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Hi, this is Billie Jean King. This is Mary and Bartolome. 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 and a very warm welcome to tennis podcast towers Paris and hello, in particular to anyone that is joining us live in tennis podcast towers Paris or faulty towers. Paris is some, some might be calling it a little
tour de facture. I don't know, we're still finessing the title but definitely this is our humble abode here in Paris for the next fortnight and more and our feelings about it are David. I'm not encouraging. I'm getting used to it but by bit but yeah, I do have to do some contortionism in order to get around it with the lamps and the various things that can kill you. So yeah, I'm trying to get used to that.
Yeah, fans of lamps would not be disappointed in this place. I promise you we really did try to fit as many of the lamps into shot as possible. But there's just too many to do that, but you've got the main you've got the main theme lamp over there, which is I would describe it as not fit for purpose but.
I'll host obviously loves it there are various other lamps assorted around the place maybe we'll treat you to more as we go on our Instagram matt freaked out by the sort of slightly horror-ish looking masks that are staring directly at him from the table just at a shot. I've also just spotted a lava lamp which I hadn't noticed up till now. I think all lamp connoisseurs have a lava lamp in their repertoire somewhere can you really be a lamp guy if you don't have a lava lamp.
Anyway, folks welcome to tennis podcast hours Paris we are very happy to be here. We're very happy to have you here with us as well. What are we going to talk about today we're going to look ahead to the first days play tomorrow the order of play is out we're going to be looking through that will bring you up to date with the results that we've had at the warm up events this week that are now all completed Strazburg, Rabat, Geneva and Leon.
We got a couple of questions from the barge that we're going to be answering but first we're going to talk about 14 time Roland Garros champion Rafal Nadal because he came to press today he was scheduled at 1.30pm he then moved that time back to 1pm and arrived at 1.23pm why did we move it at all.
But nobody bore any ill will against him did they for being being late I mean that's not even late for Rafal Nadal is it we were very naive to be there at 1pm he was obviously never going to arrive at that time but nobody knew quite what to expect there wasn't a spare seat in the house it's very it's very rare that you see stewarding take place in the press conference room sometimes there's a bit of you know shuffling up but there's very rarely not a single spare seat in the house and that was the thing.
And I don't say this lightly because I've been in a lot of Nadal press conferences and almost every one of them has been a treat but today was. Truly and utterly vintage it was like he was giving us a gift I know you're going to miss this you're going to miss me when I'm gone have an absolutely vintage press conference from me you're welcome.
I knew what he was doing there today I mean for a start he's feeling good and that is the headline note I suppose that the other one being that he's pretty sure he's going to finish playing this tournament this time but you know I think the main headline is that he's feeling good and that came out in his demeanor and and and he was he was a bit playful he was sort of just doing all the things he's he's done in recent years as he's got increasingly confidence at running garage.
In front of microphones and press members the moment he sat down he waived to the transcript people at the back that was his first move which you know he's often done that he's often thanked them at the end of tournaments and and the whole thing just felt both him telling us that he's in a good place and and and also maybe just sending a little message to the field that you know but I'm not gone yet you know.
Is that what he was doing that there was this slight sense of look perhaps still wrote on garossus come a little bit too soon into his comeback you know he was he was saying these things like he's feeling better and it's the first time that he's you know in his comeback being able to run without limitations he's not thinking about his body at the moment he's thinking about the shots that he's playing and he's thinking about the impact he's going to have.
The impact he's going to have on his opponents and that's a that's a change because he wasn't like that in Madrid or Rome he was worried about getting hurt. It sound like he's that worried about his physical capability what he is worried about is the fact that he hasn't just played that many matches against top players and he's got one in the very first round.
He basically said that he would be pretty confident he could be competitive a few rounds in but I think the fact that he's got the role in that first round he's it's a little bit unknown how he's going to come out and play he's been playing well in practice but can you transfer that into a match situation that is the key question now for Nadal because he says he's feeling healthier he's thinking about his tennis rather than his body but he doesn't have the reps and coming out against a guy who's not going to be in a good place.
He's coming out against a guy who's just won the lead in tournament we know it's it's a brutal draw but there were a lot of reasons for Nadal optimism today and I wasn't really prepared for that. Yeah I agree there were a lot of reasons to believe he he said it's the first week since I've come back that I can run in the proper way without limitations he said if in the bottom of my heart I didn't have any hope of having success success.
Success is and I would not be here in front of you guys. He said don't assume that it's my last roll on Garros. He said it's a big big chance that it's going to be but if you want me to tell you 100% sorry I will not I don't want to close the door he said and he said I haven't been able to explore yet how I'm able to play in healthy conditions after what he described as almost two years of suffering and recovery.
Now that I all found really really encouraging how he had a real twinkling his eye when he was talking about how well he was practicing didn't he did some real kind of side eyes to the room like check me out kind of thing it really has been good. But and I'm sorry to do this he then also told us he was practicing well in Rome too and that did make me go oh this might be nothing.
But in Rome he was feeling his you know physical issues he was having limitations with his running he was practicing well but that was there this time he's practicing well and those limitations he said not there okay so there is a difference from Rome but I agree like. He said I was practicing good in Rome too and I did a disaster and then he went to the room and he went which is one of his classic expressions I did a disaster and then he repeated it in Spanish if they were not this asteris.
Oh it's better in Spanish wow it would he really it was it was a greatest hits of Rafael Nadal we got a that's the true I'm feeling better that's the true. Matt almost had a sort of religious experience when he said that does that mean we're going to get the vintage greatest hits in the tennis I mean you know I wonder whether those two things go together.
There was a great moment he was so like he absolutely knew all the questions that we're going to come at him today and he said because he's asking himself. And he was respectful of all like he gets it he gets how big a story this is for all of us and he's he's grateful for that you know but he also was he said exactly all these questions you're asking I am asking myself them to and that was so that kind of somebody all up right we don't know until Monday and he doesn't know until Monday.
He did make that point didn't he that this is all talking. And we attended the media day yesterday we attended media day two today and we love it you know we're free tomorrow. We'll we'll lap it all up. Yeah, Jockovich is coming at four o'clock tomorrow. And how are we going to weave that into our table will work it out. But yeah, but that's what you do you talk ahead of an event and actually how much does any of it mean really. It's not good trade for podcasts. Just saying that David.
I mean I listen I actually think sometimes you can feel like that was telling but the truth is it all comes down to to when they get out there and for instance I actually think Nadal could come out blazing and take a lead. But then his body could just give up that state these are all possibilities he could not come out blazing and then have a fight back because he gets the second window gets used to it as he's going along. All these things can happen.
It's very good play Rome level and just destroy him or he could not play that sort of level play first set against another left hander to below that he did a few days ago. And really struggle he could tighten it's what makes it so tantalizing really that this is all in play and whereas I think maybe a week ago I'm not sure we would have said the Nadal upside was in play from actually like this. That's where I feel like things are different right now.
Yeah I agree I think based on today's press conference I have some confidence that Nadal can bring his game to bear on Chatriye and see what damage it can do to his verive. Whereas a few days ago I was thinking he was just going to have to try and hang on and maybe rely on his verive not playing his best.
I still think if the way it plays is best he's he's likely to be at a higher level right now but I think there is a slight sense that Nadal is hoping that Roland Garros just bring something out of him. He said it's a magical place for him didn't he? Yeah and then Matt Futterman asked him is this place so magical that you you just feel better your body feels better just by virtue of walking through the gates and he arched his eyebrow and said.
Unfortunately it's not that magic but I do feel better then he said I am feeling better though that's the true. The big the big thing is that he's running around now thinking about hitting the ball rather than thinking about can I run around. I mean I think the serve is going to be a big question mark all these things but. The lack of three points the fact that he has to work so hard to win points all the time and I mean that's difficult for anybody.
But you know when I think back to right at the start of the year when he made the first iteration of this years come back the first match or two he played I mean he played a depleted Dominic team didn't he?
But he was not having any trouble hitting through the court at that point and I just wonder is is that just have we been working up to that point that all all of these matches he struggled through a few against Dim and Orren and one or two others and he's lost some horrors and then wondered whether he's going to play at all and then he's just had two solid weeks of practice at Roland Garros.
Is this the moment that actually it all comes flooding back I think that's possible I mean not but not probable. Well I tell you he made a believe rather me today believe it in a win a run a win a trophy a win a win a win a win a win a win a win a set worth of hope I don't look any further than the first round I've learned that today.
You're a one pointed a time guy yeah but listen I mean I don't I don't think I don't think anybody can look beyond this match because it is it is kind of the biggest match that could have been drawn in the French open and it was in his first round and there are multiple reasons for that because there's very court case that's coming up this week that elevates the attention that is on this match.
And as a result of that I just I'm not interested in what happens the rest of the tournament at this point it did if Nadal wins this match and loses in the in the next one I really don't think it matters in terms of him having made a comeback and I and created a moment.
It does feel like we're going to have a situation obviously it happened halfway through the tournament at that US open and it could be happening on day two here but it does feel like we could end up with a situation like we had in New York a couple of years ago where once Serena went out it felt like a completely new tournament and we almost had to reset and adjust to a new new reality in the day afterwards was actually quite flatten and weird wasn't it I do feel like there's an adult tournament and there's.
Everything else going on right now. There's a few people in the chat here suggesting that that he was trying to fake Zverev out a bit with some of the things he was saying impressed you think in anything he was saying today he had any kind of awareness of Zverev reading the quotes seeing the quotes sending a message to him.
Yeah yeah yeah I mean listen I think he I think he means it not that I think he doesn't mean it but I think he he was very bullish and for him and that is a bit of a change isn't it because very often he is playing himself down talking down his chances.
He was playful even the way he was talking about practice he says you know I've been practicing it and I I can play with all these guys all of them was the gist of it they all I can handle all of them that level is what he was saying whether I can whether it comes out on the match court I definitely feel I mean look and I think Zverev was probably trying to do the same the day before when he was saying I'm preparing for peaking a down but I believe one of them more than the other put it that way.
Yeah no I agree I think there was a there was a slight sense of trying to put a bit of fear into Zverev but I also think you could just tell by his body language he was feeling better like he was he was.
It's sad in the rhythm road play for the very good word actually isn't it he was he was playful it was like okay you're going to get where you came for here you only do that I think if you're feeling good yes I mean look I know that you've you've been sort of dreading seeing a depleted Nadal in a sad situation because after all he's done but you were sitting next to me and I could just tell by your body language that you were infused by what you're hearing.
As soon as I heard I did it as I was in a good place. Yeah yeah we want to talk a little bit more about Nadal while we can frankly and I'm sorry to do this to Hannah who's who's in the chat and having a great time because I know she she's uncomfortable receiving compliments but I'm afraid
Annie just going to have to suck it up because you're too too good at what you do Hannah wrote a column this week about Raffa on the dial and it is absolutely sensational and summed up as she so often does summed up a lot of what I feel in my bones but haven't been able to put words to or even formulate into into coherent thoughts and that is just so often the case with the hand is writing it's incredible.
I'm going to read just a couple of short passages from it and we're going to use that as just a bit of a jumping off point for Nadal related chats. Here's what she says what will Roland Garros even be like without Raffa the solid the solid sense that whoever wins it is merely keeping his throne warm when there's a string of different names on the trophy like seeing someone else's car in the driveway of the house where you grow up perhaps.
I thought this was a world but it turns out it's just a house where anyone can live. And then little later she says I know I'm trading on dangerous ground here I just haven't had that much fun watching Nadal at the French open over the years it's been awe inspiring certainly epoch defining without a doubt big numbers have been involved that's for sure but how many truly memorable French open matches of Nadal's could you name.
I'm not saying that matches have to go the distance to be great but doesn't it say something that Nadal has been pushed to five sets precisely three times in a hundred and 15 matches. So there's kind of two themes there of if the column sort of capturing the unreality of his imminent retirement despite the fact that we are talking about it incessantly.
I have any of us really confronted one and a doll this Roland Garros will actually look and feel like such as his association with this place and I think that's I'm probably most interested to hear your take on that map because you've never known a Roland Garros without Raffa on the doll your whole tennis life has been the doll at Roland Garros.
Yeah I mean we did have one last year in that my fun that I wasn't in the draw but he was there he was there kind of as a looming figure that he would come back. Right eventually we're going to get to the point where he's not going to come back and actually last year I was struck by how quickly the tournament moved on and how quickly the tournament takes over that that is something I've been struck by.
Last year's US Open without Serena or Wimbledon without Federer like tennis just has a way of regenerating itself and you do move on to new players like it's something we've got pretty used to but I think Hannah's right in the like the association between the doll and Roland Garros is the the biggest there's ever been between a single player and a single tournament I think in tennis history.
Given given how many times he's won it would you agree with that David yes I mean I mean Martina or Wimbledon like that's a big number as well and mine. I would say so really I kind of think Federer and Wimbledon this and Sam Prisson Wimbledon I suppose because of my teen years and everything that I saw but I mean this we're talking about this guy coming along in 2005 it's 19 years ago and he's won it 14 times since then I mean yes I can't think of another.
And I think that's it like I've certainly been through a stage of slight Nadal fatigue at Roland Garros I've come out the other side I think probably like 2010 to 2014 when he won it five years in a row that was probably my period where I was like
I'm done is just going to win this thing okay he was pushed by Djokovic a little bit in that period but honestly yeah I probably did go through some Nadal fatigue but in the last few years it's been well to use Hannah's words or inspiring and that to me has been the greater emotion and the way one in 2022 with his his zombie foot that he had to put to sleep as he as he said in the Spanish portion of his press conference today like that was genuinely incredible.
And I think now I look at it like Nadal at Roland Garros has been that anchor it's been a way of telling what time of the year it is you know oh Nadal's doing his thing at Roland Garros it's it's it's May June and the fact that Nadal has his birthday in Roland Garros like it's just every year
but another year goes past and yet Nadal is still doing his thing and that I've found very sort of comforting I suppose now over the years when I look back on it and to think that that won't be there is is pretty sad but like David said I just hope he can you know right now talk of a title feels
insane but I just hope he can have another moment here he deserves he deserves another moment. That um that writing from Hannah about sort of being obsessed with Nadal's retirement without really confronting the reality of it made me think of a text that I received from my brother when my my grandfather passed away
while we were at the Australian Open a couple of years ago and again I was having lots of feelings that I couldn't couldn't quite put words to because he lived to a great age was ready to go it was no it was no try it was sad but it was no tragedy and my brother as he so so often pithily does says
it's just the disappearance of something that felt strangely permanent and it's like your grandparents are in the 90s you know it's you know it's not going to last that longer in yet you hadn't really thought about the reality of the inevitable and sorry to bring up death folks
I understand the power but but that's that's that's how that that paragraph from Hannah made me feel and what what it reminded me of you know and in terms of that that second passage I highlighted goodness I found that pertinent because when I think of Nadal at Roland Garros if I have to think about matches separate from achievements matches I think about settling 2009 which is totally unfair to a guy that's not going to be there.
I'm not going to be unfair to a guy that's one at 14 times the other one I would think about is the Jacović match from a few years ago from not quite the covid year but that we all watched around my around my telly and tennis podcast I was partner but I don't know it's all in such a covid fog I kind of don't want to think about that one 2021 wasn't it and doesn't say something that really you've named one of the losses that you think about.
And I think about the other one he had to Jacović when they played that incredible third set for set can't exactly remember but the same match 2020 right and so he's lost them. But which again it does feel unfair those those that he won I mean I suppose I've enjoyed Nadal most when Jacović came along really and started challenging him and and that tends to be what happens you and you appreciate champion.
Champions when they're their vulnerability starts to show a little bit more not everybody but I mean I think those that are not massive Raffa and Nadal fans I think that you get this so I had it with Martin and I was at the tail end of her career had it with even lend the tail end of his career these people that just seemed.
Invincible as though you couldn't penetrate them in any way and then you realize that actually they are human and they're out of their ageing and and nothing is the same forever and you do start to make most of them a bit more I think and actually. I think when the dial said last year that he wanted to play one more year he decided to kind of frame it like that I just want one more year now.
All we were asking for all I was asking for was what you said a moment to remember Raffa and Nadal as you really was and is that possible well if it's ever going to be possible then it should happen at rolling hours because that's what defines him and yeah I mean I hope we see it I do I know people might like to hear bias or personal opinion of that type. I'm absolutely very comfortable to say that I have Raffa and I will win.
I tell you what people know I'm a nerd and I do spend some time you know looking through winners of tournaments and you know I what I think about with Nadal is is is the young nerd in a hundred years time who's looking through the on his board at Roland Garros and sees the name on the dial 14 times.
That guy is going to be like futuristic Matt Roberts right that guy is going to be like wow who was that guy I wish I'd seen him I wish how did he do that and we can say that we did see it we know how he did it and we saw it with our own eyes and I think that's that's pretty cool like how I feel about Susanne Longland now is like wow I would have loved to have known the world that she lived in and what she did like people will be thinking that about Raffa and Nadal.
In a hundred two hundred years time his legacy is that set in this sport for everything that he's done but mostly because of what he's done at Roland Garros and I think that's pretty awesome. I used to do it about Bjorn Borg having won it six times and he won five Wimbledon six French opens and as a kid who only saw him lose his final Wimbledon in 81.
Looking back on those numbers just I was it all struck by it and I was imagining what would have been like to have been to witness and here we are having witness you know Federer winning what is it eight Wimbledons eight Wimbledons. No fact of each having one I think ten Australian opens now but this guy's one 14 run and Garros titles I mean what is that.
And I know some people are pointing out in the chat that he he very explicitly is left the door open for it not being his Roland Garros his last Roland Garros he said his big big chance that it's going to be but if you want me to tell you a hundred percent and sorry I will not and I totally get that right he wants to leave nothing on the table of his career we are not retiring him but equally he's told us it's almost certainly going to be so just just to ignore that fact like it does Matt.
It does Matt summed up so beautifully there we need to treasure this I think we all as tennis fans obviously we we feel particularly privileged to be here but I think we all as tennis fans need to be in the moment of this as much as we can.
Yeah absolutely and there was also a little thing that he said in the Spanish portion of his press conference where he was talking about the possibility that he might play wrong else again next year but he also made it very clear that he said goodbye to Madrid and he said it was a tough scene for Madrid he was like I am done with Madrid I am going back there.
I never really did like it. No but I think what that demonstrates is like whatever whatever tennis Nadal is playing next year it's not necessarily going to be with a view to having big moments like I think genuinely he does think there's a chance that something special could happen this tournament but I think in a years time he's pretty confident that it would pretty much be just a wave goodbye.
Like because he's not going to he's not going to play a full schedule to get ready for a long hours next year he's made that he's made that pretty clear yeah sorry Madrid. Tough for them. Millions of people have lost weight with personalized plans for moon like Evan who can't stand salads and still lost 50 pounds. Salads generally for most people are the easy button right for me that wasn't an option I've never really was a salad guy that's just not who I am but new work for me.
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There were a couple of other press conferences today we had most notably I think Bianca and rescue and no miss Arca who came at the same time brilliant. But luckily there's three of us we divided and conquered and no miss Arca quite a big deal actually seeing her walk back into that press conference she didn't have any.
Questions I think very deliberately she didn't have any questions about what happened here in this is again going into the depths of the pandemic was it twenty twenty twenty one twenty twenty one twenty twenty twenty twenty twenty twenty twenty twenty twenty twenty one front
and I was so close to one another it's very difficult to tell between the two yeah there were no questions about that but I was just sitting there thinking well it's quite something to see you see you back in there and thinking about the water that's gone under the bridge since then what did we make of how she seemed in what she had to say.
She seems in a good place to me and I think she's really enjoying the process of trying to make a comeback and actually I don't think she's ever devoted herself to play the way she has the last six weeks. I found it fascinating that she said that she's dispensed with the idea of trying to play play like it's a hard court she's trying to adjust.
Whereas you know suggested to her that maybe she should try to do the opposite well she says something to him and look where that got me so she's definitely trying to advance things but no she seems she never seems massively comfortable in those settings but she looked fine really and and.
Until until I asked her a question about her her draw I said and I said I deliberately said I know tennis players don't like looking ahead in the draw she goes oh you're not going to tell me who I'm playing are you.
David's face said I was going to just about to you that you're going to face the dish for your second round if you both win but I didn't say that I just sort of stared it down for just about half a second of thought is she just going to relent here and let me off and let me do ask this question no she's not okay I'll pivot and I'll ask another one which was what do you think your first round.
I almost got a sense that she didn't know that was I can tell you had the voice of Tim Heman in the back of your mind who we interviewed for for tennis we lived just what 10 days ago now couple of weeks ago now and the subject of draws came up I can't remember if this was actually included in the show this bit or whether it was part of the cut material that will be will be being put out to friends in some form at some point because it really was great but the subject to draws came up and he said don't believe it.
So it's a draw came up and he said don't believe anyone that tells you they don't look at the draw and we pushed him on it and he said. So but do you think she does not know I do think she does I do I don't know how like I simply don't understand how. You can kind of be at the Frank open and exist in that world and not know the draw I simply don't know how that's possible and yeah I found some maybe she just keeps someone all.
And yet I believe I believe her to what's bad into me is something I think she's and she's always done that I get in the role players that that's their thing.
And I totally respect that what's baffling to me is that presumably you do it as a means of stress removal not letting your mind get away from itself and I know this is just a case of all minds work differently but to me that would make my mind race more well she then said in the Japanese portion of her press conference where she answers questions in English so you know you we can understand what she's saying.
I don't know what the first question was because it was in Japanese but she said oh man you're making me stressed about the draw now right and just avoiding it in an age of information overload that seems really stressful having to avoid it having to be wary that any any question could could potentially reference it as a.
I don't know net it feels like a stress creator to me but you know she knows what she's doing but wow yeah although I think in this specific case it would be quite stressful to know you've got you just feel I'm taking the second round yeah I actually think a bigger issue not bigger facing you sure and take it role and garis is obviously the ultimate issue but I think playing first up on Sunday on Chattria and there's a tough slot.
I really tough slot it's the slot that on Stradbergh lost in a couple of days ago. Everdeppless second match I think I think that's I don't know why but the atmosphere is just a bit weird isn't it it's Sunday I know we've had the Sunday starts a long time now.
The tournament hasn't really got going and she described why she's she gets particularly nervous for first rounds and she says if you're losing the first round it feels like you've lost before the tournament is even started and like if your first round on the Sunday it's that times times 10 yeah so that that worries me a little for a saga but she she did seem generally in a good place I thought as did the anchor and rescue
who came to not the main press conference room but the the area shortly after that David similarly chaotic today if not more so I would say nobody has ever dealt with the chaos of the area with more grace and a plum than Bianca and rescue I would say she just sat there and held court and it struck me that her whole vibe with the press and there were quite a few press there were some Canadian press that she obviously would know very well some
British press there was someone ever member be see there you know it was a really classic mix and just her vibe with the media is that's that's what we all should be aiming for that's what the tour should look at and say that's how we want players to feel talking to the media and that's on us as well everybody should be looking at ourselves and at that interview and going this is the relationship and the vibe that we all should be aiming for because she could totally handle
herself I got the feeling that if there if there was a question she didn't like she just politely say do you know what that I'm going to I'm going to pass on that one and that would have been just fine you know like a grown up in control of herself she but she had real respect for everybody there she was pleased that they're taking the time to come to see if she doesn't take for granted I don't think that she's worth speaking to anymore you know she's
making her come back after however many months out with her what she called a crack to her back she said I cracked my back and the she went it's quite a lot of detail about the rehab process which is involved the the formulation of a callus on her backbone which apparently is a good thing I've I've spent my life up until now thinking calluses were not desirable but the anchor and Jessica was I've just got a protect that
callus at all costs man I don't want to I don't want to miss damaging the callus so that's where we're at with her rich didn't sound great but she seemed really positive to me she's been on a lot of meditation retreat she's been doing martial arts she said it absolutely sucked having
another injury but in a way it was good for me she said because I've always identified myself too much with tennis so being forced to spend some time outside of it and detachment a bit was probably healthy for me she's traveling with just her coach who is who was formerly her hitting partner and she said she just felt really comfortable with him so he's been promoted to to coach and here she is giving it a go again
we can't expect much I suppose not here not here but I find it hard to I find it hard but yes David you are right we can't we can't expect much yeah that's a good test for the callus isn't it I'll say yeah I just I just want to see her look free again out there you know in every way we'd love that I certainly don't expect it here but she reminiscing back five years how exciting it was when she came on and then not only backed up that entry into the
tour but one the US open and be sorry the Williams and the final I just I just kind of thinking imagine if you told yourself that this woman is not going to do anything notable in the next five years that that would be a hard hard one to swallow and I hope that that's not her future because she's so exciting when she gets going and as you say just a good time to be around yeah absolutely yeah tennis is better for her being in it we have a couple of
questions from the barge we had some excellent questions in there we picked out a couple the first is from Laura Laura asks maybe it's too early for this question but what does what does a successful year look like to know about Jacović now three slams two slams one slam no slam but the Olympics all the slams but no Olympics an Olympic medal or just a gold medal I think the answer to that is either a
big one or an Olympic gold I agree I think what one at this stage I would be not enough for him I'm sure he wouldn't sign for that I think if you looked back at the end of the year and he'd got another grand samtai it'll take him to 25 all time record or an Olympic gold which is the one big thing he lacks I think he would he would end the year happy personally this might be
a big thing you want to debate I don't know how you feel about this but I think only gold would cut it really like obviously enjoy one of the others but I really think only gold would cut it yeah totally and I think his his
performances in bronze medal matches have kind of said that like when he indicated us perhaps slight lack of right like when he lost the bronze medal match to Kroniobusta didn't I mean he would never lose to Kroniobusta in under normal circumstances he was crushed not to have got a ball into the right that's fair yeah yeah I think it's gold or nothing at the Olympics in terms of what would be valuable to him which is interesting isn't it
I think it's a egoschianteck in her press conference yesterday was asked about the Olympics and how big a goal that is for her and it clearly is a big goal and she said I would be happy I would be thrilled or delighted some sort of extreme happiness word with any medal there and I might think so I'm being harsh for this but I was just like on the she said it the draw didn't she wasn't in her press conference she said I'd be thrilled with any
medal at the Olympics and silver and gold the equivalent of losing in the final or reaching a semi final and she'd never say that about a grand slam you know dominant one the one I'd be thrilled with losing in the final thrilled to reach the semi final she was so traumatized in Tokyo when she lost
I don't remember against who but I remember her sitting for such a long time on her chair so sad to see her like that and I suspect that there is you know a bit of trauma there really and at least if you if she want to bronze you've done something you've never done before and look I mean I'm quite sure she's going for gold and she'll believe she can get it she believes that that actually it's the one event where she could walk away from in first second or third and actually still be quite happy
and maybe that's a tremendous relief for tennis players playing the Olympics that it's not all or nothing it's not true I mean I know you get a plate for runner up in tennis but it you know it's all or nothing isn't it but personally I think I think I'd be very gold or nothing
well you'd take bronze over silver you said I mean once once the gold is gone in this in this fantasy scenario yeah silver I'm really not interested I wonder what the the average reaction to that is what was you take I wonder what people in the chapter I think
looking at a silver medal would annoy me for the rest of my life would you rather have a silver or bronze I would rather have a silver yeah me too because I'm not a nicer to look at specifically in tennis tennis does feel a bit different I agree because you you lose to get a silver medal and you win to get a bronze but you know you've already lost if you're if you're getting a bronze I've got bronze in the 2012 Olympics in the men's I think it was wasn't it del Potro be still
a trophy jokovic again that was another bronze medal match where jokovic didn't bring it you know I think I think the distinction between Shifion Tech and jokovic though is is it not stage of career like Shifion Tech okay it's pretty great for her that there's
an Olympics at Roland Garros where she's dominated but she's going to be hopefully and I'm sure in her mind playing other Olympics I think if you asked her in ten years time if she's going into an Olympics and she hasn't got a gold like then it might be all about the
gold but I think right now just getting a bronze and doing that for Poland I think would would be a I think she'd be able to find some joy in that rich now it's it's as I said gold or or nothing for him but I agree that he would also a successful year would also be one of the
majors that's right I think if you asked him to choose one of the other right that's my next question you'd have the gold over another slam I think so this year because he would back himself to win a slam next year and actually I think that he would probably if you said you can have a gold and no slam ever again or a slam one day to get to 25 but no gold I think you choose the gold for his country I think sir for the lack of I think so too he would have completed tennis yeah like dumb everything
yeah I think I hadn't hadn't thought of it in those absolute terms but yeah I think I agree it's probably the first time we've had to somewhat realistically consider that because of course he was going to win another grand slam title but actually and I still believe he will
I think this year maybe for the first time we're thinking well some point he's going to get old and that could be now it could have happened it could have happened yeah so that's the reason I find out next question comes from Catherine same church same you welcome Catherine Catherine says love the pod guys thank you outside of the top ten seeds who has the best dance at a run based on how the draws have fallen now first of all I'd like to define a run how would we like to define that
for seed outside of the top ten yeah it's got to be quarters or semi's hasn't it yeah okay who are you going it's a very different question for the men then for the women isn't it are you looking at Nicholas Jerry I'm always looking at Nicholas Jerry from I think that carries got a bit of a nightmare he has he's losing in the fourth round isn't he well Sinner is his fourth round I was very I think Mute is a bit of a nightmare in the first round to be honest
that you can just you can just get caught up in a circus you shouldn't it's on you if you do you're a bit I thought you're a big Mute guy but it's your own fault if you get wound up by it yeah I agree he should be winning that he should be winning that I think he's still winning
a nightmare I think buyers is in there as well that's not easy but what what's all a hundred to be loads draw like I've my question marks about it what a what a hospital pass of a question that is that what he's playing on the outside like the last court in the list he is he's playing as easy bugs yeah I think he's really good to be low he flaked against Variv in a spectacular way I have my mental question marks but he's this is all new to him probably physically yeah
yeah I didn't watch the matches you know no he just got tight he's got really tight his arm which is normally loose and fast got heavy and slow that's quite it's quite it's inside isn't it to see these people and pressure well big game wise I really think he's good his first big seed if the draw holds would be Gregor Dimitrov I'm going to be low Gregor you know we haven't you know we haven't mentioned him in any of our three
preview shows yet Gregor yeah it's dramatic for me to do that so but honestly I don't see him being that relevant isn't this what he's been waiting for an open grand slam no I'm glad well that you've got to take them where they come it's not a perfect world I think you got her catches like so that's to be those like those are his tough seeds if you like Dimitrov and her catch that doesn't seem awful to me that's not a bad show women's it's good it's good that Catherine's
raised this question as a run because it would be really really hard in the women's to answer what the side has a chance at the title but a run a run though means you've got to come through the section with one of our big four seeds like so is it going to be someone coming through she's on text
section I don't think so what's keys ranked keys would be there and she I know is it I think she's in the sabre linker section off the top of my head she she got very close to meeting sabre linker at the US open and keys on clay this this spring has beaten everybody bit shiontech yeah like she's she's won all her matches on red clay apart from against egos fiontech and those have been like very legit wins jibbergoth some son of her a couple of times caster Collins she's just blown away
and there was a time where medicine keys was very reliable for getting to the fourth round quarters of of slams and she is in major keys was her nickname yeah keys is a good shout but I trust sabre linker as well as the prop like sabre linkers reach the semis of the last six laps she knows how to do these things now rebakkina came into the section press she's the one who's rebakkina came into press this evening talk to good games said some very punchy quotes about how she
prefers playing shiontech to sabre linker which obviously the the results in the head to head's bear out but still quite a punchy thing to say at role on garros about egos fiontech I think so talking a good game
but definitely not looking physically strong by all accounts and and why why would she be you know these consistently being struck down by either separate viral illnesses or a viral illness that keeps recurring we don't know the details of what's going on but I feel like the chances of her being a
physically a hundred percent are incredibly slim and yet if she was able to get through some matches and feel better you could still think she could be a massive threat to everybody but I don't expect the others to underachieve at this event that's the difference uh cocoa goth you know I think she's far from the finished article as to what she can maybe be one day as a player if she can sort out some elements of a game but just you know I didn't talk about that the little interactions
I heard with her in the media day yesterday just in the communal area in the in the area where she's just so comfortable in her own skin with with other players and she's she's giving them hard time but she's just very clear in her own
mind as to who she is and and what she's going to go out there and do and put in her away in a match you better be good you know or you better be just massively mentally strong I don't think there's anybody mentally stronger in the sport right now than than cocoa goth
so I would expect her to reach her seated position and end up losing to a gush felon tech as usual Hannah wants to know how much of this roll and garras you're planning to spend in the area David quite a bit that's where David can light her doorstep
yeah it is honestly an anxiety dream for me and Matt but David's just finding excuses to uh to go there who's in rebuke in his section that could could profit Matt just give me a few more seconds some people are throwing and Draver out there No I'd uh Sveta Lina mmm I just I just saw Jasmine Paulini
okay yep well you know maybe uh I watch David never saying anything Junction when bad about Jasmine I could believe that I could believe that Junction when could could do it I watch quite a bit of her on the clay she ended up losing to goth I think um in Madrid
I think if I'm not mistaken but she had some wins before that that made me think she can play on this stuff you know she can move on it she looks comfortable um and Draver can play on anything and she's a lovely player watch but I watched her get just powered off the court by pala badosa
somebody who's a proper clay quarter with a big forehand you know and I wonder whether you can get away with not having that sort of power I think if we're counting quarter final as a run then and Draver's a decent shout because she's in the sacri castellina
mmm bit like she could get to that quarter to face sacri to face Sabelinka or keys okay you think sacri yeah I don't no I don't think that's pretty punchy I'm still going with my view that she's got a new coach and that better work because I'm putting a lot of stock in that
um touch long keys winning Strasbourg she beat Daniel Collins very handily earlier today in the final there Peyton Sterns won Rabat and Pete Meier Sharif in the final and picking up on on the sacri point Tom Hill sacri is former coach now coaching Peyton Sterns and he might be a Rabat expert
because for a long time that was sacri's only title wasn't it Rabat and big Rabat Peyton Sterns has now added that to her uh list of honors so yeah like that's a hell of a run to the title absolutely and she was well we said it the other day five love forty thirty down
match point in the final set of her quarter final one seven games in a row and wins the tournament crazy well done her Geneva won by Casper Rude winning two two matches in a day and obviously that's fantastic it's not it I don't know net is this positive for Casper Rude with a view to the
French open well I was looking at his results uh from two years ago when he won the title in Geneva and then went on to reach the final running gouse and there were some grueling matches that he played including the final against Rao Sosa you know seven six and the third
um and then last year he he he lost out a very narrow long match against Nicholas Jerry in the quarter finals we had a bit more time to get the hair but he it doesn't really seem to bother him now on paper I don't I don't think it's a great idea but I'm not sure he is like the other top players
almost almost wonder whether he's the sort of player in order to be a top player he has to play all the time and not try and peek in that way I mean look at look what playing half a schedule did for him at Wimbledon that didn't do so well so um maybe he just needs to keep pushing on
but what do you think? Well his draws got easier we mentioned the other day that he had Yaka Mensik in the first round Mensik's were drawn and I think that's a helpful thing for Casper Rude I can't actually quite remember who's replaced him but I don't think it's as tough as Mensik you know
it could be a qualified player so that might help him ease in a bit I don't worry about him physically like I think physically he can hold up like two matches in one day I don't think it's a huge deal I think he can play his opening match maybe on the Tuesday
he's got enough time it's just it's just a lot of time to be on sort of mental it isn't it like going from playing the week before but he's done it before and this is it kind of feels harsh to say this is a big tournament for Casper Rude because he has actually shown a lot of slams in the past but he's got a big chance here of a run and I think if he doesn't make the way he's got that quarter with is it Yaka Vich? If he doesn't make that I think he'll be pretty gutted
and he probably should be. The Leon title was one by another young Frenchman of course one last year by your guy Artifice, one this year by Giovanni Mpeshi Berrikar, Beat Thomas Martin, etcherberry in the final he's 20 years old Mpeshi Berrikar and he's 203 centimeters which is a lot of centimeters
That's taller than me. That's taller than me I'm two meters tall he's three or four centimeters taller than me I'm six eight Oh that really is tall I texted my brother when he reached the final because he watches a lot of Challenger tennis
his family of nerds and asked for a lowdown on him and he just said very tall big forehand so that's what we know I was stunned he got over the line in this he served for it got very tight went into a fan set tie break he missed a volley that maybe think of that one that Andy Rodic missed in the
In the Wimwood and Fun on 09 except a hell of a lot easier that was a high back cam volley for Rodic this was a high forehand missed it by Miles I then went down our very many stairs thinking well he's choking this guy I'm going to come back and Thomas Martin etcherberry has won it
and the opposite had happened he had somehow got himself Fun moment for that to on him with back to back young Frank and I think if he wins his opening round in Paris he would play the winner of Verov Nadal yes he has David Goff I hear I suspect what will happen is what happened to our to feasts
here last year which is it was just too much he lost at 100 of it which Raquina did me first round and looked well out of gas that's the right tradeoff at that stage of career David Goff I don't know whether it was in Rome or in or no probably would have been last week in Geneva or Leone he got an absolute thumping about 2 and 1 by somebody I can't remember who but I remember looking at that score and thinking what's happened there I think it might just be that it's 2024 and it's
David Goff I so maybe you know Goff and still a good player maybe that's not the worst draw in the world David getting hyped about young Frenchman nothing new there okay what's on the schedule for tomorrow as we've discussed Chatri opens up at midday local time
with Leccea Bronzetti against Naomi Osaka that's followed by Carlos Alcarez against Jay Jay Wolf Lucky loser I think Jay Jay was lost in the final round of qualifying the day session match on Chatri tomorrow is what is Lecce's first name Ava Ava Lecce against Carolien Garcia
and then as David reported via the rumour mill yesterday Stammer Rinker against Andy Murray is indeed in the night session got that in the area so you want that's where you want to be that's a not before 815 so yeah could be a late one to start things off uh tennis not thrilled at that shit
Suzanne Longlen kicks off with you going bare against Lorenzo Sonnego that's a strong start for Susie isn't it yeah that's where David will be and Susie was packed in the dolls practice they were queuing on the block it was good vibes then it's Jacqueline Christian
against Elaine Nostra Penco that's so cool that on your that's a good back to back to kick off Susie then Risha Gascagans born a choric and Barbara Cree Chicver against Victoria Goliabitch that's the schedule over there Simone Mathieu tomorrow starts with Andre Rublev succeed against Tare Daniel
then Laura Seagmund and Sophia Kennin I'm going to try and catch a bit of that Chloe Peckay and Diana Schneider our third on Simone Mathieu Schneider is my pick for tomorrow we like Diana Schneider and Nicholas Jerry and current am Mute finished things off
on Simone Mathieu a few other matches to highlight Grigor is second on on court 14 tomorrow David against Alex Covertjevitch if you fancy some of that and Risha Mova is also on that court and actually we did want to highlight this match not just because the back can
the back can and that's where Matt will be at that time tomorrow but also because of Anna Simone's opponent 89th ranked Rebecca Shramkova who I had not heard of full disclosure before Rome she had a run there didn't she and that was where we we got to know her and found out about
she's 27 years old you know she's been plugging away for a long time but she's partially sighted right she has pretty much no sight in one eye absolutely incredible really I think struck a chord with us because of the tennis relive show we did a month or two ago with Christine Truman
the Wembleton champ finalist from the 50s and the French Open Champion as well who found out later in life that she was only able to see out of one eye and that that is not normal and that she was probably really damaging her chances of success because of it
and yeah here's this player who's in a similar position it would appear and again she and Rostobenko in that match we saw she can really play she can play I sorry Matt but I think that's tough for an Isimovah tomorrow qualified as well Shramkova we move on look at Nadie takes on
Shandra Mulla on court number seven tomorrow what else have we got Kanishik Kori he's playing a tennis match here tomorrow against what's Diallo's first Gabrielle I was going to call him Greg took a shot we have Junji Zhen on court number nine Donna Vekic against Sresorenko on court 12
cannot believe they've been drawn to face one another again good luck Pam that is followed by Jack Draper against Jesper Dillon Clara Towson is on that court as well and Alejandro Tobilo is indeed on court number 13 tomorrow third on against Zizu Bergs so all about to kick off how we feeling
I'm ready yeah I'm ready that is the true we have our French open mascot and that mascot is Baccia I posted a picture of Baccia on Instagram today knowing full well that I would instantly get a text from my mom who is an animal portrait artist and has a real eye for beautiful animals saying
singling out Baccia is a fantastic potential portrait subject yeah he's a beauty absolute beauty I'll drip feed pictures of him over the course of the fortnight we have our mascots I've got the dearly departed Darwin David has Francis and Matt has Heider and Soma and Fates have have fed differently
Thomas Merch you know I'm maybe going off him after today he's our thing you can't dangle to oh he got the final 230 points with dangled in front of me he was up and against an opponent to play three sets in the morning he beaten Novak Chokovic yeah and he goes a break up
it's very Thomas Merch that's in the sun in my head about where it'll take me to install it it was all totally predictable very Thomas Merch he's a genius girl is sponsored by Billie Jean King and a Lana class hello Billie Jean if you're watching
we have our top folks and executive producers Jamie Jeff Greg and Chris and it's over to Matt four shout outs we have Trisha Fitzgerald in Colorado hello Trisha hello Trisha Trisha is a long time listener from the early days of Matt that's a good time to start listening I would say
when he's 16 17ish around about the time Karen Hashanov is winning Paris in illiciting hot takes like John Fitzgerald absolutely I can't think of any Trisha's in the tennis world nor can I Colorado I've got a French from Colorado Sarah your friend and mine yes hello Sarah we love Sarah um Trisha is it short for Patricia?
I think I only need Trisha's help from that and she's not in the room with us Trisha thank you we've got Rebecca from Santa Selmo California I'm Rebecca Marino I stole it from under my nose David lots of Californian tennis players aren't they Taylor Fritz
from San Diego I think I don't know where Santa I don't know where that place is no no no no Rebecca like Shram Kova yes very good very current thank you Rebecca this hasn't been our best for a cast and finally we've got Paul Bullock who is from well he's originally from Madestone in England but he's now in Malta oh very glam like Tommy Paul or Paul Job or Paul McNamey Paul Haas see I'm making up for it well done David
what was Paul's surname? Bullock Bullock like Fran Bullock yes we wrote it for three of us no because we used to work with her at Queen's High Fran okay that story complete yep thank you Paul thank you Paul oh dear thank you to everyone that has joined us live today
everybody that has listened to the show all of our friends of the tennis podcast that have enabled us to be in this lamp filled palace it is it is our great joy to welcome you into our abode if there is sufficient demand I might do a tour on our Instagram highlighting each and every lamp in all its
there's sufficient demand in all of its glorious detail because there was just there was just no way to get everything into short you can see our our sofas which I wrote off is sort of student style sofas in an earlier podcast we've had people texting us saying
that apparently these are actually really expensive trendy sofas from the 80s yeah maybe this is all maybe interior designers are watching now saying guys this is the absolute peak of chic and we're the idiots who can say but we're very pleased to be here say thank you very much
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