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- [00:00]
A
Hi, guys. And a big welcome to our podcast live here from Paris. Apologies for the background. I have been searching for Internet. It's not easy life on the tour when you're looking for. Looking for a place that you've got some Internet. So I'm actually at somebody's desk down at the reception of the hotel. So if somebody comes up and tells me off, that's all part and parcel of live shows, I guess. And as ever, I. Our podcast Lives from Grand Slams brought to us by Novellas, a big, big shout out to Novellas for all the support that they give the podcast. And also Subtle Tennis Academy. And what a day. Where to start? I guess there's one place to start, right? And one place only, and that is get your, get your messages in, get your, get your questions in. And I'm sure people are going to be wanting to be speaking about Yannick Sinner. We've talked about it for a long time now. There's going to, there's going to come a time. There's going to come a time where there's a Grand Slam that isn't won by Carlos Alcaraz and Yannick Sinner on the men's side. And it feels like it was never not gonna happen. Right? They were always. They've been in the final of the last nine Grand Slams. Some people say it's boring. I certainly did on our, on our preview say that it was boring that Yannick Sinner was winning. I didn't say it was boring about Yannick Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and their rivalry. But now it's blown open, you know, here at Roland Garris. That's all anyone has been talking about. And, and a big, big welcome to Freddie Nielsen, who has, who has joined us. Fred, how are you doing?
- [01:43]
B
Hey. I'm doing great things. How are you doing?
- [01:46]
A
I'm good. Just, I'm just. I was talking to myself. I, I forget that there's people that actually listen to this, so I was just kind of talking away to myself. Sweating. I didn't mention that bit. Sweating in the Paris reception area. As I was saying, WI FI live shows. This is what, this is what, this is what happens.
- [02:08]
B
I didn't hear much since sweaty French receptions.
- [02:13]
A
Just, just the receptions. Yeah. Just running around hotels trying, trying to get onto a WI Fi that works. The, the hotel hasn't been too clever on that front and nor is the air conditioning and, and obviously the. I guess the talk of the town. Freddie, I know you've been working a lot of the day. But talk of the town, Yannick Sinner. Yannick Sinner. He's. He's out. We, we. We will have a different men's champion than Carlos Alcaraz and Yannick Sinner. Give us your initial thoughts.
- [02:50]
B
I'm in genuine shock. Like, I cannot believe that that happened. You totally called it on the preview and when you guys were talking about it, I was kind of thinking, it's the same old story. It's just a fun thing to talk about. Surely it can't continue to happen because he gets older, he'll learn, he'll improve, and here we are again. I mean, I'm in genuine shock. Not to mention the actual scoreline. Huh?
- [03:20]
A
Well, I mean, look, it was. I was at John Bois. No, I wasn't. I was at the Annex, which are the practice courts across the road. I'm getting ready for. I had a bit of a bizarre one today because I had Andre Goranton I started working with a few weeks ago. He was partnered with Aaron Routliff, who I used to work with, playing against, then Louisa Stefani, who I'm now a part of the team of this year, and Marcelo Aravello. So I had their two match warm ups back to back, which was a bit odd, but I then went inside and it was 6, 3, 5, 6 3, 6, 2, 5, 1.
- [03:54]
B
Exactly. That's what I mean. I mean, if you can get to that, if you can get to that point, surely you can finish it. But maybe the mental, you know, you see, you've been struggling, you see the finish line, you just want to get over it, you forget the process. But still, I genuinely cannot believe that that happened. And also in a. No disrespect to Cyrundolo at all, but that's a, that's a. There's a genuine mismatch in level there as well. Yeah, I'm. I'm completely perplexed.
- [04:24]
A
From that point, he actually lost 18 points in a row. So from. From that moment, 18 points in a row went to Serendulo. It was.
- [04:34]
B
And then an injury time at 5, 4, 40, love. 40, like.
- [04:38]
A
And he kind of just walked off court. It was all. It was just like, yeah, I'm just gonna. I'm just gonna walk off court. Nobody really knew what was happening. It was just like, you know, what the hell? What the hell is going on? And then it was like some people were. Because then all of a sudden, as you can imagine at these events, people start to kind of swarm around the TVs and some. Then someone was going oh, he should just throw this set. I said, what are you talking about? It's five all. Like five or five all is a lot closer to winning than love all. You know, like to win a full set. And then, I mean, it just seemed to go and I guess. And I'm sure your knowledge is very good. I'm sure you know this. He's played nine, five set matches in his life before today. Do you know what his record was?
- [05:33]
B
It's. It's probably 1 8. And I think last year, didn't it say when he was serving for it, I think a stat came up in the box. He's never won a match that's been longer than 2 hours and 51 or something or whatever it was. I don't remember the exact.
- [05:50]
A
So, yeah, so it's 1 and 8. So this is, I guess to go back to your point when we're talking about it on the preview, I guess sometimes we start thinking these players are superhuman, right? Because they're, what they're achieving is so incredible. I use the word boring. No disrespect to Yannick Sinner. That's how I was finding men's tennis. Yet the superhuman qualities don't really exist, right? They're all human. They've all got their kryptonites, you know, and he clearly has kryptonite with the heat. But I think probably the bigger one for me because he said in his press conference afterwards, he said, I woke up this morning and I just felt empty. I felt like I'd run out of energy. Now, go figure, I guess, you know, like, go, go, go figure. You've won Indian ws, you've then won Miami. You've then taken a week off. Alcaraz said he was really surprised that he, he was playing Monte Carlo. He then played Monte Carlo, won all of these events, then took another week before he then won Madrid. Then he went and played role where we saw that he had some, whether it was anxiety attacks, some challenges. He just, he over, he overplayed without a shadow of a doubt, you know, and he's, he has. That was kind of a little inkling I had in my head that on top of the heat, on top of the fact that he isn't superhuman, he is a human being and kaboom, we now have a tournament. You know, I'm excited now.
- [07:17]
B
I think it's also because back in the day of, of the dominance of Fedora, Jor and Rafa, we wouldn't see these kind of collapses in the same way. I feel like if they were genuinely injured and they pulled out. But so. So I think it's also. We got. We grew kind of accustomed to just seeing superhuman performances. Right?
- [07:39]
A
Yep. Yeah, we did.
- [07:41]
B
The level of consistency was outrageous. And it is a lot. And there's a lot of. A lot more scrutiny. There's a lot of social media interest. You mentioned Monte Carlo. I don't know if he has some kind. I mean, it's. It's obviously in Monte Carlo, but it's basically in. In Italy. I don't know if. If he felt some sort of connection because it's kind of an Italian tournament because a lot of people come over from Italy, but it. Yeah, it's. I'm still perplexed. I'm still genuinely perplexed, but maybe it is too much, you know, to. To handle and it just gets bottled up, especially if you don't have an outlet as well. We don't know. We really don't know much about him, what he does outside the court or. Or whatnot. And maybe it's like you said, it's. It finally caught up to him and, And.
- [08:33]
A
And he deserves. Surrender law deserves some credit as well. Right. You know, difficult scenario for him. Difficult situation. He knows I just left the site there a few minutes ago and he was just kind of eating away. No one's talking to him. He's worth. I just want one team member, you know, very kind of away. Away from it all. And he's in this position now where he can beat the unbeatable player. So we're starting to think, and, you know, fair play to him for also just kind of taking care of that business as well without too much fuss in the end.
- [09:05]
B
Yeah, no fuss afterwards. So he just came out and said, whoa, I was lucky, but hey, I'll take it kind of thing. Very on the plate. And I mean, it was a nice response.
- [09:17]
A
21, I think.
- [09:19]
B
Yeah, absolutely. Very simple, sympathetic, and definitely a lot of credit to him. Not. Not in. It's. It's a cliche. But those kind of scenarios are also always difficult and even more so when you're facing the number one in the world. It's. It's a peculiar scenario. You can be thinking, what. What's going on here? He's just leaving the court at 40, love. And yeah, he didn't. He didn't really flinch. Maybe it is easier to deal with if you are playing the number one in the world where instead of somebody where it's even Steven and you're just kind of with house money anyway. But yeah, no doubt about it. He did very well.
- [09:58]
A
So come on then, now, now we've got the draw wide open. We talked about it beforehand. It's what we needed, right? It's what we wanted, you know, it's what men's tennis needed. I'm looking through the draw now and it's like, wow.
- [10:10]
B
Like, honestly, I'm, I'm, I'm so. Anyone can win this now. I feel like if it, no matter who wins it, I'm like, sure. It's, it's unbelievable. I mean, I got, I says Novak must be really licking his lips at the thought of this still being around. But I think it's very likely we're going to see a new first time winner. I mean, it's.
- [10:38]
A
Well, Novak, I mean, let's start there. Novak. Novak actually is in the one what you would call difficult in names. You know, he plays Fonseca tomorrow.
- [10:48]
B
Yes.
- [10:49]
A
And if he wins, he's then in the part where he could potentially play a Casper Root or Tommy Paul next, which would be last 16. So we could have a Casper Rouge. Novak Djokovic, last 16. We spoke about Casper Root beforehand. You know, know he's kind of gone under the radar a little bit in terms of it. I, I think in terms of the favorite on paper has to be Alexander Zver. You know, has he, has he, has he got the bottle? You know, we look at, we look at his draw, you know, I know I get his name wrong, but Halas, Quenton Halas next and then potentially Kov and then in the, potentially in the quarterfinals, it would be one of Mickelson, Jodar Tarante and Carano Buster. So we could be talking about Jodar against Zverev and the quarters. You know, we could be. Then Demon New has not done anything yet really. He beat Toby Samuel. Fantastic. Epic qualifying, but beat him first round. Then he got his walk over and against Alex Block. And then he's playing a Mensik who probably can't stand today after what happened yesterday. You know, someone who's not in form and pot. You could potentially be looking at a Demonoa Rublev fourth round. You know, Rublev hasn't done much either for a long time. One of those guys could then be in the quarterfinals or maybe n. Even Nuno Borges who's playing against Rublev. Don't be surprised if he comes through that section. He know it's, it's kind of wide open. It feels.
- [12:27]
B
What, what.
- [12:27]
A
Where's. Who. Who we. Who Then before we completely pass it over to you, Actually, I'm going to pass it over to you now, Freddy, because we'll come to the young K Army afterwards because I think he deserves after today as well. That was incredible. That had the whole player restaurant around that, you know that like, like I
- [12:47]
B
said on the, like I said on the thread. How could we have forgotten to mention him? I mean. Yeah, yeah, that's an oversight on our part.
- [12:55]
A
It is, it is. Me, me and Calvin spoke about him for about 10 minutes the other night. We did a, we, we did a live. But yeah, the fact that in the preview we didn't bring him up because I mean he is, he's the, he's the real.
- [13:09]
B
Just the fact that he's there on a wild card and he's been competing while leading up is amazing. And now he's doing this. I mean. Yeah, like I said, I've been working, I've been, I've been working all, all day. So I haven't been able to watch much. But I read that he pulled out a second surveys 220 up to T or something at 7 all he was, he literally.
- [13:30]
A
So what happened was so I was watching em. An incredible game, like probably like 12 juices at 5. Old incredible game where he didn't break, then he held, then he went six and one up in the tie break and then he fully blacked out. He just, you know, like when you're watching a player and you're like, oh no, he's just, he is brain farting left, right and center. He must have played three drop shots in between six one and six all which were like, oh no, what's he doing? Oh no, what's he doing? Why is he drop shotting there? What's he doing? Why is he doing that? Oh no. And you could see. And then when he changed ends, he didn't, he didn't have a drink and you thought, oh no, your kids, the kids lost it. He's gone.
- [14:14]
B
All right.
- [14:16]
A
And then, and then he went, he went seven, six down, I think and went kick serve, wide serve, volley 220, ace for eight, seven. And you were like. And then it went away at all. And then he had a ridiculous running passing shot on the forehand and then he went, sir volley again. 9, 8. Not a great volley, but one of those volleys that almost, because it was such a bad volley, it was a good volley, you know, it kind of died a little bit. Yeah, I mean he, he's, he, I, I, I think he'll lose my, in my opinion, I think he'll Lose his next match. He will plays against a guy who I actually think can seriously play to below, oh, 100%. That boy, he's like.
- [15:07]
B
But he seems like a bit of a moody player, you know, and he's always very good and then he kind of goes off a little bit.
- [15:14]
A
But in that section, Freddy, like let's say to ki, the winner of that will play Felix or Nakashima, I think is just about to win in the fifth set. You know, you, you'd favor maybe to be know to come out of that quarter.
- [15:30]
B
I still think it's on Felix to lose. I back Felix. I back Felix. Yeah. I'll back Felix against him in the Slam.
- [15:39]
A
Right, so top off, this is what we're gonna do. You're gonna, you're gonna, you're gonna pick here who comes out of the top half, right? Listen to this. We've got Serendulo the, the giant killer against Landeluth. We've then got Berettini against Commasana. We've got Faria Portuguese against tfo. We've got Arnaldi or city passer currently playing on Aldi's two sets to one up to play against Collegnan, who beat Ben Shelton this evening. We've got Felix Nakashima, Kawami Otabilo. One of them will be a Roland Garros finalist come Sunday.
- [16:21]
B
It's. That's why, that's why like I said in the beginning, if anybody goes deep or wins, I'll be sure I'm in for the ride Now. Now it seems like the Wild west and I think everybody will be thinking they have a chance. I still think it's Felix's to lose this spot on clay. Yeah, I think so.
- [16:42]
A
Really?
- [16:44]
B
Yeah. Like the other. I mean, what, what, what are. The clay cats are there?
- [16:52]
A
I'm gonna say. I'm gonna go out on a whim and say Lambda Luth.
- [16:58]
B
I don't think he's. He's quite developed physically enough to go that deep. That's why I think like the other clay players, they're not. I mean, I think Lendalutha is just too, too young yet and Berrettini is
- [17:13]
A
too fragile physically against Topilo in the semifinals.
- [17:23]
B
I quite. Actually, I quite like Arnaldi though. He seems like he found something. He just won the big challenger in Sardinia and it feels like he turned it around. I thought he was going to progress and do a lot of good things after. He did well in Davis cup when they wanted, but he didn't really progress. But now yeah, I'm still picking feelings to make the final here in the, in this section.
- [17:47]
A
But Arnaldi, two sets still, one up and four, two up on City Pass as we speak.
- [17:53]
B
Yeah, so it's, it's, it's quite interesting what's going on in this tournament.
- [18:02]
A
It's amazing. And it's, and it's exactly, I think what men's tennis needed. Right. I think it's, it's, it's, it is exactly what it needed. I think there's, there's a chance. Give, Give me your pick. My, My pick. I think Zverev is going to do it.
- [18:16]
B
Yeah, me too. I also think.
- [18:19]
A
Sneaky, sneaky.
- [18:22]
B
Under the radar, good player is the other Serendulo. I very much like his game. I think he can be dangerous against everybody. But yeah, I think it's, I think it's. Swears now. Swear Felix is my call for the final. I mean, Mike, Mike was very big on Hoda, so he was the metric, if the metrics speak for him. How can you, how can you defy the metrics? But for me, it would be, it
- [18:51]
A
would be a quarterfinal with Zverev if they get there.
- [18:55]
B
Yeah.
- [18:56]
A
And you know that, that's, that's what we'll be looking at, so.
- [19:00]
B
Exactly.
- [19:01]
A
Yeah. Exciting times. Now, look, we, we have to. I don't want to. It's not going to be a long live. We had to jump on this evening. Anyone does have any questions, please send the questions in. But I think we have.
- [19:13]
B
Actually, actually, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna take it back. I'm gonna take it back. Just for, just for fun. I'm gonna pick Serendolo to make the final. He's top half, Right?
- [19:25]
A
So Rondolo is which one?
- [19:28]
B
Francisco.
- [19:30]
A
He's top half. Yes, he would be in. You've also got Caboli. Yeah, Caboli play goes a little bit
- [19:38]
B
under the radar, but for fun, I'm gonna pick Serundulo Koboli. Good, good shout too. But I still feel a little too inconsistent. Although he's got a high top.
- [19:51]
A
What about Sarandolo vs Sarandolo in the semis?
- [19:55]
B
That would be a good story.
- [19:58]
A
How. How would that be?
- [20:00]
B
Yeah, I think the fact that we're just talking here and we're reeling off names and we can make a case, but basically everybody in the draw is quite fun. It's quite fun.
- [20:09]
A
It's fun. And, and you know what? And it was actually I was with a couple of players today on the, on the Women's side, on the women's doubles players, they were like, we will be there for the quarterfinals onwards of the men's singles. We will have our popcorn. We will be there, you know, because I think there's this feeling of like this is the chance, you know, when, you know, four, four slabs a year. But this is like the legit chance for your surround. Maybe the only chance. Right. You know, like there's every now and then. Thomas Johansson won Australian Open all of those years ago. Every now and then you have these years or these, these events, but it might happen where it's a player like that gets it once in their career almost. Where this, this, this could be. This could be the.
- [20:59]
B
The Martin Fakirk.
- [21:01]
A
Exactly, exactly. You know, that's exactly why. And, and that's. And that's what we're looking at now.
- [21:09]
B
We're starting to get to that territory. My, My wife, she has. I don't know if I told this on the. On the podcast. She has a great idea. She hates seedings. She wants the tournaments to be without seedings.
- [21:19]
A
Completely. FA Cup.
- [21:22]
B
Yeah, exactly. Exactly, the FA Cup. She just wants the Wild West. And we're getting into that territory now.
- [21:27]
A
Yeah, that's exactly where we're at. I think she's a smart lady. Maybe a bit stupid marrying you, but she's smart.
- [21:33]
B
You know, hey, they can't all be perfect, right?
- [21:37]
A
Yeah. And look, we don't have. I mean, we obviously have big news yesterday, since we last spoke, Rebecca went out.
- [21:45]
B
Great job. By me. Great job. What is she doing?
- [21:49]
A
Was she your pick?
- [21:51]
B
She was my pick to win it.
- [21:53]
A
Wow. Okay. Right.
- [21:56]
B
You guys were ridiculing me for that pig, but I thought that was come back with egg on your face. But look at me with double egg and a little poached egg on the side on my face.
- [22:05]
A
And wasn't. Who mentioned Pula? Did we have a pugula mention as well?
- [22:09]
B
I think that was Candy.
- [22:11]
A
Candy. And I think we all went. No.
- [22:14]
B
Yeah, but that was a shocker too.
- [22:15]
A
Not unclear. Not unclear. I mean that Kim Birrell, who beat. Who's a lovely girl. Big shout out to Kim. But who. Who beat Pula? I heard that it was her first to a level or above win in literally like. Or second maybe ever. Yeah, like she just hadn't ever. Like I hadn't had. I mean, she's. She's a good player. She's a decent player. She's a good doubles player. She's, you know, she can do different things, but she. To beat the number five in the world. It was. Was amazing for her. She went and lost seven six and the third tonight or earlier today we've had Eva Yic who I know we've mentioned quite a bit. You know got em.
- [22:57]
B
She was my. She was my dog. She was my dark horse. But now to mention Candy she didn't mention Sana as a dark horse. Her draw opened up a lot as well huh that that bottom half of the women's draw is also. She mentioned Solana K. She.
- [23:15]
A
She did. Yeah. So she play. She's. She's flying through. Yeah We've got Sierra. She actually the Sierra who was my dark horse pick who was unseeded who who people didn't even know not sure can even knew her. She beat Emma Radicano and Jasmine Paolini and she now plays Serana Castilla. Yeah and that and that is pretty open right now. Haley Baptist. I hope she's okay. I'm hearing she could be out for the year with her injury.
- [23:48]
B
I read those confirmed ACL and Manisca confirmed. I'm not gonna. Don't. Don't shoot the messenger. But that's what, that's what I believe I read right.
- [23:58]
A
Okay well yeah well I wish her. Wish her wishing her a speedy, speedy recovery but there yeah when you start looking at it like that yeah you actually in that bottom half you start looking at like Vera Andreeva has a real real shot of going through you'd think to the semi finals in. In that part of the draw as well. Today there wasn't. Was the standouts. The standouts the day on the women's side. I'm not sure there was big, big standouts to be honest. I think there was two matches today. There was two really At Roland Garrus there was two matches both of them five set matches but it was, it was. It was really Yan Ki that they. They took over. It was nice to see Coling. Col. Col. Col. Colin.
- [24:45]
B
Colin Young.
- [24:46]
A
Colin Young after he beat Ben Shelton who Ben Shelton's struggling huh. He's not. He. We thought that he was. He was. He just doesn't seem to be doing it.
- [24:56]
B
Yeah she saw he won Munich right So I thought he might be able to take advantage of that too but I have. I've always kind of expected a little bit from Colignon I think he's so good.
- [25:08]
A
He's good. He's very good and he was crying his eyes out. The crowd were going crazy. It's the whole crowd. I mean it's been, it's been you can hear that you've. You can hear the cheers everywhere, wherever you are. That's one thing I have to say being here like I've been really impressed of some, some. A couple of years ago I felt like there was a lot of booing was happening. It was like all the courts there was this like. But whereas it feels like there's been a really energetic crowd this year. Maybe everyone's enjoying the sun, the sunshine and you know, getting, you know, I've seen a couple of people being carried out with the heat as well. So, so we'll see. We'll see what the next few days holds. Ready. But thanks. Thanks for jumping on. Any, any. Anyone you're looking forward to tomorrow. I don't know if you've seen any of the order of player for tomor out matches for you in the order of play for tomorrow.
- [26:02]
B
I mean the, the. The. The one that stands out is the Thea against the Djokovic match. Of course the, the up and coming against the. The. The. The. The big star of yesteryear. Does he still have it?
- [26:22]
A
And then I 3:30pm it's going to be hot again tomorrow. Djokovic has requested that have been told reliable sources that the Djokovic is requesting day matches because he played on Sunday night against Peshi Pericar and apparently a big issue sleeping afterwards and just was like nope, don't want the night match anymore. And he's. He's requested the last two times day matches. So that's going to be a day match which if it's like it. Like it was today and like it was the last two, three days. You think that the heat's going to come into that as well?
- [26:57]
B
Absolutely it will. So it'll be interesting how to see how everybody deals with that. It feels like I don't know that I've see obviously a lot of people cramping the last few days and whatnot. But C coming out saying the heat didn't feel too bad to play in gives me a little bit of thinking that, that it might be okay. But I think it. I'm thinking more in terms of all is going to be flying and that's. That could be in Fonsega's advantage because it's going to get a little more pop out there.
- [27:29]
A
Yeah, we've got Igaontech plays against Magdalenette, a fellow country woman who actually won their last match. But who did Magna Lynette beat in the last round.
- [27:45]
B
I am not on top of that.
- [27:47]
A
So Elena Ostapenko. So that should could would have been.
- [27:54]
B
Swanson will be thrilled about that.
- [27:56]
A
She was over the moon. I'm sure. That was going to be a third round battle of Ostapenko and Witek, which I think is six and all Ostapenko. So I'm sure. I expect that Triontech will relax into that thinking. Thank God this is not Ostapenko on the other side of the net. And even though she's lost to Magnolet last time that she played, I expect her to take care of business. Casper Rude, Tommy Paul could be an interesting one. I feel like they're two just solid dudes who. Who will go out. You'd expect Casper to probably take that one, but could could be a decent match tomorrow night on Suzanne Long Long. That's a little bit definitely match.
- [28:36]
B
I think if I had to pick one, I would rather watch Hodar against Mikkelsen just because it's something new and different.
- [28:43]
A
How good's Mikkelsen do you think?
- [28:46]
B
I think. I think he's a potential top tenor. I don't think he's quite good enough to. To compete for Slams, but. Or maybe he'll take a great development. He seems like he's very competent on all the surfaces. He seems like he has a great attitude. Seems like he travels well. Hired some interesting coaches, isn't he? With Fleegan Christoph. So who's I think. I think is a very accomplished coach. Very interesting decision from an American. So I like everything I see from him. He has a pretty solid game all around. I think he can give everybody a good, good match on the day. And that's also why I think he seems like a great. A good attitude. I quite like what I've seen from him so far.
- [29:34]
A
And. And talking of coaches, my. My last little story here from Paris. Davidovich Forkina, Coached by the former not champion Puerto win Fred German a final.
- [29:54]
B
No, he was in the final the first year Rafa won it.
- [29:57]
A
Right. So Puerto was made the finalist coached by Mariano Puerto. And I guess as the story goes, I mean, obviously I. I'm not close to the story, but because the story seems to go basically they've had a bit of an argument on the court and after he's played his first round match, Mariana Puerto's just got out of there. Sent, sent Davidovicher along a long message, sent his. His wife a long message and then blocked them and then jumped on a flight headed. Headed back to Miami and has been putting kind of some mysterious kind of Instagram horse up talking about no one else has got the balls to do this. And what, what, whatever it might be. What, what can you tell us about that, Freddy? And is this, is this normal behavior from Ariana Porter? I guess he was playing when you were playing.
- [30:54]
B
I don't know him at all because I was not very good when he played and he was obviously very good also. Factually speaking, he's got a questionable history. Right. Did he not have two doping suspicions where the last one with eight was eight years or something?
- [31:12]
A
He also tried to steal my girlfriend in the juniors.
- [31:15]
B
There you go, you know, Very, very dubious character. No, I think that's just weird behavior. I mean, that just proves you, you're in it for all the wrong things. And if you need to. If, if that were me, I think he's, I like the fact that he's saying, I don't condone this behavior and it's going to be like this. I don't want to be part of it. But then you, you don't try to get a win out of it. If that were me, I would be so gone on the way back. I'd be sad and angry and like, how did it come to this? How. Why do I have to do this? It's nothing that I wanted to celebrate or just professionally embarrass my, embarrass my player with it. And I don't know who, what player would want to kind of jump to the, let's get him on board with the stuff that goes on. So I kind of understand and I think it's like the actual principle, I don't know the details of it, but if he feels that his principles have been, or values have been overridden and he can't stand for it and he doesn't want to be part of that anymore and wants to go home, I have a lot of time for that. But then to make a show out of it and to pick yourself up, that seems like it was for the wrong reasons.
- [32:39]
A
Yeah, absolutely. And there's. There is some David someone, a player like David Dovid. I think we've kind of been waiting for him to really come through. Right. I mean, he's a serious player. He's a serious athlete. Like seeing him in Madrid, like in the warm up area, it's like, my God, this guy is like an incredible athlete. Strong as an ox. There's something obviously not quite right there, you know, and even you pick up little things around even. Not that this means you can't do this, but just the way he was with a couple of the other Players and messing around. And then he was doing this big thing in Madrid actually, where they were like. It actually, the whole gym was like reverberating. It was like with his team, like really shouting. Right. And like, yeah. And one of the fitness coaches that is with one of my players was like, poor. He is ready. He is going to come out firing. And he lost one and two. And he literally. And that was a match, I don't know if you remember in Madrid, but he just started moon balling. He was playing against. He was playing against Casper Root and he lost. He lost three. He lost three and one. And it was. And he just started like fully, like doing like under ten moon balls. Yeah, like the summit. He's lacking.
- [34:00]
B
There. There is something there. I've. I've. I've been on. I've coached against him two times. Both times came out firing, played flawless, spectacular, basically uncountable tennis. Could do nothing about it. But you hang in there, kind of get something, you stay close. And then he just, he left both times, really. And it just like. And it was two matches, one half where he was completely dominating and one half where he seemed like he lost belief and lost his way. And. And also I remember the match in Wimbledon against Holga where he all of a sudden served under, underhand serve, like very deep in the breaker. And also afterwards said, yeah, he couldn't explain it. He just basically, I think he literally said he shat his pants.
- [34:50]
A
Yeah, literally.
- [34:52]
B
So it seems like from a tennis point of view, I feel like he could gain a little more on the forehand side, but it's not really that that's holding him back for sure.
- [35:04]
A
We're heading out.
- [35:06]
B
There is no talk really quickly about the fact that there were three walkovers in the first round of doubles. Where are all the doubles players here looking for an opportunity?
- [35:18]
A
Okay, so I'm going to give you a bit of information that I've found out today. So any doubles players listening, learn, learn from this. There's. There's a few things that are important here. So one, which me and Calvin spoke about the other night. They have a rule that's come back in place on the ATP this year where singles players can sign up for doubles but pull out of the event while still being in the singles and take half of the prize money. Okay, an issue. So there's our first issue because you have. And Calvin shared a story with us that Kashinov and Rublev, the multi millionaires of Kashanov and Rublev, did exactly that in Rome and withdrew and took their €3,000 each. Okay, so this is. This is a. This is one of the. One of the issues that has to be addressed because that's. That's farcical, right? It's. It's ridiculous. The second thing is, in order to be eligible to be an ultimate, you1 have to have entered the tournament. So this is where guys. I mean, it dropped to like maybe 210. Last teams that got in were like combination of 210 world ranking. So some people just are. If people that are ranked like 1, 140, 130, 150, they don't enter Grand Slams. Some people, you know, in general, it's always worth entering is. Is the. Is the lesson. The second one that I found out today of Henry Patton, actually, so it probably came from Calvert, is, is that you must have signed on day one from. To be an alternate. So. So if you didn't sign up to be an alternate on day one, then you can't then sign on a new day. So let's take. Let's take today. Yesterday there was a walk over with Rajiv Ram, and I spoke to Rajiv and Rajiv said, no, I've never had. I said, hey, well done today, mate. Crack and win. He went, you know what? He said, you must be the hundredth person that said that. He said, I've never had so many congratulations in all my life for. For a match and I haven't even played. And I said, well, yeah, because it feels like it's quite historic. It doesn't seem to happen. He said, well, I've been told it's the first time it's ever happened. I don't know if that's true this
- [37:51]
B
time that ever happened. What?
- [37:52]
A
That where there was a walk over because there wasn't enough alternates.
- [37:56]
B
That's not true because I was just gonna bring up the fact that it used to be that we talk about. There was this one time in French Open in that there was a walker on. Can you imagine? I'm fairly certain of it.
- [38:11]
A
Okay, so I. I don't know any of this factually. This is Rajiv Ram fact. That's not. It's not Wikipedia factors, but it's. But that's. But so then you would then have
- [38:21]
B
pretty sure the year that Suarez and Vimich made a deep run that there was a war walk over that. Yeah. Anyway, go ahead.
- [38:27]
A
Okay. So. So then you would then have guys that if they have entered, would have traveled because the word was pretty strong that Andre Aussie was Injured. I mean, Mattia Pavic has played with a pretty swollen foot. Not moving very well today, but got through his match. So he was another one rumored to maybe be pulling out. But Andreasi did pull out. Apparently he's torn his abductor and, and people that hadn't signed in on day one couldn't do it. And there was only, I think six or seven teams that signed in on day one. So once, so once it went past six or seven because I, one of my boys, Cleave Harper was the fifth alternate at the start. I think he started as six. And then Luke Johnson and Jan Zelinsky pulled out just before and fair play to those boys as well. You know, they could have turned up and taken their half prize money, you know, but, but they didn't because they wanted to give someone else their spot and that was the right thing to do, you know, and some of these top singles players could take a, take a little, little leaf out of their page. Page out of their leaf. Leaf out of their page. It's late, but that's that. So that seems to be the story. It was. Even though people knew there was probably one or two pulling out today, if they hadn't signed in on day one, then it was too, too late. So you're gonna, you better bet. At Wimbledon and US Open, every man and their dog are going to enter the doubles and everyone's going to sign it on day one. You know, they, they certainly should. Now it's, I go back to point one to have 10 teams pull out of a, of a 64 team draw. Don't like it. And you know, there's some genuine injuries there. You know, there's been, you know, definitely a couple of genuine injuries in there, but at the same time there's probably quite a few of those pairs that knew that if they were going to win around, they weren't of singles, they weren't going to play doubles. But the, so the rules need to change. The ATP need to do something about that because that's not acceptable.
- [40:32]
B
I agree. And it just gives the, the tournament loses credibility because of it.
- [40:38]
A
Yeah, completely. So. So, yeah, and I mean, I guess all will be forgotten once it gets into the next couple of rounds. But yeah, that seems to be the situation on the double side as well.
- [40:49]
B
I also just don't understand it from the doubles guys. I mean when, when I saw the list come out I was like, okay, this is not a particularly strong, strong entry list this year. Not many alternate sign in will take a risk.
- [41:04]
A
Yeah, of course Absolutely. Absolutely. It's, it's a, it's. It's an error. It's an error by. As we look like, you take British players, right, There'll be British players. I know British players rank right in around 100, 110, 120, 20 in the world who, who weren't here, didn't enter.
- [41:21]
B
Yeah.
- [41:22]
A
Got to be in it to win it. Like buying a lottery card, you know what I mean? Except you've got more chance of winning, winning the chance of getting into this event than you do the lottery. Right. You've earned the right, you've earned the ranking, you know, so stick it, stick your name down and, and see. So, yeah, very interesting, but hopefully that doesn't detach from what I'm sure is going to be a, a great event. The doubles is only really getting going, you know, obviously Round two starts tomorrow. Mixed doubles. Mixed doubles have started the little side note, but the crowds have been amazing for the doubles, you know, for like my boys match the other day was. Was packed, packed court 13. Amazing. And that's not, you know, Andre Gorrington and Evan King. I'm not convinced. Crowd pullers name like household names, right? So it's as, as Matos and Lucent as well. But, but it's. The atmosphere has been amazing around the grounds and the doubles matches have been incredibly well supported. Long may that continue. I know when we get into week two, too, most people just have tickets for the bigger courts, but so far I would say it's been. Been a fantastic French Open being here. It's just the feeling of it and I think the weather's played a big role of that. You know, it's put, put people a bit in maybe a better mood than the, the glub of the, of the clouds, of the drizzle that I know that the weather is changing come Sunday. Monday, it's still to be quite warm, but I think we're going to have a little bit more cloud cover and a little bit more rain. So we'll see how it develops over the next few, few days. Freddy.
- [42:54]
B
Fair enough. Yeah. Yeah. We got to take it while it lasts, right? We got to take the. Whatever we can get.
- [43:00]
A
Yeah.
- [43:00]
B
And appreciate. Appreciate what we have.
- [43:03]
A
Absolutely. So. But we'll, we'll maybe touch base in another couple of days and see how that men's singles draw is, is opening up and who's starting to feel the nerves and starting to get a little bit touchy thinking. Know, all of a sudden I'm the like, like an Alexander Zver. That's going to be interesting, right? Already he's the, he's, he's no longer the, the hunter, right? He's, he's absolutely, he's going to be hunted and you know, we'll probably, we know that he has a decent opinion of himself. So maybe he's, you know, start starting to have that protective mindset, you know. And I guess tomorrow night we'll see him on chat as the, the, is the tournament favorite. So let's see how he deals with it.
- [43:47]
B
Absolutely. Absolutely. And let me just put it out there that my, my, my shout with Vimich and Suares was wrong because they, they were the alternates that got in and made semi finals run. So maybe it was the first time in history. I just think it's important to fact check yourself.
- [44:04]
A
Well with your.
- [44:05]
B
I just feel like there's, I feel like there's a walk or somewhere because we, I, I, we always used to talk about it as you know, there was this one time where there was a walk over and you know, how can you not stay all the days? But I'm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna find it, I'm gonna find it and I'm gonna send it on the tick. Well, given I'm sure everybody are dying
- [44:25]
A
to know, given your, given your picks in the preview Rebakaner and call, it's not surprising you got this one wrong as well. Maybe you just need to move on to Wimbledon when it comes to your picks.
- [44:40]
B
And even my, my dark horse Feast, he didn't even make it to the start.
- [44:45]
A
Mikey James knew.
- [44:46]
B
Huh?
- [44:46]
A
Mikey James knew. He had that little. He had that little. And it's come out today that Serena Williams is also playing, which I shared three days ago, which, say again. Serena Williams is going to be playing this year.
- [45:05]
B
Wow. I mean obviously when she reentered the anti doping situation, everybody knew was going to happen, but it's still.
- [45:12]
A
Yep.
- [45:13]
B
Wow.
- [45:14]
A
So that is as well. Okay, guys, we will be back. But until next time, I'm Dan Kieran. We are control, the controllables.