French Open Day 3 - Is the sun Sinner’s most dangerous opponent?

19:16Catherine Whitaker:He cramped recently, didn't he? And he cramped back at the Australian Open as well. So for him to come through that, I think he'll take a lot of confidence from that, I would have thought.

19:27Matt Roberts:Lander Luthe won today. He's in the Yannick Sinner section. That would be a third round match, David.

19:34Catherine Whitaker:The Juan Manuel Sorundolo section, you might say.

19:37Matt Roberts:Excuse me, the Juan Manuel Sorundolo section. More on him in a moment. Landa Luthe won a four-hour, 30-minute match with Bolivian qualifier Juan Carlos Prado Angelo. 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4. I mean, in a week that could end up being defined by how you cope with the conditions, he is, as a young player, he has shown something about himself today, hasn't he? You know, winning a four-hour, 30-minute match.

20:08David Law:Yeah, I sort of wonder what that might do to him because he won't have played that many matches like that in that sort of length, in that sort of heat but he got through it, you were there Matt towards the end and we were getting lots of very excitable messages from you

20:28Catherine Whitaker:Yeah, I went out for the fifth set of this one and took my seat next to the one and only Pamela Howard-Schriver So, of course, I had a good time for the remainder of this match. And, like, this is kind of the match I was thinking of and talking about the other day when I said, if you look at the men's draw as a whole, you're probably going to think, oh, you know, how much interest is there for me? It feels like a Yannick Sinner procession. procession if you take it day by day and you're just dropping in on a match and then coming out of the tournament and this is one of the matches you happen to drop in on you'd have had like the time of your life this match was so compelling it was both of their first ever fifth sets landaluthe and jcp as they're as they're calling him i don't quite know what's happened to his a he's Angelo but all the Yonex guys he's one of the players that Pam is helping in her role as a mindset coach they all call him JCP and like he was 5-1 up in this final set Landaluthe and it got super tight because Prado was coming back at him he saved four match points one of them with a dry volley and he was having to manage cramps himself, you know, and Pam was telling him to take on as much water as he possibly could.

21:59He took his water bottle out to the towel box halfway through this match, which was a smart thing to do on Pam's instruction. And I was impressed with the way he managed that, right? Like his first fifth set match, he's cramping, he could have panicked and he didn't at all. He played really smart tennis, kept making Landaluthe play, went for it when he had the short ball and it was just, it was great, great scenes. I think Landoluthe got in his own way a little bit from 5-1 up to 5-4. He did get a little, I don't know if tight's the right word, but he just, he made some poor errors and it really felt on a knife edge, this one, until suddenly it was over.

22:36The crowd were loving it. Great experience for both players. And yeah, one of my highlights of the tournament so far, I would say, this one.

22:45Matt Roberts:David's got big hopes for the scheduled Landaluthe-Sinna third round match. Yeah, I'm just hoping he's got something left in the tank

22:56David Law:if he gets that far, to be honest, after this epic he's just played.

23:01Matt Roberts:Well, excuse me, Yannick Sinna would have to make his way past Juan Manuel Surundolo in the second round to get to that third round, and Landaluthe would have to get there as well. Yannick Sinna tonight, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4. over 26-year-old French qualifier, Clément Tabur, who played so well. Honestly, played so, so well. Yannick Sinner is just so many levels above. It was like he played a great point, but the rules were he had to stop one shot before his opponent, you know? Like, Yannick Sinner would always get the last shot. It was like those were the rules they were playing with. I would say about this, I mean, it's difficult to have too much to say about a matchup with this much golf in class.

23:55Matt Roberts:Yannick Senna was not enjoying himself in the third set. It's very airless tonight. The temperature has dropped a bit, but it is very airless. It's not lovely. It's not ideal conditions. and I don't know, it was just that little bit of... There was a point early on in the third set when I think Sinner was already a break-up and the result didn't feel in doubt, but Yannick Sinner was clearly just not feeling great. He looked a little bit pukey, which is very relatable, quite frankly, and Darren Cahill was up on his feet with that slightly terrifying glint in his eye. The Sinner team, they're doing that thing where they all wear the same kit as Yannick Sinner, which is not my jam, personally.

24:45Mine neither.

24:46Jannik Sinner:But it, you know, definitely sets a tone. And he's there, he's on his feet, he's got that terrifying look in his eye,

24:54Matt Roberts:and he looked like he was trying to stop Yannick Sinner from getting tense, you know. Don't panic about how you're feeling. Because I do think that, you know, I experience this I really struggle in the heat and in the sun when it's like this and it I'm I'm aware that an element of that is that it's self-fulfilling I get in my head about it like oh god I've just got to get out of this it's almost like claustrophobia and I worry about being in it and you know I'm not having to do any particular physical activity in it like I do think there is that feeling of oh god is it happening again is it happening again and we saw it happening in a night session match in Rome didn't we and I'm sure you know stress is a part of it pressure is a part of it you know these things are not binary but just emphasizes I think just how big a feature conditions are for Yannick Sinner and probably will always be for his career because this is not a lack of condition thing for Yannick Sinner.

26:03Matt Roberts:It really isn't. But I do, not to harp on about it, but I think Gael Monfils going out is massive for Yannick Sinner. I think he gets the night session if he asks for it and he will ask for it. And OK, his opposition in the next round is only the bad Sir Underlow. but if he's in a day session and it's 35 degrees and the sun's beating down on him there's a scenario where it doesn't matter who's down the other end

26:38David Law:so long as they can get the ball in

26:41Matt Roberts:and Surundalo is he is the bad Surundalo he's not a great player but I think he's a solid physically strong player

26:53David Law:He's not going to be worried about the conditions, and he's going to keep firing topspin forehands for days if he gets the chance. I mean, I think the thing is we are now in a position where it's not just whether Yannick Sinner asks for the night session. Amazon Prime Video, who've got the rights here, are going to be asking for Yannick Sinner in the night session in that half of the draw because there isn't anybody else.

27:18Matt Roberts:I mean, there are women.

27:19David Law:Sure, but they don't put women on the night sessions in this tournament.

27:24Matt Roberts:But I do wonder if we'll start to get scenarios. I mean, look, we know from the Athletics reporting last year that Amazon Prime wanted Lois Boisson in the night session and the tournament, for whatever reasons... I mean, look, they've told us their reasons, haven't they? Time and time again. But they didn't put Lois Boisson in the night session, which makes me think they're never going to. If they weren't going to do it with Lois Boisson, a French player, and their rights holder requesting it explicitly, I now just don't even hope for it when I see the order of play comes out now. But I don't know.

28:06Maybe that will come into focus again this year with the disparity. I'm just looking at the halves of the draw and the options that they're going to have for potential night sessions in two days' time if they don't pick Sinner. The one that's jumping out at me that I could see, potentially, is Rindekinesh Berrettini. That's the sort of thing they might go with. French player against a name that is going to be well known.

28:37David Law:I'd be pretty disappointed if Sinner doesn't play any match in the day. I think it would be completely wrong as well. But this happens.

28:47Matt Roberts:This happens in tennis.

28:48David Law:Yeah, but I think it's wrong. I don't like it. I've never liked it. I don't like the fact that Pete Sampras even and Roger Federer used to get entire tournaments of playing night sessions because it happened to suit them. That's anti-competitive. I mean, it is interesting that Djokovic is day. Tennis is always doing anti-competitive things, David.

29:05Jannik Sinner:I just cannot stand it. Were you watching last night's match? I can't stand players coming into tournament directors' offices and pressuring and asking for positions on the schedule. Just do what you're bloody well told to do. And tournaments, stop listening to them. Well, it's quite interesting in that respect that Djokovic's day is session tomorrow. Because I would have thought, we don't know this for sure, I would have thought he would want the night again, given the weather forecast and given... OK, I don't think he's had the same struggles as Yannick Sinner in the heat. I don't think we've ever really seen Djokovic cramping and unable to hold the racket like we've seen with Sinner.

29:49But we know he doesn't like it. We know it's not his preference. I would have thought he would have requested the night. And he's not got the night tomorrow. Now, there's a more obvious other candidate, I would say. You know, they've got Zverev down there. He's another very big name in this draw. And he's got the best player in the world. A very exciting draw. Like, you know, they can go with that. But I would theorise that they've denied a request there.

30:19Matt Roberts:Interesting. Do you agree? Yeah, yeah. No, I think that's a good point. And I do wonder if there's a scenario where they've said to Djokovic and Sinner, I think those are the only two with significant enough player power that this would apply to, where they've said to them, you have to play one during the day. It's up to you and you deploy that. I could imagine that being a scenario. And another counterpoint to what I originally said about my Sinner Monfils going out theory is that they have always made a big point here of always scheduling the big names on Longland once. Alcaraz played on Longland.

31:03Matt Roberts:Did he play there last? I think he might have played there once last year. I think they all did. I remember one year here I was working for the ITF. you know in the peak Nadal dominance years he plays opening round match on Longland as defending champion and they always used to put him once on Longland that is sort of I remember Djokovic Moutet last year was on Longland wasn't it so I mean I don't expect to see Sinner or Djokovic on Longland because of how sparse the draw is quite frankly but but maybe that means they don't bow to every player request. We will see. We will see. Just to say, by the way, we've mentioned a few of them, but there have been a lot of retirements today.

31:55Matt Roberts:We had Alexander Muller retiring on Chatrier today, three love down in the second set against Stefano Sittabas. Sebastian Baez retired, trailing Roman Burrachaga by two sets to one. And Cameron Norrie, as you said, Matt, he retired. I mean, he had told us, told the media pre-tournament that he was injured, but he retired in the second set against Paraguayan Adolfo Vallejo. On the women's side, Mayuka Uchijima retired in the third set against Claire Liu. And we've also had a withdrawal from the men's side today. Alexander Blocks, who was due to play his second round match tomorrow, I think.

32:31Jannik Sinner:He got injured in practice today due to what he described in his Instagram post as the, and I think he's being ironic here, really necessary covers at the back of the court.

32:47Matt Roberts:He tripped over them, basically, turned his ankle. There's footage of him limping out of the premises. And obviously, he's absolutely gutted. Alex de Menor now getting a walkover in their scheduled match. And this is something we've seen before. We saw David Goffin sustain a bad injury here, tripping over the covers at the back of the court. I know it's something Jim Currier has talked about a lot, that those are an accident waiting to happen. and they don't seem essential.

33:17Jannik Sinner:It seems like they could find a way for them not to be there, David.

33:21David Law:Yeah, I think, frankly, I worry about the little advertising blocks that they have as well for ball kids to stand next to. They just don't... It is a hazard. You've got to take as much out of the way as possible. And, yeah, I mean, Alexander Blocks, he's come in here and he's had a good clay court season, a young lad, got a good first-round win, gets a chance at Alex Dimonor and won't even get to play because of something like that. So it's a tough one.

33:56Jannik Sinner:We'll add him to the injury list. That is it for part one. We'll be back in part two to talk about the women and another contender for Sensation of the Day in May. Welcome back to part two of today's podcast where we're going to talk about the women's matches today and it feels only right to start with our second contender for Sensation of the Day, which apparently is making a comeback. Are we going to be doing Muscetera the Day in Australia? Well, they do do reciprocal wildcards, don't they? Very good. Although I don't support those. This is not a tacit endorsement of reciprocal wildcards or wildcards of any kind.

34:39But, Kimberley Birrell, Matt, you've always been low-key a bit of a Kim Birrell guy. Big day for you, big day for Kim. We were on, for a very brief period in the first set of this match,

34:55Jannik Sinner:double bagel alert, Birrell against Pagula, because Pagula was for love? For love, yeah. For love in the first set and ended up... And this was when we were on triple bagel alert for Sinner, because he went two love up. We were looking for bagels. We were trying to get our kicks. We were trying to get our kicks. And, yeah, for love to Pagula. She ends up losing 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. Matt was out there for the culmination of this match. He came back absolutely buzzing, describing it as unbelievable. The thing is, I am a bit of a Kim Birrell guy because I think she's lovely. I've had some experiences in press conferences with her like Billie Jean King Cups and she's just a delight she's the nicest person but I've also and I literally did it today good drawder in the past I'm always like Kim Birrell for a top seed is a good draw because she hits a lovely ball but typically doesn't have really big weapons and I just think is a great sort of player to get you into a tournament, nice rhythm going, and you're probably going to win.

36:11That's kind of what I've always thought about Kimberhill. And I think up to this point, that has been a fair assessment. And I think what I sort of enjoyed about this one tonight in particular was it was my first, like, what I think of as a really typical Grand Slam experience, which is you're way over the other side of the courts, the other side of the ground, sorry, where we'd come all the way over here for Court 14, which is as far as you can get from Court Simone Mathieu. We'd seen Mboko win. Then I'd popped into Longlen to see a bit of Augalia Seam. And suddenly I'm watching these live scores on my phone and I'm thinking, I'm going to have to go to Mathieu.

36:51And like the weather had cooled that I was like, right, I'm going. I think if that had been earlier in the day when it was so hot, you've either got to be out of the heat or just totally committed to one spot with your fan, with your water, trying to get shade. Like, I haven't really bounced around as much as I normally do in these early days, but this was an opportunity to do that. So I did, headed over to Simone Mathieu, and there I am thinking Kim Birrell, no weapons. The first thing I see, she's banging away a Pergoula serve for a winner to go up a break at the start of the third. And absolutely compelling from that point onwards.

37:29And look, Pagula is going to think this is one that got away, absolutely, because she had many opportunities to break back in this final set and the forehand really fell to pieces. It was sometimes long, sometimes in the net. She just couldn't really get the control on it that she wanted and Birol stayed strong. She did get broken trying to serve it out, but she had a double break cushion and ended up winning the match on return. And it's such a big, big moment for her. That's a huge win. I mean, I cannot tell you how little I had this on upset alert, really. Pergoula, I know she's had some of these sorts of losses at slams in the past couple of years.

38:15She has become someone who, for so long, we talked about her quarterfinal ceiling, but she'd always get there. She's now become someone who has gone through that and has reached the finals, reached some semifinals, but has also become a bit more susceptible to these sorts of losses. You know, and now has a couple of round one losses on her most recent go-around the majors, Wimbledon and this year's French Open. So perhaps I should have seen it coming, but I just didn't. I think this is a... It's a really big shock. I don't think it's, like, draw-shattering for the women's field because she was on the edge of my mix, Pagula.

38:55I felt like I was putting her in out of respect for the season she's had because she's been so good. But there were definitely four or five names above her in terms of who I thought were the real contenders to win this. So it doesn't change it in that respect. But I really thought that she was going to get through to at least the fourth round quarterfinal stage. So in that sense, it changes things and opens it up for, well, Kim Birrell and others. Yeah, it was quite a match, this.

39:25Matt Roberts:Yeah, it's big for Oleksandra Olnikova, who is Kim Birrell's second-round opponent. She beat her Russian qualifier opponent, Prudankina, today 6-1, 6-2, a match that, as we heard about when we spoke to her for our interview for Tennis Podcast meets that we ran on the main show, on the previous show on Saturday, her dad was going to be there at this match and be able to watch her for the first time in more than two years I think he is fighting for the Ukrainian army he's on leave at the moment he was able to watch her win today and I think he's able to stick around and we'll be able to watch her second round that'll be against Kim Birrell I mean with all due respect to Kim Birrell everything you've just said she'd take that wouldn't she Oleksandra Olenikova.

40:18David Law:As opposed to Jessica Pagula. Absolutely.

40:22Matt Roberts:And the winner of that to face either McCartney Kessler or Diana Schneider in round three. That is quite something for Beryl to go from playing Pagula, who I would say probably has the lowest trajectory over the net, to Olenikova, who I think has the highest trajectory over the net.

40:41David Law:The most consistent ball you're ever going to get, albeit hit very hard and then the most unpredictable and unusual ball. Yeah, that is a wild combination of opponents. Speaking of wild combinations of opponents, Naomi Osaka against Laura Siegmund. These two are a different vibe, aren't they? As proved when Laura Siegmund was asked what she thought of the Naomi Osaka outfit. What did she say, David? I don't care. I'm here for tennis, not a fashion show.

41:17Jannik Sinner:And look, that's absolutely fine. I think it's absolutely fine not to be into it. But the way people lose their minds about something that has absolutely no impact on other people is so weird, isn't it? Like, if you're not into it, that's absolutely fine. Don't engage with it. If you are into it, cool, fun.

41:36David Law:Maybe she'd have been a bit warmer about it if she'd have won. I don't think she would have been. If I know Laura, and I think I do, I really don't think she would have been. And there were times today when Osaka looked very not into Siegmund's service motion. We've all been there, Naomi. It was definitely going both ways. Yeah, absolutely. These two, they're just not a vibe, I don't think. They're never going to go for a beer together. I thought Naomi Osaka did really well to come through this in straight sets. 6-3, 7-6. This was tricky. It was really tricky. Yeah. Because Osaka's never been beyond the third round here.

42:15David Law:You know, this is not her favourite service at all. It's probably her least favourite, or certainly this and grass. But she's been working at it. She's been working really hard at trying to master the service, become good on it, and she's had results. She had that incredible match here against Svantec a couple of years ago as well. and this absolutely looked like the sort of opponent and circumstance that could just derail her game, make her start missing, you know, unless she was composed and on it. And I know she had some nervier moments later on, but she was on it from the first ball really today, hitting big, which you've got to do against Sigmund and just keeping your foot down.

43:04David Law:And she did such a great job of that. And look, I'm not so good on the outfits as we know, but I thought it was a really cool dress she was wearing in this match.

43:14Matt Roberts:Are you talking about the match dress or the walk-on dress?

43:17David Law:The match dress. I don't feel qualified to understand what's going on with the walk-on stuff.

43:21Jannik Sinner:But I think it's like art, isn't it?

43:23David Law:Yeah.

43:23Jannik Sinner:Like, everybody... It's what you enjoy. Yeah. Like, you don't have to be qualified.

43:29David Law:It was sort of a shimmery golden dress that she wore to play the tennis in.

43:34Matt Roberts:Which I thought was Alyssa Liu inspired. That's certainly what it reminded me of. That's an ice skater. She won the gold at the Olympics. Yeah. The Winter Olympics just gone. And she's a big deal.

43:50David Law:I mean, I really don't, I don't see her. Oh, look, she can wear what she wants anyway. But, I mean, this looked, as well as looking dazzling, it looked very functional as well. It looked like it was causing her no issues in playing the sport whatsoever to me. And, yeah, I think it's really cool that she brings something to the occasion that isn't just walking up and hitting tennis balls. She did say, by the way, in the press conference, that she had also packed a couple of other Nike dresses in case the umpire said, you're not allowed to wear that dress because it's too bright in the sun and that the sun will dazzle your opponent.

44:33Jannik Sinner:And if any opponent... Yeah, if she's passed the Siegmund test, everyone else will be fine with it. Quite cleverly didn't let Lara know about that until after the match. It was very, Suzanne Longland, there must be some sparkle too. Absolutely. Yeah. It was a shame there wasn't a bigger crowd for that walkout. I personally, I mean, I think it was just because I was sort of secondhand, like feeling heat from the sort of long, black, full-length walk-on outfit. It just made me feel even hotter than I already was when I saw it, which just wasn't what I was looking for in that moment. But yeah, like some people love it, some people don't.

45:18Jannik Sinner:It's not hurting anyone. Yeah, and she makes the point always, doesn't she, that like that's one of the ways she likes to express herself, you know, is through fashion and her clothes. And she likes, as a kid growing up, seeing what Serena and Venus would be wearing and those moments where they walked onto court were like cultural, cut-through moments and she's trying to bring some of that back and, yeah, I think it's great. Yeah. It's such a... It's a binary sort, isn't it, for a certain sort of strain of misogyny, you know, like fashion, make-up, silly girl things, you know. Why is she doing that?

46:05Jannik Sinner:Why is she trying to make a show of herself? Why is she being too much? Well, we liked it. Yeah. I mean, I think it's okay not to... You cannot love the outfit and support the concept or support her right to do that. Gotcha. It's art, David. You're entitled to an opinion as much as anyone else.

46:31David Law:Even if I don't know what I'm talking about. Do you want to say something? And people are probably keener for your opinion than anyone else's.

46:40Jannik Sinner:OK, so Osaka swerved the Siegmund banana skin. Coco Gough, bit of a sort of first set banana skin against Taylor Townsend,

46:50Matt Roberts:but in the end incredibly comfortable in her, well, the first step of her title defence. 6-4, 6-love for Gough today on Chattelier, David.

47:00David Law:Yeah, it did take a little time for it to settle. And I think that's inevitable against Townsend, who is a tricky opponent. They get along as well. They're friends. And she said it's a bit nerve-wracking playing your first match. It doesn't matter how many times you've done it. I find this with all the top players. We can sometimes think that they're impervious to nerves, but they're not. And she got over it. She makes three set matches seem like there's plenty of time, does Coco Gauff, more than anybody else to me. There's never panic. You always feel like she'll find her way back into this at some point.

47:42Matt Roberts:Both kind of macro and micro, right? Within a match, within a swing, within a season.

47:48David Law:Yeah, she's always going to figure something out. I think that's why when she lost to Svitolina in the Australian Open, it was so jarring. yes because that went quickly she looked like she had no answer she couldn't figure out a solution when she's the solution finder really most of the time yeah normally everyone lives so many lives during a Coco golf match herself her fans and yeah it's kind of her greatest strength really that ability. I think that's a really good way of putting it, like having time in matches to figure things out. But generally, I thought her game looks in good shape. She's going to play different types of opponents to Townsend as the tournament goes on.

48:40David Law:But I think she looks in a good state of mind as much as anything else. I think she's right there. Yeah, I do think that match I circled at the start with Potipova. It's only one round away. That is looming a little bit. Look, I think Goff would be the favourite, but I think that is tricky. Potipova has been in good form, is a big hitter. I'm not sure I would... I think it would be a good example of what you're talking about there, David. There might be a moment where Potipova comes out, hitting the ball cleanly, and Goff hasn't quite got a game, and Potipova jumps out to a lead. but I just think Goff probably will still find a way through.

49:19David Law:She's another player as well that is going to use this heat to her advantage. She loves it. She loves playing in it. She says I sometimes schedule my practice sessions. A lot of people do it early to avoid the heat. She says I'll do it during the height of it to get used to it. She says I might practice for a shorter time but I want to feel it. I want to feel what I'm going to feel on match day. and yeah I think she's really excited about the prospect of that being a factor I mean obviously that may only be for the first four rounds or so but yeah she's going to take some beating in these conditions

50:00Matt Roberts:Yeah and on the subject of players like that Maria Sekeri popping up out of nowhere today and beating the 12th seed Linda Nozkova 7-5, 7-6 I mean a couple of years ago wouldn't have been an upset at all Feels like quite a big upset in 2026. Yeah, I think so. Noskova's had a nice start to the season, hasn't she? Getting close to making her top 10 debut. And Sakari, the last time she beat a top 15 player at a slam? 2021 US Open. Oof. I mean, she hasn't played a lot of top 15 players at Slam since then. She's just been losing to players ranked lower than that, quite honestly. But I think you're right.

50:50I think that was perfect for her in those conditions. I don't think Noskova loves them. And I think Sakharov really backs herself still physically above pretty much anyone in the draw. So, yeah, she's really taken advantage of that. It'd be interesting to see whether she can keep it going or not.

51:09Matt Roberts:Sabalenka about par for her 6-4, 6-2 against Jessica Bauthier-Monaro on opening Chattrier today.

51:17David Law:Yeah, and on paper that is a tough first round. You know, a player who's comfortable on the surface and who's a very good player in Bauthier-Monaro. And it was a bit rusty, I thought, in the first set from Sabalenka. And then suddenly she just put her foot down and could have won that second set even more easily, I think. yeah another one who has time in a slightly different way because she's going to just keep swinging until she lands even if it's not going that well and she invariably in these stages catches up with an opponent eventually you don't get early round losses from Marina Sabalenka at Grand Slams

51:58Matt Roberts:There are a few other American winners today besides Coco Goff on the women's side, Emma Navarro carried on her Strasbourg form. Obviously won the title there a few days ago, beat Janice Chen today, 6-4, 6-3. It was an interesting piece with her in Ben Rothenberg's sub-stack today about the health issues she's suffered from recently, hyperthyroidism being amongst them. I mean, it does sound like she's really been through it and continues to go through it and has quite a story to tell. And she's a good talker, Emma Navarro. She's a smart cookie. I think and yeah I'm really pleased to see her, it looks just a first round win but Janice Chen's a good player and Strasbourg that is a good title and I'm really pleased to see it because yeah well for lots of reasons but I'm pleased to see it.

52:51David Law:Yeah she's clearly had quite a tough time really and it's when you make a comeback after quite a long period of just not really being able to play or certainly not being able to play at the level you're used to or in the health that you're used to, it can sometimes take a while and actually this has been a pretty sharpish rise back up, hasn't it?

53:15Jannik Sinner:Absolutely. Madison Keyes, also a winner today, looked fit I think, which is the big win because she wasn't fit in the last match that she played just over a week ago and Evijovic also a winner over Alexandra Ayala today. That's Except for part two, we'll be back in part three to do Sensation of the Day and Musketeer of the Day and look ahead to tomorrow's order of play. Welcome back to part three of today's tennis podcast, where we unexpectedly have to decide upon Sensation of the Day. Is it going to Adam Walton or is it going to Kim Birrell? I'll let you argue amongst yourselves. Kim Birrell for me.

53:59Kim Birrell for me. She's stolen it right from under Adam Walton's nose. And I thought that was a shoo-in for Adam Walton to get this newfangled sensation of the day in May. But Kim Birrell has to be. I think that's a bigger upset.

54:15Jannik Sinner:Birrell, done. On to musketeer of the day we go. We have a few contenders today. There were some French defeats. Thomas Farrell losing out to injured Valentin Vachero in four sets, as we say. There was a fun sort of comeback spell for Pharrell, wasn't there,

54:32Matt Roberts:where they were so into it on court 14, but Vachero trudging through in the end, although sounds like he's not in a great way, quite frankly. Lois Boisson, bit of a sad scene for her on Longland today, beaten by Kalinskaya, 6-2, 6-2. Not sure how fit she is, certainly not match fit, Lois Boisson. and obviously old Clément Tabour beaten by Yannick Sinner on Châtelet this evening.

55:01Jannik Sinner:We do have some French winners, though, and some exciting and interesting ones. We have our first female French winners, your gal Elsa Giacomo, Matt, the first French female winner of the tournament. She beat Linda Fruvitova, 6-4, 6-3. Diane Parry got unexpectedly moved to Châtelet and played a very odd match against Angelina Kalinina. Both of them seemed quite injured. And there was a time when it looked like this match might delay the night session. I was rooting for that. Yeah, me too. But in the end, Parry winning through with hefty strapping on her thigh, shall we say. And on the men's side, a win for Moise Kwame, a shining light today on the men's side of things for the French.

55:49Jannik Sinner:He beat Marin Cilic in three straight sets and he's quite a talent, David.

55:57David Law:Yeah, they've been talking about Kwame for quite a while here in France. He's 17 years of age at the moment, but this is the first year really that he's made some breakthrough results. I was talking to Julien Roboy from L 'Equipe who said that he'd never beaten anybody in the top 250 before this year and he's beaten eight of those players this year. So that's a pretty significant change. And in terms of his style, he's quick. He plays quite a surprising, unpredictable game. He'll give you some fairly slow balls and then he'll suddenly dart them through and start thrashing at the ball. You're not quite sure what's coming from one minute to the next.

56:43David Law:And I think Catherine and I watching this on one of our screens this morning, We were quite taken by how he sort of hung with Cilic to get through that first set, and then it was Cilic that faded. Look, he's late 30s. Kwame's 17. You know, he's less than half his age. It's maybe not that surprising, but it's quite interesting that he's coached by Richard Gasquet, who apparently, according to Julien from L 'Equipe, Gasquet said to the French Tennis Federation, If you want me to do anything, just get me to work with the really young kids as they're coming through. Because I'm the one who knows what that was like trying to do it.

57:25David Law:And basically, I would have wanted to do things differently or had a different experience than what I did have if I could do it all over again. I mean, this is a guy, Gasquet, who was on the front cover of Tennis Magazine at the age of nine. Which, I mean, that sounds irresponsible to me. I saw his debut in Monte Carlo. I was there at the time when he was 15 and he beat Franco Scolari. And it was an amazing sight to see his backhand for the first time and the French crowd were getting really into him. But he was a child, you know, and he wasn't ready for it. He wasn't mature enough. And he came along so closely in age to Nadal.

58:07David Law:But he just wasn't ready like Nadal was ready for it. and I think it stunted him all the way through, really. It didn't feel to me like Gasquet ever really was able to completely mature at the right pace. And I think he knows it, and he wants to help them not make the same mistakes and help these young lads. So, so far, Kwame, I mean, that's a great win. That's a great result for him to be getting a wild card and getting through to the second round of the French Open.

58:42Matt Roberts:So does he get Muscatara of the day?

58:45David Law:He does for me. Yeah, me too.

58:50Matt Roberts:First female winners? Don't want to put too much pressure on him, you know.

58:54Catherine Whitaker:I just think Kwame, youngest male player to win a match at a slam since Tomek at the 2009 Australian Open. He's 20 years younger than Chilich. I know that may have helped him as well.

59:10Jannik Sinner:Look, I agree with you. I just think if we don't give it to a woman today, there probably won't be any women. When Giacomo takes out Sabalenka. That's very French open. When Giacomo takes out Sabalenka. She can have it. Is Sabalenka the Cilic equivalent here? She'll be muskier of the tournament. OK. Three straight sets at the age of 17. It's like when Matt removed Belinda Bencic from the backhand list when she had a baby and I accused him of misogyny. Yeah, which was crazy. I was opening up the opportunity to someone else to enjoy some time on the backhand list. This is the worst French Open on the women's side for France in a long time, only having two players into the second round.

1:00:01I think since the 80s, they've not had this few players in the second round. But yeah, I do think it's Kwame. Also because his favourite player is Petra Kvitova. Isn't that fun?

1:00:17Jannik Sinner:Well, I do love that. I genuinely, I don't think I've ever heard a male player

1:00:23Matt Roberts:when asked who their favourite player is say a female player. And women usually say male players. He wasn't asked directly, who's your favourite player? He had done a video on TikTok a few weeks ago in which he apparently said that his favourite player is Petra Kvistva and he was asked about that video. That's enough for me. He was asked about that video by Tomaini Carial, who is clearly more across Kwame's TikTok than I am, but I'm going to change that. Yeah. How do we get across TikTok? We're on it. You're big on TikTok, David. David, yeah. Okay, sold. Sold on that. I do love that.

1:01:09Jannik Sinner:So, Kwame, it is. This is what we've got to look forward to tomorrow. We're finally into round two, folks. We made it. So, what have we got tomorrow? Day four of the French Open. Finally, round two action is getting underway. Chattere starts with a women's match. Sarah Bailik. Am I saying that right, Matt? That's how I've been saying it. Balec against Iga Svjantek first up. Then Alina Svitolina against Caitlin Quevedo,

1:01:41Matt Roberts:a Spanish player, world number 126. I know very little about her, but we will see her tomorrow against Alina Svitolina. Third on the day session on Chateaille tomorrow is Valentin Royer against Novak Djokovic. And in the night session, Thomas Mahatch against Alexander Zverev.

1:02:02Jannik Sinner:thoughts and feelings? You never know.

1:02:07Catherine Whitaker:Just imagine. Yeah, just imagine Mahat retiring at a certain three-love down. Or just imagine him producing the sort of form

1:02:20David Law:that led to him being known by us as the best player in the world.

1:02:24Jannik Sinner:Yeah. Long then tomorrow starts with... Look, this was supposed to be blocks against Dominore, but Hashanov and Trunjeliti have been upgraded at the gate. They open Longlen tomorrow. Following them is Yulia Starob Dubtseva against Lena Rabakina. Third on, Jasmine Paolini against Sorol Anak, Sierra, and then Kaspar Rude against Hamad Majedovic. He'll be hoping it's cooled off quite a bit by the time he takes to the court.

1:02:54David Law:Do you know it occurred to me today that I could, if I time it right on Suzanne Longland tomorrow, I could be reunited with the drop shot dragon 25 years on.

1:03:07Jannik Sinner:Who's he coaching?

1:03:08David Law:He's coaching Trunjuliti.

1:03:10Jannik Sinner:Is he? Yeah. Albert Portas. Yeah, Albert Portas. We've got to make that happen for content purposes, haven't we? Big time. He won't have a clue where I am. He would remember you, wouldn't he? Only if I say I'm the bloke who came up with the drop shot dragon, remember? you might remember them. You're quite easy to remember though, David.

1:03:29David Law:You've got some distinctive features. Could we try? Could we genuinely try and make that happen? Sure. I'm excited. The press seats are right behind the coach. Well, exactly. Feels achievable. Albert! I haven't seen you for 25 years. Remember old Hamburg? Me stood next year and the first question was why did they call you the drop shot dragon? And you just pointed at me. I think you should try and get his attention by shouting drop shot dragon. Take it from there. It would be quite interesting to see if he turned around. It would be so disappointing if he did. Imagine how hurt I'd be. Anyway.

1:04:11Jannik Sinner:Mathieu tomorrow opens with Katie McNally against Belinda Bencic. It's a lovely match. Yeah, lovely. Camila Ugo Carabelli against Andre Rublev, second up. Umber against Alice, another all-French match for Hugo Umber. And then Mira Andrejevic against Basel's Rivera, Rivera rather, excuse me, is last on Mathieu tomorrow. Davidovic for Kina opens court 14. Marta Kostiuk is there tomorrow against Katie Volinets. Third on, I really hope it's not too hot for this because I want to see Joel Fonseca against Dino Prismic. Oh, yes. Yeah. That would be good. Winner to face? Probably Novak Djokovic. Oh, now you've got my attention.

1:05:01Yeah. What a section of a draw. We found some kicks in the men's draw.

1:05:04Jannik Sinner:We found some potential kicks. Karolina Mukova is last on court 14. Tomorrow, court 7. Has Jelena Ostapenko against Magda Lynette. Big, that. That's big. Circle that one. It's so big. Are you concerned that Magdalene... Yeah, Lynette's tricky. Lynette's exactly the sort of player who could completely... Very tricky, certified tricky, but also was really struggling, wasn't she, in her previous match against Balintover. That is going to be peak heat, that match. Yeah. James Duckworth against Raphael Hodder is third on court seven tomorrow. It's good tomorrow. Lorenzo Sonnigo against Tommy Paul. It's good tomorrow.

1:05:47Jannik Sinner:Yeah, it's good order of play. We've got the fake sinner, opening court six who's the fake sinner Italian called sinner, C-I-N-A

1:06:01what's his first name? Federico okay, sounds right

1:06:07Jannik Sinner:Jakub Mensik, Mariano Navone, Hayley Baptiste is on court six tomorrow, third on, followed by Ava Lees against Sarana Castella. It's a good order of play tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. I don't expect to be awarding a sensation of the day. I think we'll go back to just Muscatara of the day, but look, we weren't expecting to do that today, so anything can happen. If Duckworth beats Hodder, he can have it. I hope he doesn't do that, because then all my predictions will be up in smoke. Yeah. David's got a credibility issue if James Duckworth does a thing tomorrow. Folks, Let's say hello to truly the most handsome cat I have ever seen.

1:06:54Jannik Sinner:Elise says, I feel like you just need plenty of Bashir content to keep you going in this weather. And that is absolutely right. In fact, it might be Vicky that said that. Someone has said that and they're absolutely right. Bashir is looking up at me with his beautiful blue eyes. He is absolutely mesmerising. There have been some requests to see Bashir's portrait done by my mum. And we will be putting that on Instagram when I have some Wi-Fi, which I didn't for most of today. We will get that on. We will get that on Instagram. Hello to our mascots. Hello, Bodhi. Hello, Maisie. Hello, Roger. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris and Jeff.

1:07:37Jannik Sinner:Let's have some shout outs, Matt. we have Vicky not our Vicky but Vicky from Brooklyn but like our Vicky same church same pew in fact Vicky with an I at the end like Vicky Spreadbury yeah our lord and saviour you're lucky to have that name Vicky we love Vicky I got myself in such a pickle this afternoon and I just forlornly turned to Matt and said do you think Vicky can sort this out and Matt said yep, I think Vicky could sort anything out. Yep, to find anything that she can't sort out for us. Did she? I sorted it out myself, David. You harvassed your inner Vicky. Yeah. I did, actually. Really did.

1:08:21You got on the phone and everything. I was proud of you. Thank you, cooling off period. I still haven't been told about it, have I? I did a disaster, David. But I also undid said disaster all in the same day. So it doesn't count. Thank you, Vicky. We also have Diane Martin. Hello, Diane.

1:08:46Jannik Sinner:Like Diane Parry that won today. Exactly. Diane is from Melbourne. Moved back just in time to go to the Australian Open this year after 20 years of living in the UK and Thailand. Well, very apt that Diane should get her shout-out on the day that sensation of the day makes an unexpected return. Thank you, Diane. Diane's been listening to the pod almost since it first began, she says. Gosh, what a trooper. It's not that hard. It's great! Except for those ones where I have to get up at 7am. Yeah, but the listeners can have a line and listen to it later. Thanks, Diane. And finally, we have Noreen Riley from Robbinsville, New Jersey.

1:09:45New Jersey heard that Seattle... Hitting back after the Seattle reference. Seattle was coming for its title. Our first Noreen, potentially. I've got a feeling you've said that before Yeah I think we might have had this Noreen before Well maybe our only Noreen then Noreen says Since starting to listen to the pod during the pandemic you've opened my eyes to all the amazing tournaments outside of the Grand Slams My husband and I went to our first grass tournament this past summer when we saw the women's semi-finals at Queen's while on vacation

1:10:24Jannik Sinner:That's really lovely, Noreen, because Matt and I had dinner with our mate Dave last week and he described everything, podcasts outside of the Grand Slams, as a trudge. Dave? That's our dear friend Dave. So that's a boost, Noreen. I won't forget that. I'm excited for the text from Dave when he's heard that. Mind you, we did reveal he doesn't listen to all the pods. Absolutely. Maybe we won't get a test. It's a real test. Yeah. Noreen, Diane and Vicky, thank you ever so much for being friends of the Tennis Podcast. We are part of the Athletic Podcast Network. It is 20 to 1 in the morning. We've ticked over into day four of the French Open.

1:11:11Jannik Sinner:How is it 20 to 1 in the morning? Cine 1 in about two hours. What are we doing? This is my early night. We'll be back tomorrow, later today. Whatever it might be, we'll speak to you then. You