US Open Day 2 - Alcaraz wins, but what did he do to his hair??

0:10Hello and welcome to the tennis podcast on day two of the US Open it is 645 in the evening we're in the Media Garden and the night session will soon be underway. So the key for part one of the show today is for Matt not to forget that Riley Apelka exists. I've learnt my lesson, I promise. OK, we will be covering the night session, Carlos Alcaraz and his lack of hair against Riley Apelka. I was going to say, maybe this part one is an emergency part of Alcaraz's haircut. Yeah, we simply had to talk about it as a matter of urgency. We'll talk about that match. We'll cover Karolina Mukherr against Venus Williams and everything else that happens under the cover of night here at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in part two of the show.

1:01But we've got plenty to get our teeth into from the day session already, not least the shock defeat of sixth seed and reigning Australian Open champion, Madison Keyes. She is out 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, a win for the world number 82, Renata Zarazua. Do you regret stopping short of predicting the upset, Matt? Or do you think you've banked enough credit, enough Zarazua credit from last night's show? That's for the people to decide. I will take a smidgen of credit, half credit for mentioning Zarazua. having just watched her quite a lot this summer honestly not someone I had watched all that much of probably someone that I've been guilty of overlooking in draws in the past but she's caught my eye this summer I've watched her play a lot of big hitters Rabatkinna, Ostapenko and Nisamova at Wimbledon and I've seen her cause them problems I didn't think she'd beat Madison Keyes that's why I didn't go the full way but I just thought she could be tricky and, well, I think it was more than tricky.

2:10Madison Keys had a terrible time out there. Yeah. What none of us saw coming, Madison Keys included, was 89 unforced errors. You know, Matt's been watching a lot of Renata Zarazua. We've been watching a lot of Madison Keys this year and that was not the same Madison Keys that we've watched throughout 2025. No, it's more like the Madison Keys that we are familiar with periodically, really. probably an awful lot more often than she would ever have wanted to be in her career, but which she's so often found difficult to iron out of her game, when it just feels like the control isn't there. She'll hit a couple of belting forehands or backhands, and if they come back and if she's stretched out wide, she goes for even more, often down the line, and invariably long.

3:00And there were some of them that were basically hitting the back wall, because she just had no control at all. And, you know, Zarazua was in single figures for winners. Madison Keyes hit over 40, but she lost the match because of those 89 unforced errors. And talking to her afterwards, I mean, she said she knew immediately that she was out there, that she didn't feel right. And I pushed her on that and asked her to give some detail of what that meant. And she said, nerves. you know I didn't really think they would affect me quite that badly but I never really got to grips with my nerves and it has been building up but this was nothing like the Madison Keys who was free and uninhibited at the Australian Open she was she was looking for that searching for that feeling she just couldn't find it yeah so often when when top players put in a really out of character performance even after they've been depressed we're kind of left to speculate about what the reasons for for it might have been and invariably sometimes we'll get that wrong because we're not inside the minds of these players but madison keys is it's pretty much done it all for us here she's she's laid it all out very clearly she said this is the first time in the in a while my nerves got the best of me she described it as paralyzing um she said i felt like i was just slow I wasn't seeing things the way that I wanted to, which I feel like resulted in a lot of bad decisions and lazy footwork.

4:33And she attributed all of that to nerves. I think she had that heavy strapping on her thigh, which we sort of intermittently do see her with. And I think a lot of people are speculating maybe that the poor footwork was down to that injury. but it's easy to forget that nerves, you know, mental stuff affects people so physically as well and kind of everything that was going on out there for her came back to those nerves and she talked about the mental side of things in more detail. She said, and this was such a contrast to how she was talking in Melbourne earlier this year after winning that title, she said, I've just been feeling like winning matters way too much and I just couldn't quite separate myself from that and it's that separation isn't it that process she went on with therapy that ended with her winning the Australian Open and she said look it's just bad habits rearing their head and that's happening because it's the end of a bloody long season and implementing this stuff you know it's a rewiring of the brain isn't it and the more tired you get the harder the harder that is to do it was it was very revealing stuff from madison keys yeah it was i thought it was a quite brilliant articulation actually that that final point she made of what makes for example the u.s open so different you know like we've been talking a lot haven't we about the fact that people on the men's side can't defend this tournament and we've had what 10 different winners out of 11 on the women's side and you know people have been looking for an explanation as to why that might be the case I think Madison Keys has potentially provided a really really good one there you know like she said at the start of the season she's she's had an off season she's had a training block she's rested she's able to put her processes into practice more easily and she's tired she's burnt out she's not able to do it now and i'm sure other players might not be able to articulate it in the same way but i'm sure we'll be experiencing those same those same things um what i thought was kind of surprising about this match is that it looked like she'd got it just about under control you know like the first set she really was not playing well as we've talked about a lot of unforced errors a lot of double faults but she did maintain that quality that she's had all year of bringing it in the biggest moment she saved five set points and I mean saved you know like the tennis was not good but it was really good on the Zara Zua set points she kept coming up with the goods and then she went up three love up a break in the second set and you know I really did think that she was gonna get through this one but never fully was in control of her game, never was, as she said in the press conference, able to get those nerves under control, and Zara Zua got back into it.

7:37Actually, I thought Zara Zua played better as the match went on. She started to use a little bit more of her variety, and Keyes had a very good description of what Zara Zua did. It wasn't complicated. She said she made a ton of balls and reset the points, and if Keyes was not feeling her game, which she wasn't, it's kind of the nightmare opponent, someone who's just making you hit and hit and miss and miss. And, yeah, look, I think we've all so enjoyed Madison Keyes' tennis this year, her presence in these draws, the dramatic matches she's played. And it was almost just like this was just one too many, really.

8:18It's just the whole thing just kind of caught up with her. It was the kind of performance and press conference that makes you wonder how any top player, and I say top player because top players play more because they win more, how any top player is able to sustain a level for a whole season. It made me feel absolutely ludicrous for not picking Yannick Sinner to win this title because he's the guy that's had three lovely months off making classical music in the middle of the season. And OK, I know that came with a lot of stress, But like, obviously, that's if everybody had a mandatory three month break during a low stakes period of the season, it would make them better in the longer term, for sure.

9:04I'd already asked a question second in that press conference, and I really wanted to try to ask a follow up at the end. but the press conference was ended at that point. I wanted to ask, would you consider just building in an Australian, pre-Australian Open type block where, okay, you lose points, you lose money. You don't need those things, but maybe you can get back to feeling like you did head on out of the Australian Open. I didn't get a chance to ask that. Zara Zua was talking, you know, it shows what a mental sport this is. She was saying how nervous she was ahead of this match and when she went out onto the court.

9:41But the difference is, as Matt said, she's playing a ton of balls on the court. It's a different approach. It's probably a little easier to get through those nerves because you're not playing with those fine margins. And, wow, she was cool. I liked hearing from her. And, I mean, Matt marked our card last night. I must admit, I haven't seen that much of her, but she played it to perfection. She used what she'd got. and I do wonder whether Keyes will ever make the final here really, you know, but I kind of feel like if she could maintain the level that question I didn't get to ask is maybe the one she needs to reckon with Yeah, fascinating, and while that was happening on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, over on Armstrong Stadium, we had Victoria Mboko going out to Barbora Kraychukovic, 6-3, 6-2 very different type of a match Don't know whether to call this an upset because Barbora Krejcikova is a two-time Grand Slam champion.

10:41And I know there was more to this match and this potential upset than Mboko, than what I'm about to describe. Mboko is clearly struggling with the wrist injury that we saw her struggling with in Canada. But my goodness, are we all, the tennis collective, us included, guilty of underestimating Barbora Krejcikova. come on we've got to hold our hands up to that haven't we absolutely i i think all of the signs were there in front of us you know they were they were flashing bright red like mboko's dress you know like we were all we're all picking mboko through to the semi-finals and right there in front of us was barbara krejikova the two-time grand slam champion and look i think we did there was some logic to it you know like the last time we saw her she was very injured as well she was really really struggling with her foot it's kind of been the story of her career since winning that Wimbledon title injury I think there was a reason why we didn't go big on Kray Chicova here and yet when you see her playing like that you realize that I think even when she's fit we probably underestimate her because her tennis is that good.

11:57I mean Pam Schreiber was on the commentary for this on ESPN and described it as a master class and it really was the precision with which she attacks the way she just went about dissecting the Mboko game and it was it was clinical really it was a it was a dismissive efficient comfortable win for Kraychikovo just asserted her authority from the start um and as you said um Boko was part of it the wrist was was clearly a problem I think I remember after Montreal saying oh I'm a little bit worried about the wrist and so much happens in Cincinnati I honestly kind of forgot a little bit about it coming in here and then you know I thought maybe the decision not to play Cincinnati would end up helping her here you know she wasn't coming in straight off the back of all those matches but she was coming in with a lot of attention, a lot of hype, it was always going to be tough to keep that going on reflection.

12:54And Krejcikova was absolutely awesome and just good to see that she looked fit and healthy. And now you look at that section of the draw and we all picked Mboko because we thought the other seeds in there were vulnerable. And it really does feel like Krejcikova said, what about me? And it feels like if she can stay fit, she's the what about me woman. Absolutely. yeah and again as you said flashing red like this this was so Kray Chicova wasn't it to be you know this matchup while I was watching it made me think of Daniel Medvedev saying a couple of years ago in Indian Wells when Carlos Alcaraz walked into the press conference room oh here's the famous Carlos Alcaraz there was a bit of a oh here's the famous Victorian Boko about this performance from Kray Chikova.

13:45And I agree, I thought she played absolutely beautifully Kray Chikova, and I don't know how much to read into that because I don't think Mboko was able to apply a whole amount of pressure to her. But it was a real reminder for me of what a stunning tennis player Kray Chikova is. I don't, I mean, technical experts, I'm sure, can let me know if I'm wrong about this, but I don't think there are any issues with her technique at all on either wing. That technique looks pretty much perfect to me. I know she doesn't generate the most power on tour, but she generates enough power, and there's just no kinks in any of it when it's all working.

14:27That cross-court forehand was stunning from Craig Cheek of her, and just such a Craig Cheek of a thing to do, to pop up and do that and just take ownership now of that section of the draw? Yeah, she plays like an old-fashioned player because it's not all whipped topspin. It's arrowed shots into cross-court corners and darting backhands down the line. She hits such a pure ball. I don't think anybody hits it like that. There are players that hit it harder, but my goodness the timing of her game when it's on is just a joy to behold I think there's there's a certain kind of tennis fan that really appreciates watching her just play her game and I can understand why Pam likes it for instance anybody from the 80s 90s like that would would appreciate it um not to say that we can't either but but uh but I I've always loved it when it's in full flight and too often it's been denied really hasn't it she's she's struggled to get repeated runs going because of ill health and then she'll suddenly come up and go and win something big so who knows she could do it again here it's muyukuro chijima next uh to face the winner of emma navarro and katie mcnally provided she stays fit i would have kurochiva as the favorite in all those matches.

15:55I know Emi Navarro is the 10th seed, but Krejcikova has a higher level than Emi Navarro has available to her. And I'm excited for it. I go in and out a bit with Krejcikova. I surprised myself a bit today because I love Mboko and I was really here for the story, but I just found myself very pleased for Barbora Krejcikova and the statement that she made out there today. we have a round two match between taylor townsend and elena ostapenko that has been set up big yes please yeah that's fantastic isn't it yeah you said is townsend playing someone fun second round i was like your face lit up ostapenko yeah straight sets win for townsend today that's i mean what court would you put that on selfishly i'd love to see it on armstrong or something like that that we can get closer to and has a bit more intimacy to it and you're more likely to get a packed crowd but fairness wise you might be sticking that on the big show you know comfortable wins for elena abackina durek has it keener eliza mertens who i mentioned because hannah has picked her to beat sabalenka in unsolicited predictions news not they don't play next track i think they'd play in 4 ,000.

17:19A way to go. We don't know if Hannah's okay, but she did make that unsolicited prediction on the barge earlier. Yeah, it was during the Keys match. She wasn't enjoying the Keys' unforced errors. And they sent her into a big Mertens prediction headspace. So yeah, I'm going to start mentioning Elisa Mertens from now on. And we had an epic win for Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova over Diana Yastrzemska. Petra Kvitova's career came to an end on grandstand earlier she won just the one game against Deanne Parry and Caroline Garcia I'm unclear about Garcia whether this is the end it's certainly the end of her Grand Slam career I think until she comes out of retirement inevitably but I think that's some sort of end that we saw for Caroline Garcia today lost to Camilla Rakimova yes it is a bit bemusing but i mean good luck to her you know it's been a it's been a good career and if this is it good luck to her i mean i i felt a bit sad that pester kovic was playing at a tournament she always used to look like she hated whenever i saw her play here because of the the the air issues and so forth it's not one of those days today is it it's not the hot humidity she used to hate.

18:41But, you know, it would appear retiring at the right time because she is not competitive anymore, Petra Kvitova, and don't want to see that. I want to have the memories, frankly. I'd have far rather they just gave her a nice ceremony than, yeah. It did always seem to me like a slightly curious thing that she played the US Open and retired here rather than at Wimbledon when, you know, the tournament she won. Are you going to assume prize money? yeah and yeah it's not for us to tell these players where they should retire but just in terms of like as a moment I think I think the Wimbledon one kind of felt like it really men's results that we've had so far today on day two Jack Draper needed four sets 6-4, 7-5 6-7, 6-2 against Federico Gomez said I was almost a bit happy when I lost the third set David Yeah, he seemed to just want to have more time on court.

19:42I mean, it's interesting, isn't it? We've had that conversation about Madison Keys feeling a bit burnt out. We've got the other end of the spectrum with Djokovic and Draper, who are probably mentally really freshen up for it, and yet their bodies are just not used to it. So there's a tiredness that creeps in. He said, I needed more tennis in my legs, and so he wasn't disappointed. I mean, it was interesting him talking about his arm, which has caused the problem in the layoff, and how he's sort of trying to work out how far he can pull the trigger on the serve, how hard he can hit it. He's definitely being careful, Catherine, I think, isn't he, at the moment?

20:27Yeah, he said it starkly, didn't he? He said, I wasn't going full out on serve today. I thought he was being a bit careful not to sort of accidentally diminish his opponent I thought the impression he was saying he was like I'm going to pull the trigger as much as I feel like I need to on the basis of who's down the other end of the court and he obviously didn't want to be disrespectful to Federico Gomez who played well today and got a set although apparently Draper wanted to lose that set so that was my interpretation of it but it's obviously not ideal that feels like he needs to do that feels that that's something that's in his brain he said it's helping him increase his accuracy on the serve the fact that he's not able to totally rely on just serving bombs the whole time which I thought was interesting he did say it he said he wasn't in any pain today which obviously is a good thing But he also, he was quizzed a bit more on the timeline of the injury rehab.

21:39And he said, ideally, it would have been eight weeks. And the US Open came at seven weeks. So, yes, he is coming back slightly sooner than is ideal. But I guess skipping a Grand Slam for the sake of a week, I can understand why that's a risk he felt like he wanted to take. So, I don't know. There were comments from Jack Draper in that press conference that made me feel a bit down about his prospects and there were others that made me think, huh, okay, you know, everybody's managing something, aren't they? Maybe he's just telling us a bit more about it. You know, he told us about his gut health today and he wasn't asked about that.

22:22He's a very open book, is Jack Draper. Yeah. But, you know, he said, I wasn't ill and I wasn't really nervous. I just have problems with my gut sometimes when I'm a bit anxious. Yeah, expect more post-puke Draper, I think. Well, it worked out all right for him in the past. We had Joel Fonseca win. Speaking of post-puke. Speaking of, thank you, Matt. That was going to be my line. Post-puke Fonseca beating Mimiket Samanovic. three tight sets well two tight sets seven six seven six six three setting up a second round meeting with thomas machach i was so pleased because i i had in my mind that that was third round and i thought they've both got to win another match it still feels like quite a long way away and then the draw flashed up second round can't wait for that i uh i went to this press conference for nseca which was in room two which is not big enough uh there's only nine seats in room two.

23:27He's wild. Yeah. Yeah, it's not big enough. Certainly not big enough for Joel Fonseca. And he's just, you know, there's no bombshell bombshell moment in there, but he's got this, he treads this very fine line of confidence and humility with absolute perfection. You know, he, he was asked about whether he's desperate to play on, on Ash, you know, and get a big stadium. The answer is categorically yes. he wants as big a stadium as possible whereas I think we'd rather that match be on Grandstand again, Grandstand feels right for that doesn't it? Another great atmosphere there for it wasn't it? Yeah He was asked a lot about the football shirts or jerseys as the Americans say, the football shirts that a lot of his supporters wear and he seems to I should have researched the details of this but there are two big teams from Rio, and he supports one of them, but apparently lots of his supporters were wearing shirts of both the teams.

24:34He was sort of asked about, you know, uniting the people of Rio. Oh, wow, that's a lot of pressure. Yeah, I mean, he doesn't seem to... He genuinely doesn't seem to see any of it that way. He sees only positives from the amount of support he gets. but he did he did very he was getting so much asked so much about football at one point he did sort of panic and say I'm not a huge football fan and I did think that is the sort of line that could get you cancelled in Brazil Brazil turns on Joel Fonseca for shunning football but no I think he's so likeable and so charismatic that he'll be absolutely fine and I've been thinking about the Mahatch match and the losses I've seen Fonseca take recently the two I'm thinking of would be Jarry at Wimbledon and Atman in Cincinnati both of those two have had a real ability to rush Fonseca particularly on their serve so Fonseca's been rushed on return I think he's still really learning how best to return and what to do with that shot, block it or hit it.

25:51I don't think Ketsmanovic was able to do that today. I'm not sure Mahatsch is necessarily going to be able to do that either. You know, like, he's not got a big serve. I think it's going to be, the emphasis is going to be on him to rush Fonseca with taking the ball early, I think, which he can do, but it's a very high-risk game plan. So, you know, we've obviously been a little bit concerned about some of the losses Fonseca's been taking, but I do think there maybe has been a stylistic thing that these players have had against him that he's still finding his feet with a little bit. And yeah, I'm not sure Mahatch is that test.

26:26Obviously, Mahatch has got other skills. It should be a great, great watch, that one. He said he feels that much more settled at the US Open because he's just played it that many more times. I think he played juniors here a couple of times. He won the juniors here, didn't he? Beat Lerner-Tien in the final. I think he's played main draw at least once before, whereas he's used pretty much everywhere else this year to everything being new and a first. So, yeah, can't wait for that one. Francis Tiafoe, straight sets on Ash earlier over Yoshihito Nishioka, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. Nishioka having beaten him the last two times they played, so a straight sets win.

27:07Pretty good going here for Tiafoe, although how Nishioka didn't win that second set, David, I'm not quite sure. No, I went rushing out for the start of the second set tie break because I could see where that was going and managed to get a really good seat not too far away. And really, Nishioka, he had set point, he had the ball on his racket, he top-edged a forehand into the crowd, and he was so upset with himself. And I think actually, in a way, his upset at that moment cost him the tiebreak because you could see Tiafoe just kept his pulse rate low and was relaxed and still hitting the ball with feel and moving it around.

27:49I think he realised then, I think I've got him now. And he eventually won the tiebreak. Pretty spectacular racket crack from Nishioka on set point when he lost it. Three into the ground. And then the third set just wasn't competitive at all. and as you say, given that record, that's a good win for TFO. That's one he would have been probably a little bit annoyed about getting as a first round. Or maybe he's just thinking, great chance for me to put that record right. But he's had great results here and I still think he will feel he should have reached the final a year ago against Taylor Fritz and he couldn't quite get over the line there.

28:28But he still believes that this tournament, TFO's capable. Yeah, and I do wonder how motivated he is by Ben Shelton taking over from him as being kind of the American man this year. I know they've got a few of them and Taylor Fritz is still there, but if the Americans' fans, I think, had to pick out one guy that they both think will succeed and maybe even want to succeed, I do wonder if Ben Shelton would edge it this year. I know their mates, Schulten and Tiafa, and I'm sure there's no kind of bitterness there, but I do wonder if there's just an extra edge of motivation if it were needed. Holger Rune managed to avoid trouble.

29:15When have we ever said that before? Against Bertik van der Zanschel, because he was right on the precipice of, I think, some quite serious trouble at two sets of love up in this match on Grandstand. He looked really ill. Bertic looked like he didn't want to be there, which is, you know, Bertic right in the sweet spot. He was starting to really middle the ball. And, yeah, I felt like Runa really could have got knee-deep in some trouble he didn't want to be in, and he actually managed to skirt around it for once, Matt. Yeah, he did. He was two sets and I think a double break up and then ended up in a third set tie break.

29:55and look I think we were all thinking we are heading out to grandstand if he loses this tie break because that could very much have got you know really really difficult for him you know he lost lost from two sets up against Jerry at Wimbledon didn't he in his last slam you know like that may well have happened again today so he did he did well to to steady the ship in that in that third set tie break but yes he didn't he didn't look comfortable out there he had the had the medic on at the end of the second set. You know, it was hotter today, wasn't it? It's cooled down a lot now. Maybe that's why he went sleeveless, Holger.

30:34He did, yes. Trying to get in on the sleeveless act. Good luck, Holger. Good luck. Another retirement from Sebastian Korda today. He just, he might be new cursed player, Sebastian Korda. So Cam Norrie through to round two. David, you watched a bit of Flavio Caballi winning against yet another talented Italian. They are crawling out of the woodwork. I mean, you can't move for these Italians. Yes, I forget his first name. Passaro is his surname. And yeah, I was really expecting... I mean, I've got Caballi going through to the quarterfinals in his section of the draw. And he was in some trouble here when it was levelled at two sets all.

31:22And it was close in the fifth as well. I mean, it's adjacent to where we are right now, sitting outside the media centre. There's courts four, five and six, just a few metres away. And the first thing that struck me when I went out there, I mean, it was absolutely packed. And that's where six foot seven comes in handy, because I was able to see over everybody's head. But what really struck me was the wind and how difficult it must be to control that ball when you're taking cuts at it the way these two guys are. And we're sitting here now. I mean, it is blustery. It's blowing all over the place, different directions.

31:57And it was challenging for them both. Flavia Panetta was out there. She sort of stayed until she realized one of these guys was going to actually win and the other one was going to be disappointed, I got the sense. And she didn't want to see that bit. And so she left. But, I mean, I turned up and Pissar didn't win another game. It was three all. He suddenly lost his timing and he started hitting double faults. Caballi just that bit more experienced, I think. And he's got away with one a little bit there, I think, Caballi. And I still think he can have a real run in this tournament. David, the Caballi believer, always.

32:37I do like Caballi. He's got Jenson Brooksby next. Yeah, and that's not easy. He was five sets, I think, today. Yeah, 6-4 in the fifth for him over Alexander Vukic. which Coleman Wong won today. Alex Kovacevic for him, so continuing the run. And I was just going to say, a real theme of this tournament so far is players from countries that are not normally that well represented in tennis. We've had Wong from Hong Kong. We had Zarazua, Mexico. We've got Cheng from Indonesia. Ayala, the Philippines. It's really, really been a theme of these first couple of days. It's really good to see. It feels apt somehow it's happening here because it is just by far the most diverse slam, isn't it?

33:25It's so notable. You feel it out there at the courts when those players are playing that they have their own with them. The expats or the local community of people from their nation are right there and just lapping it up, loving having a player to support. It's great to feel that. Last result I wanted to mention from the day session, Alex Mickelson is out to Comissania. And I mean, that's disappointing from an American point of view, from a Mickelson point of view. Obviously, we were kind of keeping an eye on after his big win in Australia over Sitsapas. And the rest of his season so far hasn't really lived up to that at all.

34:09but it's also a tricky opponent removed from Novak Djokovic's section of the draw. He was one of those Americans that was kind of on Djokovic's scheduled route. Although Matt's a Komisanya fan, so maybe that's not an obstacle removed for Djokovic at all. Yeah, I think he's a very talented player. I would say he's more dangerous on the clay, but I think I'm right in saying that Komisanya plays Norrie. Is that right? and Norrie as a potential third round opponent leans into David's theory of make it physical against Novak Djokovic. Look, I don't think Cameron Norrie is going to beat Novak Djokovic but if there's one thing he's got, you know, it's those lungs.

34:55It's those lungs. Big pair of lungs. Right, that's it for your day session roundup. Let's go and watch the night session. just before we do that a bombshell to leave you all on you david and matt and the listener on you ready for this i've got the scoop on the alcaraz haircut oh yeah via the us open instagram account oh yeah he it's it is it a mistake it's a mistake i mean we could see that he said i had I had a haircut that I struggled with and I had to start fresh oh so there was a worse haircut there was a worse haircut than this one somebody needs to get the scoop on that one that he's had to eliminate what do you think he had?

35:48I don't know and do you know who got this scoop out of Carlos Alcaraz? Rory McIlroy oh it was worth him coming to the US Open Yeah, Rory McIlroy, back at the US Open for the second day in a row, goes to have a conversation with Carlos Alcaraz. Obviously, you have to mention the hair. Because Rory's had quite a severe haircut as well. Yeah, not as severe. I mean, not as Alcaraz. I think severe has been redefined by Carlos Alcaraz tonight. So, Rory in the awkward situation. Can you imagine being filmed in a sort of having to... Did he have to tell him it looked good? Having to comment on somebody's new clearly bad haircut.

36:28Yes, he told him it looked good.

36:32with a bit of conviction. He said, I just got a haircut that I struggled with. I mean, I had to start afresh. And Rory goes, yeah, good. I like it, I think. It's just what you want to hear. And then they start talking about golf swings. So should we go watch Carlos Alcaraz? Let's see if we can recognize him. That's it. But we'll be back in part two. Welcome back to part two of the Tennis Podcast where it's now half past midnight. We're back at Tennis Podcast Towers and we have watched wins on the Arthur Ashe Stadium in the night session for Carlos Alcaraz over Riley Opelka and Karolina Mukova in three sets over Venus Williams.