Techie Sean (5:08)

Wait, now that you've opened the door, let's keep going there because I think that's a really good point. I think we sort of gloss over sometimes. Oh, they change shoes. And when you make that transition from red to green, from clay to grass, the ball bounces differently. Say more about what this transition entails and what does it entail? I mean, strategically, it's obviously the points are going to play different. I suspect when you're thinking about where to serve, it's a different decision. Keep going. Say more about what it entails when we talk about this summer transition.

JW (5:38)

Yeah. So this is coming from a place where my knowledge base is like, I felt relief when I got to grass because it made more sense. Like, I didn't have to think about, you know, shot profiles as much. I didn't think about how to like, overcome my power getting mitigated. Everything kind of came back to me. Right. The chip worked a little bit. I didn't have to, you know, I could hide my back end easier. But obviously you look at the winners this week. Bublek, Von Drosek, Kessler, every ball, the ball flight is instantly represented. Medvedev is automatically better because he has that flat ball flight through the back of the court. Right. I think the biggest thing that no one talks about is the best players in the world on grass are able to identify the ball to get forward on, and they know that they're going in before they hit that shot. But it could be mid rally, right. Like, Carlos can settle in, hit a chip back in, kind of. He has that little crouching thing that Ferrer used to do on the grass. He just hits it bigger and better. But the ability to kind of turn a point at a moment's notice, whereas clay, it's more of like a two or three, four shot process into a grind. Like you can turn defense into offense. And if you think about like Roger will hit a chip backhand, you don't hit one perfectly. It's almost like a half miss where against most of the field you can get away with it, but then he's on you with that forehand. And if he hits it well, you know that he's going to be four feet from the net, right? And so it's that, that quick pressure set. It's not the slow build of like earning the point with clay, you can steal points on grass. It's more of like a theft mentality. The, the now they're sliding into balls more on grass, which is something that we didn't do. But putting the premium when you're on defense on the strike and not height right in on the slower surfaces, when you're kind of beat, you'll try to find some air and get it out of a pocket. That doesn't work as well on grass because the pocket doesn't really exist and it's more of a thud type bounce. Venus and Serena were great at this. They would hit their way out of trouble on D and almost give up time on the next ball and put the priority on, on pace of shot, right. So like you're kind of beat to the forehand corner, but you can get a good swing on it. They would hit the ball like through deep wherever it was and sacrifice. If someone picked it off perfectly, then they were, they were cooked. But more often than not, they were going to find themselves and beat the person with pace and sacrifice that time back. You would never do that on a, on a slower court, right? You would try to find the height and give yourself time to kind of restart and then you get to serving spins matter more. You saw Carlos, you know, going with the slice serve more and more, abandoning the kick serve because it doesn't get up and away. So basically the way you set your table on your serve completely changes. You run a more in on the body where you try to get someone to kind of get that T Rex return and then you're up on the, on the second ball a little bit more. So it's just a, it's just a quicker mentality where you can, you can steal points in a quicker fashion if you're aware rather than, you know, height, spin, extending the court like you can on, on, on a clay court.

Producer Mike (8:55)

Mike, how much is it that you know, younger players are getting access to these surface types that are closer to what they're actually playing on in all these different areas, you know, globally than than they were say when you were coming up. Definitely more so than the previous generations. But yeah, how much is it just they actually get to get on these surfaces more often based on facilities?

JW (9:18)

Well, I don't, I don't know is the answer to that because I don't know, you know, who has what grass court in Europe, wherever. I just. I don't know the answer to that. What I do know is that it's now about angles awareness, whereas it used to almost be, okay, I'm going from. I'm going Borg, where I haven't come in in six weeks, going into the French Open, and now I'm serving and volleying on every ball. Because you had to. Right? Because the surface was lower, it was quicker, the grass wasn't quite as good. The technologies and how to keep grasses and use different grasses and you get a truer bounce. So it's not as if you have to go and you're going full Lendel, where at the end of his career, he wanted to win Wimbledon so badly that he would skip the French some years to work on serving and volleying. You do not have to serve in volley to win Wimbledon. Right. And that probably changed post Pete Sampras, with the exception of our Guy Agassi. Right. Maybe a little bit of board sprinkled in, but Borg would still. We forget Borg would still serve volley 80% of the time on. On grass. Like he switched it completely. So I think the transition is earlier. Just because it's not like you're going from one very specific skill set and having to completely renovate your home to have. To another very specific skill set in three days. Right. I think it's different. But Carlos is still not serving and volleying. He mixes it in and he's brilliant when he does it. I think he's a better volleyer on grass than any other service because he can hit those kind of dump volleys a la Borg. That's probably the comp that I look to most with him, but I don't know what it. I don't. I don't know about access. I can't speak to that. But I just think you can stay back a little bit more on grass. So it's adjustments and not a wholesale change when people hit the ground running as opposed to 20 or 25 years ago. Well, we'll dive a little deeper with, with, with the chuckster in a little bit. Is this rip to the Hamburglar outfit? Because there's no way he can wear that at Wimbledon. Is he done? I mean, you're a pretty good run with it.

Techie Sean (11:18)

It's. I thought he was footlocker attendant. Yeah, we forget that's not going to pass.

JW (11:23)

As soon as Luigi outfits retired also, that's it. I wonder if Nike just goes full passive aggressive and throws a grimace. Just all purple out there for the Open or something. Let's stick. Let's stick with the theme. Let's get a partnership. I know Carlos is really struggling for endorsement opportunities these days. So let's also talk about Alex Bublek, right? 83, 87 in the world, something like that. Post Indian Wells in the theme with Ibiza goes to Vegas, rips it for a couple days, makes the final of a Scottsdale challenger and kind of turns his year around. And let's talk about the value of dropping down a level to make your way back up, like wins a challenger. I think it was in Turin. Maybe it's somewhere there before Roland Garros makes quarters on his what has been his worst and least favorite surface. Continues it in Holland. The guy if, if you can get him mentally engaged, which is. Has been a big if over the course of his career and he would admit that. But the box of tricks that the bag of tricks that he has on, on, on grass, he thumps first and second serves. You don't know if the second serves coming in at 87 or if it's coming in at 122. You don't know if he's hitting a drop shot or if he's coming out of his shoes and it's flat to the corners. And he did a great job. We talked about earlier, he would have a ground stroke and you could tell he would hit and then deal with the consequence later at net. And he's talented enough to, even if he doesn't stick the approach perfectly, he can kind of react and be athletic and fight off first volley into a second volley combo. But this guy's playing, I mean, it's, it's just really fun to watch. I mean, his first set against Hatching off in the semis of Holly after beating sinner, he hit 11 teen drop shots, six underhand. This is slight exaggeration. Only slight. It honestly looked like he was playing a game of horse for those basketball lovers who, who would play this game in their backyard. But fun to watch. And it just shows you like, if you can go from like a famine to a feast mentally, it changes everything. In my old coach, Larry Stefanki, who's brilliant, brilliant coach. He would always tell me because I was like a hyper emotional guy and everything was either the worst or it was great. He goes, it's never as good as it seems, and it's never as bad as it seems. And I think the latest example of that is.

Techie Sean (13:50)

Is Bublek like a life lesson in addition to tennis. Did you guys catch? I think it was in semis when he Served underhand, and it was a let. And then he went right back. He went right back to the drawing board. He called the same play again. No, I mean, this has always been someone talented. And it's always kind of been in this conversation of, you know, dangerous on a day. Is he ever going to put it together? He comes out of Roland Garros, gets, you know, great run, beats quality players, wins these five setters. Not a guy, not a foxhole guy, necessarily. And yet he out grinds two top 10 players in five sets, loses to center, comes right back at the subsequent event, beats center, and then he puts on Instagram like, you know, I got him, boys. And now he goes to a surface where he's way better on grass, way better clay. His confidence is swollen. He's going to get that top 30 seed. He's going to be seeded player now. Danger. Danger. Danger. And it's fun to watch, too. I mean, you just. You can't not like the guy. Usually when players kind of are hit and miss and underachieved, sometimes we say to ourselves, like, boy, I wish. It's a pity they can't put it together. Part of being a professional is doing this 52 weeks a year. In this case, it's just kind of fun to watch the inconsistency. And if that's part of the deal, so be it.

JW (15:08)

Yeah, it is. And I think Sean's about to have an aneurysm because you just went dark with the sunlight in the back of my office.

Techie Sean (15:13)

What I'm going to do here.

JW (15:15)

I see.

Techie Sean (15:15)

We can trigger it.

JW (15:16)

All right.

Techie Sean (15:17)

Be right back.

Producer Mike (15:19)

Wait, did his motion sensor just go off?

JW (15:21)

Yeah, I saw my favorite part. We're just this. We're not even going to edit this. My favorite part was I could see Shawn on the bottom left. I have, like, four squares where I got, like, Mike. And then they set up this nice little situation here. And I saw Worth. I just go dark in the middle because it was just sunlight. And I see Sean start shifting around in his chair, like, popping up and down minions.

Techie Sean (15:43)

I need to be more animated in my response responses. And the motion detected lights will necessarily.

Producer Mike (15:49)

Maybe we'll get you a ring light, bud.

Techie Sean (15:52)

That would help.

JW (15:53)

Honestly, I'd be disappointed if his setup was. Was seamless.

Techie Sean (15:56)

This is part of the appeal.

JW (15:58)

Yeah. Like, my favorite. Like, I get joy weekly out of his setup. I mean, you haven't really freaked out recently, but it's been probably a. You guys are. Apparently, our production team's doing a better job.

Techie Sean (16:09)

Sean is earning his keep.

JW (16:11)

Normally. Normally. We're about to sign on and it's 15 minutes before we're getting kind of trading notes and how the show's going to go. And it literally sounds like someone's moving furniture downstairs.

Techie Sean (16:21)

Wait till we're going to do this in Ibiza next week. Until I do this from my room in a Visa.

JW (16:29)

I'll also say. Well, I'll also say, you know who's happy that Bublick won this week in Holla. Every top player that doesn't have the potential of playing him in the first two rounds of Wimbledon. Now, yeah, that is not if. I'm sorry, if I'm four, I'm seated for Wimbledon in this guy who you could make the case right now. I'm not saying all time. I'm not saying. Right now he's one of the top 10 players on grass, like, right now.

Techie Sean (16:57)

Totally.

JW (16:58)

Like, he's got it. He's, you know, he knows how to play. It makes sense to him, the whole thing. If I'm four, I don't want to see him. I'm happy that he's somewhere else and we're at least protected that no one's going to want to play him in the third round. I'll tell you that much right now. But being Bubbleg, who knows? He maybe goes out and lays an egg first round, I don't know, but fun to watch, Endlessly entertaining. The point you were referring to earlier, jw, for context, hits a serve, underhand serve, which he pulls out three times a match. Now it's like it actually is a strategy. Hits the underhand serve, let cord, and then is about to serve again. And the crowd starts going, you know, kind of like agitable, like, do it again, do it again. And he kind of gets the smile, does it again. There's no mysteries hatching off. Knows it's coming, hits his approach shot, and the guy passes him. Bublek wins the point. Anyway, it was. It was great theater, but anyways, props to him on top of all of the extracurriculars of a bubble match. The guy's legit, playing on grass, moving well, mentally engaged. I think he's played himself into good shape. Maybe not always the case, but if you get enough reps and enough matches, it kind of magically does it for you. I think Medvedev is a factor. Him getting the final Vale was. Was something that was. Was needed. I thought he played great. Our guy, Yuri Lahechka, who I liked at the beginning of the year, played a great match. Had a great run, is a legit grass court player. Has that pop serve, knows when to come in, can flatten out the backhand. Takes backhand from middle of the court when he's moving left and plays it inside out. Caught Draper a bunch down the stretch with that shot, which is an awkward one to have to cover. Cause it's just not a natural instinct to have to cover that ball. But played a great match against Carlos. Went big on second serves when he had to, you know, kind of played random, which you can't give Carlos rhythm. So he's another one that no one's going to want to see at Wimbledon.

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JW (19:58)

One of the most fun stories of the week, like we understand Carlos and we understand Bublek. And I don't think either of those results were shocking. Von Droseva, oh in Berlin. Wins Wimbledon two years ago. Former French Open finalist for variety's sake. And then has battled shoulder injury last year, thigh injury in January. Dropped to 160 in the world. Not because she doesn't know how to play, because she hasn't been able to be on the court. She went through a draw in in Berlin. Keys. She beat Sabine 2 and 4. I don't remember the last time I saw Sabalenka get beat like that. Badly. Especially on a surface that does her favors. Vondrozeva, I mean, is she top six to eight favorites even at 75 in the world.

Techie Sean (20:51)

JW, I feel like there's like a check theme. There's like an omnibus check theme here. That flat hitting Laheska we can talk about. Petra Kvitova, who will be playing her final Wimbledon, won this twice. The defending champion, Barbara Krajikova's check. And so is Mondrosova, who won two years ago. Muhava as well, if you want to keep going with this. But no Vondrozova. You know, players don't forget how to play tennis. And they're human beings. They go through some personal issues as Vondroseova has. Tennis players are human beings. Their bodies, they're not robots. Their bodies can break down as Bondroseva has. Players aren't winning these events by fluke. And she's got a ton of talent. She's an athlete. She's left handed, she's got that dangerous serve. You don't win Wimbledon because seven players lay down and you breathed your way to the final. So now that she's healthy and winning matches again, I mean those scorelines were, I mean that's a wild, wild run really for any player. Beating the number one player in the world who's pretty good on grass, giving her six games. But yeah, I mean you, it's, it's, it's one of the real virtues of tennis. How quickly you can, whether it's Bublek, whether it's slumping Carlos we should all be concerned about, he's too emotionally immature and now he's going for his six major, or whether it's Vondroseva who now seems to be healthy and back to playing ball. Don't, don't fall asleep on these players. And yeah, I, I don't know. I mean, I wouldn't. You think anybody wants to face her I don't know two years ago.

JW (22:16)

Here's a good question. If I give you JW right now and we don't know the draw, so take it with a grain of salt, you know, obviously if she draws Sabalenka again for whatever it is, but just no draw. If I give you eight women players to win Wimbledon right now after her performance and beating Keys and beating Sabalenka and you know, all of the things. Is she one of your top eight draw side unseen right now?

Techie Sean (22:42)

Yeah, I mean the most important category I'd like to cheat is health. Is Muhava 100%, 80% even though she.

JW (22:49)

Doesn'T have the match?

Techie Sean (22:50)

I think, I think, yeah, I think you win a Wimbledon, tune up on Grass, you're the defender, you know, two years ago you're the champion and you put together a week like she did. Yeah, I don't think they're, I mean we'll see what the odds makers. I don't. They're not eight players I would pick ahead of her, put it that way.

JW (23:07)

I think that's right. And the other thing is, and you mentioned the flat ball. She hits that, that little Rafa hook shot lefty to get out of trouble also. And it kind of works on grass because it's tailing away. But the other thing that Vondrozeva has is her game is so unique with the way she serves and kind of plays inside out lefty, which isn't something that you're. You're used to. She has the game where she kind of not dissimilar, not the same type of style, but the same type of game where if Kritykova finds it, she's not scared to play the top players. Like something about their games translates to okay. When I'm not confident I can lose to players that are below me. It's not that kind of grinded out game where you know we're going to play. It's not. It's like the anti coco golf. She finds a way through matches early in tournaments but if they find it, they match up well against the top players. Right. And that's a big if. It's like it's Stan Walrika, right. Like he wasn't Murray as far as consistency but when he, when he finds his top level, he could take the. He took the racket out of Novak's hand twice in Grand Slam finals. I didn't have that gear. I was going to beat every person ever ranked 25 to 70 and I was going to find a way through it. But I didn't have the ability to like level up, you know, when I had to with the backhand and with my deficiencies to go take the racket out of someone's hand past a serve where I had to serve perfectly right. But I still had to break sometimes. Vondrozova, Krishikova, when they level up, I don't know like they, I value them. Seen it really well against the top five players. So really, really good week. Great week for the qualifier. Wong also gave Vondrez about everything she could handle in that final. Great week for her. McCartney, Kessler. Oh played her way into. Was it not Nottingham? Not the 250 was Nottingham beat Katie Bolter in the semis. Two time defending champion Sram Kaba in the final, played her way into a Wimbledon seed.

Techie Sean (25:10)

That's crazy.

JW (25:11)

There's a. Go ahead. Yeah, go ahead.

Techie Sean (25:13)

You want to wait?

JW (25:14)

I can't wait.

Techie Sean (25:15)

I'm eager to empty the bucket on McCartney. Kessler lady. So get this. Played at the University of Florida and a bit of a late bloomer.

JW (25:23)

Not.

Techie Sean (25:23)

Not someone the USTA was going to tell you is going to be seated at Wimbledon. In her mid-20s in 2025. So last year she broke through. I think she had to qualify. Won that Cleveland event on the eve of the US Open, goes to Australia, wins that Hobart event on the eve of Australia. And here we are, you know, a week out of Wimbledon and she has won another title. She is a dangerous player when. When majors arrive. But no, I mean, it's a great story. I mean, this is not someone whose name we necessarily heard a lot about in the last year or so. Look at her results. She's won a lot of matches on a lot of surfaces and a lot of circumstances. And, you know, it can. It's easy, given the density. We have two straight Americans winning majors. It's easy for other players to sort of get lost in the shuffle a little bit. Keep an eye on McCartney, Kessler, especially on grass.

JW (26:12)

Yeah. And the other thing, just having watched her over the last year, she is a responsible competitor. She competes her ass off. And you look at her and you're like, oh, she's not going to go away. Like every match, every. She is a professional. And I don't know that that's something learned normally in college, but she skipped a step. It wasn't as if, you know, we go from here to. And then we have to figure it out. And I don't know the history of that. I'm just saying, as I'm looking at it in present day, you know, she's going to go out, play a good match, be mentally responsible, and you're going to have to go out and beat her. And another theme from this week, and Mike, I know you got something on this is playing your way into position. Bublick not winning. Holla. And being 60 in the world, that can be the difference between drawing Alcaraz first round at Wimbledon and setting yourself up for around a 16 quarterfinal run, which then, you know, projects itself into the next 12 months of your life. Same with Kessler. Played her way into a seated position. And then there was some jockeying for position also. Who was it? It was Draper and Fritz. Mike.

Producer Mike (27:22)

Correct. Yeah. Draper achieved a career high ranking number four. He's Joins Andy Murray and Tim Henneman as top four seeds in Wimbledon Open era history for British men. So. And then I believe Fritz jumped up. John, what was that on Taylor? Fritz moving up.

JW (27:42)

Moving.

Techie Sean (27:42)

I was looking at these rank. I mean, I was looking at these rankings, though. Yeah. Fritz is five. So there's like 3,000 points roughly separating Carlos at number two from Zverev at number three. And then Zverev has like 2,000 points over number four. The difference between Draper and Fritz is. Is 15 points. That ain't a lot. That's like first round of a tiny event. That's what's separating the four and the five seed. You know, I mean, sometimes we can read too much into this, but I don't. I mean, Andy, what do you think? I mean, sometimes there can be a real difference between a four and a five seed in terms of how the drop breaks out.

JW (28:19)

Oh, yeah. I mean, you look at. For you chuckers who are, you know, just discovering our great sport, four basically means that you wouldn't. You're not going to have to play, you know, Chucky Alcaraz center until semis. It just opens up every phase of the draw where five, all of a sudden you're looking at quarters, you know, around 16, whatever it is. Yeah, it makes, it makes a huge difference with, with, with seating, you know, going into the week. I think Draper knows that he's on the cusp of it. You know, maybe he gets over that hump in the semis. And it's like, you tell me at the beginning of the week, if you're Draper and you make a final of Queens and you stay at 5 or you make the semis and you get bumped up to four. At Wimbledon, we're not supposed to say it. I put a premium. I put a lot more of a premium on that. Seated, being seated in the top four, especially when you haven't been there before. Yeah. So there are all these kind of games within the games when you're, when you're going through a week. Draper four, Fritz five. Fritz. You know, we think that he's kind of getting back on Stuttgart, beats Zverev, wins a title. And I think everything he does. It wouldn't shock me to see him at the tail end of, of of Wimbledon. I think he's really, really good on grass. I think the majority of his titles in his career so far have been on grass.

Techie Sean (29:43)

Right.

JW (29:44)

We were the biggest one. But the match against Mute. I watched it. It wasn't. There's. There's still something to be Found before. Before Wimbledon for him, who's got the.

Techie Sean (29:58)

Google machine, because I believe not only is Fritz playing this week. We talk about this a lot. I mean, Taylor Fritz loves his matches. He's playing this week. And I. Check me on this. Does he not play Fonseca first round?

JW (30:13)

The draw's not out. Oh, in Eastbourne.

Techie Sean (30:15)

Yeah, in Eastbourne.

Producer Mike (30:16)

He is correct on Wednesday.

Techie Sean (30:19)

So imagine that. So you win a title on grass. Okay, good. We're resetting. We're back on grass. We're out of clay. I beat Zverev. Great. He's probably a little bit, you know, he's mentally fried. He's traveling, loses to Mutet, and then plays a third event in the three weeks between these, and he gets Fonseca right off the bat. Interesting. You know, different players have different scheduling needs, but that's a lot of. That's a lot of drama for, you know, keep in mind, like, no, Novak isn't playing at all. Alcaraz will do one week looks pretty good, and now he tries to defend his title for a second time. Fritz had a very different approach to scheduling, and, well, he's.

JW (30:55)

He's a worker. Be there. Like, he's always done it that way. He likes playing. He likes, he likes. I mean, this, this is a choice at this point. It's not something he has to do. He doesn't have to play a 250 the week before a slam, but, you know, who are we to. I don't know. That's.

Techie Sean (31:08)

Whatever works.

JW (31:09)

That's. That, that's his process. It's tough to argue with at this point, with the success that he's. He's had in. I could almost make the argument, though, when you get a big time matchup like that, it could work both ways. Like, if you lose, I mean, it's. You're searching a little bit, but that can be fixed. With a good draw in the first couple rounds, there's gonna be some hype around that match. There's gonna be some energy around it. Like, you get through that one. That's. That's almost. I would be pitching it as, like, a pretty good opportunity. Like, let's. We. We. We came here to get these reps that will mimic Wimbledon, right? This energy set that will, you know, you get a little buzz in the air. Like, I could sell that if I was a coach. I could. I could spin that as a good. As a good situation. All right.

Producer Mike (31:49)

So before you move on, though, on the women's side, actually looking this up, Paolini climbed up to number four, securing a top four seed. And Quinn win dropped the number five. But they're only separated if the WTA website's updated, they're only separated by three points.

Techie Sean (32:06)

That's. That's quite a. Quite a conditional you put on that.

Producer Mike (32:09)

That's pretty exciting to track that. I mean, it's.

Techie Sean (32:11)

Right.

Producer Mike (32:12)

Yeah. Somebody pretty new to the sport. I've never really thought about the significance of those seating, especially these. These events compound, you know, leading into these.

JW (32:22)

We're doing it. We're doing. We're carrying a lot of water for these lazy. Every point counts. You do the next point. It all matters.

Producer Mike (32:32)

Kind of crazy.

JW (32:33)

I mean, I know, but then it's going to be like we're just going to. We're going to have someone asking a question at Wimbledon, which my Wimbledon press conference is like my favorite, because you'll have 10 journalists like John, who could recite the top 100 backwards if they needed to. And then you have 20 British journalists who are only coming to ask what your favorite flavor of seltzer water is. Like, it's. It's the greatest mix.

Techie Sean (33:02)

Black cherry.

JW (33:03)

Yeah. Like, yes. Right. It's like.

Producer Mike (33:06)

And, you know, favorite ollipop flavor.

JW (33:08)

No, no. You walk in, you walk into the press conference, and they kind of like it. They don't huddle together. Like, you have the 10 serious ones in one spot and maybe it's changed. And then you have all the guys who, you know, still call rallies, volleys and pronounce Laver. Laver over on one side of the. One side of the room. And it's just. It's kind of this weird. Like, you know, one subset is going to be for, you know, Tennis Channel and the New York Times and, you know, all of these, you know, reputable places. And one is going straight to the Daily Mail. What is going straight.

Techie Sean (33:43)

We should do a whole episode on this. The other one I like is the guys that are working on a specific story. So, like, Carlos walks in, Carlos Alcaraz going for a third straight title. The first question is like, what do you think of Kyle Edmonds comeback chances? Like, the guy's just like, working on a very specific British story.

JW (34:00)

Yeah. Or. Or I got in. I got in trouble one year with not trouble, but I could kind of see where it was going. You'll get like the person who already has their story written about you or about something to do with you, and they'll come in and they'll ask questions and they'll re. Ask the question just because they need a certain type of quote from you to finish their story. And the one that I remember. And we can either, we'll, we'll take JW's advice on this. But I remember Christine Brennan, one year I snapped against Tip Saravich or someone. And I'll get. Maybe it was a different meltdown, but basically I got into an argument with a female umpire, right. Which, and then you could already tell her story was written that, you know, well, she was trying to make it like I got upset because it was a female umpire and I would have acted differently. And I'm sitting here going like, she asked two questions and I kind of, you know, not even avoid because I literally, what she was insinuating was 1000% wrong. And so I finally said, Christine, I know, I know the story you're trying to write. Here I go. But like, be sure to include the fact that I have, I have embarrassed myself many, many times arguing with male umpires. And this might be the first time in my entire career that I've argued with a female umpire. So, like, the scale and data set does not support your article. So if you write it, someone else needs to write this part of, of our conversation. So you can like, you can, you can kind of feel sometimes who's going after what story. And it's like they already have it written. Probably the framework in jw. Maybe you pitch in here. Not that you would ever do this, but you have the framework written and you just need that little sprinkle of, of a quote. And I would be damned if going to give it to someone who had a pre written story.

Techie Sean (35:55)

I don't know what you're talking about. This is just like a. We need subtitles. This is like a foreign language you're speaking. We should wait, Seriously, we should do a whole episode on how bizarre these press conferences are. Let's not. But the one thing I will say, they're all transcribed, so in theory, and now I plan to do this. I can go back and see your entire response. So if nothing else, you know, you can, you could. There's a written record here. We've memorialized this exchange.

JW (36:20)

Yeah.

Techie Sean (36:21)

Christine Brennan, Caitlin Clark book coming out.

JW (36:24)

Cool.

Techie Sean (36:24)

Nice plug. Plug to a friend. But anyway, no, I, I think you're right. I mean, these fishing expeditions, I, I don't know. Well, we should really save this because it's actually kind of fascinating. This is how tennis gets in the world. How's that?

JW (36:40)

Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna just say real quick. And there are ebbs and flows and just Because I had an issue in a 5 minute or 3 minute interaction with Christine Brennan doesn't mean we didn't have a very responsible media player relationship for a long time. I argued with John 23 years ago in like a side hallway. So shit comes, shit goes. Like, you have conversations, you move on. That's. That's all part of the game. I think if there's a base level of respect, I can think someone's story is bullshit. And I can also think that they do a good job at scale. So let's leave that, let's leave that there on the side for now. One thing real quick, Mike, before we get to your trip to Wimbledon for the first time, before we get to that. Oh, I have the most important thing I've ever told you in the history of this show. We'll get to it after a break, but also just a quick report card on injuries. We're at the midway point of the season and then we'll hit a break real quick before I tell Mike the most important thing that I've ever told him. Casper Rude pulling out with a knee injury. I said yesterday on TC Live, someone basically saying, well, he's hitting again. Should he try to play? No, his upside is limited on grass, you're setting up the rest of your season. He was, he limped to the finish line against Borges. I gave him credit for not bagging it and actually, you know, playing out the last four or five games, I don't even know that he should have done that. It grew my respect for him. I opened a show with it during Roland Garros out with any injury. Hope he gets better. Archer Feast. This is concerning a big fracture or stress fracture in his back. And by the way, he got accused of faking it at the French Open when he beat Munar in five sets. That, that's, that's a rough one L5 vertebrae. That is bad. Just so we're clear, like, when you're as physical and as electric and as good as he is, the back stuff's tough to get away from. It's not as if you can adjust technique to hide from rotation on that situation. Sebastian Korda. It just sucks because he's so good and it just feels like he just is. Is kind of like the stop and start thing. I. I just hate it because I think he's a top 10 talent, top five talent. And it just seems like every time he starts, then there's like a hiccup again and this time it's the shin. And I just hope he gets better. I have so much fun watching him. I like Sebastian Korda. I think he's a gentleman and I hope he gets, I hope he gets better soon. Tommy Paul not playing Queens. We knew that he was dealing with something during the French Open. Still just assholes and elbows to get to the quarterfinals there of just blood and guts and got run out of the room by Alcaraz. But I just think it was Amazing the the 21 year old version of Tommy Paul would have been in awe and rightfully so of what we saw from Tommy Paul at Roland Garros with his toughness. The tough side of that is those decisions sometimes have a tail. Had to skip Queens. Won it last year. Went from 8 in the rankings down to like, I don't know, 12, 13. I'd guess something around there by virtue of losing those 500 points. I hope he's back and healthy. We have heard nothing yet but he's, he's a real threat at Wimbledon if, if he's healthy. You just hope he can get back in time. Not just healthy but, but healthy in time to prepare and practice and not lose fitness from having to kind of stay away from, from, from an ad injury or sorry, ad injury, ab injury. We're going to go to break. On the other side of break. I'm going to tell producer Mike the most important thing that I've ever told him on this podcast. Thanks for listening to SERP.

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JW (41:57)

All right, welcome back to Served. Mike, I need your full attention.

Producer Mike (42:01)

Okay. You're going to be looking at.

JW (42:03)

You're going to Wimbledon.

Producer Mike (42:05)

Yep.

JW (42:05)

With your brother.

Producer Mike (42:07)

Yes.

JW (42:07)

Just total bro fest. Best time ever.

Producer Mike (42:09)

Yeah, it's gonna be great.

JW (42:12)

Entered, entering the hallowed grounds for the very first time. You wake up in the morning, you have that feeling, that anticipation. You're going to one of the most special places on earth. Now, if I can make a suggestion, please. On the way in or on the way out, you're going to walk through Wimbledon Village because you have to. It's the best. It's one of my favorite walks. Walk from a rented house, walk into town, get your coffee. Every day of my Wimbledon life, I had something to look forward to, Mike. And it was the tennis, it was the grass, it was the smells, it was all the things. It was also lunch. All right, Maison Saint Cassien in the middle, where the one road meets the split in the road as you're walking towards Wimbledon. You are going to go in there. Mike, are you listening?

Producer Mike (43:12)

I'm listening. I'm writing it down.

JW (43:14)

Marco is going to take care of you. You're going to walk in there. You're going to walk in and there's a sandwich, a sub on a French in a French baguette, if you will. But it's kind of like a Lebanese situation. It's the best. Everything's flavored perfectly. Got a little bit of spice to it. There's this chicken that I would. I would punch a wall and risk injury for right now. But they also bring in a little mozzarella cheese and they kind of pack it in perfectly. Did I deal with the food upstairs? No, I got one of those things, did a little Tucky Magoo right into my locker right after practice every day. I knew it was waiting for me. You are going to go there and you are going to do that. Otherwise, I'm retiring this show.

Producer Mike (44:02)

I mean, honestly, that. That was one of the questions I had. One of the questions was, what is.

JW (44:07)

The hole in the wall?

Producer Mike (44:07)

Food place I have to try right outside the gates.

JW (44:10)

It's just. It's. And then, I don't know, maybe you'll get some other stuff. Maybe you'll get some salad, maybe you'll get some. There's a breakfast there, too. But you need. They'll give you a to go sandwich. I don't know. But you, you have to do it, otherwise you're an idiot.

Techie Sean (44:27)

Say. Say that again. What's. What's for the. For the masses and for me.

JW (44:33)

Right there. Lebanese, like, it's literally right. I don't know the streets. I don't know the names of the streets. Jw. You'll know. But like, when you're walking from like the tube side down the hill and you walk through that main.

Techie Sean (44:42)

Yeah.

JW (44:42)

Runway towards Wimbledon and you take a right towards the courts, you go left kind of towards Wimbledon Commons.

Producer Mike (44:48)

It's literally.

JW (44:48)

You'll run right into it if you walk through that intersection. It is perfect. This sandwich is perfect. It's a perfect sandwich on High Street. Oh, God.

Techie Sean (44:59)

High Street, Wimbledon.

Producer Mike (45:00)

All right, right. Church. Church Road and. Yep.

JW (45:03)

I wish if it was injectable, I would take it. I'm just telling you.

Producer Mike (45:06)

I mean, I love a sandwich.

JW (45:08)

Such a good, such a good. You know, if you eat it four days in a row, you might have to, you know, visit the. But anyways, go ahead.

Techie Sean (45:13)

Jw, man, that's a good, good tip. No, I mean, honestly, like, just step back. Have you ever encountered someone who's gone to Wimbledon and said, yeah, didn't. Didn't live up to the hype? I mean, this place is pure magic. Nobody goes and walks away disappointed. And we can talk about why. I have my own. I have my own pet theory. I can, I can hot take you on, but no, you'll have a great time. You can't go wrong. I like the call. Go. Go through Wimbledon Village.

JW (45:43)

You have to.

Techie Sean (45:44)

Charming.

JW (45:45)

You have to walk down and it's like a, you know, it's a little bit of a walk.

Producer Mike (45:48)

That sets me up for a question. We're staying in Hyde park and the first day. Andy. Andy helped me secure some tickets. First day, we have just grounds passes, so we're gonna. How should I come in? Should I. Should I Uber or should I take the tube? What? So tell me, what is the ideal way to get in and when I should leave?

JW (46:04)

You guys are. You guys are good to walk, right?

Producer Mike (46:06)

Yeah.

JW (46:06)

Okay, so tube it in. You take out all the others. You got tube it in. You're gonna go to Wimbledon Station. It's at the bottom of the hill. Okay. Since it's not dinner time, you're not going to go to San Lorenzo down at the bottom of the hill. Otherwise you would go to San Lorenzo.

Techie Sean (46:17)

I don't. I don't know if San Lorenzo. If It's a good one.

JW (46:19)

I looked it up.

Techie Sean (46:20)

It is. They're back 25.

JW (46:21)

I thought it would wrap too. And I looked it up. It might be reopened.

Techie Sean (46:24)

It's the market of Androseva of Italian eateries. That's a nice comeback. We like that.

JW (46:29)

I hope so. I hope it is. I looked up this morning and it said, like. It didn't say like, you know, go away.

Techie Sean (46:34)

I'm happy to hear that. All right.

JW (46:36)

Yeah. So you go to the bottom. Okay. You walk up the hill. It's, it's, it's not a nothing walk. And then you get to the top of Wimbledon Village and you'll see it. Everyone kind of flow stating towards Wimbledon. It's like you're part of, you're part of people who are as excited as you are. You walk through Wimbledon Village, get a coffee, but then that's your stop. And then you get the flow of traffic. Everyone's excited. You'll walk through the neighborhood, you'll get to the top of the crest, and then you get this little peekaboo view of the last courts at Wimbledon. And you kind of, kind of look and you see that magical stadium just off in the distance. You have to do the walk through Wimbledon Village. Take a right when you get to the dead end, left at the next roundabout. It's just the best. Just the best.

Producer Mike (47:23)

What about you, jw? When, when was the first time you went to Wimbledon? You know, was it as a journalist or as a fan?

Techie Sean (47:29)

Yeah, no, I never went as a fan. So I don't know. I think it was the year Pete beat Rafter. What was that, 2000? I mean, my whole thing on Wimbledon is like, it's great, it's meticulous, it's magical. But it's also like they've got these minor league baseball game touches. So note what isn't there. It's not what people think. Everyone thinks, oh, you know, I need to wear a three piece suit and it's cool. Like, you sit up on the hill, there's alcohol flows. People wear T shirts and sandals. It's not what people necessarily think it is. Watching on tv.

JW (48:00)

It's not the Kentucky Dirt Derby.

Techie Sean (48:01)

Exactly.

JW (48:02)

It's not this weird.

Producer Mike (48:04)

Yeah, that's what I was, that's what I was going to ask. I was like, how buttoned up do.

JW (48:07)

We need to be? Tux. Full tux?

Techie Sean (48:10)

Yeah, Full tails. Do you have tails?

JW (48:12)

I wish, I wish I would have told you to wear something stupid.

Techie Sean (48:15)

Exactly.

Producer Mike (48:16)

I definitely would not have done that.

Techie Sean (48:17)

Oh, you didn't Hear that? This year, actually, it's a. It's a purple theme. So everyone goes to the gay test to wear purple.

Producer Mike (48:24)

The McDonald's also sponsor me.

Techie Sean (48:28)

Keep in mind too note, I always tell people do this note what it lacks, right? So you're watching the NBA finals and Oklahoma City plays at some corporate sponsored. Whatever it's called pay dot com.

JW (48:40)

That's a good point.

Techie Sean (48:40)

There's no. The corporate sponsorship is absolutely minimal. Center court is just called center court. It's not sponsored. Strawberries and cream are like £2 50, right? They're like three bucks. They're not gouging you with their concessions. There's no T Shirt cannon. Like, they don't go for the cheap stuff. But it's not. It's not like, you know, also like, the US Open has like a tequila sponsor and a mezcal and an agave spare.

JW (49:09)

There actually is a T shirt cannon at the US Open. Just to be clear, it's T shirt cannon and you're gonna. It's like a Fourth of July parade every night when they open the tennis.

Techie Sean (49:20)

I always say to. To Henman, I'm like, imagine the money you're leaving on the table. There are no corporate suites. People wait in that line, you know, in the famous queue. And then they get in and they pay like 30 bucks to sit courtside. It's not. It's real mix of kind of like the merchant class meets the Savannah Banana. Like, there is this real populist element to it. Note the golf course across the way, because it's only a matter of time before Wimbledon colonizes that and the space.

JW (49:46)

They just. They just fixed your corporate thing, by the way, with that.

Techie Sean (49:50)

Yeah, exactly.

JW (49:50)

So we're clear.

Techie Sean (49:51)

That's a good point.

JW (49:53)

Which is great because you don't have to stare in the face. It's like across the street. It's fantastic. Like everything Wimbledon does. Not to cut you out, it's like they have fully secured this tradition in all of the special things about tradition. But also, they're not stuck in the mud. They're complete. Like, it's the new. The new. The new buildings are, like, pretty contemporary looking, but they're green and they have ivy. And it's like this mix of. Of the new and building this prestigious championship for the next hundred years. Not for the past 100 years, but also marrying the history with the path forward. No notes. And that sounds like it might be an easier thing to do. Impossible with venues like. Like. Like Wimbledon. And they get it perfect. They get it perfect. It's it's just perfect. Chef's kiss. They rarely make bad decisions. And what you're saying, it's like you go and cut off shorts and tevas and rip 17 beers. There's a place for you at Wimbledon. Don't ever think there's not. Henman Hill is amazing. Grounds passes, week one. I don't know. Like, you watch some matches but take it all in. It is fantastic. Then you go to center court and everything about center court is this protected experience where you feel like you're walking backwards in time in all the best ways. And the silence is deafening in there. It's like their ultimate sign of respect where you've gotten their attention. Is that hushed silence as something. It's so cool. It's the best. I love it. I. I can't wait. I can't talk about it.

Producer Mike (51:28)

Besides center, besides center quarter, is there like another court, you know, besides the main courts? That I should be sure to go. That the energy is really always high.

JW (51:38)

Yep. Jw, you want to take this obvious one.

Techie Sean (51:41)

Oh, I don't know, I think toward 18. Yeah, I'd say 18. Yeah. Which is where, you know, remember John isner had that 11 year match. You can sit really close and like you'll notice the grass and you'll see, oh, it's different from a putting green, but it's not what I have in my lawn. Like you're right there. Yeah, yeah. I was gonna say 18 is a gym.

JW (52:01)

18 is the win. You have to go to. You have to go to Henman Hill and just find a spot and take in that situation where you're basically just watching a screen. So I actually love that you have grounds passes one day and then center court tickets the next day. Because the grounds pass day is going to offer you something completely independent as far as experience, which is awesome. And also completely different than what you're going to get the next day, which is the center court experience where. And they're, they're two totally different experiences and they're both 12 out of 10. Like it's phenomenal. And I, I'm actually JW, I'm actually, I'm going to be on site for the first time there and I don't know how long, decade or something on the Saturday, Sunday. And I'm doing what Mike's doing one day I'm doing the, the old center court situation and the next day I think we're just going to get some grounds passes and just rip it around. I'm going to be. Be Joe fan And. And just kind of dip into all the things that I haven't done in, you know, in 25 years.

Techie Sean (52:58)

That's so cool, Walker. It's, it's. Yeah, now forget it. Give away your tickets. Go to the. Go to the Eye of London. It's like a big Ferris wheel. It's really cool. That's. No, you cannot go wrong. But yeah, wander around. I mean, there are all these little pockets and nooks and.

JW (53:14)

Oh, God, no brainer. You have to go, go, go check out the viewing spots on Orangi park in the practice facility. Like, you got to go that you can see. It's just basically a field where they've put up nets and it's. They use it, basically. So you're not putting wear and tear on the courts. So it's not like the other courts where you just sweep it and water it on clay and it's back to, you know, perfect or on concrete where you don't really have to do any of that, you know, that you have. You can't have every player, 600 players in a draw ripping apart grass courts because there's like a shelf life right there. Needs recovery time. So a Rangi park, but you can just. It looks like, like a normal park, right? You can watch Novak hitting next to Saba hitting next to. You got to sneak down there. If you get early, if you arrive early, you hit that first before the, like right as the matches start, you're going to see people going through their practices, warming up for matches. Like that is a 12 out of 10 also. God, I'm so jealous.

Producer Mike (54:07)

It's going to be great. And we have, we have. We have nothing else to do while we're over there. It's purely just going there and hanging out.

JW (54:13)

Jw, can you, like, we're. We're media. Can you coach old producer Mike on how to get a media credential?

Techie Sean (54:19)

I was going to say you got to put in for credential. You can see all the, like, homes. There are all these tunnels should apply. Seriously. If. When you get there, though, I try to give people this tour, too. If you go to the media center, go to the roof. It's like you can see London, but you can see over the course the roof of the media center. I'll hook you up. That's not good for much that I can hook you up.

JW (54:39)

Go, go, go. Go in and say this, Mike, and try to keep a straight face. You ready? Go in and say this. Go in. JW is going to help you. You're at the application process. You're about to get a credential. Go in and say, hi, I'm producer Mike. I'm part of the media. I'm on a. I'm on a podcast called Served and we're not a joke. I should be able to get a credential.

Producer Mike (55:02)

We have merch.

Techie Sean (55:03)

Yeah, right?

JW (55:04)

Yeah. And then try to sell it. Yeah, exactly. And then try to sell them a T shirt. See how that goes. That's gonna be great.

Techie Sean (55:08)

Lean back. I see. I see the serve merch. Lean back. There we go. I do know who I am.

JW (55:15)

Yeah. Definitely. Wear the hat. Just. Just wear the hat. You should get a huge. You should actually just get a hat that says producer Mike on it and just be real shameless.

Producer Mike (55:21)

Just.

JW (55:22)

Just do that. All right. I got nothing else for this week.

Producer Mike (55:26)

Just exactly what I wanted from you guys, by the way, is awesome.

Techie Sean (55:29)

Perfect.

JW (55:29)

Just talking about the experience gets me excited to, to be there. I haven't been there in too long. I. I just. I can't wait. It's the best. Well, during the tournament, I went last year to the club just for an afternoon to just hit balls. Just to hit balls. Hit balls and have lunch. It was the best. H makes my heart sing. Anyways, this has been served. We will be back on. I don't know. We'll get the show out Friday. Okay. We're gonna wake up early on Friday, do our. Our draw show where I'm the most uninformed person on earth when we start the draw show and just slightly less uninformed when we finish it. This has been served. We'll see you later. Later this week on the draw show, producer Mike techie Sean J.W. wall.

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