Shfiontech. And that element to keep backing it up and keep bringing this high level. And actually, possibly getting better. I think she looks better this year than ever. Like, I do think the serve is such a big difference now. She spoke about that again, how pleased she is with how that serves coming along. I think her, like, today, her backhand return and her backhand down the line. I think that's a shot that's improved a lot over the last few years as well.
This is a player who's already great and getting better and sort of separating herself from the rest of the field. And that's a single lower-all rusted on. And that is a defining trait of the greats of the greats, isn't it? And it was interesting how Paulini and her press conference kept referring to Shfiontech's intensity. Which I find really interesting, because you sort of think, well, that's something that surely everyone can bring that.
Maybe not everyone can hit a forehand like Ego's Fiontech. And I think that's the same intensity. But the way Paulini was saying was like, no, it's like a specific intensity that Shfiontech has. Like Paulini said, I had it for a few games. Frequency that you can't dial into. And Jasmine Paulini, I said the other day, I went out to watch BN Coindresscu and I came away from court three, soaked to the bone, and also wondering if Paulini should be added to the intensity list.
But it's intensity means something different when you're talking about Ego Shfiontech. Because it's mixed with quality. Yes, but I also think just the intensity in itself is something that it needs a different word maybe, because it's not... I've never really considered her for the intensity list, because I feel like it's just a different quality. Relentlessness? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. You don't get a second to breathe. Yeah. And that's what happened to Paulini is, it makes you panic.
It makes you think I've got to hit a world beating shot every time, just to keep her off me. And yeah, so David, you've confessed how you felt at 2-1. When Jasmine Paulini breaks the Shfiontech serve to lead 2-1 Matt, let's all share how we felt at that moment. Having, let's be honest, gone into this match with Natasha's rave of somewhere in the back of our minds, right? You know, I... That was the fear.
When I had any good on the board, my first thought was, okay, I can stop thinking about the rave now. Yes. So then when Paulini breaks after that to lead 2-1, what are you thinking? Well, I said to you, Catherine, it's not a break until you've held. Yes, Ego Shfiontech comparisons were made. And very precinctly. Short person tennis, I love. But that rule of tennis, it's not a break until you've held, is most applicable when short people are playing, because it's harder for them to hold serve.
And Paulini is in that category. And I thought, right, if she holds here, we've got to match on our hands, because that will actually be a bit of separation. It's really well, Paulini. And Shfiontech, probably Shfiontech's worst start, she's ever had to have gone some final, you know, falling that break down. I think Shfiontech's out of 7 points with errors for a run there. And yeah, like if Paulini had held, I'd have sat forward in my chair, you know?
But because she hadn't, I was thinking, okay, like, I don't think Shfiontech's worried. And actually, Shfiontech just took it personally, one 10 games in a row. It's funny, you know, her service speeds on that different to Eagish Shfiontech. She gets good speed on that serve, Paulini. But it's just physics, isn't it? That she can't hit the spots, as well as Shfiontech or taller players. Quite frankly, I think she gets as much out of it really as she can.
But yeah, it just always is going to be a bit more susceptible, I think. But yeah, I mean, Paulini won four more points in that set after breaking for 2-1, four points in the set. When she broke for 2-1, I was really encouraged for her because first of all, she came out playing like she'd been playing. That was her game, the hard strokes from the baseline, secure looking backhand, dangerous forehand that was getting winners, moving well. And I thought, she's right with Shfiontech here.
She's going toe to toe, side to side. Is it sustainable? And I thought, right, well, I was downstairs in our radio room where we do reports and I was going to comment on the second set. So I thought, okay, well, when they sit down, I'll get the elevator up to go to the commentary box to watch the rest of the set in the back before taking over in the second set. But I got in an elevator and it was 2-1 and sitting down. And by the time I got to the commentary box, it was 2-1.
And she'd broken her to love. And I just thought, what happened there? I had no clue what had happened in that game. But then when she was 2-3 down, I think she got 30 love on a serve in that 2-3 game. And I remember thinking that was when I was thinking she'd hit a couple of winners as well. And I thought, okay, she's right with her. And I'm going to gloat in a minute to everybody about how I said she'd turn up. And it wouldn't be as one-sided as people think. And then she got broken.
And you know, you've got the same feeling you get with Gough sometimes that you're in a set, you're in games, and then suddenly it's over and it really looks one-sided. I would like to make the case that she really did show up and she really did play extremely well. Jasmine Paulini. The stats won't tell you that, right? I always have the stats on these matches to see if there's anything particularly notable or indicative to put in the agenda for the day.
And the stats tell a very specific story today about Jasmine Paulini hitting just a raft of errors. I'd like to make the case here that an unforesterror just doesn't mean the same thing against Eagashiontech. Agreed. As it generally does. Personally, I would have put the only... I would only have been registering unforesterors for Paulini if she's making errors off her Allie Balls.
Yeah. I think errors where you're going for it, you're taking a chance and playing lower percentage chenis than you otherwise would because it's Eagashiontech. That's not unforced. That is forced by who Eagashiontech is. You have no choice but to play that way. It's the only... I mean, you're only giving yourself a three percent chance or something of winning.
You're saying to yourself, okay, maybe today will be the one day in my career where I hit a purple patch and I sustained it for an entire tennis match against the greatest clay-cook player of her generation. Probably not. But maybe. But that is the only three percent you can give yourself. Yeah. And in that first set, she was playing brilliantly for a handful of games and then the quality of Eagashiontech took over that set.
I mean, her ability to take what looks like a perfectly good ground stroke for an opponent and just hit for a winner somewhere. In any option she's got. She's got a cross-court winner, a down-the-line winner, either side. It's absolutely awesome what Shrentech can do to you. And then in the second set, Panic. Panic because I'm playing well and it's still not working.
And then the weight of the shots, the angles, the depth and sort of slashing at the ball to try to get it away and find a way to hit it back even harder and all the areas started flooding. I would never be one of those people that tries to pressure you into putting people on the backhand list or considering people for the backhand list. But it did just strike me today. Where were you going here?
Because you were, I mean, I think everybody in the stadium is murmuring about Shrentech's backhand today, right? That was the star of the show, particularly down the line but basically it could do no wrong today, that shot. It just occurred to me that I'm not putting her forward for the list, but it struck me that I've never heard her mentioned for the list. No, you're right. She has never been in consideration for the list.
I think the first time where I was like, oh, the Shrentech backhand, maybe I need to be paying more attention to that was when she was asking a press conference, I can't exactly remember when it was possibly last year's Australian open. It was definitely the Australian open. I wasn't this year, so I think it might have been last year. Yeah, I think you're right, definitely Australia.
When she was asked to name her strengths and weaknesses and she didn't list her forehand as a strength, she listed her backhand. And I wondered is that a flex? Is that just what she's having? Is she trolling me? Like what is going on here? And I know that the forehand is the side that can break down occasionally, like we have seen that and it can cough up errors but it's also just such a devastating shot that like how can it not be a strength?
But the backhand is so good and there was a time today where my notes just became wow, incredible, she'll take backhand winner. I was trying to really make diligent notes and I was just seeing backhand winners. She was asked for three strengths, she actually gave four that right. Yeah, can I have another one? She still wasn't the forehand.
I think the thing about the backhands that are on the backhand list is that they tend to be like the real standout thing of that player or they tend to just have a smooth quality to them and I think it kind of shifon text just got so much in her game that the backhand rarely stands out but you're right, it absolutely did today. It was phenomenal. It's very sharp her backhand because she has that very short back swing. And it is interesting. I remember unexpected Camnory reference in coming.
I remember Jim Currier on the Amazon Prime coverage of the US Open, analyzing Camnory's game during the period after he had first made his breakthrough and Jim Currier explaining how much of a weapon it is to have your forehand be very different to your backhand. How much opponents hate that. It's basically impossible to sink into a rhythm against somebody if their two wings give you such a different look. Now I think Camnory is even more extreme than the Negus fjontek.
He's got that incredibly buntered flat backhand and the very spinny equals it the squirrel doesn't he, is forehand for reasons I'll never understand. I think I must have a feature with him on Eurosport where he explained it and I still came away not understanding. But Shontek has got quite a lot of that. They are very, very different shots.
The forehand is far more elaborate and she's got that very bent arm which I find it is obviously it's a devastatingly brilliant shot but just very personally aesthetically I don't find it that pleasing but I kind of do love that short backswing jabbed backhand. I think that's a really interesting insight isn't it? And that's what I always thought made like Del Potro version 2.0 you know, posting juries.
I always think he was a nightmare for people to play because his backhand was either a slice or just really sort of gently buntered because that's all he could do. And then his forehand was just this absolute cannon. And it was like, well, where am I here? Yeah, where am I? And look, I'm sure we're going to come on to talk about the English Shontek on grass that, you know, Well let's do that. Well and I think the backhand to me strikes me as a shot that should really stand up on that surface.
It is flatter, as you say, she doesn't have the big elaborate take back. She can just absorb pace, I think, a bit more easily on that side. And yeah, like, I could see her improve backhand from a year on being something that helps her even more on the grass this season as well. I could too, for sure. I don't see any reason why English Shontek can't conquer grass other than the fact that Wimbledon comes three weeks over her, three weeks after her most important tournament of the year.
David, you asked her about the transition to grass in the turnaround period and her ambition on the surface in the press conference. It was a great question. I think it got one of the best answers of the press conference, actually. She certainly went into some detail. And I was pleased about that because I, I somewhat feel a bit bad for asking about something in a few weeks' time when you've just won the French Open.
I would understand if some listeners think, can't you just let her think about this win before going on to the next one? Which I understand, it's just that she always wins the French Open, but she's never conquered the grass. Not to a level that we feel would be commensurate with how good she is and what she's doing on clay. She's not the only one until the Dow came along. Borg was probably one of the outliers because he won six French Open and five Wimbledons basically at the same time.
But in Menseness, the litany of players who just couldn't do both. John Macchinoe never won the French Open. Pete Sanvers never won the French Open, but they won all these Wimbledons. You know, the Gustave Curtain couldn't get anywhere on grass. You only won three of these things. There was a whole generation of them. And look, it was even tougher than in terms of the turnaround. It was just two weeks between the two tournaments at that point. It's three now.
But I just wanted to know how ambitious are you to conquer the grass and how do you take on that challenge given that you're always going to want to do well at the French Open. And it's only three weeks. Is that going to change with the years? Has it even changed this year? You know, she hasn't entered, I think, Berlin. Whether she ends up playing it, we'll wait and see. And she actually said, you know, I'm going to have to sort of talk to the team.
I've played Stuttgart, I'm a Dread and Rhyme, and now this. It's a lot. It's a lot of tennis. But she was very keen to talk about her incremental improvements the last couple of years. She did throw in, I have considered doing my preseason on grass, which I loved, because I'd never thought that. But I think that in her own quiet... We're in Australia. We're in North-Rade. Maybe in Australia. You have to go to... I mean, there can't be many grass, because in Australia.
Yeah. Who young you could go to in Australia. Anyway, I mean, it would be great. I'd go out there too, just a watch. Yeah. But I get the sense that she's... She quietly fancies her chances this time. Do you? Not necessarily of winning it. I think she wouldn't allow a mind to do that. I think to be really competitive and to be her best self that she can be at this point. Because I think she's back in a game like she never has.
She said a number of times, I don't feel stressed like it had last year. She doesn't look tired, really. And I just think that she's probably... She's getting a better player all the time. She talked about the serve as an element of the grass transition. I think she's going to be better this time. I do too. I do too. And she very well could be right that that incremental improvement is her best play for eventually winning Wimbledon. That sounds really healthy to me.
And very understandable given the absolutely ridiculous schedule that tennis presents its competitors with this year more so than any other, with a break neck transition back to clay for the Olympics after Wimbledon. And she's favourite for it. Which she's favourite for and she really wants. Yeah. Really, really wants and she'll probably play doubles, I would imagine, to increase her chances of winning a medal.
She never plays doubles but, you know, Olympics brings that out of the woodwork, doesn't it? So, like, totally understandable. It did just surprise me that she didn't sound more impatient for that success on grass. Like, the English context personality as I understand it is just ravenous. Ravenous for success. Like, it's a need rather than a want, you know. And it could have just been the timing, the fact that she, you know, like an hour and a half earlier lifted the French Open Trophy.
And again, very understandable. Tennis' schedule is insane. Like, it's very healthy for her to want to just enjoy this win and not be ready to turn her attention to another grand slam in three weeks time on a surface that she probably didn't play until she was 17. And you only get a week to practice on. But, yeah, I was surprised that she didn't sound more kind of irrational about her ambitions in spite of that.
It sounded to me like she would be happy just to do better than she did last year at Wimbledon this year. Which was quarter finals. Which was quarter finals. And that's probably really healthy. If she keeps going around better each year, she will eventually win it and in not too much time. Great. It just surprised me that she was kind of so, so Yannick Sinner about it. I suppose, process and methodical and I'll get there. Just give me time.
Yeah, but you see, I think... I think she's a bit of a contradiction, maybe, because I think she does talk a lot about incremental improvement. And process and... She's not going to ever really put massive expectations on herself. I don't think outwardly. But I do think to be as successful and relentless as she is, there must be a ravenous drive inside. So you think she's... I think it. She's got designs on this year's Wimbledon title to an extent she didn't reveal in that press conference.
100%. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I love to think so. I think she's desperate. It's probably really unhealthy. She's desperate to win everything. And I think she loved to win Wimbledon. Absolutely loved it. And this year? I mean, is there a... Is there a world where you can be absolutely desperate to win it? But also, if she gets to the semis, she can recognise that that's improvement. I think you can balance those two things. Sure, absolutely. And I think that's great if she can.
It just surprised me that she potentially can. Like, I'm... Yeah. Is she the favourite? No. Who's the favourite? I don't think she is because of that record. Who is? I think it's Sabahlenka. The back-kinder. I just like... I probably... If I had party came out of retirement tomorrow, she'd be the favourite. I would normally say her back-kinder, but I am just... There are big question marks over her... her health. Look, I picked Shwantat the last two years and it hasn't worked out too well.
Yeah. Just because I believe she's the best player. I pick her every tournament, pretty much. I picked her for Australian Open's US Open's. And that's why I've sometimes come away thinking, we overrate in this one, because she doesn't win any of these. She only wins on the French open. She's not winning 12 in a row. And look, again, it's completely unfair. She's just turned 23. Yes, I'm being unfair. But I think it's that. I think she really believes she can win it this year.
I think she's going to absolutely go for it. But she's also not going to be devastated if she doesn't. I think I would make Sabahlenka the favourite, just because... Probably me too. She... it was an unfortunate illness that took her out here. I think she's shown a brilliant level in the last month or so. She's got a few more reps on grass at the high level than Shwiontek does. And also she's very good at slams as well. You can count on Sabahlenka to be there deep in the second week.
And also let's remember the two Wimbledons that there have been since she became a Grand Slime Champion and proved that she could take that lead. One, she wasn't allowed to play. And the other one, she was coming off the back of a French open where she'd had a devastating loss. Like, she'll be gutted about what happened at this French open. But I think it'll be easier to put it behind her because it was such a freakish event. Yeah, I see.
She'll be able to just go below a zil, like that bloody sucks. She's been playing so well this year. She's been using sleep about it on the whole this year. The way she's been hitting the ball. I mean, I think she will take great encouragement from Madrid, for instance, the fact that she nearly beat Shwiontek. I still think you're going to end up picking Shwiontek for Wimbledon, David. I certainly wouldn't even know that. At this stage, I've got a few weeks.
It was so lovely seeing both Chris Everett, who has had health struggles recently and looked so well today. We knew she was here for the second week of the tournament, she had to miss Australia because she was having cancer treatment. We knew she was around in the second week this week. I didn't know she was going to be presenting the trophy. She didn't know she was going to be presenting the trophy. This is what she tweeted a little while ago.
She said, so I presented the Royal Engarance Winner's trophy last year. Martina was asked to present this year. Since it was the 50th anniversary of my first win, she asked me if I would join her in presenting. Generous and thoughtful, that's my friend Martina. Those two together is my ultimate vibe. They are something else, aren't they? It really makes me feel up really, seeing them together. I think maybe because I saw them as rivals in the early 80s, that was my formative tennis memory.
It was Borg and Mac and Row and Everton, and I've been eight and nine years old. I remember them as rivals. I was used to them, they didn't like each other. That was my assumption. Right until I was working in tennis and found out in the last few years. I think it was very complicated for a long time, which makes the beauty of what they now have even richer. One another and 43, 37, the head to head for Nero-Telera. The way they talk about each other, they just adore each other.
That's gone to another level because they both had health trouble in the last few years, and they both supported one another so fully. It's one of the great things about this sport, seeing these rivals meaning so much to one another, and celebrating each other. Shantek actually was asked about potential rivals here in future years in her press conference, and it reminded me of when Naomi Osaka came to the Australian Open a few years ago as a dominant world number one.
She'd won the US Open, the previous Grand Slam, and she was asked about whether she would she craved a rival, and she said, I think it was actually you that asked her, David. And she said, Hell yes, I do. And it sounded like something she'd been giving a lot of thought to. I get the impression that Eusha Shantek doesn't feel that way. She would quite happy to continue winning finals two and one. I think I kind of feel like she'd be fine with it as long as she still wins.
But I mean, she makes winning one sideily an art form. It can be a tough watch sometimes because you don't get the jeopardy, you don't get the thrills. That's not a effort, but she actually just, it's an incredible sight, just like it was with Stephanie Graff when you actually think how much focus it must take, the intensity thing again, and the complete set of strokes to dominate a good player. Time after time after time, it's incredible. Do we think that she's going to have rivals here?
Obviously, she's young enough that there's potentially players later on in her career, who we don't even know about. There's a Dominic team and Carlos Algras somewhere out there in their infancy. Exactly. But it does strike me that I don't think, I think I'd be surprised if she on Tech started dominating all the other slams in the same way she's dominating here. I think she's going to win more of them. I really do.
I think she'll probably complete the career slam, that feels like it's on for her. But I think Rebecca and Gough and Saba Lenka and Asaka now getting back, there's enough players who I think can keep Shfianteca's arms length, and they can rack up titles on the other slams as well. But here at Ronald McGarris, it feels like such a huge gap for everyone to bridge. It does feel like she can keep dominating.
And I think that's one of the things that made Raffa Nidal's record here so extraordinary and is that he had extremely big rivals. He was holding off Federer and Federer was ahead of everyone except him on clay. He was holding off Novak Djokovic when Djokovic had a game that actually really worked against him. To get 14 through that era, I don't think we'll ever come to terms with just how remarkable that was.
But it does strike me that Shfianteca has a bit of clear road ahead of her right now where it's going to take someone stepping up in a way that right now doesn't seem likely for her to have a true rival here. The one miss for me is not seeing Shfianteca Rebecca in her here. Not that I think Rebecca is kind of an overall rival for Shfianteca on clay. Shfianteca is objectively a better player and a better clay-cut player than Rebecca in her.
But just because of the deliciousness of that match-up, I'd love to see if she can bring that to bear here. That would be healthy exactly. I just hope we get that. I'd like to see Asarca come back again and give her a run for a matter of time. I'd happily watch that match every slam for the next 12 slams. Who do you think wins road on Garos if Asarca converts match-point? Oh my god. Because I'm thinking golf. Do you think Asarca makes the semis and is beaten by golf?
Probably given the route that Shfianteca ended up having, I think I would have backed Asarca in all of those matches. In this scenario does Sabelink still get a stomach bug? Yes, the only thing that changes is Asarca wins the match-point. I think I would go golf as well. Yeah, I agree. Which is interesting, isn't it? She's right there, but so far away. It's so specific to Shfianteca. She did get beaten by Sabelink at the Australian Open, but you could put golf up against any other players.
She's not losing them all. She'll lose some, but she'll win some. Just finally on Jasmine Paulini, I asked her in her press conference about the line she gave in her previous press conference about dreaming step by step. It was just such an insightful, lovely little line. I said, well, what's the next dream? And most surprising answer of the Fortnite gaze to Jasmine Paulini, because she said, playing Ega Shfianteca again. Wow. Of all of the dreams.
In that moment, I thought that would be bottom of the list. Like, let's never do that again for a while. Yeah, she was like, I want to have another chance to do that and do it better. Which again is like the dreaming step by step, isn't it? Like, the next step is to win four games. Next step after that is to win five games. She's not in love with me. She's showing why, attitude wise, she's got where she has. It's really great. I've loved the rise of Jasmine Paulini. Many of all people.
You might even have started it, David. Do we need to play on gross? Tough. Well, I do remember after the good draw, bit, she then really pushed Petra Kavitima in the first round. And I think she ended up losing. So I was right there. I'm torn between kind of low central gravity. I think it's kind of curber in that low central gravity thing. Great balance on gross. Balance is an important factor. But short, but never get on. Right. I'm going to go and try and watch it on gross.
I'm going to go and find a match where it is. Love that. Okay. Well, the crowd is dispersed. Eagashantech is somewhere celebrating. I hope. I know she's not a party girl. That's fine. I hope she's drinking in the moment. I really, really hope that for her. Selling a little or a lot. Shopify helps you do your thing. However you chitching, Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business.
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Marcelo Aravalo of El Salvador and Matte Pavic of Croatia winning their first Grand Sum title together as a team. The 9-seats beating the 11-seats, Simone Bidleli and Andrea Varvasori, 7563. They have been the form team. Aravalo and Pavic. This has been in the post. They beat the top seeds. Grenoes and Zavios and the semis. They were finally some Rome. They won Geneva. They've been the ones to beat and they followed it through.
And one, one this major. Aravalo won here in 2022 with John Giuliano Roger. And this results completes the career slam for Matte Pavic. And both teams are wearing matching kits. It is possible. It does feel like maybe there's a bit more effort being made. But I don't know whether that's just the teams thinking for themselves or what. It benefits everyone. It does, yeah.
Everyone. Aravalo was draped in an El Salvador and El Salvador scarf when he was receiving the trophy and giving the speech and everything. It was really emotional scenes and very, very lovely stuff from them. We have a boy singles champion, one to watch for Matt Roberts in his scouting. Kaelin Bygon, B-I-G-U-N. Never heard anyone say it out loud. So I'm free-wheeling here. It's going to be fascinating in about seven years. I love it when you look back.
Okay. I am going to go with that from now on. I'm going to go with that from B-I-G-U-N. He defeated Tomasz Burkieta, Polish player. B-I-G-N. B-I-G-N. Is American. 46363, 64. He set down and becomes the fourth boy and the third in the open era from the US to win the French Open Junior. He is today and he informed me that B-I-G-N is 18 and he's committed to go to college and play for UCLA. Which is interesting. I'm all for that. Go and have a gap here. Holger Rune should go to UCLA for a year.
Absolutely. Come back. And take a little video camera with him because I want somebody to film his experience. Yes, we will watch that. Now the girls singles, how about this, Theresa Valentova beat Laura Samson 6376 in the first ever all-check Junior Grand Slam Final. First ever. Wow. And Valentova is the third Czech girls champion in four years. That's easy. It's total domination. It's incredible. If anyone is wondering has the production line come to a halt, no, it has not.
Valentova 17, Samson is 16 and it's a Valentova to reach the US Open Junior Final last year. So she's been kind of want to watch for a little while. The women's wheelchair singles was won by anyone care to guess. Did it hurt? Did it hurt? How about this folks? Buckle up. She has won a record breaking 22nd Grand Slam singles title over hauling her countryman Esther Vagir, who she shared the record with.
Three set win today, Vajujunjun, came from a set down in the final today, the unceded Chinese player. It's her 14th Grand Slam singles title in a row. Deedadahut has won every Grand Slam going back to the US Open 2020. She's now won 48 Grand Slam matches in a row. She seems possible Carlos. And she was on a 145 match winning streak across all levels until last month. That was snapped last month at the World Team Cup. 145.
And she gave some quotes today where she was like, yeah, that really sent me back to the drawing board. I had to reconsider everything after I lost a tennis match. Yeah, she's absolutely unreal. But she did say to more quotes from Deedadahut, she's on the breaking Esther Vagir's record. She said, of course, I'm really proud to have this record. But at the same time, I know the conditions when Esther played. She couldn't play singles at Wimbledon.
And a lot of the Grand Slams weren't even called Grand Slams yet. So a real kind of caveat, I suppose, to and a very respectful one. The men's wheelchair singles title was won by Ticito Oda. He beat Gustavo Fernandez 7563. It's his second French Open title at 18. And his fourth Grand Slam, overall, he's a US Open away from the career slam. You remember, maybe, that last year he became the youngest ever French Open Champion in any discipline. When he won the title here at 17.
And apparently he absolutely loves Paris. And when he won, he held up a message that was written on his wrist tape, which a lot of the wheelchair players have to strengthen the wrist that take a real pounding in their sort of mobility around the court. It's a Joutem Paris on his wrist tape. Lovely stuff. He lost out in the men's wheelchair doubles final alongside partner Ticito Micky. They lost 6164 to the top seed's Alfie Huett and Gordon Reed.
The fifth French Open doubles title together for Huett and Reed. It was their fifth successive final unreal. The court wheelchair singles was won by the unseeded Israeli Guy Sassin. He beat the second seed Sam Schroeder in an absolute thriller, 76 in the third. Two hours and 49 minutes. That's a heck of a win for Sassin. Unseeded. Sam Schroeder takes him, why he did take some beating, 76 in the third.
But Revenge was exacted in the doubles final Schroeder and Neilswink, the top seeds beating Andy Latthorn and Guy Sassin to win 76. 6-1. And that's it for the penultimate day of Roland Garros Action 2024. There is still a bit of business to be done tomorrow. Just a bit. How do we feel about Carlos Algras against Alexander's Verre of how is it going to go? Oh, I should update everybody on Carlos' walk. Oh yeah, absolutely. He went on the walk, Marker got the breaking news, they got the scoop.
The walk was around the bride of Biloin. Which we got lost in last year. We did, yeah, there's a massive motorway running through it. I hope he didn't suffer the same fate as us. Well, I think what's interesting about it is that their head-to-head is so competitive. It's 5-4's Verre, which is surprising to me, really given that I think Algras is a considerably better player when you consider all the elements of their respective games. But when Algras has beaten, he's beaten in comfortably.
And yet, the two of the three biggest matches they've played have been won by Zverev. And it was here two years ago when everything was Algras, wasn't it? The whole conversation was Carlos Algras. He's so exciting. He's just beaten the down and jockey, it's back to back to him, the dread. He's won Miami, it's so exciting. And then he ran into Zverev who came out and just took it to him. And won the first two sets of that match and eventually won it in four.
Algras started to come back bit too late. Same thing in the Australian this year. And actually more severe, I would say, more of a problem for Algras. And he needs to be absolutely on his game. He and one Carlos Ferreira in the team, they need to be prepared for Zverev to come out firing. And maybe Carlos Algras not to be able to feel the ball yet. He's got a try to avoid that. And just incidentally, something that is potentially too little mentioned about this match up.
I do think it's significant tactically in terms of the tenets. But in terms of the narrative, the fact that one Carlos Ferreira used to coach, Alexander Zverev and it ended very badly. Ferreira left the picture. I think it's kept his council on the reasons, but by most people's accounts, he won it out of there. Yeah, it's like narratively, I find that really fascinating. There's a sliding doors of like... I mean, he's obviously so happy with Carlos Algras and the decisions that he made.
But he's going to be sitting there, caught sight, tomorrow thinking, God, how... I could have been in that camp. Yeah, how different life could have been. Yeah, and I don't think he went into specifics about why he left the Zverev camp. He was pretty clear that he felt like Zverev wasn't up to his standards on certain things. Attitude wise. Attitude wise, yeah. So yeah, I agree that is a fascinating element.
And I think David's outlined why the head-to-head is interesting and also just a little bit confusing as well. Algras has beaten him most handling in Madrid and in Indian Wells, which is where Algras has played his best tennis in the last couple of years. He loves the conditions in both of those. I know Zverev loves Madrid as well, but we've seen the best kind of Algras in Madrid and Indian Wells.
So whereas in the slams, their two wins have had this pattern of slow starts for Algras, as David said. Algras did get him at the US Open last year in a slam, but Zverev had played that very long, late, grueling match against Sinner the round before. And I don't actually think Zverev had much left and Algras finished him off. I think Algras, I think he needs to come out firing. I think if he starts slow, I know he recovered against Sinner, but I think Zverev right now is so...
Match tough. He's won so many matches. And he's used to being in that position against Algras. I think Algras is best bet, and this sounds like an obvious thing to say, but his best bet is fast start. Yeah, because that's when Zverev's serve is sometimes lower percentage-wise in. It always seems to grow.
And it's interesting match-up-wise, because there are times when I think it's a really good match-up for Algras, in that he can take Zverev off the court and he can exploit the space that Zverev leaves, because he's got great hands and great drop shots. It's just a question of whether he can kind of get the time to play those, because sometimes I've seen Zverev rush Algras, but I think a lot of that is when Algras is a bit stressed.
I think if he's calm and clear in his game plan, I think he's got the game to really exploit Zverev. But it's going to be tricky, because if any match is going to kind of bring out tension, you'd have thought it would be a grand slam file. Is there any scenario in which Algras plays really well, and doesn't do any of the things that we worry about in doing? Mostly, I mean, the slow starts there. Is there any way in which Colossal Algras plays close to his best and doesn't win?
Is the question here about the extent to which Algras shows up? Well, I think so. I think that Zverev's served an 80% day, which is capable of. And he did in Australia. He could get himself to tie breaks if Algras is at his very best. But I also think that that serve might stop Algras playing his best. I think that's one of the things. But in straightforward language, I think there's no chance he loses if he plays his best. Because I think he is the best. You agree?
Yeah. Maybe you know about Jockovich's side. I think, you know, there are things that Jockovich can do to him that nobody else can. And Sinner's got a bit of that too, but I don't see Zverev taking on and beating the best of Algras. Okay, well, we'll find out tomorrow, won't we? The men's final is not before 230 on Philippe Chattrichot before that. At 1130, Saurarani and Jasmine Paulini going for the doubles title against Coco Gough and Catherine Asiniac of it.
Love that. Love that for a women's doubles final. I think that's... What time is that? It's 1130. Exactly the same time as Emily Maraismo's called her press conference. Right. Good planning. Yeah. And midday over on Longland Day, but if you want to get your last taste of Longland, Gifur Jeyanon really cont against Mantel Brahmin and Cedric Peerley. I will... I will step my head in. Throw it there. Will you actually? I will, yeah. I genuinely will miss that court.
That's such champion's tour flashback. I know. I know. But I kind of love a bit of that as an in-small dose is still. And I mean, a lot of fans love it, don't they? But I just... I'm going to miss that place so much for the next year. I have missed it the last few days. I really have. It's lovely commentating. It's lovely being in court, Philippe Chattrichot, but I... my love affair with courtesys on Longland goes on and is only intensified this year. It's a special place for sure.
One more day. One more day of daily Royal Longara spot cars. We'll of course be back tomorrow. We'll have Bichir, our French Open mascot, more excellent Bichir content today. Honestly, at least... At least can take over my job quite frankly on Instagram. Thank you, Elysse. And thank you, Bichir. We have our mascots. I think we all scored points today, didn't we? My mum sent me a message saying, no, hell, Mary from you today then. I said, I don't think even Mary can save me.
So yeah, at poultry points for the dearly departed Darwin for Francis and for Heider and Soma. Billy Jean is sponsored by Billy Jean King and a Lana class. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Jamie Jeff, Greg and Chris. And Matt, it's shout outs. We have Gillian Dobson in North Yorkshire. Hi Gillian. Hello Gillian. Do you know that the Yorkshire Post, the newspaper up there, used to be a...
And I think still does have a place at a Wimbledon like a sort of guaranteed desk at Wimbledon. And the old tennis correspondents was Reg brace. And I was used to see him in the 90s come to all the British tournaments down south. And you know, they covered the sport fantastically. I did not know that. So there you are. Me either. Now you do. Any tennis Gillians? Gillian has found us one. Oh well done Gillian. That is what I was hoping to hear.
Gillian Uzmol, French, current ranking, 985. Good work Gillian. You're working, Gillian, very much. Thank you. We've got Pauline in Alexandria, Virginia. Like Pauline Pamanthier. Very good. Absolutely. Hi Pauline. Another Virginia, president. They're... They're... They're ranking up. They're being second only to New Jersey. Love that. Thank you Pauline. And we've got Alex Eldridge in Sidenham. London. Sidenham. That's... I wonder if Alex is a member of Sidenham tennis club.
That's why my brother used to play. Like Alex Corretcher, who walked into our commentary box while we were live on air to do an Instagram live of his own. So we were kind of live and live at the same time. That's very meta. Alex Dimonore. Yep. And Alex is a big raffer fan. So requested her a role on Gareth. Shout out. Oh, that's very nice. Love that. Thank you Alex. Thank you to all of our shout outs today. Gillian, Alex. And who's the first one? Pauline. Pauline Pamanthier, second one.
Not Pamanthier. We know what you mean. Yeah. Our Pauline. Gillian, Pauline and Alex. Thank you all ever so much. Thank you to everybody that supports the tennis podcast. We hope you're enjoying what we're doing. We're certainly enjoying doing it for you. And we'll be back one more time tomorrow. Neat new glasses or want a fresh new style? Warby Parker has you covered. Glasses started just 95 bucks, including anti-reflective scratch-resistant prescription lenses that block 100% of UV rays.
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We're talking rest stops. If we're stopping to get gas, you will be timed. Misguided plans, I grew up in the city, so I have like, you know, a healthy fear of real extreme darkness. A lot of laughs. Y'all weird. But you, you, you were different. And so much more. Like, listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.