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- [00:01]
A
Hi, guys. And a big welcome to Control the Controllables live from Roland Garros from Paris, where we've just about recovered from one, a night of fireworks and fire and craziness. You know, we were in the epicenter of the sporting world. I was sat there yesterday watching mixed doubles second round with my players, and Kwame was playing on, on one court and it was going absolutely crazy. You then had the fireworks kicking off behind us with the, with the football. It's just, just a crazy, crazy place. And I was just thinking to myself, this is literally the epicenter of the sporting world right now. This is where everyone's eyes are very, very lucky to be a part of it. And a big welcome as well to Candy Reed. Thanks for joining us, Candy.
- [00:51]
B
Hi, Dan.
- [00:51]
A
How are you doing?
- [00:52]
B
Very well, thanks. Well done to you today.
- [00:55]
A
Well, to the players that I'm fortunate enough to coach, they, they played very. And I, I've heard, I've heard very good things. My wife was just saying how good you were on commentary as well.
- [01:06]
B
Oh, that's very nice. I was really impressed by Gabby. The first two points she played in the mixed doubles today was insane. And she got better. She was the best player on the court and there were two men on there. She was phenomenal. Every time I watched Gabby Dabrowski, I think the same thing. I watched her when they won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. She played with Felix O, best player on the court. Every time I see her. Well done to you, Dan.
- [01:33]
A
Well, don't say that, because I wasn't at the, I wasn't at the Olympics. You're supposed to say at the Olympics. She was terrible. She was underprepared. She didn't have her usual coach. Yeah, look what she, she is, she's phenomenal. She's, she's absolutely fantastic.
- [01:48]
B
And you've done a great job with her. You need to take some credit. You, you need to take some credit.
- [01:53]
A
Yeah, well, well, thank you. I, I'll, I'll take it. But it's, yeah, it's very much a collaboration and I think, I think these things, sometimes it just works, right? Sometimes you just connect with somebody. You know, you're on the same wavelength. And, and she was, you know, she was, she was. Well, she's always a pleasure. But I, I, I, I got a, I got a message actually, from Ian Barclay, My, my old coach. He's not known as my old coach. He's, he's known as Cash's old coach. Know him as Dan Keenan's coach, but he was. And Barkers is now 87 years old. His mind is 22 years old. And he sent me. He's amazing. He's so supportive. He watches all of my players matches at all the Grand Slams and he said that's the best I've ever seen Gabby play. So he was impressed. So that, that, that was. And Mike James has joined us as well. Look at, he looks cold, Mike. He must, he must be in England.
- [02:51]
C
That's true. Yes. Birmingham suffering. How is everybody?
- [02:55]
A
The, the grass. It feels wrong, it feels wrong that the grass court season is kicking off when, when we're in the middle of, for me and I, and I don't know what you guys think and this is my starting point tonight and, and please guys, anyone in the chat, get, get your questions in, get your questions in for Mike, for Candy. What you want to know from these brilliant people. Get, get any questions coming in. But it, it feels to me like this is just, they're coming in soon is just a quite incredible Roland Garros. I, I, I don't remember it ever being this exciting.
- [03:32]
C
Well, I mean I think I need a new title. Mystic Mike. Is that possible? I'm not sure whether we can, we can do that or I can copy
- [03:41]
B
Mystic Mike and Desperate Dan.
- [03:47]
C
Well, kick her out immediately. Game's gone. No, I mean, look, I mean, you know, I hate to say it but my two picks are still in the tournament and I, I, I did say Senna wasn't going to win and he had physical problems. That happened. I did say Hadar would still be in at this stage. That's happened. And Marta is still there. So right now I'm feeling pretty smug. If I'm honest guys, so am I.
- [04:12]
A
To be clear, Daniel always smiles. And I also called the cine one. It's there, it's for everyone to, to hear. We even, we've even clipped it up for social media just to make sure people know that we were right. The Heat was gonna be and it did.
- [04:31]
C
Honestly, right now I think what's going on is, is unprecedented. I mean if you look at the, I read something, I obviously I'm the stats guy, right? But I read something around like 1968 was the last time this happened in the men's draw. But we're in on, you know, precedented territory in terms of like, you know, now you know, Hadar is second favorite. Zverev is first favorite. They play each other next round. Imagine this. Yesterday there were more five set matches than, than straight set matches. I mean it's it's just.
- [05:06]
A
Just.
- [05:07]
C
I'm not sure what's going on. I mean, this is. This is a tournament, you know, for a geek like me, this is a tournament to study because, yeah, you know, Landa L. Who or tennis is supporting, you know, he lost in a. A final set I. Yesterday in five hours, 58 minutes. I mean, you know, what a guy.
- [05:27]
B
He's such a quality individual, isn't he?
- [05:29]
C
Yeah, he is. But I mean, it's just like, you know, I mean, in the previous round, he was down two sets. He came back from two sets down. Round before that, he went five sets. And I just feel like everybody apart from Zverev are like, look at Mensik. He was carried up on a stretcher, you know, in his second round match. You know, I mean, all of these guys talk about if we're running, yeah, grand. To win a Grand Slam is a marathon. It's not a sprint. So nearly everybody apart from Zverev has already run their marathon, and they've got to go and run another marathon in the second week. Whereas Vero is just. He's chilling and he's just not even broken sweat yet. So that's where I'm not changing. I'm still going to stick with, with, with Rafa, but, you know, he's got way less miles in the tank, Sasha, than everybody else. So I would put him clear favorite because of that physicality side.
- [06:25]
A
First time in a long, long time that there's. There's not a former champion. I know we're talking on the men's side and we will get to the women's, but the. It's. The men's has grabbed us, I think. Right. Ever since Sinner went. You know, I've been saying it for weeks. It's boring. I'm sorry. I'm sick of it. I. I like Ianic, but it's boring. You're winning too much, you know, and. And. And he's gone out and the whole thing has just gone boom. And, And. And the interest is just. Just absolutely flying left, right and center. And I think everyone's feeling it. But yeah, the first time in however long that there's not a former champion in the last 16.
- [07:01]
C
1968 was apparently what I read, but I'm not sure.
- [07:04]
A
Okay, so, yeah, so that. So there you go. And this is. This is. This is historical. That what we're seeing. Serenduro, sorry, Lefty. I'll call him Lefty instead of Righty. After his match yesterday, obviously he had the. He beat Yannick Sinner the evening that he beat Yannick Sin, I was walking in the play restaurant and I swear down, he was sat there with one other person on this little table. Nobody was around him. It was just like, yep. And then last night, 5 hours 58, because my players, we were playing mixed doubles and right next to that court, we could hear it all. And then Kwami was kicking off and then PSG were kicking off and then it was all kicking off right all around us. And after 5 hours 58, he was again, he was just sat there and I, and I actually, I, I couldn't help myself. I had to go up and say, hi, man, what a, what an effort. And he was eating the biggest bowl of pasta I've ever seen. And I said, you might, you might need another one of those. Let me know, I'll. I'll go and get it for you. You know, just keep eating, my man, keep eating. And it was just match after match. But I want to go back a couple of days, Candy, because I. We haven't been on here. We, we were on here three nights ago with a live. So we've got a little bit of making up to do. And a couple of nights ago I witnessed, and I think we all witnessed, but I was lucky enough to be in the stadium, sat right behind team Fonseca with the Brazilians, Louisa and her team in Brazil. And I witnessed something and I, that I have not witnessed for a long, long, long time. And I, and I would say it's probably my second favorite experience in a stadium outside of a player that I coach myself behind. Andy Marinovak Djokovic 2012 Semi Final Australia which just I, I was there in Andy's box that night and that was just mind blowing for me. But I felt like the, the emotion of that evening, the, the history that we were witnessing, was probably Novak's last ever match. No, at Roland Garros. Novak was incredible in that match. He was throwing up. Fonseca just went shot after shot. Every point was one and, and for him to come out. And I was just watching the clock because Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic in 2012 was 4 hours, 54 minutes. And I swear to God, I RECKON it was 4 hours 53 and about two seconds. If they'd waited two more seconds to shake hands, it would have been 4 hours 54 as well. Did we, did we watch that night? Two things. One, a new champion, a new superstar being born on the big stage, and two, the greatest male tennis player of all time saying farewell to us in Roland Garros.
- [09:48]
B
Well, I've said this before. I really wish that Novak had stopped after he won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics. I just think him lying on Philip Chateaurier Corps in tears against Carlos Alcaraz after that wonderful final just would have been the most wonderful way for him to finish. But he's obviously chosen to continue. He is somebody who obviously believes so much in his ability that he was going to add, I think, just the youth of today, the power, the pace, as Mike has said a few times, I mean, the pace is just getting higher and higher and quicker and quicker and stronger and stronger. And I, I do believe that Novak probably has played his last role in Garros. Whether he comes out, I mean, he's still able to win and beat a lot of these guys, isn't he? But whether he wants to go out and early in a Grand Slam before even making the second week, I don't know. Surely there's going to be a lot of pride at stake. Whether he can play enough tournaments in the run up to the majors. That's another question because of course he's not really getting that much prep, is he? And on the other question, I actually did Fonseca's match against Dino Prismic. So that was on court 14, two days before he beat Novak. That was the first time ever he'd come back from two sets to love down. Now, Prismic, I know a little bit because he played in the next gen and Jeddah at the end of last year and he just seemed like a really quality individual. Prismic did not like the faster indoor court in Jeddah, so he didn't do particularly well. But you could see how good he was. Now remember, Fonseca had won the next gen the year before and that's when I'd met Joao for the first time. He went through that whole tournament undefeated. Won over $500,000 for one tournament. And that was really the making of Jao Fonseca. We know all about him. He's had a few injuries, I think a few people have sort of found him out a little bit. So he's changed his game. He's had a little bit more variety, a little bit more height and speed spin rather than going full blast every time. But Fonseca is just so amazing because he brings the crowd with him, doesn't he? So exciting. There's this football like atmosphere that follows him around. He seems to enjoy it. That was miraculous because I really thought after the Prismich win, I thought he won't have enough in his legs now to beat Novak, because Novak will have every trick in the book to take him out on the main Philip Chatria court. And when he went down two sets to love, I thought, well, I was probably right. And then I was completely.
- [12:09]
A
Did you see the first game? Did you. Did you guys see the first game? First game of the match, Novak did two under 10 moon balls, run of the mill, rally ball, and he just went. And the first one he did, it was genius by Novak because the first one he did, Fona took a big swing, tried to take it on the rise, and honestly missed by. Missed by an Eiffel Tower over the baseline. Right, like, so far. And, and you could just see from the word gore, Novak was going to disrupt the rhythm. He was going to disrupt everything in that match. And, and, and the privilege of sitting there one pretty much next to Fonseca's dad, who's going to. He seems a lovely man. He was giving everyone hugs at the end. Everyone was in tears. The Brazilians were loving it. It was just. It was so special to be around. But it's going to be a long career. I mean, he was feeling every shot that was being hit. You know, he was like. He was up. He was. They were chanting J. And he was going. He was chanting. He was. He was doing. Really felt to me like Novak. I hadn't seen that up close for such a while. The. The way that he managed that fifth set up to a point was just unbelievable. Then he got his break and you thought, oh, my God, how's that happened? This guy is just a genius at rhythm, time variation, messing things up, controlling the time, controlling what's happening on the court, Mike.
- [13:36]
C
Well, okay, I'll start with Novak. So, you know, I've been fortunate enough with, with being in Holger's team for four years to practice with Novak. Well, first of all, we played him five times. Secondly, we did maybe a dozen practices with him, so we got to know him and his team very well. And I have to disagree with Candy in terms of, like, I think he's going to be back next year. And I think, you know, his reality is not everybody else's reality. Like, this guy wants to play the LA Olympics in 2028.
- [14:07]
B
Yes.
- [14:07]
C
That's done with what you said. You're absolutely right. Look at what he. That, that Fonseca could be a son. And, and he's competing with the guy for nearly five hours physically. I actually think. I looked at the bit of the press conference and I thought he was very. He Wasn't upbeat, of course, but he wasn't totally downbeat. And I actually think his team, because they're very good at g him up and, and having really good conversations, I think they're going to go, I mean, let's look at Wimbledon here. We're right in the mix. I mean, if he can physically go on a clay court for playing no tennis to that level, I mean, that was an, that was a, that was worthy of a semi final of a Grand Slam. That was so, that was incredible. Yeah, it was so good that I think he's just going to be buoyed by that and the way he thinks of being around him a little bit, the way he thinks. He'll just be going to Wimbledon now, so confident and so positive, because he'll go, well, I'm going to it. You know, I could, you know, the physicality is different. I'm not saying it's, it's less or more, but it's different. And I think he will be super pumped about Wimbledon. So, you know, the guy is, is, is changing sport. He's in this stratosphere of LeBron James and, and Ronaldo, you know, of just competing and pushing the boundaries. Okay, let's get Alan on the pod and see.39. Alan Shearer had been on Match of the day for 10 years. So, you know, going to Fonseca, do you know what? I, I give this kid a little bit of stick, like privately and, and publicly in terms of, like, I think he's been overrated. I think it's not been his fault and he probably came of age in that match in terms of his level and what he can do. I still think for him, he's going to be one of those guys. There's a, there's a big match player. Can he do that week in, week out to be top 10 at some point? I'm sure he can. I don't think it's still now fair play to the kid. He played an unbelievable match two sets down. How many 19 year olds would have, you know, accepted defeat at that point of two sets down against the greatest of all time? How many times has that happened to Novak in his career before that match? Once against Jurgen Meltzer.
- [16:37]
A
So, yeah, understandable.
- [16:40]
C
Jurgen, yes. A trivia quiz for Jurgen Meltzer, bless him. But I mean, you know, at the end of the day, it just hadn't happened. And I think again, the top, top guys, they just, whatever's not been done, they just challenge themselves to do that. And I think Fonseca is in that mold. So, so fair play to the kid. He's, he's looking good.
- [17:00]
B
Just quickly, he did say that he didn't believe during the Novak match that he could win. He just said he was having so much fun out there. And then he was serving bombs. He just felt like he was John Isner.
- [17:10]
A
So it was great serves. Unbelievable. Yeah, I mean serving for the match, serve the match. 30, 15 up. He got tight on two forehands. We need a great forehand to go 50, 30, 15 up. And then you thought, oh God, here we go. And then the three aces were just out of this world. But we could talk about that match for 35 minutes. And I don't want to, I don't want to keep you guys long or we're trying to keep these a little bit shorter. But over the last three days we've had 18 men's matches and there's still two on court. Rublev is about to go two sets to one down. He was two sets to love down. He's about to go bring it back to a fourth. Men 6. Going to be feeling it. You know, don't be surprised if that goes to a fifth as well. Yeah, but we've had 10 out of 18, five setters of those. Out of those 18 matches we've had a 5 hour 58, but then we've had like 4 hour 53, 4 hour 56, 4 hour 4. Like it's, it's, it's obscene what we've had. And we also then had like a 4 hour 40 match which was 4 sets which was Kami yesterday against, to, to, you know, like the match after match and, and, and I guess to give a shout out to some Berettini, you know, Beritini, someone candy that you know, has kind of a bit gone missing. Right. Wimbledon finalist, somebody that I think we, we all saw at the top of the game. Not the, not the best of the best of the best, but a top 10 player disappeared. They saw the emotion he had when he won his 15, 13 in the, in the, in the fifth set. Then Arnaldi followed it. The Italian Aldi follow that later in the day. You know, it's just seems like it's match after match up. Then Hodar today, two sets to love down against the, the elder uncle in Spain in Kareno Busta, you know, and you thought, well, studio Dar is probably gone now. You know, he's kind of, he's running out and then he just rolls the next three. Three sets. Yeah, give us a little shout out. Give Us a few words on some of those players that we've mentioned. And why do you think we're seeing these incredible matches?
- [19:10]
B
Well, I think they're all such good athletes. I think the clay. I mean, Mike can perhaps talk better than I can, but it's going to be so interesting the second week, isn't it? Because the first week, as we all know, was so incredibly hot. It got up to about 34 degrees outside temperature. So on the court, it's hotter than that. The balls were bouncing up, weren't they? The amount of matches it's.
- [19:32]
A
Yeah, just tier 4, TF4. Two sets left down. Came back at 1 and 5.
- [19:36]
C
Yeah.
- [19:36]
B
Came back to win again. Maybe it's one of those things, you know, how if. If you're from Italy and then one player from Italy starts winning, more people from Italy start winning because they believe. And maybe it's one of those situations where we've seen so many come from behind that they're thinking, well, Jowl's done it twice. Tiafo's thinking, well, I can do it. You know, just in the back of your head, you've got that extra belief because it's happening so much in this tournament. But maybe it's another reason that they're all just so incredibly good. And actually, you know, it's such fine margins when you look at the final numbers. There's a few points between them after five and a half hours. And they're all such good competitors and. And they're all. There's a lot of scoreboard pressure because if you remember, in our preview for Roland Garros, your. Your podcast, once Alcaraz was out and then Sin has gone out, now we're going to have a new champion. I think we're gonna have a new champion on the women's side. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe anyone left is a Roland Garrus former champion. Mike's nodding his head, so I think I got that one right. But there's going to be a lot of nerves now. There's going to be a lot of tightness. Can Zverev finish things off? So far he's doing so. But will he be able to in the real business end, you know, once he's up a couple of sets, would he start thinking, I could win this? As soon as you get those thoughts, then everything changes. And. And so many players have been playing really loose from behind. Like we mentioned with Jowl against Novak, he said, well, I didn't think I could win, so we Just relaxed and let loose and, and he's young and he doesn't have the scar tissue perhaps of, of the older player. Maybe that's it. I don't know.
- [21:04]
C
You know, I'm a research guy and I'm sort of gonna like after this tournament really get into the, the nuts and bolts because I think with what we've seen from week one, I don't think anyone can guess of what we're going to see for week two. And what I mean by that is, like I said at the beginning of the, of the conversation is like, these guys have racked up so many miles on the clock apart from one guy in the men's, like, I don't know what men sick if he wins tonight. I don't know what they're doing with the guy in the recovery chamber. But I mean, I know Landa Luce, for example, in between his matches on his day off, he just wasn't practicing, just, just recovery because he just couldn't practice because his body was dead. So he can't be the only one like that. And obviously he was at the tournament yesterday. So like you say, Dan, your TFO's men sick. I mean, all of them have just ran. And I've got to say, you know, I've no idea why Marta today started one hour earlier with, with Igo. I don't understand why that happened when the temperature was 20 degrees. But that first week was brutal. I mean, the player I was working with, Linda through Vova, she had a blood pressure check. Blood pressure was low. Ice pack out. You had like so many, like, you know, Haley Baptiste doing the acl. That's horrible. I'm so upset for her on this. Sommez in a double split her knee open from the back of the court. Like, there's been so many injuries, you know, with heat stroke, with, you know, falling over the tarpaulin. Al Blocks snapped his ankle in training against fona. I mean, we've had this tournament is like a calamity of a mess when it comes to like healthc care and injuries. And this can't continue. And our preview show, I got my high horse about the whole, you know, healthc care and management of the top guys already not in the tournament. And then we start the tournament and you've got like Mentic on a stretcher block, snapping his ankle, etc. Etc.
- [23:02]
A
So pavage, well, Pavage, one of the top seeds in the doubles, had the same. We won the court next to him. John Brown went on, went over on, on the back Here did his ankle.
- [23:11]
C
Yeah. So, you know, this is, this is, you know, I think we've got to be smart as a sport in terms of like, if the weather is in this scenario and we have two roofs, close the roofs. Okay. I know that's helping players or you know, 20 players who are playing that day, start the matches earlier, start the matches later, whatever it takes. Like, this is, this is really.
- [23:34]
A
I disagree. No.
- [23:36]
C
Why?
- [23:36]
A
I don't, I disagree with, I disagree with Claude. I don't think there should be. I. This is, it's dangerous. What I would say. Well, so, so it, if it's dangerous for one, it's dangerous for all would be what I would say. So it's like. But, but so, so my point on this is I think top players should get certain preferential treatments because they're carrying the tour. So Sabalenka, Sinner, Alcaraz, they've got their media commitments, that's carrying the tour. Right. So I understand preferential treatment on timings of practice on things like that. However, preferential treatment on playing their matches undercover when the rest are out, the cattle are out, getting, getting burnt to death.
- [24:24]
C
Okay.
- [24:25]
A
I, I wouldn't say, you know, like, like for me, no. If you, if you're in the, if you're now into the. And all, all quarterfinal matches are happening on the show courts that have got a roof. Okay, fair, but, but if you've got players that are doing what they're doing outside in 40 degree heat and you've then got Janik Sinner playing in 20 degrees air conditioning, that's not a fair battle. This, this needs to be a fair battle.
- [24:53]
C
I take your point. But also, this is not this one of the most unfair sports ever. Like, in terms of like, you know, the essay, it's raining and the other guys are not playing matches and the guys on the show courts are playing matches. So you've always got the, the preferential treatment all the way through. As you know, being on the tour and being in the inside, in terms of locker rooms, practice courts, practice times, hitting part, I mean, it goes on transportation, it goes on and on and on and on. So I do agree with that. But I do think as a sport, whatever we can do in terms of like you're starting the matches earlier or later, that would help on all of the courts. Right, but of course it's like on Chatra with the roof, they just move the roof over a little bit so there's a shade in the back of the court for whoever's playing, including Sinner where they can actually get shade. Whereas if you're on the outside courts like Landa Luce and where Linda was, I mean the zero shade, I mean there's nowhere to hide from that. So I take your point and I do agree with you on that. But I do think there's still money levels where we can do that as a sport to help the athletes. Because there's so many guys getting injured right now. It's absolutely frightening.
- [26:01]
A
Yeah, no, the injuries, but I think the heat, that there's a heat rule in place. Right. And the heat rule, maybe they have to adapt the heat rule. But if the heat rolls not exceeded then it's, then that is part of our sport. And, and let's take Yannick City. Janik sin is 1 and 8 in 5 set matches. He, he, he's clearly got an issue in the heat in, in Lotsworth. Fantastic. Because that's leveling the sport out a little bit. It's like that. We found his kryptonite. You know, everyone's got to have a kryptonite. Mine's my forehand and my backhand and maybe my serve. But you know, I've got a lot of kryptonites but Yannick's got none. But, but, but the heat is one, you know, and in, in the, to, to win a major title. And look, it's the same. I, I work with doubles players. I'm telling you to win it. To win a major title in doubles is unbelievably difficult. Like the journey you go through over two and a half weeks, like, because it's not just the physical battle of the matches, it's the mental strength. Even as a coach, I feel exhausted, you know, like seven, eight, nine, ten days in, you know, you're doing these things, you're scouting, you're back in. Your nervous system never switches off, you know, so, so, but all of these things are what go into making our sport great. I agree with the health side of things. However that has to be for all players. In my opinion, when it comes to health, that would be my kind of cut off. It's like, yeah, preferential treatment because they're doing these things, that's fine. Give them, give them preferential times. Give them this. Like I even have a bit of an issue that the top players get to play on the top courts for practice and the players lower down don't. And then like let's take ash at U S Open. You then turn up and the first time that someone 60 in the world's playing on Ash, you look up and you can't see, you can't see the, you can't see this, the ball, there's lights flashing, there's all of these different things and it's like advantage, Alcaraz, advantage, Sabalenka, advantage. And I don't, I, I personally don't like of that, but I do understand the preferential treatment for them in order to do their jobs as the carriers of the, the tour.
- [28:08]
B
Just on the Yannick Sinner thing, this is interesting because I heard it, I think on social media, but my son has red hair and apparently people with red hair have this gene, it's the MC1R gene and it leads to the red hair. But it also means that regardless of how fit you are in certain heat, you just cannot, your body cannot physically cope with it. And I've seen that firsthand with my son. He does not, he cannot deal with the heat at all. And he's a 19 year old. So I do think that's one of the reasons that Sinner does struggle. It's actually a genetic problem as opposed to a fitness or a. Just a heat problem. Just put, I just thought I'd put you in that.
- [28:51]
A
You want preferential treatment for gingers?
- [28:56]
B
Yes, and I want to get it. That's all I have to say.
- [29:02]
C
What was the gene again? It's way above my pay grade, that gene. It sounds like a flight number that I put earlier this year.
- [29:07]
B
Sorry, yeah, it's, yeah, yeah, it's the B8. No, it's the MC1R gene. And that is why there are redheads in the world. It's located on chromosome 16 and responsible for the production of melanin, the pigments that colors hair, skin and eyes. There we go. I have a lot of redheads.
- [29:29]
A
This is, this is control, the controllables listeners. You know, you go, I mean, they're a good bunch, but I think we've gone. But, but I think it, it is interesting, Candy. It is interesting, but it doesn't mean you get preference. You're not saying.
- [29:46]
B
I just wanted to put that out there because, you know, a lot of. I'm, I'm a big Sinner fan and he clearly should have won that match. He was up 5:1 in the third with two sets to love. And you know, he's getting some criticism that I've seen and, and everybody gets criticism, which is bonkers. But I do think it's a genetic problem for his five set record. Not actually because he's not fit enough.
- [30:09]
C
The odds, the end on Him. If you'd have put a bet on Sarandulo at. At five one in the third, it was twelve and a half thousand to one.
- [30:18]
B
Oh my gosh.
- [30:19]
C
Which is bonkers because. Yes, my team, sorry.
- [30:21]
B
Luckily we don't match.
- [30:22]
C
Mike City won the league and it was 5,000 to 1. So get your head around that. I mean, it's absolutely bonkers that he lost that match, but again, but yeah,
- [30:33]
A
just not to pick up on something that you said. Actually it was about Fonseca's speech after the match. And what a delightful young man, by the way, as well. Like already, like he's. He's what? He's. He's winning us over as well.
- [30:47]
B
I think he's going to be my son in law. I think I've said that before on this, but he will be my son in law.
- [30:53]
A
He's. He's a delight. But he, he did say about. Not he wasn't thinking about winning. He also wished his mum a happy birthday. I always think that's how you treat. How you treat your parents. There's some players on the tour. Alexander Zverev, City Pass. There's these, there's these players. I don't like it when you treat your parents like that. Treat your parents right.
- [31:14]
C
I think it says a lot worth 500 million. I might treat him a bit better as well. But
- [31:21]
B
can I just quickly say, Dan, that I've met Jo's parents? I spoke to them for about 30 minutes at the 2024 Next Gen Finals and they are delightful. And they told me they have two older boys. One is a runner, one loves everything board, so surfboarding, snowboarding, etc. And they said when Jow was little, all he wanted to do was play sport and he was the one pushing the tennis. That's what they told me. They said it was nothing to do with them. They weren't the normal tennis crazy parent. But he was the one pushing everything. And that never stopped, you know, he never got to an age where he thought, I don't want to play anymore. It was just all from a little jowl. Fonseca, I think he's just a. One of those kids that's just extraordinary
- [32:06]
A
when he came across like that. The one, the one point I wanted to make on this is. We talked about this in the preview. Marta Kostcuk. Marta Kostc's interview before for the event when she said she'd be happy if she loses first round. It's okay. She's not, you know, that's not. She knows it's A possibility. Did you hear her interview on court today? After she be eager, they said, are you happy? And she said, I would have been happy if I lost because then I would have had another opportunity to go and get ready for the grass. The mindset shift is everything in this sport. You know, like, we can talk about forehands and backhands and serves and all the different things, but if you have the right mindset, if you are approaching it the right way, IGA Fontek isn't she her mind, I mean, I watched that match and, and I, I had a bit of heartache because I'm eager is very close to my heart because Mike kindly brought Eager over to sort of tennis academy all those years ago and it was so lovely to have, have her at the academy. And, you know, you end up kind of building that little kind of special bond there. But I saw two players on the court forget and forget fans and backhands today. One that looked broken just in life, you know, just doesn't know whether she's coming or going. And one that seems like she's just, she's, she's in a space, she's in a headspace, she's moving forward and yeah, big well done to everyone involved in Marta Kostuka tennis and, and Sandra coach and I know Mike, you and the team that are supporting from that side as well. But she looks to me like a winner. She looks to me like she's someone that's going to be pushing and be going to be a top five player in the world in the next few months.
- [33:45]
C
Well, just going back to the mindset, I mean, I can share this insight. We went for dinner, the team and some of Marta's friends a week ago, and it was the day of her second round match when she woke up in the morning and had a photo from her mom of the house next door to her mum and sister was totally obliterated. And, you know, she shared the photo in the press conference and you know, it's out there now, but she showed me the photo at dinner and you just can't comprehend that's going on with her mom and sister, you know, in another country, while she's playing on the court and playing in front of thousands of people and doing what she's doing. So I think there's some sort of acceptance and sort of she's looking at the reality. And what she said on the court today was the fact that what a beautiful day that she gets to play IGA on the center court at the French Open and I think she's, she's taking it in the right way. She's so fortunate and lucky to be doing what she's doing compared to, to what's going on with her family in the Ukraine. And you know, I think she's got the right mindset right now and the tennis that she's playing is fantastic. I think tactically, if, if you're happy for me to share a little bit, I mean, IGA went for a high first serve percentage today on purpose because Martyr's stats on return is basic number one in the world right now on second serve return 0.1. So they went for a high first serve percentage. But actually that didn't work for Eager because Marta was making all the, the first returns anyway and it was 50, 50 at least. And then when Iga had a second serve, the pressure on Iga then she could see, she felt that she made more double faults than normal. And of course when she put the ball in, Marta was totally in control. So that tactical side of things for Eager today didn't work. And you're right, Dan, in terms of her aura that she's giving off and I mean this was a four time champion today on the court. And actually if you look at the body language and you have the sound off, which I did because I was at Edgbaston Priory Club, Marta looked like the four time champion today on the court. So again, the mentality of the sport underpins everything and I think, yeah, I think Marta is definitely creeping into the top 10 very soon.
- [36:03]
A
And on the women's side, Candy, just having a little look at the draw. We have had some humdingers of matches as well. You know, Osaka Jovic yesterday, you know, Keys and Imbo, you know, they've been a little bit overshadowed with the five hour matches and the, and the drama of the French players and you know, all, all of that. But we, we're getting business end a little bit now, obviously quarterfinal matchups in the bottom half. You know, it's incredible really. I mean Mirandriva's kind of gone through without much, much fuss at all, but plays against the extremely hot on fire last year on Tour Castilla. They play to play the winner of the two Ukrainians, Fitolina and Costuke. You know, so what, we're gonna have a finalist out of, out of one of those. And then in the top half it's hard to see that Sabalenka doesn't come through this top half right now. You know, I'm actually doing the, I'm Doing the Sabalenko soccer match for BBC 5 live tomorrow night, actually. So, Candy, I might be getting some tips from you on anything that's going on or if you guys have got any insights there that can make me sound a little bit intelligent, please do send it my way.
- [37:11]
B
You got to talk to about Osaka's Eiffel Tower outfit. I mean, that's the most important thing. That's not true.
- [37:17]
A
But Osaka tend to talk. I get. I get dragged into fashion all the time.
- [37:22]
B
She's. She's playing nicely, actually. I did one of her matches a couple of days ago and she was playing well. I didn't do the Jovic match, but yeah, Naomi Saka is looking much happier on court to me. She's looking more accepting of things. I'm not sure she has enough to beat Sabalenka. And again, the fact that the temperatures come down, maybe it's a chance to take out Sabalenka. Osaka's second serve is a little bit weak. I thought she's been having trouble on her second serve, but she's been hitting her first serve really nicely. Nice for Madison Keys to do so well. I'm really interested in that all Ukraine match. That could really be the final, couldn't it? Marta Kostic vs. Evelina, Switzerland, who came from a set down today to beat Belinda Bencic. And that was a match where Ian Hughes has coached both players he's now working with. Belinda Bencic was working with Alina Svitolina, so that was exciting. Switzerland is 6, 11 the third. I don't know if anyone watched that third set to tell me what on earth happened to Benchic. Did she go off the boil or did Switzerland play brilliantly?
- [38:25]
A
I didn't see it. But also shout out to Andrew Bettles. 2. Two British coaches there, which is pretty amazing.
- [38:30]
B
Yeah, it's really, really good. I think I picked Switzerland, didn't I, to win it. And I think I picked Serrano Caste as my dark horse. When we began all this, just. I just wanted to mention that.
- [38:43]
A
Well, I think you. I think you did. And look, it's. Let's put our egos away here, Candy. You know, Mike's already had his ego out. I also picked Sabalenka to win and for Potapova as the dark horse who are going to be the finalists in the top half of the draw. So maybe we're just Freddie Nielsen. Freddie Nielsen's letting us down, isn't he?
- [39:02]
B
Who did he go for? Did he go for Rebecca?
- [39:04]
A
I think he went for. I think he Went for. He did. He went. Rebecca now.
- [39:08]
B
Yeah, yeah. And given how hot, it wasn't the worst choice. But she still doesn't move very well on clay and I don't think she feels massively comfortable. A little like cla Omi Osaka didn't before, but it's starting to move a little bit better. But it's hard to guess who's going to win it now. You've got to put probably Sabalenko and Spitalina as the big candidates. But then Marta Kostchuk's On a 14 match winning run, people. 14 matches and counting.
- [39:37]
C
16, including Fed cup on clay. So, yeah, it's. I mean, yeah, it's exciting. And the fact you've got the Rome winner and Madrid winner facing off, both from the same country, both amazing stories for different reasons.
- [39:54]
B
It's a shame they're meeting so early though, isn't it? Given their form, they. They could definitely, definitely.
- [40:00]
A
Quarter finals. Come on, come on.
- [40:04]
C
Semi final.
- [40:05]
A
Right?
- [40:05]
C
That's a semi final in the current scenario. That would be amazing. You know, I think, you know, don't
- [40:13]
A
be surprised if Mira Andreeva comes out of that section.
- [40:16]
B
She could. Well, if she believes it. And I think that's why she didn't play doubles, because Deanna Schneider did not play doubles with Mira Andreva. And I was interested, I was looking at that and I was thinking, does she really feel like she just wants to go for the singles? And I think that's the discussion the Andrea camp have had. We are going to go for this singles title and we think we can win it. So she is looking awfully confident and playing very well indeed and not losing too much energy and going, going the
- [40:43]
A
distance, moving into the last couple of minutes. I want to just, I do want to ask about Sabalenko, Saka, Mike, I want to throw it your way. It feels to me that's a good matchup for Osaka. It's not because of how good Sabalenka is, but in terms of game style. Game style. So, like the other day I commentated on Osaka playing against Siegmund, and to me that was like the worst possible matchup for a soccer game, style wise, you know, Siegman was just chucking a lot of junk slice, you know, moon ball, taking a rhythm out, whereas she's a pure ball striker, a soccer. And. And Sabalenka is going to give her that ball to strike. Right? They're gonna. It's gonna be a striking battle. You know, I know that the Sabalenka is adding some variety to her game. I fully expect the Sabalenka wins that match, but it feels like it's, it's a sort of matchup where we could get some proper kind of blockbusting hitting going on tomorrow night.
- [41:42]
C
Well, if you remember Osaka against Eager a few years ago was, was super close. They had match points or serve for the match or something. It was 76 in the third on Chatray. And I think you could get a similar humdinger. Again, you're not going to be getting long, crafty rallies, but you're going to be getting explosive tennis. And I think Osaka, you know, to, to have a, a former world number one Grand Slam champion, you know, against arena on a night match. And the fact is, what the first night match for females in three years I think says volumes for what the tournament thinks that match could be like. And I think that's going three sets in favor of Arena. But I think it's going to be, there's going to be some drama tomorrow night. There's not going to be a lot of long, you know, crafted rallies with moon balls and slices and stuff like this, but I think we're going to get some clutch tennis where we're going to be seeing some shot making.
- [42:39]
A
And my last, my last comment, I wanna, I wanna bring up a certain. Mr. Vallejo, I don't know why we're giving this so much time, but we'll not give it too much. But he, he made some ridiculous comments. Right. You know, we, we're fighting hard for equality in sport and, and where it feels like we're maybe making some inroads, you know, certainly, certainly in tennis. I've always been quite proud of tennis. The last few years on, you know, I think we're almost the leading sport in that, you know, in terms of, in terms of. There's a long way to go, you know, there's a long way to go still. And he's come off his match and, you know, he's decided to, to not just blame the umpire for, for. Which is crazy, by the way. It's absolutely crazy. And I'll share a quick story. Today my boys were playing doubles. 7, 6, up 4, all 15, all serving really tight, like, really tight moment. And Evan King is, I'm not joking when I say he is three feet from the net, right? He's, he's about a meter from the net. He hits a volley, and when he hits the volley, the volley hits the net cord and drops over. And the umpire calls touch. And everyone was like, what? And she went, touch. You touch the net, point to the opposition.
- [44:03]
C
Wow.
- [44:04]
A
No electronic line calls, no video review. Nothing you can do about it. I've seen, like, again, mixed doubles today. Gabby hit a great return, bang on the line, big point. And. And then the guy was under pressure. He would have knocked it up. The. Then Evan would have knocked the volley off. That was called out. Overruled. You know, it makes you think, you know what, why we don't have that at French Open. However, why I'm telling that story is the umpire that made that mistake was the same umpire that Vallejo had those comments about. Now. He. He decided to make it that it was. The umpire was not fit to do the job because she's a woman. But I would. I would tend to agree that this umpire maybe isn't up to it. Is. Is. Is maybe if in that. In that position, been that far away from the net. However, to then start bringing gender into it just seems completely ridiculous. I know that Roland Garrison reacted rightly so, but come on, man, there's no need for comments like that in 2026, surely, candy.
- [45:06]
B
Well, of course not. He has apologized. He has been fined, we believe by the tournament. He was probably very frustrated, very upset. He was upset that Anna Cavalier, who's a very good Brazilian chair umpire, didn't control the fans and let it. I think he just let his emotions spill over. And let's go to say that we all make terrible mistakes in life, apart from me, but everyone else makes terrible mistakes in life, including me. And we'll give him the benefit of the doubt that it was just. He boiled over. Too much frustration. It was an unbelievable match. Match. What a final set tiebreaker. I mean, the whole thing was just crazy. He's made a terrible error. He's apologized for it. Let's just let. Let it lie. The guy, you know, just. Let's move on because I think it's so easy to focus on these things. Silly things happen all the time. We're all guilty of something. It's so easy to criticize each other. Let's just let this one lie and say he apologized. There's no harm, no foul. It's done.
- [46:10]
A
Well said. On to week two. We move on. We'll be back in a couple of days. Mike Candia stars, thank you for your time. I'm Dan Keelan. Until next time, we are control the controllables.