Aus Open Day 9 - Can Showtime Shelton shock Sinner?

12:40Matt Roberts:whilst blasting out Twist and Shout which is an absolute banger between between the verse and the chorus in the song uh the announcer came through and said ladies and gentlemen Wong is now receiving a medical timeout and then the chorus it was surreal the chorus came in um so yeah Wong was Wong was a little hampered in the in the second set and her challenge looked to have really waned um it felt like it felt like one to just get through for both Amanda Anissimova and for us Matt?

13:17Catherine Whitaker:It was quite an unusual Amanda Anissimova match because the first set ended up in a tie break and there'd been no breaks of serve and for any regular watchers of Amanda Anissimova they will know that her serve can sometimes be a little vulnerable and her return game is usually absolutely elite and dangerous and yet what was happening here was that Anisimova was cruising through her service games pretty much but getting quite angsty and stressed and overhitting on the return like she was trying to force it I think in a way that she probably didn't really need to because she did have the advantage in the matchup with just her bigger game but as long as that nervous energy existed in that first set it it felt tense and Wong played well and could well have won that first set tie break to be honest um but came up with a bit of a bit of a dumb approach on the set point you know she had a short ball Wong and sliced it straight to the Inisimova backhand rather than the forehand and Inisimova had just missed the running forehand on the previous point like you've just got to go to the forehand on that one but of course Anissimova perfectly hit the backhand pass cross court took the first set and then they exchanged breaks that started the second set and then Anissimova got another one and then held for the rest of the match and actually her serve down the stretch Anissimova was excellent and she talked in press about how she has been working on it and trying to trying to get more speed on it more power she thinks she's already got the precision but she said today was the day that it really felt like it clicked for her.

15:05Matt Roberts:Which could be a big deal.

15:07Catherine Whitaker:Definitely. I mean, if she can have a serve that's clicking in the latter stages, that could be the thing that gets her over the line in this major compared to her two finals at the end of last season where I think, okay, the Wimbledon final was a bit of an anomaly but it certainly let her down in the US Open final, that shot. And she's going to need it against the best players and the best returners. So, yeah, overall, I would say it was a good performance from Anissa Mova and in quite gruelling conditions. It wasn't really extreme, but I think the heat index was hovering in the three-point something, pushing up to four during that match.

15:52Catherine Whitaker:They weren't a million miles away from stopping.

15:55Matt Roberts:Matt said, what's that whirring sound? It was my neck fan.

16:01Catherine Whitaker:I was ready to blame the John Kane arena, but actually it was Catherine sitting next to me. No, it was another good performance from her.

16:12Matt Roberts:And that improved serving could be critical for her to try and keep that up in two days' time because it's Pagula next and she's got this really poor record against Pagula. Pagula has been a problem for her.

16:27David Law:Handcuffs her from what I've seen in the past.

16:30Catherine Whitaker:Yeah, I mean, they haven't played since the Canada final of 2024. And they also played in Charleston that year. And look, obviously, Anissimova is a different player, a different person since those matches. But I do think there is something in the matchup that is difficult for her against Pagula. I think, you know, Pagula has a natural slice serve, which will be harder for Nisimov to get on top of than some of the kick serves she's just played. And Pagula, as David says, is very good at absorbing pace coming at her, I think. And she's able to stay very low to the ground, Pagula. And she's got good hands to be able to deal with pace coming at her.

17:15Catherine Whitaker:She's also happy throwing in short balls and slices and getting Nisimov over moving. I think it is a really tough match-up for Anissimova, but not an insurmountable one, like one that if she does play really well, I do think she can win. But Pagula is just a tough out. So she's going to have to watch those stress levels, I think.

17:41David Law:Do you think that Pagula is the favourite on paper?

17:46Catherine Whitaker:It's a good question. because normally I do take head-to-head really into account for those sorts of things. But I would say Anissa Mova is the slight favourite because I just think form and the fact that those matches weren't against 2025, 2026 Anissa Mova. She's so different, isn't she? The movement is so different now for Anissa Mova.

18:12David Law:And generally the way she carries herself as a player and believes in herself, I think. And she's been around the circuit now in multiple Grand Slam finals and sees herself as that player, I think. But just, yeah, I mean, when I say handcuffs are pretty gulish, I think the depth of stroke with flatness makes it more difficult to tee off on, in a way, for Inesimova. So I think, look, that could be the one, that could be an absolute belter.

18:42Catherine Whitaker:It's a ball striking joy, that match.

18:48Matt Roberts:And speaking of which, the other quarterfinal...

18:51Catherine Whitaker:Catherine's not allowing herself to get hyped.

18:54Matt Roberts:Well, look, I am. I've just...

18:57Catherine Whitaker:I've been burnt before.

18:58Matt Roberts:I've been burnt, yeah, two days in a row. Well, a whole tournament in a row, quite frankly. I never run out of energy. The peak with Joanna Garland.

19:07David Law:I always come back for more, even after I've had a body blow.

19:11Matt Roberts:Well, the other quarterfinal set up today on the women's side, Elena Rabakina against Iga Svantec. Rabakina was sublime against Elisa Mertens. I mean, the head-to-head going in was 6-1, so now 7-1. It was 6-1, 6-3 in an hour and 17 minutes. And this was another example of it being all about levels, David, because we've seen Mertens brush other players aside and be one of the form players of the season so far. and she just looked helpless against Rabakina today.

19:46David Law:Yeah, you can get taken in by these things, can't you, if you don't remember what the match-up looks like and what Rabakina's level looks like when it's really required and when she's playing at her peak. I think with her, she's a player you can kind of go through a few rounds without really watching how she's got there. You just look at the scores, they've gone by serenely. You look at Mertens and actually her scorelines looked different to what we've been used to. She was beating people comfortably and she'd been on a good run. And yeah, she just runs into Rebecca and she can't cope with that power.

20:25David Law:And her ground strokes and shots generally don't seem to have much effect on a player like Rebecca.

20:33Matt Roberts:Yeah, and now we really get to test the level of Elena Rabakina in this tournament and the level of Iga Shontek because, look, the Madison English story has been a lovely one this tournament. but it felt very inevitable that it came to an abrupt halt tonight. Six love, 6-3 for her against Iger Schvontek. She celebrated winning her first game like she'd won Wimbledon. And she's got this lovely disposition about her madness in England. She was taking it all in. You know, she knows she's had the most wonderful experience and the prize money that she's won by reaching the fourth round will be able to sustain her as a tennis player now for the next few years and give her a real slingshot to discover how good a player she can be, which is fantastic.

21:34Matt Roberts:But, I mean, totally outclassed today by Iga Svantec, who was clearly pissed off about not getting the day session match that she requested. We knew she'd requested day session today because Jim Currier disclosed that on the Tennis Channel this morning, which is very interesting. He said, hey, do you want an insight into some behind the scenes scheduling stuff? And everyone went, yeah, that sounds fun. And he said there was a really big sort of good natured, but quite a head to head between Channel 9, who wanted the Australian to play to headline the night session and between Igor Shvantec who really wanted the day session.

22:18Matt Roberts:We don't really know why because this can't have been a match that she was particularly worried about and she's going to have to play night session from now on. It feels like getting in that kind of groove would be good for her But either way, we know she wanted to play in the day session. And after the win in about an hour and 10 minutes, she made quite a chippy comment about it in the on-court interview. She was asked what she was going to do with her day off. And she said, well, I don't have that much time because the tournament seems to want me to play at night time. You know, she was clearly on her mind.

23:04so I don't know what's going on there

23:09David Law:I do think these players should just play when they're scheduled and shouldn't be putting requests in at all I just don't believe in any of it Yeah

23:21Matt Roberts:even Novak Djokovic?

23:22David Law:Yeah, I don't think it should be I mean, you know, they should do it but the tournament should be turning around and saying, you know, we want this then, you play when you're told

23:33Matt Roberts:yeah look I agree but it's just never going to happen is it

23:38David Law:interesting that Darren Cahill said that Yannick Sinner was quite happy to have played anywhere he didn't put any requests in yeah they

23:50Matt Roberts:he disclosed and he did one of those little interviews during the warm-up I think of Yannick Sinner's match on the second court this evening he was scheduled not before 6pm on the second court But Darren Cahill said that when the Djokovic match was effectively cancelled, when Jakub Menchik pulled out, that they offered Sinner the opportunity for his match to be the one that moved over. And Sinner said, no, that's fine. I'm happy with where I am on the second court. Let's just stick with the plan. So enter Ben Sholton and Kasparud. More on them later. But Shontek Rabatkinah, should we just give that a bit of hype?

24:32David Law:That was a match here a few years ago, wasn't it? And Rybakkena won.

24:38Catherine Whitaker:It's become a very interesting head-to-head, I think, Sviantek against Rybakkena, because there was definitely a period, 2023, 2024, when I would probably have said Rybakkena is the most dangerous opponent for Igor Sviantek, besides Ostopenko, obviously. But, you know, in terms of...

24:58Matt Roberts:More on her later too, by the way.

25:01Catherine Whitaker:in terms of you know the just the game style and the the smooth big hitting of Rebecca you know we just saw it cause Fiontech problems and what's interesting is that actually since Fiontech has started working with Wim Fassett her head-to-heads against a lot of the other top players have got a little bit worse she's become a little bit more vulnerable against her fellow top players but actually the Rabatkinna head-to-head has totally turned around and she's really started beating Rabatkinna quite consistently across surfaces and I do feel like against Rabatkinna we've seen slightly less of the just hitting and hitting from Svantec it feels like she's committed more to the counter-punching and the and the ability to stay in rallies and only only really attack when she needs to it just feels like she's got the blend of her game really good really right against Rebecca you know when they played recently um she has to play well but she has done and I I don't know as I said like a couple of years ago I might well have made Rebecca in a favorite against Svantec on a on a hardcore like this but the way it's turned and the way Svantec sort of look generally this tournament I think I would probably have Svantec as the favorite but she does need to serve well you know like that's that is a big element for her in that in that matchup and she has done recently um but she needs to keep doing that i think that's going to be an absolutely key key shot you cannot allow rebecca to get on top of that so long as it's three sets

26:46David Law:i don't mind three sets of anything please or two belting sets yeah i do feel like we're owed

26:53Matt Roberts:some three setters though. I'm collecting my debts.

26:58David Law:One day, one day we're just going to have a day full of them and then it will be four in the morning and we'll be like, oh, it's too late.

27:07Matt Roberts:Yeah, it'll be Thursday after the one point slam. Right, that's it for part one. Join us in part two when we'll talk about the men's crap matches. But before we do that, of course, a message from our wonderful sponsors of the Tennis Podcast throughout the Australian Open, Steve Fergal's International Tennis Tours, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2026.

27:31David Law:That's nearly as old as me. Mm, yeah.

27:35Matt Roberts:Keep going, Steve. And he is going to keep going. He's got no intention of stopping. He is the premium hospitality experience provider.

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27:49Matt Roberts:And you've got another chance here, Matt, an official ticket and travel package provider of Roland Garros 2026.

27:56David Law:Yeah. He didn't even try. I was saying it in my head.

28:01Matt Roberts:Well, well then, Matt, I'm going to put you on the spot. Why should tennis fans make a point of experiencing Roland Garros?

28:11Catherine Whitaker:It's the chic slam, isn't it? Everyone's well-dressed. Not that they're not. Not the Australian Open, obviously. But there's a style.

28:23Matt Roberts:There are levels.

28:24Catherine Whitaker:There are levels. There are levels. There's a style to Paris in the spring. The clay is such a great surface to watch tennis on. You don't get as many duds.

28:37Matt Roberts:We need to stop promising no duds. That can't be on us if people go to Paris and there are dud matches.

28:44Catherine Whitaker:Clay is, what is it Mary Carrillo says? Clay court matches.

28:48Matt Roberts:Tennis' classroom.

28:49Catherine Whitaker:Tennis' classroom. It's just the best.

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29:35Matt Roberts:And the all important code for that 10 % discount is PARIS10. We'll see you there. Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast where we have just three men's matches to talk about, of course because Novak Djokovic and Jakub Mensik was cancelled after Mensik guttingly had to pull out ahead of that match. Shall we start with Lorenzo Mazzetti beating Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. Every time I looked at this match, I thought Taylor Fritz didn't look physically fit. I think he's a heck of a competitor. I mean, I think that generally, but it was underlined today by the fact that he even managed to make this as close as it was.

30:24Matt Roberts:And yet it wasn't particularly close. This is Lorenzo Mazzetti's first hard court win over Taylor Fritz. And that feels like a real milestone kind of for them both in very opposite ways.

30:42David Law:Yeah, I think that's fair because I think Mazzetti has made real gains in recent months. I think he was very proud of himself that he's come in with a new, more aggressive, assertive approach, using his forehand more, stepping onto the baseline more and not retreating so much. And he deserves to feel like that because it's not easy to beat a guy like Fritz, even if he is impeded and he clearly was but at the same time I mean Taylor Fritz was a pretty depressing sight today and I've got endless respect for him as well because he is a real fighter but you know he came in his press comments afterwards we knew he'd had he's had tendinitis in his knee for for months and he's been trying to work with that and figure it out and and stop feeling pain all the time i mean he seems to just be playing tennis all the time with pain or having to dampen it with with painkillers but he also made it pretty clear in previous rounds that he was dealing with something else and he didn't want to go into details with it and once he was out of the tournament he did give us details and it was his oblique it was his sort of abdominal area that he'd got some tape on and he'd been struggling with that recently as well.

32:07David Law:He's had that before. I mean, that's too much. That's too much at a Grand Slam to be trying to cope with. So the upshot is I think Lorenzo Mazzetti gives himself a crack at Novak Djokovic now and I'm really interested to see whether he can take another step, you know, because this is a guy that's been around for years i remember when we first saw him here winning the juniors and how won over we were just by his style and and what he looked like as when he hit the tennis ball and and then when he came on the tour it was exciting but you know he's now gone from that to to to being a real factor um and and looking like there's there's more than just decoration of a tennis tournament but for Fritz it's he's he's gotta he's gotta stop until this is right

32:59Matt Roberts:in my opinion yeah just just rounding off the the Taylor Fritz of it all I mean it seems so obvious that he's got to stop and yet I mean you asked him directly David and he was talking about trying

33:12David Law:to get fit in time to go to Dallas yeah which is next month um and is you know a lower level tournament it's a good tournament he's a respect he's committed to it and he wants to play it and he wants to play a lot of tournaments i i get it he wants to win grand slams you you can't have everything if you're feeling like that you've i mean i just said to him look jack draper at a feast they've taken six seven months off they don't want to and it sounds like their issues are more dramatic than his are but has he would he consider just not playing the sport until he stops feeling pain and until he stops feeling impeded and he did say that that had been the plan coming into this year that he'd he didn't he didn't want to play like this anymore and then it crept up on him again and then you're like left with a decision do I play the Australian Open or don't I and the view was that he could continue to rehab what it what the problem was on his knees whilst playing the tournament and that that would work but he said look it's it has flared up again I've had pain and it's it's clearly horrible I mean he looked so down I hope he stops until it's right.

34:29It is pretty crazy with chronic things like that and chronic

34:33Matt Roberts:pain how you can lose sight of how much pain you're in how impossible it is to judge how much pain you're in it's only once the pain is alleviated that you go my god what a what a fool I was to think I was okay and it it does sound and look to me like he's in that clouded zone which is which is tough to see um Lorenzo Mazzetti Matt just picking up on everything David said about him number three in the live rankings right now it's up for grabs Lorenzo

35:08Catherine Whitaker:So, yes, and isn't there a line that unless Vero reaches the final, the winner of Mazzetti, Djokovic, will be ranked number three at the end of this tournament? Which does really show you the strides and the gains, like you say, that Mazzetti has made. For him to even be in that conversation, you would not have thought that a year ago. But part of that evolution and that growth for him has been evolving his game on the hard courts and making himself dangerous all year round rather than just through the clay court swing or through the grass court swing. Like you've got to be good on hard courts if you're going to get up to number three in the world these days.

35:56Catherine Whitaker:And part of that has been the serve. He's been serving a lot better, having changed the technique on that. I think he's grown into that shot. And the mindset, you know, going out there with an intent to hurt with that forehand, which is, I believe, one of the very, very best in the world. And combine that with his natural talents and a bit more belief in himself, which I think he built up through last season. And suddenly he's a very, very dangerous player. I also think he's a lot more mature as a person. And he's having to be this tournament as well, isn't he? because his very long-time coach, Simone Tartarini, is not here.

36:40Catherine Whitaker:He had to fly home because of a family emergency, I think. And the same also for his physio. He has two key team members down this tournament, Isma Zetti. He has got Jose Perlas in the coaching box, someone he brought on during the off-season and is working with. So he has got a coach here. But, you know, I mean, for Mazzetti to play a match without Tartarini is something that he's never really done. You know, they've been together for a very, very long time. And it just feels like he's able now as a person to cope with something like that much better. And look, Novak Djokovic has dominated their head to head, but they have had a lot of good matches.

37:32Catherine Whitaker:You know, a couple of them at Roland Garros, of course, when Mazzetti has really pushed Djokovic to five sets. And then most recently, their match in Athens at the back end of last year on a hard court was really one of the best matches of the ATP season, I would say. Both of them brought a great level to that. and Mazzetti talked about needing to win the match rather than play the match I don't know I feel like in the past against Djokovic and against some big names he's had slightly happy to be there energy and I think he's aware that he needs to not have that and show some fangs and I believe he'll get chances against Djokovic I do think his game and his movement, his physicality can hurt this version of Novak Djokovic.

38:30Catherine Whitaker:But does he trust himself in the big moments? And I think if he gets a bit of a setback, he needs to keep going with the game that is eventually going to get him through. He can't resort to being passive just because maybe being aggressive doesn't get him the first set. Something like that. I could see that mindset being tested by Novak Djokovic. And I'm not sure I fully trust it, but it's going to be a big test of it. And I can't wait for it. The rallies in that are going to be wonderful.

39:06Matt Roberts:Are you promising that it's going to be good? Is that what you're doing?

39:10David Law:The thing is, I think you could appreciate that match, even if it isn't five sets or four sets. I think individual rallies. I mean, personally, I can imagine being bewitched by just watching them strike the ball and move each other around. Because some players have got that. I felt like that with Mazzetti and Mahatch the other day. But if it's knife-edge, nail-biting stuff you're after.

39:42Catherine Whitaker:It is.

39:43David Law:Yeah.

39:44Catherine Whitaker:It is. I think sitting here right now, my prediction would be Djokovic in four. Yeah. And I think I could see them maybe like splitting the first two and the third being a real humdinger. Yeah, at this point, I'll sign for that.

39:58Matt Roberts:I just want to feel some adrenaline pumping through my veins. Is it too much to ask for in week two of a Grand Slam?

40:06Catherine Whitaker:It's not, no, but... We're going to appreciate it. It's coming.

40:12David Law:I mean, unless one of them, I mean, unless Mazzetti shows up and just doesn't really compete properly, which I don't think will happen. I think he will. I think he'll play well, whether it's enough is another matter. I think I'm going to enjoy it anyway.

40:30Matt Roberts:Yeah, I'm sure it will be beautiful. But adrenaline is what I'm after. I didn't get it from Yannick Sinner against Luciano Darderi. This was a weird match. 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 for Yannick Sinner, who came out, by the way, in white socks, white shorts and white cap. I think he's taken matters with Nike into his own hands and I respect that from Yannick Sinner.

41:04David Law:It's a bit like a football manager who picks three goalkeepers and puts on the bench when he doesn't feel like he's being given the right transfers.

41:13Matt Roberts:Yeah, I don't know whether they're officially part of his kit or whether he dug the white stuff out of his training kit, but it looks a lot better. Still broadly ugly, but slightly mitigated by not having the weird shorts. this this was so weird what a weird tennis player Luciano Darderi is he was having a really bizarre crash out at the end of the second set as if he was surprised by the opposition that he was facing and then he took his hat off and post hat Darderi started hitting the crap out of the ball obviously still lost the set sort of flaked out he had a bunch of break points right at the end of the set that would have left him serving for it, didn't take them and then obviously got broken and that was that I know I should have found this match fun I didn't find it that fun because the result just felt so inevitable there were no real stakes or tension which if it's not obvious is what I'm is what I'm craving just at the moment.

42:31Matt Roberts:But I think there will have been people out there that had a fun time watching this. There's a meme going around of the cartoon avatar version of Luciano Darderi. You know, that's something they do on the Australian Open YouTube channel, doing something really weird, sort of from the end of the second set. and it very much is a sort of representation of Luciano Darderi's contribution to the order of play today, which was bizarre.

43:09David Law:Yeah, I don't think I looked up from my laptop, really, while I was writing the newsletter for the first two sets because there was nothing going on. Then suddenly the third set got fun.

43:19Catherine Whitaker:It was fun, yeah. Hitting the crap out of the ball is absolutely right. he upped his forehand speed from 130 kilometers per hour to 150. Like, just finding 20 kilometers per hour on average.

43:38Matt Roberts:But where was that for the first two sets?

43:41Catherine Whitaker:Yeah, I mean, look, you could argue he played this match backwards, right? You've got to come out playing like that. It's not much good being two sets to love down and then doing that. That's just giving yourself such a mountain to climb.

43:53Matt Roberts:Body language suggested he got to the end of the second set and he was like, oh, I'm going to have to play better than this, am I? That's a surprise. Here's that extra 20 miles per hour on my forehand that I've been keeping in reserve. Well, you're already two sets to love down to Yannick Sinner. What have you been doing?

44:15Catherine Whitaker:Yeah, I mean, the problem is you saw what happened to his forehand in the tie break when he went to love up. and he's committing to still hitting that forehand huge. And it went off. And there was one that just ballooned in the air as he shanked it. It's unsustainable. You can't keep that up. You can only do that for a portion of the match. And that's the power of Yannick Sinner. It's the power of the best players in the world. They make you go out of your comfort zone to be able to beat them. and I don't know, I'm pleased that Darderi tried it. I agree with you. I think it would have been more effective if he'd come out playing like that and tried to rock Yannick Sinner, who I thought was actually a very good performance today.

45:05Catherine Whitaker:I thought he was absolutely sublime in large portions of this match, but could there have been some doubt or uncertainty or vulnerability if he'd been rocked at the start, given what happened to him in the previous match? It was still very hot when he took to the court today. But no, Darderi saved all the fun for the end when he was already two sets of love down.

45:27Matt Roberts:And now Yannick Sinner faces Ben Shelton, who, just to give us a little bit of fun today, lost the first set. 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 over Kasparud in the final match of the day on the Rod Laver arena. He fancies himself in this quarterfinal against Yannick Sinner. I mean, I think he always fancies himself, Ben Shelton. But it's good, you know, talking about our concerns for Lorenzo Mazzetti facing Novak Djokovic and the lack of real deep down, in your core, in your veins, do you believe? are questioning that when he takes to the court against somebody like Djokovic. You don't worry about that with Ben Shelton.

46:23Matt Roberts:And, you know, I feel like tennis levels might hold him back from beating Yannick Sinner, but that's not going to.

46:31David Law:He's certainly going to give himself as big a chance as he possibly can by going out there and swinging, rolling the dice, going after his shots. I think he's really confident at the moment. I think there's a bit more security about his ground straights. I think he kind of knows what's coming off the strings more than he ever has. I still think that, I don't think we've seen the best Yannick Sinner at this tournament yet. And the problem with facing him is that he can suddenly make you realise, oh crikey, that works against these guys, it doesn't work against this guy. But look, Rude has been playing good tennis.

47:12David Law:I think he played quite a lot of good tennis tonight he also put in some bad double faults and and threw in some poor points when it really mattered but what you said there Catherine about the fact that Rude won that first set that's the first disappointment that Shelton's had in this tournament because he's been imperious up until then and that could that could have derailed him because he he was a bit off in that first set his serve wasn't working quite right he's on the roddler arena it's different um and he regrouped and he found the form that he's been displaying the rest of the tournament he he's he's developed an incredible forehand when he's pushed out wide and he he's just slapping this ball but with control and he kind of rescued a couple of points with that he hit some good backhands he hit some good volleys he was he He was incredible at the net tonight.

48:05David Law:The success rate was very high. I don't exactly know what his best tactic is playing against Yannick Sinner. I'm fascinated as to what they hook up to try to achieve what they want. But I find myself thinking it'll be closer than last year's semi. I think he can make a fight of it. But, you know, there's a difference between that and winning.

48:32Catherine Whitaker:yeah I've been impressed with Shelton this tournament I think it's really notable and impressive just how consistent he is at the majors I think I don't know I feel like against most of the field Shelton has an advantage over best of five you know he tends to make matches physical and I think he can improve as they go on I think we saw that tonight I think he backs himself over best of five against the very best in the field. I think against the Yannick Sinner or against the Carlos Alcarez, against the very best, I don't know if he's quite able to make best of five the advantage that it is for him against the rest of the field.

49:22Catherine Whitaker:Because he's got to sustain such a level for so long and not have lapses. lapses, you know, and I just think over those, over the longer format, you know, it's an obvious point that the better player tends to, tends to come out on top and I don't know, like if he can, if he can make it physical, if he can really push Sinner to the, to the sort of four hour mark, maybe that is his best route, but I, I just don't know if he can get it there, you know, like he was good tonight, Shelton, but he did need those poor games from Rude to break through, all of them really that Shelton won, the decisive games and those sets, Rude played a big part in it with those untimely double faults.

50:07Catherine Whitaker:His forehand went off. I just don't think Sinner's going to do that. And that might mean you end up in tie breaks or one or two perhaps. But again, I'm always backing Sinner to just sort of come up with the good. So I'm being impressed with Shelton. I've not necessarily seen anything that makes me think that that match is going to be massively different. I agree it could be a bit closer, but it still feels to me like there's a gap there.

50:37Matt Roberts:Just quickly, finally, on Sinner. He is one of three players that we've seen. There may have been others, but we've seen him, Carlos Alcaraz and Irina Sabalenka They're all being asked to remove their fitness trackers, their wearable health tech watches that they've come onto the court wearing. They've been asked to remove them at the coin toss. And this has been picked up on and it's become a bigger and bigger story. A lot of people have been doing some digging into it. And in fact, Whoop, who is one manufacturer of these health tracker devices, they've picked up on it and they've been tweeting and releasing statements on social media today.

51:26Matt Roberts:DaewooP founder Will Ahmed described the Alcoraz decision as ridiculous, saying, let the athletes measure their bodies. Wearables provide meaningful insight into workload recovery, injury prevention and clinical evaluation. That is from Dr. Robbie Sicker, medical director at the PTPA. They're starting to get involved in this as well. Now, the ATP and the WTA have approved the use of wearable health tech. They've got a list of approved manufacturers and suppliers and all the big ones are on there. It is the Grand Slams who have unilaterally decided to ban this. and it does seem that they are acting as one and wanting to act as one.

52:23Matt Roberts:There's a BBC article that I'm reading that suggests that the Australian Open would like to approve the use of wearable tech but it's sort of reaching a unified decision with the other slams that is the problem. I find that a bit bizarre because they're all happy to make their own decisions on things when it suits them. Again, pick yourself up and move yourself to October. That's a thing that you can do. I'm sure you can approve the use of wearable health tech. It seems pretty bizarre that this isn't permitted, something that is so obviously, well, A, just normal in the year 2026, and secondarily so obviously beneficial to the athletes who are managing, they're going to be managing a 45 degree day tomorrow, playing stressful competitive matches.

53:21Matt Roberts:Those are conditions that you can't recreate in practice. The data that you would get from playing those matches would be invaluable, I'm sure. It has been suggested, and this hasn't been confirmed by any of the tournaments, but suggested that it's the reason for the ban at the moment from the Grand Slams is that the data ownership, the data generated by the health tech and the commercialisation of that data is what's at issue. And until it's kind of been determined who owns the data, whether it can be commercialised and monetised in some way, they kind of don't want to give it up for nothing if there's some potential value there, I think seems to be the situation.

54:10Matt Roberts:There's obviously also the potential for partnership deals with manufacturers, but it does, it feels so backward to be seeing this, to be seeing elite athletes going out there with things. I mean, I'm wearing one right now. I'm wearing a very primitive version of what Carlos Alcaraz and Yannickson are wearing, but it's just a weird look for tennis to be actively discouraging this.

54:40David Law:Yeah, I wear one as I try to sort of deal with long COVID symptoms and things like that. I mean, there's all sorts of reasons health-wise why you would want to, particularly athletes at this sort of level, but anybody in the draw, that this is affordable technology for all of them and something that could really help them understand their body during matches, after matches, etc. I don't see this as being a sustainable situation. I think eventually they've got to figure this out and allow it. I would understand if they're worried about if it was connected to some live database or something like that.

55:26David Law:but as Yannick Sinner's saying no this is just for me to have information about my body after the match I think this should be allowed

55:34Matt Roberts:Absolutely, hear him Okay that is it for part two, we'll be back in part three with everyone's favourite sensation of the day and a little cameo from Yelena Ostapenko and Laura Siegmund Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast where I have two submissions for Sensations of the Day. I have Jason Kubler and Mark Polmans who beat fellow Sensations, Lee Tu and James McCabe, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the men's doubles quarterfinals. And I have Kim Birrell and Talia Gibson, former winners of Sensations of the Day, who beat Guo Hanyu and Christina Medinovich, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the women's doubles quarterfinals.

56:25Matt Roberts:Now, I would like to make a case for Jason Kubler. Do it. Well, I commentated one of his matches the other day in the mixed doubles he was playing with Madison Inglis, his fiancée, who of course played singles tonight against Igor Shviontek. And I hadn't realised what a horrific time with his physicality he had had he was um an incredibly talented young player another one that was described as a future rafael nadal um and of course you know he has had results in singles fourth round i think it uh at wimbledon a few years ago but basically he discovered that he had a degenerative, severe degenerative knee issue.

57:16Matt Roberts:He's had seven surgeries on his knees. He was told by doctors that he couldn't play on any surface other than clay. For four years of his career, he's been playing exclusively on clay. And here he is. I know he has won the Australian Open men's doubles title before with Rinki Hidjukata, so this isn't new territory. but I just think that's a great story. And there he was in the players' box on Rod Laver Arena tonight supporting Maddie Inglis.

57:49David Law:And he won that doubles with Rinky Hijikata when we didn't have sensation of the day,

57:54Matt Roberts:so he didn't get his chance. A backdated sensation of the day.

58:00David Law:I think it's a good case you've made.

58:05Matt Roberts:Okay, Jason Cooper. This is tough on Mark Polman. his partner, isn't it? But there are a few chances. He gets it as well, no? I was just going to give it to Kubler. Mark Polman wasn't there on the players' box, in the players' box, watching Maddie Inglis.

58:21Catherine Whitaker:No, if it's doubles, it's a joint award, surely.

58:24Matt Roberts:I don't know anything about Mark Polman.

58:27Catherine Whitaker:That's enough that he's partnering Jason Kubler.

58:29Matt Roberts:OK, but Mark do know that you're riding on the coattails of Jason Kubler.

58:34David Law:He's helped your man. He's helped the man that we've just bigged up. OK.

58:39Matt Roberts:Jason Kubler and to a lesser extent, Mark Polman. You are our sensations of the day. Just while we're on the doubles, we should probably mention that the defending champions went out in the men's doubles today. Henry Patton and Heliavara lost to the unseeded Czech pairing that the Czech radio guys that sit behind us were getting fantastically excited about this evening. Petter Noosa and Patrick Riekel who quite honestly I hadn't heard of wasn't aware of but what an upset they pulled off this evening two straight sets over Patton and Hedy Avara and while we're on the doubles would somebody like to describe what Yelena Ostopenko did to Laura Siegmund earlier today?

59:27David Law:Yelena Ostopenko hit a tennis ball at Laura Siegmund, sort of knee height, something like that, and it was volleyed back to Ostopenko, who then took a full-blooded two-handed backhand swing and smashed it into Laura Siegmund's face. I probably shouldn't laugh. I am happy to say that Laura Siegmund appears to be absolutely fine.

59:55Matt Roberts:She's confirmed she's fine. It's okay to laugh.

59:57David Law:It's okay to laugh because it was very, very funny, given all the stuff that Sigmund has been doing to wind everybody up. And because it came from Ostopenko, who has... There's some good gifts out there. Yeah, I mean, it was very amusing.

1:00:15Matt Roberts:I mean, it was such a big swing at the ball. It was a full pelt Oscar Ostopenko backhand at Laura Sigmund's face. From really close. Yeah, at close range. and all's fair in doubles isn't it and i think laura siegman you know she gets that she and if she doesn't she really should but i think she gets that it was uh it's an incredible moment and it is out there widely on social media if you want to see it and shay and oster penko

1:00:47David Law:now face to broski stefani david oh our favorites yeah that's good doubles yeah okay

1:00:56Matt Roberts:what have we got for you tomorrow day 10 of the Australian Open and all the singles is on one court from now on folks we've reached that stage the Rod Laver Arena starting at 11.30am now my weather app says that it's going to be 40 degrees by midday tomorrow so I would not be surprised if all matches on the main show courts are played under the roof and play isn't suspended elsewhere they are starting early elsewhere I think to try and get some play in they've delayed the start of the wheelchair competition until Wednesday it was supposed to start tomorrow but won't be starting now until Wednesday there won't be any play on the John Kane arena tomorrow but they are leaving the John Kane arena the um the the public areas of it open to the public because it's air conditioned so that will be a kind of safe haven to go to which is a smart move but in terms of the Rod Laver arena 11 30 a.m start with Irina Sabalenka against Iva Jovic then not before 1 30 for Alexander Zverev against Lerna Tien and that is the upset that people are picking in our in our newsletter predictions if if people are going for an upset it does seem to be that one i think it's hard not to have been completely taken in by tn's performance over medvedev yesterday at night session and this is the surprise we were all expecting alcaraz and dominor as demanded by by channel channel nine to be the headline match at 7 p.m with the women shunted to the vibeless death slot but good on them coco goff and alina Svitolina starting the night session and Carlos Alcaraz and Alex de Menor last up yeah I think

1:02:53David Law:that's good scheduling from from the organizers here to avoid a match potentially starting at goodness knows what time you know it could be midnight I mean if if de Menor and and Alcaraz play a really long match you don't want a match starting that sort of time it's just so this is a good move because even if it's a really close match between Goff and Svitolina, okay, Alcras and Dimonor may end up playing well beyond midnight, but at least they'll start at sort of 9.30 or something like that. I think it's a good order of play all round. You know, it's going to be interesting. I personally, I don't see Jovic being able to go with Sabalenka.

1:03:40David Law:I would make Zverev a favourite, even as convincing and exciting as Lerner Tien was, but I don't think Tien's without a chance. I really think he does have a chance, but I think Zverev's playing very well too. So, fascinated to see how Tien handles that occasion, how Zverev handles being the favourites on Rodlover Arena when he's played several matches on John Kane Arena, And then, yeah, the night session, I would make Alcaraz favourite and Coco Gough probably favourite. But Svisalina was excellent yesterday against Andreeva. So it's going to be tomorrow. It's going to be the good one, Catherine.

1:04:24Matt Roberts:Don't make promises. All I want from the night session is for nobody to be asked sort of well-meaning but slightly depressing questions about sort of the old ball and chain marriage vibes and what somebody that's earned$26 million in their career, how they're going to use their husband's credit card to celebrate winning. That's all I want from tomorrow, as well as some adrenaline pumping. Matt any predictions it shouldn't be too much to ask it shouldn't be too much to ask Matt no but do you see any upsets

1:05:17Catherine Whitaker:well in the newsletter I have gone TN I think that is the most likely upset of the of the four closely followed I suppose by Svitolina Goff I think Svitolina I think she's unbeaten this year isn't she she has played really good tennis to start this season I just don't really see how she beats Goff in a very clean way you know like blowing off the court sort of thing I think she really has the weapons for that and I back Coco Goff in a tussle You know, normally it would back Svitolina in one of those, but Gough is the one I back the most. So I do see Gough coming through that. I'm really looking forward to Alcaraz de Menor.

1:06:10Catherine Whitaker:Like, I really do think that is going to be fun. But I do think Alcaraz's class will show and he'll have just too much ultimately for de Menor. But I could see Tien Zverev going five, and I could see Goff's Vittalina being three sets. I think we might get some matches going down, if not quite to the wire, then to a decider tomorrow.

1:06:44Matt Roberts:I will sign for that right now. I will sign for that. Well, you'd think, Matt, you would think.

1:06:51Catherine Whitaker:I think, as you said, most likely these matches are going to be indoors. So, you know, I don't love that, obviously. I'd much prefer the tennis to be happening outdoors, but in these conditions, get them indoors because it's going to be brutal. And that, I'm pleased that, like, I don't feel like the conditions are actually going to be too much at play tomorrow. Right? I think it's going to be too extreme. They're just going to take the conditions out of it. And I prefer that rather than what we saw the other day where, you know, it was quite a tough scene looking how distressed a lot of the players were.

1:07:28Yeah, absolutely.

1:07:30Matt Roberts:OK, well, we'll be indoors in air conditioning, watching all of it. We might brave it in in the evening very much, very much TBC because it's serious stuff tomorrow. So we're going to be careful. we have lovely Gus our mascot I'm looking at a picture of Gus with her brother tumble they might be holding hands the photo cuts off but I'm I'm going to imagine that they're holding hands and that's absolutely lovely hello Gus hello Bodhi my mascot we're in we're in serious Reggie territory we're in Reggie territory yeah I've had to pivot with my strategy we are where we are Bodhi swing for the fences.

1:08:17Matt Roberts:That's what I've always said. Things are going better for David and Maisie and Matt and Roger because they're more sensible than I am, apparently. Hello to Greg, Chris and Jeff, our executive producers and all-around top folks. Matt, let's have some shout-outs.

1:08:35Catherine Whitaker:We have Robin Hodge from Melbourne.

1:08:39Matt Roberts:Oh, hello, Robin.

1:08:41Catherine Whitaker:Hi, Robin. Robin with a Y.

1:08:45Matt Roberts:like well like my friend's daughter my friend's gorgeous baby and like Robin the Swedish recording artist

1:08:56David Law:that's where my mind went like Robin Soderling if he happened to spell his name differently for a day

1:09:04Catherine Whitaker:I think we can allow that

1:09:07Matt Roberts:I think Robin will allow that wasn't there a Robin Montgomery There still is.

1:09:17David Law:And I think that is the right spelling. Is it?

1:09:20Catherine Whitaker:I don't know.

1:09:22Matt Roberts:Well, Robin. There's Robin Daniels.

1:09:26David Law:Of course. Who's a friend of ours. Who we've worked with for many years.

1:09:31Matt Roberts:Yeah, these are all... I think if you add all these together, I think we've done Robin proud.

1:09:38Catherine Whitaker:Absolutely. You're a legend, Robin. we've also got Madhumita from New Delhi India

1:09:45Matt Roberts:hello Madhumita we know Madhumita

1:09:48Catherine Whitaker:we do big on the barge

1:09:51Matt Roberts:big on the barge

1:09:52Catherine Whitaker:that's right what a place Madhumita says I started watching tennis in the mid 1980s now we're talking most notably Wimbledon 1988 when Graf and Edberg won their titles oh yes

1:10:06David Law:Edberg's first to three titles I remember it well. That was the Steffi Graf Golden Grand Slam year. What a year.

1:10:18Matt Roberts:Thank you, Mad Umita.

1:10:21Catherine Whitaker:And finally, we have Kate Bradley.

1:10:25Matt Roberts:Hello, Kate. Hi, Kate.

1:10:27Catherine Whitaker:From Iowa City. And Kate says, I would love to dedicate my shout out to our lovely dog, Bogart, who we recently lost. He was an almost 12-year-old, 100-pound, greater Swiss mountain dog. A trusty companion over the years for long walks while listening to the pot. Oh, a lovely tribute.

1:10:56Matt Roberts:Thank you, Kate. I'm sorry to hear that, but that's lovely. I know of a Pyrenean mountain dog, but I've never known a Swiss mountain dog. but I hope to one day. Kate, Madhumita, Robin, thank you ever so much for your support of the Tennis Podcast. If you would like to become a friend of the pod, the link is in our show notes. We are part of the Athletic Podcast Network. Whether the tennis is good or not, we'll be back tomorrow. Please, please join us. Thank you for listening. We'll speak to you then.