Arthur Fils - future Roland Garros champion?

36:13Yeah, I think health permitting, I really do think it's a stepping stone on the way to greater things. But it is significant in its own right. You know, he's not his first 500 title. He's won a couple of those. But I still can't quite get over the fact that he's doing this off. It's actually an eight-month absence if you just discount that little spell that he had in the summer when he played an event and he came back too soon and couldn't then play for that six months after that. I think that might have been the one in Canada. I don't know, he didn't play really since the French Open when we saw him against Xiamé Mouna.

36:51And I mean, you expect him to just feel his way back in and look rusty and the only time he's looked rusty is when he's played Alkraz and Zverev. And basically, they're just at another level than what he was, and that's totally understandable. And to come out here and do what he's done and to look the way he's looked as well I mean, the way he hits the ball now I mean, how secure it looks on both sides. The only time he had a letdown against Rublev was when he was serving for it. And he just got nervous, got tight. And, I mean, he actually lost the first two games as well of the match. And again was just, I think, came out tight.

37:34And the moment he settled down, he won the next six games. He won the first set 6-2. And do you know the match felt like that one we saw in Australia between Fonseca and Rublev? I made the same note, David. When Rublev is hitting the ball as hard as he possibly can and Feast has just got another level. He's got another gear and he's just ending rally after rally with forehand or backhand winners. I think he had 20 forehand winners in the match. um but you know at 5-3 he he gets broken back um at 5-4 he has love 40 and three match points doesn't win them five all then he gets broken he's six five down and there's kind of panic in our whatsapp group but i i didn't feel like that um for him because i just thought well he'll settle down in a minute and he's he's just a better player than andre rubblev andre rubble was a very very good player i'm not trying to diss him but feast is another level altogether um and i mean the match he played in the semi-finals against hodar when i was watching that i'm watching this and thinking level wise this these two could could i could definitely see these two meeting in the final of a 1000 in the not too distant future because those are best of three i think best with the withdrawals in madrid absolutely i mean i don't you know i i just i just the the level they were playing i mean hodar is kind of the only other guy i've seen stand up to and like take him on in a sharpshooting contest of of hitting and he's an awesome hitter is uh is hodar but but eventually just the sheer physicality of feats wore him down and just took over like you have an arm wrestle of a match with with art of feats i think you're coming out second best against most players and and when i look at the list of players who might cause al kras and sinner a problem feats physically and game wise is right up there i think the issue he's got is at the moment he just doesn't have a record of winning comfortable straight sets matches at grand slams he hasn't won any any of them never won a three-set match in a grand slam so that's that's what he's got to prove but i tell you he's he's gonna be a french open champion in the future is is artifice health permitting it is health permitting but i totally believe that the the revs he's getting on that forehand with with speed through the air there's not really any other like that now now that nadal stops get get david on a french radio talk show because i feel like i feel like feces is really being talked about in france it's like debate happening in france like is he a is he a potential threat to sinu and alcares is he not you know like there's there's there's people having takes now on Artifis and he's going to be going into Roland Garros, I think, with that pressure on him, which I think is going to be interesting and something he's going to have to deal with.

40:56But I do love watching him. And I had the same feeling as David, as I said, about that Fonseca match. But the difference, as David's hinted at there, is that Fonseca's ball is fast. It's just an arrow, those ground strokes. Fises is fast and it's heavy the way he loads it with spin like I think we saw that in his match against Mazzetti as well he was just ramming these massive forehands into Mazzetti's single-handed backhand and he couldn't couldn't really cope okay Mazzetti's not quite at his sharpest right now but still it was like an overwhelming force from Feast and I think to be winning matches physically like he did against Rola so quickly back into his comeback from injury I think it's a really good sign as well and And I think the thing I love the most hearing from Feast this week was how he's talking about he's really working on not getting too high during a tournament.

41:53I know you've talked about this and observed this before, David, like he'll have a big win. And then there's sometimes been a letdown the next match. I think maybe a little bit physically, but mostly just like expending so much emotional energy. And even within matches, these sudden shots up and then a crash. And I think he's really working on that. He's identified that as an issue, as something to improve. And yeah, it was interesting hearing him talk about that this week. And it felt like he did a good job this week and it's helped him get the title. Needs to do a bit more boring winning at slams, doesn't he?

42:34as much as we love the sort of matches he has been winning at Roland Garrison elsewhere. He needs to do some routine, forgettable wins in early rounds of slams. Yeah, we definitely had those conversations about Alcraz in the past. I feel like Goran Ivanovic is an ideal coach for this next stage of his career. The fact that, I mean, again, I always feel like I'm touching wood on his health because I can't believe this comeback. It's pretty unprecedented to come back and play like this, you know, consistently. But let's assume that that's in the past and physically he's OK. The next steps to be taken, he has the perfect guide, in my view.

43:23Goran, by the way, believes that he was looking at a top 10 player in Hodar as well. He said, you know, within the next two years, minimum, he's going to be a top 10 player. And I know he feels like that about Feast. But yeah, just in terms of navigating early rounds, I think Goran's going to iron out some of the highs and lows, I think. But you've got to not take away their turbo because he needs that sometimes, that ability to just go for broke and just take it out of your hands. but his baseline level now of just here's my backhand in the trade it's gonna it's gonna you're gonna feel it and then if you put one on the forehand the point's over it's that is there's not many like that around in the game yeah i felt like the some of the body language from rublev in the final and musetti in the quarterfinals really summed up the well the level of Artifees at the moment and the experience of playing Artifees, they were both doing that kind of, what am I supposed to do against this guy?

44:32Body language. They both looked so deflated and not humiliated. They both put up a decent fight, particularly Mazzetti. I did feel like, aside from nerves, that was a pretty one-sided final, really. But they both looked powerless. and they looked like they felt completely powerless against this guy. And that must just be an awful feeling on the court, especially for someone like Mazzetti, who's got so many tools in his kit and so many things he can try and resort to. He was looking like, well, I haven't got anything that's going to work against this. No, I mean, I share the view that I think he will come much closer in the future.

45:19I think he's playing a lot below his normal level. yeah Mazzetti whereas Rublev I think that is kind of what he's got and it's a bit like sadly it's a bit like what's happened to Tsitsipas I know Tsitsipas has got higher levels because he's he's got to grand some finals and nearly won them but you know these guys have just Tsitsipas has just drifted away and has just been overtaken by so many players Rublev I think we're just seeing what he's got and Mazzetti I think there's there's a lot of hope for the future because I know he can play much better than that I hope so I saw some quotes from Hodar by the way just trying to sort of not stop the hype train in its tracks but just trying to take the pressure off himself a bit like I think he's I mean of course he is but like he's aware of what's being said about him and he's just like give me time like let me yeah let me focus on my process here you know he's doing some unsexy quotes about process which i think is prudent and like it was it was noticeable watching him come up against feast i think how much work physically there still is to do with right like his frame is just not that of a top player is that of a teenager breaking through.

46:43Of course it is. That's what he is. So, you know, I've heard like Jim Currier talk about that with Fonseca as well, like needing a couple of years to build the power in the legs as much as anything. And I think Sinner went through that very important phase as well. And, you know, occasionally you get, you know, I think Alcaraz has sort of broken what people think of is possible because he seemed to just transform in an off season. And, you know, even Feast came out very physically developed from a young age. Whereas I think Hodder's just, he needs that time. But the ball striking is outrageous off both wings.

47:24Yeah, it's a bit like Sabalenka fixing her serve with Gavin McMillan in a week. Algoraz sort of inflating his upper body during one off season has sort of moved the bar for everybody else in a very unrealistic way. I would just, with Feast, I think the one reservation I would have is, look, he should have lost to Terence Atman in the first round. You referenced it in the show the other day, and I watched that match, and he was lucky to win that. You know, he didn't play very well. You've got to win when you're playing badly as well. I remember a year ago when he played Madrid, he was like 5-1 up against Comissania, and he ended up losing.

48:07in the first round of that um so i ultimately i think grand slams will be his friend because he will have time to sort of work through a bad start and all those sort of things and and i think he'll learn how to assert his physicality um and just just overwhelm people quite quite comfortably but you know that's going to be a work in progress he's intending to play madrid isn't he feast is there any argument for not playing madrid i i think in my sort of protective frame of mind yes um i sort of think of it as like well just isn't it just sensible to just you know have a have a week off a couple of weeks off and just you know decompress and then play roman but no i don't i think unless they unless he feels twinges actually and i think goran when we were talking about the Middle East swing he wants him to get robust and get used to the tour life again there's that element of it so I remember when Al Kraz first burst on the scene and we were having a lot of these discussions and he was so awesome that it was the amount of winning he was doing was just rattling everybody else and I do think Feast will be getting in other people's heads a bit and he's at least kind of guaranteed himself a seeding now for Roland Garros, I think, hasn't he?

49:39He's up to 25 in the world, and maybe with a run in Madrid or Rome, he can elevate that a bit further. Tell you what, Hodar's going to be interesting at Laurent Jérimath. Everyone is interesting at Laurent Jérimath. But when that draw's made for Roland Garros, imagine if you're a top seed and you face Hodar. first round. Don't know what round's he in it. He's broken the top 50 I think hasn't he? Yeah. I don't think I mean unless he wins Madrid and Rome back to back I don't think he's getting a seeding. I think he's providing some fun at Laurent Jury barring something truly extraordinary happening in the next month.

50:25So yeah. Well I sort of hope that's the case. Definitely. I want him to do well but at this moment now I'd love to be an unseeded element of that draw. You want to hear the... Exactly. Yeah. Give me an ooh-la-la.

50:43Munich, another ATP 500. This one was won by Ben Shelton. He beat Flavio Caballi 6-2, 7-5 in the final. Lots to say about Caballi, his win over Alexander Zverev, straight sets in semifinals an extraordinary performance an extraordinary reaction to that performance we'll come on to that in a moment but Ben Shelton David is a dirtballer brackets sort of I find it so impressive because he's not naturally that and yet he invests in it and he plays it and he reached the final of it last year you know he got I think I mean neither neither Matt or I picked him to to go all the way to the final in this tournament um and i i think for me part of it is how comfortably he was beaten by zverev in the final last year and i've seen him on a lot of clay courts and his game doesn't seem to have the same impact on opponents but wow what i love the way he just swaggers onto the court and just says here i am you know and he's just all over the place and he's just taking you on and he doesn't put any limits on himself.

51:57There was one moment in this match, sort of back-to-back points, when it was late in the first set, he summed up to me what makes him truly special and probably unique. The first one was him hurtling in to chase down a drop shot and a lobs lifted over his head and I think Shelton is the only player on the tour who could have backtracked and hit a smash winner off this ball the sheer athleticism and power in the legs required to do it um was was was just awesome really um and then the next point caballi takes a sort of double service position to serve it as wide as he possibly can and he tries to put caballi in the to put shelton in the stands really this is onto the shelton forehand Shelton takes two sort of bounds to his left and smashes this forehand down the line kind of over the high part over the net post into the postage stamp corner just a clean winner and again just a kind of ambition of yeah I've got I've got the wherewithal and the guts to take this on and I'm gonna make it and there you are um so it was really impressive I've I've kind of enjoyed.

53:13I know, I mean, Kabali's had a really tough time this last few days, which you'll come on to. But I like the fact that Shelton and he, I know we like a bit of aggro and they had some late last year, but I like the fact that these guys, there's some camaraderie in the locker room. They talk warmly about one another on the tour. The same with Feast. It's nice for these young men I think to to just have a bit of friendship out there but yeah Shelton really impressed me and I think if you go back three years and watch Shelton's first steps on these clay courts as he was as he was playing that swing and you like and then watch him in the Munich final and whole week this week, you will very obviously and very quickly see how much he has improved.

54:09He was all over the place on the clay. He didn't know how to move on it at all. He's such a good athlete, but normally he's a great athlete moving in one direction, sprinting fast. On clay, you're constantly having to stop and change direction and be strong so as to withstand the sliding. and it's just a totally different thing moving on a clay court to moving on a hard court and I think he's really improved that in the last few years. I still think a sinner in Alcaraz will probably be able to expose him and exploit some of the weaknesses but I don't know, for someone like Shelton obviously he's absolutely hoping to break through and beat those guys and win Grand Slams but it's possible that Sinner and Alcaraz are going to do to a whole generation of players what the big three and Andy Murray, the big four did and just shut you out from those big tournaments.

55:03And then what you've got to do is build a career outside of that. And you can definitely say at the moment that Shelton is making the case for being the guy who's doing that the best, I would say. If you take out Sinan Alcaraz, he kind of holds one of the best records over the last year in terms of the title he's won. He holds 1 ,000. He holds a couple of 500s. He's got different surfaces covered. And I'm just, I'm really impressed with the way he's building that, even though his ultimate aim is to still break through. And I don't yet necessarily see it, but then I'm reminded by the fact that he is making these improvements all the time.

55:45And the clay actually can be quite a good surface for him because it gives him time on return. You know, like that is kind of his weakest part of his game. And yet he just steps back. He gives himself a bit more time on the clay and he can take those bigger cuts at the ball as Dave has described there with that one, that rocket forehand he hit up the line. I just don't see him hitting that shot or being able to do that on a quick surface, but he's got it in his locker. Feast is similar, actually. He steps back and he's got so much power that he can still push opponents back even from way back in the court.

56:21Shelton can do kind of a similar thing. It's a different trajectory of ball, but I just think that sheer power, he's not hindered by the fact that he's so far back in the court. So, yeah, really, really good week for Shelton. And as David said, I didn't see it coming. And he definitely reminded me just the improvements he's made on this surface. Kabbali perhaps in the final had hit a bit of a wall emotionally probably as much as physically in his semi-final performance where he was absolutely unreal it felt like a kind of exhibition performance the winners he was reeling off against Alexander Zverev in that straight sets victory burst into tears upon sitting down in his chair after that win and was sobbing for considerable length of time.

57:17We knew he was bearing a heavy weight. He had done an Instagram post the day before and he had also put some markings on the sleeve that he wears on his arm in memory of a young boy, a 13-year-old boy we're hearing from his tennis club in Rome who he had heard had died that week and he was obviously tremendously affected by that absolutely awful news. So look, that's what was swirling around throughout this performance over Alexander Zverev, his first completed match win over a top 10 player, Kabali. And he's up to a career high of 13 in the world rankings now. And look, it's the big caveat, isn't it?

58:13If he can play like he did in that semi-final, he's a force to be reckoned with for anyone. The thing with Flavio Caballi is he quite often doesn't play like that and his floor level is really quite considerably off from his ceiling. But my goodness me, what a ceiling, David, and potentially a ceiling that's edging upwards. Yeah, because I think Zverev's shown this year that he's the floor guy. You know, he keeps on producing good tournament runs, and every week he runs into Yannick Sinner, and he doesn't have a ceiling that can overcome that if Sinner's playing well. And we saw a good impersonation of Sinner from Flavio Caballi in this match.

58:59The sheer fleet-footedness around the court, the preparedness to go down the line, particularly with the backhand, I think is absolutely key against Zverev. Some players can make Zverev look quite uncoordinated by wrong-footing him. Only the very best can do it, or only players playing at their very best. But I also think tactically it's really key to do it, because Zverev actually moves really well in certain ways. For his size, he moves extraordinarily well. and sometimes when you get into those long rallies against him I often feel like he's gonna produce his most audacious shot making we saw some of it against Alcraz some of the four-hand winners he hit when you just you think of him as the the conservative guy and what Caballi was doing was much more like what Sinner does which is just keep playing the ball behind him keep on taking your chance pulling the trigger yourself not getting involved in a trade just a trade for trade's sake because vera will not break down very often in those situations and cabali just jumped on everything and he moves so incredibly well um i do feel like he's got more in him yet he has got better a better ranking in him than he has right now he does need to rate like there's some performance he puts in some duffers and performance wise like I think he lost in straight to Tiafoe the other week, shortly after beating him.

1:00:34He beat him in maybe Acapulco, and then he lost to him early. Or at least he lost to him straightforwardly. And you're sort of thinking, well, how is there such a discrepancy between those two performances? But, yeah, Klay suits him down to the ground. I guess he's got to believe in himself and just keep being ambitious because it's all there, especially on clay. I mean, the next month, you want to see him in a quarter-final or a semi-final of one of these tournaments, any one of the three. Hard not to be a Kabbali guy, isn't it? It's good, isn't it? Yeah. He's likeable. He's a very likeable lad.

1:01:17Oh, yeah, I think he's a sweetheart. Yeah. Okay, that is it for this week's tennis. Join us in part three when we will talk about a bit of news and we'll look ahead to, well, this coming week's, this coming fortnight's tennis in Madrid. Just before we take a very quick part two break. I've already mentioned it, but we recorded our most recent episode of Tennis Relived last week about the history of the rankings, which was such a fun ride and is up now for Friends of the Pod. if you are a friend and you want to listen or if you'd like to become a friend in order to listen. The link to do that is in our show notes.

1:02:01You'd also get access to our upcoming live show on Wednesday night of this week. It'll be available as a pod, but we'll also be live on YouTube at 8pm to talk about tennis reform and what we would like to do to change the structure of the sport. None of it will happen, but it's still fun to talk about. Imagine when we get put in charge. Yeah, exactly. We just want to be prepared for the day that we are inevitably put in charge of the sport and indoor tennis everywhere is under threat. We did get an email from someone saying that they shuddered at the phrase tennis reform thinking we'd gone all Nigel Farag.

1:02:47Do just want to clarify that's not what that is. Reform UK. Yeah. Yeah, we are backing Britain. Did make me laugh. Just quickly on the Relived show, which I really, really enjoyed. I mean, I always loved the Relived shows. But this one was so interesting. And David had a little email pop into his inbox about it this morning. Yes, I did. From a previous tennis relived subject, that of Christine James Truman, who won the French Open in 1959 and got in touch to totally out of the blue. I haven't spoken to Christine, I don't think, since we did that wonderful show about her life and career a couple of years ago.

1:03:52But it was such a lovely moment to receive an email from her. I was really quite taken aback. And she said one of the subjects of the show would be players that had got to win in a match or very close to becoming world number one and never quite made it. And we got players like Peter Corder and Petra Kvitova and several others that Matt had unearthed from over the years. I think we got Michael Chang, didn't we, as well, from the 1996 US Open. Well, Christine wrote into us to say, Hi all, can I add that I was one match away from being world number one in 1959. I had won the French, Maria Bueno won Wimbledon, but I lost to Maria in the final of the US Open, which made her number one and me number two.

1:04:43So she got so close. But she says, best wishes, Christine. In brackets, Truman. Bless. Isn't that wonderful? Absolutely wonderful. So thank you, Christine. Go and listen to the show. It's great. Yeah, it is. It's a good show. Absolutely love that. Okay, that is it for part two. We'll be back in part three in just a moment. Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast, where before we turn our attention to Madrid and the draws that are now out, just, we actually had a pause in recording so that Matt could look at and digest the men's draw in Madrid. Before we get into that for you, some news that broke a couple of days ago, just before the weekend from the tennis world, which is that Marketa Vondroshova, the former Wimbledon champion, has been charged with refusing a doping test after what she calls an acute stress reaction.

1:05:47This from reporting by Charlie Echelsher in The Athletic. An ITIA spokesperson has confirmed to The Athletic that Vondroshova could face a ban of up to four years and that she's under investigation for an event which took place in December of last year, Vondroshova is free to play while under investigation. On Friday afternoon, Vondroshova issued a statement on Instagram detailing how a random visit from a doping control official caused an acute stress reaction, which she said prevented her from thinking clearly. The recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress, she said.

1:06:31She added that when someone rang my door late at night without properly identifying themselves or following protocol, I reacted as a person who felt scared. In that moment, it was about feeling safe, not about avoiding anything. Experts confirmed that I suffered an acute stress reaction and generalized anxiety disorder. In that moment, fear clouded my judgment and I just couldn't process the situation rationally. After what happened to Petra, referencing Kvitova, the fellow Czech Wimbledon champion who was stabbed in her own home 10 years ago, she said after what happened to Petra, we don't take strangers at our door lightly.

1:07:14Vondroshova, who in another social media post at the time described the incident as a serious intrusion on my privacy, said Friday that she was still working to clear her name. In response to this, the ITIA spokesperson said, we are aware of the player's comments. We can confirm that an investigation is underway and the player has been charged with refusing a test. At this stage, we're not able to comment any further on the specifics. Von Drosheva has engaged the services of a lawyer who said that for years, Marketa has quietly injured toxic harassment, death threats and the physical toll of chronic sleep deprivation.

1:07:52This situation was a breaking point. The combination of this long-term burden and a doping control encounter that failed to follow standard safety and identification protocols triggered a medically documented acute stress reaction. In that moment, the process simply couldn't be completed. Marketa takes her professional responsibilities very seriously, but she is a human being, not a machine. We are certain that once the full context is understood, her name will be cleared. A date hasn't been set yet for the hearing. The case revolves around tennis's whereabouts rules which state that for every day of the year a player must give a location and time slot when they can be tested.

1:08:35Refusing one or failing to update one's whereabouts three times within 12 months leads to a player being sanctioned. So one refusal or three failures to update the system about whereabouts. Von Droshevis said in December that the tester arrived outside of the testing window she had given and also failed to identify themselves. In addition to their whereabouts submissions, players can also be randomly tested at any time, according to the tennis anti-doping protocol. The ITA spokesperson said that this is because the organisation wants the testing program to be unpredictable.

1:09:21difficult to comment until you know the the case has been heard and we know the outcome a lot of people will think a potential four four-year ban for this sounds incredibly harsh and I think there's probably definitely a lot of validity to that that take I mean my personal feeling on it is punishments that feel very harsh are the price we have to pay for what we hope and consider to be a clean sport. I think it's possible to think that it's a potentially harsh punishment, but also a potentially right punishment if the case goes in that direction. But I still think it's possible to have a lot of, you know, sympathy for for Marketa Vondroshova and what she's clearly going through.

1:10:14I think it's a very complicated thing where lots of things can be true at once. I mean, I do think, let's say this case does result in a four-year ban, even a two-, three-year ban for Marketa Vondroshova. Optically, the sport does have a bit of a problem here where potentially you've got players actually testing positive for a banned substance in the case of Yannick Sinise and serving a very convenient three-month ban and a player refusing one doping test in situations with potentially extenuating circumstances and receiving a four-year ban. Optically, that could be a tough look for the sport.

1:11:03Yeah, right. I mean, even the conversation feels quite tough in that regard, the fact that that is being aired. So get this investigation done and try to come back with a sensible response is what I hope that the authorities do. Do it properly, do it fairly. and because yeah i mean i do have sympathy for for her and and at the same time share that view that nobody ever admits to anything so um how do you how do you give the program teeth but i also don't i would hate to think that there was just gonna be just some sanction given out without proper investigation, hearing the details. And also, like you say, without an actual positive test, I want to see this properly investigated.

1:12:06I'm glad they are. Yeah. I mean, I do understand why deterrents and punishments for refusing tests need to have pretty much as much teeth as those for testing positive. Like logically and kind of intellectually, I do understand that. But yeah, I still think that, you know, the optics of that potentially are rough for tennis. Luckily, you know, Vondroshova has considerable financial means, which we know helps when fighting these cases. You know, that is a big criticism of the current picture that how well you're able to fight your corner is so dependent on your financial status. but yeah just one thing that occurs to me and I am going to make inquiries about this with the ITIA I don't know the gender of the the testing control person that came to the door of Marketa Vondroshova but I absolutely think that it should be female doping control officers that are assigned to do those house calls with female players I if that isn't currently policy I think it I think it should be.

1:13:20So I will make some inquiries on that front. OK, Madrid. Let's start with all the withdrawals because there are a lot of folks. Novat Djokovic is out on the men's side, as is Taylor Fritz, Francis Tiafoe and Giovanni I mean, Pesci Pericard, the wait for the big launch of the Greg Rosetsky coaching situation. The wait goes on. And most significantly, Carlos Alcaraz is out of Madrid. Now, we knew this at the time that we recorded, I think, last Thursday, Matt. We're hearing rumblings coming out about this wrist injury being bad, Alcouraz being certainly more than just an excuse to pull out of an event he didn't particularly want to play anyway, or that's too reductive.

1:14:16I'm sure would love to play, but perhaps didn't best suit a schedule tailored towards defending his Roland Garros title. I've just seen some quotes from Feliciano Lopez saying that he's hearing bad things about the Alcouraz injury and that it puts Roman down and maybe even Roland Garros. I take that with a pinch of salt personally because he's the Madrid tournament director and he's very motivated to make it look like this withdrawal has nothing to do with Madrid and everything to do with, you know, if Carlos Alcaraz possibly could play Madrid, he absolutely would be there. But it's Carlos Alcaraz and tennis is better for him being there.

1:14:58And so, of course, we're worried. Yeah. Wow. I don't really think the Madrid tournament director should be talking about what they're hearing about a player's injury and sort of stirring that up. I must say, I was kind of more concerned when he pulled out of Madrid so far in advance like this. You know, I seem to remember last year, the Madrid withdrawal came a little bit later. It was almost like a little bit, oh, it could have been, it could have been playable. This seemed like quite a clear indication to me that Madrid, not possible. And that, to me, is worrying and slightly changes the picture that I had on Thursday's show when we were talking about it with Barcelona.

1:15:47I would say my worry level, while not like a sort of 8, 9 or 10, has gone up that scale a little bit towards the middle with what this could mean for Arakrez's Real Garros prep. I think there's an issue there that needs to resolve. In terms of the draw, Yannick Sinner is currently in it. I will still believe it when I see it personally. I know he's in Madrid, but I also know the Laurier Sports Awards are in Madrid and he's nominated and will be attending. So I don't know. I'm not saying I definitely don't think he's playing, but I still think he's a question mark until he takes to the court Yannick Sinner.

1:16:31But he's at the top of the draw. In the top half with him are Tommy Paul, Alex de Menor, Joel Fonseca, Raphael Rodar, Ben Shelton, Artur Fice, Valentin Vachero, Dorenzo Muzetti. And in the bottom half, we have Alexander Bublik, Stefano Sitsapas, Kaspar Rude, last year's champion, Francisco Sarindolo, Felix Auger, Eliassime, Daniel Medvedev, Lernitien, Flavio Caboli and Alexander Zverev, who we know loves Madrid and does look to have a pretty good draw. Thomas Mahatch against Francisco Comissania is an interesting first round. Marin Cilic against Zizou Burgs. And Terence Atman against Mirmir Ketsmanovic.

1:17:20Who's winning Madrid? You're going to say it depends where the Yannick Sinner plays, aren't you? And would that not be a fair response? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's the only answer, isn't it? If Yannick Sinner doesn't play, who's winning Madrid? no idea that's what makes it fascinating it's it'll if if he doesn't play it'll feel like montreal toronto every year and and the last two winners of that were popper and shelton i think um yeah i mean just opportunities are out there i mean last year it was it was caspar rude beating Jack Draper in the final there. Yeah, I mean, to me, I always find those tournaments interesting, but there's always just that caveat in the back of my mind that, yeah, well, those two guys aren't there.

1:18:15But yeah, I mean, it should be Zverev, shouldn't it? It should be his chance to step up, and he doesn't hold a title right now, having lost the Munich title. He doesn't have a title at all, and yet he's been very, very consistent this year. He's beaten everybody, basically, except Senna. OK, last week he lost to Kabbali. So if Sina's not there, it should be Zverev. Pressure's on.

1:18:42The women's draw in Madrid, a lot fewer big-name withdrawals there. Obviously, Mukova, we've talked about. Emerita Karnu is out as well. She hasn't played since Indian Wells now. Apparently, she's still recovering from the viral illness that she picked up in the Middle East, which is some weeks ago now. So we wish her well. And in terms of the draw, top half, Irina Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, Belinda Bencic, Jasmine Paulini, Igor Svontek, Eva Jovic, Mir Andreeva, Alina Svitolina. And the bottom half features Jessica Bagula, Marta Kostiuk, Victoria Mboko, Coco Goff, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keyes, Yelena Ostapenko, Jung Chin Wen, and Elena Rabakina and fun round ones include Yulia Putintseva against Teresa Valantova Janice Chen against Maria Sakharie Venus Williams against 20-year-old Spanish wildcard Caitlin Kevado who was born and raised in Florida you've also got Lois Boisson back in the draw making her comeback with new coach Rick Vlieshowers she saw Amanda Inussam over season last year and she thought, I'll have some of that.

1:20:02And incidentally, Atnis Amova certainly not heard any coaching news from her. Maybe there's a big unveiling happening this week. Maybe someone will just pop up in her box. But as of now, Matt, she's coachless? Yeah, maybe. Maybe flying solo. Seems to have her dog in Madrid, I think, based on Well, who needs a coach when you've got your dog? Some Instagram content. So coach out, dog in. I never see her Instagram content because we share an Instagram channel. And obviously with stories, once you see them, they disappear. And obviously Matt's straight in there with seeing what Amanda and Samova's up to.

1:20:52He always gets in there first. You could seek it out. You could search it. And sometimes I do, but I've got to remember to do that. You know, we've got a lot going on. OK, who is winning Madrid on the women's side? You're going to say Sabalenka, aren't you? This is not a fun game this week. Yeah, I mean, I would say Sabalenka. Loves Madrid, has won it, what, three times, I think. She always looks as awesome as it's possible to look. Yeah, she does. In Wuhan, I said. And she does. I've got Wuhan in my mind as the other tournament that she looks awesome in. Wuhan and Madrid. I mean, lots of places she looks awesome.

1:21:35Those two specifically. I'll shut up now.

1:21:41David, let's change the subject and talk about Ash, our mascot for this episode. Ash is a little black British short-haired cat. She does look really little. I don't know if it's the perspective, but she looks like I could hold her in one hand. Hannah May Whiting, Ash's owner, says we got Ash when she was one in December 2022. Ash had been at a cat cafe, but wasn't really enjoying the social life with lots of other cats and people and joined us for a quieter life. Ash loves nothing better than playing with us and eating dreamies. She loves to sit right in front of the television, watch tennis and taskmaster.

1:22:23She is named after Ash Barty, one of our favourite tennis players. We love animals named after tennis players. Got a lot of questions about Ash's origin story at the Cat Cafe, Hannah, if you could get in touch. Like, can you just sort of go to a cat cafe and leave with a cat? Like, is that a thing that can happen? What happens to the cats at the cat cafe like at night? Where do they go? And those are my two questions for now, I think. I'm sure there'll be subsequent questions once I get answers to those. Anyway, you've given Ash a better life and she looks like she's absolutely loving it. I had a black cat growing up with gorgeous green eyes like that, Marmite.

1:23:16So got a bit of a soft spot for them. So love that. Thank you, Hannah. Hello to our mascots. Hello, Bodie, Maisie and Roger. Two final appearances yesterday. Two final losses for my fantasy team members. But overall, a good week, I'm calling it. Two final wins for me. I've overtaken you. Look, all I aim for, David, is mid-table mediocrity. Of course you have. I'm second it's going great

1:23:55well Bodhi I thought we were doing well so I think we should be you're third it's good I was feeling buoyant for me and Bodhi but yeah it's Maisie's week that's for sure Roger you're playing the long game it's not going well hello to our top folks and executive producers Greg, Chris and Jeff Matt, let's have some shout outs we have Jonathan Hood from Birmingham, Alabama hello Jonathan don't we also sometimes have a Pamela Hood I think you're right I think we do Jonathan, like Jonathan Stark the 90s no, is that 90s or maybe 2000s, blonde tennis player with a mane of blonde hair who used to come alive at Wimbledon, American.

1:24:53I've never heard of this man, but I believe you. David's brought him up before. I remember the main comment. Yeah, I got emails after it from other people who remembered him fondly.

1:25:10Okay. well I'm glad I'm glad you remember him fondly because I actually can't think of any other tennis Jonathans but anyway we've got one so there we go Johnny Mary yeah there's some Johns and some Johnnies but I'm struggling for Jonathans but we've got Stark Stark he's in Jonathan Jureko yes our colleague JJ from BBC Sport Jonathan Overend Sky Tennis Commentator my old colleague at BBC Five Live. Yep. And our Jonathan today says, I've been listening to the show since January 2022, haven't missed an episode since. My son Holland, eight years old, and I listen in the car on the way to and from school.

1:25:59We love pulling for any and all American men and women, and he especially loves when you talk about some of his favourites, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, and Jessica Pergoula. So shout out Holland as well. Holland Hood. What a name. Love that. Thank you, Jonathan. Hello, Holland. We've also got Teresa from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hello, Teresa. Like Valantova. Yeah. Very good. Teresa says, I discovered tennis while staying with my grandparents for a week in the summer of 1976. Watching Wimbledon to escape the hot, steamy Nebraska summer, I was hooked. My all-time favourite player is Steffi Graf.

1:26:52I think Nebraska is where Andy Roddick was born. Yes, correct. Very good. There you go. I haven't got anything for Tulsa. You've already excelled yourself with... Thank you. Thank you very much. And finally, we have Lindsay Hill from Atlanta, Georgia. And Lindsay says, Atlanta, Georgia is home of the most recreational tennis players per capita in the world. I think we've had this stat before, actually, about Atlanta. Lindsay says, this is largely thanks to the very popular Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association leagues. Shout out to my Sunday women's team, some of whom are listeners and all of whom are incredibly strong, smart, beautiful women.

1:27:47Wonderful. You've done it. What a shout out. Lindsay, like Davenport. Yes. Lindsay, Jonathan and Teresa, thank you very much indeed for being friends of the Tennis Podcast. If you'd like to become a friend of the pod, then the link is in our show notes. We will see friends of the pod on Wednesday for that show about tennis reform. Cannot wait. And we'll be back with a regular weekly show next Monday. No Thursday show this week because absolutely no tennis of consequence will have happened between now and Thursday. Thank you, two week long 1000 events. But we'll be back on Monday and we'll have a midweek show next week for you.

1:28:37And if you can't wait till then, we have a friend show coming your way on Wednesday. So thank you for listening, everyone. We are part of the Athletic Podcast Network and we'll speak to you soon.