US Open Day 13 - Will Djokovic ever win No.25, or is that it?

Does it ever feel like you're a marketing professional just speaking into the void? But with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers, a network of 130 million of them, in fact. You can even target buyers by job title, industry, company, seniority, skills, and...

Did I say job title? See how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads. Spend $250 on your first campaign and get a free $250 credit for the next one. Get started at linkedin.com slash campaign terms and conditions apply. If your dog could talk, they'd beg for Ollie. The full-body tail wag, the excited little hops, the big, goofy grin, that's the Ollie effect.

Oli delivers clean, fresh nutrition in five drool-worthy flavors, even for the pickiest eaters. Made in U.S. kitchens with high-quality, human-grade ingredients, Oli's food contains no fillers, no preservatives. Just real food. Just fill out Ollie's 30-second quiz and they'll create a customized meal plan based on your pup's weight, activity level, and other health info. Dogs deserve the best.

And that means fresh, healthy food. Head to ollie.com slash healthy pup. Tell them about your dog and use code healthy pup to get 60% off your welcome kit when you subscribe today. Plus they offer a happiness guarantee on the first box. So if you're not. completely satisfied, you'll get your money back. That's O-L-L-I-E dot com slash healthy pup and enter code healthy pup to get 60% off your first box.

Hello and welcome to the tennis podcast on day 13 of the US Open. Unlucky for some, definitely felt unlucky for us when we were being woken up by drilling at 9am this morning after getting to bed at 5.

Thank you, New York City. But people bounce back. Yes. And here we are in our favourite media garden on quite a clammy night in New York City. It is shortly after 11pm and the men's... singles final lineup is now set and you'll be shocked I tell you shocked to hear that it's going to be the best two players in the world Yannick Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz tussling

for the final major title of the season come Sunday. The final was set up today by a straight sets victory for Carlos Alcaraz over Novak Djokovic. And a four-set win for Yannick Sinner over Canada's Félix Auger-Aliassime. That match having finished on the Arthrash Stadium just behind us here. Only moments ago, the crowds are streaming away as we speak. Let's start with the match that everybody thought, maybe even

assumed would be the match of the day. Carlos Alcaraz beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 to reach a second US Open final. David. How far was this from the match we hoped it would be? Yeah, I think it was quite far. I don't think it was the highest quality match at all. I actually think it was the worst performance that Carlos Alcraz has put in all week. That's not really surprising because it...

It takes two players to produce a performance and the things that Novak Djokovic is able to do are things that nobody else, Carlos Alcaraz played, are able to do. That having been said, the very moment that Alcraz came out onto the court and began the knock-up, I'm watching from my commentary box window right at the top of the stadium and I'm watching him hit repeatedly long.

as he's trying to warm up his forehand in particular. The forehand kept going about seven to ten feet long. And I'm thinking... that's a bit weird because none of Djokovic's were going long and I thought okay that suggests to me that he just hasn't got much feel but I'm also mindful of you know it's just a knock-up and then they'll get cracking and so on but as the match

got underway even though he broke early on and actually could have it felt like he really could have run away with that opening set and he was hitting big shots into safe areas of the court well.

he didn't seem to me to have any feel he kept on hitting drop shots that were going halfway up the net or too long and therefore for Djokovic to track down Djokovic meanwhile just seemed unable to kind of move with the same degree of fluidity and freedom that certainly we've been used to him being able to do when they played in the Olympics last year or when they played at the Australian Open at the start of this year, even though he was injured in that.

He always looked as though, God, this is hard work for me. And he kind of marked our card, really, in the press conferences that led up to this match, I think. I don't think Alcaraz ever really truly found his touch. quite the way that I think he's been doing all week and I actually suspect he will do again in the final.

I think playing Djokovic freaks him out, and I think it always has, and I think it always will. And he was on edge, and it was about getting through it. Bottom line is, he won in straight sets, and that's a good day's work for Carlos Alcaraz.

Yeah, I think ever since their first meeting at a Grand Slam, when Alcraz had those cramps at the French Open, to one degree or another, I think it's been clear that... part of Novak Djokovic has kind of taken up residence in Carlos Alcaraz's head and we've seen that in numerous meetings of theirs and often Djokovic has been able to get the better of him all the times they played on a hardcourt before this one. And I think we saw that today not because of the quality of Novak Djokovic's tennis.

There were times in that second set where he played pretty well, I thought, and had he been playing someone other than Carlos Alcaraz, he might have been made to look better today, Novak Djokovic. But just the sheer fact that he's Novak Djokovic, I think... does still freak Carlos Alcaraz out a little bit he basically said as much in the press conference you know you're playing the guy who's achieved all of that and Alcaraz was just as David described there

just didn't have his feel, didn't have his usual control of the ball. I thought he was making bad decisions. He kept trying to go back behind Djokovic rather than just ripping the ball into the open space. And if he kept doing that... Djokovic couldn't catch up with it because he was slow he didn't really have it in his movement today Djokovic because of this accumulation of matches so

Because of all that, the first two sets were reasonably competitive. In fact, Djokovic went up a break in the second set, right at the start of it. Djokovic was not the dangerous player that he was against Alcarez in Australia, for example. He wasn't timing the ball as sweetly, he wasn't moving as well. And therefore Alcares didn't have to play as well to get back into it. And it was kind of a nothing match, actually. I was hyped for it because...

There was just that sense of what if Novak Djokovic can do it again against Carlos Alcaraz and That didn't happen, but equally we didn't really see the heights of Carlos Alcarez either. So it did fall a little bit flat to me, really, this one. Yeah, look, I agree with both of you that this was by far Carlos Alcarez's... least good performance of the tournament, but nothing about it really.

I wasn't worried about him in the way that I have been when he's played Djokovic previously. I didn't feel like this was him just not showing up or freaking out to the extent that he just wasn't himself out there. Absolutely. touch wasn't there and that is a tell isn't it for for nerves but I didn't have my heart in my mouth when he went to hit ground strokes which

At times with Carlos Alcaraz, I have done and certainly against Novak Djokovic. I just felt like the tone for this match was set by how early in it Novak Djokovic looked old and tired. Everybody was expecting him to struggle if it went long and became physical. But murmurs started going around the press room sort of first half of the first set, few games in, about...

Djokovic just so clearly looking old. Everything about this draw was as favourable as it could have been for Djokovic. Maximum rest time before this match, the two days off, Alcaraz, the preferred of... of the two semi-final opponents out of Alcaraz and Sydney. He had the extra day off right at the start of the tournament as well. And he looked so far off it physically.

in the first set that it just felt like oh well how can this possibly be a match like Alcaraz is playing at 60% and Djokovic is giving 110 and They're about the same level. Even when Djokovic went three love up in the second set, didn't feel like... jeopardy to me personally it looked like Djokovic was hanging on and trying to pull rabbits out of hats and honestly like he

didn't really deep down believe this time. Like he was trying his heart out and trying to convince himself he believed. But as Vicky said on his group chat, it wasn't reaching his eyes. I just didn't believe him this time. Yeah, I think he was searching all the way through the match, and I still... wonder what would have happened had he managed to snag that second set for both of them because if he'd have won that I think I don't think Alcruz was too far away from from

really freaking himself out as it went along the way he did in Australia. But he kept to the right side. I felt like... There was a professionalism about him that he knew he wasn't playing that well and he wasn't feeling it that much. So he was going to big spaces in most of the rallies. I don't think he was taking quite the chances that he has in the past.

And he kind of made it physical. He knew what was going on down the other end and he made it physical. That's a really good professional play. But at the same time... I could see the potential for it becoming messy for him and then maybe Djokovic gets the crowd and gets the adrenaline.

But the thing is, he did get the crowd and the adrenaline in that second set, and it wasn't enough. But he didn't win the set, that's the thing. But he had it... He had it there too. He was a break up. He's three love up. The crowd are going for him. He's loving it. He's riling them up. And that wasn't enough. Alcaraz wasn't playing well. He was...

in his head, none of it was enough. No, no, it wasn't in the end, you're right. So, he's in this... utterly bizarre nether zone Djokovic of being so clearly the third best player in the world that is all four major semi-finals but he hasn't won a set in any of them And most of it's been quite uncompetitive. Obviously, Australia, he retired. Paris was competitive, but straight sets. And these other two haven't really been competitive. It is really weird, isn't it? How much Taylor Fritz and...

Alexander Zverev and all these others feel. There's so many layers to this, how it reflects on the rest of men's tennis. You know, what Djokovic is supposed to do because you can't walk away from a career when you're reliably reaching Grand Slam semi-finals and you're so clearly the third best player in the world. And yet...

I totally understand why that's not enough for him. Not enough to get him out of bed every day and do what he has to do to his body to get himself in this position. What a strange place he's in. It's bizarre. I've never experienced anything like this in my time following the sport, I don't think.

You say it's not enough for him though. It strikes me that he's slightly... shifted what he's getting meaning out of you know because all of his all of his career and all of our analysis has always been Novak Djokovic is in it to win you know and He was kind of saying today in the press conference that he's accepted that he's not going to beat Sinu and Alcarez over the best of five, particularly at the latter stages of tournament where he's built up.

little niggles and injuries and he's just not going in with with five best of five set matches in his legs he's not going into matches against them at 100 percent and we saw that you know at Wimbledon and we saw it today that he just can't give his all and it ends up being pretty one-sided against him. But he seemed to be suggesting that he's getting quite a lot of meaning out of doing what he's doing to the rest of the tour.

and getting some love from the crowd and getting appreciation. Look, it wasn't on the level that it was in Paris today, but, you know, I think he took something from it. The problem there, though, I think, is that it's more likely that the others catch up to him. But he's not going to get better, is he? Or he falls back to them, perhaps.

is a better way of putting it, then he catches up to Sinnoh and Alcrest. So I don't actually think there's that long that he's going to be in this nether zone. I think he's going to come back to... the Fritzes and the Zverevs and the Drapers and the Mazzetti, you know, that group of players who are so clearly currently just below him. I don't know how much longer he's going to be in a state where he can get through to the semi-finals of every single...

Grand Slam. I think he's going to have to adjust his goals maybe away from the Grand Slams and that's a weird thing to say. He wants to keep playing the Grand Slams. He intimated that though, didn't he? He suggested it. He was talking about best of three and the tour.

And maybe that's where he can get some wins over Sinu and Alcarez and maybe pick up some titles as well. Yeah, I thought this was a huge shift in his press conference, actually. This is the guy that has made it extremely clear that he gives zero shits about... any of tennis apart from the Grand Slams and I totally get that at his stage of life and career. He's only been playing those other events for the last few years.

as means to an end, the end being hoped for success at Grand Slams. And he's taken different approaches. before each slam this year. US Open, he comes in not having played, he still ends up physically compromised at the end. Australian Open, he played a warm-up event.

a couple of weeks before still ended up physically compromised Paris he played the week before still ended up okay he was probably the strongest in Paris actually it was probably his best major this year but none of the approaches to the rest of the tour has worked for his Grand Slam for. That's such a good point. And I think we all assume that once he reached this realisation or point at which he thought 25 is impossible, that that would...

That would be it. What's sustaining him is the belief that just maybe that's possible. Well, he pretty much said today, I don't think it is possible. While Yannick Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are still there, he said, I can't beat them over.

over best of five sets and he started talking exactly as you said matt about he said i'm not giving up on majors he said he intends to play them all last year but he basically said the love of the crowd is enough and that's an interesting one because he's getting well no he's getting the love of the crowd because he's I'm sure I'll get hate for this, but he's statistically the greatest male tennis player of all time, and he deserves it, he deserves the appreciation, but he's also getting it.

Because he looks old. Well, and because he is old. And he is old and he's an underdog and all the things we've been talking about all year with him, like, it's a weird... tension there between he's going out there and trying his hardest and he wants to win but actually it's being so far away from winning that's getting him the love that actually might be what he wants more than the win. And that is fascinating. You've said it all along, David, but it is fascinating if he's choosing that.

validation and that love, if that can fill the gap of winning, that's quite something. It's temporary, as you said, and I do think there's a pretty good chance that 2026 ends up being his last. And I could imagine him deciding to try to play them all, if he feels able. I've said a long time, lap of honour.

you know soak up the the the the love but also maybe play some best of three set tournaments get some more titles if you can maybe you can break that record what are the numbers well i came away from the press conference today thinking that will be his goal It's 109, isn't it, the record? I don't think he's going to get that. But he can strive to get that. I think he can beat Federer's.

I don't think he can beat. Is that enough? Federer is 103? Yeah. That would be quite nice for him. Do you think it's enough to get one over on Federer for him? Nine more titles for Djokovic, I think, is a crazy number. He's the third best player in the world. though. If he picks right... Yeah, I know, but... You'd have to literally avoid cinema. He says all this about best of three. He says it, and I do believe him...

Because I believe that's where he thinks he might be able to get the odd win over Alcaraz and Sinner. He's putting his losses down to physicality. When push comes to shove, I'm just not sure he is all that into playing best of three tournaments. Like, a lot of them are over two weeks. He's made his... His case pretty clear that he doesn't really fancy playing those. I think he can pick some off and potentially get over Federer's number. What's he on now?

He's on 100, right? 100, right, so three behind. But I remember when Federer got to 103 and I was presenting for Amazon at the time and we did a big feature on it. I think it must have been Indian Wells time, 2018, 2019, something like that. And I remember all of the pundits predicting that he would break Conor's record. And of course, you know, that's recency bias and you don't know what's lurking around the corner and all the rest of it. I'm not going in on them for predicting that, but...

That felt achievable for him at the time. You know, I'm looking at the ATP calendar here. I can pick out some events for Novak Djokovic. Well, he's picked out Athens, which was actually news to me that that's on the calendar. He's got Athens on the books. I'm backing him there. Montpellier, end of January.

He's not going to Montpellier at the end of January. Also, I just can't believe he cares enough. Bucharest. I don't think he cares. I think, yes, I could imagine him wanting to get ahead of Federer. I'm sure he'd love that. I mean, look, he's already won 24 majors. He's won more Masters 1000s than anybody ever has. He's been world number one for longer than anybody ever has. Almaty.

I just think he's got an opportunity here to kind of go out on his terms in 2026. I just think a year-long goodbye tour just being sustained by...

the crowd cheering for him. It's a long time. I don't think he would just be there because I think he would be competitive. He talked about today, the second set, he enjoyed competing with Alcaraz and pushing him. And I just think it becomes a little easier if you set yourself... an end point where you can just throw yourself at it know that you haven't got to do it the next year and

Talk to your kids, tell them, look, no, I'm not here this week, but you know, you can come with me and we'll go for it and have a great time. It is interesting how we've come full circle on Djokovic, isn't it? You know, when he came through for so long, he was number three. And then he pushed through that, overtook Federer, overtook Nadal, had a period where he was just

on his own as the man. You know, that 2023 season, I know Alcaraz was pushing him and beating him in a Wimbledon final, but finally it was like Federer's gone, Nadal was injured. It was his time. And now at the end of his career, he's back to being three again. He's going to bookend his career with third wheeling. Even said, I'm used to this.

God, it is fascinating, isn't it? I mean, he's lost in straight sets today and here we are. Can't stop talking about him. And the other thing as well that I picked up today is that his tiebreak record. He's got a negative tie-break record for the season and he's got a really poor tie-break record in the majors, three and eight now. You know, and you think, you know, last few years that's been his calling card, you know, like that.

that element has declined as well you know i think he's not quite the guy in the big moments that he was okay he is he is in the first few rounds but you know even today he's got the level to get it to a second set tie break but then Alcarez took over, and we've seen Sinner do similar to him as well. I think there's also the injury question. I know... He's fit enough to play these slams and then suddenly he's running into physical issues in the semi-finals, but what if...

he gets a more serious injury. If he wants to chase title, he's going to have to play more. That risk increases. He could easily have a Federer moment where actually something goes and that's that. The age he is, particularly.

What about Carlos Alcaraz here? How much does this performance today shake your sort of confidence in this new professional, dialed in, consistent, reliable? Carlos Alcaraz. I did think he would perform better than he did today, and it seems a bit harsh given he's just won in straight sets. I thought he would play better, but then...

Now that he hasn't, and given what I was noticing about the lack of feel, and given who he was against, I'm not that surprised actually in hindsight. So it doesn't shake it because I think that...

He now wipes that slate clean. There's a slightly different pressure because it's Sinner next and the last time he played him he lost to him. I personally think he will be ravenous and he has been all tournament long and I think now he's... managed to take care of Djokovic which is the real one that's to me more in his head I think now he can come out and be free and and also

like I said he got the job done even though he's gonna have bad days players have bad days Sin has had a couple this this tournament relatively speaking and he's still got the job done that's what sets these players apart now to maybe what what they were doing in the past. Certainly Alcaraz when in the past he would lose to players like Medvedev and he would obviously Bottic last year but there have been others.

doesn't feel like those sort of things are happening at all and they're going to happen. So I feel very bullish about him. Matt? I think similar to David, I think I can... put today's performance down to the Djokovic factor. I think throwing it forward to Sinner, which I know, you know, I'm sure we'll do in more depth later and, you know, tomorrow as well, but just on this specific point.

It's funny because I think the narrative over the last year or so has been Alcrest shows up against Yannick Sinner. You know, he had that streak of winning a load of matches against him. I do think Sinner's outplayed him. in two Grand Slam finals this summer. Now, Alcrest sprinkled stardust on that Roland Garros final.

won it back and pulled off an absolute miracle there and ended up winning it. He's capable of doing that. But it did seem in the Wimbledon final, and I know Hanna is very big on this, it did seem like maybe Sinner was a little bit again in a... Alcraz's head then you know when Alcraz was talking about I can't beat him from the baseline I can't beat him from the baseline that was very visible and obvious during that Wimbledon final but I don't think he has the same

freak out against Sinner that he's had against Djokovic. I think he's going to show up. I think he's going to bring it. I think he's going to play well. And I'm not thinking that he loses to Sinner because... He has a really bad day and he doesn't have feel and his mind's going all over the place. If he loses, I think it will be because Sinner outplays him rather than because he doesn't show up. But I've actually...

shifted my feel on the final a little bit as this tournament's gone on. I was sinner at the start of the tournament. I've started to go towards Alcaraz and today hasn't actually shaken that feeling. Does that have anything to do? do with Al Karaz disclosing that he's got big hair plans. for the scenario where he wins this title. Haven't we all, Carlos? Well, exactly. A kindred spirit. Well, see, this is it. So he disclosed in press today.

So I think the question he was asked was, will you keep the hair if you win the US Open? And the answer was... oh, no, I've got something new planned for the hair if I win the US Open. And everybody was sort of looking at him like, there's nowhere to go from here, Carlos. A wig? Like, what are we doing? And then Matt pointed out colour.

Bleach is where you can go from here because Matt's obviously got bleach on the brain. So imagine... Maybe he's an Amanda Anissimova lad as well. Imagine if Matt and Carlos take the plunge in the same weekend. Maybe he's got his... own backhand list. Maybe he'll bring Victor out. Yeah, we can double up. Yeah. Another come and get me plea tonight's podcast. Victor the barber. I think we've got more chance.

It's not going well with Bruce, folks. OK, well, I feel like we can't go much further down the Alcaraz road and kind of talking about the final. and Matt and Carlos going blonde together before we talk about the second semi-final. So that's it for part one. We'll be back in part two to talk about Yannick Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Before that, though, we want to tell you about the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge finals, which are now just around the corner. Eight of the best teams on the planet will face off in Shenzhen, China, between the 16th and the 21st of September.

Champions representing their countries in the knockout stages of the Women's World Cup of Tennis. Looking to defend their title will be Team Italy, led by Jasmine Paolini. They take on Hosts China in the opening tie. Other big names include Naomi Osaka. heading up Team Japan. Madison Keyes for the USA as well as Emma Raducanu being part of the Great Britain side that will compete for the Cup alongside Spain, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

We'll bring you four podcasts during the event, including two live streams on the Tennis Podcast's YouTube channel. So join us on Monday, the 15th of September to get pumped for the finals. Head to BJK Cup website at billyjeankingcup.com. for details on how to stream the action and follow the Billie Jean King Cups channels on social media for exclusive behind-the-scenes access throughout the week.

If your dog could talk, they'd beg for Ollie. The full-body tail wag, the excited little hops, the big, goofy grin, that's the Ollie effect. Ollie delivers clean, fresh nutrition and five drool-worthy flavors, even for the pickiest eaters.

Made in U.S. kitchens with high-quality, human-grade ingredients, Ollie's food contains no fillers, no preservatives, just real food. Just fill out Ollie's 30-second quiz, and they'll create a customized meal plan based on your pup's weight, activity level, and other... health info. Dogs deserve the best.

And that means fresh, healthy food. Head to ollie.com slash healthy pup. Tell them about your dog and use code healthy pup to get 60% off your welcome kit when you subscribe today. Plus they offer a happiness guarantee on the first box. So if you're not. completely satisfied you'll get your money back that's o-l-l-i-e dot com slash healthy pup and enter code healthy pup to get 60 off your first box tired of your car insurance rate going up even with a clean driving record you're not alone

That's why there's Jerry, your proactive insurance assistant. Jerry compares rates side-by-side from over 50 top insurers and helps you switch with ease. Jerry even tracks market rates and alerts you when it's best to shop. No spam calls, no hidden fees. Drivers who save with Jerry could save over $1,300 a year. Switch with confidence, download the Jerry app, or visit jerry.ai slash ACAST today.

Welcome back to part two of the tennis podcast where we turn our attention now to the second of the two men's singles semi-finals that we saw under the lights on the Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight and maybe we all owe Felix or Jean. Ali Yassim a huge apology because he might have helped to deliver the men's match of the tournament on the Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight. They've been great. outside court matches but I do think this is a contender albeit not in a particularly crowded field

for the best men's match that Arthur Ashe has seen this fortnight. Beaten by Senna, Orgelia Seam, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. And it was a great match, David. It was. It was everything that I... have always wanted to see from Felix Ogiali Asim in the past few years since he was world number six and reaching the semi-finals here four years ago and winning the Davis Cup and beating Yannick Sinner 6-1, 6-2 in that match.

match in madrid that i'm always thinking about because i just happened to see it there was hardly anybody in the stadium it was on on not on the main stadium court and and i always remember seeing it and thinking well why on earth can't you can't you do what he's doing you're not that different that's what I always feel like when I line the two of them up next to one another the same sort of height the same sort of movement a huge forehand both of them

Big serve. Okay, miles better backhand that Sinner's got. But why is Sinner so much better now than Felix Ogiali's team? It's never really made sense to me. And yet the results...

tell their own story. One guy is competing for Grand Slam after Grand Slam, and the other guy was 27 in the world. I don't really know what happened to Ogieli Asim, but this fortnight, he has shown... that actually, raw materials-wise, he has got it. He might not be as good as those two. He's not. Look, he's not. He's not as talented. He doesn't have the feel that they do. He doesn't have, I think, the mental strength that they have. And, like I say, an inferior backhand.

relatively speaking. But he's come into this tournament, he's beaten Zverev handily on the comeback from a set down. Then he's backed that up, which would have been very easy not to do. And then he's come out today. been i actually think quite competitive in a set he lost 6-1 in the first set and it would have been very very easy for him to just get dispirited by that and instead he came roaring back i think he had the crowd

pretty mesmerized by his own movement, his athleticism. He let everything go. He saw his features relax. I love the way that his face was just enjoying it. You could see that he was loving the moment and the competition.

And I don't understand why that wouldn't be repeatable in the future. This level of tennis from Felix Algiali Asim. I can't believe it's only two weeks ago that I had a chat with him about whether... about trying to get back to what he did three years ago and you know what's different and here he is he's done exactly that and huge credit to him he pushed Sinner today I think he worried Sinner I think

Something physically was going on with Sinner as well. He went for a medical timeout off court. He says that's not going to be a problem. But my word, was he pushed by Ojale Asim today? Do you agree, Matt, that this is... the start of something for Felix Orgele seem rather than a blip on the radar? I hope so.

I guess I think so as well, because that level was so good, you know, and as David said, not only beating Zverev, but backing it up by beating Rublev and Dumanor, I think showed a real steal to him. And then, you know, there have been, I think I've been a bigger doubter about his top level over the last couple of years. You know, I've just wondered whether this tennis was in there, but my word, he was brilliant. Really, really good.

Great coming forward, had a lot of success at the net tonight. That forehand, you know, if it's doing that damage to Sinner, it can do damage to anyone, I would say. The backhand, yes, it's the weaker wing, but it held up well enough. He put pressure on with the serve, and he had some... some swag to him. He had the crowd going, you know, like they were really into this. I went out into the media seats about halfway through the match and...

He was roaring and playing with intent and conviction and the crowd went with him, which was brilliant to see. And the start of that fourth set was probably the most fun I'd had watching a men's match on Ash. this tournament you know like he was bringing out the best in Sinner because I have to give a give a shout out to a shot that Sinner played to save a break point in that fourth set where I think it's up there with Alcaraz's behind the back for men's shot of the tournament. It wasn't as...

It wasn't as extravagant, but it was equally mind-blowing, because the ball was basically behind him, and it was on his baseline, and Ogiali's team had whacked a forehand down the line. And yet Sinner managed to just sort of bend down and hook it with two hands, the backhand, onto the opposite line, cross-court, like the outside of the line, and it was a clean winner to save the breakpoint. Everybody was looking at it, including Argelia Singh, going, well, that's not in it.

yeah how have you done that like that is not possible that was that was past you and you've hit it for a winner like what it was extraordinary i assumed it was a miss hit and then you look at it and it's come right out of the center of the strings yeah It was a joke. And there was a series of shots around that time in the match. They were both bringing it. I was having a lot of fun. Yeah, he was, to me...

You know, you can kind of say you can look at this and it bears a similar sort of trajectory or resemblance to the Shapovalov match, you know, a few rounds before. To me... Something about those Canadians.

To me, Ogialia's scene was a more dangerous opponent today. I didn't trust Shapovalov. I actually thought... was going to keep bringing it and it would be up to Sinner to raise his level and I think he did in the crucial moments I think he really stepped up fended off break points and and hit some spectacular shots down the stretch but it was it was it was a brief

really under threat today from Orgele Asim. And you're right, I owe him an apology. I thought even if he brought his best, he wouldn't be able to hurt Sinner like he did. Same. So you both think the...

The competitiveness of this match was all about Felix Orgelia's team and not about a drop-off from Sinner. Are there any Sinner concerns? Oh, I think... It is twofold. I don't think it's in isolation. I look over your shoulder there, Matt, at a huddle around, I think, Yannick Sinner. No, I think it's actually Simone Vagnosi. Oh, okay. Can't even see him. There are so many Italian journalists. I think they're using him to fill the time.

before Yannick Sinner comes to press. Well spotted. But what I noticed, the serves weren't going in. I didn't see the percentage, but it was not. 53 for the match. That's too low.

And that has been a bit of an issue all tournament. It's been a bit of an issue this summer, actually, I would say, for Sinner. And when I look at Alcoraz and Sinner matching them up in the... in the final, we know that they can both, you know... extend each other to their limits in rallies and all that kind of thing and actually maybe we've reached a phase with the matchup where they're both such good shot makers they're both such good movers

I think the serve is going to be an absolutely crucial element. And I think Alcaraz is serving better. And he didn't at Wimbledon in the final there, did he? Exactly. He was way down. A big difference. And look, maybe we said that going into the... We're more than fine all.

you know that we expected the Alcrest serve to to help him and show up and it didn't and it may well not again on on Sunday but based on how they've been serving this tournament and you know with that little ab issue that I know he's played down there but it's in the back of my mind, and that would affect the serve, I think. That could be a difference maker, and I think Sinnoh is going to want to get that percentage way up, you know, 10% up on...

on where he currently is. If I was over there in the huddle with Simone Vagnosi and I'm glad I'm not. As you're Italian. It's a lot of people.

I hate huddles. Huddles... Oh, yeah, they freak me out. David loves them. I do. No woman would ever come up with the idea of a huddle. No. Because it's so favours... Like, the bigger and... taller and the more space you take up the better you're going to do in a huddle anyway If I were risking my life over there in that enormous huddle, I would be asking Simone Van Yossi what on earth Yannick Sinner's obsession is with white towels.

Yes. That would be my big journalistic question. What is going on? There was a comical moment where he sent for towels and they came back with a year's supply and they were all folded up. But these pristine white... because they had towels on the court, but they're the US Open towels, you know, which have the big logo on and stuff. He wanted a bit like me from the hotel laundry. He wanted pristine, white.

Boy, did he get them. And he got them, but I didn't know he was such a pristine white towel fanatic. But now I do, and unfortunately I have missed the huddle, so... I've missed the chance to ask. I think he's meticulous, isn't he? I think that is true. These are the things you miss if you're in the media seats, Matt. We were watching on telly.

I didn't have a clue what you were talking about. I've really missed out. I thought I had quite a good sense of the match, but I've missed out on the towel. But you missed Simone Van Yossi. stalking. He had to sort of stalk his way down to court level with this pile of towels. I'm sure the internet will help. Yeah, I think the internet's got you.

That's the final of all four slams in 2025 for Yannick Sinner. That's pretty badass. And, you know, the fact that almost at the first time of asking in their real rivalry... Sinner and Alcaraz are playing each other in the final. When you think of the decade and a half that Nadal and Federer spent missing one another. And yeah, this is it. This is uncharted territory. It's the first time in the open era that...

Three men, you know, we had this stat on the start of the tournament, didn't we, that three men have played three slams against each other in the same season. You know, none of the big three combinations managed it, even, as you said, when Federer and Nadal had a... had a grip on the sport, you know, they were so clearly 1 and 2 in 2005, 6, 7, 8, they didn't manage it, you know, there was...

there was a deficiency for one of them it was it was at that time it was often nadal here wasn't it that not getting to the us open final but so quickly we've gone from in a you know a year ago Alcaraz and Sina hadn't played a grandstand final against each other. Now they've played three in a row. It feels like how are they not going to play all the grandstand finals against each other for the next five years? They won't. Things will happen.

But it's so hard to see it right now. But it is interesting as well that because at the moment there isn't that third player, I mean, this could keep on happening. I mean, this could be... Chris Everton, Martina Navratilova stuff, this rivalry. That is incredible, isn't it? All four, just for Sinner individually, the final of all four slams in a year that he served a ban. I mean, maybe...

Maybe it's because, not in spite of, or Putton, not entirely because, but... Yeah, it's been somewhat helpful for him to have the rest when he did have it. Remarkable. Yeah, I mean, the company's in is...

What, Leyva, Federer, Djokovic and Sinner on the men's side? Not even Nadal. OK, well, I mean, you can give me early predictions for that final if you want, but you don't have to. And if you do give them, you have the right, you've got 24 hours to change your mind. I'm going to give myself 24 hours to have a good think about it. I mean, I did pick Alcraz at the start of the tournament.

And I do think he's been fantastic all the way through. A little bit shakier today, even though he won in straights against the great Novak Djokovic. But I'm just going to... I'm just going to give myself 24 hours to have a think and watch some highlights of those great matches from the past. Maybe we'll see that 2022 match. that I missed, just like Giri. Let's get it on so that we can... Absolutely. I don't need any encouragement. Matt? Well, I hinted at it that I've...

move towards Alcaraz over the course of this tournament. I think given what I saw in their grandstand finals and given the general hard court record that Sinner's had, I felt like Sinner was going to win this. at the outset of this tournament. The serve, as I've talked about, is an element where I think Alcaraz has had the edge this tournament. I'm just a little bit more convinced by Alcaraz, I suppose. I just think he's...

He's playing closer to his absolute best, maybe. And as David's been talking about, you know, given he lost the last one, I think he's going to be desperate to win this one. I just... Maybe the Alcaraz Magic's going to be back on Sunday, I suppose, is kind of what I'm thinking. At the moment, that's where I'm at, but maybe I'll have swung back.

to Sinner in 24 hours time it's it's it's tight it's kind of this thing where you've got this real like six rounds of the men's draw feel like

We know what's going to happen in terms of like Alcres and Sinner are going to be there. Like the big picture is not that fun at the moment. But if you do get the payoff and you get Sinner and Alcres in the final, it's like... the most fun like it's on a knife edge we know they match up well it's this is the payoff worth it for you at the moment yes at the moment we're we're

young enough into this rivalry you know and we had Paris I've still got the memories of Paris how can I have watched that and say oh it's not worth it because that was literally one of the best things I've ever been at in my life like it was extraordinary and the prospect that it might happen again or something close to it might happen again at this stage is enough for me.

Ask me in a year's time if they've played. I will be doing just that, yeah. You know, if they've played all of them and I'm waiting for other guys to step up, you might start to tire of it. But right now, and also I look at these slams.

as a big picture and the women's draw offers so much of what the men's draw doesn't, you know, jeopardy throughout and I can get a lot of pleasure from just... that element of it you know like if I was only a watcher of men's tennis sure I might be I might be a bit bored through two weeks but but I'm not I do remember when I was very young

that i used to find the the rivalry of everton navratilova and i only really saw wimbledon but i saw several grand several finals in a row between the two of them i used to

find the tournament a bit boring until they would meet because they would beat everybody so one-sidedly. I mean, it was different to what we're seeing now. Right now, I mean, to me, it's up to the rest. I don't want... these two to just fall over and then somebody else to come through or or something like that I want somebody else exciting to gate crash that's that's what you want long term otherwise

Let them get on with it. They're such a wonderfully diverse rivalry. They're so different to one another. They bring such... unknown and unpredictability to what actually ends up happening when they do meet, that I always feel like, well, okay, if there are no shocks and you end up with those two, chubbs are good.

You feel differently, Catherine? I feel the same way as you, Matt, that because I'm, because I watch equal, you know, because I'm seeing the sport, I take a holistic approach, to quote. Emily Maresmo to the sport and I've got men's and women's that I can get from the women's tournament what I'm lacking in

almost all of the men's apart from the final, but just taking the men's in isolation. Look, I love Cine Around Crowds. It's absolutely nothing to do with me not loving that as much as... as you two or or as much as anybody like i live for it but how many matches are there in a grand slam quite a few it's a long way hundreds I don't think it's a great state of affairs at the moment. The whole tournament being about one match. Grand Slam quarterfinals everywhere apart from Wimbledon.

This is such an enlightening, eye-opening moment when Matt pointed out this element of it all. They're the only singles match happening. at the time that they are happening. There's nowhere else to look. If they're a dud, you kind of start watching them, and there's a lot of duds. Yeah. I still think that had he not...

suffered a stress fracture in his back, that Artifis would be edging his way to gatecrash in the party. But people are suffering that sort of injury because there's too much tennis. Yeah, definitely. And, you know, we're potentially...

Yeah, that's a whole other discussion, but... Get well soon, Arthur. Come on, get in there! Do you actually think that Arthur could be the great gatecrasher? Yeah. I don't think he's... I don't think he's as good as them yet, certainly not yet, and may not be potentially, but I actually just look at his physicality and his ground strokes and his serve and think, wow.

He can live with them. The way he played Alcraz so close in Monte Carlo should have beaten him that day. I know he got heavily beaten in Barcelona when they met shortly afterwards. Yeah, I think that if he could get himself back fully fit and get back to where he was and then move on again, I do think he could. Well, that would be fun.

And very welcome. I mean, not all the time. He's not going to suddenly start sharing the Grand Slams out with them, but I think he could do a Del Potro or he could do a Wawrinka. Okay, would be here for that. David, you get another 24 hours before your prediction. Matt, you have the right to change your mind. That's it for part two, but do join us in part three for a few other results from day 13 and a look ahead to Matt's... big day in New York tomorrow.

We all know that feeling. You finally managed to get away on vacation and the worrying starts. Will that bogus beware of dog sign keep your home safe? What about that fake camera you set up? And will someone finally find your old hide-and-key rock? That's where ADT comes in. We'll be right back. Meet the Defender 110, a vehicle built for the modern explorer.

With on-road presence and off-road prowess, it's naturally capable and expedition-ready. A raised hood, sculpted grille, and durable exterior make it look tough because it is. Inside, five-seat comfort comes standard with an option for seven. Navigate any terrain confidently with 3D surround cameras and the intuitive Pivi Pro infotainment system. There's a defender for every journey, 90, 110, or 130.

which boasts room for up to eight. Design your Defender 110 at LandRoverUSA.com. That's LandRoverUSA.com.

Welcome back to part three of the tennis podcast, where just before we get on to our big predictions for tomorrow's women's singles final, a few other results from today here at Flushing Meadows. The women's doubles. title was won by the Canadian Kiwi duo of Gabby Dobrowski and Erin Routliff. 6-4, 6-4 over Katrina Siniarkova and Taylor Townsend. It's the second US Open doubles title.

have won as a pair, and an incredible journey they have been on. Obviously, Gabby Dabrowski in particular, having, you know, this time a year ago, she was undergoing treatment for cancer. Like, this is the most... wonderful, uplifting comeback story. And they are, in the words of Matt Roberts, quite a pair, Dabowski and Routliff. And Gabby Dabowski in particular, what a player.

I've always thought she was good. She really is a brilliant doubles player and I think these two complement each other really, really well. Routeliff's got... a bit of a funny serve but quite a big serve uh Dubrovsky's got great reactions at the net route lifts really solid at the net like they're just a really really strong pair and you know any any doubles team that beats cinearchiver

and partner, let alone Senyagva and Townsend, you've got to be a very strong pair to beat them. I think this tournament was a lot for Taylor Townsend. I think, you know... Yeah, she came to press drinking a honey juice, didn't she? Right. Which I loved. Yeah. But I think maybe did point to...

just maybe ran out of gas a little bit. It looked like this was going to be more one-sided. There were 6-4, 3-0 up, Dabrowski and Routliff, and then Townsend and Siniakov had a bit of a surge, got back into it. Great crowd on Ash, you know, really...

Really good to see that. But they just couldn't quite complete the comeback. And Dabrowski and Routliff are deserving winners, I think. Townsend was... incredibly generous about Dabrowski and Routleff, but she also said the shadow was a problem for her today. So the shadow made it hard to pick up the ball coming from certain directions, and it was very quick adjustments that we had to make when we changed sides. Say it, Taylor. Yep.

The women's wheelchair doubles was won by the third-seeded Chinese pair of Zhao Wee Li and Xi Ying Wang. They beat Dida de Root. And Zhu Zhengen, 6-4, 7-6, any victory over D2 de route is very impressive. Although she is... She's on the comeback trail, isn't she, from surgery. But very impressive for the Chinese pair. The men's wheelchair doubles title was won by Gustave Fernandez and Taquito Oda over...

Alfie Hewitt and Gordon Reid, 6-1, 2-6, 10-6. Poor old Alfie Hewitt just seeing Takeda Oda at the other end of the court in these finals is just absolutely brutal for him, isn't it? And the quad wheelchair doubles final was won by Guy Sasson and Niels Vink 6-1-6-1 over the unseeded pairing of Chilean Francisco Keulev and Argentinian Gonzalo Enrique Lazarte.

tournament for that unceded pair but Sassen and Vink the eventual champions tomorrow we have arrived at day 14 of the US Open 2025. Saturday, the 6th of September, we start with the men's doubles final. Marcel Grenoilles and Horatio Zabias against Joe Salisbury and Neil Skubsky. And then, not before four... The women's singles final, Irina Sabalenka or Amanda Anisimova. David, your prediction, please.

Oh, dear, dear, dear. He's looking at me right now. I mean, look, I do love matches between these two over the rivalry. I enjoy... the way that San Blanco, she knows no other way than to bring it and attack an opponent, but Anisimov is that rare player that can counter-attack and actually deflect it and take. make it worse for Sabalenka that she's attacking. So, absolutely fascinated by it. I remember the match they played at the French Open, and that was Sabalenka, despite a sort of...

Brief period of response and resurgence from Anisimova. And then, of course, the Wimbledon semi-final, which I always felt that Anisimova was going to get the better of. That one I did feel... I remember I think I was commentating on it, or I certainly watched all of it, and she always felt like she was the better player in that match. This one...

With all the build-up that Anissa Mervis just had and the long matches that I do think will have taken a little bit out of her and so forth, I think she'll still... play it and push her really close and have her moments but I feel Sabalenka is going to get the job done in three. Matt? Well obviously you know what I'm... what I'm picking can I tell you the sort of things I'm thinking about yes exactly if you took the blonde hair out of it what would you really say now I think

I think you could describe it, and I was talking about this with Pam earlier, as a little bit of a sort of baggage Grand Slam final. You know, like we've talked a lot about the remarkable job that... Amanda Onissimova has done to come back from that double bagel in the Wimbledon final. Like, extraordinary that she's back in the very next Grand Slam final, that she's beaten the opponent.

But, like, has... It's kind of like she's come back, but has she come all the way back? Because now we're going to see her in a Grand Slam final again. And I know it's not Wimbledon, I know it's not Svante, but... She's got to meet that moment and respond to that moment again. And that is an element here. I think she will, but it's something that you could maybe say is in Sabalenka's favour going into it.

The flip side of that is that Sabalenka's got her own Grandstand final baggage herself, I would say. I know she's won three of them, but that whole thing of Sabalenka constantly... playing on the edge and teetering, I think is heightened in these Grand Slam finals. And we've seen it here against Coco Gauff. We've seen it at the French Open against Coco Gauff. To a lesser extent...

In Australia, I don't think it was because she played badly in that final. I think Madison Keyes ripped it from her. But I think Amanda Nisimova can rip it from her as well. Maybe that kind of evens it up. The biggest thing, I think, in Sabalenka's favour is the potential fatigue that Anisimova's going to be feeling physically, emotionally.

mentally from the last few days, which I think have been an extraordinary effort to beat Schwiontech and then to come back and beat Osaka, you know, at one o'clock in the morning last night. Is that going to take its toll? She talked about feeling exhausted in that Wimbledon final, off the back of the semi-final. Hopefully they've learnt as a team and they've got...

you know, a different approach and all that kind of thing. And again, I'm banking on that happening because my pick is Amanda and Isomova in... three sets. Savalenka's not lost in straight sets at a slam since the Covid US Open. She played over 100 matches at slams in that time and not lost in straight sets. She always wins a set.

You know, that stat will probably be broken at some point, but I don't really feel like it's going to be here. I think if Anissimo was going to do it, it's going to be giving every last drop of what she has. in a third set and I think those groundstrokes are going to come up, come on strong and get her over the line and she's going to win her first Grand Slam title. That's my prediction. My entirely rational logical prediction. Matt's planning to get a haircut.

Tomorrow morning. Well, I was. Can I disclose that to the people? I was planning that, but we've got a lovely bagels appointment. Yeah, we've got a dog and bagels appointment. All around Matt Futterman's. Yeah. And that's, you know, it's not... We can't miss that. We want to go to that. The haircut would require getting up early. We were woken up this morning by drilling, as you've described. There's a lot of factors. There's a lot of factors from when I had planned the...

The haircut. So maybe we're just going to do it all in one go. Okay. But just to be clear. Haircut and then die all in one go. So absolutely categoric. If Amanda Anissimova wins the US Open tomorrow night. You are dyeing your hair blonde in tribute to the fact that Onissimova... Is not blonde. Is not blonde. It's on record. It's on a podcast. It's got to happen. It's been on record for a while. I'm not going to go back on it. I know where all the hair salons are in...

Midtown Manhattan now after some Googling. It's going to be great. It's going to be so great. Wow. What's your prediction? I am genuinely leaning towards Anissa Mova. I know I was at Wimbledon and that is, well, maybe not leaning towards, but I gave her a good chance at Wimbledon.

I actually can't remember what I predicted, but I certainly didn't predict Love and Love to Sabalenka. But I just feel so differently about Anna Simova now in a way that makes me feel... makes me realise how... how... how much I... didn't give enough weight to the sort of you know being the first Wimbledon final and recovery and exhaustion and all of that I don't I'm giving significantly less weight to all of that this time because she's been there and because of how

how positively she has channelled all those experiences and turned them into strength. All we've seen from Anissa Mova is evidence of how everything that she went through at Wimbledon... has made her better and more resilient and more able to cope with these things. So yes, I do have a worry and a question mark about how late it went last night and how physical it was, you know.

just the getting to bed late. Like, all jokes aside, we went through all of that, and we're hoping to bounce back strong tomorrow, but today's been tough. And we don't have to run about. Right, and we... Today's not sort of a crucial day in our preparations for a Grand Slam final. So I'm not giving no weight to that. I just think that having been through something so similar at Wimbledon, she...

She's going to find a way to metabolize all of that. And I back her tennis. Well, and she likes the Sabalenka ball. Yeah. She didn't, she'd never experienced the Svantek ball. And she ended up hating it in that environment. She just could never get going at all. And she's not going to have those sort of balls to chase, I don't think. It was a double unknown, wasn't it, in the Wimbledon final? It was the first Grandstand final.

and first time facing Svantec now gets first US Open final but she's been in a Grandstand final she's faced Sabalenka she's beaten her there's winning record right there's just a lot more Reason to believe. If you see what I did there. See what you've done there. What have you done there? I've named a Bruce Springsteen song. Have you? Hoping for glory days.

On that note, hello to our mascots, Phoebe, Maisie and Roger. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris and Jeff. Should we have some shout-outs, Matt? Yes, I think we should, considering... We don't have a bus to run for. No, and we've been, you know... We haven't done shout-outs for a few days, so let's bring them back. We have Sam Woodside from Christchurch, New Zealand. We know Sam. We know Sam. Right, Sam.

We've met Sam in Melbourne? Yes, we have. Did Sam buy us drinks? Maybe. Maybe. Thank you, Sam, if you did. He certainly attended our Melbourne live show. And he watched 10 minutes of the best player in the world with David on court 1573. What an experience. I remember Sam. Yeah, he was wearing a Tennis Podcast t-shirt and my hatch. Was playing against... Was it the Opelka match? No, it wasn't the Opelka match. He was playing...

Sumit Nagal. It was Sumit Nagal. And I went and got... You went and sat with all the Sumit Nagal fans. Yes, I did. I got some amazing seats right on the front row with them. It was fun. It's good on those medium-sized courts in Australia, isn't it? That is a great thing about Australia. Oh, Australia. Sam, thank you for whetting my appetite for the next Grand Slam. Cheers, Sam. We've also got Stephen Wright. Hello Stephen. Hi Stephen. Stephen completed the fan slam.

at the 2023 Australian Open Finals. Stephen says, I saw the Avengers superhero matchup of Sabalenka Rabatkinna. Wow. That was a heck of a match. A great match. Very cool. And Stephen also says, I will be first in line if and when Hannah writes an adventure novel. It would be so laugh out loud and not put downable. Anything Hannah writes is laugh out loud and not...

Put down a ball. Just seeing that we've got a WhatsApp from Hannah, my pulse races a bit. Like, oh, this is going to be good. So true. Stephen, with a V or a PH? With a PH. Like my middle name. Like Matthew Stephen... Matthew Harry Stephen. Harry Stephen. I knew it was posh. I just couldn't remember. It's definitely posh. Matthew, Harry, Stephen Roberts. There you go. Like Stephen Shaw, a British tennis player from the 80s. There we go. Thank you, Stephen.

And finally, we have George Blomfelt from Brisbane. Hello, George. George says, my partner Eliza got me onto the tennis podcast. Well done, Eliza. We frequently have tennis battles where she usually beats me 6-3. What a specific school line. Single break, that's enough, serve it out. It's very Pete Sampras. Oh, and George says, I think she's met some of the crew at the Australian Open with her friend Maddy.

Yeah, Eliza and Maddy, definitely. I think outside and Amanda and Issa Mova match, in fact. Well, chances are quite good. Yeah. Okay, right. Tennis Georges. Yeah, if it's not clear, I'm struggling with... Oh, my word, Matt Roberts. It's going to be a good day tomorrow. Oh, my God, I've got another one. George Bastl. George. Very good. Ended the Wimbledon career of Pete Sampras. Yes. I probably should have come up with that before. I don't know. One of them's active. George, analyzer.

That's lovely stuff. Thank you. Love, Brisbane. Thank you to all of our friends of the Tennis Podcast. If you'd like to become a friend, as always, the link is in our show notes, as is the link to subscribe to the newsletter, get access to Matt Statt, David Maider.

slightly odd noise when he was reading your stat in the draft newsletter. Sign up to the newsletter if you haven't already. Every day Matt comes up with a new stat. I mean, we produce like 100 newsletters a year and he always has a new stat. I don't... know how it is it is incredible stuff link in the show notes folks folks we are part of the athletic podcast network we'll be back tomorrow and you won't want to miss it we'll speak to you then

It's already here. Commerce is going digital. And tax complexity is multiplying. Tax rules evolve, rates shift, data floods in. Vertex connects it all. A global tax compliance platform powered by tax-ready data and intelligent systems. Smarter tech. Continuous tax compliance. Built-in confidence. Learn more at vertexinc.com. If you're in business, you'd expect money movement to be easy. And it is.

With Visa Direct, collect, hold, convert, and send payments between more than 195 countries, 160 currencies, and over 11 billion cards, accounts, and wallets. effortlessly and securely. Move money your way. Learn more at Visa.com slash Visa Direct.