← Served with Andy Roddick
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- [00:01]
Host 1
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- [00:37]
Host 2
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- [01:14]
Host 1
Everyone. Welcome to Served Wimbledon recap edition. JW is flying his ass right home after three weeks on site. Techie Sean with us producer Mike friend of the show, an active player, which is always a good idea to express what you think you know and then have an active player tell you, no, that's wrong. I see it every day. Friend of the show, Chris Eubanks with us for this, this recap. Chris, just, just real quick. It, it seems like we've run from Roland Garros into Wimbledon and I, I try to on this show, not be the former player that walked uphill both ways to school back in the day.
- [01:57]
Chris Eubanks
Right?
- [01:57]
Host 1
I always tell my friends, anyone who is talking to a professional athlete and they say that they did it better 20 years ago. It's for their own vanity. Are you as shocked by what you're seeing with power, speed, you know, movement in and out of the corners? These. Every guy sliding on grass, like, is it, is this something that you think has happened or gone crazy in the last five years? Because I'm watching it and it's like I'm watching aliens.
- [02:26]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, 100%. It's so funny. We, I've had this conversation, exact conversation, with a few players on tour and guys who, if I turn, I turned pro in 2017, guys who were kind of around that same time. So we transitioned from the older Americans. The. And by older, I mean like the guys like The DY is the Ryan Harrisons, like that group where they were kind of like the established pros when we were coming up. The guys who were 40, 50, 60 in the world.
- [02:53]
Host 1
Yep.
- [02:53]
Chris Eubanks
And have kind of gone through that, have seen obviously the Zveres come through the challenger ranks. Like, the timing of it is pretty cool. So from 2017 till now, roughly eight years, we've seen a lot of tennis and a lot of changes in tennis. And when I talk to a lot of players who kind of also been through this same timing, they're like the game shifted massively in the last two to three years. It's like something happened. And I know a lot of players have spoken about the balls post Covid. And I think something has happened in the tennis side in which we're seeing, I mean, what you would expect. The product of watching Novak and Rafa and Roger, these players who were super complete, these juniors are now developing into great, good college players and then good pros and starting to really establish themselves like the Carlos and the centers. The Caboli obviously had a great run on. Who's a guy plays very similar, ripping on both wings, sliding on both legs. It's. It just seems to be the way that the game is going in which there aren't. The days are gone where you have a safe place to go on the court now.
- [03:52]
Host 1
Yes.
- [03:53]
Chris Eubanks
You used to be able to find an area and just say, you know what? If I can just find that spot, I'm okay. I can breathe for a second to then try to attack a different way. Now it just seems if you leave one hanging on either side, forehand, backhand, it's gone. Guys are serving. Caboli was serving 135s. Carlos was hitting 134s. Gregor, the renaissance in his career was serving 143s. Like I'm sitting here going like, when did this start? Like, this is not normal and we're living in the midst of it. And I definitely think over these past two to three years, the game has just started to change with these players who have grown up seeing, you know, very complete players or developing their games. There's their practicing, sliding earlier, I think on both legs. That's become a thing that I'm saying even on social media. 17 year olds at academies in Europe are doing like they're training these skills so that when they get older and they get more comfortable with it, it just, it just produces really complete players and really complete tennis.
- [04:49]
Host 1
I couldn't slide on one leg, I think so the only I Guess parallel that I can draw where you kind of. Where I kind of felt like I got caught midstream in my career was when I came on tour. There were probably, I don't know, 15 or 20 guys, you're looking at the Moya, the Correchas who were using Luxalung, right. And who like had a grasp of it. And then some people were able to like hop over to it pretty successfully. But then you had most of us who you know, would use a hybrid string pattern. You know, Leighton was still using gut. There were a lot of players. And so not everyone could actually hit over a return. Just because if you hit 140 or a gnarly kick into a racket filled with gut strings, you can't kind of stuff the control.
- [05:35]
Chris Eubanks
It's tough to control.
- [05:36]
Host 1
And so people would chip, right. So then as soon as they chip, then you actually had something to do with it. So for me it was like mid career 0607 where you know, the Rafa's come up, where he's made for this, this technology. But then we start and then, and then Walrinka adjusts to it and all of a sudden can control is his ball, ball flight. And then we get in towards the end. It's like the Dominic teams and all these guys in the Del Potros where they're just taking full cuts on both sides with reckless abandon. And I still have this little punchy technique on my back and where I'm trying to flatten the ball and you know, put it down and you kind of get caught in an underswell. It seems like that is happening, the thick body rackets, but it seems like there's this like assault on physicality where everyone is so fast and so tall and so athletic. And maybe they took the former generation with Novak, Roger, Rafa, like the people that didn't actually have weaknesses. But I also have a question. When it becomes like a mono surface, right. And you're not dealing with playing on a lightning fast indoor court and then go into the slowest court you've ever seen where it all is kind of like slow adjacent.
- [06:48]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah.
- [06:48]
Host 1
And is, is this the first generation that's grown up on that where you have to take full cuts because you are on slower surfaces. And then we get to Wimbledon and someone hits a slice, Grigor starts slicing and people's heads explode.
- [07:01]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, that's a very good point because it seems like you still can have, you know, elements of the previous generation, the skills. Verifice talked about it a lot he said it's not. It's not tennis anymore. It's not a game of. And I'm paraphrasing, but it's. Everyone's just kind of ripping on both wings. The. The skill aspect of playing a short slice, playing a deep slice, playing, you know, high and heavy, catching next one on the rise. Just redirect, like, using the variation that we see Carlos do so well, like, that's kind of gone out the window, because if you play a slice on a slow court and the ball checks up a little bit, guys are taking full cuts on it. So that's why I think we saw Grigor having a lot of success doing that with guys this year at Wimby, because the grass just kind of suits it. It keeps the ball a bit lower. But I guarantee you, Gregor tries that same slice, say, in Acapulco, where it's heavy, it's slow. Like, guys are running around there ripping balls, like, looking for opportunities to just have a ball with a little bit of time. So, yeah, I do think this is that era of players who just kind of grown up on slower surfaces. They've just become more accustomed to it. And I do think, you know, sports so much, so much about sports is a copycat league. Once you see a player now taking cuts on the. Both the forehand and the backhand side and you realize that it's a possibility, you're like, maybe I should practice that. And, you know, for a while, it was. I'm sure you could probably speak to it, you know, a lot. Andre was very unique in which he could hurt you on both wings. For the most part, it was serve and forehand guys, and they back. The back end wasn't looked at as. We also need to hurt guys on this, too. We need to use the backhand to set up the forehand. That's why a lot of guys, we use the chips. And so a lot of guys are very good at going flat in the zone because they're only thing they're trying to do. They're not trying to win it with the backhand. They're trying to set up the forehand. And then you start to see players coming swinging on both wings. Dominic Tane was a great example, somebody who just took cuts on both the forehand and back inside. Now, a guy who's a serve forehand guy can also hurt you really bad with a backhand if you leave it hanging. So now it's like, oh, if you're watching that, you're like, oh, you don't have to just have a weapon on one side. You can. You can start taking cuts on both and be effective doing it. And, like, they're seeing it, and the game just continues to evolve.
- [09:06]
Host 1
It's interesting because we will text a bunch during matches just to get opinions back and forth. And there was. We were texting a lot during the Shelton and Sinner match in the quarters, which. And this is another conversation for Ben, but I was really impressed with him at Wimbledon just because the two weeks going in, he looked lost on grass. Like, it just. It was. They were pretty ordinary performances. His ability to kind of weather his way deep into Slams is becoming very impressive. And I think maybe for the first time, he's on that next three or four list. When you're looking, it's not hope I do well at a Slam. It's like, I expect to do well at every Slam. But we're talking about this, and I find myself going, okay, to your point. I knew if I hit a, like, Pete's one, Pete Sampers is one of the best players I've ever seen. I still think he's the most clutch player that I've ever seen. And also, if I hit a gnarly 107 kick up to that backhand, I had something to work with on the next ball. We're talking with Ben against center, and I'm watching him going, okay, second serve. He just hit a 107 out wide to center's back in on the outside. That's not going to work. And I'm going, that's a. That's a. That's a thick serve for a second serve. And I. I end up texting you. And then I realized what an idiot I am. Or, like, not even what an idiot, but how strategy specific you have to be now because they're complete. I'm like, I want his second serve on the AD side to start on center's backhand. And I wanted to. I want his second serve to cross center on that.
- [10:42]
Chris Eubanks
You're on the deuce side.
- [10:43]
Host 1
You're talking deuce or add. I want the ball to. To cross his body and then cross his body so that he's not able to, like, take a step into it and redirect. And I'm going, oh. And I want it to be like, 108, right?
- [10:55]
Chris Eubanks
Like.
- [10:56]
Host 1
And. But that's what you're asking for. Yeah, yeah. I mean, but. But. But that's also what probably needs to happen for him to feel comfortable holding at a regular clip. But then it's also tough to Know that that's what you have to do for five sets. Like the mental pressures that come along with that and dealing with. With kind of these players that. That are so complete now. Center serves, you know, 132 corners, and like, he's improved his serve, second serve, and he can hit it both ways inside out, you know, for the mill. It's just like, it's, it's, it's. It's got to be really intimidating to try to try to solve for that, especially when you're one of these next guys, like a Ben trying to break through. He played. He played great, and he got beat. Six, four and four.
- [11:39]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, we had a lot of back and forth about it. And there was one point in the match, I can't remember exactly when it was, but I remember I text you, right? Then I go, did you see center adjust his return position at the last second? So when I played Yannick Both at the U.S. open and at Roland Garros, I felt like when he stood a bit closer, I liked my chances on serve simply because you can kind of miss your spot a little bit. You can. He can have a bad bounce. He may just shank you. Like you're rushing the time. When he goes further back, it kind of. You have to take a quick second and look and go, okay, now I need to be really precise because I'm not just going to get a free point off of a missed spot now, because if I miss, if I had to serve this far from the line, it's coming back. He's. He's not just missing that. Whereas if he's closer, he might. You might miss one. I may go for two first serves and get a second serve point. It. He goes back. There's no real point. But the thing was, Ben was holding pretty consistently and pretty smoothly. And then at the latter part of sets, center. Then we'll take a last second adjustment and say, all right, 15 all. Ben is bouncing. He's close. You know what? I'm gonna run back. And the moment he runs back, when Ben looks up, like, I. Speaking from my experience, when that happens, you have to take a sec. A quick second, and I'm sure you know it. As a server, if you're bouncing, you look up and a guy's in one position, you bounce the ball, you look up, he's in a totally different position. For a split second, you're like, oh, okay, Michael, maybe you didn't, man, because you were just putting on a die. But a lot of it, like, it does kind of make you take a split second guess. And then. So when I saw Yannick do that, I text you and I go, he's changing this return position simply for the tiebreaker. They go into a tiebreaker. He wants a different look for the server. And now as the server, you have to piece things together. You have to. Maybe you're not going to get the ace if you don't put it on the spot. How would you play a second serve? You want to kick him off the court and then try to play open court first ball. Like, you now have to think two and three, four shots ahead. Whereas Ben was doing such a great job of holding, he could focus on the serve, maybe first ball. And so Yanni did a great job of adjusting the position. And it. It does. It forces you to ask a lot of a player like Ben who has a game that is so, you know, serve. I mean, I think he's one of the most dominant servers on Tour. It's no secret. And, you know, that's the strongest part of his game. But when you're a player like that and you're depending on that weapon, if the weapon goes off, you know, the other areas of your game have to be a bit more, you know, solidified to also be able to have a plan B and plan C. And so that's one of the biggest things we talk about, how the players at the top are so complete now. If one element of their game is off, they have other tools in which they can kind of rely on. Carlos can rely on his movement, his athleticism. When he's spraying balls, he knows, all right, if I can play a little bit more solid here, let's work into it. Center seems to be like that all the time, but, like, even if his forehand is going to ride, he typically finds it. He creates more margin. And his movement, again, plays a huge part in, you know, giving him time to. To stay in matches and figure things out. But, yeah, it was a fascinating matchup with Ben and Jannik. It was just great serving both sides. Janik was serving great, too. Ben was really getting looks on Jannik's serve. And then when it came time, that latter part of the set, I'm like, ooh, first serve as just going to be big. And I think Ben missed every first serve in that tiebreaker and so lost a six. Two naturally filled, but. And I think he had break points early in the second and then didn't get it, climbed out of a hole and it was just. I mean, it's tough. Tough hill for Ben. But I mean, still great showing for him, like you said.
- [14:59]
Host 1
Yeah, I, it's weird because I. When people are digesting and you read comments and you're listening to whoever talk about things and they're like, well, you know, Ben didn't make one first serve. I'm going to one.
- [15:12]
Chris Eubanks
There's a reason for that. There's a reason for that.
- [15:14]
Host 1
Correct. I told producer Mike, like, he brought up Alcaraz's double faults in the final. And I go, okay, that's because Sinner is forcing him to go bigger. Like, I go, Mike, I go, mike, if he was serving against you, he wouldn't, he wouldn't miss a second serve for a decade because he doesn't have to. Like, he knows he's got you. But, like, it's really. Well, he didn't make a first serve. It's like, okay, so he sees Yannick. He. He knows he has to go bigger. He, he's not going to win points on second serve in this breaker unless he brings in an insane amount of risk. So none of this stuff is like accidental. People don't miss just because they don't know what they're doing.
- [15:49]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah.
- [15:49]
Host 1
And we, we have to protect against that being the narrative. Like, that's, yeah, that's an absurd thing that the guys best in the world at. At. At what they do. You know, it's. It's not as if they're hitting targets in practice. Like, they're having a deal with center and you have to play two or three shots ahead.
- [16:02]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, 100%. It's such a cause and effect there. Like, and obviously Ben knows how important tiebreakers are going to, you know, his career, you know, being able to, to play well in breakers. But there is that pressure on seconds of, of facing Yannick and just knowing, hey, even if I found honestly the most success on second serves with Yannick on the AD is when I go really slow kicker. But it really gets up like, as, you know, like the harder you go. A lot of times when guys want to get close on the second serve return, you thinking, let me give him a 105-110-hard cutter to try to jam him. It doesn't bother center. I don't get. It's like his hands are always there. You try to go hard. He's firmly inside the baseline, and he just redirects it back deep. Now you're starting playing on the back foot, like, so. I mean, I played him at Roland Garros and I remember a couple of times I said, all right, I'VE been going kind of heavy. Second heavy sink, especially on the outside. I'm going to slow this thing up. I'm going 80 miles an hour if that. But I know for me, with my height, if I play it that if I catch it that thin, that ball is going to jump. And I've gotten a few short in the box that really get away. That just forces him to fully outstretch. And I'm like, thank God. But I'm like, if that's what I got to do to win second serve points. And also it was such a change up. If he knows it's coming, he's going to just adjust his position on return to say, all right, now I'm going to give you this one. Can you go hard tee and burn me? And even if you do and you execute it, I'm going to make it like you're not going to get a free point. So it's so tough.
- [17:27]
Host 1
In my mind you're telling that story and you're saying, I hit this kick and I got away with it. In my mind I'm going to. Congrats, you're at 30 all.
- [17:34]
Chris Eubanks
Exactly. That's. And that's like, I lose the next point. Now it's 30, 42nd serve. Am I gonna do the same thing? Knowing that he's probably going to make the adjustment if he sees the toss go behind my head like, like. Or do I just say two first, like games. Crazy.
- [17:48]
Host 1
And that option with that, that doesn't work on grass. Like, that doesn't get up and out of the zone.
- [17:52]
Chris Eubanks
Like, that's a huge point. That's a huge point. Does not work on grass.
- [17:55]
Host 1
No, will not work on grass. Might not have worked on clay this year with center, he's always kind of fixing. And also, like we look at the women's final and, and obviously the, the, the, the scoreline makes you go, oh, my gosh. But also people like Ana Samova, she didn't play well. I'm going okay. The first four games of that match, she realized IGA was seeing returns like, like, like a watermelon. And then Animova literally didn't hit two shots from the same spot. Like, she got dismantled strategically. And then all of a sudden you're searching, you're on the road.
- [18:30]
Chris Eubanks
Everything, everything else starts to compound after that four. Oh, it was like, like it was the first like 20 something minutes. It was so quick. Like it was just going by fast. And when you're in a situation like that, when it's obviously nerves are playing A massive part. You're going to be, Everybody's going to be nervous first Grand Slam final, so, but the fact that at least you know, the, the way that I've a lot of times deal with nerds and big matches is trying to get that first hold. Like, that's just the thing about being a server. So it's a little bit of an out. It's a way, it's such more of an out. Whereas Amanda has to go out there and start to construct points and do play the aggressive style. They got her there. And if she's misfiring a little bit, you can't just like, she's not a. I'm gonna just step to the line, try to hit an ace to get a free point to settle the nerves. Just like, no, I gotta keep working, keep working. And ego was so locked in to start that match. You can just see how the momentum can shift, just start to go. And I mean, I, I, it was obviously, it was a tough one for Amanda, but even just watching it, being a player, I'm like, I kind of know what that fit like. Not to that extent, obviously, never being in a grandson final, but you know how things can kind of get to going and you're playing an opponent who's more experienced, who is on fire. It's just, yeah, it's, it's, I think we all know Amanda's a far better player than that. And it's just, it was unfortunate at that time, you know, but it's also.
- [19:43]
Host 1
Just matchups, like, yeah, matchups. In matchups, matchups are king and queen on, on tour, right? Matchups, matchups matter so much. Like Ana Samova against Sabalenka. Sabalenka wants to go toe to toe and trade blows. IGA's power is a different thing. She doesn't need as much time. She can step inside the court and she can dart to the corners and switch directions. Her shot tolerance is better. And Anna Samova doesn't like feeling like she's unsteady or not.
- [20:12]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, she has to move. And, and, and IGA's forehand also creates a lot of spin. So it's kind of up and out. So you got that. She's not moving. She's going again, right leg, left leg slide. Like she's just, it's, it's a very different, that's a great point. The matchup there is so much different than the matchup with Sabala. Sabalenka, I guarantee. And Amanda has, I think, a better head to head against Sabalenka. So it's like going into that, you know what to expect. You're like, all right, she's going to be out here ripping. I like that. Especially on the backhand side. So and it's so so true about how important matchups are.
- [20:45]
Host 1
Support for the show comes from Mercury, the banking product that feels extraordinary to use if you run your own business. You've probably had the experience of Jerry rigging a financial workflow just to make ends meet, using one app to send money, another to track transactions, and then a random PDF somewhere in there. Enough of that. Try Mercury instead. Mercury can flex to fit your needs no matter your business. Whether you're a funded tech startup looking for a way to pay contractors and earn a yield on idle cash, or an e commerce brand that needs to stay on top of cash flow and access capital, Mercury can be tailored to help your business perform at the highest level. Here at Served, Mercury has been a game changer when it comes to organizing our invoices, tracking our billing, and most importantly, being sure we take care of the people that make this show possible with on time payroll. Visit mercury.com to join over 200,000 entrepreneurs who use Mercury to do more for their businesses. Mercury Banking that does more Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group column NA and Evolve bank and Trust members. FD Mercury treasury is offered by Mercury Advisory LLC and an SEC registered Investment Advisor in a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercury Technologies. Import information and disclosures@mercury.com Treasury.
- [22:01]
Chris Eubanks
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- [22:04]
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- [23:11]
Host 1
Talk a little bit about like I'm I'm sitting here watching Sinner yesterday and I didn't see I I gave credit in our recap show or A quick serve episode yesterday, I was texting with Isner in the morning and he goes, we're going to bet a pizza delivery on this final. And he goes, I'm a. He's like, will you take Carlos? I said, yes, like, absolutely. On grass the last two years, like. And I mean, this guy with the scar tissue from Roland Garrow still fresh.
- [23:40]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah.
- [23:41]
Host 1
Hitting. He had two second serves at. Was it up? He's up four two. He had two holds left. It was four two, four three, whatever it was.
- [23:49]
Chris Eubanks
But he had two broken again. And then he was up a break and somehow. Yeah, whatever.
- [23:55]
Host 1
Set down 15.
- [23:56]
Chris Eubanks
Fourth set. Sorry. Yeah, four set.
- [23:58]
Host 1
Got it down 1540. And just pulls a string on a 112 bomb wide.
- [24:03]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, yeah.
- [24:04]
Host 1
And then on. And then on. Game point, he does it again. I mean, I. I got in trouble in our comments because I said he's got a nut sack, like, melons, but it, like, just. I can't. Like, the mental scar tissue. He made that look easier than it should look, right?
- [24:18]
Chris Eubanks
He did. Oh, my God.
- [24:21]
Host 1
Everyone on earth is thinking it. Like, oh, shit, here we go. Buckle in. This just happened. And he just did it. Like, I'm going, man, that's like a Herculean effort. And he just kind of gives a little racket shake.
- [24:35]
Chris Eubanks
Man, that. That game was so big. I didn't know you were talking about the four set. So I'm watching it and I'm watching it. I'm watching it with Coco and I'm watching it with my girlfriend. So we're sitting here watching it and we're just talking tennis, just how tennis players talk. And we're sitting here and I think. I think Coco, as she goes, it was the. The game, the 4:2 game. He gets down 15:40. It was. There was a game or so earlier in it where I think he got a little close and she was like, do you think Yannick's thinking about it 100? Well, I didn't. I wasn't thinking at that point. It was like a 30 all big point. And I go, I don't think he's thinking about it here. I was like, I think he likes where he's at. The 4:2, 15:40. I look to both of them, I go, if he's not thinking about it, he is just completely stone cold. And then they showed the box. And I go, they look like they're thinking about it. Like, they showed obviously, his mom, like, during Roland Garrells. You saw her all the time. She looks so emotional. Like, it was. I'm Sitting here watching and I go, somewhere in that box, they're thinking about it, they're thinking 1540, up a break and then he gets that hold that. He gets it from 30, 40 to deuce and he just gives that fist. I think Alcaraz misses the ball along and he just center just stops and gives a fistful straight at the boss. And I go, they know how big this is. This is. This is massive because you also can very easily lose that point at deuce. You come from 1540, we've all been there. Get to 1540, you think you have breathing room. You lose that deuce point, now you have to save another break point. He gets the next one and the next one and you're just like, guys different. Yeah, the guy's absolutely different.
- [26:10]
Host 1
I mean, him doing that thing and I think he might have even. They slow moted it and he actually screamed something. I go, that's the equivalent of Jannik sinner doing cartwheels in celebration. Like that's, that's like the rest of us like going down on two knees and going full Borg.
- [26:25]
Chris Eubanks
I mean, yeah, that's as much as.
- [26:26]
Host 1
You'Ll see, but it's great. I mean, it also just what both winners and we've done an entire show about this together, but the last year and the ups and the downs and they've both experienced tests coming back and like there's been some mental stuff going on and yet they showed up on the biggest stages, put everything from the last 12 months behind them. And I don't care if you agree with them or disagree with them, that's still not an easy thing to do. You know, we mentioned off air right before we got on this. This is kind of like, you know, a redemption story where iga, you know, everyone's like, okay, well, she's. It's amazing how narratives can. Can turn in an afternoon, right? Oh, Carlos kind of. He's won five in a row against Jannik. The head to head is such a. Janik goes out and plays one of the best matches I've ever seen him play and Wotek can't play on grass. She had her moment on clay and she comes in and drops one set to Katie McNally and then tunes the field for. For two weeks. It's just. Is it. Is that just a matter of bet against the greats at your own peril or is it just, you know, sometimes shit is good and sometimes it's not.
- [27:39]
Chris Eubanks
It's. I mean, you said it. I mean, we've talked about it before. The Redemptive story on both sides, but very different. You'd be hard pressed to be able to explain to somebody why Yannick center, who's currently number one in the world, and Igus Fiontech, who has the most Slams, I think, of any active player, why them winning a slam would be redemptive in any way. But like you say, the mental scar tissue from what they've been through, both of them been through in the last 12 months, to be able to come back to then have center be able to come back, show that maybe he still is the best player in the world, and then to have that Roland Garros final slip away. And you're sitting there, you're wondering and. And even there was something Coco mentioned yesterday. We were talking about that matchup with Carlos. It's so interesting because in so many of them, Janet gets a lead and Carlos, when his bag is against the wall, plays the best tennis at US Open quarterfinal in 2022. Center was, I think was up. Had match points in the fourth, I think, and lost that one. The Beijing final last year, center and Alcaraz go. They play and I think Yana gets up like 30 in the breaker. Carlos wins like the next seven points in a row. Like the tennis was unreal. Obviously this year Roland Garros has match points again, doesn't get it, loses it. And you're like, ah, well, Carlos is just. Maybe it's Carlos's time maybe. And then to come back and say, no, I still am the best player in the world. I'm going to show up at Wimbledon and I'm going to win one and I'm going to beat who has been the best clay. The best, I'm sorry, grass quarter for the past, say three years. Carlos has more titles on grass and he has losses. Like that is an unreal statin for him to come in there and to do it the way he did it as well. He's one point away from it being. We're looking at a calendar slam this year. Like the way that he's played that Roland Garros having those match points, didn't get it comes back in Wimbledon, wins Wimbledon. We'd be talking a very different conversation. He went into calendar slam like, well, calendar slam.
- [29:31]
Host 1
But he would actually have all four at one time.
- [29:32]
Chris Eubanks
He'd have the four at one time. You're right, he would.
- [29:35]
Host 1
That would actually be there. And also in that, like we. Everyone talks about the quarterfinal and they talk about the. Yannick was up two sets to one last year in the French Open semis, by the way, against Carlos.
- [29:45]
Chris Eubanks
He sure was. He sure was.
- [29:47]
Host 1
Like, everyone kind of deletes that when I'm like, you know. Well, he hasn't really. I'm like, no, no. He almost won the French Open last year, guys.
- [29:52]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, like, yeah, he sure was.
- [29:54]
Host 1
Like, you got to like him in the final against. Against. Against Verev. I mean, you know, it's so.
- [29:59]
Chris Eubanks
But to see what he's been able to kind of just put that aside, and still to come back, it's like, yeah, he's number one in the world. You know, many people have been saying that he's the best player in the world. How is him winning Wimbledon going to be redemptive? It's like, you gotta. You have to paint the proper context, because you take anything out of context, you're not going to see its importance. You put the context in there now. It's like, wow, that's. That is a tough position for. For any number one in the world to be. That is. Wow.
- [30:23]
Host 1
Let's. Let's make this simple. If you get punched as hard as you can get punched in your stomach, you're still going to be looking for air 20 seconds later. Like, that's. That's just the way it is. Like, I don't care who you are, but it takes something extra special to. To overcome. And it was. It was really impressive. Cahill was. He came on after Roland Garros and was very gracious and talked about the final. And then I saw him at Wimbledon, and I was like, how are things? He's like, good. You know, he goes, I think we're good. I think we're. I think we're, you know, as over it as we can be. And I think he's fine. And I was like, okay. You know, I was like, yeah. I mean, I would. I'd be telling me that he was.
- [31:01]
Chris Eubanks
Treating you like a member of the media.
- [31:03]
Host 1
Yeah, he was like, oh, we're great.
- [31:05]
Chris Eubanks
We're great.
- [31:06]
Host 1
Yeah. And it's like. But he says stuff, and you. You know, you kind of believe him because he's not trying to, you know, sell you a bridge most of the time, you know, but it's like, yeah, he knows this guy. I mean, he knows. He said he showed up and he was practicing. One thing I. To talk about also is. Is you. You mentioned Coco was. Was. Was sitting there with you, and I think that's just fun that she's sitting there watching tennis. But we got to give. We got to give props to the American women, right?
- [31:31]
Chris Eubanks
Man.
- [31:32]
Host 1
Four slams in a row with at least a finalist, four in the top 10. Emma Navarro, what is it? 34 points out of the. Out of the 10 spot. I mean, they've just been doing work. Do you have any insight from Coco on, are they pushing each other? They seem to all get along. It doesn't seem like there's. There's bitterness. Is there, is there plenty of food for everyone? Like, you know, obviously coming off of Roland Garros, going on to what is going to be her most challenging surface. It is, Is it weird for her to watch when she's not there?
- [32:04]
Chris Eubanks
No, I didn't. She didn't seem. She's like, she does a really good job of kind of when it's over, just looking at what to do, do to get better and then just kind of moving on. And it's not like it's not weird for her to watch tennis. After we kind of. We went to go get brunch, me, her, my girlfriend, we came back, we were just turned on the match. They were in the second, I believe, and she was just like, oh, they're still playing. Like, we didn't even process what time it was. She was just like, oh, let's turn the match on. And we watched it and she just loves, she loves watching. She loves sports in general. But she, she's was very into the match, like, very into watching and just sitting here and just talking tennis. We, we got real Tennessee, like tennis nerdy about certain things or certain positions. I told her, I was like, I feel like your backhand, you hit your back and very similar to center. Whereas if you look at Carlos, Carlos kind of has a little bit of a rock to it where he kind of can take pace off. He can absorb pace and block, whereas center can create pace. He can generate pace. And the head, the racket head is a little bit high above the wrist and then he just. The hand is super fast. So we were just talking tennis and we were talking technical and stuff. So she loves it. But in terms of the American women, the thing that I see simply from the outside and that's just being friends with Coco, being friends with Maddie, being friends with Sloan, we're all kind of close knit, is that they all really do support each other. Like, they, they all are pretty close. Like, I know everyone was so happy when Matty went Aussie this year. They were so happy for her. Like, all the American women that I know were so happy for Maddie. When Coco won Roland Garros, it was the same thing. It's like from Jess to Emma to Amanda. You saw Coco sending messages to Amanda over social media. Like, they all genuinely seem like they want to see each other do well, which I think it's great. I think it creates just a healthy competitive environment for everyone involved. And yeah, that's just the one thing that I see. And then I just think also it gets to be contagious. You start to see someone that you've known. I mean, we've seen it a lot in how the American men have kind of done. But you see one of your friends has a breakthrough, you want to kind of have that next big breakthrough, you want to keep going, you want to keep pushing each other. And so I think it just the. Seems to be just a very, like, camaraderie filled, you know, relationship between both the men's and women on the American side.
- [34:26]
Host 1
It seems like you always hear the stories from the 80s with Jim and Andre and Pete, like, they, they all were together. And then Chang breaks out in 89 and wins the French. And everyone's like, oh, yeah, he was the first one. Yeah, yeah, and, and, and, but Andre was already three in the world at that point. And, you know, then Pete wins in 90, and then Jim wins in 91 and 90.
- [34:46]
Chris Eubanks
Floodgates open, floodgates open.
- [34:47]
Host 1
And then Andre finally wins in 92 when he was expected to be the first one to win. So it feels like there's kind of that healthy jealousy. But, but those guys didn't have any camaraderie to go along with it. So it's like. So it's like the same story, minus, like, the general support for each other, the brotherhood. There was no brother Andre actually talking in our interview. He was like, plain as day. He was like, no, no, there was, there was. We were not in danger of, of any of that. I want to get your thoughts on. So we, we go from the big three, and it's like this thing where we just expect excellence in winning. And then they're kind of going away. Roger's body gives out. Rafa's body gives out. Novak's body is, is giving out more often. And, you know, I gotta think, as a player on tour, a lot of you are going, all right, the fucking Avengers are gone. Now there's going to be more lunch for everyone. And then these two fucking guys come and, and start looking like they're these three again. And just, you know, they've won the last seven majors. They're. They don't really take weeks off center. Certainly doesn't take any weeks off From a results basis, have they taken the air out of the sales of. Of the Tour at all, based on what. What they're doing?
- [36:15]
Chris Eubanks
I don't. I don't think. I don't think just yet. I think you could look at the numbers and say, obviously, they've won. Like you said, the last, whatever, seven majors. Like, I. I do think, though, players, yeah, I think it is a bit deflating it on the one sense, because you thought maybe it's just going to be open season for the guys who are contending for Slams. And I think that's kind of what the expectation was. But you're looking at it. You're saying, all right, there used to be three, sometimes four. There's two. There's. Could, like, if I can put myself in the position consistently, could I give myself a far better chance to have to maybe take out one than take out both? Like, back then, it felt like during the generation which you were trying to win Slams, like, you had to go through at least two of those guys. At least. Sometimes you'd have to go through a fourth, like, or a third, which, when Murray and Stan and those, like, it was very. It was really deep. Whereas, like, even if one guy comes in injured, you still got to worry about three other guys or two other guys. Now it's like, God forbid a guy comes into a injured. It's like, all right, I got to worry about my draw. But there's just one. There's one, you know, well, guy walking. I mean, I don't know.
- [37:25]
Host 1
Is there a counterargument that. That. That's fine with the two. They're the two winning, but no one else has beaten Novak in a Slam.
- [37:33]
Chris Eubanks
That's true. That's very true. I thought Novak. I really like Novak's chances coming into Wimby this year. I really liked his chances, but, like.
- [37:41]
Host 1
It'S not, like, as if the rest of the Tour. Yeah, there's only two, because no one else is beating him in Slams right now.
- [37:45]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, you're 100% right. You know, he has been the third. I mean, best player in the world.
- [37:51]
Host 1
People love.
- [37:52]
Chris Eubanks
They love that, like, little stretch where he lost in Madrid. And people were wrong. Like, I was like, dude, this guy is competing for Slams right now. Like. Like, he's. I'm sure those losses hurt. Obviously, they hurt. But I think Novak's perspective is a little different right now at this stage in his career. He's out here to win Slams, and it was disappointing, the results otherwise, but people kind of questioning whether or not he still has it. I go, let's see him start to lose in slams to guys that are not Carlos and Yannick. And the last two times in which he's faced those guys, he's been injured. He's Australia. He had the hamstring. The hamstring injury in which he beat Carlos funny enough in that one. And then I'm looking at the in Novak. His form to me is going to be dependent on how he doesn't slams. I could care less about what he does the rest of the year, if I'm being perfectly honest. If I want to see his form, I'm going to look at and try to get a feel on how is he doing in the matchups, maybe in the messes 1000s against the top guys. If he loses to somebody that he probably shouldn't, it won't even pop in my mind.
- [38:47]
Host 1
Yeah, it's so. Because like he's so great and he's been so great for so long that he can play like shit for six weeks like he did from the end of the day Miami. And then he goes. And when two. He wins like two matches in Geneva, I'm like, yeah, fuck it. The guy's getting. He's absolutely going, I just ripped this out. Hold on.
- [39:07]
Producer Mike
Technical difficulties.
- [39:09]
Host 1
Your little hearts out.
- [39:10]
Producer Mike
And he got too excited and ripped a cable out.
- [39:16]
Host 1
Sorry, give me a second. Sean, where does this go?
- [39:21]
Chris Eubanks
It should be the back of the. This is awesome. This has got to be bloopers.
- [39:26]
Producer Mike
We'll get back to you after this break.
- [39:31]
Host 1
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- [39:56]
Chris Eubanks
My name is Happy Gilmore.
- [39:58]
Host 1
I haven't swung a club in years.
- [40:01]
Chris Eubanks
You know what you gotta do? Grip it and rip it or.
- [40:05]
Host 1
Oh, now that is some Happy Gilmore. Everyone is talking about the comeback kid. Happy Gilmore.
- [40:15]
Producer Mike
Happy knee.
- [40:16]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, baby.
- [40:20]
Host 1
Happy Gilmore 2 only on Netflix July 25th rated PT13 may be inappropriate for children under 13. All right, welcome back to Served. My headphones are plugged back in to show you how little I know about anything. I was looking around as if I was going to have to climb Everest because my headphones got unplugged. So that's that's where we're at. One thing I want to get your opinion on, Chris, is, I think, because we've seen so much greatness with the big three, slash four, Janik and Carlos being so young and so dominant. It's is like we're talking about Ben Shelton and we're talking about, you know, Jack Draper lost at Wimbledon. And, you know, we talk about, like I've said, you know, men cheek wins Miami. And then it's been kind of like he went back to what he looked like before Miami a little bit, you know, losing. Pretty straightforward. And, you know, the Fonseca were like, not really giving him any time. Have.
- [41:20]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, that one. Go ahead, go ahead.
- [41:23]
Host 1
Have. These guys ruined expectation. Mike and I were talking before and I go, you know, it's like we've forgotten that sometimes the rise takes time, and it's like, we don't have it to give now.
- [41:36]
Chris Eubanks
You know, you named a lot of players in that similar situation. The one that really bothers me is the Fonseca one. Because I've seen certain people just engaging in tennis discourse and fans sharing their opinions. I've seen a lot of people will. I still don't get the Fonseca hype. And I go, he was 130 in the world to start this year. He third round Aussie in his. From qualifying in his. What was his main draw, Grand Slam debut. And he beats Rublev. Like, he loses second or third round in Australia. He then goes to Roland Garros. He like, third rounds there. Mind you, these are his first times playing best of five set matches. And he's, he's not worried about losing in the first round. He's like getting straight in. Oh, third round loss. Third round loss. Whatever he lost to, I think it was Jari. Someone at. He lost Jari at Wimbledon, but it won around, like. And I'm like, he's all, he's played three Slams so far. He's just entered that top hundred. He also has the tour title and he's entering this point where because he hasn't made a second week yet, they're like, ah, kid just doesn't have it. I don't. I don't see the hype behind it. He was like, what are we talking about?
- [42:50]
Host 1
Like, like he was the. The youngest player since 2001 to make the third round of both the French Open and Wimbledon.
- [42:58]
Chris Eubanks
Exactly.
- [42:59]
Host 1
In 24 years.
- [43:01]
Chris Eubanks
And we're like, I just don't. I don't. I don't see what the hype is about. It, but, but, but, yeah, I, I, to your overall point, yes, I do think that these guys have kind of broken the mold and what we're expecting of players. However, I think people forget Carlos's early years, like in centers or we forget we remember them when they start to dominate. And that's what our mind, I think goes to of how long Carlos, I mean, he was the US Open champion in 2022. But like there were times like he played Rio. He didn't win Rio, he played Uma. He lost to Musetti in the final of Umar. I believe in 2022, like guys were still having okay results, but we're forgetting that that happened for say a year or a year and a half before, boom, Carlos jumps in and wins the US Open. And now he and center play that epic match. Center starts to establish himself as one of the best. But center also had some years before then where he had to get his feet wet. He had to kind of learn the tour, he had to learn the ins and outs and then, and then he was able to kind of start to put it together. And that's all we remember. We just remember the Yannick center of the past, say two years where he's been contending for titles, but he's been pro longer than that. And I think people have to give that same grace to these other players. Like what we're saying from Ben is nuts in terms of Grand Slam. From the first time entering a Grand slam to what he's doing, he's made whatever, two semis, two quarters. But again, he's losing to Carlos, he's losing to Yannick. And people are like, ah, he just doesn't have it. I'm like, he's 22 years old. He was in college two years ago. Let's give it the time. Like it's, let's give it some. Yeah.
- [44:36]
Host 1
It's not that he doesn't have it. What he has is a, is a matchup problem against, against Yannick. Like he has a matchup problem where what he does well is largely mitigated by what Sinner can do well against him.
- [44:51]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, right.
- [44:52]
Host 1
Like Sinner's ball comes in bigger than anyone that's ever hit it and he can find it back and he can find the backhand over and over. Like he has to problem solve. It's not because he doesn't have it.
- [45:01]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, but, but the thing is, the thing that gets annoying is when people start to highlight players after they have that, you know, lower also to slam to one of the big names it's like, oh, I'm not. Again, similar to the Fonseca thing. What's up with all the hype around him? I don't. I don't quite see it yet. We haven't seen it. We haven't seen what we're looking for. And it's like, well, what you're looking for.
- [45:18]
Host 1
Just.
- [45:18]
Chris Eubanks
We just give it some time, because these things don't happen overnight.
- [45:21]
Host 1
I mean, there's also. Yes, yes, yes. And I'm. The point of this little segment of conversation is to say, like, have patience with people. It also doesn't help when someone has, like, won one match in their entire Grand Slam life and you have people on TNT going, oh, he could win this tournament. Oh, absolutely. He's one of the favorites. I'm going, for fuck's sake. Like, what are we doing? Like, when we're going. When I. And I texted Sam, he's like, he's bigger than the Beatles. I'm like, for fuck's sake. Can we. Can we. Can we, like, just take a second? Like, this is our fault, too, a little, right? Oh, Sam, can we just take a second? I was like, you know, I'm pretty. I texted Sam and Sam also, like, Sam. Like, there's no. Like, Sam's the best. Like, if you have a problem with Sam, I blame you.
- [46:14]
Chris Eubanks
Oh, he's. He's unbelievable. But I know the exact moments you're talking about. I'm like, I think I saw the. And I was like, this is too much. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Like, in terms of. And then, like, I think he kind of started to. Well, in terms of fanfare, like, he's the third most popular. I'm like, yeah, that's a different conversation. Like, yeah, that's very fair. Like, they. I remember a quick aside. I remember when they announced this Fonsega was gonna be playing his first round on, like, Court 8 at Roland Garros. And Sloan looks at us and she goes, do they know people might die? Like, there's going to be mobs of people. There's going to be mobs of people trying to get in that court. He might. People will really get hurt if they put him on court. And sure enough, the line was down. It was crazy to get. And we were like. We were like, yeah, yeah, he's never going to play on a court that isn't is least the size of Court 17 for the rest of his career. But that was just a funny. That was a funny, funny moment.
- [47:09]
Host 1
But we also, like, okay, he draws huge crowds in Miami. That doesn't automatically expedite the learning curve for him because people are interested in him. Like, there's a clear separation between popularity and. And I think he's going to be. I buy the hype. Right. But I also don't, I don't buy it immediately.
- [47:29]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, it's not, you know, it's. It's not. We're not expecting him to just come in and Final Slam. In his first year on, you know, being inside the top 100 going into.
- [47:37]
Host 1
Roland Garros, he had lost like three straight first rounds, one in the challenger. And we're on his first round match and they're going, he's one of the top five title contenders. I'm like, on what planet? Like, I mean, we got to just kind of like, take a beat, but to the point. We've seen these guys, whether it's, you know, Rafa or Alcaraz breaking through. And Sinner's a good example because I have it underlined here. Remember when the narrative was he can't win a big match. You remember that way back when, like four years ago, you know, and so we just need some time and some patience. We don't, we don't need Fonseca to be Max Fonseca in the next three months. Like, it will take a little bit of time. Even though we've been spoiled in the best possible way.
- [48:24]
Chris Eubanks
A couple of. I want to, I want to bring up what you say. Mentioned how the conversation around center used to be he can't win big matches. I feel like now I've heard it, and I think it's such an interesting take of just how tennis is played today. But people have mentioned center. His, his body is kind of given out in some physical five setters. And I can remember someone saying, I don't remember who it was, but they were like, oh, so you want to get them five, just push them to five cents. Like, you know how hard it is to win. Two setting is Yannick center. You're like, this is the game plan. Let's just get them to five.
- [48:59]
Host 1
Yeah, it's like, yeah, let's just, let's.
- [49:01]
Chris Eubanks
Just get them to five. Then we're. Yeah, his five set record isn't very good.
- [49:04]
Host 1
So, yeah, it was my, it was my favorite. When you're like playing someone at like, some, you know, guy who's on his seventh hot dog is yelling at you from the stands like, you're playing like Agassi who's just, you're on your back foot for who did to his backhand.
- [49:20]
Chris Eubanks
Shut up.
- [49:22]
Host 1
Get out of here. I want to get your opinion before I want to talk about Wimbledon, some of the Wimbledon park stuff. Mike, I'll have you kind of bring that up a little bit. But Sabalenka is in a weird thing where she has been the best player this year. Two finals losses, a semifinal, has won a bunch of tournaments in between. And also she has to go into, you know, the next Slam with like question marks and she's reset her own floor. Right. She's a victim of her own successes to where now we don't value a semifinal from her the same way we did.
- [49:59]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, it's true.
- [50:00]
Host 1
Three and four years ago. And that's, that's its own set of mental gymnastics. We've even talked about it. You know, hopefully you don't mind me mentioning is like, you know, okay, you, you make your run to the top 30 and then it's like you're, you're, you're judging yourself against that, as opposed to Tuesday a week ago.
- [50:16]
Chris Eubanks
Right. Where am I right now? Where am I right now?
- [50:18]
Host 1
Yeah, well, I'm not judging it against two weeks ago. I'm judging it against, you know, last year's US Open or whatever it is. If you're Saba Lanka, can you just speak through, like, kind of how you can be mentally tough, but the situations are never the same.
- [50:31]
Chris Eubanks
Right.
- [50:32]
Host 1
Just because you won one semifinal, one time, there's an extremely, totally different set of factors.
- [50:36]
Chris Eubanks
Totally different. Yeah. Circumstances that lead into it as well. Like, I mean, we saw it. Not to keep harping on center or outcross, but we saw it a little bit when center came back to Rome and he lost in the final. And it's like you give him and his team that, that option before the tournament starts, you take it at a certain other point in the year, that may not be good enough. Making the final of Rome another point in his career. He's not about making the final, but like you said, you have to measure with where you're at currently. And so for Sabalenka, in just watching, obviously, you know, the, the, the final against Maddie, I mean, that was just big time tennis from both players. The final against Coco, like, Coco did a great job of making it ugly and using her athleticism to just make one extra ball for Sabalanga to go for a little bit more, and the air started to fly. So. But again, her game, her stock game, I think has still been good enough. Like, it has been good enough throughout the course. So the hard part is to say, well, I haven't won a Slam this year. Something needs to change. I need to change something in my game. Because what you're seeing from her is there's a reason there's a one next to her name in the rankings. She's the number one player in the world because she's been very consistent throughout the course of this year, her level has been pretty high really often. So I think going into it, it's just about, all right, let's find my footing going into the Slam. Let's not put too much pressure on Toronto. I believe the women are in Toronto. Let's not put too much pressure on Cincinnati. Maybe, you know, still have high expectations of wanting to win it, but focusing more on how is she playing and how does she feel? Because if she goes into the US Open, she's high, she's good on confidence, and I think she's in a good mental space. She's going to be one of the favors to. To win it. So, like, again. And you actually probably could speak to it a lot better than most because you have had being number one in the world. You've won a Grand Slam, and then you come around, people are. Have these expectations on what is Andy Roddick? I'm sure you experienced, especially during that US Hardcore swing, even if your results weren't what you wanted going into, you know, Toronto, going into Cincy, going into the Open, like, how did you manage being able to say, let's just focus on how I am in the moment. Because you've had it at the highest of highs.
- [52:44]
Host 1
Yeah, I mean, mine was a little different because even when I was number one, probably in the back of my mind, I wasn't like, I'm absolutely the best player in the world. I don't think there's a difference. I think there's a little bit of a difference. With Sabalenka, coming off of the year that she had last year, where she can kind of unequivocally say, I was the best player on earth. This year, the year that I won, the year that I won the US Open, we had four different Slam winners. Right. I just happened to run up the scoreboard in some other tournaments. Like, I think there's a little bit of a difference. But, yeah, I mean, you know, it just changes when you're 18. You make a quarterfinal. You know what I did, I was like, this is amazing. And then you lose in the quarters, you know, and, you know, seven years later, and it's like, this is the worst. This is like an absolute disappointment. But it's just always, it's just always changing a little bit. But, you know, who's. I don't know that I can say she's not the favorite at the US Open right now.
- [53:34]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, yeah.
- [53:35]
Host 1
You know, she's the most predictable entity.
- [53:37]
Chris Eubanks
I mean, yeah.
- [53:38]
Host 1
I don't know. Mike, give us a, give us a quick rundown on the, the Wimbledon park expansion. They literally are trying to get another stadium built at 40 practice courts, essentially donating a close to 30 acre park across the street to build out this tournament to make it as, you know, as good as it can possibly be. And it's the cathedral of our sport. It's my favorite sports venue on earth. And they're running into, you know, 250 people from their neighborhood who are kind of running out the shot clock. And it's inevitable what's going to happen. I mean, Wimbledon can afford this litigation a lot longer than, than the people who are trying to fight it. But is it basically just. We don't want this developed because we can, we can throw our toys about something.
- [54:26]
Producer Mike
Yeah, I mean, I think you, you hit on right. 38 courts, 8,000 seat stadium. It's a former golf club and private golf club.
- [54:36]
Host 1
That's an, that's not, that's not a nothing point. It's a private golf club. People are not allowed to just go there.
- [54:41]
Producer Mike
And I'm not familiar too much with like London's conservancy laws and all that stuff, but there's a land usage that the land was donated for or something like that that basically there, there' restrictions or they're saying there's usage restrictions. And so ultimately this Save Wimbledon park group is suing the Greater London Authority or the GLA over a decision to allow the All England Club to triple its site size. And ultimately there'll be a judgment expected. Expected later. It hasn't been decided on, on yet, but that's, that's exactly where it is. I mean, this was my first trip to Wimbledon last week and it definitely felt crowded. It felt, you know, like it could. If the goal is to have more people have access to tennis at a, at a price point that isn't ultra exclusive in the grand scheme of things, it's going to require size because, I mean, it's, there could not have been a single more, a single more ticket sold. I mean, it was, it was packed as it is and it was hard to watch a bunch of tennis. So I think if, if the community is really serious about keeping this property near them and benefiting from it, there's going to have to be some type of capitulation expansion here.
- [55:54]
Host 1
Here, here's where, here's where I'm at. And you're going to see right through my own, my biases here. And so I'm just going to lay them out, out front. I love Wimbledon. I love the All England Club. I think they've done about as perfect a job and I want Chris's opinion here as he's seen a change over the years with being innovative with building new structures, the indoor center, the underground tunnels, and also maintaining respect in the tradition. They fully understand that they exist in the neighborhood. That's why they have a curfew at night. But tell me why I'm shortsighted anyone here to think that when you have this prestige entity that has added so much to England and to the world and what they want to do is add a stadium, make more space, make it more accessible, make more practice courts where people can watch. Oh, and by the way, we're going to give you a 30 acre park that didn't exist before. Like the thing that's lost consistently with this fight and the people that are suing and kind of just trying to extend the Runway on this where it's inevitable, where you know what's going to happen is that they're saying, oh well, you know, Wimbledon park, you're taking it from us. Timeout. They bought the land across the street from a private golf club that you couldn't go to anyways. It's not as if it's going from.
- [57:18]
Chris Eubanks
A public park where it's just like you take your kids after school and just let them on the jungle jams.
- [57:23]
Host 1
And just your kids were not riding their bikes on the private golf course. Wimbledon bought it out with their own money. I'm assuming there was a payment to the membership that wasn't cheap. And now they want to provide this amazing thing to this amazing legacy that they've created. Not just for your neighborhood. I'm sure your home values have, have done pretty well with, in lockstep with Wimbledon, but also want to give a 30 acre park back that you can use any time. That's a 30 acre park that didn't exist. Like we're treating Wimbledon park as if it's been this park that's existed for 200 years. That's just not the case at all. Like what, what am I missing here, Chris?
- [58:05]
Chris Eubanks
I mean, I think, I think you articulated a lot of the points pretty well. I think that people in that community are likely going to Argue obviously the, the, the, the talking points that you could probably guess. We don't want the noise, we don't want the construction. It's going to make for more traffic. I'm not going to. And now Wimbledon qualifying, moving over, that's going to make, you know I'm going to be inconvenienced for three weeks instead of just the two for Wimbledon or whatever. Four weeks instead of the three for Wim. Roads are blocked off, everything's congested. Like they're going to make those about their quality of life, suffering. And that's why it shouldn't just be a thing about Wimbledon buying it and building and building stadiums to make more money. That is my hearing it. That's the only, I feel like logical thing. They will try to argue so that it's not a monetary thing. It's like it's not about the money, it's a, it's about our quality of life. And that's what they're going to argue is going to be an inconvenience of construction and traffic. I don't buy it personally because the.
- [59:03]
Host 1
Traffic is already horrible.
- [59:04]
Chris Eubanks
It's already awful.
- [59:06]
Host 1
If you have these one lane roads.
- [59:08]
Chris Eubanks
With I'm gonna start parking on the police somehow there's always a place to like scoot over and let the other car pass and you get going. It's.
- [59:17]
Host 1
I have a crazy, I have a crazy thing to say. You ready?
- [59:20]
Chris Eubanks
All right.
- [59:22]
Host 1
I'm sure that with hundreds of acres you could probably relieve some of that if you had space to go into. I'm sure there's a, there's a way to actually do that. Like, and also like local businesses, you're providing, you know, if there's 20% more profit, like the trickle down. And I'm not like a trickle down person but obviously like this is beneficial for the community. There's going to be noise. You live in London, you live in one of the biggest cities in the world. Like I understand the inconvenience and also if you thought that you were going to live your life in London without something being built.
- [60:01]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, that's true.
- [60:02]
Host 1
I don't really understand.
- [60:04]
Chris Eubanks
You were mistaken.
- [60:04]
Host 1
And I also wonder how many people there moved there. I mean it's not as if Wimbledon just became a big event.
- [60:13]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah, like what are we doing?
- [60:14]
Host 1
Like let's, it's gonna be, it's gonna be a pain in the ass to also like Wimbledon did this thing, they took a private golf course and they're gonna create public good with what they're doing. It's not as if they're just building a stadium, just doing this. They're rational actors. They've been good neighbors to you. Like, let's, let, let's give some benefit out here. They have a long track record. Go ahead.
- [60:35]
Producer Mike
Yeah. Just to give some facts to kind of what you were saying earlier, they purchased the land in 20, in December of 2018 for 65 million pounds. They left it operating the left Wimbledon Park Golf club, operating until December 31, 2021, after 123 years. Each member was given around $170,000 as part of the deal. And ultimately this is. It's not like they're going to break ground tomorrow either. Like, this thing's not going to be ready for another 10 years. So. Of any sports entity I think that exists on planet Earth, when you think about somebody that would probably be patient and deliberate with their actions, I feel like Wimbledon is one of them.
- [61:15]
Host 1
Yeah, I agree. I hope it happens. It's the best sporting event in the world, in my opinion. I'm completely biased. I'd like to see it grow and I'd like to see, as the interest grows for our incredible sport, I'd like to see access grow also. Right. Maybe, maybe we're not waiting in tents for a ground pass because there's 40 more courts. Maybe you can buy a grounds pass to qualities. Maybe you can go watch players practice.
- [61:41]
Chris Eubanks
Here's a question. Do you know why the ticketing system for Wimbledon is so strict? I just found this out my last trip. Like the actual, you know, it's kind of on that island in between the two roads, like that land of where the courts and everything.
- [61:52]
Host 1
Yeah.
- [61:53]
Chris Eubanks
Why it's so strict?
- [61:54]
Host 1
Tell me.
- [61:54]
Chris Eubanks
So apparently, based on the square footage of it, there's a, in essence like a maximum capacity for like the fire chief. Like it's like 14 or. No, I'm sorry, I have the numbers wrong. But there's a specific number, which is why they're so strict with credentials, which is why they're so strict with the queuing system. People have to, like, wait so long so that they can have the chance to be able to come in, but now they allow. If you come out using it, they can let someone else in. So the line does move. It's why it's so strict on this number in this capacity. It's because if they exceed it, like they can't exceed it with the current amount of land they have, which is why they get the land across the street now they can let in, they have the ability to let in a bunch of more people. And it's like, it's because that island or whatever is it, whatever the capacity is for it, it's. I don't know, maybe just under a hundred thousand. Mike could probably find it. But I'm sure Wimbledon's grounds has a capacity and they can't exceed it because they don't have any more land. Once they get that, apparently that opens up so many more opportunities. So I'm, I'm all in favor for it. Like, there's so many people who I think would love the chance to go and visit Wimbledon who you don't want to pay how much it, you know, the ridiculous ticket prices and just accommodations.
- [63:09]
Producer Mike
To be honest with you, it made it really hard to see it. See tennis.
- [63:13]
Chris Eubanks
Yeah.
- [63:13]
Producer Mike
Because you're kind of jammed in there.
- [63:15]
Host 1
It'll grow. I think they've earned the right to be considered a good neighbor. I mean, they've literally built the epicenter of, of sport in England in the, in the summer and they've been good, good stewards. So I would like to see this go through. It feels like we're just extending the Runway at this point. You know, I'd like to see it go through. I think, I think it'd be great. I think it'd be. And that's before we get to why it's great for our sport. Right. Which is, which is, which is a no brainer. I mean, this, this, you're obviously never going to leave this venue. It's not as big as the other stadiums. It's not as, you know, easy to get into as the other stadiums for reasons that Chris mentioned. They're not just being mean. There actually is, you know, a health and safety standard that they're, you know, they need to adhere to. And there's no more magical place on earth in my mind. So I hope, I hope they get to build Wimbledon Park. I suspect that they would be very responsible stewards with, with that building project. You know, I went away 10 years ago, I came back and the place is like completely transformed.
- [64:19]
Chris Eubanks
Right.
- [64:19]
Host 1
It's just, it's just amazing. So, you know, time's gonna win. It feels like we're just kicking the kids right now.
- [64:25]
Chris Eubanks
Let me ask you a question. Did you see Dan? The, the long. You saw Dan? Yeah, Dan was awesome. He escorted me around. I did well. He like walked me to the best one before my match. And he educated me so much on the culture around Wimbledon. And he goes, he goes, yeah, like I, I walk everyone out to the Center. And I was like, really? So now when I see matches and they're getting walked out, I'm always like, there's Dan. That's my guy.
- [64:46]
Host 1
Every time. And we went last year just for fun, like in August before the US Open. And Dan walked around with us all day and was telling, like, it was like, tour guys, he's the best there. There's so many. And I saw a gentleman, he took me to every press conference I ever went to, like at Wimbledon. He was like, my. Saw him last week. And it's just the relationships made there are just, just fantastic. I feel lucky to be a part of the club. Almost as lucky as I feel to have Chris Eubanks on our show sometimes. Banksy, I know you. I know you were hitting and came straight from practice to join us. Always appreciate your opinion. Never without thought, you know, Unlike producer Mike. I'm joking, I'm joking. Strays, strays, Strays.
- [65:28]
Producer Mike
Jesus. Two weeks.
- [65:33]
Host 1
All right, well, you get some time off now. Thank you for watching the quick service. Thanks for watching us today. Oh, we have next week. Talk about our big show next week. Mike Little, little IGA Swiatek coming up next week.
- [65:47]
Producer Mike
Just a little bit of a champion. Six times.
- [65:49]
Host 1
That'll be. That'll be pretty fun. We have, I think in the next month or so or before induction, I think we have Maria Sharapova coming on. So I think should be some fun shows coming on in the next couple weeks. None, none, none better than Chris Eubanks.
- [66:05]
Chris Eubanks
Thank you, guys. This was fun. I love talking to. I love getting into the real Tennessee. This one felt real Tennessee like this. This one felt way more Tennessee than normal.
- [66:12]
Host 1
So I like that it had to be. We've been talking shit for two weeks in like 15 minute increments. All right, thanks for watching, sirs. We'll see you next week. Support for the show comes from Mercury Business Banking, complete with credit cards, invoicing, bill pay capital and more. In other words, Mercury brings all your money processes into a single product that is glorious to use. No more toggling between a dozen apps and services to keep your finances straight. Now you can send money, pay bills, create and send invoices, issue reimbursements, all easily and quickly. The best part, you can apply online and get started in 10 minutes or less. Visit mercury.com to join over 200,000 entrepreneurs who use Mercury to do more for their businesses. Mercury Banking that does more. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column NA and Evolve bank and trust members, fdic.