2026 - Who’s started well, and who hasn’t?

33:04sensation yeah she's so listen that's gonna be great to watch actually her process progress because it's been quite sad watching maria sacker the last couple of years i i've taken and no enjoyment of seeing her look so sad and miserable and lost out on the court. And there was a vibrancy to her the last couple of days. There was a real stride of purpose about her, as though she finally knows where she's going. And that's lovely to see. So she and Stefano Tsitsipas have taken Greece through to the quarterfinals because they've beaten Japan and Great Britain. Tsitsipas had a real struggle today to get past Billy Harrison, in a final set tie break, but he did it.

33:48We also had the Belinda Bencic-inspired Switzerland going through to the quarterfinals, Bencic beating Jasmine Paolini pretty easily. And Arani and Vavasori lost in the doubles, which takes some doing, as we know, in mixed doubles. But that was a good contest yesterday. And a word, finally, from Perth about Stan Wawrinka, who at the age of 40 is in his final year as a tennis professional. He's retiring this year. He's kind of having a lap of honour. He played two fantastic matches, won one of them against Sata Rindeknesh, winning that in a deciding set tiebreak. And then he lost one of those against Flaviev Kabaly in a match that had a hindrance drama in the middle of it.

34:34I mean, first of all, Catherine, what was the hindrance drama? and Stan Wawrinka, I assume now, is going to play the Australian Open. Surely he's going to get a wild card, isn't he? Gosh, those are two big, big questions that you've tethered together there. OK, I'll try and be pithy. The hindrance drama, gosh, I mean, please don't tune out. That sounds so boring, doesn't it? I'll try and keep this short. Flavio Caboli, he was mid-rally with Stan Wawrinka and a ball fell out of his shorts. Now, the rule is that that's provided it's unintentional. That's called a hindrance by, you know, an official.

35:22The umpire would spot it, call a hindrance, you replay the point. Everyone knows those are the rules. It's fine. What happened in this instance was Flavio Caballi knew that was the rule and kind of preempted the umpire calling the hindrance and went, yeah, balls fallen out my pocket. I know what's happening here. Stop the point. Hindrance, let's go. Turns out the rule is it has to be the official that stops the point and calls the hindrance. You cannot call a hindrance on yourself if it's you that caused the hindrance. Stan Rorinka could have done that. Flavio Caballi could not do that. The hoo-ha about this went on so long.

36:11I mean, it was brought up in my commentary this evening, more than 24 hours later. I mean, tennis loses its mind about this stuff. But yeah, we've all learned a boring nuance to an already boring rule in tennis. And there we go. And we got to see Wawrinka explain it to Irani on the sidelines, which I did enjoy a lot. That was the best bit. Anytime you can get Sara Irani involved in these situations, they're enhanced. Your other question, David, Starwawrinka. Well, my understanding, he's here as player captain for Team Switzerland, and he's helped get them, well, played a big part in getting them through to the quarterfinals.

37:06And honestly, they look like a prospect in this competition. Like, Stan Van Rynka's won a singles match against Arta Rindeknes, a serious player these days. he's driven Flavio Caboli right to the brink and he's got Belinda Bencic in prime Belinda Bencic form my god does she look good and she was awesome in the doubles yesterday Belinda Bencic and I've driven myself down another cul-de-sac Jakob Paul they beat Vavasori and Arani the best mixed doubles team in the world like that's how good but I mean Jakob Paul really She grew into that match, but that is how good Belinda Bencic is in doubles. She doesn't play that much, but when she plays, she's good.

37:57And yeah, in this kind of form, she fancies it. So look, he's provided incredible entertainment to the United Cup. But what I hear is that he's asked for a wild card to the Australian Open, where he won the title in 2014. He'll need one if he's going to play and what he's announced is his last year on tour so this is his last chance to play a farewell Australian Open. And my understanding is he's not first in line to receive one. He might receive one but it depends on whether other sensations that are ahead of him in the pecking order are able to get their ranking up enough this week to get direct entry.

38:47And I'm a bit torn about how incensed to be about this because... It's a thorny issue for you. It's a real mindfuck. It's very complicated for me. Ultimately, my umbrella opinion is that this just exposes how ludicrous the concept of wild cards is and how anti-competitive and how institutionalized we all are about what is actually a really quite silly. at best silly and at worst um well anti-competitive but also sort of it extra privileges grand slam nations to an extent that i i think is completely unnecessary and unhelpful um and i think you know the the bigger take from this should be wow this is really exposed how stupid wildcards are, let's get rid of them.

39:54But my other take is, okay, well, obviously no one's with me in that movement. So I accept that we're going to have wildcards. And if we're going to have wildcards, you have to be giving them to former champions. If you're a former champion at an event and you're still competitive, which he has proven that he is, you should be getting a wildcard. i agree do you think he should be getting a wild card matt yeah i think it would i think it would actually be terrible if he doesn't like if you're gonna have wild cards they are for people who are like drawers and for people who have given service to your event he's actually won your event he's played some of the most like iconic matches of the last few years at the australian open and And I'm not on board quite get rid of wildcards altogether, because I would want Stan Wawrinka to be able to have this opportunity to play.

40:53I would want him to have the sort of vehicle to be able to do this. But I'm totally here for quite big wildcard reform. And I would start with getting rid of the reciprocal wildcards. And I'm sorry to single them out, but I think it's Patrick Kipson and Kirian Jacquet who have got them here, like purely because they're American and French. and the US, the French and the Australian Open have these reciprocal wildcard thing going on and that is a nonsense and Stan Wawrinka should absolutely have one of those spots. Sort of corruption or collusion or some sort of corporate... Like in the court...

41:35Come on! Yeah, it's outrageous. It's outrageous. they've done it they're allowed to just do a deal with one another yeah delighted to be finishing part one of the show on outrage and also delighted by the way that we're back in sensation season I really enjoyed Catherine saying sensations we all knew what she meant it was just great basically what I've done here is I need to be outraged about some sort of wildcard situation here, but I'm willing to hitch my wagon to whatever variety of outrage will get the most momentum and support. I'm willing to be political about this. So I'll go with Matt's brand of outrage and we'll be in this together.

42:34Splendid. Well, that's Perth covered in part one. We'll be back to talk about Sydney and all the other tournaments that have been going on so far in part two. Welcome back to part two and let's go across to Sydney because basically what happens at the United Cup is they play the first few stages, the group stages, don't they, across Perth and Sydney and then they move, is it, to Sydney to play the quarterfinals and onwards or is that from semifinals and onwards, Catherine? There are two quarterfinals in Perth, two quarterfinals in Sydney, Then there's a fallow day where the Perth, the winners of the two Perth quarterfinals make their way to Sydney.

43:18And then semifinals and finals are all in Sydney. Gotcha. Right. So basically you'll be in Perth until the conclusion of that section. And then you'll come to Melbourne to hang out with us when we arrive. Yeah. Via some quokkas on Rottnest Island. Via some quokkas. in fact yes quokkas there's been some quokka action hasn't there from what i understand david there is always quokka action in perth and and jasmine paolini's been involved has she has she taken an acceptable brand of quokka selfie it was all right it wasn't okay was it the distance between quokka and paolini that you didn't like yeah i was trying i was i remember you came up with some kind of um list of important things to have in a quokka self and i thought paulini ticked a lot of the boxes but yeah she wasn't quite it was a good quokka and it was good paulini yeah but there was a lot of open space in the selfie yeah yeah gotcha but uh mackenzie mcdonald you liked mackenzie mcdonald's his big united cup contribution yeah he's getting a great Crocker selfie.

44:34Yeah. In what world is Mackenzie McDonald in a big three with Elena Rabatkin and Roger Federer? It's in the Crocker selfie rankings. I want to hear that in the tennis quiz at the end of the year. And Emma Raducanu's. I don't know why she bothered posting it. Yeah. Now, I have been told that there was some tricky circumstances for Team GB when gathering their Crocker selfies. They had limited time. But honestly, I'm not really interested in those defences because I know on those Team United Cup visits to Rottnest, they get these quokkas laid on for them. I scrabbled around in the dirt for hours in about 40 degrees getting my quokka selfies.

45:29like I'm afraid I'm afraid when they're David That was such a dangerous comment at three in the morning or whatever it now is I'm genuinely so pissed off

45:49I can't actually remember them all I've got in my mind is Raducanu's pathetic attempt If you can't remember them David then don't be throwing stones. For everybody watching on YouTube, I will be getting this up on my phone and producing proof. Marvellous. Okay. Radicarni's was rubbish. Shall I distract you by talking about Igor Sviantik against Ivelisse? Because that happened today in Sydney and was, oh, now I'm seeing the photo. Okay, that is quite good. Yes, all right. Well, go to our YouTube if you're listening to this as a podcast and you'll see a beaming Catherine Whittaker with a fairly happy-looking quokka.

46:33You can see my scratched-up knees from scrabbling around in the dirt. Yes, yes. Proper work was done in the gathering of those photos. So, Igu Shvantec, proper work was done in her match against Eva Lees. I'm seeing another photo of a quokka now, but, yeah, that's also quite good. What do we make of... I mean, it was classic sort of first match of the season situation for Svantec, trying to find her feet, but also playing against somebody, Matt, who was playing out of her mind. I don't know whether, I mean, I very much hope this is the new Ivelisse, but even if it's not, that was a snapshot of just how capable she is.

47:17What a performance she put up and won the first set. It really took a good Svantec to turn that around and eventually get the win. Yeah, I absolutely loved this match and I did not go into it with particularly high expectations because I think Lise had won seven games in three previous matches against Igor Sviontek. For those listening to the pod, I'm going to be briefly distracted because Catherine's continuing to show me photos of crockers. David's really, really pissed me off.

47:57carry on so where was I didn't go in with high hopes because it's just been a matchup problem for Lise against Fiontech in the past and yet it was fantastic, it was one of my favourite genres of tennis match a great in Igor Fiontech having to hold off a kind of peaking redlining opponent and that's exactly what lise was doing playing with such aggression laughing at her own brilliance like she was shocked i think at how she was playing there were occasions where she just was going toe to toe and hit a winner and like literally burst out laughing such a real one lise you know i think she really you know we've had a lot of good experiences doing interviews with her and stuff and i just like her vibe on court and honestly she was fantastic um in this match from a sviontek perspective casey delacqua said it in commentary actually she was giving lice the ball that she wants in that first set lice is an incredible player when she has pace she wants pace she wants to be able to turn it back on you and counter punch and sviontek was just hitting and hitting and hitting and lice was loving it so i wondered whether Shontek was going to be able to change things up and she did.

49:19She started changing the shape of her shots, looping the ball, getting Lise moving a bit more, taking pace off it and that tactical change really helped to turn the match in her favour, especially in the second set. The third set went back to kind of both players playing really, really well at the same time and Lise had some break points at 3-0. I thought she was potentially about to be in a winning position but Shontek kept it together and kind of did brilliantly. But honestly, Lise was outstanding. Like it was genuinely like, and I don't use these words lightly, it was like an Amanda Nissimova impression from Lise.

49:56The way she was going after the backhand, the way she was taking on Igor Sviontek's game. It was brilliant to watch. So I want to see more of that from Lise. She's one of these players, isn't she, who goes out to Australia really early for her preseason. She's been there a while. She's been training in the conditions. She doesn't like the cold European winter. She wants to get to Australia early, do her training block there. Slightly worrying amount of strapping on her knee already. But she was great. All that time she's been spending with Laura Siegmund.

50:32So she was brilliant. And yeah, look, for Fiontech, there were definitely moments when she was racking up unforced errors in that first set, especially off the forehand, where I was a bit alarmed. But I was having to tell myself it's the first match of the season. and I think she's still stuck in that zone of trying to unlearn a lot of what she had with Witkarowski and that is just going to be something that we're just going to have to track through the season whether she can do that a little bit more successfully than she did at times last season but a very good reset I think impressive to come through a match like that it's going to get all the competitive juices flowing straight away and it was just a great vibe and it came David off the back of Hercatch's win over Zverev which I know you watched sort of every ball of I think so Poland ended up winning that tie Yeah and they were fantastic Poland but I didn't really expect it would be Hubert Hercatch putting in that sort of performance against Alexander Zverev when you consider the guy was playing his first match since June because of knee surgery.

51:44And I remember us seeing Matt, her catch playing against Chouard Fonseca at the French Open, how uncomfortable he looked. I didn't realise quite the severity of the knee problem he was going to have to have surgery for. And that sounds like it's been a dark time. You know, when you consider a year ago, he was just announcing his new coaching alliance with Masu. And Ivan Lendl at the time as well. I actually was looking around thinking, you know, I wonder if he's got the same team. And Massoud is still there. He was in the coaching box. But actually, when I was watching this, I just thought, crikey, he looks so unencumbered by expectations here, Herkac.

52:31You know, that nervous-looking player. Even at the end, I was waiting for him to just sort of wobble a bit. And he didn't at all. and he was playing really exactly as Alexander Zverev should be trying to play, i.e. standing inside the baseline. I realise there's a technical issue for Zverev that he sometimes needs more space in order to wind up his shots than other players do but the intent was to go forwards and every time he hit a serve he's either following it in or he's trying to follow it up with a big shot. He's trying to take any chance he can to get to the net and he absolutely comprehensively outplayed Alexander Zverev which which was interesting because her catch is going to be in that draw and nobody's going to want to play against him I mean if he's fit enough you know if he's if his body can handle it at the Australian Open and and and there's no guarantee that it will I mean it's it's it's a it's a bit of a different situation playing a two out of three sets in in Sydney as it is to three out of five maybe in sweltering heat in in Melbourne on on a particular day but I think it's just another example of how Zverev feels vulnerable against the right kind of or wrong in his view kind of opponent playing a certain brand of tennis and and this was this was hugely impressive from from Hubert Hurkacz and actually just generally Catherine I mean I know you've been in Perth but you've been keeping an eye on what's going on in Sydney it's just again looking at the the results and the matches that that have gone on over the last week certain players have not started quickly and Alex Dimonor was one of those who just started a little bit rustily and lost to Kasperud.

54:16It's a tough start to the season that isn't it first first match straight in against against Kasperud you know usually in a in an ATP event you get to ease yourself in now I know that matches against the fact that you're guaranteed matches against men's top opponents, and guaranteed more than one of them, is one of the draws of the United Cup. So it kind of swings and roundabouts there, isn't it? It's a double-edged sword. But Alex de Menor wasn't quite right in this match, I don't think. We'll see him again tomorrow in Australia's second group stage match against Czechia. It would be Jakob Mensik who beat Kasparud today, Mensik.

55:06So, look, that's really tough for Alex de Menor. I know he had flu sometime over the Christmassy season. And as much as it seems like he's saying he feels OK now, I know that that can have kind of an impact on your aerobic capacity. you know it can really linger so I do wonder if there's if there's some of some of that and you know look Kasparud is a blooming tough bloke to play first match up but I don't know the the the pressure on Alex de Menor here in Australia ramps up every year because he gets a bit better every year you know when he was ranked 20 in the world they were doing road to the title graphics for him at the Australian Open because that's how they roll here and I have a complicated relationship with that fact because it's so silly but I also feel quite affectionate towards the Cocconacus road to the title graphics that TJ delivers with a totally straight face.

56:24And Alex DeMinori is now I don't think he's a contender for the Australian Open title, but he's more of a contender for the Australian Open title than he was when they were first saying he was a contender for the Australian Open title. And that's two years in a row qualifying for Turin. He does get a bit better every year, and that just magnifies and amplifies the pressure on him. I think he deals with it magnificently, But he's a player that is he's a maximiser. Right. So I don't think he can afford to be a bit off. I think being a little bit off for Alex de Manor is a bit catastrophic. So, look, this is it's one match.

57:13We'll we'll know more soon when we have more data points. But I am a touch worried for him.

57:22they did end up winning that tie because Storm Hunter stepped up she she's had that terrible time with the Achilles rupture that she suffered you know good couple of years ago a year and a half ago now and great to see her back out on a singles court I mean I think she was like third choice in the end because because Hewitt's team got decimated but incredible achievement to come out and and be able to play the singles match for her um but that that kid i'll tell you what what you did get in sydney i mean you really did get a vibe in in the the mixed doubles they had in that match i mean the crowd really so into it yeah it was great um again it was happening quite late uh but but there was a good vibe uh there was a lot of support and And like, I'm so pleased for Storm because like she was world number one in doubles when that Achilles injury happened.

58:24It meant she missed the Olympics, which I know was like a massive, massive goal for her. And she's actually going to be teaming up with Maya Joint at the Australian Open, I was reading. And it was Maya Joint who was meant to be playing in the singles, but was ill. And then as you said, Madison Inglis as well would have been the next in line, but she was also ill. So in came Storm and won the singles, won the doubles. Yeah, fantastic. Like really good. And I always think it's impressive when an Australia team still manages to perform without Alex de Manor being the leading guy and doing everything.

59:01You know, like that's could have been their story in Davis Cup. They've needed other guys to support Alex de Manor. And I think, you know, if they can get through this group, I suspect Alex de Manor will grow into this tournament. He does typically like playing in Sydney, doesn't he? But he needs some help because they've got a tough group there and it's not going to be easy against Czechia. I think arguably Czechia are the favourites there because Krejcikova played in one, two matches today and Mensik has beaten Roode. So you want Australia to stay in though because of what you said, David, about the vibes.

59:37You want the home nation to be there. So let's see how it goes over the next few days. We also have Canada looking very nice early on. They won 3-0 against China with Victoria Mboko and Felix Auger-Eliassime combining for a straightforward win. Those two will be fascinating to follow over the next months to come, won't they? little line in the press conference from Orjee Ali Asim saying that while he was playing that doubles with Mboko he said he was thinking about the Olympics the next Olympics and what they might be able to achieve together I kind of like the idea of him like bagseeing Mboko now being like I'm playing with you in the mixed doubles.

1:00:25Hands off Dennis Right Yeah like brilliant Catherine's eyes lit up with the Olympics mention then i think i think we might have put the quokka thing behind us i love that from felix yeah awesome that's superb um so yeah we're we're getting towards the the quarterfinal stages of the united cup our next show will be on sunday when it's all over um catherine will be uh finishing up the the event there i mean um and actually on on your way in fact you'll be in melbourne by then I will be in Melbourne. I will be in Melbourne. Or you'll be on your way. It's the day before round one of the One Point Slam.

1:01:07Ah, right. Okay. Well, there you are. Yes. You can tell what Catherine's processing here. I like the way your calendar is working. Well, I've got a feeling that I might enjoy. Obviously, I'm going into it all with an open mind and an open heart, because that's what the One Point Slam has taught me. and I take that life lesson with me wherever I go. But I have a hunch that I might enjoy round one of the one-point slam actually more than the final of the one-point slam. But at least I'll get to enjoy round two with you two. Coco Gough, not looking forward to the one-point slam, she said in her press conference.

1:01:53No. She basically said, they made me sign up. I'm not looking forward to it. Yeah, but that's what Catherine said a year ago. Yeah, I know. I wanted to interview her and say, I've been in your shoes. Catherine didn't have to serve. Oh, God, I can see why she's worried, actually. Oh, it's a nightmare. But she didn't have the chance to win a million dollars either. So, you know, got to put all these things into consideration. So, anyway, we will bring you right up to date with what's happened in the United Cup in our next show on Sunday. and will bring you up to date with what's going on in Brisbane as well, which hasn't had an awful lot go on so far because it starts a little bit later than the United Cup.

1:02:37But here's a little bit of a rundown. In fact, the first line of it suggests that actually maybe something has happened of note, which is Anastasia Potobova beating Dario Kasachina. And this is Kasachina's first match in Australia as an Australian against an Austrian who's never played as an Austrian before. So there's a lot going on there. And it was very close. Pottapova won it. And there was a bit of beef between those two, wasn't there, in the process of all that. So, yes, very early. Well, the Austrian who copied her homework. Yes. And copied her statement. And who played in the Gazprom Open about six weeks ago.

1:03:20Yeah. For the draw to pull that one out, first match of the season, was pretty wild, actually. Yeah, extraordinary. We've had Magdalena Freck beating Marketa Vondrosova in a deciding set tie break. Absolutely packed field, isn't it, in Brisbane. Sabalenka, Ostapenko, Keyes, Rabakina and Mukova all in the top half the draw. Amanda Anisimova, Jesper Gula and Mira Andreeva in the bottom half. And actually, Anissimova and Drava is a potential third round match, I think, in that draw, which I very much hope happens. I've circled that. Yeah, bit rich from 2-1 first set medical. I don't think that's a direct quote, but you get the idea.

1:04:10I think it is. It was good one. Good one from 2-1 first set medical. Yeah. Oh, I love it. and in the men's event which is also going on there poor old Joao Fonseca has withdrawn with a back injury before his first match we've had a win for Daniel Medvedev looking very neatly tied in a new kit and a new haircut he didn't look dishevelled well that's a worry I think he plays his best well actually no some of last year disproved that theory the theory used to be the more dishevelled the better he plays but new year, new year. He always pledges to be a new him, doesn't he, at the start of every year?

1:04:53He looks different anyway. And look, he's playing... Go on. Not to be a downer, but could I just say, I know we're going to come on to this, but we've covered Jack Draper pulling out of the Australian swing with his chronic injury. We're going to come on to Art of Feast pulling out of Hong Kong and his scheduled comeback after seven months, is it now, on the sidelines with his chronic back injury. And I don't know how bad this Fonseca injury did, but it is, but it always worries me when you're pulling out of something at the start of a season after an off-season, it suggests something longer term.

1:05:36These are the three of the most exciting young prospects in men's tennis and they're all missing at the start of the season with at least two of them injuries which make us all pretty anxious in the long term like this is bad tennis should be looking at this and thinking is there a way that we can prevent this it's it's it's a bit of a nightmare yeah yeah for sure i mean it's a you know it's testing even my upbeat nature uh i've got to be honest at the start of this tennis year um so yeah i can only only cross my fingers really for for fonseca but yeah you're right feasts and draper not playing the australian open is is a is a downer and um my only hope is that they're making a sensible decision that that avoids putting them back several more months and I'd rather that, you know, the short-term loss but it shouldn't be like this.

1:06:39It doesn't feel right, does it, that such young players with it all before them are having such debilitating injuries that are not just costing them a few weeks but several months. By the way, Dana Medvedev up against Francis Tiafoe next and Tiafoe obviously with a new team and a new outlook and so, yeah, It's a bit of a battle of the new me's in that one, so we'll see. We've got Yuri Lehechka, who's defeated Thomas Mahatch, his compatriot in three sets. Is Thomas Mahatch just a UTS guy now? When was the last time he did a thing that wasn't UTS? It's been a while, right? he looked amazing at the US Open for three rounds and then lost to Taylor Fritz that sounds familiar and quite worrying that he seemed to be cramping after about two sets in that match today against Le Hetschke who is the defending champion in Brisbane I'd actually forgotten that but he came out of the blocks didn't he last year Le Hetschke hadn't we all

1:07:53Sebastian Sebastian Corder has ruined the narrative of Valentin Vachero. What's the narrative? By beating him. Well, that he might be about to just storm through the rest of the tennis year after his incredible title in Shanghai. But anyway, I didn't say that match. I can't tell you too much about it. I just know the result. But I'm still fascinated to see how Vachero gets on over the course of the year. Good win in Auckland which is a tournament that's also just started with Fran Jones beating Emma Navarro Fran Jones, British player who's now inside the top 100 Emma Navarro, not in the sort of form she was a couple of years ago but that's still a heck of a win and yeah, Hong Kong is going as well feast out but Marin Cilic, still going and has beaten Adrian Manorino gotta love it

1:08:55so that's what's been going on it'll continue going on over the next few days and we'll bring you right up to date with the lot on sunday's show but that is the end of part two and we'll be back with some news in part three welcome back to part three of the tennis podcast and news involving Novak Djokovic and he hasn't been on a tennis court yet but he's been making headlines and those headlines are that he has decided to completely distance himself from the player body that he basically invented which was the Professional Tennis Players Association you may remember several years ago him and Vasek Pospisal but really led and spearheaded by Djokovic he's the man who gave it credibility in the first instance and said whilst he was uh on the player council at the ATP that actually the players needed a voice of their own which was independent um and set set this thing up and threw his weight behind it and and did the publicity for it and has spoken from for years about it um well he's been kind of gradually distancing himself from it over the last several months, ever since the Professional Tennis Players Association launched a lawsuit against the Tours and the Grand Slams.

1:10:22And he said, I agree with some of what they're talking about, but not other things at the time. Well, today he's put out a statement which reads thus, after careful consideration, I've decided to step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association. This decision comes after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented. I'm proud of the vision that Vasek Pospisil and I shared when found in the PTPA, giving players a stronger, independent voice, but it has become clear that my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organisation.

1:10:59I would direct you, before we have our own little say here on the matter, to an article written in The Athletic by Matt Futterman, which really gives you chapter and verse about the launch of the Professional Tennis Players Association and all of the moves they've made and the role that Djokovic had to play in it, which it just brings you up to date and tells you exactly where we've been and where we are now. But whilst I'm not surprised Catherine that Djokovic is distancing himself from the the organization generally I'm quite surprised that he's made such a sort of emphatic public pronouncement on the eve of a grand slam and and I mean really put them in a position that is difficult because they've got ongoing litigation which is serious it's there's millions and millions at play and i mean there's a there's a line in matt futterman's piece where it says it can kind of seem as though he he's trying to have the best of both worlds kind of having his cake and eating it too which is to sort of ask the grand slams demand more money from them and more better conditions but doesn't want to piss them off sufficiently that they they turn against him or don't support him in his final years on the tour it it surprised me that that he has said anything really i didn't feel that there was necessarily a need for it but he has done and it's it's it's kind of big for all of the organizations involved yeah that was exactly my reaction it doesn't surprise me at all that he is distancing himself from the PTPA.

1:12:52That's been the mood music for a while. I thought he would just sort of slowly moonwalk away from the PTPA. And we just sort of would one day go, huh, haven't heard much from Djokovic about the PTPA. Yeah. I really wasn't expecting him to do something like this. And Novak Djokovic is an incredibly smart guy. He's an incredibly political guy. He knows exactly the consequences and ramifications of putting out a statement as incendiary as this. And he knows them better than I do because I think, you know, we've tried to educate ourselves on that lawsuit and they've settled, haven't they, with... Tennis Australia.

1:13:43They've settled with Tennis Australia but it's still an outstanding suit against the other slams and the ITF. Maybe some other people, but those are the main ones. And look, I imagine there is all sorts of stuff going on behind the scenes about this, machinations that we cannot possibly imagine and probably don't want to know about. But I definitely think that there is nothing naive about Djokovic making this move. As much as we're shocked, he knows what he's doing. He knows whatever ruckus this is going to cause. Yeah, he's accounted for that. and I think it's pretty it feels like a fatal blow for the PTPA doesn't it?

1:14:47It surely has to be. I certainly think publicly I certainly feel like that is the case I think that PR wise this is just a terrible terrible blow and yet they are continuing we are led to believe with these lawsuits which are worth a heck of a lot of money I mean, for a start, they are disrupting the sport. I mean, you could say for good reasons if you view it through that lens. The Athletic have contacted the executive director of the PTPA, Ahmad Nassar. They didn't get an immediate response to their request for comment. they did though have put out a statement which referenced inaccurate and misleading narratives about the governance of of the organization which they said is is causing problems for them and and and they they're really quite angry it sounds like about about what they're they're accusing of various entities within the sport of doing.

1:15:56And I mean, it's difficult to know where this goes next, really, because does this empower the Grand Slams and the Tours to sort of turn around and say, right, well, you haven't got Djokovic, so you haven't got much, but they've still got to deal with these lawsuits. So it's going to be another interesting one to follow and it's probably going to take months and months to untangle itself, I suspect. Yeah, I mean, if they've got a case, they should have a case regardless of whether Novak Djokovic is putting his name to it, right? Like it should just kind of be an optics thing, but also that's not how the world works, is it?

1:16:36You know, all of the politics that we know are going on behind the scenes, even if we don't know the details of what's going on, all of that will involve people's relationships with Novak Djokovic. You know, those will be a factor. He is such a presence and a figure and a power within the sport that all of the various institutions and people involved, their relationships with him and the importance of their relationships with him will be a factor in how they proceed with the legal stuff. So it shouldn't matter, but it obviously does. Yes, Djokovic, the tennis player, meanwhile, he has withdrawn from the Adelaide tournament that he was entered into initially.

1:17:27He says he's not quite physically ready yet to compete, but he remains still one of, if not the most interesting player on the circuit, just as to in terms of what he's going to do next and how much longer he's going to play for, how well he's going to play and what role he might take in the sport thereafter. Meanwhile, off the back of your show a week ago, in which you were talking about the Battle of the Sexes, Iga Schwentek has been asked about that match. She said, I didn't watch. I don't like to watch stuff like that. I think for sure it attracted a lot of attention. It was entertainment, but I wouldn't say that it had anything to do with social change or any important topics.

1:18:12I think the name was just the same as the one from the Billie Jean King match in 1973 and that is it. She said there were no more similarities because I feel like women's tennis stands on its own right now. We have so many great athletes and great stories to present. We don't necessarily need to compare to men's tennis. It's a totally different story. That is quite strong, Matt. and I mean I on a very personal note I'm I'm really pleased that she stood up and and treated the the whole thing around that with the disdain it deserves and and also stood up for women's tennis as something that doesn't need to be doing things like that yeah I thought it was a great answer from Sviontek quite sort of quietly scathing and damning I really enjoyed stuff like that that was a fun that was a fun turn of phrase and then I just really liked the point about Zabitier has so many stories to present and we don't need to compare to the Met like that's it isn't it that is it and I think she put that across well and I don't know I don't have a sense really of how the WTA locker room would have viewed something like that.

1:19:37Like I'm not surprised that Shiontek feels like this. I'm pleased that she said it. I'm not surprised that she feels like this. But I don't know about the rest of the tour. It'd be interesting. It's one of those things where I don't really want loads of people to be asked about it because I think it is sort of so relevant that we don't need to be talking about it in the weeks to come. It was sort of hot topic news for Svantec at the start of the season, so that's why she got asked. But I don't know. I don't know whether you have a sense of how other players might have felt. Are people going to be annoyed with Sabalenka or are they just going to brush it off and everyone will go about their business?

1:20:18I suspect mostly the latter. But people might be quietly annoyed. yeah I suspect there's a lot of quiet annoyance that quite passive annoyance that nobody will speak up about and people will forget about quite quickly but if they were asked privately how do you feel about it they'd sort of roll their eyes and go well you know Amanda Anisimova posted on the morning of the battle of the sexes a picture of herself in a in the nike together everybody watches women's sports hoodie could could have been a coincidence could could very well have been a coincidence could have been pointed you know um she's she appeared in a tiktok with Sabalenka today like she obviously isn't like well I'm never speaking to Irina Sabalenka again I'm so pissed off about that battle of the sexes um I agree with you Matt all other things being equal I'd expect any feeling that there is to fade away quite quickly except that Irina Sabalenka keeps bloody talking about this and keeps talking about how she wants there to be more of them um and i assume she made a load of money from this one and that's a big part of why she wants there to be more of them and unfortunately she is incentivized to keep bringing this up and keep keep it in people's consciousness and that's a shame and and there probably are other players on the tour that fall into that spot as well like would think, yeah, I'd do that for some money.

1:22:06Yeah, for sure. A couple of bits of coaching news. Grigor Dimitrov, who I know has been cast in the net a little bit in the off-season trying to figure out a best way forward after stopping working with Jamie Delgado and Danny Valvedo. He is now working with Xavier Melis, who's had some experience as a coach, was kind of a similar player to Dimitrov in a way. Huge potential as a young player. Had some results, got to a Grand Slam semi-final, but still had the general feeling of not fulfilling his potential as a player. I'll be interested to see what he tries to do with Dimitrov because he was a player who always used to have loads of options, but I never really felt packaged his own game that well.

1:22:59and Dimitrov finally seemed to have done that with the last couple of years but the body obviously kept breaking down so personally I'm not convinced that that will lead to anything much better for Dimitrov but we'll have to wait and see nice bloke that Xavier Melis is I'm enjoying our new segment David takes on the coaches of the ATP Tour nice bloke but not sure that's going to work out

1:23:31no no not not whisper um so i'll wait for the tap on the shoulder uh katie bolter is working with michael joyce um which uh is a move that she said is designed to try to get her back in well hopefully for her inside the top 20 one day she's been just outside it in the past but she's got some some rankings spaces to make up she's had a tough last 12 months in terms of the rankings so uh michael joyce who used to work with maria sharpover and johanna contter so um that's your tennis news that's your tennis podcast the first one of uh 2026 um however we do have some further news of a mascot variety because as well as filling loads of episode mascot spots and you can get one if you want one as part of Friends of the Tennis Podcast, you can get a Grand Slam mascot space at the Australian Open but you cannot get a presenter mascot because they've all been filled and they are all filled by me getting Maisie again because Maisie only wants me which I'm delighted about uh so thank you Maisie uh Matt's got Roger back um and that's important because we want to just just track Roger's general growth enormous dog that Roger is um and Catherine has got a new mascot and we welcome Bodie owned by Maxine and Catherine.

1:25:12I believe we have some very exciting news about Bodie because Bodie is not only mostly a black lab and German shepherd, also has a touch of... Bernese Mountain Dog. I've scored myself a bit of Bernese. Yes, as Vicky pointed out, Our pet mascots are now more than one third Bernese. And look, I love all breeds of dog, but I do have a soft spot for a Bernese. And I think it's because I know that I'll never be able to have a Bernese Mountain dog. All the other breeds of dog that I love, which is all of them, feel vaguely achievable for me one day in my utopian future where I have a dog sanctuary. But I think a Bernese is out of my reach because I don't think I'll ever live on a ranch of any kind or sort of a big mountain estate.

1:26:22So, yeah, this is me vicariously living my Bernese mountain dog dream through Bodie and Maxine, a 12 and a half year old rescue dog from a shelter in rural Maryland. mostly black blab and German shepherd touch of Bernie's mountain dog just a dash spends time with Maxine and her family in Oregon and in Todos Santos, Mexico what a life I am thrilled to bits to welcome Bodhi into my fold hey and we will have pictures of Bodhi and Roger and Maisie in our newsletter, which is returning this week. And yes, so if you're not on the newsletter list, sign up. The link is in the show notes and you can get a newsletter every week from us, which features Matt's stats.

1:27:21You'll get a daily one during all the Grand Slams and loads of other stuff as well. So make sure you're getting our free newsletter. But that's it for this edition of the Tennis Podcast. Aside from telling you that we are brought to you in association with The Athletic. We're proud to be part of The Athletic Podcast Network. And, Matt, we might have some shout-outs. Yeah, I mean, if it were, what is it now, four o 'clock in the morning where I was and I was doing shout-outs, I would probably cut this show short. So, Catherine, are you ready for shout-outs? Are you happy to accept some shout-outs or would you like me to save them for next time?

1:28:02Whatever. In for a penny, in for a pound. It was the Quokka photos that really cost us time, I think. Okay, let's do it. Three shout-outs, starting with Dallas Nelson from West Jordan, Utah. Wow. Go on, Dallas. That's a lot of great names. What a name. Brilliant. West Jordan, Utah, Dallas. Wow. Don't know any other Dallases. Oh, actually, I do. I remember a wonderful press officer at the Queen's tournament before my day called Heather Dallas. Sadly, no longer with us, but a wonderful person. And yes, part of tennis history. There you go.

1:28:49Wow. You just never know where you're going. No. Dallas has been listening to the pod for 10 years and says, even though I listen to a lot of sports podcasts, us I can say without a doubt this is my favourite one shout out to my three girls Emma Lily and Nora who love watching tennis with me even though we desperately miss Rafa oh Dallas you're our favourite Dallas thanks Dallas we've also got Sue Humphrey hello Sue I think we know Sue Sue says I've gotten Sue Barker in the past, which is, of course, a great honour. But I would also happily accept a Susan Lammons, as Sue is short for Susan. Same church, different pew.

1:29:38I think she had a tough start to the season, Susan Lammons. Yeah, she lost to Elise. Yeah. Still, though. Susan Lammons. There you go, Sue. That's requested. Sue is from Canada, from New Brunswick, but now living in Vancouver, and says that she has Eugenie Bouchard to thank for becoming a tennis fan. Started following the sport during her run to the Australian Open semis in 2014. Wow. Sue and Jim Parsons. Yes. Eugenie Bouchard folk.

1:30:17Love that. Thank you, Sue. And Sue says, David, that she recommends the podcast to every tennis fan. And she meets. That's what I want to hear. Tennis Podcast listeners, take your lead from Sue. Persuade them one by one. Yes. If you all tell somebody, we'll double our audience. Amazing. And then if they all tell somebody, how many is that? Lots. Thank you, Sue. And finally, we have Mary Patkus from Freehold, New Jersey. Yes. No way. That one, Mary says. Oh, come on. Good work, Mary. And another big one for you, David. Mary is a tennis fan from the 90s. Now we're talking. Mary's ticking all of our boxes here.

1:31:14Mary sounds great. One of my favourite matches was the Capriati Celes US Open semifinal. But sorry, David, I'm an Agassi fan, not a Sampras fan. Well, I've become one in later life, Mary. You know, we all learn, don't we? Mary, like Mary Carrillo. Soon to be Hall of Famer. Exactly. Absolutely. Thank you, Mary, Sue and Dallas. You're all legends. Thank you, Catherine, for staying up until 4am for this. Gosh, you did well there, David, to remember the shout-out names. You did better than me with the stuff. I'm flying

1:32:00oh no I'm even further from it than I was at the start of the pod Stephanos you'll remember it tomorrow it was a bit like Saccharide at the start Skelleridis something like that Saccolidus

1:32:18I'm sure you're right we'll find out tomorrow we'll check it out and Catherine will be saying it right on air. We'll be saying it right next week. Oh, no, they're not at the tournament. Oh, God, yeah. I'll get it right. No, but they're going to have to play meaningful mixed doubles from here on in, right? Yeah, no, no. I don't think Sackleridis will be getting a call up again. It'll be a six past Sackery situation. Yeah. See, rolled off the tongue there, didn't it? And a big thank you to our executive producers, the returning Chris, Greg and Jeff. so we'll be back in a few days time with another edition of the Tennis Podcast do tell your friends and do join us then