Here's a cool fact. A crocodile can't stick out its tongue. Another cool fact? You can get short-term health insurance for a month or just under a year in some states. United health care short-term insurance plans are designed for people who are between jobs, coming off their parents plan or turning a side hustle into a full-time gig. Underwritten by Golden Rule Insurance Company, they offer flexible budget-friendly coverage with access to a nationwide network of doctors and hospitals. Get more cool facts about United Health Care short-term plans at UH1.com.
Quality sleep is essential. That's why the sleep number smart bed is designed for your ever-evolving sleep needs. Need a bed that's firmer or softer on either side? Helps you sleep at a comfortable temperature? Sleep number smart beds let you individualize your comfort, so you sleep better together. JD Power Rink Sleep Number 1 in customer satisfaction with mattresses purchased in-store. And now, save 50% on the sleep number limited edition smart bed for a limited time.
For JD Power 2023 award information, visit JD Power dot com slash awards. Only at a sleep number store or sleep number dot com. Hi, this is Billie Jean King. This is Mayan Bhattoti. I'm Matt Vellander. 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 day six of Roland Garros 2024 where it's 8.15pm and you find the three of us in the media restaurant. Recording here for the first time this tournament, but not for the first time overall because Matt, it's giving 2019 Roland Garros when you and I used to come here most days.
Bright Simer brings with beers to be a David Law standing because those were the days before David Law had ever been to Roland Garros. Yeah, that's right. These are better days now that David Law has been to Roland Garros. You don't need to bribe me. It's so hard to believe there was ever a time when this place didn't have David Law in it. I know it's wild really. All you need to bribe me with is like Carrentan Mute.
Well, I'm not sure who's more excited about the fact that his match has been moved to Roland Garros. That's in his future getting a court named after him. But yeah, his matches have been moved to Long Glen and he's done an Instagram post saying, let's go, which was basically what David's face said when I told him that.
Yes, so we were recording part one kind of at the end of the day session, although frankly, deliniation between day and night session everywhere other than chat trays, just not a thing due to, yeah, you guessed it rain. We've had a couple of rain delays already today. There may yet be more. So the night session on chat tray is shortly to get underway. Colours Alcras taking on Sebastian quarter.
We'll be covering that in part to Rainer shine, no matter what happens and all the other results that we've still yet to see because there's a lot of tennis still to be played and court to being moved around. There's all sorts of who are going on. Carrentan Mute finds himself on Long Glen again. It's going to be a kind of lock in under the roof, I think, and David's face is lighting up just at the thought of it.
Absolutely. I mean, I've spent most of the day there. I may as well spend the evening there too. You too can do Colours Alcras. Let's cover what we've already seen today. I wanted to start with Eagish Yantech 6462 for her today of Marie Busk of a match. You watched most of this match from the press seat. I didn't see a ball of it because I was covering Onster Burr over on Long Glen, but you and I have just both come from her press conference, which I found very interesting.
But first, let's talk a bit about the match. Tell me things. She played well. Everyone was just a little bit intrigued by this match because it was the one after the Naomi Osaka match. Just questions like, what kind of form is she in? Will there be any sort of hangover from that match? She pretty much quashed those questions straight away, jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the first set, then had a little wobble and actually lost her double break.
Her backhand went off for a period, but she quickly got it back. Busk of a is a flatheader of the ball. She definitely falls into that category, but she's not a powerful flatheader of the ball. She's unable to trouble the Ishvion Tech in the way that some other players are. I thought Ishvion Tech was very impressive. You just see the difference. Busk of a fine tennis player, and she is having to work so hard just to win games against Ishvion Tech on this surface.
It wasn't, I don't think, Ishvion Tech's best performance of all time, but it was pretty impressive as a follow-up to the Osaka one. Another match ticked off on this incredible streak that she's on now, having one or two titles coming in here, and she's looking pretty good. So is today's performance a problematic data point for your theory, your working theory about Ishvion Tech?
I was very happy with you, you were putting this up. Not yet. I think it really shows how well Naomi Osaka was playing. As I said the other day, Ishvion Tech came out playing well against the Osaka, but Osaka managed to meet that level and rise above it for long periods. There are bigger tests to come for Ishvion Tech. I think Potapova in the next round is definitely a pretty good draw, I would say.
Ishvion Tech is in the fourth round of a slam, and we spoke about yesterday the fact that Collins is gone. Most likely it's going to be Maketa Von Droschiver in the quarterfinals for Ishvion Tech, which match up wise doesn't seem like that. Ishvion Tech is a problem to me, Von Droschiver is not tall in the mold of player that we get worried about on Ishvion Tech's behalf, but equally I don't want to be in the business of making Maketa Von Droschiver related predictions.
I think things are good for Ishvion Tech, and I certainly think it's possible that she is going to absolutely squash the theory here. As she kind of said in her press the other day, I can't improve necessarily on other surfaces when I'm not playing well, but I bat myself to do it on clay.
She said that after the Asakum, I'm going to play better in this tournament, I know I am because it's clay underneath my feet, and we know how good she is when she gets deep in tournaments. Good day for Ishvion Tech, bad day for the theory perhaps.
Maketa Von Droschiver didn't come up in press just now when Ishvion Tech was asked who the toughest opponent she's ever faced in her career has been. In fact, she could only come up with two. She kind of tried, I'd have to say, Rina Sabalenko and Lane Rebakner, and she said some nice things about them.
She said they've improved with me as I've improved, which is a good line. She kind of panicked a little bit, and obviously didn't want to imply that other players had an improved either. She was like, obviously lots of others have two and have been tough, and then she sort of tried to list some and came up a bit short. I did find it interesting that the Elena Rostepenko didn't get a mention there.
Yeah, and there was a, maybe a subtle reference to that because she said that Sabalenko and Rebakner are consistent. I was thinking, I know someone who isn't, but who is a problem for you? She is consistent against you. I was kind of surprised that Ashbathsie maybe didn't get a mention, and maybe that's a pointer to, like, she sees herself as like two halves of her career so much. She won a Grand Slam in the Ashbath era, but once Barthi retired, Shifante became such a different player.
As Streeke started, she became the dominant number one that she's been for the last couple of years, and it's kind of like she was talking about that period of her career, and in that period, yeah, it has been Rebakner and Sabalenko most consistently threatening her. This bed not be the start of Ashbathie Arraja. I don't think it is. I actually know, I think, I imagine when she's put in that position, she can only think of current players.
I would imagine that's how the mind works in that situation. It does, again, I'm going to make sure this isn't today of Ashbathie Arraja. It does show how good Ashbathie was, because I've never really had this thought before, but it's just come to me. Barthi's not tall in the mold of player that we talk about now as causing Shifante's problems, but she did.
I think of players with a sliced back can. You don't want to do that against Shifante, but Barthi's slice was so good that even that works against her. I wouldn't be good to be out of seat now. I can think about that. With Ego, like she is now, because she is a different player. I think Shifante wants that to... It's a 23rd Barth day. Today, happy Barth day. Ego Shifante, I said that to her in press.
I asked her to imagine an alternate universe where she doesn't celebrate her Barth day every year while attempting to win Roland Garros, because obviously she's very used to that. And injury permitting, she's going to continue to celebrate her Barth day here for a very long time. And what I was getting at with the question was imagine an alternate universe where you're not a tennis player and you get to have a normal 23 year old Barth day.
But I did find it very interesting that she didn't take the question that way. She took it as... It was almost like she couldn't conceive of that alternate universe where she wasn't a tennis player or where she lived any kind of normal life. She took it as she said, well, if I wasn't here, I'd just be at home practicing. So I might as well be here trying to win a tournament. And that was insightful in itself, I think.
Yeah. And she said that tennis will always be more important than her Barth day. And that's kind of an insightful thing as well. And she did a low-key flex when she was talking about the fact that... because Charlie Acroche asked her about what her sort of routine is for watching tennis or not watching tennis when she's at an event. And she said she never watches it. And then Charlie asked about all that other events.
And she kind of basically said that she's always at an event because she was just well in them. But she doesn't have downtime because she's always at the end. And especially now with these two weekmasters, like that's two weeks of being at an event. And I thought, yeah, for her point, you are basically always in the last stage of this tournament. And Charlie followed up by asking, do you not even watch tennis to scout opponents?
And she said no because I'm really bad at tactically analysing matches when I watch them. And Charlie and I discussed this a little bit afterwards. I thought, I find that really hard to believe. I mean, maybe she meant relatively bad, like relative to her coach, Thomas Wickerowski, whose job it is to do that. But I simply can't believe that Eagish Ranteck is a bad tactical analyst. Do you think it's a Glenn Hoddle thing of, well, if I play my best, I don't need tactics.
My tactic is to play well. I could imagine she's pretty brilliant at it with players other than herself in the equation, if that makes sense. I could see how other players match up against each other. But when it's yourself, I don't know whether you can necessarily apply it in quite the same way. Yeah, and I think it's just part of her strategy to just take that element away. Like she doesn't want to be worrying about that. That's what her team is there for.
Out sourcing, Catherine, you should be a big fan. Yeah, I have a big fan of outsourcing, Fav. I just didn't like to hear her say, I'm bad at it. I felt like saying you'd probably be really good at it if you had to do it. It's great that you can outsource it. I do think there have been times when I've watched Eagish Ranteck matches and actually thought, gosh, why aren't you changing your game a bit?
You keep doing the same thing. Perhaps that is just a little bit of a blind spot that she's got, maybe tactically adjusting in matches. I'm sure she's done it loads of times where she has tactically adjusted. They have just a few that come to mind where she keeps doing the same thing and maybe it doesn't come off. I do think that it's also slightly been in a way coached out of her. I think she used to be a much more tactical player.
When she first broke through, she used to use a lot more variety. Now it's very much this is how I play. I think that clear thinking is helpful for her and allows her to crush opponents. Maybe it does lead to a little bit of inflexibility sometimes. It's really interesting. Another player that won today and gave good press conference was on the Jabburr.
Beat Leyla Fernandez, 6476, David, we watched this on Longland under the roof. I mean, I was marveling at Ones Jabburr's performance and generally the quality of this match. I was also just marveling at that roof. I know we've talked about how brilliant it is, but I was so struck today because it's freezing in Paris today. It's such a miserable day. We were still freezing under the roof. We felt as if we were outdoors, which was miserable, but is what you want under a roof.
I don't think that court could be improved now. The only thing it lacks was a roof, but the fear was you stick a roof on it. It changes and takes its beauty and wonderfulness away. It's just provided a solution and if anything, it's elevated the experience. It was a good crowd in there. It wasn't absolutely jam packed, but it was seven eighths full pretty much.
I just felt that everybody was dialed in, especially when we got to the latter stages. They've had good matches before these two. They've played three times before. They've always gone three sets. Jabburr had won them all. Even though this one was straight sets for the first time, it was still close. It was a tie break in the second set. The moment Jabburr came out of the court, she got such a warm reception from that crowd. There were a lot of Tunisian flags in it.
But also, just generally, I think people have appreciated her over the years and there's an understanding of her story, particularly last year after Wimbledon, how much she suffered, how much she struggled and failed to turn up, something that she's not shied away from at all. The joy was back. The shot making was back. It wasn't just drop shots. This was the sort of stuff she was doing at Wimbledon where she was taking on ground strokeers and believing that she could get the better off them.
It wasn't without bumps in the road. She could definitely have lost that second set. She didn't. Afterwards in the press conference room, she basically said that's the best I've played all year. And then I was just curious because she's sort of been building, rebuilding her form, her physique because of the new problems she's had, her belief in herself this year.
Whether she felt she'd got anywhere after the documentary that we all saw and reviewed for Friends of the Tunis podcast earlier this year, where she let us in on the full depths of despair that she'd been in around that Wimbledon final. How she'd frozen. She'd frozen on the biggest day of her life and she just couldn't handle it and she's totally open about that fact. She was made to watch that match back on camera in a documentary that we all saw.
And I was just curious, had she found a way to think that if I ever get to that point in the grand sum again, am I going to be able to handle it this time? You know, it's a long way away, isn't it? It's another three matches you should have to win just to get to that point from where she is right now in the last 16. But I like the fact that she's not showing away. She said I think about it when I'm in bed at night and try to work out what would I do differently next time.
And at the end of that documentary, we're introduced to another psychologist that is going to work with her and try to find some solutions with her. And I just find her story so easy to invest myself in and I really hope it comes for her. And she's not showing away from anything. That is on the job through and through.
She deserves so much credit for that. In her pre-tornament press conference, she was asked about scheduling inequality here at the French Open. She didn't shy away from talking about how disappointed she is in that situation. She was asked about it again in French today and she spoke just as strongly if not more so. She said it makes her sad to see the inequalities.
She's not a despondent about it because she feels positive about the ability to have an impact and keep having conversations and keep pushing for change. But the current situation makes her sad and she has said that now three times, so far this tournament. Each time she's been asked about it, she's given a strong answer.
She was asked today about the war in Gaza and she didn't shy away from talking about that either in how deeply, deeply distressing it is for her and obviously for so many people. And how sad she is that so few people are talking about it. And we bemoan tennis players for being, while we're understanding about it, we do bemoan tennis players being tunneled, visioned and refusing to kind of have...
Refusing to speak up for anything that doesn't impact their immediate fortunes on the tennis court, I suppose. And here's Ones Jaber doing that on a number of different fronts. Potentially to the detriment of her tennis, who knows? She's taking a lot of extra burden on her shoulders by speaking about this stuff. She took the microphone in her uncle interview today to talk about being a role model for young Tunisians, young people from the Arab world, particularly young women.
And thank to all the Tunisian supporters that were in the crowd today. There were huge Tunisian flags and obviously there's an enormous North African population here in France and in Paris. She receives an awful lot of support here, but those things come with weight as well. And I think she's felt that way. Maybe it's contributed to the freezing sometimes. Who knows?
But she's going to keep doing it because that's who she is and I think she deserves tremendous credit for that. So Well done Ones Jaber. She David plays Clara Towson next. Who got a Kraken win today against Sophia Kennin. I did not expect that. I mean, it was going on at the same time as Jaber, so I didn't see it. But I was surprised by the results and it was straight sets. Second one was close. But afterwards Catherine, you and I went into her press comments.
And it seems to me that she has over the course of the last few years as she's been trying to transition from really great junior and somebody burst on the scene to an adult on an adult tennis tour. She has worked a few things out and I suppose it's easiest to say that when you've just reached the last 16 of the grandstand for the first time. But the gist is she's not going to try to be what she isn't. And she's not fleet of foot. She's not got quick silver feet like Igor Fionte.
But she has got bruising power and she actually name checked Arena Sabile Encorra's her role model and somebody she wants to try to hit the ball like she says, I know I'm not as good as her, but I have easy power. And that's who I am now on a tennis court and I'm going to do that. I'm going to simplify things and not try to be better at everything. Just, you know, prove those strengths.
She kind of said, I've just always had that power of both wings. Didn't she? She said, she said, kind of never had to try at that. And that's what when I saw her against Jennifer Brady that time, what was it four years ago here. I came into that with thinking about Brady's enormous forehand and the damage it could do. I remember I picked her for the title, hadn't I that year, or the final. And she lost first round to Clara Tasser. And she was getting pushed around by this teenager's power.
And I was really surprised and taken her back and taken in by it. And it's been a rocky road since then. A lot of injuries. But this is a really good run. There was also a throw away, but incredibly weighty remark she made in there and responsible for your question, David. She was talking about the injury she's had, but she said, as a woman, I've had to grow into my body.
That was a big part of the transition from juniors to seniors and finding my feet in the professional game. And I do think that is something that is not talked about enough for women in that age group.
That's due to a number of reasons. I think it's a very, very under-researched area. I'm quite sure a lot of injuries that women sustain, female athletes sustain around that period. A linked to that kind of thing. It makes me think of female figure skaters and how jumping technique often goes completely off around the age of 18.
You have figure skaters that are jumping machines that suddenly are falling on triples. They used to be able to do in their sleep. And it's because they're center of gravity and weight balance in their body completely changes over a sort of six month period. They basically have to learn a new jumping technique and quite often that's simply not possible. Now obviously figure skating is quite a different sport, but I can see similarities.
I felt like there was quite a lot in that, actually, that comment that she made. I didn't want to put her on the spot about it, but I have made a mental note to, you know, she keeps making progress if we get to know her better, like to talk to her about that more. Absolutely. It'll get a good test against Jiburr, won't it? Fascinating contrast between a true power player and somebody who can throw a power player off with all sorts of stuff.
Totally. And I think, I think on Jiburr in the kind of form she was in today, I think would quite like that matchup is my instinct. I have to say, I don't see the Savileanka comparison. I think it's easy to say power player likes Savileanka, Savileanka is relentless with her power off both wings all the time and she's got that footwork. To me it's a bit more re-backing.
I was going to say, I was surprised she didn't say re-backing her. She made the comment about, you know, how she likes to watch other tennis players that are like herself. And I was poised to ask for the microphone to press her on who she was talking about but she actually volunteered it without needing to be pressed. And I was very shocked she didn't say re-backing her. That's the more obvious comparison for me.
And Savileanka's shots, you know, are 4 and he's loaded with tops being as well. And I don't think Towsons is quite to that extent. And also just the force of Savileanka's personality is such a part of how she plays tennis. You've been in the room, Matt, excuse me, Clara. I think you've got that wrong. You know, there's four years you've just been learning about your game and yourself and your body. I think you've been doing it wrong. You need a tweak.
Okay, so you're birthed to face Towson. Another fourth round match that's been set up today is Marquetta Von Drescher, who very much says hi. And Olga Dinilevich, who's backed up her win yesterday over Daniel Collins by coming back less than 24 hours later to beat Donna Vechich, Love 6, 75, 76, 10, 8 in the third set. And if I've learned anything about Olga Dinilevich over the last 24 hours, it's you have to put that woman away while you have a chance.
Yeah, I mean, those are two really tough opponents who were fighting tooth and nerve in Daniel Collins and Donna Vechich. And she, you know, even more than against Collins, she was on the back foot, losing her first set to 6 love. And then she was turning around time between coming off the court about 6 or 7 p.m. last night and starting the day at 11 o'clock in her next match, that is a tough ask.
And Vechich was taken into the cleaners. And she hasn't got long to turn on around, you know, and it was just a question of digging in, keeping up on the serve, staying in there. Even until the last point, Vechich really should have won that match because she had the advantage all the way through, including the 10 point tie break, all credit to Dinilevich because that is gutsy stuff. Yeah, Vechich, so for it twice, 5, 4 and 6, 5 in the final set, had a 6-2 lead in the tie break.
And it looks crazy match, a 3-hour match that included a 6-love set. I mean, it was absolutely bonkers how this match turned both from the fact that it was kind of easy for Donna Vechich in the first set. It became easy for no one. And obviously Olga Dinilevich turned it in her favour. And I thought it was interesting in her press conference afterwards. She kind of said that she had a huge reaction today after the win. She was very emotional on court and, you know, she's absolutely right to be.
That's a huge moment in her career, but it was kind of a huge moment yesterday as well. And it was interesting the contrast in reactions. And I think she knew that she kind of couldn't afford to take it in yesterday because she knew she was going to be back out again today. And so she said, yesterday it was all about, you know, I didn't even look at my phone really afterwards. It was all about, God, I just get ready for today's match.
Whereas today, now she's got day off tomorrow. She can actually allow herself to just take it in and kind of appreciate what she's done here, which is, as David said, two wins over formidable opponents. And yeah, all credit to it. Another kind of variety against power match up in the fourth round there. The last women's round of 16 match set up today, Coco Gough against Elizabetha, Coturetto.
She beat some son of her on Longland in the first match of the day today, 7662. And it was, it was lovely stuff from Coturetto afterwards, wasn't it? This is huge for her. Yeah, she has a smile that lights up the place and and and a manner as well, you know, she she was just really endearing with the crowd trying to speak French to them and and they were loving it as well.
Yeah, great great moment and and actually really nice in the match that will come on to talk about with Mateo Arnelldi, who followed that he actually referenced her and his speech afterwards or his interview and said, you know, we've known each other since we were 11 years old. It's lovely. Yeah, she spoke about Mateo Arnelldi a lot more willingly than Mateo Arnelldi spoke about her in his post-match press conference.
He did not one David, not two, but three, I've answered this before in his press conference. And I have to say that once again, all good and innovative, you've got asked about Jockevich and said once again, I've answered this ability in times including yesterday. I wasn't in the room folks, it wasn't me. But then again, she gave a very nice answer. Yeah, and so did Mateo Arnelldi, who's a really nice answer, but just just did it out the first bit guys. Yeah, come on, stop saying that.
Yeah, he was asked a few things that he said, I've answered this before too, but one of them was about Italian tennis and his place within this cohort of players that are all a very similar age. He is exactly the same age as Cotuoretto, they grew up together, you know, we're playing juniors together, age 11.
That's a great story that's really lovely and you cannot expect every journalist at a Grand Slam tournament to know that story and even if they do, they might want you to tell it again for fresh quotes. And you know, there are TV channels out there who don't have the rights for the rest of the year, they may not have it banked that you've said it in the past and be able to play it out.
You've got to say it so they can get it and play it for their viewers and their listeners are wherever they are and I know it's frustrating, but that's your job folks. But as with Dylan Levitche, he did give a lovely answer and that is a really nice element to this Italian story. There were less nice elements to the match though, now the beating Rubelev 766, 6264, Simon Briggs was trying to write a story about this and he jokingly tossed out the headline,
Salki 6th seed suffers sad setback in a kind of headline madlibs moment. I actually think that's a bit light hearted really for what we saw from Rubelev today. It was disturbing from him and from his press conference quotes afterwards, he was disturbed as disturbed as anybody else by his behavior today.
Well, I mean just to tell you what it was like being in the stadium, I mean he, first of all, we saw the moment that he lost the first set on the TV before we left and have to say what an extraordinary move from Matteo Arnelli to gallop up to the ball and somehow whip this full hand passie shot past him in a way that just didn't seem possible, it didn't seem on.
And at that moment, I think we all thought, okay, we've got a match on here because toe to toe, you would expect Rubelev should get the better of this guy and with all the record and the stuff he's won in the past. But Arnelli has got something special and he then just took over. He took over the match and Rubelev looked a full lawn figure and then that look of being full lawn changed.
It changed to that storm cloud that sometimes hangs over his head and then erupts in the most violent way inwardly. He smashed his racket repeatedly on the ground at one stage, he kicked the side boardings. But I think it was in the third set that we're referring to and the crowd would have served by it because he missed a shot and he did what we've seen him do before, which is to smash his own leg repeatedly with his racket frame as hard as he possibly could.
As if he was trying to hammer a nail in and the crowd started to boo and whistle because it's disturbing. It's upsetting to see it if you've got kids in that crowd, you're not going to want them seeing that. And at the same time I'm deeply worried for him because what is going through his mind that would make him want to do that to himself. Then more violent racket smashers and I feel for him, I really do, but it's got to change this behaviour. I don't know how but somebody's got to get to him.
He's worried for him too, David. He said I'm completely disappointed with myself the way I behave, the way I performed and I don't remember behaving worse in a slam ever. He said the problem is the head that today basically I kill myself and that's it. I think it's not about concentration. I think it's because the way I behave I put myself completely down and I gave Mateo wings to fly. And he was flying in the third set, unbelievable. It was too late to do something.
And then this is particularly revealing I think he's asked about trigger points. Can you identify what it was that sent you over the edge into that dark place that you just described David and he said it was out of nowhere. Again, I collapsed with myself, I get emotional, I lost my serve and then I lost it completely. And I basically almost and then he stopped himself and he said almost no, not almost I tanked the second set.
And then it was too late because then he started to play unbelievable when you're doing those things normally it's tough to come back. And I feel the same as you David, I really feel for him and I feel for him the most that like how can he even start to figure this problem out if he doesn't know what's causing it if he doesn't know what the trigger points are if it feels like that dark storm cloud can appear above him in his own words out of nowhere.
It was actually the final question the press conference was about whether he had ever considered journaling or anything like that and it was basically a hard no to that. He didn't, he wasn't dismissive of the concept of it but it was very clear that nothing in that genre had ever had ever been something he'd considered.
He was like no, I felt fine before the match, you know what good can that do you mean but it is tough to watch this guy that's clearly clearly good people and a great tennis player. It's tough to watch him do this himself. Yeah it is, I got a real pang of sadness actually when I was out in the stadium with David and he was physically harming himself and the crowd was booing.
It was a very very difficult scene and just a, well David kind of said afterwards as we left that was uncomfortable it was weird because you had rouble of down one end and then on the other end you had Arnellde and kind of one of the best photos of the tournament I've seen is Arnellde celebrating after was leaping into the air with joy and it's kind of realised I've never really seen rouble of have a moment like that.
I know he's one stuff but it's relief in him isn't it? Yeah, relief from the suffering. Yeah, yeah it was really sad. Okay that's pretty bleak. Can I talk a little bit more about Arnellde as a game? He's got Stefano Sitzapas next and Stefano Sitzapas absolutely flying today brilliant performance to win very comprehensively against Jun Giseng and look I think Sitzapas is the best.
I think Sitzapas is the favourite in that he's such a great clay court player and things are really clicking right now but I do love watching Arnellde. I think someone on the barge today said that the Italian commentators describe him as a rubber wall which I think is a brilliant description because he does have that capacity to just get balls back his defence is unbelievable but it's not a concrete wall.
He is rubbery he is able to stretch and you know. Newly. Yeah and that shot he hit at the end of the first set literally kind of on the run full splits like not many players can do that but he's also got power you know over 50 winners today and just a three set max he can he can pack a punch himself.
So yeah I've really enjoyed watching Arnellde in the last nine months or so and I think he's just getting better I think you know he was chosen wasn't he in the Davis Cup to sort of be their number two alongside Sinner and obviously that went brilliantly as well and yeah there's a real momentum behind this group of Italians at the moment it feels like I mean we'll see what Lorenzo Mazzetti does tomorrow against Jacović but right now it feels like Arnellde stepped into the role of number two.
Number two Italian with Baratini out injured Mazzetti struggling I think Arnellde right now is kind of the guy behind Sinner and he got me 45 points and he's less of predictions. 45 yeah thanks Mateo that is a lot. It's good Nick. It's a good pick. Are you saying he can trouble sit to pass in this form can sit to pass his playing good. He's playing good. He's playing very well and he looks there's an air of confidence about him. He's carrying himself differently to how he was.
That's good to see him do it man. If I had to predict I would probably say sit to pass him four but I think Arnellde will show a lot of good things in that match but I think it's a pass of it too strong.
Last result from the day to touch upon before we wrap up for part two and go and watch some of Carlos Alcarez and all the various other things that are going on David is not disguising the fact that he's distracted by the moment I'm mutated on the screen over my left shoulder very well at all a Yennex in a beating Pavel Kotov Pavel. Do we have things to say or is it exactly the match that we expected?
I think both. It's exactly the match that I expected. Honestly if you look at the stat sheet it looks like Kotov played pretty well. His numbers are really quite good but Sinner just took his chances. Very efficient. There was an absolutely fantastic volley that he played in the third set to help him get the crucial break. The thing I found interesting is up until this year only once had Sinner gone through the first three rounds of a major without dropping a set.
He's done it in back to back slams now Australia and here and obviously his ranking is better so his draw is likely to be better but I think that's just a sign of his improvement. He's not doing things in the first week of slams that Jockovich and Nadal Federer have been doing for years. Just taking care of opponents efficiently and that is fairly new for Yennex.
It feels like maybe it isn't but it is fairly new and I think he's did it in Australia. He's done it again here and he needed it because he came into this event with some real question marks and suddenly it feels like those question marks aren't quite as big. It feels like Yennex Sinner is ready now for a real charge on this time to the second week.
He would face Cornton Mute in the fourth round if Cornton Mute can fight through again Sebastian Offner. Let's find out if that happens. We'll see you in potty. Many of us have those stubborn pounds that seem impossible to lose no matter how good we eat or how hard we work out. My solution is Plushcare. Plushcare is a leading telehealth provider with doctors who are there for you day and night to partner with you in your weight loss journey.
They can prescribe FDA-approved weight loss medications like Wagovie and Zeppound for those who qualify. Plus they accept most insurance plans. To get started visit plushcare.com slash weight loss. That's plushcare.com slash weight loss. One size fits all seems like a good idea for clothes until you try them on. Same goes for healthcare. That's why United Healthcare offers flexible, budget-friendly coverage for medical, vision, dental and more. Learn more at UH1.com.
Quality sleep is essential. That's why the sleep number smart bed is designed for your ever-evolving sleep needs. Need a bed that's firmer or softer on either side helps you sleep at a comfortable temperature. Sleep number smart beds let you individualize your comfort. So you sleep better together. JD Power Rinks sleep number number one in customer satisfaction with mattresses purchased in-store.
And now save 50% on the sleep number limited edition smart bed for a limited time. For JD Power 2023 award information visit JD Power dot com slash awards. Only at a sleep number store or sleep number dot com. Welcome back to part two and welcome to tennis podcast hours where it's now 24 minutes past 11 and we've just finished watching a race between Carlos Alcaraz and quarantine Mute to see who can beat their respective Sebastian's first.
I think the race was one marginally by seconds by Carlos Alcaraz who was just beaten Sebastian quarter 647663. We're going to start off by talking about this one David if you can contain your Mute excitement for just a few minutes. I'll try. He may not succeed but he shall try valiantly because we need to talk about that performance from Carlos Alcaraz that's the performance we needed to see from him to restore confidence and it is absolutely clearly the performance he needed from himself.
Yeah, totally and you can tell that just by his demeanor in his well kind of throughout the match really because he was following up lots of his great shots with that little smirk on his face that he does which we all love.
And looking to his box with a with a glint in his eye you know knowing that he's pulled off something special and then in his post match interview as well sort of continuing that that good vibe and yeah this was really a great performance and does make me think back to his second round press conference where he said that no don't worry things are fine.
I just didn't play well today and frankly I wasn't entirely convinced by that at the time I thought given what we know about the arm I thought maybe there were some bigger issues at play but it makes me think that maybe just did have an off day. A couple of days ago against Jesper the young because this was very different maybe not brilliant at the start they sort of traded breaks and it was quite close but the end of the first set he accelerated away start of the second set he got.
It was then a tough end to the second set quarter really fought hard and pushed him but he he came through those tests and then race through the third set and all throughout it was just a match that was littered with some great shot making a 109 mile an hour forehand at one point I mean if that's not his 100% I don't know what is.
And then just loads of great drop shots off the forehand or the backhand you name it he was coming up with it and just a really encouraging performance and yet I still think you know he can get even better from there wasn't was an absolute peak there was there were moments where he can he can get better so I think we should temper it by saying you know we did see a bad performance two days ago and it's possible he could fluctuate and put in another one.
I think that is still there with Carlos Alcarez but I'm very encouraged that he's just capable of playing like this I was beginning to wonder whether maybe the arm would prevent us seeing a performance like this but this was fantastic. Yeah I actually think it was better or more important and more significant than a than a trouncing would have been the just sort of perfect performance against weak opposition because he was a bit tested tonight.
There was no massive jeopardy but he was tested by Sebastian Gordon I think that's important that he's passing tests that's important for his confidence and he did have dips in the match I think he had a dip at the start of the second set didn't he had a break he lost the break but I think that's better for him than not having the dips as well because he is a player that is going to have dips he's naturally naturally up.
Naturally up and down isn't he I think it's good that he gets some experience into his muscles of having dips and steadying the ship learning to steady the ship is critical for Alcarez because he's going to hit rocky waters in five set matches with his style of play.
Exactly exactly that's I think a real tell for Carlos Alcarez if he can not let the dips become troughs and that was absolutely the case tonight and yeah I felt like he was having just the right amount of fun like there was discipline mixed with fun and that's that's the sweet spot for Alcarez and yeah I mean we could tell from the performance from his expressions after certain shots and rallies that
he was feeling it tonight but if there were any doubt his post match interview with Matt Svalanda has absolutely informed us how much he was feeling it and how relieved and renewed he is by that performance he was he was asked how did how did Matt's put it Matt he said it was it was something to do with whether he was worried about
Sebastian Corder great player and he said not worried he said not at all yeah not really said I know my skills yeah his whole demeanor when he's playing his best that smirk at his support team is did you see what I just did he see how good I am I mean I mean it's amazing isn't it and even in his interview right there I haven't watched the match but in his interview with Matt's there it's like yeah I mean if you say no good I am
it's great and now he's currently we're watching him on the screen here in an interview with Marion Bartley on on on prime in France and he's he's being shown the highlights of himself back and it is the biggest green I've ever seen he's going to go home and watch that on YouTube again for sure we can't tell you who Carlos Alcarez is going to play next because we don't know the two remaining singles matches on the outside
courts were in fact suspended shortly after be recorded part one so that is Felix Ojele a seam and Ben Shelton as Ojele a seam was about to serve for the first set when they were called off the rain and eventually suspended it's the winner of that match that will face Carlos Alcarez in the fourth round and of course they'll be a bit of a disadvantage because they won't have had a day
off but they're young they'll be fine not quite as young as Carlos but it's a pretty mouthwatering prospect isn't it I mean I think it particularly just selfishly I mean I do like Felix Ojele a seam and I would enjoy seeing how that match went but the idea of seeing Ben Shelton up against Alcarez here at the French Open or anywhere yeah but I think the sport is ready
for that we I don't know whether we've seen that match at all I don't know whether they've played I can't remember them playing and I just I want to see Shelton against everyone really he's that kind of character that having been said I think he's got his work kind of as you say he's a breakdown there I mean I did you say that once that's that one being put on long then yes tomorrow as a second match isn't it started on tomorrow
sure today it's moved to Longland tomorrow because there's still the possibility of rain tomorrow and putting on Longland ensures that it will be played I will be there yeah if I had to name to sort of young male players that I love watching the most that I would watch them against anyone you know when when they're the draw for me it's it's Alcarez and Shelton for David it's current
and Mute he's in there I mean look he he's got the young he's what mid 20s I suppose early 20s yes look he he is there are levels in in sport and and he is he does not warrant being spoken about in the same breath as the people you've just been speaking about in terms of what they're capable of actually achieving this tournament or frankly any
tournament he's going to have limitations he's going to run into a wall at some point and it's likely not to happen I suspect that is going to be in the next round against Yannick Sinett who's just that type of player who I just don't think will allow him to do the stuff that he does with any great effect but let me tell you what he does against people who aren't as good as that is just totally intoxicating and infectious and you put it in front of a
look it only really works for me in front of a French crowd I find it mildly irritating a lot of the time I thought it was great fun when he was doing it in at the start of the year in the South American swing and he was doing it against Nicholas Jerry in Chile which is you know it's quite a move isn't it and and and and that's what he was doing and and that was fun but he has this
crowd this country eating out of the palm of his hand when he's playing it's impossible not to go with him and they don't need much invitation but he's perfect because he's big although he's a small a short guy he's he's got big shoulders to carry that expectation with him I don't know how well it'll work on Philip Chattria the biggest court at this place when it's 15,000 people but it doesn't feel quite salowed and quite so on top of you here his opponent Sebastian
often who's played too successive five set matches coming back to win from two sets to love down and I think that that started to become a feature later on but he just he'd got so much against him today and Mute is he's drop shot in every few balls he's hitting slices it's like watching an exaggerated
version of John McEnroe in terms of playing a different shot every single time he hits the ball whether it's a loopy forehand left handed cross court with sort of sidespin whether it's a short slice to bring somebody and whether he floats one of the
baseline whether he does the fake forehand drop shot and actually pushes it instead or just relentlessly drop shotting and then lobbing I mean it's very entertaining to watch in itself and I think there's something about a player who wins a point with a passing shot or a lob that brings an even bigger roar from a crowd where because there's that holding of the breath when they're going side to side and you don't know whether it's
a nation and suddenly the players at the net and then you finish with this flourish of a passing shot and the crowd would just roaring him on and singing La Marseille's and and it was some I felt very lucky tonight. We received a voice note of David on long-lend listening to a chorus of La Marseille's from the what 10,000 fans inside long-lend and we received it just Matt and I just as we were starting to climb the the five lights of stairs up to the
moment due to the broken lift it's still broken folks and it really really powered us up. Not for the first time David's timing was impeccable. Yeah we needed to rescue exactly. Yeah I have a question about content Moote David because it strikes me that to be as successful as he is given everything that goes on in his matches he has to be really talented.
But the same time do you think that sometimes he holds himself back with all the sort of histrionics that goes on like could he be even better than he is just on talent alone or do you think maybe in a way he needs some of that to.
Yeah I think it's tough to know where the balance lies. Very good question I don't know whether just in a sort of run of the Miltonis match he is going to be as effective and whether that sort of shot selection of options that he's got is really going to work I think it works particularly well on clay.
He's sliding around and he's able to chase his retrieval skills extraordinary but you know he's like a Catherine he likes a better he needs a bit of vibe you know to to really get going and I understand that I think if you put him in certain
stadium where there's just nobody around I think he tends to then fall out with the opponent and the umpire more often than he does here where actually it was a great vibe between him and often I mean often to stomach three under arm serves in two games and two of
three won a point and the third should a one point he's got the best one of any player I've seen he he's sort of takes his service stance and then he just slices it viciously before you even know he's he's really not doing a full service action and then you're in at the net and then he just passes you it's it's really clearly calculated combination of shots to win a point and often a fair play to him he just smiled back at him and just kind of went too good
mate he hit 12 tonight apparently 12 and Ram says 12 and one nine of the points I think I mean it's a he is using it as a legitimate weapon yet it's not just a very quick game. No, I mean I can't wait to see him do that to see that. Just very quickly is there any chance they will put that on long then you'll you'll have alchoraz let's say alchoraz or alchoraz Felix that's a chattier you could put sits surpass sits
hasn't played chattier yet I think there's a chance I'd be very interested to see what I don't know if I were him I would and I'd be very interested to know what would happen if he did you know I mean we're not at the press conference tonight I kind of hope our
French colleagues or whoever else is there asks him would you like that match to not be on chattier do you think do you think a chattier night session crowd is a little bit more engaged I do yeah like that like I could see it's all they've got right I could see it being chattier night session yes I think that's a good point but I agree like putting it on long then would be like it's not outrageous that that could go on long no absolutely not I think there's a real chance that if they do that
sinner just is able to suck the life out of the room by just beating him and because there were he did slightly turn his ankle in the first few games tonight and I don't know whether that bothered his this is Mute bothered his concentration but he lost a lot of games and found himself a setna break down before you knew it and then you know I needed to be sent over to rescue him which I did but you know I think sinner a guy like him could
get a lead and be very difficult to stop so hard is to suck the vibe out of long then isn't it like they keep cheering the French players they can be two sets and a break down and it takes one point and they're still singing they're still singing La Marseille's at the change of ends aren't they that's not happening on Shedger and they do this bowing motion and they go Mute Mute and it'd be fun to see sinner in that environment
yeah absolutely I mean I think you're handling I think you're handling it but I want to see it yeah okay well that'll be in a couple of days time so we'll see tomorrow's schedule looks thus we start at midday on Chetray with Murtons against Rebecca then Bidossas Sabalenka and then Zverev against
Grixpool Zverev's trial of course began today in Germany the Zverev's team have requested that the trial be heard behind closed doors will get the outcome of that for the judge on Monday but we do expect that that will take place behind closed doors so I wouldn't expect too many updates on that
situation over the course of the trial which is scheduled for 10 non consecutive days over the coming weeks so we'll keep you posted on that no but Drockovich against Lorenzo Muzetti is the night session match tomorrow over on court Suzanne Longlen for Varigra Chavett against
Rynik Emilia Begu Shelton against Ojele Seymour Zume then match second on then Mahatch against Medvedev keys Navaro and finally Etcher very against Rude on Matria tomorrow Junqim Wen who we're not talking about but has played very well so far she takes on Avanessian her catch
and Shepa Valov resume next on some of Matria it is her catch that leads by two sets to love and it's on serve in the third set there and then it's Andrescu Paulini covalic Runa Fritz Kockenakis Diminor Struth is on court 14 the resumption of Zizu Bergs and Gurgord Dimitrov Svitilina Bogdan some Rindelot Tommy Paul round things off on court 14 I think that's it for this single action tomorrow if Sitted Ossadoubles is your thing they're lost on court 7 tomorrow I think I'll leave them to it
In fact goodness me Stefan Ossidz passes Bane doubles twice on court 7 tomorrow he's playing with Petros in the men's second on and he's playing with Paola in the mixed last on does that seem great off day match preparation for the singles to you?
I mean he's playing out of his mind right which is great and maybe it's because of that maybe he likes it when he hasn't played any yet It sounds ridiculous to me if when you're trying to win the title and nobody else is doing it I just think you are asking for trouble especially with all the weather and now you don't want to let your brother down you don't want to let your partner down it's a lot How?
Morian Evans who lost today by the way needed a wildcard to get in but Petros Sitted Ossadoubles is getting in How's Petros Sitted Ossadoubles? Well they play a bit don't they together the Sitted Ossadoubles brothers I don't actually know what their various doubles rankings are like they are playing doubles on the tour reasonably often Career high singles ranking of 727 This is Petros by the way doubles talk amongst yourselves people
Career high of 81 That's higher than I thought to be fair Higher than I thought he's currently ranked at 118 in the doubles which I don't think is higher anyway they're in they're playing tomorrow the second on court 7 Check it out if you'd like That's your lot for today
Hello to Bashir our French open mascot owned by Elise I might have a surprise coming away Bashir in the coming days watch this space We have our mascots I have the dearly departed Darwin David has Francis Francis we won 45 points Second David part one
I know I'm standing Francis you talk amongst yourselves Matt has hired at and so many points for you today Matt No no no Billy Jean is sponsored by Billy Jean King and Elana Klaus We have top folks and executive producers Jamie Jeff, Greg and Chris hello to you all And Matt we have shout outs We have Catherine same church different pew souter in East Sussex Hello Catherine which pew The K and Y pew The K and Y Hello Catherine From which Sussex East Is that the Sussex you used to live in?
No You lived in a Sussex Yes Good chat isn't it Catherine is very nice Catherine says huge fan of the pod thank you for all that you do and all that you stand for Oh Catherine thanks a lot Thanks Catherine tell that to the Yigashivantec fans that are coming out me on Twitter right now
Thanks Catherine We've also got order in well Zurich but from Cleveland, Ohio Hello order Now tell us about order first Order has a tortoise shell rescue cat from Romania called Fang Wow Wow is that a tennis reference? Or Romania might be a Transylvania might be a Dracula thing I reckon that Yeah Otherwise you're suggesting that we might have coined the name Very true really But it you know double double meaning name is great Let's just claim it I've been to Zurich
It used to be a champion store event there had a lovely time Thank you order and finally we've got Pamela Hood in Glasgow We know Pamela don't we And we would definitely say Pamela how a driver Pamela how a driver tough day for Pamela how a driver today
Wake up in the middle of the night to watch Donna lose in a deciding set tie break Pam we love you Pamela we love you Yeah We do indeed thanks for being a friend Thank you Pamela thank you to all of our friends of the tennis podcast You mean so much so you're the reason we're here
You're the reason we love what we do so thank you ever so much if you'd like to become a friend of the tennis podcast The link to do that as always is in our show notes as is the link to subscribe to the news lesser You won't regret it any tease for the stat today Matt
Well as I've written it's less of a stat more of an investigation Wow Wow Okay I'm excited because I couldn't think of that I'm more excited for Matt's investigation We do new segments Thanks for listening folks We'll be back tomorrow on day seven Say seven, pray for sun, please Here's a cool fact