Indian Wells - Sabalenka, Sinner win…just

38:08I mean, those are incredible stats. You know, I remember in the Australian Open, I did one of those things. I was going to reference this, David. I think I did it with all three of you at different times, which is to say, a question pops into my head and I say, whose serve would you rather have out of Alcaraz and Sinners? Yes. Charlie gave it some proper thought and gave me a, in fact, it was quite a delay before I got an answer. And eventually Charlie gave me a very considered answer as to why he would go sinner. I said, I'd go. I can't believe you're doing this to me today, David. We went about our day.

38:52I then asked Catherine about this and I think I might have asked it as a bad time. And Catherine was, I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to have to think about this, basically, is the gist of what you said. No, I said I hate questions like this, and I stand by it. So it was more across the board, right. It was not circumstantial. You would have got a variety of a version of that answer. Maybe I was a bit snappy about it. And I can't remember what Matt said. I actually can't remember what I said either. Obviously, for the purposes of this, I definitely said Yannick Sinner. well I mean honestly watching this was like watching Pete Sampras it's unbelievable what Sinner was doing but even then you get into that second set tie break and Mevidev establishes a four-love lead in a tie break that doesn't seem any way back and even in the fifth point Sinner kind of misses the first serve rolls his second serve in Mevidev gets to have a go at it and puts a deep return in but he does he does make an unforced error in in that particular rally.

39:57Thereafter, he basically didn't have a chance. I mean, Siena just took it over and won seven points in a row to win that tiebreak. It was, you know, it's the definition of sort of clutch play and just brilliant from both of them. I'd like to think that Medvedev will come out of this tournament feeling great because he bamboozles Alcraz and made Alcaraz question a few things, certainly on the day. And I thought Medvedev was sensational. But Sinner got the title and that's in itself incredible. And it's pretty massive, Charlie, to be describing Yannick Sinner as clutch in the context of that Australian Open semi-final defeat to Novak Djokovic.

40:43I don't think anyone was suggesting that he was suddenly going to become this great choker. But like he just had a bit of a ship to steady on that front. And I feel like he really did in this final in particular. Yeah, on that front and also on the playing in the heat front and also a bit on the serve front because he's had some pretty ropey days. I mean, the fact really that David was asking that question and that I took as long to answer as I did does speak to both Alcaraz's improvement on the serve, but also Sinner's slight regression, because I think that would have been a pretty straightforward answer, you know, this time a year ago, or it would have been for me anyway.

41:22So he kind of addressed, you know, a number of the questions that have been asked of him. I mean, it's so rare, I think, where you have a final that both players come out of it with so much credit. I mean, yeah, huge for Sinner to do it, but I was just blown away by Medvedev. I still can't quite believe how well he played, how aggressively, how consistently his big shots were going in and doing damage. Because I kept thinking, I mean, admittedly, I thought of this with Alcaraz, so maybe I should have learned my lesson. But I was like, he started really well. But how sustainable is this? Because we've seen players, whether it's against Alcaraz or Sinner or Djokovic, was the classic example.

42:00They're such a high tariff. OK, you can do this for a few games. You might even do it for a set. You're not going to do this all match. Like eventually these huge forehands that he was hitting up the line, they're going to start going out but they just didn't like he really had and i thought you know after he lost that first set which you know he left that volley had he made he would have been the mini breakup he may well have won it i thought maybe that's going to cause a lapse it didn't um i mean and i put my hands up i thought you know last year with medvedev i just did not see this turnaround coming i really didn't and i guess maybe that's a lesson with shviontek it does change very quickly and obviously shviontek's in a different bracket even to him but what a turnaround the um the the aggression that Medvedev is clearly playing with is is obviously very very striking he's pulling the trigger down those lines in like an absolutely thrilling thrilling way and the precision with which he's doing it is incredible but like okay it's it's perhaps a marker of you know the new work with Thomas Johansson but But Medvedev, back when he was having his greatest success, he was quite an aggressive player.

43:09I think it doesn't surprise me that now he's found a bit of confidence, he feels a lot more able to do that. What really does surprise me, Matt, is that he seems to have got his serve back. I thought the Medvedev serve was lost forever. I'm not suggesting it's perhaps where it was in 2019, but it looks somewhat back to me. Yeah, I agree. And if we focus on the semi-final against Alcaraz, the absolutely standout number there was the number of points that Medvedev was winning on his second serve. Like Alcaraz is a generationally good returner of serve. And yet he could kind of get nowhere close to the Medvedev second serve.

43:59Medvedev was winning points behind that shot 70 plus percent of the time. And look, a lot of that was because he was backing it up so well with his ground strokes and with his aggression. But the first serve was effective. The second serve was far less attackable and far less vulnerable than it has been for a long time. yeah like for anyone who's become like an out like a tennis fan in the alcaraz sinner years you know they've got into the sport maybe in the last couple of years and they've they've seen this medvedev figure and they're like how did that guy win a major and was world number one and was like the best hardcore player in the world he's he's a bit of a joke isn't he like he's losing to benjamin bonzi all the time and crashing out at grand slams and ranting and raving all the time well this is how like this tennis and like arguably this was even more aggressive than he was in his in his prime and and he says as you said he always thinks of himself as an aggressive player when he's playing well he took it up a level the fact that like i felt like during this final that the fact that sinner had played fonseca was quite good preparation for him to then play medvedev kind of told it all right because it was a similar sort of feel sinner having to revert to the role of okay i'm not going to be playing all the points in attack here i'm going to have to absorb and i'm going to have to win some tie breaks and come up clutch in the big moments and it was so impressive that he did do that sinner but i just love seeing when like an alqueror and the sinner the best players in the world are made to come up with the goods and Fonseca forced Sinner to do it and Medvedev forced both Alcaraz and Sinner to do it this week and Alcaraz couldn't quite do it to beat him Sinner did and yeah that rumors of Yannick Sinner's demise that may have been discussed or exaggerated or debated very much very much just rumors because that is how this rivalry works They just keep responding to one another.

46:02And Sinners had a big week there and was impressive. And rumours of Carlos Alcaraz maybe never losing a tennis match again. Also exaggerated. Can I just ask you guys a question? Because I fall on the more positive side for the chasing pack here. But do we think this is an encouraging week for the field in the sense that Medvedev's shown that, you know, you can, if you're fearless, beat one and push one close? Or is it a, OK, so even if I'm redlining and playing, basically it's my absolute maximum, I might beat one, but I'm still going to lose to the other. Like, I think the former, I think it is encouraging.

46:42But yeah, curious to know what you guys think. I hate questions like that, Charlie.

46:51David, you're indulging me. No, it's a good question. You go for it, David. I actually think the whole year has been quite encouraging because even though Senna and Alcaraz keep end up winning the titles, they haven't actually played the two big finals that we all thought they would play. And yes, it's Djokovic and Medvedev who've ended up disturbing those finals. But I mean, you know, Medvedev, I thought Medvedev would do this at the Australian Open. And then he was terrible at the Australian Open. Then he'd come out and done this. But with Draper and Feast back in the mix of things and Tien's clear improvement, albeit he was manhandled by Sinner when they faced each other, that was a bit of a reality show.

47:41albeit I think Tien was probably a bit wiped out as well after his long match against Davidovich for Kina and I mean Zverev at the Australian Open was close against Alcraz you know but then he was nowhere near Sinner in Indian Wells by the way that was hilarious that he came out saying that he was going to take the fight to Sinner and then the moment the guy stands at the backstop and just gives him a different look His game completely fell apart. But I actually think, generally speaking, it should give them some encouragement. These guys, you can beat them if you play well enough and they have a bit of an off day, and if you're good enough.

48:27But it's still fairly small. Yeah, quite a lot of it. I guess there's well if there are. Quite a lot of circumstances need to align. But certainly for someone like Djokovic, you'd think he'd be thinking, you know, he probably knows beating them both. He's seen as close to impossible, but he's shown he can beat one. And then maybe there's a chance that Medvedev or someone might take out the other. And I'm sure he would still back himself to beat. I mean, obviously, this Medvedev is playing unbelievably, but that's still a different proposition to playing either of them back to back. Matt? Yeah, I'm with David and Charlie.

49:07I'm definitely leaning on a positive overall week and start to the season for the field. You know, the fact that we haven't had a Sinner-Alcaraz match yet, as David said, like we had so many at the back end of last season. I think there was some circumstance to that as well, like because Draper and Feast were out and Sinner had had the three-month break in the start of the season. He was so fresh towards the end of the season. Alcaraz had just gone up a level they just sort of had the men's tour to themselves really I just think the reset has helped the field a little bit in terms of just showed more promise maybe it's just start of the season vibes and I'm sort of giving players more of a chance because it's the start of the season and things are feeling new and fresh but I don't know I really do think people are people are playing well here and And yeah, like if we get a load of Alcaraz-Sinna finals suddenly, I think that changes.

50:08But as long as one of them is losing before the final, that to me is quite a win for the field. And yeah, I'm really encouraged actually by the start of the season on the ATP side. I think it's been really intriguing in lots of ways with the older guys returning to form like Djokovic and is Medvedev in that bracket now? I suppose he probably is but like also the also the younger guys and returning from injury just feels like the pool of players who I'm sort of really interested in tournament to tournament is it's quite big at the moment and I didn't feel like that for for quite a quite a large period of 2025 I'm almost a little bit relieved for our crowds that his streak is over as well because I just feel for players when they get on a streak.

51:04I always remember that. Do you remember the sign that was held up for Iga Shontek when she was on her massive, massive streak that ended up coming to an end at Wimbledon? I think it was at the French Open. It was, will she ever lose? And of course, that ends up being the narrative around a streak. Somebody, they end up feeling unbeatable. and yet of course they are going to be beaten and that frenzy of pressure, I kind of feel sorry for playing. I mean, Al Kras looked like he was handling it just fine. He was putting on B costumes at the end of his match. He didn't look to be suffering with the pressure of the streak.

51:43But the longer it went on, I think, the less fun maybe it was going to be, but then winning's always fun. I don't know. I just wanted to be able to mention Alcaraz in the bee costume because it was one of those, like, God, what a gift this guy is, right? Like, he could probably have done any sport. Like, another sport could have Carlos Alcaraz right now, but, like, he's a gift to ours and we get to look at just that joyful face wearing a bee costume, the beauty of it being back to front, the wings are on the front. and he doesn't notice or care. It was a good time, Matt, wasn't it? Yeah, it was great.

52:30And I am so pleased that the bee thing in Indian Wells is continuing. I thought maybe two years on, I might get bored of it. I might think, oh, the bee thing is over. But no, my heart sang when I saw those blokes dressed as the bees. I want, in 15 years' time, if Alcarez is still playing and going back to Indian Wells, I want people to be dressed up as bees. I want that moment, the Lance Davis bee swarm of it all, just to always be remembered because I had so much fun that night. How would you feel about the bee becoming an Alcarez thing outside of Indian Wells? No, I want it just at Indian Wells.

53:11No, like Sinner and his carrots. No, Indian Wells. You want it just at Indian Wells, okay. Yeah, just at Indian Wells. I feel strongly about that. Matt has spoken. Matt, I'm going to come to you again because it would be rude to go to anybody else for hindrance drama. Yes. I was so pleased when I woke up to this.

53:34I'm declaring it now officially on the rise, if not an epidemic. We're certainly on epidemic watch, I would say. And I actually think the fact that Hindrance Drama has been on the rise, I think that was a factor in this. Yeah, I'll let Matt explain what happened in the Medvedev-Draper match for anybody that wasn't aware. I know that this has gone very viral, but it's like Hindrance Drama is really reaching fever pitch now. Like we might genuinely have to introduce an official segment on the show. Matt, take it away. And I think part of the reason it's on the rise, and I hadn't really made this correlation before, but it makes sense, is video review, right?

54:23Like you now have an option as a player to review things that just weren't available to you before, such as hindrance if it hasn't been called already by the umpire. And this was that example. So Medvedev-Draper. Medvedev is, as we thought, winning this match. Draper's a little bit sluggish, I suppose, coming back the next day after that incredible effort against Novak Djokovic. And Medvedev's playing brilliantly well. And he's en route to winning this match. And a rally unfolds and Medvedev hits a ball that lands pretty close to the baseline. And Draper gestures mid-rally, He does one of those like looking down at it, puts his arms out a little bit as though to say, hang on, wasn't that out?

55:12There's definitely definitely a moment where Draper does that mid rally. But then the rally continues. Both players hit a few more shots in the rally and Draper wins the rally. And then afterwards, Medvedev is the one who asked for the video review and says that what Draper did on that ball that was near the baseline was hindrance and put him off. And the umpire, Orly Taut, allowed that to happen, watched it and declared that Medvedev had been hindered by that movement that Draper made. and Draper's argument was yes he may have seen it but he wasn't put off enough by it because the rally kept going and I think kind of what you're saying there and I think I agree Catherine is that the fact that Medvedev knows that the option is available to him he's seen a route to potentially win this point that he's already lost and he takes advantage of that wording in the rule I think there was an incident at the Australian Open last year with Svantec and Navarro, when Navarro actually wasn't able to go back and question something that happened earlier on in the rally.

56:30And it led to a change, and now umpires do allow you to do that. Personally, I think too much time passed in this rally, and there should have been more the approach of what we used to have with Hawkeye and line calling, where if you want to stop the rally, if you're bothered by something, I think you've got to do it much sooner than Medvedev did here. Certainly, you know, the point had already finished and he'd lost it. It seemed a little bit like trying to bend the rules and use that to his advantage. And he was pretty sheepish. A little bit. He was pretty sheepish at the end, Medvedev, when he said, I hope you don't hate me, to Draper.

57:11I think this is a very generous take. from you Matt like Daniel Medvedev was kind of less generous about his own behavior than you have been like he pretty much fully acknowledged that it was pretty dastardly didn't he he was like I'm here to win tennis matches I'm going to try and do everything I can to win them and it's up to the officials to do their job and like yeah he's right I think this is Orly Tort's fault I'm afraid I don't want I don't want to come down too hard it's a difficult job umpiring but i i do think this was very very clearly a bad call i think it was pretty dastardly from medvedev we probably go go a bit easy on him because he owns it and i i there's so few that do that that it is the thing is it does take the edge off but it was dastardly come on i remember he was not hindered i do remember thinking that navarro was unlucky in that one before and it did to me it did to me feel like there needed to be some kind of some kind of change to the ruling to allow the kind of navarro but then it's like opening the can of worms and then you get to a situation where you allow this sort of thing that medvedev did so there's a kind of a gray area it's a classic case of var in sport does not necessarily solve all the issues we've got the we've got the anti-var guy on the pod we should probably go to charlie for orally taught see kevin friend i know yeah literally like as soon as i stopped covering football and thought oh no more var and then that was basically the moment the tennis introduced it i just can't escape it i've got to embrace it it's part of my life no the navarro one is a really good example because that was so unfair on her because it was like she shouldn't be expected to kind of self-officiate.

59:05And that's what I thought was always hard about Hawkeye challenging and all of that was it was great for spectators and created aggro and drama, but bloody big ask on the players who already have enough to worry about and be stressed about to also kind of half self-referee their matches. But this one was different. I mean, Draper, I'm sure he will now reflect on it because he did it a few times in the Djokovic match as well, was kind of reacting visibly to shots as if to be like, in the moment, be like, what? like that's that looked in or that looked out like you could see him being surprised and I think there may have been I think that he criticized the automatic line calling at Wimbledon I seem to remember last year so I think he is one of those players who is a bit distrusting of it but yeah I think it was opportunism and be all spot on Catherine because Medvedev we love him he's funny he's quirky he owns it there are plenty of players with they've done that I think we'd be coming down a lot harder on.

1:00:00Yeah. He was not expecting Orly Tork to go with it, I don't think, David. He was like, I'll give this a go. Probably not going to work. Oh, right. You're with me on this. Cool. I think he was slightly feeling a bit bad even as he was going through the process. And I think because he thinks Draper's a good bloke as well and that he was sort of telling him, nah, nah, that's not enough to put you off. I think he was sort of feeling worse by the second. But also, then the other little devil on the shoulder saying, yeah, but look at all the times you've been screwed, Daniel. Don't forget those, all right?

1:00:47So I think there's a bit of an internal battle going on in there. But yeah, I didn't love it, really. even though it was also fun. I'd just be so worried about the karma if I was Medvedev after that. It's like with my non-out call in the one-point slam. I was just like, I can't do this. I'm not sure. And it's like, this is going to come back to bite me in the ass at some point. I'm surprised Medvedev. Maybe that's why he's an elite athlete. That's the only reason. Charlie, we had some crossing of worlds. Charlie was hanging out with our mate Dave at the weekend and our mate Dave texted us and said, I saw Charlie Eccleshire at the weekend.

1:01:28He said yeah, he was still talking about his defeat in the one point slam. This yeah, that I was asked. Very understandably Charlie. Yeah, it was not a sort of like, how are you doing? I'm fine, yeah. Have I told you about Hamlet at the one point slam? But yes. I do still think about it a lot. I have to say I think the biggest shock of the whole the whole hindrance drama was that Greg Allensworth was not in the chair like I feel like he's always at the scene of these events and yet finally one has happened without him he had done his work in the Sinner was it the day before, maybe it was on the same same day, he'd been utterly useless but in an incredibly pleasing way during the Sinner crowd drama I mean Sinner dealt with it himself didn't he?

1:02:20There was somebody incredibly obnoxious in the front row. I think that was the front second match wasn't it? Right yeah Sinner went over and just dealt with it himself and it was one of those where it's like oh if Sinner's pointing this out then it must be bad because it's Yannick Sinner you know and the situation seemed to be very much under control and kind of already in the past at the point at which Greg Allensworth jogged into the picture and appeared looking very officious. Like, I'm here to sort things out. Yeah, you're OK, Greg? They've already been sorted out. And back he jogged to the chair.

1:03:01It was an incredible cameo in what was a fantastic, fantastic men's tournament in India miles. I really did enjoy it and echo Matt's thoughts and feelings about kind of feeling pretty buoyed by men's tennis at the moment in a way that I haven't, I've been at moments, but in a kind of big picture way that I haven't for quite a while. The La Cuisinade, that fun, came to an end in the final. Vachero and Rindeknesh, the cousins, beaten in the final 7-6-6-3 by Manuel Guinard and Guido Andreozzi. And there was also a mixed doubles exhibition unclear how this mixed doubles exhibition fitted in with the Eisenhower Cup the mixed doubles event that had already been won by Taylor Fritz and Elena Rabakina but Flavio Caballi and Belinda Bencic also won a mixed doubles title that doesn't mean anything I thought my scores app had broken I was like I was looking at it and it was like Bencic and Caballi are playing against each other with each other What is going on here with each other?

1:04:15Turns out there was this Mixed Devils exhibition. It happened last year. It passed me by. They won a lot of money. They won a lot, yeah. A lot of money. Flavio Gaboli lost a long time ago in the singles. He must have hung around for well over a week. I mean, I do quite like it. I mean, I suppose for 360 grand you would. I do quite like it as an idea. We talk about these two-week Masters 1000 events and there's a lot of dead time. and you're putting on a mixed doubles exhibition, which, you know, if you put that money in it, you are going to get players playing and playing hard. There's also the Phoenix Challenger, isn't there, that takes place in the second week of Indian Wells, which gets a good field.

1:04:57It felt like there was enough still happening kind of in tennis this week, even in the second week of a Masters 1000, that players had playing opportunities and earning opportunities. Yeah, I mean, I didn't watch any of it, but I'm glad it happened. God, you're in a far better, sunnier mood, Matt, than the last pod, the last Monday pod we did after Fulham's FA Cup exit. You're positive about everything, apart from my adjoints. Sorry, Charlie, go ahead. No, I do like the idea that they were like, oh, we did a mixed doubles pre-thing and then the US Open have kind of, you know, one-upped us with that.

1:05:39How do we get them back? It's like two mixed doubles tournaments. It's like, that's it. That's the special sauce. I also loved... Sorry, Charlie, go ahead. I was going to make a silly point about Flavio Gaboli having an incredible Hulk tattoo and being unable to lift up the mixed doubles trophy. That was a chef's kiss moment. Please do make a serious point. no just one last thing on the the atp point i think for for me and for most well i can't speak for everyone for me it's like it's not necessarily that it's sin or alcaraz playing every final like that in itself obviously there are issues there but the main thing was this sense that it was just such a cakewalk to get to that point whereas now it feels a bit win-win because if they do get to another final play each other then a we haven't had loads just recently but also feel like they really had to work to get there because now there are these challenges so i think that really that's the key for me that sets it up really nicely that it's like you know that it's fine to have like two dominant players just don't make it feel like the rest of the tournament is kind of a formality until we get this point until we get to this point yeah that's such a good point any other reflections from your indian miles debut charlie before we move on to look ahead to to Miami well I mean linked to this point of the re-emergence of the kind of challenges in the ATP challenges in the ATP tour three of the people I really enjoyed speaking to like got to do one-on-ones with and watching were Draper Fonseca and Feast so it's like you know that that did feel like quite in all of them quite interesting stories in their own way all players who it felt like had really positive weeks in in slightly different ways Fonseca especially almost I mean Draper and Fies yes because the injuries but you know I feel like there were probably less concerns but you know people were pretty high on their games whereas Fonseca I feel and I think Matt made a really good point that there was a bit of an overcorrection with you know he got so hyped and then it felt like people were really trying to knock him and it's a bit strange um and I just think that cinema match was a reminder of like yeah this is why there's the hype like his top level is so so high and i really enjoyed watching that match it did feel like one of those matches where you would remember in a few years you know people will talk about you remember the first time fonseca played one of sinner or alcaraz like it felt quite special um and so yeah i really enjoyed that um so yeah so i mean it's always great being there because you actually get to you know you get talk to the players more and kind of see them up close, how they operate, how they seem to be feeling about their game and themselves.

1:08:30So, yeah, I really enjoyed that aspect of it. And just one final thing for me on sort of Indian Wells, and I know Charlie's done a lot of reporting on, you know, the players who were caught in Dubai and had to then get to Indian Wells. Like, kind of, again, remarkable that Medvedev had the week that he did, the tournament that he did, at Indian Wells going from Dubai to Indian Wells. OK, the form carried on, but like, you know, we heard about the kind of crazy trip that he had to make just to get to Indian Wells. Like, yeah, just kind of the wider story there, I think was like, again, really impressive from Medvedev.

1:09:12Yeah, absolutely. OK, someone in the chat is telling us that rapture is imminent. So that's it for part two. We'll be back in part three. to urgently look ahead to Miami. And this is part three of today's tennis podcast. We've got Miami to look ahead to. Irina Sabalenka and Jakob Mensik are the defending champions. Matt, there was a draw. I didn't even know there had been a draw. Mark's out of 10 for this draw. Oh, negative numbers out of 10. This was so bad. I always get annoyed with the Miami draw because they do it. They do the women's draw and then they do the men's and they do the women's draw and it drops during the Indian Wells final.

1:10:03And they're using last week's rankings. So you've got a situation in the women's draw where like all of the informed players, the top four in the race, are all in the same half. Sabalenka, Rabakina, Pagula and Svitolina. whereas the men wait a day and do the draw once the new rankings are fresh and that just seems to make so much more sense to me um i think there was meant to be a draw ceremony for the women but it was cancelled because of rain and then the men's draw was meant to come out today at five o 'clock uk time and i didn't see it for like another two hours so just just terrible draw situation from from Miami do better but Charlie mentioned having just watched the first Fonseca-Sinner match we are Fabian Marajan away from the first Fonseca-Alcaraz so that's pretty fun Yeah the women's draw in Miami we have Sabalenka-Robachina in the same half with Pagoulas, Vitalina, Keys, Jung Chinwen, Naomi Osaka and Jasmine Paolini all in that top half.

1:11:18And then we have Svjantek, Goff, Anisimova, Andreeva Mboko and Mukova in the bottom half. And first rounds include Fran Jones against Venus Williams. Jennifer Brady, remember her? David remembers her, against Sloane Stephens. Hayley Baptiste against Tatiana Maria. Janice Chen against Yulia Putin-Sever. but I love seeing the matches that Matt decides to pick out from a draw. Zeynep Sonmez against Beatriz Haddad-Meyer. David, rather. Who needs a good tournament in Miami on the women's side? I do think it would be very helpful if Igui Svantec had a good one, personally. I mean the thing is the way it ended felt negative and yet it wasn't the worst run in the world in Indian Wales but it just didn't feel great at the end I suppose no loss does but some feel worse than others I feel like she could do with a really good week but I'm not that confident for her that she'll get it that's that's kind of the way the draw has played out right as I said you've got the top half Sabalenka Rabakina Pagula Svitolina you kind of big seeds there all had really good starts to the season I think your big seeds in the bottom half Svjantek Goff Anissimova and Draver you're kind of looking at all of them and thinking you know it's not panic stations by any means but like could do with a run it'd be nice if they if they sort of really got some form together in Miami I think be reassuring to see Coco Goff look fully fit as well given how Indian Wells ended for her.

1:13:05So that's going to be interesting. Yeah, Bianca Andreescu won a round one qualifying match today. Something to celebrate. Not for Susan Lammond's fans, but there we go. Can't win them all. The ATP draw in Miami. As we said, biggest headline is that Alcaraz could face Fonseca in his first match. Eyes on Fabian Marujan in round one. So we have Alcaraz, Caspar Rude, Karen Hashanov, Lorenzo Muzetti, Flavio Caboli, Jack Draper, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Mino, Artifis and Alexander Bublik all in the top half. And in the bottom half, we have Ben Shelton, Francisco Surinjulo, Daniel Medvedev, Alejandro Davidovic, Fikini, Lerner Tien, Alexander Zverev, Felix Orgelisim, defending champion Jakub Menchik, Rublev and Yannick Sin are all in that bottom half.

1:13:58Novak Djokovic has withdrawn. The men's event gets underway on Wednesday, although there's been a lot of rain around. The forecast is for there to continue to be a lot of rain around. Matt, who on the men's side could do with having a good fortnight in Miami?

1:14:22It's quite interesting, isn't it? Because we've talked about so many players who did well in Indian Wells and have had a good start to the season. And I also still think there's a lot of players who didn't do so well in Indian Wells and would now like to make it up in Miami. I'm sort of thinking about like Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton. Shelton was obviously ill. Muzzetti coming back from the injuries, got a couple more weeks of training under his belt. De Menor went out early in Indian Wells. Kind of like the latter end of the top 10, those guys. De Menor, Muzzetti, Fritz, Shelton. I think those ones who weren't really a factor at Indian Wells are going to want to be factors in the, you know, in the last sort of big hardcore event before we turn to the clay.

1:15:04So those are sort of some of the guys that I'm looking at as well as obviously, you know, the obvious ones. Charlie, what can we look out for in the Athletic? You're handing the relay baton over to Matt Futterman. He is already in Miami, is he? en route perhaps if not there already i think it will be pretty soon um or at least the plan that's the plan yeah i mean it has been it's been a busy time as well i mean that's the other thing as well about you know the great thing about going to these events is you can meet up with contacts and things like that and you know it's a great place for that you know for the reporting side of things and yeah last week with the atp story we did and then all the stuff in the middle least i mean it's been a really newsy time even outside of you know just the matches that are being played um and i think you know it can take a while before a tournament like this before the actual tennis of it really grabs people but this one really did actually um you know some tournaments can especially these 12-day masters can sort of we've spoken about a million times they can drag this one really didn't um so i imagine miami they'll hope for more of the same i mean the weather is a big thing and weather stories always seem to seem to do well um I guess there's you know that has wide appeal doesn't it um so I think that could be a kind of defining storyline for for the early days there and then on the court I mean yeah Coco Goff is absolutely name that jumps out to me as someone who could really do with a good week um or two um and Fritz on the men's a bit I mean I did find I do find it again quite a tough scene with him at the moment and you know it just feels like he's doing all he can to keep his head above water but that you know the fitness concerns he has um yeah I you do just worry about him a bit spare a thought for Matt Futterman esteemed uh sports writer with decades of experience going all the way to Miami to write about the weather sounds pretty tough.

1:17:17But we'll be reading Matt. It won't, as will many other people apparently. There's great appetite for articles about the weather. We will be back with our next podcast on Monday the 23rd. Matt, I think one of Matt's great skills is he's able to make any topic kind of interesting. Like he has big takes on everything. Like the stuff he and I, like, yeah. I remember I think I said to him something about my I had to be in to do a call because my fridge was being repaired or something like that. He comes back to me with all these takes about American fridges and things like this. You know, there is no topic about which he doesn't have interesting views.

1:17:59And I think I would imagine weather is 100 percent in that. Absolutely. I bet he has something to say about the weather in Miami that would really surprise me. Yeah. Yeah. Matt's takes are always surprising. We'll be back with our next pod on Monday, next Monday, the 23rd of March, to talk about the first few days of Miami. Also that day, we'll be celebrating the second birthday of the Barge. And just like we did last year, we'll be celebrating by doing an Ask Me Anything But Tennis, live at 7pm on the Barge. That'll be with me, David, Matt and Hannah and Vicky we're really excited about it Hannah joined us for this last year Vicky's going to join us as well this year yeah it's it was so much fun and we're going to be doing the same again so that will be 7pm next Monday and we'll have our next podcast next Monday as well we have not one but two mascots for this episode I scrolled down earlier on.

1:19:10I caught a glimpse of them. I found it very distracting. I've been waiting for this moment on the pod for a while. This is Lola and Frankie. They are owned by Sarah H and they are sublime. Lola and Frankie are our two gorgeous dogs, says Sarah, from Sydney's inner west and a completely inseparable bonded pair. We bought Frankie home when Lola was just nine months old and she was promoted to big sister and emotional support mum well before she'd finished her own puppy years. Frankie is a four-year-old mini Dachshund obsessed with balls and swimming while five-year-old Lola is a Chiweenie. For those not on YouTube can't see the enormous grin on my face as I said that.

1:20:01Chawini is part Chihuahua, part Mini Dachshund who prefers to stay dry and supervise from a safe distance. Their classic Covid dogs love their daily walks and listen to the tennis podcast with us and bring endless joy and a lot of personality to our everyday life. They are astonishing Sarah. Thank you so much for Lola and Frankie as a fellow owner of a COVID dog. It's the best impulse decision I ever made and I hope you feel the same. I can't stop looking at them. They are absolutely wonderful. We of course have our mascots, Bodie, Maisie and Roger. We've received correspondence from Maisie today wearing a St.

1:20:47Patrick's Day bandana. Just brilliant work. Loving it. Great work, Tom. That's the sort of stuff we like to receive. Thank you, Tom. We have our top folks and executive producers Greg, Chris and Jeff. And we have some shout outs from Matt. And we start with Josephine Mabem from Lausanne, Switzerland. Hello, Josephine. Hi, Josephine. Josephine says that her favourite players include Lina, Petra Kvitova and Sam Stoza. So hopefully has also... Oh, there's a connoisseur. I've hopefully also found some current players to enjoy. It's tough when your faves retire, isn't it? You've got to find somebody else.

1:21:36I was sat next to Sam Stoser out on the 1573 arena in Australia this year watching Victorian Boko behind the men in the Viking hats. Oh, yeah. So Sam Stozer also experienced the men in the Viking Facts who were Arsenal fans, unfortunately, Charlie. No surprise, though. Was she as rattled as you were by it, Catherine? No, and that rattled me that she wasn't as rattled. Yeah. I shouldn't be having to have this experience alone. We should all be experiencing rage right now. Come with me, Sam. But she was focused on Emerson Jones, who was getting her clock cleaned. Thank you, Josephine. Someone's saying in the chat, Josephine Crookshank.

1:22:27I'll have to take that because I don't have a Josephine myself. There we go. Thank you, Sylvan, in the chat for Josephine Crookshank. Could just be a friend of Sylvan's. Who knows? But we've got a Josephine. We also have Francis Wynne from Marlborough. Hello, Francis. Francis says, please can I dedicate this shout out to my husband, Gabe, who who heroically and uncomplainingly sits through thousands of unsolicited tennis takes and match recups from me, despite only having a passing interest in the sport. He's the best. Thank you guys for the great pods. That is love. You can and you have dedicated your shout out to Gabe Francis.

1:23:18and that is absolutely lovely. Is it a Francis with an I or an E, Matt? It is an E, like Tiafoe. Like Tiafoe. Gabe? Gabe Diallo, I can sort of imagine. His mates might call him that. Yes, Charlie, we will take that. Much like Josephine Crookshank, I will take that. I know there's a reason we got Charlie on. and finally we have Nina who says tennis namesake references Nina Stojanovic and Nina Whittaker

1:23:58love that absolutely no notes they are the big two on the Nina well with you Nina you're the big three Nina is from the Netherlands but lives in California and Nina says I'd like to shout out two friends Beatrice who introduced me to the tennis podcast several years ago and Corey with whom I exchange hundreds of messages about all things tennis Big fan of Beatrice Perfection Hello Beatrice Hello Corey Hello Nina Hello Gabe Hello Francis Hello Josephine Thank you all for your support of the tennis podcast This has been such a fun show Thank you Charlie for joining us tonight I've really enjoyed it it's been brilliant so thank you thanks for all your work and we love being part of the Athletic Podcast Network we will be back on Monday thank you all for watching thanks for listening if you enjoyed Charlie's moustache do hit that like and subscribe button on YouTube we'll speak to you Monday goodbye