US Open Day 10 - Can Djokovic derail Alcaraz again?

0:10Hello and welcome to the tennis podcast coming to you for part one on a beautiful early autumn evening here in New York on day 10 of the US Open, the first day of quarterfinal action and let's be honest, it's been a little bit flat or certainly as flat as a day can be when Carlos Alcaraz is on the schedule. We've seen two straight sets, fairly uncompetitive matches and just now received the news that the first of tonight's matches between Arunis Abelenka and Marketa Vondroshova, probably our most anticipated match of the day is cancelled. because Marquette von Droscheroz had to withdraw with a knee injury, which is obviously absolutely devastating for her.

0:54So it's another one of those days where you kind of say, thank goodness for Carlos Alcaraz and his ability to create vibe from the vibeless. Yes, and that includes the fact that he was playing in a pretty uncompetitive match, and that's no slight on Yuri Lehechka, who I actually thought put up a good account of himself. but the nature of Alcaraz is that people are able to come and still feel like they've had a show and they've had something truly memorable. At least that's how I see it. I don't think I've ever seen him more locked in. I think he's getting things just the right side of the line because there was a moment, I mean, look, there are two things to pick out.

1:41One is, I think, in the second game of the match, He hit a shot where he ran around a backhand to hit a forehand inside over the high part of the net. The most laconic, sort of relaxed-looking stroke imaginable, but the ball just set off like a bullet into the corner. And he enjoyed that so much, and yet I felt that it was greeted with ultra-focus. Later on in the match, when he was two sets to love up, and Lehechka was keeping the scores close, There were a couple of moments that frankly wouldn't have looked out of place in an exhibition match, where he just sort of hit an extravagant inside-out forehand drop shot, which Lehechka tracked down, put a ball onto Alcaz's baseline, and he just held his ground, and he just sort of half-followed it with a little poke down the line, which wasn't even a proper stroke.

2:38It was toying with Lehechka in the nicest possible way, and I thought actually this is the most vulnerable he's looked and I said to Matt at the time this is where he needs to be careful because he's having almost too good a time here and the score is close and he was just a little bit down on the scoreline and then suddenly Matt he locked in again. Yeah David said he needs to lock in and he didn't lose another point. It's like the David Law pep talks and now having an influence through a television screen. It is unbelievable David's power at this tournament but it was extraordinary the the point he got to break serve get the decisive break in that third set like honestly Lehekschka wins that point I think against everyone else in the draw but Alcaraz's ability to retrieve balls and put them back in awkward spots and then once he's made a couple of spectacular retrievals in the rally you get the sense that like he's desperate to win the point He wants to finish it there and then because he's done a highlight reel shot.

3:43Let's make this a highlight reel point. And he got the decisive break by scampering all over the court. And then he served it out to love as he did, you know, kind of repeatedly today. He didn't face a single break point. That was another big, big theme. Really good Alcaraz serving. I do want to linger a little bit on that shot that David described in the second game of the match because it was right in front of the press seats where I was at the start here and it was one of the craziest things I've ever seen. He had no time and no space to be able to hit this shot. The ball was coming into his body.

4:26He had to get his body out of the way. The ball almost hit him and he had this little sort of dancing feet to scamper back behind the ball and then the softness of his feet was just juxtaposed with the strike of the ball. It just went like an arrow down the line. I felt like David Foster Wallace when he was watching Roger Federer here against André Agassiz and he decided to write the essay about Roger Federer as a religious experience having seen one point. I feel like I got all the things that David Foster Wallace was feeling. It was like, how is that humanly possible? It was outrageous. And look, we've been hyping up Alcaraz's form all tournament.

5:14I think this was the best performance so far because La Hedga played well. I really think La Hedga brought it today and he didn't have a chance. Alcaraz was ridiculous. We've quite often talked or worried on this podcast and in chats between ourselves off air about the tension between the kind of tennis player that Alcaraz wants to be sort of ultimately an entertainer ahead of anything else. the tension between that and the need to lock in and win tennis matches efficiently most of the time. And we've worried that those two things are too much in opposition for him. And we've worried about him having to kind of pick a lane to choose one thing at the expense of the other.

6:05Are we seeing over the course of this tournament perhaps evidence that those two things don't have to be in opposition? Because today was it wasn't a competitive match. There was no jeopardy at any stage in that match. And yet it was really fun. And he had fun. Yeah, I feel like he's been getting there all year long. The finals in succession that he's been reaching, he hasn't had that drop off. I do feel, look, he was playing Yannick Sinner, of all people, in the final of Wimbledon, who was playing fantastically and was too good for him that day. I think that was a bit of a blip there, a bit of a sort of moment of can't bring it again, you know.

6:45but also look what he's up against. Today, though, and this tournament, as you say, I do feel like he's, feels a bit like the culmination of all that build-up and the scheduling being sensible. The break he's given himself after Wimbledon, the kind of look in his eye that I've sensed all through this tournament, that he is a man desperate to prove a point, that he can beat Yannick Sinner on a hard court, that he can win the US Open when everybody's saying that's Sinner's territory because Sinner's gone and won on his territory at Wimbledon. That's what I'm getting from it. And, look, that may not be something that we see every week from now on until whenever.

7:27It may still go in fluctuations. He may need a loss in order to lock in the next time. I don't know. Or the maturity may be achieved by where we are now, and this may be the thing he's able to establish going forwards. But right here, right now, I've never seen him look better as a sort of rounded tennis player, entertainer and professional. I think he's got that balance just perfectly at the moment. The more I watch of this tournament this year and think about last year, the more I think, like, of course, last year's titles were won by players that didn't play the Olympics. like I know the I know Canada and Cincinnati extended in length this year which hasn't helped but this year the schedule has felt untenable like ridiculous like of course Carlos Alcaraz had to take that break and not play Canada like it is crazy that Igor Shontek has played it all like the fact that there was a whole Olympics in there last year.

8:36On a different surface. What were we doing? Like, of course Carlos Alcaraz lost to Bertrand van der Zanschelp in the second round. Look at the state he was in in Cincinnati when he was smashing his racket and losing his mind. And I think we did know that at the time. We were talking about the Olympics a lot. I've always wanted to talk about the Olympics. But looking back now, what were we doing? What was tennis asking everybody to do? But what do you mean, what were we doing? Because like, we want the Olympics, we want tennis in the Olympics. But why would we be surprised is the point that there was a letdown.

9:13Why was I ever thinking that players that had had success in the Olympics on clay a few weeks before and all the emotions of the Olympics and the experience of the Olympics, which is so completely different and wonderful, but I'm sure really draining and takes some processing as well. Like, why were we ever expecting players that had that experience to have any kind of success here in the US Open? When Sinner didn't play it. Sinner and Sabalenka didn't play the Olympics. I know Pagula did. Yeah. Did Taylor Fritz play the Olympics? Have I raised Taylor Fritz from my... Didn't he get a doubles medal?

9:55Yes. I mean, he plays everything. Yes. That's who he is, isn't he? Yeah. Like, it... I still think the nature of the Burtick van der Zandt result was shocking. Like, I don't think we should totally rewrite that. But back-to-back days... It's understandable. Him and Popper in back-to-back days beating Djokovic and Nelkras. Yeah, it's definitely understandable. And I do think we thought the Olympics was a factor at the time. But I think it goes to show how good Alcaraz has been and how good Djokovic has been, that we just do kind of assume that they can do these ridiculous feats. And, you know, last year was kind of a step too far for sure.

10:42He didn't face a break point today, Carlos Alcaraz. His serve has been broken once all tournament. that's in five matches and that was in the game where he had jarred his knee and he'd called for the trainer like good sign isn't it it's not bad it's not bad at all and you know see everything we've previously said about Carlos Alcaraz when he's serving well it enables him to feel loose in the rest of his game doesn't it and that's when he plays his best tennis he gave a fascinating answer in press just now about body language. One of the best answers I've ever heard him give. Yeah, and obviously, as we're speaking right now, as he was speaking in press, he didn't know, doesn't know, who he's going to be playing in the next round.

11:32But obviously, he's thinking more about potentially playing Novak Djokovic in the next round than he is about potentially playing Taylor Fritz in the next round. And I don't know, David. he didn't specifically mention Djokovic and what happened in Australia when he got totally thrown off by Djokovic's injury timeout and how he came back onto court firing and how clearly discombobulated Alcaraz was by that whole situation I don't know, I felt like Djokovic had his fingerprints all over that answer from Alcaraz I'm sure it's all of that All of the experiences he's had, particularly with Djokovic, I think have stayed with him.

12:19And I think he's been ambushed a few times by Djokovic's, I don't want to say mind games, but I think presence and kind of ability to just change the mood of a match. And Al Kraus has not known what to do sometimes. And he's not known when the attack's coming at him and it's come out of the blue and everything's going fine. and then suddenly, oh my word, why is he playing like this now? I thought he was hurt a minute ago. All this sort of stuff. We've seen it in Cincinnati. We saw it at the Olympics. We've seen it now in Australia. But also, I think it's also, he gave this amazing insight into how there are two battles going on out on a court.

13:01There's a physical and a tennis battle, and then there's the body language you give to your opponent, the way you carry yourself. And I do think when we've watched him today, I mean he looks absolutely as healthy and as strong and as ready and as focused as he could ever look. He's got the shaved head, he's got the pink vest, he looks fit as a butcher's dog, you know he looks so healthy and ready to go and he's carrying himself with a strut but it's not a sort of I'm distracted and looking everywhere strut, it's a sort of I'm feeling it and you're gonna to get it strut and and I tell you I I think it's it's impacting opponents and I think even if it isn't he feels like it is so he feels even better what was interesting about the answer Alcraz gave I thought was that he said it doesn't matter if you feel exhausted if you feel really tired if you feel like you can't keep it going you have to show the opponent you feel fresh you have to show him that it's going to be really really tough I mean thinking back to Australia the fact that Djokovic wasn't showing him that he felt fresh and that he felt like he could keep it going was the thing that distracted him because Djokovic wasn't giving off the impression of between the points like he was absolutely fine it was in the points where Djokovic was absolutely fine and then outside of them he looked injured because he was what freaked him out that's what freaked him out so it isn't as though Alcares has taken that as a lesson and being like I've got a I've got to do exactly what Novak Djokovic does but I think he has realized the importance that his body language can have on an opponent and the the effect that he wants to give is that he's always ready he's he I don't think it would work for Alcaraz to be exaggerating little niggles that he's feeling and trying to get an opponent's heads that way he he wants to give off the the aura of energy and joy and that's when he's going to play his his best stuff so i think he's yeah it's less it's less sort of cunning i think do you think that's what chokovic does exaggerates and tries to get in his events head yes i think that's exactly what he does yeah and i think he's the master at it i don't i don't see it i don't really have a big problem with it.

15:34I think a lot of people do. A lot of people think, oh, here he goes again, Novak Djokovic, you know, making something out to be a big deal when it isn't. I think, and there's a part of him that it feels like a big deal to him. See, that's where I stand on. I've always thought, I think he panics and then his way of coping is to tell everybody in the stadium what he's going through and how awful he affects. He absolutely knows. I don't think he creates things out of nothing. I don't think he totally makes things up. No, there's something there. But he uses things that he feels for sure. And I agree with your read on it, David, that I do think he panics and I do think he wants to let everybody know, but I also think he is 100 % aware of it's won him or it's helped win him Grand Slam titles and it's within the rules.

16:26He did pull out of that tournament the next round with the injury. So it was obviously serious? I'm not saying it wasn't but I I think he knew that Alcaraz was spooked out by the fact that he was still capable of playing really really well. Some players put the poker face on because they don't want you to know even if it is really serious. Do you remember Alcaraz did that impersonation, that jokey impersonation of Djokovic limping and to your point what you're saying about sort of Alcarazel has to do the body language thing his own way. That didn't really suit him, did it? That sarcasm. It was such an out-of-character moment.

17:07And it really revealed how gone he was mentally. But the answer we gave today about body language that we've just been discussing, coupled with the answer in the press conference a couple of days ago that we also discussed on the podcast about proving that he's not, about setting the record straight, that he's not inconsistent. I do think this underlines the point that he's got a point to prove here. I'm not inconsistent. I'm not this easily distracted puppy dog that everybody thinks I am. I'm a serious tennis player and I'm here for this title. I think you're right. That's bang on. Isn't it interesting?

17:51isn't it interesting how body language it's not all the same and there are different ways that you can carry yourselves and there are different ways you kind of need to depending on who you are and I know we're obviously going to talk about Taylor Fritz versus Novak Djokovic in part 2 when people are listening to this they will know the result I'm not going to go into it too much but what I will say is that to me the biggest remaining intrigue left in the men's draw before a potential Sinner Alcaraz final, which we've all been talking about the entire time, it feels like we're all on that path, is a fresh Novak Djokovic against Carlos Alcaraz in the semis.

18:34I think because he's never lost to him on a hard call. It's a great start. And he's beaten him this year at a slam. I think Alcaraz wants it. I think he wants Djokovic. I think so. I think he wants the revenge. Well, I think it goes all with what you've just been saying about, well, what I've been saying about him wanting to prove Sinner wasn't something that's going to be repeated and wanting to prove that he's not flaky and he doesn't lose his concentration. They're all, that's the competitor in him, isn't it? We should probably curtail this element of the discussion until we should put a pin in it until part two.

19:17let's talk about Jessica Pagula through to the semi-finals we know she'll place face Irina Sabalenka there because of Vondrosheva's withdrawal due to a knee injury that we'll talk about as well Pagula beating Barbora Krojcikova 6-3 6-3 it's funny it's funny that this time last year when she reached the semi-finals Pagula it was so huge because it was her finally getting over that the hurdle the ceiling that she'd been butting up against and now it's like oh you've Made the semi-finals, well done. Yeah. Thanks. Yeah, and I think also the nature of the quarterfinal. You know, last year was night session, Iger Svjantek.

19:56You know, it felt like a massive deal. This, her whole tournament has been pretty under the radar, Jessica Bergula. She's not had like a really good match yet. She's not had a sort of, I don't really like the expression, but like popcorn match on the schedule. She's played players that you would expect her to beat. so it's all been a bit under the radar and this one was first up on ash it was actually a really good crowd in like ash stadium was pretty much full for this once it got going which was great to see and actually you know just exactly what you know what a quarterfinal deserves and she kept it that way she kept it low key she's she's so good at that Pagula just sort of quietly going about and and and doing her thing and I think the real sort of talking point of this was how much of this was about Pagula playing well versus how much was about Craig Chicova not having much left and I do think both things are true Pagula to start with was I thought sublime like hitting the ball so sweetly getting Craig Chicova moving out to her forehand side and she looked pretty slow getting out there and she just kept doing it, kept doing it and fast starts have been a real theme of Pagula's tournament and slow starts have been the theme of Craig Chicova's and that's exactly where we were in this match and you know Craig Chicova did get the break back in the first set but then her serve kind of really started to let her down Craig Chicova, she seemed bothered by the by the sun, she had a few double faults, She was really going for it on second serve, but Pagula had a lovely deep return and managed to get the crucial break and then served it out.

21:44And then in the second set, I think it was more about the critique of her not having the energy, the fire to get her teeth into the match in a way that she has done in a lot of matches this tournament. You know, she just didn't quite have it. And the energy was quite low in the stadium. And that suited Pagula, I think. She went up a double break. She did give one of the breaks back with a really poor service game Pagula. But if that was the danger zone, you know, Craig Sheikhofer getting one of the breaks back, she just didn't allow it to become a big problem. And she won it pretty comfortably.

22:21It was a little bit of a dud of a match. It's funny how that works, isn't it? that energy in the stadium thing. I mean, we were in the stadium when she's eight match points down against Taylor Townsend, and she said herself, I know everybody wanted her to win, but it still was an atmosphere. It's still something I was able to tap into to get this performance out of myself. And yet when you're on Arthur Ashe Stadium, and it was full, I mean, it was absolutely packed, well, certainly 20 ,000 in, something like that, but it was quiet, and people weren't that into it. And I think Jessica Bagula was pretty self-conscious, really.

22:59When she won the match, she was sort of asking for people to kind of give her a bit more. And I, yeah, it was an early day and it's a cavernous stadium and so forth. She'll have her moment, though, against Irina Sabalenka and she'll need it. She'll need that crowd. It was funny, in the press conference, she did a David Law. She said, I've had a good draw. I know. Jasmine Paolini, Maya Sharif, Anna Blinkova, Victoria Azarenka and Anne Lee. She did exclude Barbora Krojcikova. She was very keen to exclude Barbora Krojcikova, two-time Grand Sime champion from that. I mean, obviously Azarenka is two, but...

23:40Rankings-wise is what she was pointing to, wasn't it? It was a funny moment in the press conference. And yeah, she will face Irina Sebelenka now in the semi-finals on Thursday night. we got the just gutting news about Marketa Vondroshova an hour or so ago. She said, I'm sorry to announce that I have to withdraw from my quarterfinal match this evening due to a knee injury. I tried my best to take to the court today, but during the warm-up, I felt again my knee. And after consultation with the tournament, doctor decided not to risk aggravating the injury. I appreciate all the support this tournament and apologize to the fans who are looking forward to the match.

24:18I had an amazing time here in New York and can't wait to be back. next year and we've we've subsequently seen the ESPN had the footage of her from from the practice court pulling up with the knee and it's extremely evident that there was there was just no way she could have played that match tonight and I'm absolutely gutted that was my match of the tournament so far her her victory over Elena Rabakina the other night and I was looking forward to something similar tonight in terms of how the match might have looked and yeah I had I had centered my day around it I allowed myself to accidentally fall asleep on the sofa earlier because I thought Matt and David have got the day session covered and I can I can bring it with full pep for Savalinka Vondroshova and now here we are your Djokovic Fritz takes a better be good.

25:13Yeah, so much pressure on those. I tell you, there was a little bit of footage of Verena Sabalenka being told and the competitor that she is. She wouldn't like this. You know, she wants the stage. She wants the battle. And I think, look, I mean, Vondrosseva was a real threat to her chances of actually going any further in this tournament. But that's what she's in it for. And I think she'd have loved the challenge. It's a terrible shame. Yeah, it's such a shame. Vondrosheva, you know, when she's fit, it's just such a joy to have on the tour because of the way she plays. And I really thought she was fit here and was just so excited to see that game come up against Sabalenka.

25:57And, you know, I feel for the ticket holders as well, there was a brief moment when we thought that maybe they would move the Venus Williams, Zayla Fernandes versus Siniakova Townsend doubles over to that first on the night session slot on Ash because they hadn't started yet. Jasmine Paolini and Saru Irani were looking like maybe they were going to go three sets and it was just a little moment where it seemed like they might have an obvious way to give the crowd something but actually Irani and Paolini wrapped it up in straight sets and I'm sure everyone involved in the Venus doubles were ready to go on court and there's also a whole Armstrong crowd of ticket holders and I know a lot of people on the grounds had gone into Armstrong, made sure they had their seat.

26:48That would have been a tough scene for them to move it. I'm glad they didn't move it. Yeah, I think I am. Look, I would have understood. I think I'm a bit shocked. I thought they might. I thought they would as well. But I think the lateness of it kind of made it tricky. But actually, I'm looking at my screen right now and 55 minutes, there it is, game, set, match, Cinearch of Attempt. Townsend, 6-1, 6-2. Wow. So, you know, I think they're just, you know, they're such a classy team, aren't they, Sineacovar and Townsend? Maybe one match too far for... Yeah, back-to-back days as well. Back-to-back days.

27:22They've been... What a great story they've been. But, yeah. Just, honestly, a tough scene of a day. Yeah. So, pressure on me for my Fritz Djokovic takes. Pressure on Djokovic and Fritz. Absolutely, yeah. In that order. To provide competitive tennis. Even if it's shit, you better update. They've moved it forward to start not before 8pm. Should we go and watch it? Let's do it. That's it for part one. Join us in part two. But before that, we just want to take a moment to throw forward to next year. For anyone thinking of taking a big tennis trip in 2026, there is no one better to organize that tennis trip of a lifetime for you than, of course, the one and only Steve Fergels International Tennis Tours, who have been a longtime partner and supporter of this show.

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29:04If that sounds good and you want to check out what Steve Fergals have to offer, just head to tours4tennis.com forward slash podcast to find out more and book your trip. Welcome back to part two of the tennis podcast where it is now shortly before midnight. We're all back at Tennis Podcast Towers and we have just watched 38-year-old Novak Djokovic beat 27-year-old Taylor Fritz, four sets, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to set up a US Open semifinal meeting with Carlos Alcaraz, a ninth career meeting, a first at the US Open. Matt, how is Djokovic doing this at 38 years old? It is pretty mind-boggling. He's now the oldest player in the Open era to reach the semi-finals at all four slams in a season.

30:00It's an extraordinary feat. And, you know, I think inevitably, because we talk so much about Alcaraz and Sinner, we've spent quite a lot of the year talking about Djokovic's shortcomings relative to them. But I think this Grand Slam season that he's putting together, with time I think we will come to look at it as maybe an even better achievement than it's felt like in in the moment perhaps because his consistency has been extraordinary his his level above the rest of the field apart from Alcaraz and Sinner is undeniable and I think the match tonight against Taylor Fritz kind of totally proves that you know if we were to have a conversation about who's the most likely guy other than Alcaraz and Sinner to win a major you know Taylor Fritz would be in that conversation I think I don't want to put words in your mouth but I think last year's finalist here particularly at the US Open you know it's I don't think Fritz has quite been as good this year as he was last year but you know he's still one of the best players in the world and yet there wasn't really a moment tonight where tennis wise I thought Fritz was gonna win it was only a question of whether he could outlast him somehow make it really really physical take advantage of his youth compared to Djokovic those to me were his avenues to actually win winning it When it comes down to tennis, Djokovic is still like the master and better than someone like Taylor Fritz.

31:49Tactically better with his serve. And then tonight, I think the big one was better on the big points. You know, he played the break points so much better than Taylor Fritz in this match. And that ultimately felt like the difference in what was, you know, pretty close match in terms of, you know, most of the sets were pretty in the balance. it's such a good point actually about how we'll come to view this grand slam season in time it's like i think that one of the most incredible achievements of serena williams career is the four grand slam finals she reached after after maternity leave and after birth and after pregnancy but because she was on this self-declared quest for 24 anything other than winning that 24th grand slam wasn't it it was nothing it was that or nothing and it it feels like we're viewing djokovic's current quest through the same lens and and i don't think that's wrong like djokovic isn't making any secret of the fact he's on a quest for 25 he's he's still out here because he thinks he might possibly be able to win a grand slam title still but that doesn't mean we can't talk about what a friggy amazing achievement it is that he's doing what he's doing yeah uh i said after the previous match to him if you pulled this off would it be your greatest achievement ever and he said could be but then he quickly moved on because he just didn't want to get into it and i understand why but but i also think it would be because if you would have most likely beat Alcras and then beat Sinner because that's the likely scenario if he's going to win this thing at the age of 38 I mean really I I don't I it's hard to even countenance the idea so it does feel a bit harsh to be judging him through that lens if we if that's what we are doing and I think we're taking a moment really to consider what he's actually done in isolation tonight for a start because he did play the best of the rest, who's 10 years his junior and who's in his prime, Taylor Fritz.

34:05He was never going to have a better chance, certainly up until now, to get that win. He started badly, really, Fritz. He didn't get going. He came out with his headband upside down. I mean, that's a bad sign, isn't it? That's Ernst Jaber playing on the Wimbledon Centre Court in practice in Royal Black. And it stayed that way for two sets? Yeah. Imagine the moment when he went back to the bathroom after the second set and looked in the mirror and realised all someone told him. It's like when you realise your flies are undone. And you just think, oh, maybe it was like you'd go back and think, well, how long has this been like this for?

34:49Why has nobody said anything? I was going to say that, at least when the flyers are undone, you can kind of try to convince yourself that nobody's seen it. But when you've got your boss headband on upside down in front of millions. Or if you had a headband on that didn't have a big word written on it. Exactly. You might not notice. Yeah. Nightmare. But the thing is, he had so many break points, Taylor Fritz. Those first three games of the service games of the second set, I think, he he was just he had 11 break points and he was just one after another reeling these things off and just as you said Djokovic just playing those big points perfectly just hitting a line really taking out of it out of his hands and Fritz started to play some good stuff as the match went on he locked in he's a good baseliner he wasn't too far away from making it the physical contest that I think was his best chance of winning as you pointed out earlier because he doesn't have quite the game to outplay Djokovic and he certainly wasn't getting enough first serves in at the end you know he wasn't getting those free points usually you see him just sort of roll through service games quite easily and I guess the tightness of playing Djokovic with all those defeats 10 10 defeats before today and 11 now there was some really good conversations between ESPN's commentators and Michael Russell, his coach, one in each set.

36:21And they laid bare, I think, how stressed Fritz must be because whatever they'd come up with as a game plan really and what they wanted Fritz to do performance wise, he was just unable to do it from the first ball. And I think they also potentially exposed and maybe it was just Michael Russell, you know, in the heat of the match, not maybe not wanting to declare the game plan really, obviously, or maybe not able to with the with the nerves of the match. But it did seem a little bit confused, didn't it, in terms of did he want him to play really aggressively? Did he want him to hang in rallies?