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Hi, this is Billie Jean King. This is Mary and Bartoli. This is Bianca and Drasco. I'm Matt Belander. This is Mary Carillo. This is Pam Shriver. This is Janic Noah and you're listening to The Tennis Podcast. Hello folks and welcome to The Tennis Podcast on Olympics Draw Day. We have one of these but once every four years, so we must feast upon it when we get the opportunity. Matt Roberts is certainly doing that, Matt. You have a big beaming grin on your face.
How are you doing? I'm very well. Thank you. Very pleased to be back on the pod. Today is a good day. I am seeing Bruce Springsteen tonight and the Olympics draws have just happened.
Gasha had such a phomo. Normally we're at the draws for the really big events, unless we're stuck on the Eurostar or having some sort of transport disaster. But generally we're there. Yet here we were seeing it trickle through on Twitter and that kind of thing. But I'm still very, very excited and lots to talk about.
I somehow have phomo, despite the fact that I am just down the road from the draw. It's so different to a normal tennis event. Normally it would be, I'm in Paris. The draws in Paris off I go. But trying to get into an Olympic related event when you're not specifically accredited for that event is not even an avenue worth tiptoeing down.
So I too followed the draws remotely. But I am in Paris. I'm here for the opening ceremony tomorrow evening, which I'll be commentating on for the Eurosport and Discovery. So I'm here kind of soaking up the Parisian Olympic atmos, although not attending any official Olympic events. Meanwhile, David, where do we find you? I am in your apartment. Which is very weird. Today is the tennis podcast hours but me. Have you a holiday?
When I actually say that loud, it's saying it out loud to you and to our listeners, it does sound very strange. But yes, I'm sitting next to your peloton bike. And I'm having the whale of a time. And as you say, so can up the Olympic draw and looking at Matt who looks like Catherine normally does when talking about the Olympics. So it really it really is going around the houses this podcast already. And I'm delighted to be here. Have you been tempted in telling you go on the peloton?
No, not at all. And aside from the fact that it looks like it would need the seat. Yeah, I was going to say if you do David, do you do just the seat and handlebar height? Quite. Otherwise, my knees would be around my ears. But no, I don't. The my wear around it is to just not do it. And instead, I'm going to cut off the theater in a banner. Lovely stuff. Lovely stuff. Matt, you can't you literally can't stop grinning. I'm having such a good time. This is all so funny. David and Catherine Sperum.
Right, let's talk Olympic draws, shall we? They've just been done. They have taken place at Roland Garros, not in law, but in the the Lodge club del Lodge club del Lodge of on location packages fame. And it looked very nice. Isn't it? They're they're a good celebrity sports person turnout for the draw. And incredibly, it was all tennis players who'd have thought it a draw at Roland Garros with celebs guests attendees all from the actual sport that they're doing a draw for Rafael Nadal was there.
Who else do we have? Alina Svittalina, Angelique Kerber. Andy Murray. Andy Murray. I want to say Caroline was Niaqi. Possibly. Who could. I know just throwing sort of a aging tennis players out into the mix. Am I anyway, I've all mentioned until I got to speculative Caroline was Niaqi would definitely all in attendance at the draw on the subject of Andy Murray.
He has confirmed unequivocally that this Olympics will be his last ever professional tennis event. And he also confirmed this morning that he had made the decision not to play singles. We didn't realize it was even remotely on the cards that he might be playing singles, but of course he left it to the very last minute to actually decide not to play singles with Drew this morning ahead of the draw.
Because he cut it so fine he did cause a short delay to the draw proceedings. It felt like one last time Andy, one last mini psycho drama. I was imagining Simon Briggs, wherever in the world he is just hanging his head one last time at Andy Murray. Yes, very fitting and I bet even though it always seemed ridiculous that he could play singles. I mean to the point where I actually checked with his agent yesterday because I saw his name as intending to play singles in the BBC reports.
And I'm sure that that wasn't right because he'd said at Wimbledon, you know, this is my last singles match. And I think he meant last singles match at Wimbledon to make everybody realize for sure that he's retiring and he's not going to be here next year. But I suppose for psychological closure for himself, he had to close every possible window of what if I change my mind at the last second, what if at the last minute I decided I wanted to play singles and then I've ruled myself out.
So I can kind of understand why he's done that and now we can crack on. Yes, exactly. He's in the doubles, he's with Dan Evans apparently they're practicing well. Yes, I was going to say I'd seen to my carols report who I think has been in Paris for quite a while already been watching a lot of the practice to my if the Guardian and he said that Mary is looking a lot more mobile than he was a couple of weeks ago at Wimbledon.
And, you know, he and Evans. I think they've drawn Taro Daniel and Kanisha Corey in the first round of the men's doubles like as far as things go, that feels like quite a good draw to me. Yeah, I was just busy saying on the WhatsApp group that there aren't really any good draws in Olympic doubles because it's all so stacked, you know, you've got Nadal and Al Carras entering the fray and then outcome Kanisha Corey and Taro.
Taro Daniel and maybe they are Japan's secret weapon of a doubles team and they are going to prove me wrong but on the face of it, I think that might be a good draw for Andy Murray and Dan Evans. We'll come back to the detail of the draw all the draws, men's doubles, women's doubles, mixed doubles and both singles draws as well. But I feel like we should cover off who's not in the draws because there have been some really significant withdrawals just in the last couple of days.
The silver medalist of three years ago, of course, the 2020 Olympics was held in 2021, which makes note making about previous Olympic performances very weird and complicated. So the silver medalist from Tokyo, Marquette of Wonderocheva, is out with a hand injury. It's been a tough old time for Marquette of Wonderocheva. And on the men's side, we've got Hubert Herkatch out, which obviously has implications for Ega Shiontech.
They were going to play mixed doubles together and would have been, I think, certainly in the mix for a mixed doubles medal in the mix for the mixed. Yannick Sinner, the men's world number one, is out with Tonsolitis and, in less surprising news, Holger Runer is out as well. I mean, he was supposed to be playing this week in Umag, then showing up at the Olympics, having injured his knee last week and it turns out he's, that knee injury is keeping him out of all of it.
So a massive shame for Holger Runer, a huge, huge blow for Yannick Sinner, who's since reaching the top of the sport, reaching World Number One, has had a bit of a tricky time of it, illness-wise, hasn't he? Yeah, it's a massive shame not to have the World Number One, and just a huge blow for Sinner, and as you say, very much in keeping with kind of the reason that he's been not winning a lot of these big events, kind of since he was back in the start of the year.
You know, so often it has been some kind of physical element stopping him, okay, he's been beaten by good players as well, but it's often felt like there's been a physical problem, and here it's Tonsolitis not even allowing him to play, and it's a real shame.
He would have been the top seed in the men's singles and the men's doubles, he and Lorenzo Mazzetti were going to be playing doubles together. Yeah, just a massive, massive blow, and Holger Runer, as you said, like this knee injury as well, I think he also cited a wrist injury that he said he's been playing with, like for a while, and that's part of the reason why he's not playing as well, so he continues to have his problems.
And obviously pretty gutting for her catch who took that fall during Wimbledon, and I think that's the injury that's kept him out of this as well, and as you say, with so many of these injuries, they have a knock on effect for another player as well, because of the way the Olympics works, and so many players doubling up.
But yeah, that's a lot of star power to lose in the last week before the tournament, and I think the Olympics has a slightly strange, I can't quite get my head around it where I don't think you allow the proper singles alternate to come in in the finals week, so you end up getting quite a lot of doubles players turning up in the singles draw when you get these latewood draws.
I think that's why Matt Ebton has ended up in the singles draw, and has actually drawn no-vert jokavit in the first round. It's really tough when you get these very, very latewood draws at the Olympics, and yeah, feel for all of these players.
Yeah, I don't quite understand that with Dorault's system, because in the doubles, you can draft someone else in, so Lorenzo Mizzetti, when Sinner announced his withdrawal, I thought, oh, that's a real shame for the tournament, and also got him for Lorenzo Mizzetti, because presumably that means he is out of the doubles now, but he seems to have scored himself a Darderry to see.
So, I'm good for him, I'm pleased for him, I'm pleased that his Olympic medal hopes don't entirely hinge on Yannick Sinner, but I was surprised to see that, and yeah, there are many, many quirks of the Olympics, but by the time we figure them out, the Olympics is over, and there's another four years. It's like changing the clock in your car or in your oven when the clocks go forward or back.
I'm just going to leave it at the wrong time, because by the time I figured it out, the clock's gone the other way again. So there are a few quirks of the Olympics. I can't live like that. I have to figure it out. You've been in my car a lot, displaying the wrong time. Yeah, and I didn't like it. It's all coming out now. You're welcome for the lift, Matt, and you are welcome. Okay, we should get into the draws, just a couple of other bits of news to cover off very quickly.
Anjali Kerber has announced that she is officially retiring, so she came back from a turn to leave at the start of this year, the Olympics is going to be her last event. She was a silver medalist in Rio eight years ago, and we also had the immensely, well, overwhelming for her, and just generally uplifting news, I think, that Coco Gough is going to be the female flag bearer for Team USA alongside the men's flag bearer LeBron James. I think this is the coolest.
Yeah, me too. They announced that to her via Christopher U-Banks in front of the whole US tennis team there, and she clearly didn't know what was coming at all, and was just totally overwhelmed by that moment. And that's exactly what you want somebody like that to feel like. I'm sure most people would, but it's just a great story, isn't it? When you think of the sheer number of athletes that America could be choosing, and I'm chuffed that it's a tennis player, I'm really chuffed that it's her.
Yeah, first time a tennis player has been the flag bearer for Team USA, I believe, and I think it was voted on by other athletes, so just a real recognition of what an impact Coco Gough has had. And it's always such a notable thing about the Olympics that the tennis players are such big celebrities in the village. We've seen them getting selfies with so many different people this week, and that's one of the things I love the most.
And I think Coco Gough has got that kind of star power and influence, and yes, it's a pretty cool moment for the US. We have two different generations there, Lebron James, coming to the end of his career, and Coco Gough, although she's been around for so long, still sort of at the start of hers. And yeah, I was absolutely thrilled for her, and thought that Chris U-Banks did a very good job as well of breaking the news to her.
Yeah, he really did. That video is all over social media, and it's wholesome stuff and well worth checking out if you get the opportunity. Yeah, the pictures of tennis players in the athletes village, with athletes from other sports, with one another, hook it into my veins, I cannot get enough of it. I'm going to go to the Mury with Colour Thauncras, just looking like a big kid. Colour Thauncras photographed with human women for the first time on record.
Colour Thauncras and the Dahl training together, it's just so unique and wonderful and special, and it's just the most tremendous privilege that tennis gets to be a part of this, I think. I can't believe that those that have chosen not to be here aren't looking at all of that with some phomo. I just can't believe you would want to miss this. Yeah, I've got phomo, and there's no way I can get in that athlete's village.
When I'm here, Matt, I was having breakfast with athletes, and I realized on the way back up in the lift that my flies had been undone the whole time. I do think that there will be some players that do experience that, and who made a decision out of what they regarded as common sense several weeks ago, several months ago maybe, when all of these pictures weren't flying around, and that they might see them now and just think, oh, God, that looks good. I'd love to be part of that.
And so many of them do the pin collection, don't they? Of the various nations they want to collect the pins. Dan Evans is writing a column in the mail at the moment where he said that he's in a six bedroom apartment with the British team, and Andy Murray is just getting up early and just cycling the whole length of the win. Of the of the Olympic village using his celebrity to try to get more pins than everybody else. You won't be surprised to hear Andy Murray turn something into a competition.
He's never retiring. He's just going to take up weird random sports. And there was a fantastic quote from Nadal about the experience of being in the village saying that it kind of reinvigorates you. He said it's like going back to the beginning of everything without the comforts of the circuit. He says it's like a reminder of when when he played the small tournaments and he was in completely different hotel rooms, and he said it just sort of reminds him where he came from.
He's sleeping on these cardboard beds and probably sharing rooms and spaces like that. And I think some players opt not to stay in the village, don't they? I think notably, no, that Geokavitch isn't and I believe he can shfion tech isn't as well. But I think those that do, like there's this there's this strange mix of like being treated as a real celebrity for the tennis or certainly for the top tennis players.
And so a kind of humbling like we're all on the same level, we're all kind of in this together. And yeah, I think it's just pretty magical really. Yeah, I would I would do unspeakable things to be sleeping on a cardboard bed in the athlete's village. Right. I was supposed to ask what those are. Right, the draws. There's lots of headlines, but there is one big headline, I think. Right.
We haven't they've literally just come out. We haven't really had a chance to discuss this and digest it, but it is the potential for Raffa on the dial and no match. And I know that Geokavitch to meet in round two and I would go so far as to say the probability that we will see Raffa on the dial against no match. And I think that's an okay draw for an adult considering, you know, what kind of draws are out there.
And what kind of draw you got, got it Roland Garros, I expect the dial and Geokavitch to happen. You know, I am a bit concerned about Martin Foochiewicz. You've said he's not a gimmie. I mean, I just feel like it would be so tennis, you know, to dangle this in front of us and then for some reason for it not to happen. And Martin Foochiewicz to go back to incredible Hulk style shirt ripping and bulging biceps and just generally getting in the way of this great story.
You know, which given I've said that Raffa on the dial is in the mix and Havageg Geokavitch isn't, would be quite inconvenient. In fact, the whole draw is quite inconvenient as far as I'm concerned. But anyway, that's what the draw is thrown up. And I mean, please make that happen. No offense, Martin, Matt, you know, but we really do want to see Nadal against Geokavitch one more time.
And for it to happen, it rolling out in the Olympic Games where Nadal's a champion of the past and Geokavitch has never won it. I mean, there's so many ingredients there, aren't there that are tantalizing. Yes, David. And it will decide once and for all which of them is in the mix because, of course, 10 days ago at our final Wimbledon live show, you declared that Novant Geokavitch is not in the front in the... I've done it again.
One per show, that's what I'm allowed. Novant Geokavitch not in the Olympic mix and Raffa on the dial is in the Olympics mix. Yeah, and I hadn't even been drinking this time. And they hadn't even played that. And then with a weak perspective and reflection and given the chance to take it back, you doubled down on Monday, I believe. I mean, there's only Catherine who saw the look in my eyes when that conversation was going on.
So, you tell me Catherine how convincing I looked. But no, I'm going to stick with it. So, you think Martin Futchervitch is a worry for your prediction, but Novant Geokavitch isn't just to confirm. That's the gist, yeah. That's the gist. It was a speaks of sense into this podcast. Restore our credibility. Well, honestly, a gasp-inducing moment when that draw comes out. They have played ten times at Roland Garros before. Never before the quarterfinals and so many finals as well, I think three.
Nadal leads that head to head eight two at Roland Garros, but I don't know. It's tough to know how relevant all of that feels right now, given the different stage of their careers that they're at. I think Geokavitch has to be the favorite here. I do think that he's been playing a higher level of tennis recently than Rafael Nadal has.
You sort of covered it on Monday's podcast. I think that four-hour quarterfinal that Nadal played in Borscht had kind of completely wiped him out and meant that it was a real struggle in his final two rounds. But the very fact that he had to go four hours with Navona, who is a very good play court player and is one of a lot of matches, but that kind of indicates the level that Nadal is playing at.
It's taking him that long. It's requiring that much of him to beat players that in the past, he would have beaten pretty comfortably. I think I do agree with David that the transition for Geokavitch feels very quick coming to go from Gras to Clay on that knee. I'm not that confident about Geokavitch sort of long term in this Olympics draw. I think there might be threats to him later down the road.
When Nadal, no question, is a threat in the second round. But just given the levels they've been playing at recently, I think I would have to pave a Geokavitch if that happens. Especially Geokavitch, knowing that this is it in terms of his chance to try and win an Olympic gold medal. Maybe he's got his sights set on playing another four years, but it doesn't feel like that's all that realistic at the moment. This is it. He wants this desperately.
I think for Nadal, he's got the doubles as well. Nadal and Alcarez have got a tricky draw in there. But I could imagine the doubles being as big a deal as the singles for Nadal here. Especially getting to play with Alcarez. Whereas Geokavitch is all about the singles. I think I'm leaning Geokavitch, but then if you're doing that, you're writing off Nadal at Roland Garros, which is something that I've sworn to kind of never do before.
Look, he did get a boost when he turned up at Roland Garros a couple of months ago. He was a lot better in that match than he had been in Rome just a couple of weeks before. So, look, tantalising. Never write off Raffa and Nadal, but I am going to have to write a match. And how concerned are you about party pooper future rich? Not very. Okay. Yeah, I think it's going to happen. I do. I think it's going to happen. And I would give Geokavitch an edge.
I think the point you make about the singles potentially feeling like the side show for Nadal is an interesting one. I can't quite get my head around when Nadal and Alcarez will play their first round doubles. No, nobody knows. No, it's impossible to try and figure that out. All of the tennis starts on Saturday. That's what I know. And when they arrive on court, we'll know. And I think most players will have to play most days because this is a nine day long event, isn't it?
So, that's a lot of tennis to be played, especially given how many players are playing in two different disciplines. If you're in the draw, you're probably playing that day. I just can't get my head around. Do you know whether Nadal and Alcarez will have played a doubles match before Nadal plays a singles match? But yeah, I do think there's the potential for the singles to end up feeling like the side show, like the add on.
But I don't know. Maybe there's room for both Nadal related events to feel like headliners. Speaking of headliners, other headlines from the men's draw. What's jumping out at you? I think Carlos Alcarez got a great draw. He's landed in the other half to what we've been talking about there, which means he's away from Jocovic.
He was obviously always going to be away from Jocovic because they were the top two seats. But he's also away from Alexander Zverev, who has landed in the Jocovic in the Dahl half. Look, I think there were names in there who could be threats to Carlos Alcarez. I think the big, like, overall question mark for me is, like, in my head, this is like a slam.
I suppose the question is, does it feel like a slam to these players as well? If this was a slam, I'd be looking at this draw thinking, well, Carlos Alcarez is in such a great shot to make the final. Best of five sets, all of that. But you only have to look at the best of three masters finals on clay that we got this year on the men's side.
He had Zverev, Jerry, had Rue blev, Orge Alias, and he had Sitsapas, Rueud. Now, I know that Alcarez wasn't in full health during that period. But kind of what I'm saying is, like, upsets happened. And there was a bit more chaos to what we've got used to at the slam. So if this plays out more like a tour event, I could definitely, and if the doubles with Nadal is a big distraction as well, which I think it could be.
Like Tommy Paul or Alejandro Tabillo would be like potentially dangerous players, I think for Carlos Alcarez, they're good on clay. Casparoude as well in the semis potentially, like, they've all got potential to disrupt our careers. But if it's more like a slam and we get like the best version of Carlos Alcarez, then I think this is this is a great draw.
And I think that take applies to kind of everyone. Like, I just don't quite know what we're going to get here at the Olympics, whether, whether we're going to see these top players showing the level that they normally do, or whether we're going to get a little bit of chaos. And I think we'll probably get a sense of that quite early, which will be fun. We all have dreams, dream home renovations, dream vacations, or sending our kids to their dream colleges.
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Get a 14 day free trial at Aura.com slash safety. That's AURA.com slash safety. Question for both of you. Do you want chaos? And if so, to what degree? Do you want all the big names? Getting to the latter stages, getting to the metal matches, and it feeling like, you know, Grand Slam tennis, like it's a tournament on a level with a Grand Slam. Or do you want a Monica Pueg? Nicholas Masu type situation where somebody wins gold for whom it is.
The absolute crowning achievement of their entire life that will almost certainly never be matched by anything in normal tennis. I personally don't mind who wins. I don't need it to be a name. I don't need it to be our crowds or Jocke of it to have validity or credibility. And if you look back over all those installments of these champs of the Olympic Games, there's been a combination. There's been Monica Pueg at any of the Dementier.
There's been Alexander Sveriv who hasn't broken through in one Grand Slam yet. And there's a lot of them. Nicholas Masu you mentioned there. So you do get chaos a lot of the time. And I think part of that is the three sets. I also think the village lifestyle is part of it too. I mean it, I think Carlos Alcras could be affected by that.
I mean it's exhausting I would imagine. Great fun, but exhausting, you know, to be constantly getting stopped by other athletes and being the centre of attention in that way. This is new for him. I suspect he'll probably embrace it, but with the kind of feeling of responsibility that he has in the doubles as well alongside Nadali, won't you be so desperate not to let Nadal down? And I do think that these are factors to consider. It is a good draw for him.
And I think he's got the goods to come through it, but there's a heck of a lot more up in the air about this. How many times has he been two sets to one down in Grand Slam's of late and managed to find a way to come back and win the tournament? Because he's so great in five. I can't afford those slow starts. So I do think there's some vulnerability that maybe there isn't Grand Slam's.
And yeah, I think that I don't think it's either. It's not a tour event, it's not a Grand Slam. It really is one all of its own because it's got the importance of a Grand Slam for many of them. But it's got the kind of elements of a tour event plus some others as well. Yeah, I think that's really well said. It does stand alone. And we also know that one Carlos Ferreiro isn't there, certainly yet.
I think he might be arriving later, but that's something that we pin a lot of importance to for Alcarez. And that's a potential element here. We also know kind of what David's saying there about how busy and hectic like Village Life can be. I know that Alcarez likes to go for a walk on his off days and try and be calm during the Slam. And I don't think he's going to really be able to do that here.
So I definitely think we can't just pencil Carlos Alcarez into the final here, even though like on paper, it looks like he's a pretty massive favourite in that bottom half. But I do think with the men's tour, Catherine, there is room to kind of have both. Like we could get Jocovician Adal second round and that would be big name clash meeting right away. And we could get Jocovic Alcarez, you know, eventually meeting in the final as well.
But without Sinner, it does mean that I think it's pretty likely that we're going to get a name playing for a medal for whom it's going to mean kind of absolutely everything. And you know, I think that's pretty cool. And I love that incidentally, I went for a walk last night and because so many roads are closed, it was just absolutely lovely. It was sort of like COVID, but like, you know, sort of the good bit of COVID.
You know, when you got to walk around Central London and there was no crowds and there's sort of amongst all the horror, a weird novelty. And it was like that, but also with a buzz, which very much there wasn't during COVID. It was really, really lovely. So Carlos walks, walks are available. In terms of the doubles for Alcarez and Adal, they're unseeded. Goodness knows how they've done the seedings for the doubles. I think they've gone off doubles rankings.
Although Sinner and Mazzetti were going to be number one seed. Right. And then for Ellie and Vavassori were number two. So how does that work without Carazza and Adal being unseeded? I don't understand. I guess Nadal doesn't have kind of any ranking at all really at the moment. Whereas Mazzetti at least did have a high ranking. I don't know. I'm, I really don't know how they do it. I've got no idea. Right. So, so, so, but Ellie and Vavassori are the top seeds.
And it's Pwitz and Kravitz, the, the, the German pair that are the second seed. But yes, you're right. There are some singles players in doubles that are seeded. Fison and Bear are the eighth seeds. So who can say how they've done this? But Alkaraz Nadal are unseeded. Drawn to face Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Multeni, the Argentine pair, the sixth seed in round number one. And that's, that's tough. I think it's the, it's an absolute classic singles players against doubles specialists.
Obviously Nadal and Alkaraz are better tennis players sort of objectively. But, you know, teams can be far far greater than the sum of their parts. And I have absolutely no idea what Alkaraz is going to be like as a doubles player. We could have a, a lay the cup situation when Nadal is explaining the rules and the signals to him at the sit-downs. And I, I would enjoy that very much if that is, if that is the case. But I just, I just don't know what it's going to look like.
No, there, there's got to be a real chance they go out in round one. I would have thought against an established doubles team like that who, who have won titles together and will have some, some plan and some kind of chemistry. Not sort of personal chemistry as much as just knowing what each of this is going to do. And, and I can't wait to see it.
This is what it's all about to me is putting these two absolute galacticos together who, who are at total opposite stages of their careers, who are both going to be so pumped to just being each of this company and on the team. And then this established doubles team that just wants to sort of show them what doubles is all about. And I, I cannot wait to see that. Yeah, it's, it's very much sort of vibes, our presence the dull against the plan and tactics like González and Malteney.
And honestly, even if an entire now craze get through that, I think Cool Hof Greek sport in the, in the next round would be difficult. Like that's, that's a combination who've got an experienced doubles player and the top singles player. Like I think that would be a kind of a tricky match as well. I think that's a really tough draw for our crez and nadal. But because, because it's our crez and nadal, you kind of think anything's possible.
And nadal is a very good doubles player and without having to move quite as much as he will in the singles, I do think some of that, some of that now, that David you were talking about on Monday's pod that was like getting him through the singles matches in Borschtad. You can bring that to the doubles court a bit more naturally, I would have thought.
But I think it's, I think it's a hard draw. There was, there were definitely names that they would have much preferred to face then and established doubles pair who've won two titles on clay already this season. Although they did get upset early in Royal Gara, I believe. So they're like, there by no means sure bets, but it's tough. They have preferred to play Steffanos and Petros Sitzapas in round one. I reckon Sitzapas is an Olympian. Do we think he's got the tattoo already?
No judgement. I would already have the tattoo as well, but I suspect Petros has been to a parlor. I mean, listen, I think they could be quite useful because they've played quite a lot of doubles together. And this is all a fact, you know, they've won some matches together before. Some of these pairings have just never seen each other before, hardly. They've got Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral in round number one. Full disclosure, I've never heard of Francisco Cabral.
They are a Portuguese pairing. We have Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz playing together. And we're going to have Tommy Paul and Taylor Townsend in the mixed and Taylor Fritz and Coco Gough playing in the mix. There are fun American doubles pairings happening here. In fact, I think all of Team USA is fun in the tennis. I'm pumped to see how all of them pan out in all of their various different events.
So Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz in the men's doubles, they're the third seeds. They start against Felix, Aliecy and Milos Rownic. Got another. You have to respect it, don't you? He is just sort of hanging around going to all of his favourite events. We mentioned Andy Murray and Dan Evans, they start against Torrey Daniel and Kena Shikoria, win there. And they would face the winner of Sandagel and Jürgen Jorin of Ligun who were taking on Artifice and Hugo and Bear.
Fies and and Bear could be. I don't know, could be weird, could be fun. I feel like there's a quite different vibe, aren't they? I've never seen Artifice play doubles in my life and if he had I would have seen it. So yeah, I'm not expecting great things. I am however fascinated to see if he can find his way, finally past Unaldi in the first round of the singles and maybe meet the winner of Jokovic in Nadal. Now that I think is probably a better chance for him to make some progress.
But maybe I'm wrong, maybe they'll get inspired in front of the Parisian crowds. Yeah, except we saw them bear in front of the Parisian crowds on Longland, they didn't seem to be loving it, did he? No, it was his opponent son of a go that was loving it. He'll need Fies to bring the vibes. Yes. Yes, we have Jerry and Tobilo playing together, they've drawn Dardarian Musetti in round number one.
We have Medvedev and Saffulin playing together under a neutral flag. Medvedev and doubles, it doesn't feel like it works to me, but I think I've just got a feeling that could be amusing. Medvedev and Saffulin. Yeah, well you can David, you can. Medvedev is also playing with Andrava in the mixed doubles. He's not. Yeah, I'm really, really into that. Some of the mixed doubles pairings, that one. Oh my god, I'm obsessed with it. In particular, Rebecca and Bublik. I mean. So good.
Yeah, okay, should we have a little, should we have a little deviation into the mixed draw, saying as we're there, the top seeds are Laura Seagmund and Alexander's Verve. They have been drawn to play Catarina Siniacava and guest in round number one. And guest. It's a draw, didn't we? When I saw them playing doubles together, Roman Garros didn't go great. This is Thomas Mahatch, right? Who also the best player in the world also guest?
Yes. Yes. When Catarina Siniacava and boyfriend Thomas Mahatch attended an event together this year, I think Indian Wells and they had a picture taken on the red card, but it was captioned. Catarina Siniacava and guest attend whatever the event was. So yeah, that's a fun round one. Not sure, did Laura Seagmund and Verve, did they play in the United Cup? Yes. It was very, very misted what he was told, are they?
Right, okay, we have Garcia and Roger Vasala playing together, they starting in Shibahara and Nishikori. Again, Nishikori doesn't scream doubles guy to me, but I do like that he's entered it all. Good luck to you, okay. Coco Gough and Taylor Fritz open against a later re-backer and Alexander Bublik. Where's that on? I would get up at 5am to watch that. Yeah, and that's 2am at normal people's clock. Yeah, I mean, that's just so fun. Fritz and Gough are the third season.
We have Joe, Solzbeen, Heather Watson taking on Felix O'Jalea's team and Gabby Debrowski in round one. Irani and Vavassori take on Andrava and Mittvedev. Oh, that is sensational. Demi Shuhz and Wesley Coolhoff face Maria Sakari and Stefano Sitterpass in round one. It's a good match. Yeah, I like that. We have Vekitch and Pavic teaming up, taking on Zheng and Zheng, the Chinese pairing, which I think is fun. They played together at United Cup and it was extremely fun.
Zheng Zhijen is a good vibe in mixed doubles. And then at the bottom of the drawer, Ellen Perez and Matt Ebton, the Australian second seeds, face Saurus, Ribas, Tormur and Marcel Granoyez. Fun. Why is all of it fun? Why is it so small the mixed doubles draw? I thought, you know. You know what I mean? They're trying to limit our fun. You only need to win a cup of of matches and you're playing for a medal. Well, I think one element must be the nine day thing.
Like squeezing all of this into nine days is a lot. Yeah, I mean, there are going to be players, but you know, Coco Goff is going to be on the schedule all the time. I think Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, all the time. Did I make up that Taylor Tamsen and Tommy Paul were playing together? I had heard that and I was really excited about it. That is a shame, but Coco Goff and Taylor Fritz is fun. Okay. On to the women's draw.
And look, Eagish Yontek is a heavy, heavy favourite for this title regardless of what the draw is, I think personally. And yet, I don't think she's got a brilliant draw. She would have Linda Norsk of her as a potential third round or Diana Schneider, who's just one title and is in fantastic form, having a breakout year. And she's landed in the same section as Yolena Roster-Penco again. I still back her to win this tournament, but that is not an ideal draw for Eagish Yontek, David.
I'm not as bad as it can get. Yeah, this is a terrible, terrible draw for Eagish Yontek. Now, you could take the view, well, there is no such thing as a bad draw, because she just will beat everybody, because she's by far the best French open player for the last three years proven, and that is correct. And it's not the best of five sets coming down to three sets. So there are a lot more similar elements to this, but Olympics is still different.
To me, it's the ideal draw for me as a fan, as a neutral, because we get to see her tested, potentially, with the most difficult run to the title. De Amparie in the second round, potentially Schneider, Ostapenco, Rebecca. If you could offer me players to put up against her in the various rounds, I'd pretty much go with that. And so, yeah, I'm not even sure I will pick her for the title based on all that. Who are you picking? Don't know yet. I'll have a think about it for the rest of the day.
What's the newsletter? Is that what you're going to be thinking about while you're in the theatre watching Mrs. Doubtfire, the musical? It's mentally running through the Women's Olympic draw. Who are you going to be picking? I think Eagus Viontec. It is a difficult draw. I absolutely agree. But I feel like we've been here a lot this year with these names in Eagus Viontec's section. The number of times Noscver has been drawn to face Eagus Viontec this year is crazy.
And Noscver has been there often as well. I don't know. The match is just don't end up happening all that often. I don't necessarily think that this is going to be the murderous role of a draw that it looks like on paper, I suppose. And even if it is, if there's one place where I would back Eagus Viontec to win those matches, it would be Rolongaros. Of course, she came very close to losing this year in Rolongaros, in Round 2 against Nomi Asaka.
If Asaka had won that match, we might look at this differently. I suppose. Eagus Viontec is vulnerable against those big hitters. But the fact is, she won it. And Nomi Asaka played her grand slam winning level in order to even push it that far. So I just trust Eagus Viontec on clay so much, and especially at Rolongaros. I think I'm going to stick with Viontec, but I agree. If she has to face, I think for me, Osterpenko and Rebecca are the ones.
I think I know Noscver is beating her, I know Schneider is in good form. I know Collins has had a great year, but I would back Viontec, pretty strongly in all of those matchups. I think Osterpenko and Rebecca are the ones who really do lead the head to head. And that would be, you know, quarter final and semi final, potentially for Viontec. I don't know whether we're going to get both of those, but either of those would definitely give me pause for thought.
But the just Viontec's history in this place means that I'm backing her. Rebecca opens against Jacqueline Christian, and in round two would face the winner of the first round match between Naomi Asaka and Angelic Kerber. Epic, love it, well done Olympic straws. We also have a muck of her against Fernandez first round. We have a Seagmund Collins first round. Excellent. That is sensation, isn't it? We have Laura Pigossi playing singles. She's drawn Derni Stromska in round number one.
Tom Yannovich Goth opening round goff is the second siege. She's down at the bottom of the draw. Potential third round with, well, could be Andrescu, could be Towson. They play in round number one. Vecchic Bronzetti is around one Putin-Saver, Costiuk, Burel, Siniak, those are all potential round three opponents for Coco Gough down at the bottom of the draw. I'm not sure I'll ever pick Coco Gough to beat Eagishviantec, certainly on clay. But I think Coco Gough's getting a medal at this Olympics.
I think she's getting through to those latter stages. Yeah, I think so. And I actually think she could get multiple medals given that she's in all these draws. Everything. Yeah. And look, and obviously she's going to want gold, but I do remember a quote she gave earlier in the year, which was like any Olympic medal. She would be very, very excited about. And I believe that, especially at this stage of her career with home games to come, which, you know, you never know, injury can hit.
But hopefully she'll be able to play that. I'm like a name that I have promised not to overlook in draws anymore. And one that I'm very excited about to see in this draw is Jasmine Paulini. Like she has landed in Coco Gough's half. You know, there could be a Wimbledon final rematch against Craig Chiekova in the quarters. And she could have to face Andrava in round two. Andrava in round two. Like it's a tough draw. Yes, please.
But I don't know. I kind of overlooked the Olympics, I think, when we were talking about Paulini's future. You know, I was so focused on thinking about how she would cope at future slams, I suppose. But actually, we've got a massive tournament right here. And we know she's in great form. She's just been to the final at this venue. Like Paulini to me is a name that, I mean, can you imagine, Jasmine Paulini winning a medal?
I think that would be awesome. And I'm very excited to see her at these Olympics. And yeah, I think, I think, I think we could be in for a Gough Paulini semi-final from that bottom, bottom half. Fantastic. Woodwatch, we'll watch. Do we think the French, do we think the home nation have any metal hopes at this Olympics? Can anybody foresee a French medal anywhere possibly? I mean, I think it's unlikely. I do think that players can play above themselves.
I think Artifice is capable one day of reaching that sort of level. I don't know whether it's, it might be too early. And obviously, he's, he's got a toughness, toughness first round against Matteo Arnelldi, who's beaten him twice at Grand Slam's in the last year. Then the fact that he might have to play the winner of Nadal or Jocovic Round 3. You know, those are tough. There are other players as well that have got the amparies there and who go and bear.
But I'd be surprised, really, if France got a medal. I think, as I just said, like the mixed doubles draw being so small. You only have to win a couple of matches to get yourself into the semis. And then you've got a shot at a medal. Garcia and Roger Vassala. Like, it's not screaming medal today. But given, given the circumstances, they feel like. Well, weird if things have happened. Yeah, you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. Okay, do anyone want to make any, any predictions?
David wants to think about it while he's watching Mrs. Doubtfire. But the door is open for you, David. If you want to make other ones listed, well, actually very much solicited predictions. I think Al Karazan and Dar will do it. Wow. I think Al Karaz is going to win singles. Anything else? I think, who's Coco Gough playing in the mixed doubles with? She's playing with Taylor Fritz. You've never seen my pace. That's Taylor Fritz's mixed doubles vibe. Yeah, I'm going to go for that.
How would be fun, wouldn't it? I would like to know how, would Coco Gough have got to decide on her mixed doubles partner? Would she have picked Taylor Fritz? How does it work? How does any of it work? I would have liked it's all a bit of a fun mystery. I would like to know whether that was, did Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz play Papers as Stone? Was there an arm wrestle for Coco Gough? I can't start thinking about the fact that Sarah Arani is going to be serving to the Neil Member there.
Isn't that great? What is there for them to do? Will his return position be in the backboards where it usually is? Remember, right? He's like, I'm most comfortable back here. I am staying back here. He does say that, right? He's like, I will only adjust in the most extreme of circumstances. That is absolutely sensational. Okay, we'll all kicks off on Saturday, 48 hours from now, less than 48 hours from now, at Roland Garros, which will also be hosting the boxing in Week 2 of the Olympics.
We'll be back on Monday with our next show. We will also be back midway through the Olympics on Thursday of next week with an update show. We'll be back the following Monday, once all the medals have been distributed and will be reviewing and mourning the Olympic Games. Generally being in a state of sadness, having to wait for four years for the next one. The athletics will still be on, won't it? Yes. There will still be right in the thick of the general Olympics at that point.
The gymnastics goes on for the full two weeks. Don't you know it? Don't I know it, folks. Where does gymnastics and I can answer? Where does tennis rank for you, Catherine? When you're planning an Olympics TV viewing day on the sofa. I know this year you're obviously doing a lot of commentary as well, but... How big of a priority is the tennis? I would dedicate a screen to it, but I'm not sitting there and watching it all day.
Because the FOMO would be too much, like the sort of missing out on a big Olympic swimming final. Because if something Caroline Garcia and Edward Rojavassan is doing, you know, too much FOMO, but I would and will have it very much on all the time, watching Sare Rani serve to Daniel Mepedev. Yeah, great. Okay. Yeah. What are your multi-screening plans? Well, I need to get my head around all of it.
Obviously, yeah, screen on the tennis, screen on or sound on your commentary, and screen on probably just the main coverage taking me to where metal events are happening, I suppose. I think that's probably a way of doing it. All on discovery, I hope, Matt. Yeah, that's where we find you. Matt, that's where you find me talking about gymnastics and ceremonies and people with flags on boats.
Speaking of which, I'm alright in saying that, and I'm sorry if this is throwing you under the bus, but I'm alright in saying that Nicholas Jerry is carrying the flag for Chile, and I think I read Danke Covonich for Montenegro. Yes. In terms of... ...Tennis players that he can expect to see as well as golf. I've got a lot of nations that have yet to announce, says the possibility of a couple more tennis players, but those are the ones that are announced so far. I think it's a few down on Tokyo.
Tokyo, I remember, was very well represented. Tennis was very well represented among flag bearers, so I think there's been a bit of a drop off, but I think, you know, Coco Gough, flag bearing for Team USA, kind of makes up for that. That's so high profile. I've said it's alongside LeBron James, you know, that's going to get a lot of attention. I think that's just so cool for tennis. And for Coco Gough, she'd never met LeBron James.
I presume they'll meet before the actual flag carrying, but as of the time that it was announced that she was told, she'd never met LeBron James, so it's incredibly cool. Which means that LeBron James had never met Coco Gough, of course. Exactly, Matt. Yeah. He's about to have that pleasure. I think they're doing a press conference shortly, actually, another press conference that I can't attend. But I'll get the news online and let you know if there's anything you need to know.
It's going to be brilliant, folks. I cannot wait for it all to kick off, which it's going to be doing in two days' time. The evening ceremony is tomorrow, do tune in on Discovery or on Eurosport. If you want to hear my commentary on that, I've got a lot of research to go and do. David has a musical to get to. Matt has a Bruce Springsteen concert to get to. Happy Olympics and Bruce Springsteen playing at Wembley Week, folks. It's going to be great. Thank you for listening.
We have an Olympics mascot. It's one that's familiar to, well, to anybody that's a devout listener. It's a devout listener of the tennis podcast. It is lovely Phoebe. Phoebe is owned by Priyanka and Phoebe is a four-time mascot. Phoebe has been a mascot in each of her four years of life so far. Priyanka tells us that Phoebe is thrilled to be back as a tournament-long tennis podcast mascot for the fourth executive year. She lives in New Jersey, of course, with her people Priyanka and Greg.
Spending her days watching for deer and eating cheese. And yes, she has a friend's couch-themed dog bed. She's such a loath that it was hard to find a recent picture of her standing up, which makes her the perfect companion for watching long-ten as matches from the couch. Phoebe is my favourite kind of mascot. She's one that comes with a photo shoot. So we'll be drip-feeding. Pitches of Phoebe on our Instagram and in our newsletter over the coming days and weeks.
And it's lovely to have her company throughout this Olympic Games. We have our mascots. I of course have the dearly departed Darwin, David as Frances and Matt has Heider and Soma. Billy Jean is sponsored by Billy Jean King and Alana Klaus. We have our top folks and executive producers, Jamie Jeff, Chris and Greg and Matt. Shout out to back. They're back and coincidentally but perfectly I think they are all Olympic-themed shout-outs.
Because we start with Ricky Caraviotis and Ricky is in Sydney, of course, host of the Olympics in 2000. What a game, that was. Hello, Ricky. Tennis or Olympian Ricky's. Nope, okay. I brought him out to help us. Was Ricky Fowler the golfer? Is he ever done the Olympics? He's got an Olympic bio, David. Well, there you go then. I think you could be onto one there. Ricky Berens, he is a US swimmer, competed at London 2012 where he won gold in the 4x200 meters freestyle relay. Well, we knew that.
Ricky, in Sydney, thanks ever so much. Cheers, Ricky. We've also got Elizabeth Pope who is also in Australia in Brisbane, which hasn't Queensland been an Olympic champion. Queensland has been announced as a host of... 2032. 2032 game, so there's another Olympics link. Hey, thanks Elizabeth. Yes, Elizabeth. So I've Googled Elizabeth Olympics. Is Elizabeth Chocchiereta not in the Olympics? Well, that's Elizabeth better. Oh, is it? I've been with Elizabeth Olympics.
And mostly what's come up is a footage of the Queen jumping from a helicopter with James Bond during the 2012 opening ceremony, which is a... Good length. ...memory for everybody. There's an Elizabeth Robinson. Elizabeth was a 16-year-old student who didn't know she was a good runner until a teacher spotted her running. First, women's track Olympic champion. She won gold at the Amsterdam Games in 1928. Aha. So, let me get my list of...
So, let me get my list of... ...it's the most recent Olympic... Elizabeth, surely not. I didn't say the most recent. I said, Anne Olympic Elizabeth. Oh, okay. I thought that was... I thought it was in some sort of order. No, just Google search order. Right. Thank you, Elizabeth. And finally, we have Ruth Murray. Oh. Boris. Like Andy Murray. And Jamie Murray. Ruth's brother-in-law is called Andy Murray. Oh, very good. We have a Ruth Betia, Spanish-Lol-Highjumper. Oh, she won Olympic gold.
Oh, I'll go. 2016 Olympic Women's Highjumper Champion. Cool. Ruth. There you go. Ruth Elizabeth Ricky. Thank you very much. If you would like to get a shout out, become a friend of the tennis podcast and get access to all the excellent bonus content and the barge, which we'll be rocking throughout the Olympics, I'm sure. Then the link to do that is in our show notes. Enjoy the start of the Olympics, folks. We will speak to you on Monday. We all have dreams. Dream home renovations.
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