US Open Day 11 - Anisimova buries double bagel demons

26:26David Law:I've just watched her for years and like her and love watching her play. And it's been a struggle really coming back, hasn't it? It hasn't really happened until quite recently. And tonight, that match she played against Muka, Caroline Muka, who I was very sorry for because she was clearly physically hindered and impeded today. She's not 100 % fit. And yet she played so beautifully, so convincingly, with such conviction, did Mukova, that you actually had. And it's quite interesting. You know where we sit. We've got great seats in the press seats, sort of, I don't know, 15 rows back or whatever it is.

27:10David Law:But what you can't see, you can't see the expressions on faces in quite the same way. So I couldn't see maybe the winces that Mukova was giving that you can see on TV. I could see her juddering to the stop and sort of running through shots rather than stopping on a dime and then switching direction. But in terms of the actual quality of tennis that I was watching from both players, they were both doing what they do to the absolute ultimate. You'd got Osaka getting behind every ball, hitting it with full velocity both sides into the corners. you'd got Mukova just stroking the ball back at her, timing it out of the middle of the racket, sometimes knocking Osaka back on her heels just with timing, then hitting short balls, then hitting slices, then coming in and hitting drop volleys.

28:00David Law:I mean, she hit one drop volley off her ankles, off her full-blooded forehand from Osaka that made me make a sound that I'm really not supposed to make in the press seats. I was in ecstasy watching this match because these are two of my absolute favourite players to watch. And it's just a shame that Mookova wasn't fully fit. But yeah, those first eight games will really stay with me. But what will stay with me from the specific performance of Osaka is every time she went down, she came back. She went to break down twice in the second set. And the number of times she served her way out of trouble with an ace or hit a winner, you know, she just, her attitude, she would sort of kind of like absorb the disappointment for a few seconds of a lost point and then just nod and then say right you know on we go and I thought this is great and she was she was really was a worthy winner all stemming from a round table meeting after Washington she told us yes with her team and I was trying to figure out and this was after the Raducanu loss and before she hired Thomas Wittkroski.

29:13But I was trying to work out, well, was Patrick Moritoglu in this meeting or was he gone by then? I don't know the answer to that. Yeah, we don't... The announcement was afterwards, but that doesn't mean that the decision was afterwards. I would love to know dearly. Matt, your take on this match? on this match. I mean, mine, aside from all of David's Naomi Osaka takes that I agree with, I'd just like to give a shout-out to Karolina Mukova, who basically on one leg played pretty dreamy tennis. Like, her level of talent to be able to play like that and trust her hands to do what her legs couldn't was incredible to make that as competitive as she did,

30:03Matt Roberts:four and six, you know, and she had chances to extend it to a third set, really. And it was pretty amazing that, I didn't know how to read this answer, really, that Asaka said she didn't notice how hampered Mukovo. She said she obviously noticed that she took the medical timeout at the end of the first set and came back with her hamstring strapped, but she didn't notice Mukovovov being physically compromised at all. And maybe she's just so in the zone, and, you know, don't want to do an outcry against Djokovic in Australia and get sucked into the vortex. But to me, it was so obvious that Mook, I mean, she wasn't putting any weight on that left leg?

30:45Left leg, yeah. But not many players could play like that, that injured. No, she was so compromised and yet still so dangerous because of her hand skills and her tactical awareness as well I think to kind of use what she had in the most effective way

31:10Catherine Whitaker:and look I think my big overarching take is the same as David's like that could well have ended up in the third set tonight for Naomi Osaka like her her recoveries from a breakdown were what impressed me the most because that was kind of the big concern I had coming out of Montreal, you know, where we saw what happened in the final there. Once it got away, it really got away from her. But she's at this tournament with her very obvious, as Dave has described, more positive, intentional body language she's she's been able to stop those getting away from her you know i think it i think it did a little bit against kassikina but generally she's been so contained on court and not not panicked she talked about that in her press conference as well like how how pleased she is that that she's not panicking in these matches and i think up against an injured Mukava who was still dangerous it would have been easy to panic it would have been easy to be like I know she said she wasn't really aware of how injured Mukava was but it could have been easy to think oh my god like how is she doing this but she just didn't let that happen that was very very impressive mentality tonight I think from Osaka and I quite liked her answer about the um about her superstition as well because she was she was in her purple outfit tonight, her purple dress, whereas the red one is actually her night session dress.

32:50Catherine Whitaker:I prefer the red one. She's been playing better in the purple one, so she wanted to... I don't like the purple one. And she said she thinks it looks better on her. Oh, I do. No. No, I don't. Okay. But it might be sort of figure skating outfit. It just looks too much like a cheap figure skating outfit to me. but I'm absolutely sure it's not cheap. But the red one looks less so. And something about the hair stuff was more dramatic with the red. But everyone loves it and I'm thrilled for her. Yeah.

33:28Matt Roberts:So, folks, that gives us a semi-final of Naomi Osaka against Amanda Anisimova. It's like Fulham against West Brom. That is perhaps an insult to both Nisimovar and Osaka. I would like to ask for some entirely objective takes about what's going to happen, please. Do you know, I think it's going to be an absolute classic. I do as well. I think it's going to be like when Naomi Osaka faced Jennifer Brady. Remember that semi-final here? 2020. Four or five years ago. And it was followed by Serena Williams against Victoria Hans Rangel. It was one of the nights of my tennis watch in life, that was. Two matches of the highest quality in drama.

34:20Matt Roberts:What it might also be like is the match that they played against one another in Australia in 2022 that Matt remembers, potentially watches sort of every night before he goes to bed. It's on my list.

34:32David Law:I don't remember that match and I'm really curious to watch it now. You know, I'm fascinated to see what these rallies look like between these two. One of the things I remember the most is Osaka's press conference after that.

34:47Catherine Whitaker:And I actually looked it up today to make sure I had remembered it correctly and hadn't just imagined it.

34:52Matt Roberts:This match was 7-6 in the third to Inisimov. It was, it could not have been better in terms of quality and drama, everything. Yeah, exactly. It delivered. Yeah. And look, Osaka, by that point early in 2022, wasn't playing her best tennis. She was beginning to just fall off a little bit from the level that she'd had winning four major titles before then. And Anissa Mova, you know, she was a very different player as well. She was coached by Darren Cahill in that period. You know, it's a very, very sort of moment in time match, I think, this one.

35:28Catherine Whitaker:But what I remember is just how taken aback Asaka was by the Anissimova ball, you know. And I felt like she described it in a way that really made sense for me at the time, trying to figure out why I liked the Anissimova game so much. I think Asaka put it really well. She said, her shots are, they're not strong, but they come at you fast. It's not heavy, but it comes at me so quickly, I didn't have time to set up. and it stayed really low to the ground. And I remember, you know, that really being a great description of the Inissimova shots because she doesn't strike the ball with venom and yet players are rocked back by the smooth power that she has.

36:18Catherine Whitaker:It affects players. It's more like Mukoves in that way. I mean, I was watching Mukoves forehand today and through the air when you're looking side on it goes through the air faster than Osaka's which has got a bit more work on it but and it's sort of arrows and the back end of Anissimova doesn't look to the naked eye to me at least as though it's got any spin on it at all really and then they met again at the French Open you know the very next slam that year and again Anissimova won so she leads that head-to-head 2-0 and look I just find it fascinating because one of the things Osaka mentioned about that round table of coaches that she had after Washington was she felt like she can beat anyone from the baseline she said that to her team apparently I feel like I can beat anyone from the back of the court and that to me is the enticing fascinating bit about this match because i do find it hard to split them in terms of when they're at their best from the baseline because they've both got that thing that you've just described earlier in the show dangerous from both sides like where do you go if anisimova's hitting her forehand like she was today that's a huge problem because you do not want to go into the backhand you just don't the forehand is the wing you would go to but it was so dangerous today but then Osaka with this improved movement that we're seeing now her ability to get behind the ball as you've described David and unleash on those ground strokes that's a huge problem for everyone as well and look I'm gonna go and some over of course I am but it's on a knife edge I think and that's what makes it tantalizing I I cannot wait women's semi-final night at the US Open is pretty much my favorite day of the tennis season anyway and the fact that we get this match up bring it on I think it will be Osaka for the reason of the serve which I just find so efficient at the moment and the movement I think ground

38:32David Law:stroke wise I can't separate them really they're slightly different types of ground stroke but but I think the movement is quite a significant um superiority for for Osaka and also I picked her to win the title. So he's going to win the whole thing. OK, we'll get a prediction for the other women's semifinal in part three. That's it for part one. Join us in part two

38:56Matt Roberts:when we talk about the men. Before that, though, we want to take a moment to throw forward to next year for anybody thinking of taking a big tennis trip in 2026, because there is no one better to organise a tennis-themed trip of a lifetime for you than Steve Fergal's International Tennis Tours, who have been a longtime partner and supporter of this show. They can provide packages to all of the world's biggest and most fun tennis events, including the Madrid Open in April. I've been there many times. It's one of my very favourite cities in the world. And the tennis event has featured some of the best matches on tour in recent years.

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40:18Matt Roberts:So get in there quick if you do fancy it. Welcome back to part two of the Tennis Podcast, where we turn our attention to the men now. Two very different matches on the men's side today, setting up a semi-final between Félix Auger-Aliassime and Yannick Sinner. Let's start with Félix Auger-Aliassime and his route through to this second Grand Slam semi-final, his previous one taking place here as well, back in 2021. Four hours and ten minutes, 4-6-7-6-7-5-7-6. Sounds like a thriller, doesn't it, Matt? It sounds like a thriller.

41:04Look, I think when we previewed this match yesterday, we said the nerves could hang over it.

41:15Catherine Whitaker:You know, it was a massive opportunity for both players. You know, Grand Sam called a final to get to a semi-final for the first time for Alex Dimonor, the second time for Felix Auger-Aliassime. It just felt like it could well be a match affected by nerves and may not be the best quality tennis. and look, I think that's what happened. I mean, Ujali Asim said as much, didn't he, in his on-court interview afterwards. There was a lot of nerves. It wasn't pretty at times. But, you know, he made the point. That is what Grand Slam tennis is like. It's not supposed to be easy. It isn't easy.

41:58Catherine Whitaker:And just enough times, in the biggest moments, Once Augial Yassim came up with the tennis that he needed to win this one, it was kind of the match where I think I'd have been more into it if it was best of three. Oh, preach. Like, I think when it went one said all and neither of them were quite at their best. There wasn't any sense of urgency. And we were already about two and a half hours in.

42:27Matt Roberts:Yeah.

42:27Catherine Whitaker:It did kind of feel like, God, wouldn't it be great if this were the deciding set now?

42:32Matt Roberts:And they both had that deadline and it just didn't... I do think it's important to point this out. I don't want to lay into Urgele, Seymour and Dumenoor trying their hearts out. And of course they were nervous. It's absolutely fine. It's absolutely fine. It's not their fault. But, you know, people will very quickly and lazily, I think, point to the French Open men's final as evidence of why best of five is a great thing and it can never ever be touched and of course I fucking loved the French Open final I'd be devastated if that didn't exist in my life but for every one of those there's quite a lot of these and I do think it's quite important to to point that out because they don't get highlighted as much and I People don't think of them when they're just sort of default defending best of five in a very sort of institutionalized way, I think.

43:39And I think the other aspect that sort of took away from my enjoyment of this match is that there's kind of two ways to experience like a Grand Slam tournament. there's the way that we experience it and like mega fans experience it which is watching every match watching every day living it and they're very aware of the whole narrative of the tournament and if you're fully aware of that you knew that the winner of this was likely to face Yannick Sinner in the semi-final and you can appreciate it for the for them in that experience but in terms of like the big narrative of the tournament it didn't feel like hugely consequential and yet it was taking up five hours of our of our time and it wasn't that good you know but i would say that like people who just dip in to a tournament they come here for a day and they get that match and there may be more casual tennis fans okay it wasn't the highest quality but i i bet they were more into like the fact that it was on an eye fix you know we have been crying out for a close match in the men's and I wasn't crying out for this man no I wasn't but I think some people would have just enjoyed the fact that it was close we didn't really know who was going to win they're not worried about who Auger Liasim and Dimonor are going on to face in the next round they're just here for this and as a sporting spectacle if you take away all of that outside context it was two guys trying their best close moments and I'm sure that there were people who enjoyed it for that I wasn't one of them because as I said I'm experiencing the tournament a bit differently to that and I found it tough but you know I can appreciate it for De Manor and for Eugéli Asim and it was in the balance and it looked like it could go to a fifth set when De Manor went up in the fourth and Eugéli Asim didn't let it he I love that he brought it back you know and if you know some of his backstory as well and have known how much he's struggled really the last couple of years this is a guy who was at this level four years ago when he's 21 and it's all new and all fresh and everybody's telling him how great he's going to be and

45:57David Law:he's so impressive to talk to like when you hear him the way he i mean it's not it's not rip-roaring quotes don't get me wrong you know we're not leading podcasts to because Felix Hojian has just said something incredible but it's it's the maturity of him it's the the way he doesn't get down on himself or at least he says he he just moves on and he it's it process might sound boring but process is what gets these people where they want to go I mean my my chat with him on the eve of this tournament for tennis podcast meets he said i can't just have some magic wands to get me back to where i was and yet here he is he is back where he was and he's done it with a chat with me he's done it by incrementally building his way back and getting himself confident and his game in order so that he could beat roman sefulin in the second round that gave gave him some impetus to go in against Zverev.

47:02And he serves decently in the first set, loses his serve once, gets broken, then figures it out, starts to work his way back in. He's built his way into the semifinals

47:13David Law:and he had to do that from a set down today. He had to do it from kind of sort of tightening in the fourth set. And he won anyway. What a triumph that is. Yeah, because I think Diminor will probably think he should have won three of the sets today. He won the first one, he had a set point in the second one, and he was well ahead in the fourth, but he couldn't quite close. And in a match of such tight margins, it was Augiali Asim who just brought it a little bit more in those biggest moments. It wasn't anywhere near as convincing as his performance over Zverev or Rublev. It was about the struggle.

48:02Catherine Whitaker:It was about just getting over the line. And he's displayed all the things there for this tournament. You know, he's had his performance where he was pretty flawless against Zverev. You can't expect to play like that all the time. You know, you've got to be able to get through the matches where you don't quite have your best tennis. And he did do that today. and look, he's now, as you said, back into a Grand Slam semi-final and from where he was just a few weeks ago, I never really would have picked Orgelia's seam to have come through this section with Zverev in, with Rublev in, with Dimonor in, who just all felt like sure are bets at the start of this tournament and yet he's the one who's got through and credit to him.

48:45Just quickly on Alex Dimonor, that six Grand Slam quarterfinals for him now with no semis. Will he ever break that ceiling? To get to a semi? I think he will. Yeah, I do think he'll... I mean, he was very close today. And I think if he's running into Yannick Sinner, no, I don't think he will. But this was a day when he didn't. No, I know. And haven't you got to take advantage of those days? But he wasn't that far away. and I think he's young enough and he's reliable enough to give himself more looks at it. And I think he's been playing better tennis in his career than he is at the moment. I know that he's had a couple of Grand Slam quarterfinals and that's a really nice bit of consistency he's had just now.

49:32Catherine Whitaker:Wimbledon and the US Open and he had the title in between, didn't he, in Washington. On paper, it's a really good run of form. I think eye test wise he's been more convincing he's been better in the past and I think if he was in that form and he had this draw he could have done it now that's a lot of ifs that's a lot of things coming together at the right time but I'd love to see him do it in Australia where he does get great support there somewhere where the host broadcaster is doing an Alex de Mino road to the title graphic after the draw mind you they're doing a christopher o 'connell yeah i mean no offense i'm so excited about the chris o 'connell i'm already excited about australia and chris o 'connell road to the title graphic because we talked about the slight chippiness in his press conference the other day where he was saying he felt like he'd been a little bit disrespected by the tournament in terms of you know his his court assignments here like today's performance was not was not a great rebuke to that you know in terms of how he did play on that on that big stage but as was pointed out to him in the press conference he is a big deal in Australia like they do give him big assignments as they should like he's their he's their best player and it's it's great when Alex de Manor gets like a big Rod Laver Arena moment and he's been unfortunate that as David said he's had Yannick Sinner in his in his path he had to know about Djokovic didn't he when Djokovic was just out to get him I feel like this kind of draw in Australia he can break that he can break that ceiling so I would love to see it I really like his game I really like him and I think he will play I think he'll play better tennis than he's playing right now in the future.

51:34So it is Felix Auger-Eliassime that gets to be thrown into the Yannick Sinner enclosure.

51:43Sinner, after beating countryman Lorenzo Mazzetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in a match that I think

51:51Matt Roberts:basically looked exactly as we thought it would look. yeah even up to the way Mazzetti entered the court like he won the fit check with his great jacket with his great great leather jacket well done Lorenzo his all black fit he couldn't have been more Federer from whenever it was 2007 or something but with a little bit of Italian has any man ever looked better entering no a tennis court and he goes into his pre-match interview in the tunnel and he says, I'm going to shock the world. I'm hoping to surprise everyone. I'm hoping to surprise everyone. I missed that. And then he's five love down or whatever it was.

52:38He won nine points in the first set. And Sinner was sublime. Sinner was amazing. He is lethal, isn't he, on that court? On these hard courts.

52:52Catherine Whitaker:We've talked about Anissimova and Asaka with devastating power off both wings. I mean, on the men's tour, look no further than Yannick Sinner for that. Like, his ball speed off both wings. Where do you go? And he's an astonishing mover. And his serve is brilliant. And he holds up in all the big moments. And he hits to hurt. He's all over you. Yeah. And look, if Mazzetti was going to have any chance, he was going to have to play, like, the perfect match and take even his half chances. and the point that stood out to me was in the second set, Mazzetti had a break point, he hadn't taken it, he'd fended off a break point, he was in it, he was at least in the set, he was 4-3 up, Sinner was serving, it was 15-all and Mazzetti did a brilliant return into play and he had a short forehand and he netted it.

53:44Catherine Whitaker:I just thought that there and then is the problem, it's not even really a chance, 15-all on your opponent's serve And yet against Sinner, that's pretty much a massive chance because you're in the point and he just couldn't quite execute. He ended up having seven break points and not taking any of them in the match. But most of them were just brilliantly saved by Sinner, who just, yeah, as you said, came out with an intent to just dominate. And Mazzetti, you know, we've talked about his path through here. I still don't think he's a top 20 hardcourt player in the world. I know he's in the last eight of a hardcourt major, but I think what we've seen coming into this tournament, what we've seen really in the last few years, he's got a lot of work still to do on the hardcourts, and he can get rushed, and Sinner just ripped this from him.

54:44It's a really nice run for Mazzetti. It's a very, very valuable point. Helps him with Turin, doesn't it? He's absolutely in the mix for Turin, and that would be great if he could get there.

54:55Catherine Whitaker:But Sinner is levels above him on a hard court, I think, and demonstrated that. So Sinner against Orgelia Seem will be the second men's semifinal on Friday. The first will be Alcaraz against Djokovic. I'm sure they'd love to switch those around because Alcaraz-Djokovic feels like the headline match, but we think that they kind of can't, that it's an unwritten rule that the players that get the extra day off have to play the first semi-final, which does make sense. I haven't checked it, but I think there's been some suggestion that they did switch it for the All-American clash last year with Tiafoe and Fritz.

55:35I can't honestly remember. I'll have to go back and look at that. Well, that match was certainly second.

55:41Catherine Whitaker:It was definitely second. It was just a question of whether, you know, what half of the draw would play first.

55:45Matt Roberts:We're going by the fact that ESPN confidently declared that it would be that order.

55:51Catherine Whitaker:So that's what we'll assume.

55:54Matt Roberts:We had women's double semifinals today. It was the top four seeds in the women's double semifinals. Siniarkova and Townsend, the top seeds beating Kudomitova and Mertens, 6-3, 7-6. And then Dabrowski and Routliff beating Irani and Paulini. So the women's doubles final will be Katarina Siniarkova, Taylor Townsend against Gabby Dabrowski and Erin Routliff. I think that'll be a cool match and a great crowd in for that, which will be very cool to see. That is it for part two. Join us in part three when we look ahead to tomorrow, one of the best shows in tennis, US Open Women's semifinal night. Welcome back to part three of the tennis podcast.

56:39Matt Roberts:Let's have a little look at tomorrow now. I think you know what's coming. It starts on the Arthur Ashe Stadium at 7 p.m. I love that they do the women's semifinals as a night session here. It's just the most incredible ticket. Yeah, if you've got a ticket for tomorrow night, then lucky you. You're going to have a great time. It starts with Irina Sabalenka against Jessica Pagula. Predictions, please.

57:06Catherine Whitaker:I'm going Sabalenka. look I think there's a potential question over whether having that walk over was was good for Sabalenka that's you know that's that's something that always gets thrown into the conversation when something like that happens I don't I don't know if there's a definitive answer maybe it affects different players in in different ways but look I think Karina Sabalenka is a better player than Pagula and I think you know particularly on a hard court she's just she's just convincing Sabalenka. I have some doubts about her in the latter stages of these major tournaments considering her conversion rate isn't that good considering how often she gets here but I'm not convinced that Pagula makes her uncomfortable enough I think we've seen Anissimova and Keyes this year kind of hit her off the court to varying degrees at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon.

58:16Catherine Whitaker:And we've seen Coco Gauff frazzle her mind with defence and the whole conditions in that match. Pagula, she played great in last year's final. Pagula, I'm not sure she can play all that much better. I know that she thinks she could serve better. I think she had a not great serving day in that final Pagula, so that's definitely an aspect she could improve. But she played really well, Pagula, but Sabalenka just stepped up at the end of each set and managed to win them, and I just feel like maybe something like that will happen again. Pagula's been starting matches brilliantly. I think there's a chance she comes out really hot here and rattles Sabalenka, and that might be her best route to victory.

59:04Catherine Whitaker:start well, get the crowd up, get Sabalenka a little bit rattled. That's a scenario I could imagine, but I'm going Sabalenka with her bigger game, the options at her disposal, the tie-break record to fall back on if she needs it. Yeah, I'm going Sabalenka in this one, but I'm looking forward to it. I really am. I hesitated a little because I was suddenly thinking of how efficient Jessica Bagula's game has looked and that inactivity for a few days that

59:38David Law:Sam Malenka's had but I still I basically agree with every word you've said I know that's not exactly a great addition to the conversation but but I think that's that's great analysis she is just a better player and and I would expect that she will bring out the goods on an occasion like this. I think it could be very similar to their final, which was 7-5, 7-5. I think there could be some rocky moments. The crowd could be in it. But I think Sabalenka will find a way. Yeah, I'm getting Sabalenka for reasons that were confirmed for me by Matt Statt today, which if you'd like to see, you can subscribe to the newsletter.

1:00:21There was a worrying moment around, I don't know what time it was. It was quite late in the day and I thought, oh shit, I haven't done my stat. That's why I'm giving it the big promo. I know the journey you went on today. But I think I pulled it out of the bag. He pulled it out of the bag big time, folks. It is worth subscribing to the newsletter for. We'll put the link in our show notes as always.

1:00:43Matt Roberts:Second match of the day. You've given your predictions. I know neither of you are budging. I'd like to know sets, please. Hold on a minute. I want to know what you think. I'm going to go Anisimova head to head 2-0 and I I'm all in look I will I'll be thrilled for Osaka I love that there is no bad scenario here that will be awesome but that I'm I'm I'm overcome by what Anisimova did today I find it really moving really really moving

1:01:19David Law:well I agree with you that it is And I share the view that, look, because I said Osaka would win the tournament, I wanted to win the tournament, right? And I also do think she's great. I think she's really, it's lovely to see her back. But I also love Anissa Merva. I love watching her play. I love the fact that Matt Roberts could be dyeing his hair blonde on Saturday in honour of what he said he would do at Wimbledon, which so nearly happened. I also do think and look I have not watched every ball of every match this tournament you watched Osaka tonight more closely than I did this is not a scientific assessment but from what I've seen Anna Samova's tennis today was the best like she took my breath away and I want Matt to go plon but I'll also be thrilled for you David it's great everything's great it's no lose it is great Except I'd lose.

1:02:18There's the aspect of both players, obviously it's the same for both players, but having to come back the next day, it's going to throw them out of their rhythm.

1:02:27Catherine Whitaker:You know, like, I know that that happens in Grand Sam tournaments for the women. They, you know, won half the draw. Always has to do this in terms of playing back-to-back days. It's noticeable that Osaka came straight to her press conference within minutes of the match ending. That's what I thought. that's normally something that you might do if you've lost. Very rarely happens if you've won that you're in straight away. I think she was conscious of that. Get out of here, go and rest up. Yeah, and I think it's maybe not a big factor. But it's not nothing. It's not nothing.

1:03:00Matt Roberts:If Anisimo hadn't been to a Grand Slam final before, obviously very recently, I would give more weight to that factor. And it is interesting, isn't it? You know, Osaka is historically the player with much more experience on this occasion, you know, on this stage. But it's experience that was years ago. You know, she hasn't been in a Grand Slam semi-final for four and a half, almost five years. It's like Anisimova at Wimbledon. She'd been in one, but it was 2019. That was a whole pandemic ago. Right. Different lifetime. Whereas Inisa Mova's last Grand Semi-Final was a few weeks ago, and she played great in it.

1:03:47I am expecting both players to show up. I'm expecting a classic. I think it's going to be unbelievable.

1:03:54Matt Roberts:Armstrong tomorrow is men's doubles semifinals, as well as junior quarterfinals. The men's doubles semifinals are Yuki Banbury and Michael Venus against the British pairing of Joe Salisbury and Neil Skubsky. and then we have Robert Cash and JJ Tracy, the All-American pairing. My biggest laugh of the day came from clicking on Robert Cash within the US Open app and seeing his profile picture. I won't spoil it for you, but just if you've got a free few minutes to spare, I recommend you do the same. So Cash and Tracy take on The Fifth Seeds, Marcel Grenoilles and Horatio Zabios. That is tomorrow on Armstrong.

1:04:40Have you just done it? I've just done it. That is sensational. That is a child. Yeah.

1:04:53Just if you need a laugh or if you do, whatever, Robert Cash, look it up. Click on him in the schedule. folks we have our lovely mascots hello to phoebe hello to maizey and hello to roger

1:05:08Matt Roberts:hello to greg chris and jeff our executive producers and all around top folks uh we are part of the athletic podcast network we're going to leave shout outs for tonight because frankly they're they're hoovering up around us right now and i'm i was going to say we have a to catch, but I'm worried we might not even have a bus to catch. But let's go and find out, shall we? Thanks for listening. We hope to be back tomorrow.