Cincinnati - Did finals day change everything for the US Open?

13:11Matt Roberts:But it also wasn't being in bed. Absolutely. Which is where I'd have wanted to go. Yeah. So, yeah, I was impressed with both of those players. I'm glad you mentioned chemistry, Matt, because I do have a little bit, just to wrap up our mixed double segment for today, more to come tomorrow. I do have a little sort of quick fire bit of fun because what was today if not a quick fire bit of fun? So I have some categories and I'd like you to submit your teams and or individuals for the winners of these categories. Okay. Best chemistry.

13:48David Law:Oh, Vavasori and Arani.

13:50Matt Roberts:I mean, they were not even doing headbutts. You can't just answer Vavasori and Arani. I'm just telling the truth. yeah I think of of everyone in the draw it has to be them but like it's chemistry that they came to the event already with yeah I sort of I guess sorry I should have caveated that particular I've got my little quiz off on a bum note here probably should have caveated that particular question with Arani Vavasori aside because we know about their chemistry of course they've got chemistry and Shelton and Townsend right wasn't just

14:19David Law:but it was also

14:20Matt Roberts:of the new partnerships of the new partnerships I would say either Rood Sviantek, as I previously mentioned. Or actually, I was quite impressed with Mukova Rublev. Me too. Apparently they have played together before, but not a lot. I thought they were adorable. They made me feel... I just thought they were sweet.

14:39David Law:I think if Rublev had Mukova around, you would not see him draw blood of his own ever again.

14:45Matt Roberts:Which he hasn't done for a while. He is a slightly different character now.

14:51David Law:And look, he's worked very hard at trying to improve that situation and, well, to feel healthier and happier and good for him, you know. I've got a lot of time for Andre Rublev. But she is just the type of character that clearly brings out the best in him or helps him cope, I think. And I always think whenever she plays a match, she's got this wonderful ability to make a loss for her not awkward for the opponent. Like, she's quite happy for them to celebrate and join them at the net to acknowledge the moment. And yet none of it feels awkward. That takes some doing.

15:29Matt Roberts:Worst chemistry. I mean, they were successful,

15:35David Law:but Draper and Pegula were just so awkward. And I think that's... And I think that that's... And I'm only looking... I'm just reading this from afar. Draper hasn't played in months or weeks. I think everything was anxiety-inducing today.

15:54Matt Roberts:But he was so good. So good. I don't know how he did that. They were fantastic. He, in particular, was awesome. And yet, he looked like he was having an out-of-body experience. He looked like he was going to murder someone. He comes out, you know, he's hard-launching his new kit. So he comes out in this sleeveless shirt, making Alcaraz look puny at the coin toss. Genuinely.

16:16David Law:It was amazing. It was wild. He looked like he was going to pick Alcaraz up and just break him in half.

16:22Matt Roberts:And he's got this look in his eye that is genuinely a bit terrifying. Not a problem for Jessica Pagula because they're not making eye contact. Don't think they made eye contact all day. She was fine about it. And he's sort of charging around the court with this. Like the Hulk. Like the Hulk. She looks a bit scared of him. He looks a bit scared of her. And yet they were awesome.

16:45David Law:But, you know, this is a guy who reached the semifinals of the US Open. a year ago puking his way through it. He looked like he was going to puke today. And look, he's not scared to talk about that.

16:58Matt Roberts:Do you think that's what it was today, nerves?

17:00David Law:I do, really. I mean, he hasn't played for a long time and had those feelings. And I'm a listener. I am only reading this from afar. I'd love to talk to him about it or hear from him about it specifically. But he did just look really on edge. and yet he played absolutely brilliantly. He was, aside from Irani and Vovasori, he was the player of the day, I thought. I also think the, I mean, we saw less of the second match that they played, Pagoula and Draper. I think in particular...

17:35Matt Roberts:It's possible they made brief eye contact on that. I think it's going to grow. Let us know.

17:39David Law:If he settles down, I think they're going to be fine. But I think that first match against Raducanu and against Alcarez was particularly...

17:46Matt Roberts:Jean was awkwardness. I think a little bit. I don't want to get to the gossip of it all. I think a little bit. Yeah. There was an... I know some people think I'm reading too much into this, but I thought the Raducanu-Draper handshake situation was really weird and awkward. Yeah, I mean, I looked like he went in for a hug and... She went, no thanks. She didn't, which is always an awkward situation.

18:08David Law:I never know what you're supposed to do in those situations. Yeah, but they know one another. Yeah, that was what was so weird about it. I still messed that up, so I get it.

18:15Matt Roberts:David's not engaging in any of this stuff. Most pumped couple, again, probably have to take... Well, it is a Rani Vavasori, isn't it? Yeah, they definitely have that one. As David said, they were head-buffing each other in celebration.

18:28David Law:If you think of the Bryan Brothers' body bump celebration, this was literally forehead to forehead.

18:34Matt Roberts:Yeah, it was. There were so many forzas. It was incredible. Fewest shits given. Oh, keys to Afro. More than a Sarkamon feast. Osaka came out in training kit it looked like my pyjamas yeah just a t-shirt they were a close second but it was yeah Keys Tiafoe was a tough scene wasn't it it was vibeless total no show

18:56David Law:they did well to get a game the way they played

18:59Matt Roberts:most there under duress Olga Danilovic I think

19:03David Law:I think Novak Djokovic was rivaling her

19:06Matt Roberts:I think Djokovic was there for Danilovic yeah

19:09David Law:I thought the same

19:09Matt Roberts:I think she no but there's no way Danilovic is playing if Djokovic isn't there like the US Open are like the US Open are like we want Djokovic and Djokovic is like okay I'll play with Danilovic and obviously she's like I think she was probably delighted about it yes but I don't think anyone's ever played good doubles with Djokovic everyone who plays doubles with Djokovic looks like they're under duress it's too much pressure isn't it it's yeah yeah both of them yeah both the Serbian team most they're under duress worst individual doubles player of the day I fear it might be Inesimova

19:43David Law:I thought Francis Tiafoe.

19:45Matt Roberts:Anisimova can't volley at all. She's standing in the wrong place.

19:49David Law:I don't remember Tiafoe winning a point.

19:51Matt Roberts:She made Olga Runa look really good. They walked out onto court, Anisimova and Runa, and David said this, Anisimova looked like she was walking her dog. He saw a few bases behind her. I have enjoyed their social media content together, though. He's terrified of her. he's thinking can I slide into her DMs now it's all just he let her have the backhand side of course I think other players played worse than Anisimova but she played the worst doubles if that makes sense who was the worst volleyer out of Raducanu and Anisimova that might have been Raducanu and actually shout out Rabatkin for her shank volley that gave away the crucial break in the second set incredible Biggest surprise of the day?

20:44Maybe Mazzetti McNally.

20:46Matt Roberts:I enjoyed Mazzetti McNally. I really enjoyed that. Did Loretto Mazzetti know what Katie McNally looked like before this morning? No. No.

20:56David Law:I don't think so.

20:58Matt Roberts:No. But he was so, like, it's such a charming on-court interview where he just talked about what a great doubles player she is. Yeah, it was.

21:05David Law:Well, he was learning about it in real time. Yeah. Wasn't he? Oh, who's this girl? My word was he good though. I wasn't expecting that. He is like a Jedi at the net. The way he just seems to know which way the ball is going to go. And he's got these hands to deal with anything. Crowd loved watching him.

21:24Matt Roberts:Yeah. He needs to find a way to be a factor on hard courts. Because it's a terrible shame that we really only get to enjoy him for about three months a year at the moment.

21:34David Law:Because visually he really is the closest thing to Federer. Yeah. Just lovely tennis. does bring back some memories.

21:40Matt Roberts:He was stealing shots from Katie McNally in quite an awkward way and yet I ended up feeling like if you're going to do that Lorenzo then fair enough and I feel like Katie McNally felt that way too unlike Jessica Bergoglio made quite a sassy comment about how she didn't hit a shot for the first three games.

21:56David Law:Which was not an exaggeration.

22:00Matt Roberts:David you can sit this one out if you want because you've got too much integrity for this but most likely to get married. What are you saying about me? you know most likely to get married and possibly divorced

22:11David Law:what the same people

22:13Matt Roberts:which team if you had to pick a team that'll end up getting married

22:16David Law:and then divorced

22:17Matt Roberts:well you know potentially lots of marriages end in divorce none of them are jumping out to me I don't know what do you think I'm scrolling through the drawer good answer just trying to get us some clickbait I don't know I'm not feeling that okay Most likely to never play doubles again after today? Naomi Osaka. Gail Monfils.

22:42David Law:I don't think I've ever seen Naomi Osaka play doubles before.

22:45Matt Roberts:It wasn't good, was it? No. No. I just think age-wise, Monfils hasn't got many doubles matches left. You've been saying that for years. Why wasn't he playing with Svitolina? Yeah, what a great point. they've already got married hopefully won't ever get divorced well he came in for Kyrgios originally it was Osaka Kyrgios then actually Monfils Zverev was pretty bad today although he plays quite a lot of doubles doesn't he

23:16David Law:he was in a really bad way three days ago physically and he didn't look totally recovered to me

23:25Matt Roberts:and that does lead us on to Cincinnati let's talk about Cincinnati What a shift in the tone of your voice. I feel like we can do another whole show on the doubles tomorrow. I feel like we should try and restore some integrity that I have demolished with my little quickfire questions there. Cincinnati, should we talk about proper tennis? Sure. Well, actually, not that proper tennis because, well, start with the men's or the women's? What do we want?

23:52David Law:Well, the men's is rubbish, wasn't it, at the end? Let's talk about the women.

23:57Matt Roberts:Yeah, I mean, rubbish in terms of the actual tennis, but in terms of talking point. OK, let's start with Igor Shiantek beating Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 to win the Cincinnati title. And also talk about some of the matches leading up to that that we've had since our last pod. So Shiantek beating Rabatkin in the semifinals after Rabatkin had beaten Sabalenka in the quarterfinals. Those kind of feel like the biggest results from the final weekend in Cincinnati, as well as Jasmine Paolini's win over Coco Goff in the quarters, 6-3 in the third. Iger Chiantic, David, wins Wimbledon. Well, OK, semifinals of the French.

24:39Plays Berlin, reaches the final, wins Wimbledon, plays Canada.

24:44Matt Roberts:Nobody else that went deep at Wimbledon, let alone won it, played Canada. Plays Cincinnati and wins it. And then less than 24 hours later is playing mixed doubles. And she looks fresh.

24:55David Law:Looks fresh, looks happy, looks excited. She said, I could play the semis in the final today. I mean, aside from anything else, she's that confident she's going to be in them. But no, she just looks in a really good place. And isn't it lovely seeing her energetic like that and looking, just looking at the ball, going after the ball. And I don't necessarily think it's a massive switch between being on the right side of the edge and the wrong side of the edge. A year ago, she was on the wrong side of it, and she was stressed. It was coming out in stress. Now it's coming out in heightened reaction times and focus.

25:39David Law:and I'm sure there are psychologists out there who could give a lot more of a sort of educated viewpoint of all that but that's how it looks to my eye and watching her play yesterday was an absolute joy. Watching the whole match was in fact because Paolini really brought it. She went three love up. That was quite a lot to do with the fact that Svantec was missing early on and sort of overhitting and overpressing But once she'd found her game, I mean, she won the next five games. And it's actually a really tough matchup on paper, I think, for Paolini. She's not done well against her. She's never beaten her.

26:21David Law:And you can see why. Because the moment she leaves any ball remotely short, Svantec just puts it away. I don't think there's a player in the world who puts away a mid-court ball better than Igor Svantec in terms of choosing which way to go, virtually always wrong footing the opponent and always putting it on a dime in the corner. She just has a brilliant ability to do that. But then in the second set, Paulini just realising that she couldn't, her sort of standard game is just not good enough. It doesn't work against this opponent. She started to go for it way more, take it out of the hands of Svjantik.

27:02David Law:And it ended up becoming a cracking contest. there was I would say the rally of certainly the tournament in that second set I watched it back again with you actually Matt and it went on for even longer than I thought where Svantec is just dominating side to side and again hitting these sort of put away balls that against anybody who's not as fast as Paulini and as tenacious as Paulini as good as at picking the right side as Paulini I mean most of the time she wasn't and getting wrong footed in this rally she just kept on picking the right side chasing the ball down getting it back and eventually turned it around and won it with a forehand window down the line on a passing shot it was that it was one of the the glorious single standout points you could put that in the top 10 points of all time and it would stand up i think um so given what a downer it had been earlier in the day with both finals being played the same day and Alcraz and Sinner not being anything because of ill health due to Sinner.

28:04David Law:This was such a treat that you had Svantec and Irani putting on a show like this. It was a good final. Svantec's playing fantastic tennis. She's moved herself into favourite position, I think, now for the US Open. I didn't expect to be saying that even in the last show. So, good on her. yeah I think that's all really well said I was wondering what is post Fiontech post Wimbledon Fiontech going to be like you know like has has everything all the all the sort of little problems that she's had on court have they all just gone away because she's won Wimbledon or were they more embedded in her game I thought that was going to be a really interesting question post Wimbledon for Igor Fiontech and you know first tournament back she loses to Clara Towson, doesn't she?

28:56Okay, she hasn't had a lot of rest. And Clara Towson, an incredibly dangerous opponent, been in good form, a big heavy hitter. I kind of thought, okay, you know, maybe we are still where we were with Fiontech, but obviously, you know, slightly better. But actually, I think what we've seen is deeply embedded confidence now in her game. Like, she's on this high because she won Wimbledon. Her adjustments to be able to play on faster surfaces are really notable this year. You know, Wimbledon and Cincinnati, two of the faster or lower bouncing, in Wimbledon's case, where traditionally you wouldn't have said they necessarily would have favoured her.

29:30But the improvements she's made in her game are suiting those sorts of conditions and surfaces. I think she's serving finally a lot better. We've seen the different motion. But it does seem to be really paying off now, that new motion. It was particularly good against Rabakina. And that was particularly a match where we saw that deeply embedded confidence because she went down a break against Rabakina. And, you know, it wouldn't have been that long ago that I would have watched that match and been kind of a bit worried about Fiontech in it. But not at all. She kept her level high, made little adjustments, kept her movement really good to be able to chase down.

30:07We're back in his big shots and just flipped that match on its head and played a really, really good one. And I don't think she necessarily had her best tennis against Paolini all the time, as David said, an error-strewn start. but she played the big moments really well, which again, when you think back to the start of the year, wasn't something that she was doing all the time, but she is now, David mentioned that incredible point that Paolini won, that got the break back in the second set, the crowds are, what does Fiontech do? Just broke the next game, just like silenced the moment, played the match really well, and I don't think she was doing that at the start of the season, but I don't know whether I'm drawing too much cause and effect, but it does seem like the demeanour, the confidence post-Wimbledon is back to, closer to kind of peak Sviontek and it's great to see, it's great to see I've really, really enjoyed seeing it

30:59Matt Roberts:If that's where Sviontek is at, where is Sabalenka at? 1-4 beaten by Rabakina in that quarterfinal Rabakina was awesome in this match She served and returned incredibly well and we've actually seen her do that against Sabalenka in the past sometimes as well. I don't know, something about that match-up suits Rebecca now, I think. She often plays well against Sabalenka.

31:27David Law:Her ball hurts Sabalenka. Right. It just puts her on the back foot in a way that so few players are able to do. Yeah, Sabalenka loses some of her agency in the match.

31:38Matt Roberts:And yet one and four. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know because, you know, Tabalinka's come into a lot of slams this year in great form and not won them. You know, she sort of dominated on the tour and she's been my favourite, I think, going into every slam we've played this year. And yet she's gone incredibly deep in them, incredibly consistent, but not ended up being able to bring her very best tennis in the closing stages. So I don't actually know really how much we can read into Cincinnati. It feels very specific for Sabalenka right now at the end of majors. Can she bring her best tennis? And this year, the answer's been no.

32:23Matt Roberts:Who's the favourite?

32:24David Law:Well, I do think Sviantik is the favourite now. And that's changed over and over in the last few days. Because I watched that match against Rebecca. and I and but but I think it's it's maybe more Shviontek convincing me of the way she is in perfect form and condition right now and mentally just where she needs to be there are still players that you know if she draws Ostopenko at some point that is gonna be so interesting because it was was it two years ago that that Ostapenko sort of thrashed her.

33:04David Law:So she's not an overwhelming favourite in that way. And I do still think Sabalenka can win this thing. But I also think she wants to avoid Rabakina now. I find that really interesting with the draw.

33:19Matt Roberts:I know Goff has sort of receded maybe as one of the favourites for the US Open. and I think she'd remain in everybody's mix still, but I would back her against Sabalenka still. Yeah, I would. I mean, because of everything I said on the pod the other day. Not guaranteed, but Sabalenka would have to show us something in that matchup, show that she's not going to get stressed out by it, show that she's got the... Either she's playing brilliant tennis and she's ending these points, or she's got the tolerance to accept the mistakes when they come. And, you know, in two of her really big matches against Goff, she's not had that.

33:58I know she did beat her in Australia and she's beaten her many times as well. But, yeah, just the stress of a US Open semifinal or final, which it would be if they were to meet. Yeah, I kind of would back Goff to handle that occasion. But is Goff getting there? Is Goff getting there is a fair question.

34:15Matt Roberts:Shontek's now up to second seed, isn't she? Exactly. So now the question for the draw becomes whose side does Goff fall in? Yeah, and Goff definitely would want to, I think, be on the Sabalenka side. You know, the match-up problem has been there against Svantec when Svantec's been playing really, really well, as she looks like she kind of is at the moment. I do think one thing, we always used to talk about the Rabatkinah match-up being a big problem for Svantec. She's really improved that head-to-head, got a grip on it across surfaces now. I think that's been notable. That feels like a name that, in the past, they would have looked at that in the draw and thought, big problem, Fregas Fiontech.

34:57It's not a gimme. She has to play well to beat Rebecca Kinner. But it's not anywhere near the same level as Ostapenko in her draw, for example. She's got that matchup under control, which is impressive.

35:11Matt Roberts:Coco Goff still in the mix, right?

35:13David Law:I would say yes.

35:17Matt Roberts:The Gremlins were back, big time.

35:19David Law:To me, I put her... I probably put her fourth favourite now, really.

35:27Matt Roberts:It's funny, isn't it? Any other player playing the level that I saw her play recently, the Pallini match in Cincinnati, they're not in my mix. But because it's Coco Gauff, she remains in the mix for me. But it was pretty ugly in Cincy.

35:46David Law:I haven't seen her play good tennis since she won the French Open at all. Yeah. No. And isn't that a strange feeling, given what a monumental achievement that was to win Roland Garros? I think that was massive. And I thought that that would be a springboard for her. But, you know, we've seen it in other sports. Rory McIlroy winning the Masters and you expect it to just unleash him and he'll go and win all these things. And I'm not saying that I thought that would happen to Goff because I think she's got these couple of fundamental weaknesses and issues in her game that she can't rely on them. But I didn't expect them to suddenly look so glaring again in just the space of a few weeks.

36:30And I do think the New York factor here is interesting because I think as a reflex, I'm going, well, that's going to help Gough. She's won this title. The crowd's going to be behind her. she's going to bring it, she's probably going to play a lot of night session, all of that kind of thing. I generally stack that in her favour here. But actually, I do think there's a scenario, and I think we probably saw it last year, where it can go the other way, where you're not confident with your game, and actually these sort of increased pressure can be a lot. And we saw the double faults a lot last year, didn't we, in that match against Emma Navarro.

37:09And she never really played her best tennis here last year. and so I think I think that could go but either way and I know that's that's probably not groundbreaking and Alice not helpful I don't know what the answer is there but I think you will probably get a lot of people saying oh it's got

37:27Matt Roberts:in New York it's gonna help yeah I think last year we saw the opposite potentially like if you're not confident in your game and everyone's come there

37:36David Law:to see you like it's a lot she could be vulnerable in early rounds you know she

37:41Matt Roberts:She got a Wimbledon-esque draw. Yastrzemska round one. Yeah. She's vulnerable, I think. But as you said, she's also the type of player who can play her way in despite her game not being there. Is Paolini in the mix?

37:56David Law:I would say no. I'd be surprised if she won this tournament. Yeah, I would too. But shout out Paolini because I do think she is backing up 2024 really well. like she's doing new things exactly and i think it would be easy to look at her slam results this year and say well she's not backing it up you know those are slams what we focus on the most and that's where the breakthrough came last year 2025 just for her has not been like that it's been it's been about other things you know the rome double was incredible getting to another final here i think's really impressive she's ninth in the race i think now like there or thereabouts Potentially could qualify for the WTA finals.

38:40And if you'd said two years ago that Paolini would be in contention for the WTA finals, in contention to win these 1 ,000 events, like, we wouldn't have thought that was the case. So the fact that she still is, to me, feels like she is backing up last year pretty well, really. Absolutely.

39:00Matt Roberts:Okay, on to the men and the final that never really was. Matt and I were at... however many tens of thousand feet you are when you're over the Atlantic winging your way to New York. Smug as I have ever been in my life.

39:16David Law:So smug. I got so many selfies of you two with your laptops out showing me the match you were able to watch in the sky.

39:22Matt Roberts:Full disclosure, we got upgraded. It was a great moment. It was great. I didn't get upgraded. We got upgraded. I crammed my legs into those economy seats. We sussed out the Wi-Fi. We paid for the streaming level of Wi-Fi on the plane, thinking maybe it'll be good enough for us to stream Cine Alcaraz in the sky from our upgraded seats. Incredible. What a world. Honestly, and then there it goes. It happens. I accidentally had to pay for it on two separate devices. So at this point, we've sunk£45 English into streaming. Wasn't even questioned. Money well spent. Matt and I are going to be able to watch Cine Alcaraz live.

40:04Matt Roberts:honestly it was it was reverse one point slam my emotions over the course of that half an hour from smuggest person in town or you know in the sky to just crushing disappointment what am I going to do with the next four hours of this flight and and it started like before we even knew that Sinner was unwell you know we watched the first point I'm like this is it's amazing I'm watching Alcaraz Sinner we're in the sky and we're watching Alcaraz Sinner I just kept looking over at Matt like I was like aren't humans amazing and I was like oh I can't see the ball it's Cincinnati I can't see the ball it's too bright no one's come up with a solution for that have they here I am watching Alcrest Sinner in the sky can't see the ball turns out Matt didn't really need to see the ball because it wasn't really a tennis match that became clear incredibly quickly Sinner was kind of not really present clearly struggling with illness, was underpowered, was kind of off balance the whole time, ended up retiring five love down in the opening set.

41:11Matt Roberts:Lots of consolation from Alcaraz. In those sorts of situations, it seems to feel so genuinely for his opponent. He's really bothered by it. He's really bothered by it. He had the same with Zverev in his semi-final. I mean, Alcaraz had a really weird end to Cincinnati. and I feel like this sort of thing affects Alcaraz differently and more than any other top player because he likes winning, he wants to win and he wants to win trophies but I feel like it's less about winning for him than all of his peers pretty much he wants the battle, he wants the fun Yeah and well that line from Gary Nathan's book which has come out today in the US that we spoke to him about on Monday's show where he says it's about the spectacle for Alcaraz.

42:05Matt Roberts:I mean, I really feel like, I mean, I think he'll be fine, but he really didn't want that end to Cincinnati. He didn't want those last two matches to be as they were. I feel like that's really, you know, he's won a title

42:21David Law:and yet it feels like really suboptimal US Open preparation for him. I don't agree. I think he is disappointed about it. And he wanted the moment. Actually, I think this could not have worked out better for Carlos Alcres. Because he is fresh, he would have had to, even if he won those matches, the way they were going, I mean, Zverev made a good start in that match. They had the interruption because of somebody being unwell in the crowd. And he's, I think, 2-1 down, love 30, something like that at that point. and you can see just the way the rallies are going. My word, he's having to deal, you know, his very physical condition became a factor very quickly as well in his match.

43:05David Law:But now I think Alcos has had enough tennis. He's had his proper break after Wimbledon. He's come out, he's been rusty. He's had another match against Schumacher where he's had his set reversals and he's had his Rublev match

43:22Matt Roberts:and he even went 4-2 down against a couple of rounds earlier than that.

43:27David Law:I can't remember who it was in the second set. Luka Nardi, he went 4-2 down and then he eventually won that 6-4 in the second set. But then he suddenly hits some form. And when he even, I know Zerber was unwell, but he turned that around. And even though Sinner was unwell, Al Krause was playing out of his mind at the start of that match.

43:46Matt Roberts:He was.

43:47David Law:In that first game, when he broke him to love. I thought, OK, he is right where he needs to be. And after one game, I said, I think Alcruz is going to win this. And I didn't know that Sinner was unwell at that point. I mean, it was a sloppy start, I thought.

44:02Matt Roberts:It is incredible how he shows up against Sinner differently to against anybody else.

44:07David Law:And I actually thought, I also think he's got one of those in him where he needs a reason to almost prove himself again. When he wins too many in a row, I think it becomes a little bit harder for him to have quite those senses as heightened. And suddenly he's lost to Sinner. Everybody's talking about how Sinner's going to win everything. He's like, right then, come on, let's have it. Let's go for it. Let's have the moment. And I think he is bang where he needs to be. We don't know how it will affect Sinner coming into the US Open. Is he going to be at all affected? I think probably he'll be okay.

44:43David Law:But I really feel bullish about Al Kraz now.

44:46Matt Roberts:That's very interesting. Matt, has anybody ever won a trophy, won a title, having played a worse game over the course of that title winning run than Carlos Alcaraz? Take the title part out of it. It was the worst game I've ever seen. Which one was that? Zverev cannot move. Like he's clearly struggling, I think, with his back. He was unwell as well. like he was this is the semi-final he was gone he was totally gone and Alcraz is up a break he's 40-15 up he misses seven serves in a row like I would have potentially backed myself to hold serve there against Zverev yeah like make the serve yeah and then you pretty much won the point yeah because Zverev isn't moving he is not moving the only movement he's doing is from the deuce court to the ad court as Alcraz is double faulting in front of him He ended up hitting four double faults in that game.

45:43Yeah, three in a row. And then there's this close-up of him at the change of ends where you can just tell that he's just thinking, what have I just done?

45:54Matt Roberts:Alcaraz has an injured opponent problem. Totally messes with him. Which makes David's theory about his form in that final being so good. Yeah. I think it's a great theory because despite an injured opponent or an ill opponent in front of him, he kept playing well. But, yeah, like, we've seen some real shockers from our crowds against injured opponents, but this was... Yeah, it was absolutely unreal. Yeah. I just feel very unfulfilled coming out of Canada and Cincinnati on the men's side. Because, you know, Canada was... Actually, I think there was a lot of good matches. There was a lot of good matches in Canada.

46:37Matt Roberts:Hang on a second, David. In Canada? Yeah. All right. Just because the last match he played in Cincinnati was one of the worst performances I've ever seen. Yeah. But like Canada was an interesting event from the perspective of, okay, when Sinner and Alcaraz are not there, who's going to end up winning it? Which was interesting, but I'm not drawing a load of that in terms of the US Open because Alcaraz and Sinner are going to be there. And then we get Alcaraz and Sinner there in Cincinnati and the end of that tournament, well, as we've described, was just a disaster with, you know, retirement in the final, heavily compromised Verev in the semi-final.

47:15I just feel like we didn't really learn anything about where... OK, I know David's decided that Alcaraz is looking great, and I love that, but, like, personally, I feel like all my questions were left unanswered going into the US Open. I just, I feel like... It was such a weird weekend.

47:33Matt Roberts:I mean, the Shelton, yeah, he hit the wall. I was still alarmed by how bad that performance was against Zverev. He couldn't make a ball. He can be dramatically different when he's not good.

47:43David Law:Some people can cover it up, but he can't.

47:47Matt Roberts:Yeah, it was really, really alarming. Yeah, and then Zverev illness, sinner illness. And then adding to that, you're just like, oh, well, at least hopefully we'll get to see Terence Atman at the US Open in the form of his life. and we knew he was going to have to go through qualifying to get there, but now he's injured and had to pull out of qualifying and we won't see him at the US Open. And that's a tremendous shame.

48:14David Law:We asked for him for tennis podcast meets as well.

48:17Matt Roberts:The curse is back. The curse is back at the request stage, which is a new level for it. It sounds like it's a sort of flu-y thing for Yannick Sinner. He'll probably be okay, right? because he's that much better than anybody he's going to face in the early rounds that even if he is still hampered, he'll probably be okay. But I feel like a week ago on the basis of Sinner's form prior to the final in Cincinnati, people were handing him the US Open trophy. And it doesn't quite feel like that now. Is Alcarez your favourite, David?

48:59David Law:I think so. yeah I think so because of 12 in a row

49:05Matt Roberts:it starts now we reset that's right I know last year coming into the US Open we weren't on Alcraz's behalf worried about the Burtick thing happening we weren't worried about Burtick but obviously we've been safe to say because it happened we've been on alert for it kind of ever since notable that he's now made seven finals in a row you know like he's cut out the sort of bad losses that he was having. I just feel better about Alcarez getting to the latter stages than I kind of ever have. Like, I know he still has the ups and downs within matches. See? The worst game ever played. The worst game ever played.

49:45The Demir's Jumaha match. Like, we've made it sound like he was an absolute wreck in this tournament. But, like, you know, he has these ups and downs, but he still is coming through. He still... His general level of consistency is really good right now. To me, though, Sinner is still the favourite. He's my favourite. Anyway, I thought going into that final, Sinner played the big moments really well. He won the three tie breaks that he needed to to get there. He absolutely destroyed Augealli Asim, who I know was really poor in that match. He weathered Atman, like serving like Sampras in that first set.

50:24He was just rolling through service games.

50:26David Law:He didn't serve like Sampras. no because he double faltered on the first point of the tie break yeah Sampras wouldn't have done that but he was good though he was great and Sinner just just dealt with it though yeah in a way that everyone else was getting caught up in the in the act man of it all Sinner just dealt with it I just thought he was impressive so I know he was unwell but to me I'm I'm still taking Sinner

50:50Matt Roberts:still Yannick Sinner on a hard court mix of two yeah yeah

50:57David Law:I mean literally injury aside and unless one of them gets compromised physically I don't see anybody else

51:08Matt Roberts:Rajiv Ram and Nikola Mettich won the men's doubles title, they beat the two Lorenzos in the final, Mazzetti and Sonago a big up yours to Mardi Fish that isn't it, who's been trolling Rajiv Ram in pretty gross fashion and he trolled us a couple of weeks ago that seems to be his vibe these days they also ended Cash and Glasspool's incredible streak so well done Raman Mektic and Gabby Dabrowski and Erin Routliff won the women's doubles title Gabby Dabrowski reminding us all in her very moving speech on court during the victory ceremony that this time last year she was having radiation treatment for cancer and here she is lifting titles.

51:59Matt Roberts:It's an absolutely incredible story. So congratulations to them. Just before we move on from Cincinnati, a couple of things. They've obviously done this incredible £200 million redevelopment at the site. We weren't there, but by all accounts, it really is incredible. And it's great to see tennis being invested in that way and the infrastructure and all the rest of it. It's brilliant. There's no shade. anywhere on that centre court and that's a problem it's a problem like the the world is heating up like it was uncomfortable watching a lot of Cincinnati I found I was worrying about people in the crowd and I know they're locals and they're used to it and they know what they signed up to and all the rest of it but like wouldn't it be better if they were just a bit more comfortable um and and also it makes it less inclusive like it's more difficult for the elderly for for the for the less abled for people like me that just feel the heat like it doesn't need to be like this the Australian Open has made incredible strides at um providing shade for spectators and made it a massive priority providing shade for the spectators in a way that still maintains a totally outdoor feel those sort of canopy sort of sail type things that they have um and the whole it's not like every seat is in the shade at the Australian Open but it is possible to provide huge swathes of shade and I feel like that needs to happen in Cincinnati because it was disgustingly hot and humid and uncomfortable for spectators and and and players like it was it was a problem um and the last thing to point out on Cincinnati and I really I feel like we should almost be leading with this but it's just such a bummer and it's so wild that it's not something that anybody really talks about but Carlos Alcaraz won 1 ,124 ,380 dollars for winning the Cincinnati title.

54:07Matt Roberts:Shiontek won$752 ,275. That is a difference of$372 ,105. So Alcaraz earned an extra 49 % on top of Shiontek's paycheck. This is a combined event. They're playing the same court, the same length of event, the same format, the same absolutely everything. It's disgusting. like how everybody's not talking about that is wild to me how Svantec's not talking about it why we're not rioting in the streets like 200 million pounds of dollars of redevelopment like we they I know there are the WTN ATP standardized prize monies are are different and they're following those guidelines but other tournaments make up the difference because it's the right thing to do canada does that indian wells does that others did madrid does that others do that

55:01David Law:you can do that and if there was more if there was if it was more if there was more pressure on them to do it i think they would because it's embarrassing it's shameful i think just for pr reasons like thank goodness you brought it up because it's so easy to forget it i'm i i had pretty much forgotten that that was the situation because it's combined event it's masters 1000 well of course they get paid the same of course they do because why wouldn't they and yet there is that level of disparity and we just have to keep on saying it i'm i i think it has because i think that i'm sure our audience is a heck of a lot more educated and knowledgeable about that than many and well maybe more than i am and i'm embarrassed about that but it has to keep getting talked about because i think a lot of people out there watching would be absolutely shocked by that i saw ava lees called it out did she um good for her but she was the only one i saw um and i know that they've got this you know they've got this haven't they this this line about there is going to be equal pay by a certain year i can't quite remember of the year off the top of my head.

56:1529. It's in a few years' time. But it's almost like they're hiding behind that. Absolutely. Because it's like, oh, we will get it. You can click your fingers and do it now. Right. Other tournaments do it. Look at the money they've got.

56:26Matt Roberts:200 million dollars.

56:27David Law:Yeah, shave off a bit of

56:28Matt Roberts:You can do it right now. Your redevelopment

56:30David Law:and sort that out.

56:31Matt Roberts:Ben Navarro, the tournament owner, he has a daughter who's a WCA player. Yeah. And look, I don't want to just totally throw him under the bus. He's investing in tennis. That's a great thing. This is disgusting. We can sort it out. Let's do it.

56:52Matt Roberts:Bits and bobs. Obviously, US Open qualifying is underway. We'll talk about that a bit tomorrow. And over the course of the week, we've got plenty of shows coming up. Don't you worry about that. By the way, qualifying is free at the US Open. And that is a really, really cool thing. And I hadn't quite processed the fact that although they are selling tickets for Ash today and tomorrow, that that's a separate ticket you can see the mixed doubles on armstrong with with free with free entry into the grounds um which obviously was just today that all of the matches tomorrow on ash but like that is a really cool thing isn't it about the us open that well i i loved it last

57:30David Law:year when i was with my kids not only the qualifying but being out when we went out into we went on to ash and watched daniel medfidev practicing with karen hatchinov and we were in the first row of this 23 ,000 seat stadium we were hearing their conversations we were right there my kids couldn't believe it they loved it

57:51Matt Roberts:Aoi Ito's won I just can't wait till tomorrow's show to bring that qualifying update she was in the third set wasn't she yeah that is good news go on Aoi two more to go it seems that Bianca Andreescu has pulled out of US Open qualifying I haven't seen an announcement from her I was just scouring the order of play scouring the draw and I couldn't see her and that is that's a worry I'm worried about I'm sort of in a permanent state of worry about Bianca Andreescu but I'm particularly worried right now Art of Feas has pulled out of the main draw at the US Open which I've got mixed feelings about it's obviously a bummer but also I think that's the right thing

58:29David Law:Call it all off Art of Feas see you in 2026

58:32Matt Roberts:Yeah see you in 2026 exactly and just the final bit of sort of sad news And Kyle Edmund has retired. It's not a shock he hasn't been a factor or even, frankly, a player of any note for a long time. But 30 years old, I mean, his career in terms of relevance ended probably about six or seven years ago, really, didn't it? I mean, what a tragic career, really. I really feel for him. Strange one to sum up, isn't it?

59:04David Law:because when he first came along, I thought he'd be a good British player who had some upside and could get some results. I remember him at 20 years of age coming to the Royal Albert Hall, beating Andy Murray in the Tybrake Tens final that they held there and winning a load of money that he said, I'm going to invest this in my career and really try to make a difference. And, you know, he took that on. He ended up getting to the semifinals of the Australian Open, which is something I never thought he'd be able to do to that degree. And that was, if you think of the players, the good players out there who haven't done that, that was a notable achievement.

59:43David Law:He's had some other good wins around that period of his career. And then he's just run into an injury problem that has never been able to let him play properly again. And it has ended up being a very short career. And when I think back to when he was 20, and it was all ahead of him and now he's 30 and it's all behind him. It's a reminder of... I mean, a lot of these careers go on a long time now but there's also a lot of them that are over in a flash. It's a shame for him.

1:00:16Matt Roberts:Yeah. Wish him well in his retirement, whatever that might hold. Folks, a little update on our schedule. We're back tomorrow to talk more salacious mixed doubles. stuff we'll be here after maybe we should request Arani and Vavasori live on the show after they've lifted the trophy sure I repeat bring it on do you think if they win it they'll pop off about it or do you think they'll say lovely positive things about about the official Grand Slam tournament

1:00:51David Law:with the million in their pocket I think they'll pop off yeah I think they'll take

1:00:54Matt Roberts:the million in the trophy and still pop off why wouldn't you yeah they'll be like this is for the Devils players it'd be great so much fun we'll have a pod tomorrow at the end of it all then Thursday we have a live show here in New York at the Gramercy Theatre and then Friday we're daily from Friday Friday we have a draw media day show, Saturday we have another preview show, we'll take some questions from you on the barge if you have any and then the tournament of course starts on Sunday and we will be daily from that point onwards Well, from Friday onwards from our media day and draw combined show.

1:01:34Matt Roberts:So a lot of podcasts coming your way, folks, and coming our way. And I'm pretty pumped. We have a mascot for this episode. In fact, we have a three-peat mascot for this episode. I know this adorable face. This is Roo. And Roo is owned by Erin Kaplan. What are you laughing at, Matt? The photo. The photo. It's magnificent. It is truly magnificent. Rue is a nine-year-old coton de tuiler who loves to cuddle and chase bunnies and deer in our backyard, says Erin. She's small but mighty at eight pounds, but thinks she's much bigger than she is and has the heart of a lion. This is reminding me of someone.

1:02:17Matt Roberts:Her favourite things are long walks and cheese, and she is proud to be a three-time pet mascot. Her mum Erin met Matt and David on the shuttle bus leaving the US Open last year and came home and told Rue all about it. I remember. Yeah. She was at the back of the bus, was Erin. Oh, yes. I remember. Had a chat with us. Where was I? At the front of the bus? Maybe I got upgraded. Maybe you'd already gone back. Oh. Yeah.

1:02:47David Law:Can't quite remember.

1:02:47Matt Roberts:It's making me sound like a part-time.

1:02:49David Law:We were hardcore, Matt.

1:02:51Matt Roberts:Rue is absolutely splendid and always seems so clean I marvel at owners of white dogs that are able to keep them so so pristine she's incredible thank you Erin for bringing Rue back for year number three see you next year Rue hello to our mascots hello Phoebe, hello Maisie and hello Roger we love them all We love them all. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris and Jeff. Matt, let's have some shout outs. We start with Stacey Meadows from Dallas, Texas. Hi, Stacey. Hello, Stacey. Stacey is attending the US Open for the first time. Cool. Love that. She's going to be here for the first three day sessions on Ash.

1:03:42And she hopes to see Paolini, Andrava and Mboko, if she can. Good choices. Good list. By the way, good to see Andreeva back today in the doubles.

1:03:52Matt Roberts:And she looked, I mean, it's hard to tell completely from doubles, but she did look fit. She's a good doubles player. I mean, we know that. But, I mean, she managed to get a win with Daniel Medvedev. Big. Big, yeah. One of his biggest wins of the year.

1:04:06David Law:She goes, he's playing okay.

1:04:10Matt Roberts:Like Stacey Allister, US Open tournament director. Very good. Any other Stacys? No, that's a big one. Yeah. It's a big one. Thank you, Stacey, and enjoy the US Open. We've also got Helen Hood. Right, Helen. Hello, Helen. Who's from Brooklyn, New York. Well, amazing. And Helen says, I became a tennis fan after reading Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid a few years ago. To be honest, the book kind of sucked. She says, not my words, Helen's words. I've not read it. In part because at least 50 % of it was descriptions of tennis matches. But that got me interested in the mechanics of tennis.

1:04:50And once I started watching, I was instantly hooked. I found the pod soon after.

1:04:55Matt Roberts:And they're making a film adaptation of it, aren't they? Produced by Serena Williams.

1:05:00David Law:Is that right?

1:05:01Matt Roberts:Yeah. I have tried and given up on that book several times, but only because I feel like I just sort of know the story already. I know a lot of non-tennis fan friends that have really enjoyed that book. and that's great.

1:05:19David Law:And Helen like Helen wills moody. Very good.

1:05:23Matt Roberts:Very good.

1:05:25David Law:Thank you very much.

1:05:28Matt Roberts:Very, very good. Thank you, Helen. And our final shout out is for Nens, who is from North Hertfordshire. Oh. Which Vicky says is her neck of the woods. Yeah, and my brother's neck of the woods. And Nens says that she's really Jennifer. So a couple of options there. I'd take Capriati.

1:05:47David Law:Yes.

1:05:48Matt Roberts:Nens. Oh, that's an interesting shortening of Jennifer. I like that. I've never heard that before. And Nens says, but your show is strong on friendships. So can I shout out my dear friends Kath and Malochita, who introduced me to the pod, tolerate my poor tennis, and are on the barge. Yay! You can and you have, Nens. Love it. That's lovely. We are indeed strong on friendship. Love that. Nens, Stacey and Helen thank you very much indeed thank you all for listening thank you for joining us live if you did we are of course part of the Athletic Podcast Network so thank you to the Athletic and thank you to the New York Times and thank you to Leah behind the camera here for facilitating this lovely show today, I've enjoyed it very much indeed thank you, you can't say that out loud it makes it uncool

1:06:41David Law:I don't care

1:06:43Matt Roberts:thank you to everybody that has joined us live if you have and thank you to Vicky and Hannah in the chat as always it's going to be a fun I was going to say fortnight but it's three weeks isn't it it's going to be a fun three weeks folks we can't wait we'll see you again tomorrow when we'll be talking more mixed doubles official Grand Slam tournament TN thanks for listening we will speak to you then