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Well, hello and welcome to The Tennis Podcast, the first of 17 daily US Open Tennis Podcasts coming your way. You find myself, Catherine Whittaker, David Law, and Matt Roberts at Tennis Podcast Towers, New York, having just devoured David's very favorite meal in the whole wide world. Yeah, we went to an Italian that I think about most of the year, and we've gone to it two days out of the last three. It's been fantastic.
David's family wouldn't wouldn't let him go to this particular restaurant quite as much as he wanted. So we're we're letting David loose. And there was a moment when our waiter turned into an opera singer. There was. There's, I was going to interject there and sort of try and offer some explanation, but I really can't.
Just out of the blue. One minute he was topping up my water the next minute he had a microphone in his hand, and the other waiter seemed a bit confused about what was going on just like us. And yet like if that happened at home, I think I'd find it really annoying and yet I actually kind of loved it in there in New York. I wasn't questioning it.
I said bravo. In fact, I don't know what came over me. Yeah, so we are fueled and ready to go for this first daily podcast. Well, we'll be covering the draw. Yesterday will be covering the media day interviews that we've been in today, the press conferences and some other bits of news as well that of course have have come up over the last couple of days since we were last with you for a podcast.
We had our live show last night at the green space in New York. We talked about the draw there. So for any of the lovely, lovely people that were with us last night at the green space. And it was a truly special night. And for those that bought a ticket to join us online, there might be some repetition of material. We'll try to, we'll try to freshen it up, but we did extensively go through the draw yesterday. So we're well, we're well prepped for today.
It's not one of those where we've got the draw PDFs two and a half minutes ago and we're desperately trying to imprint it on our brains and make sense of it all I feel. No excuse is what you say. Yeah, I feel it better be good. Oh no, I've said it's up to fail. Would I feel pretty o-fey with the draw at this point? Yes, I think I agree. And as you say, the fact that we've had like the first half of media day today will freshen up our takes a little bit, I think.
So if anyone who was at the green space has downloaded this, I encourage them to keep listening. Good teaser, Matt. Last night, it really was very, very special. And it was a night that was supported by AO Travel and experiences. And they're supporting us throughout this US Open, they're partnering with us. They really are your one stop shop for the Australian Open in January with AO Travel and experiences.
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Correct. I don't have lots of other fun stuff in it as well. No pressure, Matt. Now on to the draw. We started yesterday. We debated which of the draws to cover first because you know the annex, the annex in a stuff was and is so, so hot that it kind of felt like maybe we should lead with the men's draw to kind of lead with the annex in a discussion, but actually the women's draw is more interesting, isn't it? That's where certainly in the early rounds.
That's where the fun stuff is happening. That's where the first round matchups that really draw your eye are, I think. Yeah, and I feel like I actually don't know where to look first. When I when that draw came out, my eyes were darting all over the place because there was so many matches that I was interested in even in the first round alone with Amanda and this and over against Chung Chin Wen.
We've got Naomi Osaka against Yoleen Rosterpenko. We've got Bianca and rescue against Jasmine Pauline and just so we always get that David every slap. And it never fails to deliver. But I just all of these matches, I just I just want them to start now and I want to make sure they're actually not all taking place at the same time because I want to watch every one of them and save them.
There weren't anywhere near as many of those when the draw came out in the men's and I think there are fewer really enticing names in men's tennis right now. There's a handful of massive names that I can't wait to see play each other, but that's two weeks away. Yeah, that's true. It doesn't feel like the depth of interest is there. Like at the top, absolutely. It's a fun time, great storylines, but depth wise and depth is what creates a fun first week.
Does does feel like there's a bit of a goal for the moment. Yeah, there's to use the term I said at Wimbledon, there's not the dormant volcanoes on the ATP tour. There's a lot of very active ones. Very good. Yeah, Xinner and Carlos Alcoraz and no joke of it have absolutely dominated at the big events. And there the names that you look at in the draw and the big sort of headline from the men's draw was that Alcoraz and Xinner came out on the same half.
I think for the fourth slam out of the last five, like that's been happening consistently. But you look at their paths through and I'm sure we'll talk about that in more detail, but you can kind of pencil them in. Whereas the women's draw does have some very active volcanoes. You know, Shiontech, Saba Lenka, Goff, these are all big names, but all of them come with a bit more jeopardy because of the sheer number of other names that there are and that are potentially in their paths.
And you know, potentially even playing each other as David's just described with those first few matches. That means there is great intrigue right from kind of the very first ball, I think, all throughout this women's draw. We've got Shiontech and Rebecca and her drawn in the same half again, which means that I get to dream of that match up maybe happening once again in the semi-finals.
We can't talk about Rebecca and her draw without talking about the news that broke. Yes, they actually map broke this news to me. During the live show, he saved a little bomb. He checked his phone just before we went on stage and saved a little bomb shell for us to deliver live.
Elena Rabakina has split, she announced on social media yesterday with her long time coach Stefano Vucov just on the eve of the final Grand Slam of the season, her post read, hello everyone, after five years Stefano and I are no longer working together. I thank him for his work on court and wish him all the best for the future. Thank you all for your support. A pretty brosk message really. We see quite a lot of messages of that genre, don't we?
That's one of the more brosk variety. I don't know what's happened to precipitate this, but I do know that Elena Rabakina has been having an incredibly rough time physically and very possibly more than that, emotionally mentally. Who knows, but certainly physically and those two things can be very much interlinked. I know that a lot of the dynamic that I've seen between them over the two years, just in terms of on court, has felt extremely uncomfortable.
I really hope she's okay. I'm sure the sheer amount of change that this will precipitate will be tough, but it's hard not to sort of slightly punch the air at this news quite honestly. Yeah, I think for anybody who's watched that dynamic on the court over the course of time now, realize that has been a lot of success as well. She's won Wimbledon and he was her coach.
She reached the Australian Open Final. He was her coach. She has at times defended him publicly when people have questioned what they've seen on court. Honestly, I can only say honestly with my own eyes and my own ears how I feel when I watch it and I don't like it and I haven't liked it a lot of times. I realize not every coaching player relationship is the same and there isn't a one size fits all that makes for success and makes for healthy relationships.
But that one has always made me feel a little bit. I don't know, I just feel squeamish almost sometimes when I'm watching it. And so as a result of that, I'm glad that I don't have to watch it anymore. That's a totally selfish perspective. But one that if me feeling like that is representative of maybe how she might feel sometimes, then hopefully this is the start of things being a lot more enjoyable in life for her.
And hopefully her health starts, physical health starts improving as well. And you know, she's talked about her lack of sleep and all these things that she's suffered from over the last few months. It's just not nice. It's just not nice to see somebody seemingly not very happy at times. Yeah, and maybe it'll be bumpier in the short term, who knows. But I certainly, this boosts my hopes for her longer term, I think. I mean, only time will tell.
But it makes it very, very difficult to predict what to expect from her in this tournament and it had already become quite difficult to predict what to expect from her because it was so health dependent. So let's look at the schveontek of that potential semi-final matchup between Schveontek and Rebecca. Now that's the seeded semi-final that's projected to take place. It's a good draw for Schveontek, isn't it?
I think it is. Yeah, like, well, first of all, Noscovars not there. And Noscovar is always in the English Fiontex section of a draw. I feel like every time I've looked at a draw this season, I've been expecting Schveontek to have to face Noscovar in one of the first few rounds.
Generally, also like that type of player is not really there. And what I mean by that is I'm not looking at the early rounds of the Schveontek draw and seeing a lot of big flat hitters of the ball who might completely take the racket out of her hand. And that is still the style of play that I think Schveontek struggles against the most, you know, it's not to say that she'll lose those matches, but I think they can make her a little bit more uncomfortable on the court.
But those players are not really there, I think, in the first week, if we're talking about the first four rounds, I think the most dangerous name in her section is Mira and Draver. That is a dangerous name. They played a very close match just a few days ago in Cincinnati. And Schveontek really had to battle through that. And Draver, I think, is improving all the time.
And that is a name that's potentially lurking. But I just find Schveontek so fascinating right now, because on the one hand, we've talked about the fact that her loss is since the French open have all had this slightly similar feel to them, a sense of panic, a sense of why aren't you using more of your game to try and turn this around. But equally, they can all slightly be explained those losses in my mind.
One of them was Wimbledon, which is not comfortable on the grass. One of them was the Olympics, where I think there was a different pressure. And one of them was in lightning fast conditions in Cincinnati against Arena Sabilecka, who I think is the best in the world in those conditions. So it's not like she's been suffering completely inexplicable losses. And she is the world number one. She has won this title before.
But I do think she's got a little bit of a point to prove right now in these non-French open grand slams. The fact that she's only won this one once doesn't feel enough for how dominant she's been on her courts, on the tour generally feels like she's a bit short in terms of like non-French open majors. And with a draw like this, this does feel like a chance for Shfi'an to get into this tournament and hopefully start playing her best tennis. And I think this draw gives her that chance.
But it's a question mark for me whether she does find that best tennis when she gets to the latter stages against some more dangerous opponent. Is that the sense that you got from her impress today, David? A woman with a point to prove? Actually, I would say no. I actually got the sense of somebody who was almost reveling in the fact that she doesn't have the pressure on her at the moment.
She's not coming in as the player, everybody's expecting to win this title. And she was quite explicit about that. She said, I don't have that weight on my shoulders. And she did look a little happier, freer as a result. And she did reference the speed of those conditions in Cincinnati. And she said, obviously, they're very different here. And I pushed her to explain that and to explain what the difference was.
And she said, look, I've only had a couple of days. So it's going to take me a little while to get used to it. But it is slower. And she said, in theory, that should suit me, which that admission that true speed in a court is a problem for her. I think is quite important because there actually aren't many players who like that on the tour at all now. Since in Attis, pretty much it. And I think that really did take a lot of the players by surprise, quite how quick it was there.
And she already seems enthused, I would say, by the fact that this is more to her liking. Jessica Bagoula would be her projected quarter final opponent. Did we hear anything from Bagoula today to suggest that this will be the slam when she breaks the quarter final duck? I mean, the draw alone might be enough to suggest it's not. But... Yeah, the fact that it's probably Yggishfion taking the quarter finals. I think she seemed a little uncomfortable, actually, about her first round draw.
I don't think it's... I'm not... I haven't got her on upset alert, really. But the fact that she's playing Shelby Rogers and Shelby Rogers has announced that she's going to be retiring. She does not want to be the players when Shelby Rogers career, that's not... Exactly. And I totally get that. Yes. Yeah, I think that is really, really tough, actually. I think just the different levels that they've been playing at recently will mean that Bagoula wins that match.
I'll be more worried about the second round. When it's either Radikano or Sophia Kennin. And if it's Kennin, again, she spoke about how as much as she... I don't think it wants to be the player to end Shelby Rogers's career. I don't think she likes playing fellow Americans all that much either. I think she finds that a little bit awkward. And just Kennin and Radikano are both such unknown quantities. Well, they're both done something she hasn't done for a start. Yes, which is Wynne Grand Slam.
Well, get me on the court of fine. I know it's brutal, but I mean that is... And I know that she's done a lot more in the body of her career than they have. But that is... We're at a Grand Slam. We're not on the tour here. This is where they've delivered and she hasn't. And that's an interesting mental challenge in itself for her. It was interesting that she talked about how unusual and perhaps unexpected it is that she's had some great form after having played the Olympic. She said she...
And a few players talked about, or mentioned this maybe. Well, the Olympics was remained a talking point today, partly because I was asking questions about it and trying to keep the Olympic joy alive. You used to word foe mode a number of times. I did. But she said, coming from Paris, a lot of players have maybe... She said maybe not as prepared as they would be for the US Open in other years. And she said she didn't feel great going into Toronto.
And she just kind of happened to hit some form and keep up the momentum. And that's what she talked a lot about momentum and trying to keep it going into New York. And she said... She said... She saw Marcus Girone earlier on today. And he was like, how did you play the Olympics and then play well afterwards? He said the rest of us Americans have just crashed and burned. And she said it was not staying in the Olympic village, didn't she?
Or she speculated that was the anomalous thing about her Olympic experience. She had made that call not to stay in the Olympic village and kind of... I guess have a foot in both camps, are kind of still feeling a bit like Girontor, but also still playing the Olympics. Can imagine it would be exhausting being in the Olympic village. Yeah, I mean... Wonderful, but draining. Yeah, yeah. No, I get it. And look, it's absolutely paid off, hasn't it?
I mean, it makes me sad that she's missed out on a lot of, you know, the badge, the pin... The pin trading. But yeah, it was an interesting one. I do... That is something I'm going to be keeping an eye on this fortnight. The fate of players that played the Olympics versus ones that didn't. You know, it could turn out to be absolutely nothing. Yeah, only time will tell, but it's something I'm going to be keeping an eye on, for sure.
You mentioned that first round match between Emma Radikanu and Tafirken, and that is one of the ones that hopped right off the page, isn't it? Oh, I'm so excited. It's just so interesting. I don't know what they're going to come up with, and yet they're both capable of such high levels. And I mean, I was telling you earlier that I think Emma Radikanu is probably my favourite player to watch. She's just such an exciting player to watch when it all comes together, and yet it's not all brute power.
And Sifir Kennin is a player who's not all about brute power, either they're just sweet ball strikers who are quite tactical in matches, and I just want to watch that very, very much. And yeah, when is it? That match will be Tuesday. We did have Emma Radikanu in press today. She was sort of gently lightly quizzed on the decision not to play qualifying in either Toronto or Cincinnati, and indeed, you know, not to play in between Washington and the US Open at all.
And it kind of sounds like the decision in relation to each of those was different each time. With Toronto, it was about not enough turnaround time after Washington, with Cincinnati.
It was about, well, if I'd be staying out in America for another month just to play Cincinnati, qualifying, and that didn't feel worthwhile, and then she didn't want to play the week before Islam, or before the US Open, because she said she didn't want to risk picking something up injury-wise or niggle-wise and putting the US Open at risk. So, you know, she's got her justification. She stands by them completely.
You know, she did say, I've always done things a little differently, and I intend to continue that way. You asked her, David, whether she would have any intention of next year, perhaps, when she has got a bit more confidence in her body after the surgeries that she's had, whether she would have any intention of playing significantly more than she has done this year. And the answer was maybe a bit more, but not much. It's not going to look that much different.
Yeah. I do sense that she wears her sense of being different to others as a bit of a badge of honour. And she kind of enjoys the reaction, I think, at times. And look, she has in her mind very clearly that she doesn't want to play that often. I do think that's quite a thing to say when you're still as much of a novice, really, as she is in relative terms. Yes, she's won a grand santae title, but she still has played so little overall.
She still doesn't feel like that battle hardened pro that I kind of feel that she needs to learn how to be. And I do think that I don't really think it was a great decision not to play qualifying at one of those events. I really do think she should have done that. At the same time, I think she's that talented. And we have the experience of watching her just win out of the blue the way she has. I still wouldn't be surprised if she went and beat Sophia Ken and beat Jessica Pigula.
I think she's that talented, but I also think she would improve the chances of these things if she committed a bit more and played these qualifying events. And I think the thing is that the US Open wasn't out of the blue in terms of matches. No, that's true. And the whole match is that tournament she'd been on the road in the US all summer having good results at a lower level.
Of course, it was out of the it was the most out of the blue thing that's ever happened in tennis in terms of her ranking and status within the sport, but not in terms of matches. She didn't just pop up cold and win a grand slam. So I look, she knows she knows herself. She is she knows her mind. And she she stands by her decisions and I and I respect that.
And again, only any time will tell were they turn out to be the right ones and maybe we'll never know because we won't have the counterfactual of what things would look like if she did things differently. But it certainly is a different way of doing things and I do worry about her not being battle hard and maybe never being able to get back battle hard and either physically or competitively. But I sure am looking forward to that first round match. I really, really am.
So that is Shivonteq section of the draw scheduled to face Robachina in the semi finals. And second quarter includes the other two first round matches that you picked out David, Ostapenko, Asaka and Andrescu, Paulini. Can I have a yes please? I think it's a commercial opinion perhaps during the live show didn't we and speculate that as excited as we are by by the names Ostapenko and Asaka, when you actually think about what the match might look like. It could be horrible. Comically horrible.
Yeah. It could be very error ridden. Yeah. I am actually a bit worried about that match being crap. I think maybe still love it even if it's crap because we like both of them so much. And we look we just like seeing them hit tennis balls preferably when they go in. That's the problem. Which is the concern. That's the pinch points. Yeah. And no one's getting any rhythm at all. It's just I mean what's the longest rally going to be should we ever sweep steak on that? Seven shots I think.
Yeah, I was going to go eight. Yeah, it's in that ballpark. What's the over under? Let's go seven as the over. Seven. Okay. We'll let you know folks. That's the match that everyone's hanging on and that will be an amazing rally. Yeah. And it's all we'll need to stay with us. Okay, so that's going to be crap and rescue Paulini. Not crap. Well, I've seen this at the last two grand slams and other than the freezing cold and wet and dark of the of the first iteration in Paris.
They've been great matches. Now they have been later in the tournament. Third round in both Paris and Wimbledon I think. So, you know, they're both and I'm looking particularly interested at and rescue on this one sort of kind of had time to play themselves into a groove. But I do have quite a high hopes for this match actually. I think Paulini has become reliable.
You know, it's time we stop underestimating Paulini and you know, you can't underestimate and no, you know, I'm just going to ask you is not coming in inform at all, but I don't think you can underestimate the muscle memory of this place for her. And I was thinking about that because on the one hand, I thought, well, how much do I actually buy that because it was five years ago when she won the US Open. Kind of what has she done here since, but actually looking at her results.
She's only played the US Open twice since she won it, but each time she's won at least two matches. You know, she's got the fourth round in 2021 and third round in 2022, which obviously, you know, isn't anything close to winning the US Open. But it does suggest that she is at least like capable of turning up here in both of those years, kind of had a form and not really expected to do that much and still win matches. Now, this is an extremely tough draw for sure.
Like Jasmine Paulini's beaten her on two different surfaces this year in slams, I think Paulini's a big favourite. But that record has made me think, well, actually, I'm kind of expecting Andrescu to show up and play well. And yes, she's lost to Paulini twice and she lost to Vekic as well, didn't she? The Olympics, but like these are all players who ended up reaching the final of those tournaments.
Like she came across Paulini in her best ever form. She came across Vekic in kind of the form of her life. It's only really Canada where she played that very strange match against Sarenko and Lost, which has been a poor loss recently. Otherwise, it's taken in form good players to beat her. So I think kind of the question becomes yes about Andrescu's form, but also about Paulini's form in this match.
Like I'm kind of assuming that Paulini is going to keep up her good form, but Pam Shriver was with us in the live show yesterday. So she actually made the point that there might come a moment where Paulini's form just dips. Like it's a lot to sustain the level that she's had. And facing an Andrescu who loves New York, I think that's already, I think that's scheduled for the night session, isn't it? Like it's possible that Andrescu gets inspired and wins that.
And I kind of got myself really excited for this match, because as soon as it came out in the draw, I thought, well, Paulini's going to win. But I still think Paulini probably is going to win, but I've kind of talked myself into thinking that actually it might be a really, really thrilling one.
So I think that we do have the schedules out for both the opening days play. I think we'll be going through those friendsically on Sunday, our final preview show for the tournament begins, which will be live, of course, from tennis podcast towers. I'm supposed to look at the bottom half of the women's draw. Goff and Sabileanka scheduled to meet in the semi-finals year. That would be a replay of last year's final, of course.
Goff is in with Cray Chicaver, Bedossa, Emma Navara, of course, you beat her. Wimbledon is lurking there. They're all tricky names, but I do think it's a decent draw for Goff. And the question mark is about Goff and where she's at, rather than any particular opponent that might trouble her. I agree. And where she's at is having lost her last five matches against top 50 players. I think it really has been a struggle in recent months for Goff.
And that is so at odds with, honestly, how she won this title a year ago, which is winning a lot of matches without her best tennis. She's lost that very important trait over the last few months. So she didn't need to get that back or she needs to find her game. And I'm not sure which is more likely, but probably getting back the quality of battling through matches. I think she's such a tough out when she's in that mode. So I kind of do back her in that sense.
It was interesting today in her press conference. There was quite a lot of chat about the fact that she's defending this title and how much will that be weighing on her. And she was quite interesting on that and said that actually she kind of felt just as much pressure last year because of the run that she had pre-tournament and she was hyped and she was a big favorite.
She said this year, of course, it's different defending. I do feel that pressure. But she's got such an amazing sense of the world to Coco Goff. I think she is able to put it in perspective and realize actually it's a privilege that she's got to be trying to defend the US Open. The first question in her press conference and then there was another one was about Kamala Harris. She gave an amazing answer about being alive to witness the progress that America is making.
And when you're like that and when you have that sense, maybe defending the US Open doesn't feel like such a big thing. I do find Goff absolutely fascinating at this tournament because there is that psychological, how will she cope with all of this? There's the game, not in a good place. She needs to be playing better or at least battling through matches. She's once again said that she's going to use all the doubters and the haters to try and fuel herself to victory.
Good luck to her. If you all turn to a US Open last year, don't change your winning game. I totally get that. But I really don't think there are many doubters and haters. I do think she specifically said 2%. No one in the world has fewer than 2% of the haters on the internet. There are poppies with 2% of haters on the internet. That is the internet rather than Coco Goff. I don't sense haters but I do think doubters because of all the reasons you've just reeled off.
It's a massive differential delasture. It's lack of match. That is contagious. Winning leads to winning. It certainly did for her a year ago. This has been something that has happened with a number of people. Gilbert has coached. He's come on board. They've had a run of success in the first summer. They've won the US Open. Several of these players, Agassi did it. Roddick's done it. Here we are with Coco Goff as well. Who knows whether it's repeatable.
I have my doubts. I really do. The way she is at the moment. Can you overhaul a total lack of form and confidence with good memories from a year ago and getting back that awkwardness to get past? I'm not convinced you can just turn this on during the tournament. It's one of those where if it were best to fight, I would really think that Goff would be able to maybe come through some more of these matches. Alcarez hasn't gone through a period of form like Goff is going through right now.
He just feels so much more protected by the fact that he's got to win three sets against him, even if he's not in his best form. I think with Goff, I kind of just have that sense a little bit as well. He's tough to beat, but given it's only best of three, she also feels vulnerable. The first player within that top 50 that I mentioned that she would be seeded to face here would probably be Alina's fettelina in the third round.
Then there's a potential Emma Navarro in the fourth round who obviously beat her at Wimbledon or Mar-to-Costiuk who had a really good year and they played that amazing, well actually amazing is probably the wrong word, dramatic match at the Australian Open. There are names in there and I do agree that I'm not confident that she's going to come through this. But as I said, I've seen her win so many matches when she's not her best.
She's stopped doing it recently but I think she can potentially get that back. Are we confident in Sabilecka coming through her bottom quarter of the draw? I mean, she's been playing the best tennis hasn't she? She was so convincing last week in Cincinnati. I think she's perhaps the one where draw feels least relevant but even given that I think it's a fairly good draw for her.
I think so. It's funny because ten days ago I had genuine concerns about Rina Sabilecka, the fact that she was coming back from the shoulder injury and the serve was all over the place when she lost to an isomever in Canada and yet Cincinnati was so convincing from start to finish that kind of all those doubts have fluttered away and suddenly I'm really kind of all in on Sabilecka.
I think she's a big favorite for this title. I do think what you said earlier David about the conditions being slower. Here is interesting. I think in the grand scheme of things the conditions still suit Sabilecka but probably not as much as they did in Cincinnati. She's not going to have as much of an age over everyone else. I think the big question for Sabilecka is the latter stage of this tournament.
I think there's no real reason to me why she's played kind of flawless tennis at the end of the Australian open. A couple of times and she's played ragged, error-stroon-tennis at the end of US open when she's been in a position to win. She's fumbled this tournament a few times I think. It's been on her racket.
I say there's no reason. It does suggest to me that maybe there is something about New York that when the pressure is mounted in those latter stages and it's kind of a cauldron in there, that quite chaotic style of tennis that Sabilecka plays, we've kind of seen the worst of it rather than the best of it in the pressure cooker of ash, night matches, semi-finals of final even of this tournament.
So that to me is the big Sabilecka question mark because I think looking at this draw, she should have more than enough to get through to those latter stages, but can she bring her best if she gets that? That raggedness here specifically, it could be a manifestation of where it is in the calendar. It could be, yeah. Lack of bandwidth to cope with those stressful situations.
She talked to the press conference today, didn't she about something that she had talked about in an interview in the Guardian recently? Guardian is paper in the UK about how she felt she had overplayed after the Australian open in the spring.
She said she should have taken a break after Australia or certainly a longer break and that she was, you know, she linked the shoulder injury, the illness that she suffered at the French open to kind of all part of the same story being generally really run down.
And the death of her former partner that she referenced in that piece as well, that she didn't take a break after that news came through and that she, you know, she needed to have some headspace at that point really and just try to process everything. And I think generally it's quite interesting, press conference, actually, the way she let us in on the fact that she's got to try to find a way to decompress a bit. She wants it so much all the time that it's overwhelmed her, I think.
And I wouldn't mind a bit that that incremental stress of the year ending at the US Open and then the way the tournament is kind of players of crowds have always ended up supporting her opponents. She think of Layla Fernandez. She was the story and they wanted her, then Coco Gough and it's very hard to keep that out of your head, I think, if you're in Sabile and Couschees. Because how is it, how do you not think, well, why are they all cheering for my opponent?
I'm all right. I've done nothing wrong. And I think it has got to her at times. So, yeah, I did ask her whether she felt she got unfinished business at this tournament. And she said not that, but it is a massive motivation for me. If you look at her whole year, I think it really, she really does want to put this one to bed and get this title for all the reasons you've said that she's had chances not taken them. She said, I'm hungrier than I was before, Wimbledon.
Because I think her headspace is just a lot less clouded. I think she's just able to kind of channel all of her emotions right now into wanting to lift that trophy in two weeks. You've neglected David what you said at the live show last night about suddenly being an anisome overguy. Well, I've always been one of those. Not maybe as much as Matt's. Well, except you're the one predicting she might take Savile Encore out and go to the final. I think that's absolutely possible.
Will you high on playing off Broadway? I mean, I think I resulted in thinking that if an isome overplay Savile Encore, I would pick an isome over. But if not, I think Savile Encore will get go all the way. I think we've hedged a little and we allowed it because we were all so happy. I think there's a real, I mean an isome over's got a really tough first round herself. Jun-chim-wen in the first round. That is a nightmare.
And Jun-chim-wen came walking past to us today when she'd just been on the court on the sort of the fan week match, the practice match. She just looks totally in her element as well. She does, but she looks incredibly happy, which is lovely. I've really think that Gold Medal means so much to her and I'm thrilled to see that. And she's just come from this ceremony in China, hasn't she, for all of the Olympic medalists? And I'm sure that was wonderful as well.
She looks absolutely on Cloud 9, but is on Cloud 9 the best and hungriest place to be in terms of winning the slam that's in front of you? I don't know. Could be good news for a rounder and a isome over. Yeah, could be. I just want to watch another one. That's another one I want to watch. And also that could be a ragged match because there's such big hitters. I kind of trust the purity of the inesome over ball strength maybe.
But it's just it's just too exciting to think about. I just want to get on with it. You only have to wait till Monday for that one. 11 a.m. Yeah, put it on first. No easing is in at all. You're looking for Matt Roberts. I mean seriously. 13th year high school add frank support for you.
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Bombas big comfort for everyone go to bombas.com slash a cast and use code a cast for 20% off your first purchase That's bombas.com slash a cast code a cast Turning our attention to the men's draw where Janik Sinner is the top seed He's been drawing in the same half as Carlos Alcarez of course that is something that
Always seems to happen in Sinner's course. You've got Daniel Medvedev or to feasts Nicholas Jerry Stephanie Sitzapas you've got Felix or Javier Seam who we watched practicing with art of feasts earlier on today Not sure that went to brilliantly for art of feasts
Burrini the story with the annex inner isn't isn't the draw is it all you know who we might play when it's It's the aftermath of the revelation that we had on on Monday about his His positive doping tests and subsequent clearance from from any wrongdoing but
Still the tennis world is reeling I think from all of that and I think Janik Sinner is Reeling even though he is known about this for months It's a very different prospect this being out in the open now and he totally Recognized that and was prepared to talk about that today it was
He was a very impressive press conference that he gave actually he wasn't Defensive at all he wasn't resentful of the perfectly legitimate journalistic questions that were Put to him he took he took them all on board and he answered them as As best he could and it was quite Quite wherever later actually not just about the situation but about yannick sinner as As a man I thought yeah, and I'd say he's
Finding out a little bit about himself. He's being forced to grow up very quickly here now I mean It was in his system and and people can say well, you know at your fault for having any your system and he has Parted ways I think is the is the kind of vernacular use isn't it with the with the trainer in the physio That administered the massage and and the the spray that was on the on the cut on the The physios hand which he then rubbed into to the back of
Yannick Sinner and then Sinner subsequently tested positive But it's clearly been a lot for him to to manage mentally and as we speculated and assumed it would have been over the last many months and Yeah, I think there was some relief for him that he was finally talking about it not having to carry it around and Pretend I mean it very nearly didn't get that far because he gave one answer about it and An announcement went out from the moderator to say that that this is the last of
These questions he's going to entertain and if anybody's got anything else to want to ask to ask that now Every single journalist in the room and it was the most well attended press conference of the day of course it was Only had one thing that they were interested in asking about because frankly that is the only story in town at the moment and Thank goodness yet again for Mary Carillo sitting in front of us who said you can't do that and
Swiftly it became clear that that well, okay, we could ask the questions and it was up to Sinner where everyone had to answer them and as you said Catherine he answered them all very very well and and frankly the longer and in the more depth with which he spoke the better it got for him in
In terms of how he came across I certainly came out of there thinking Well of him and the in terms of how he'd handled that situation and and he was asked about whether he was worried about his reputation and and whether it was going to be damaged long term and he said I am a bit worried about it and I'm and we're gonna have to wait and see in how things go over of course the time He said in my mind
I know that I did nothing wrong. I did nothing intentionally to try to cheat or to try to dope or anything like that This is a thing that happened and he's obviously It's taken a few days for him to announce that he's he's separating with these two two guys
So I think there are maybe question marks over that but I Didn't feel like this here's a guy who's ducking anything or being defensive He wasn't blaming other players for questioning what's going on he had answers for them all but he was He was clear-eyed and straightforward he
When questioned about that is blitting with his fitness trainer and physio he said I felt the need for clean air which was a very interesting turn of phrase I thought and You know he said that he has been carrying around the burden of worrying that it would come out you know unplanned and He really answered that question about his reputation head on didn't he he was asked straight up
Are you worried about your reputation? He said good question And he said yeah in my change things and he said not for the people that really know me but I sure I'm finding out who my friends are Yeah in In other yannick's inner press conferences. I've been to or read or watched He he has a way of cutting through the bullshit If there's a question that he doesn't think is particularly good
No, no, no exactly. It's really a trademark and he and it's actually quite Chasening to be on the receiving end isn't it and and he didn't he didn't do that today but He's very good at sort of simplifying things and explaining things in a very clear manner and that was exactly the type of
Response that was needed today to the questions that he was asked he was polite and open and yet Not defensive or chippy and he really understood that they needed to be questions asked and as you said he He really did give thoughtful answers, but clear answers I think it was actually significant that it was Mary who stood up and Said to the moderator know you can't do that Mary is someone with tremendous
Kind of clout and influence I think in that press conference. I think genuinely Mary potentially Kind of helped yannick's inner there because if time you know if that press conference had ended there and then There would have been all sorts of unanswered questions remaining and it would have he would have looked all the things that we've Complimented one he would have looked defensive he would have looked evasive
He didn't look at it but it would have been a disaster. Yeah, but for For the tournament in the USDA as well because even if yannick sinners people have asked them to to shut that press conference down They should be saying no to that request that is not their place to do it if there are any inappropriate questions
That's a different story. There was not one inappropriate question today was It was it was a really good press conference grown up conversation Yeah, totally and I was really struck by what you both picked up on as well by that use of the word relief and the sense that in Sinner's mind
He might have already been through the worst you know like I was I was interested by that it felt like it could have gone the other way to me It felt like the news coming out and everyone knowing about it that might have been Kind of the worst moment because suddenly everyone's talking about him and he's the center of attention And he's maybe worried about what people think of him and that is there because of what he said with With the answer about his reputation that is part of it and
That may well affect his performance on the court But I think what has affected him most was the Pure fact of him testing positive twice and he he dealt with that privately But he's been dealing with that over the last five months and I think He's in a place now where he's quite kind of
sure of himself he He certainly doesn't think that he did anything wrong and Yes, he's only just announced that he's parting company with his team Well those team members But there is very much a sense that he had already Distance himself from them they haven't been seen in the box during his matches I think one of them since Halle and the other one since Wimbledon This this has been a process that he's been going through over the last few months as well in terms of distancing himself from them
I do still find it a bit strange that he didn't announce that he was parting company With them in his initial statement on what was it Tuesday? That it sort of came out in the Italian press and then he confirmed it today I still think that's a little bit strange, but otherwise everything he's been very clear and Gives the impression of a man who is now kind of in control of this situation
Even if it's taken everyone else by surprise this week. I think he's actually Been taken by surprise months ago and it's now more More in control from it yet. It was it was an incredible press conference really I was really struck by his By his point is same So are we getting center-alcohols then? I don't know because
I just think I think this could be a chaotic tournament. I do Do you remember the last time you thought it was gonna be a chaotic doesn't mean it can't be I think I think There's there's a lot of unknowns here I know you might say there are in any tournament, but come on He's he's still coming into this with this
Over him. He's never had it before Not I suppose you might say he has the last couple of tournaments because he knew it was coming so let's see and and Our crash is just fascinating generally because he had that big old meltdown in Cincinnati having lost this This big match for the first time in his life almost And then you've got Jocovitch who's Just won everything now What's his frame of mind gonna be like and I just feel like I don't think it's gonna be straightforward
I'm not convinced it will end up being all three of those in the semis this time. It's a good draw for Alcriyz I think There's There's a couple of interesting first-round matches Mutei quarter is Where David's gonna be guilty
Jack Draper against Junji Jen is an interesting first-round match in this section and the two other Main seeds in Alcriyz's section Alex Domenore and Hubert Herkage are both major injury worries It's just even if Alcriyz has an Olympic hangover or is an inform or is cracky as racket like he was in Cincinnati It's quite hard to see Who might take him out in that section?
Completely agree. I'm looking at this draw and Thinking that Alcriyz would have to be really poor I think to not come through to a semi-final where where probably Yannick Sinner would be Although I do take David's point that Of those three of Sinner, Jokovic and Alcriyz, despite what I've just said about how Sinner
Seems you know has processed this news. I still think it's such a big deal that I do have The biggest doubts over him not not that they're that big but compared to Alcriyz and Jokovic I think Sinner is the one that to me at this tournament feels a little bit more vulnerable and And that's also partly because Jokovic has a dreamy draw
Really doesn't he in that? I mean just being away from Sinner and Alcriyz in the other half That is a dreamy that I mean that is the dreamy draw Headline wise in men's tennis at the moment But just looking at his quarter he's down at the bottom
You could make the case that popper in in round three could be could be tricky. I know he's the champion in Montreal popper in but I struggle to see it on paper really you've got Ben Shelton in there who would play a Potential round three against Francis Jaffo Francis Jaffo could also beat our few somebody that came through press today And now I should say that at this point Jokovic hasn't been into press he comes into morrow
So we'll we'll talk about what he has to say on tomorrow's podcast and we have also heard reports today that he Bailed out of a practice with Holger Runa With what is being described as sawness and and that's all the information that we have at the moment so look we'll We'll zoom in closer on that tomorrow after we've spoken to know about Jokovic quite frankly, but Taking that out of the equation I think it's a good draw, but I know you David Are all aboard the Francis TFO hype train?
I haven't bet yeah, I was before I went to his press conference today because I was really struck by what he did against Carlos Alcras at Wilburden for start I mean he was really not far away from beating him at all in five sets and he he didn't but I think He said today that was the moment that ignited him that was the moment you that made him remember How to do this at this level and and to find his confidence and he talked about being such a confidence player that he's
He's two different players when he's confident and when he's not he's got David Whitton his corner who's vastly experienced and has had great success with Venus Williams and Jessica Begula and then he's backed it up and he's had this run
In Cincinnati, okay, he's come up short in the final against Janik Sinner, but I'd just get the sense that two years removed from that US open run He's ready for another one He looked stressed last year by comparison and and and it kind of manifested itself in him being flat against Ben Shelton
Who was the T-Affa with the year before all fresh and excited and pumped and and he was the Show and he he made T-Affo look quite subdued in that match and and the main thing was T-Affa had no for me just couldn't get it going
I just think the it's raw reversal to me this time may may not happen like this at all But my feeling is T-Affo takes out Shelton this time and ends up playing Jokovic and that it's a thriller Oh T-B-C on that depending what Jokovic has impressed him all right I've given you a mind Priliction's folks he Kind of totally unrelated to this tournament, but he he brought up the Ellen picks and his decision to spell the Olympics, so I couldn't resist poking that bear
And I asked him how much FOMO he had watching it, you know, he had mentioned that it was a difficult decision for him not to play And I was very pleased to hear that the FOMO sounded very real for him he said boat day killed me Which means you know the opening ceremony and the parade of nations and of course it was Koko Goth Bearing the American flag wasn't it on the front of that very Very rainy boat and and that meant that all the tennis players got to be at the front of the boat
And they were there for alongside all the basketball players because Lebron James was also sort of carrying the flag and
Hmm, yeah, I would have loved that he'd have been absolutely in his area for it. Yeah, I know um Yeah, I was I mean of course he did its its Francis Jeffers totally as vibe, but you know, I loved that I loved he was prepared to say that you know, I have my reasons I stand by my message decisions, but it was really tough And I know I missed something really cool like I I I appreciated that yeah, he ticked To Big tennis podcast boxes Francis jaffo
He said he gets excited about the draw. He says you gotta know what's going on He got really so giddy about that when you asked him David And then he ticked the big Olympics FOMO box Then unfortunately he didn't he didn't do the hat trick because he
He described finishing at 230 in the morning as epic Matt just got out my head My head it was very bold of David to First press conference of the day steam him of the question about You know whether you're prepared to look ahead in your in your draw asked with a knowing look in your eye of You know, you've got Ben Shelton in round three, right? And he gave you a great answer. He looked he gave you the he mirrored your look back at you He gave me the smile like yeah, I know I know
I'm used yeah, it was uh, it was a really cool moment. He gave Mary a really great answer to the near about the difference In him in in being confident and not confident. He said it's It's about the joy and excitement in my play and the fear I instill in my opponent He said there's two different Francis's great answer Yeah, it was good stuff Matt we've um We've gone now in five minutes and he haven't ranted about
It maybe it feels like old news now, but this is your moment if you'd like to rant Your annual rant about the us open draw All lack thereof I started the live show with a rant about this It was my it was my first material It was well received Which I was glad about because I am worried that
No one else cares no one else gives a shit And yet three times a year I get on my high horse and Moan about the terrible grand slam draws the us open is the worst by a distance in that They don't do a proper draw they they do it behind the scenes
I'm not a conspiracy theorist thinking that they're fixing it behind the scenes I'm pretty sure I'm 100% sure that they are doing an actual draw But then they just Show it as a pdf online Like literally the way to get the us open draws to refresh the page on the internet That's not fun. That's not getting anyone hype, is it?
and as you Sorry to steal your material, but as you so brilliantly made the point the live show last night so un-American So un-American I Am so shocked that they don't hire someone to sing the national anthem Yeah, get a hundred foot American flag and have a huge ceremony fireworks fireworks celebrities Drama. Yeah, Beyonce was free last night No show at the DNC
Yeah, it continues to be an annual disgrace. Yeah, the the sad moment when that pdf lands on on Matt's laptop Dread like a big damp squib hmm, but anyways, it's it's It's produced some fun potential tennis For which we're we're very grateful and it all kicks off in a couple of days time as As I said we we serve some quite significant media day interviews to come tomorrow. No, but jokovic colos alcharez
babora crechequeva being the main one. There's a couple of others as well. Naomi Osaka coming through Tomorrow interesting just to see how she sums up the the prospect of playing in Lane roster pengo In in round one schlaesco she thinks it's gonna be crap
That should go well. I'm worried. This is gonna be crap. Naomi. Please reassure me um, so yeah, we'll be back tomorrow with another one of these podcasts and then we'll be back Sunday as well Previewing the first day's play and that podcast will be live at 8 p.m. UK time 3 p.m. here in New York east coast time all of those upcoming shows and of course our 14 daily US open shows throughout the tournament will be brought to you with announcing drum roll please
Our US open mascot Bruno. Oh Hello, Bruno and welcome to the family Bruno is owned by a Lissa who I met last night I think David you did I did as well and we didn't get to meet Bruno last night because As wonderful as the green space whereas a venue they weren't dog friendly. So nowhere is perfect Um, but I do feel like I met Bruno because a Lissa presented me with lots of photos and Custom made Bruno stickers which I'm obsessed with And we'll be posting pictures of on our Instagram yet Bruno is
He's a bit of a superstar is Bruno. We've we've we've scored a big Fish At uni you'd say a Binock a big name on campus. There you go. Scored on the bows Excellent. Yeah, he's a big deal Bruno and we're very excited to have him. So thank you, Lissa We of course have our mascots The daily departed Darwin for me Francis David And hide her in soma for maps. This is the lovely period with our mascots where it's all ahead of us are
Our predictions could come off. It could all be brilliant Who knows this could be the one Billy Jean is sponsored by Billy Jean King and a Lana class hello to our top folks and executive producers Chris Jamie and Jeff and a special hello to Greg who played
An enormous part in making our live show last night happening. It was it was wonderful to see Greg there last night um So yeah It is going to be a fun Fortnite in New York that is for sure our next show coming tomorrow and we're live on Sunday before it all kicks off on Monday We won't have shout outs this evening, but they will return for
The remainder of the tournament. No shout outs because We do unfortunately need to end on a rather sad note you might have seen the news earlier on today that Peter Lungren a former world number 25 and more recently A man known for being Being a very prominent coach including
Working with Roger Federer when Federer first won Wimbledon in 2003 Peter Lungren has died at the age of 59 We found out today lots of Very warm tributes to him on social media including from fellow coaches Magnus Norman and And Daryl Kayhill and David he was somebody that you knew very well
Yeah, he he was around right at the start of my time on the ATP tour in 1998 as a communications manager and that's when I first met Roger Federer and he was sharing the coaching responsibilities of Federer with the late Peter Carter who So tragically died himself in in an accident in
You know many years ago now and it was it was devastating to Federer when he lost Peter Carter And I suspect it'll be pretty devastating for him to have lost Peter Lungren because I remember very well the chemistry they had and
It was almost like Peter Lungren was a big brother to Roger Federer in those years when he when he was sort of 18 19 2021 and and I was remember doing an interview with Peter in in Miami for a piece about Federer and and he said you know We often take the car and we'll put the stereo on and put
AC DC on and he and he wants to scream and he wants to let out all of his emotions and you've just got to let him and he he was sort of whereas Peter Carter was the father figure Peter Lungren was the big brother and he was a warm wonderfully good company sort of
gregarious character always always friendly always smiling always welcoming to his company and no matter who you were I I found and And I think there's a lot of people that will be really sad today because because he's he was a lovely man Yeah, there have been some and a great coach too, you know, yeah, he guided Marrett Safin during 2005 to victory over Federer a couple of years later at the Australian Open and And he definitely had a way of getting the best out of players
Yeah, there's been some really really moving tributes to him today And he's clearly somebody that will be very sorely missed That is it from us today for our first daily tennis podcast from the us open 2024 as I said
We will be back tomorrow and will be live on Sunday as well. Thank you for listening We'll speak tomorrow The new booster mobile network is offering unlimited talk text and data for just 25 dollars a month for life that sounds like a threat then how do you think we should say unlimited talk text and data for just 25 dollars a month for the rest of your life. I don't know
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