Aus Open Day 15 - Carlos Alcaraz: History Boy

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1:24Matt Roberts: Hello and welcome to Melbourne Park on the 15th and final day of the 2026 Australian Open. You find us one last time in the Media Centre's Creator Lounge, which I'm really going to miss next week when we're back on the other side of the world. And we are here processing the history that we have witnessed tonight with Carlos Alcaraz at 22 years of age, becoming the youngest man to ever complete the career Grand Slam of all four major titles. He did it with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory over 38-year-old Novak Djokovic denying Djokovic a 25th Grand Slam title. Matt, one of the youngest tennis journalists ever to witness a career Grand Slam.

2:18Matt Roberts: How does it feel?

2:21Catherine Whitaker: It feels great. Yeah, I mean, ever since I first saw Carlos Alcaraz in 2017, you've set me up, you've set me up. No, I have said this before, but I've always thought that, like, Carlos Alcaraz is the first tennis player I've seen where I just always assumed he would do the career slam, you know, which is such an absurd thing. but I didn't necessarily think he would do it this quickly it's it's absolutely outrageous

2:52Matt Roberts: what he's achieved tonight and yeah very special to be here for you David absolutely I also never

3:02David Law: had any doubts that he would do it that really felt like a foregone conclusion but to do it this early in his career and for him to signpost it as something that mattered to him as much as it did in answer to your question a couple of nights ago, Catherine, that amazing question about whether you'd do this one, win this one, rather than the other three of the rest of the year, and him saying yes. And to do it, and to do it against Novak Djokovic, given what history he was going for, couldn't have been more perfect.

3:34Matt Roberts: How good a match was this final?

3:38David Law: I thought it was really good. I really enjoyed it. I mean, it wasn't a classic, and it wasn't great all the way through, but they both had moments of playing really, really well. Some of it, they played really well at the same time, particularly in the fourth set, I felt. Novak Djokovic's level in the first set, we'll get into it in detail, but I think it was probably some of the highest level tennis I've ever seen. It was just extraordinary. And I think we just learnt so much about strategy and tactics and adjustments, which made it intriguing to me. It's one of those matches that all these decades I've spent watching tennis, I learnt stuff about players and things you can do on a tennis court in order to get what you want or just fall short of what you want.

4:38David Law: And I loved that tonight.

4:41Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, I agree with David. I think the fourth set really elevated the match, you know, because the first set was incredible just from a Novak Djokovic perspective. And him winning that first set gave the match then an interesting shape because you knew that it only required a little bit of a moment, a bit of inspiration for Djokovic. And suddenly he'd be well, you know, he'd be well within sight of actually winning this match. so that first set just gave it an interesting complexion straight away it then had a real lull I thought the match for two sets in terms of like a real like competitive spectacle I didn't think Djokovic played very well in the middle portion of the match Alcaraz adjusted well as David said but then the fourth set we did have both of them playing some of their best stuff at the same time and it felt tense, it felt on edge we got the Djokovic using the crowd in a way that I was pleased that we got to see and witness because I thought that would be part of this match and it happened in that fourth set.

5:46Catherine Whitaker: We saw Alcaraz responding and it felt on an eye-fetch. It felt like Djokovic could take that fourth set and then, okay, you'd probably still be backing Alcaraz in a fifth because of his record, but it would have been tense. So, yeah, I thought it was a really good match without being an all-time classic. but the history on the line just gave it such a weight and sense of occasion.

6:11Matt Roberts: That first set from 38-year-old Novak Djokovic, 33 minutes, two breaks if the Alcaraz serve. Alcaraz, incidentally, in press about 20 minutes ago, said he didn't think he played badly in this first set. Djokovic served at 79%. He lost only two points on serve for the whole set, and he won seven out of eight points on the Alcaraz second serve. Total points won in that set was 29 to Djokovic and 15 to Alcaraz, who didn't play badly. I mean, he didn't play like he did for the rest of the match, but he was a passenger. Djokovic, in his own words, played the best tennis that he has for at least a couple of years for that first set.

6:56Matt Roberts: It was astonishing.

6:58David Law: finishing yeah he he picked up right where he left off in the fifth set against yannick sinner when he overwhelmed sinner so in back-to-back sets he's taken on the best two players in the world who are 14 and 16 years younger than him and he's just knocked them off the court which just take those two sets in isolation if if anybody ever asked you how good was novak jokovic show them those two sets because I mean I wrote down he is flushing it early on which is a term that people using golf when they're just connecting perfectly with the tennis ball it reminded me of the Olympic final where he any chance he got he was going after the ball and he was taking his forehand cross court into Alcraz's forehand kind of challenging him come on let's go forehand to beforehand see who's got the better one imagine doing that against Carlos Alcaraz and coming out on top that's that's what was happening um I I actually it's interesting that Alcaraz felt he was playing well I didn't think he was playing that well um but maybe that's just because Djokovic was playing so supremely um that that anybody would look like they're in trouble against that.

8:16David Law: It was basically one of those sets where one guy is just going for everything, teeing off, and they're all landing in. He's making everything. And so 6-2 felt absolutely right. Half an hour felt exactly right. And I thought, well, I wasn't writing Alcross off, but I thought, this is a heck of a test.

8:39Matt Roberts: I was thinking about the Olympic final at this point in the match after that first set. And I didn't get to ask a question in Alcraz's press conference just now, but that's what I wanted to know, like whether he, whether that crossed his mind as well.

8:56Catherine Whitaker: Yes. And I would say the only difference from the Olympic final was the gap between them. You know, like obviously we always cite that Olympic final for how great Novak Djokovic was and obviously he was, but actually Alcraz played a really good match in that final as well. Whereas here, as David said, I would slightly disagree with Alcaraz's assessment of that opening set. I mean, obviously he knows better and he knows what it feels like to face the Novak Djokovic that we saw in that opening set. But I thought Alcaraz was a little subdued at the start. And I do think that is one of the challenges for him facing Novak Djokovic.

9:34Catherine Whitaker: Like his protagonism is taken away in the match by Novak Djokovic. like against everyone else Alcaraz is the guy he he's he's the show he's everyone he's the player that everyone has come for okay obviously you know there's a lot of Yannick Sinner fans as well but even against Sinner it always feels like Alcaraz is is the main character to me it does anyway maybe people would disagree with that but when he plays Djokovic it's just not like that Djokovic is able to take that away and I did feel like Alcaraz was a little tense and tentative at the start but that as you've said no about Djokovic's level in that opening set was a joke I think with apologies to Carlos Alcarez my defining image of this match will not be him falling on his back and lifting the trophy what I will remember the most from this is Matt Futterman's face after the first set who was sitting just along from us in the press seats and I hadn't spoken to him during the set.

10:39Catherine Whitaker: He was a couple of people along from me. But we just caught each other at the end of that set. And Matt Futterman, who's seen a lot of sport in his time, was utterly like shell-shocked at the level that Djokovic had produced. It was really, it just drove it home to me how incredible that set was from Djokovic to just see the way it was impacting other people. And it was so good. He was destroying Alcaraz's serve as well in that set. And I did think, wow, we've talked a lot about Alcaraz's serve. Has Djokovic just absolutely been able to read it and nullify it? And he's got a set in the bag having only spent half an hour on court.

11:25Catherine Whitaker: It was like absolutely perfect for Novak Djokovic. He'd come out hitting the ball so sweetly and cleanly and he had a reward for it. and at that point I really thought well Novak Djokovic can win this match and I'm not sure even going into it I fully believe that just because of I know he was so great against Sinner but I knew he'd have to do it again and yet he was doing it again and that it was it was blowing my mind it was it was an all-time great set from from an all-time great

11:59Matt Roberts: And I think the thing was that he was so good in that set, he could afford to drop his level a bit. Because the question, even for Novak, for any player when they play a set that good, and I've not seen that many sets that good, but the question is always, well, can you keep that up? And honestly, very rarely can they, even Novak Djokovic, when it's that good. But he had room to drop a little bit and still maybe win this tennis match. He dropped enormously. In his own words, he went from north to south. And it coincided with Alcaraz regrouping, making adjustments, showing remarkable composure and lack of panic, I thought.

12:47Matt Roberts: So those two things happened in tandem. But the match just switched. It was like someone flipped a coin and it turned on its head completely. I mean, Alcouras won more points on the Djokovic serve in the first game of the second set than in the entirety of the first set. Yeah.

13:06David Law: And I think his tactical adjustment was to lock his game down. Yeah. In the first set, I think he was trying to be himself and out hit Djokovic because he does that to everybody. He's usually able to come out and just say, right, here's my game. You're in trouble. and that wasn't the case in the first set here. So he went to plan B, and I think that's the incredible thing about Al Kraz. He has the ability to have multiple plans, and now at the age he is and the maturity he is, he's actually got an understanding of when to implement them and what to do with them. In the first set, I think there was one moment where he saved the first break point of the match with a drop shot winner, and I did think, oh, great shot, but you're in trouble here because you're having to resort to a daredevil shot like that, and Djokovic knows it.

13:58David Law: In the second set, he stopped doing that stuff. He just locked his game down. He says, come on, let's just rally this out. He started absorbing Djokovic's shots rather than trying to retaliate against them. And Djokovic started to miss. Started to miss and miss and miss and miss. He was still going for the shots. They weren't coming off. Then you saw an energy dip in him. Interesting that in the press comments that he was not wanting to talk about physical issues as a reason for a turning point, but in so doing, he was suggesting that there were physical issues that caused a turning point. But yeah, I mean, he dropped off a cliff really, but he was also helped to the edge of it by Alcaraz in the way that he played.

14:47Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, I mean, David said it really well. It did feel like we went from the Djokovic that beat Sinner to the Djokovic that was losing to Mazzetti quite quickly in this match. But I do think Alcaraz deserves a lot of credit for his adjustments, as David said. And I think that again shows the maturity, right? Like Carlos Alcaraz of not that long ago, really, a year ago, against an injured Novak Djokovic in that quarterfinal, we didn't see the adjustments in his game. And today in a final, we absolutely did. And that willingness to absorb what Novak Djokovic was throwing at him to try and just make it a bit more physical, I think, extend some rallies.

15:34Catherine Whitaker: He was using his own angled forehand cross court really well to push Novak Djokovic out to that side a lot. He was mixing in the height suddenly on his backhand. He was using spin with the slice. It was kind of some of the stuff that we've seen him do bigger picture in his rivalry against Sinner to turn that around. Stop it being totally linear, back and forth, hitting. And he's such a shapeshifter, Alcaraz. He can use the tools in his game. And he did it quite subtly, but really effectively tonight in those middle sets and, frankly, for the rest of the match, really.

16:17Matt Roberts: the line in that opening set and he was anticipating that and he was there waiting for it and sometimes he was only able to just scrape a racket onto it because of how well Djokovic was executing that but Alcaraz is so good at defending to attack that getting a racket on it is so often enough like it's over the course of sets two and three like and and four um from set two onwards there were astonishing defense into attack moments from Alcaraz that just take your breath away.

16:52David Law: Yeah, there was one incredible rally, which was at 2-1 in the third set, where the first point of the Alcaraz service game, you've got them trading and eventually Alcaraz coming up with this extraordinary angle cross court with his with his backhand that Djokovic just about gets to and punches this really powerful backhand down the line around the net post onto the line and then suddenly out of nowhere Carlos Harkuras appears and parries it back the other way and I mean both players had played just about the perfect point and you've got this wonderful image I wish I'd managed to capture it at the time from our vantage points in the press seats of Alcraz with his finger to his ear for the first time in the match and Djokovic just turning away from him not angry not frustrated just sort of smiling but a kind of like wow that was amazing he was soaking it up as a moment himself I felt.

18:00Matt Roberts: Suddenly Carlos Alcraz appears is a very very repeatable

18:04David Law: you see this on the TV sometimes that you'll see somebody hit a shot and it's a winner and then suddenly he's just in the picture.

18:12Catherine Whitaker: Yeah. That Djokovic backhand around the net has got to be like contender for best shot not to win a point.

18:21Matt Roberts: God, I'd be annoyed.

18:23Catherine Whitaker: Oh, it was unbelievable. And yet, as David said, Alcarez appeared and didn't just get there but hit it for a winner. Oh, astonishing moment.

18:35David Law: Just later in that game, by the way, because at this point Djokovic was 2-1 up when they went into that game. And Djokovic had sort of regrouped a little and was starting to throw punches again, starting to connect. And, you know, it was an interesting little point of the match. One set all, 2-1 Djokovic. And Alcaraz kind of hanging on in that point to get ahead. And then that game went to 30-all. And two successive Alcaraz service games, there was a break in between, but two successive Alcross service games were at 30-all, and he won the 30-all point both times. And he often won them with lung-busting rallies.

19:11David Law: And I thought, this is what's going to win him this match. He's winning the important points because suddenly, rather than being one point away from breaking serve, Djokovic has got to win three points now, having lost the 30-all points. And it was just wearing him down bit by bit by bit.

19:29Matt Roberts: And at the start of the fourth set, or rather in between the third and fourth set, Djokovic saw the doctor at the sit-down, took some medication by the looks of things. He had sort of been clutching at his stomach a couple of times in the games leading up to that. It was speculated by the commentators on Channel 9, Jim Currier and Todd Woodbridge, that indigestion was what was going on. I suspect this is what Djokovic was hinting at in press, but didn't want to specify about. We'll probably never know. And maybe that medication worked, because the full set was the best set, wasn't it, in terms of the competition, in terms of the jeopardy and them both playing well at the same time.

20:19Catherine Whitaker: And we got like a couple of epic games, you know, mini battles within the overall match and the first one of those coming with Djokovic serving at Love 1. And, you know, this feels like a massive moment for Djokovic, right? Like he needs to hold. He can't go down an early break against Alcrest, having lost the last two sets. And Alcaraz, I think, ended up with seven break points in that game. It was a lot. And Djokovic saved them all. You know, there was certainly one where Alcaraz blew a forehand long, but otherwise, like, Djokovic was doing what he'd done against Sinner and standing up to break points and delivering.

21:00Catherine Whitaker: And it just felt like that was Djokovic's sort of play in this match, right? like moments of just upping his intensity and seeing if he could, if he could sort of get back into it. But obviously he needed to hold here and, and he did and the chance of no lay, no lay started back up. And it felt like, felt like although Djokovic was saving all the break points, it felt like a missed opportunity for Alcarez because he had him there. He was down and suddenly this hold like just fired Djokovic back into life. and made the set so tense from that point on because you knew that Djokovic was back after a couple of sets where he hadn't quite been there.

21:45Catherine Whitaker: He was right on it here. It was a real moment. And then the next big game came up with Alcarez serving at 4-0. After a lot of easy holds from them, then suddenly Djokovic managed to apply pressure on the Alcarez serve and even had a break point in that game. And that's the point he picked out in the press conference, the forehand that he missed in that game on break point, Djokovic. He said he had a good look at it and he missed it long.

22:16Matt Roberts: He did have a good look at it.

22:17Catherine Whitaker: He'd set it up. He'd got the shot he wanted and he just couldn't quite execute.

22:21Matt Roberts: And there had been a poor second serve return earlier in that game as well. those were the two points that he had to win, I think, to take it into five and then you've got Alkraus' five-set record, but those were the pivot points in the fourth set.

22:43David Law: Yeah, there was a moment when Djokovic had applied the pressure and got that break point that he failed to take and then levelled up at five games on. and I looked down at Nadal, who is in the front row of the seats at the end of the court. And suddenly he's really sitting forward, like leaning forward, ahead of everybody else in his row. And I thought to myself, I actually looked up the head-to-head between Nadal and Djokovic at that point and sort of wondered what was going through his mind. because what went through my mind was Djokovic taking victory from Nadal at Roland Garros in that third set, that incredible third set that they had about five years ago.

23:31David Law: And I thought, you know, he must be looking at Djokovic and Alkraus here and thinking, I know what it's like trying to beat this guy when he's playing like this. but the beauty from an Alcrast standpoint is that he didn't buckle this time. He's buckled against Djokovic playing like this several times and at the Olympic final here last year but he just trusted his legs. He kept on soaking it up. He kind of put away the toolkit of explosive shots really for the match.

24:04Catherine Whitaker: We didn't see the huge forehands, did we?

24:07David Law: No, he sort of said, I'll outlast you. And for him to put away kind of the bravado and the daring and become Mr. Percentage, it was almost like role reversal between these two. You know, Djokovic was having to be the high wire act to try to kind of compress his skill set into bursts in order to win the match, whereas Alcraz was playing the long game. I found it so tantalising and fascinating.

24:36Catherine Whitaker: he did keep up the drop shot Alcraz didn't he like that was his

24:41Matt Roberts: he's a real play for him he had the touch on it throughout which is I mean obviously an incredible weapon but also a tell that he's not too stressed I think because touch can be the thing that goes when you're stressed and he had it all the way through

24:56Catherine Whitaker: and he was using it early in rallies often quite soon after he'd served it was often the next shot that he would hit and I just think it did a good job of keeping Djokovic off balance. It was kind of like, if we're going to play short points that he wants to play, they're going to be short points on my terms with the drop shot. Otherwise, I'm going to use my legs, we're going to extend it. And yeah, it was really smart.

25:19David Law: And another great way of just taking a bit out of Djokovic's legs as well. And the first point of the game that he broke to win it, 24-shot rally. You know, it was a masterclass from Carlos Alcraz in sort of match management. And I just feel like that's taken us to another level with him.

25:42Matt Roberts: Yeah, and discipline.

25:43David Law: Yeah.

25:44Matt Roberts: Discipline, maturity, match management.

25:48Catherine Whitaker: These are words we used to talk about Cameron Norrie.

25:55Matt Roberts: John Jones last year knew things. I like how he hits the racket and I like the way he focuses. He was ahead of his time as little John Jones.

26:06David Law: You know, there's a line that I remember from when they first played one another at a Grand Slam at Roland Garros when they were one set all and Our Crafts was roaring back and I was really excited because I was so convinced that this guy was ready. and I always remember Andy Roddick tweeting at the time his line that I'd heard him use before about Djokovic. First he takes your legs and then he takes your soul. And I was watching this and thinking, jeez, Alcaraz is doing it to him. You know, because that's the player. You know, another thing he said tonight is that every time I take to the court, I learn from this guy.

26:51David Law: He's soaking it up. it's extraordinary to witness. And it's going to make him even more of a nightmare for everybody else that's left behind when Djokovic stops. There wasn't the kind of outpouring of raw emotion

27:09Matt Roberts: in the aftermath and in the ceremony that I maybe was not expecting, but I thought there was a world in which Alcaraz was kind of a mess, because he's told us how much he wanted this. But he was just happy. He was just so happy, which is wonderful to see. And Djokovic was incredibly magnanimous, came around the net, didn't he? And they embraced. And I was so sure that Rafael Nadal would be the one presenting the trophy because, of course, it was Nadal's record that Alcaraz broke. He sat there on the front row. I'm thinking, he can't have flown to Australia just to receive a keyer with his face on it.

27:51Matt Roberts: I would. But it turns out, I mean, he obviously had a nice time, I think, watching the final, but he really did come here just to get that keyer. And their massive paycheck. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, look, it was Mark Edmondson giving out the trophy, and I'm sure that was decided upon long ago. It was his anniversary year, the last Australian man to win the title here, 76. Lovely. but it was a bit weird that Nadal was sat there on the front row, metres away, sort of staring them down, and they both, I mean, that was both, the sort of main feature of both of their speeches, wasn't it?

28:32Catherine Whitaker: And as you said, the way they were, the way it was kind of organised, they were literally looking at Rafael Nadal when they were giving the speech, and there was just this incredible scene, therefore, that you had, like Nadal in the stands, having retired, Djokovic still going, but kind of bridging the gap between Alcaraz and Nadal, and then Alcaraz standing behind Djokovic for the first speech. It was a real scene, a real moment, actually. And I don't know, it just is very special to me every time the big three are together or two of them are there together. Like, they've just shared so much history.

29:09Catherine Whitaker: And I thought Djokovic's whole speech during that ceremony was so, so perfect. Yeah, he did so well. He really recognised that it was Alcaraz's moment. So he didn't, you know, he didn't want to steal the spotlight there. But he also made sure to, you know, really recognise how special it was to have Nadal there. He was funny. You know, he talked about how he had a winner's speech and a loser's speech. and he had to pivot and go to his losers one. It was just a great speech from Djokovic, I thought.

29:44Matt Roberts: And now Alcaraz is going to get a little kangaroo tattoo somewhere on one of his legs. That's what he's told us. Yeah, David, I need to ask you about your theories. OK. Now, by my count, you had three Alcaraz theories on the go this tournament. If you have enough, one of them is going to come, right? Now, I'd say you've got to have a buzz cut theory. Yeah. Bad tournament for that one.

30:15David Law: Oh, I'm not sure about that. I think he wasn't as good as he was at the US Open, was he? No.

30:23Matt Roberts: No. But, you know, there's an argument that it's more impressive to, I mean, maybe this is a conversation we should, a debate we should have now, like more impressive to like winning in flow state for seven matches is one thing but

30:40David Law: winning this way listen it's fantastic and it's a wonderful achievement from him and i do i do love that he's you can't just win all the grand slams just by killing everybody but maybe you can if you have a buzz cut but no i feel like he has had to prove different parts to his ability and his mentality and he's done something new again here in that regard. But yeah, obviously a bit of a joke, the buzz cut. But I also still think it would be a great statement. It would freak me out if I was an opponent. Every time he arrived at a Grand Slam, oh no, it's that guy.

31:21Matt Roberts: But the problem is, whatever guy it is, like there are so many different versions of Alcaraz that can win these major titles.

31:30David Law: He's getting better. He's getting better with every passing year. Regardless of the haircut. They want to watch out.

31:37Matt Roberts: He hasn't won one blonde. No. That's next.

31:41David Law: I wouldn't put it past him. He could win with anything.

31:43Matt Roberts: Okay, so that's the hair theory. You're claiming a not defeat there, which I'll let you have, but whilst making a face.

31:55Catherine Whitaker: We can say that you debatably won. Yeah, you debatably won that one. great quote from Osaka. Thank you.

32:01Matt Roberts: Theory number two, Alcraz is going to lose in the semi-finals because he's not going to be the same without Juan Carlos Ferreiro. Definite defeat for that theory. It's pretty close, wasn't it? Yeah. But I am going to put a cross in that column. And he had cramp, you know, with the Alcraz. David, I wouldn't argue this one too hard because it'll end up hurting you for theory number three, which I plan to give you a victory on. Okay.

32:27David Law: Now I take the L on Ferreira.

32:30Matt Roberts: But here comes the big win. Carlos Alcaraz freed up as a grown-up and allowed to become his full adult self without the parental figure of Juan Carlos Ferreira.

32:50David Law: Do you know, I actually, when I made that theory public in our WhatsApp group, it was at 3Love against Alex Dimenor. And I hadn't got this in mind. What I'd got in mind was I think it might release him from worrying about anything or getting permission to play ridiculousness by somebody. and I thought oh my word he's going to play at such a level that nobody can cope and I still think he's going to win more Grand Slams where he plays like that where he doesn't go through much stress at all because he's just that good but he actually showed something that I thought we would see down the track when Matt Futterman was on with us reacting to the Ferrero separation I think we both thought and I think we all thought that in the long run you know Carl Salkraus is capable of maturing into a player that doesn't need quite the the support that one Carlos Ferreira has given him and listen they might have stayed together and that might have just um adapted as you go along like parents do with kids you know and you you maybe don't have so much say and they don't you accept that but the fact that they separated I did think long term we would we would see that maturing process and he might end up being better for it but it's happened instantly that is a huge surprise to me i got that wrong and i find that so compelling for the rest of his career now if he can stay fit because i mean he he's a grown-up out there and in training and talking about concentration with such pride and hard work

34:49Catherine Whitaker: you know it's all there for him now yeah it feels like it's kind of the last bit of his graduation you know and he's and he's done it now um being able to win without one carlos ferrero and he talked a lot didn't he he mentioned it in the speech even and then he talked about it in the press conference about kind of the doubters and the fact that there was a lot of noise around

35:18David Law: he didn't look at me it's alright

35:20Catherine Whitaker: I mean all of us really I remember on the day that we did our emergency podcast we all basically concluded Advantage Sinner going into the Australian Open it felt like you know it felt like that was yeah like long term maybe this could be a good thing for Alcraz but short term I really thought it would it would favor Sinner I just trusted Sinner to be able to produce his best where I thought Alcraz might still be still be having some some concerns and I think I think we were right to at least point out the fact that it was a big thing you know like he's he's talked about that there like there was a lot of attention on him he he there was a of noise suddenly about a decision that he's made.

36:03Catherine Whitaker: He's not really had that before in his career and that could have destabilised him but credit to him, credit I think to Samuel Lopez as well, I think he's an underrated, important person in the Alcarez team. He was there when Ferreira was there, he's still there now, he's a good coach and I think Alcarez kind of communicates well with him on court. We've seen a lighter Carlos Alcarez in a lot of big moments this tournament on court so yeah hats off because I really did think that the Ferreira thing could destabilise his start to the season and the opposite has happened and it's so impressive.

36:43Matt Roberts: Yeah and look without explicitly naming Juan Carlos Ferreira or the situation how it unfolded he's referenced that quite a lot in his post win interviews in the press conference in some TV interviews he's done he called it an unusual situation for me in the offseason, you know, something the likes of which he's never had to deal with before. He's never really had anybody doubting him like this before. And while David, the answer to your question, which was, did you use those doubters as motivation? He said, no, no, no. Like as the tournament was going on, it was just match by match, you know, did work really hard in the offseason, and wasn't thinking about that.

37:28Matt Roberts: But then he ended that answer by saying, but now I've got it. I'm very happy to prove all the people wrong. And that's another facet to Carlos Alcraz we haven't seen before, like a defiant up yours to the haters, Carlos Alcraz. It was like when Coco Gauff said that in her US Open speech, wasn't it? It was like, oh, okay. you've been hearing all the haters have you and using that as fuel like yeah we think of Novak Djokovic as that kind of character and obviously Andy Murray was so fuelled by doubters wasn't he and that's a variety of champion, I didn't think that Carlos Alcaraz would be that guy but here he is being that guy too

38:17David Law: I was actually thinking I don't think I've worded this question that well because it's not that great an answer and I thought he was just trying to bat it away and then and then he dropped that in at the end and I thought well great because at least we know how you feel that you are proud of it and I mean generally it was quite interesting that Frerro really didn't get a get a mention gen aside from that um do you think he watched I would have thought so, but I don't know. Obviously, I don't know for sure.

38:52Matt Roberts: Must have been very tough for him.

38:54David Law: Yeah, I would imagine so. I imagine it's a bittersweet feeling. I would imagine mostly he's proud of the work that has gone into helping, because there's no question he's been a massive influence in a positive way. I mean, he's a huge role in his development and as a player and as a young man. But it must be a bit of a knot in the stomach feeling as well that you're not part of it anymore. And whether you decide whether it was your decision or not. Because I think he probably always expected to still be part of this journey. and I suppose and I can't speak for him for sure but I certainly think it would be a natural emotion if you felt a little bit sad in a way that oh crikey they can do it without me on the other hand maybe he's proud that he's helped him prepare so he doesn't need him anymore I don't know but these would be natural emotions

40:01Matt Roberts: well he's going to get more sleep tonight than he would if he was still on Team Alcaraz I think do you think they're going to go to the club in Melbourne?

40:11Catherine Whitaker: I'd have thought so I think there's a fairly good chance of that actually definitely a really nice dinner and then on to somewhere

40:22Matt Roberts: maybe the barge or a barge, there are multiple barges

40:27Catherine Whitaker: the barge, we've outlasted the barge in most of this tournament we've walked past and it's been shut down

40:34Matt Roberts: He'll probably get them to stay open, rent out the barge. At least we're cold for the barge. It is. It needs to be an indoor venue.

40:41David Law: It seems to be sponsored by Novak Chokovic's clothing company at the moment.

40:46Matt Roberts: Yeah. What barge have Nike got? OK, folks, that's the match and the achievement and the immediate aftermath. Of course, we have to talk about what it all means and what now. And we will do that in part two.

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43:11Matt Roberts: Welcome back to part two of today's tennis podcast, our 15th and final daily tennis podcast from the Australian Open It's actually our sort of 19th, isn't it? But 15th and final day of the tournament. And David, today makes it two out of 12.

43:29David Law: yeah for the 12 in a row yeah that I predicted we're back at 2 at Wimbledon 2023 in the aftermath what has he managed 5 of the next 10 I think we're up to which is not bad but not 12 in a row

43:46Matt Roberts: but 12 in a row might happen still ok here's the question can 4 in a row happen well no sorry hang on the actual question is can 5 in a row happen

43:56David Law: that I'm asking the calendar slam question yeah it can happen it can I I still think it's a huge ask because of the competition Yannick Sinner Novak Djokovic has proved here that he has a level that can hurt Carlos Alcaraz it would have been interesting if they'd have played the other way around I think and he'd have played him in the semi-finals when he hadn't got four hours in his legs, Djokovic. That would have been very interesting. We know that he's beaten him before. And Sinner is going to bounce back and come again and push. Zverev was very close to beating Alcaraz this time. I think he's finally figured out how to play big tennis in big moments.

44:46David Law: And then there's a question mark over health and form, I suppose. There's a lot of question marks. but would I make Carlos Alcrest the favourite for the next three Grand Slams one at a time? Probably. So if that's the case then he can win them all. Yeah.

45:08Catherine Whitaker: And he was asked in English about goals and he... He said, I hate lose. I hate lose. That's my motivation.

45:16Matt Roberts: I hate lose. And I've always thought of him

45:19Catherine Whitaker: more of an I love win sort of guy. But it was, again, that different side of him was nice to see. But then in Spanish, he was asked about goals as well. And he talked more directly about the calendar slam. And, you know, I think the thing with Alcaraz is coming off the back of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, like for him to find unique things or things that they haven't done is going to be difficult because they've done almost everything. But obviously this achievement tonight, becoming the youngest to win the career slam, is something that he's got now. And also, you know, the calendar slam is something that none of the big three did.

46:06Catherine Whitaker: So that's something that would, like, separate him and mark him out. And he talked about how, yes, it's absolutely a goal for him, but it's also one of those goals that you can only actually achieve if you take it one step at a time. Like you just cannot get ahead of yourself with that sort of thing. You can't get, you can't have the mindset of where I'm going to win all four. You can't be thinking like that because that's what will trip you up. But he's so good, I think, at recognizing that what he needs to do to achieve it, but also putting it out there as a goal. And I genuinely believe it is a goal for him.

46:44Catherine Whitaker: And I take David's point there about how difficult it is going to be. It absolutely is. I do look at Alcaraz compared to the big three in their prime and think that actually the path for Alcaraz, to me, seems a little clearer for him than it ever did during the big three, big four era. Because, you know, Nadal was such a roadblock at Roland Garros. He won that pretty much every year, even for Novak Djokovic starting the season with the Australian Open all the time. You never really thought about the calendar slam because Nadal was probably going to win Roland Garros the very next slam. Federer had the same issue.

47:27Catherine Whitaker: And for Nadal, he wasn't as strong on all the surfaces like Alcaraz is so quickly in his career. David and I were talking the other day. We have no idea what Carlos Alcaraz's best surface is. I mean genuinely I think you could make a case for any of the surfaces. A year ago we would have said grass. We would have done or maybe

47:49Matt Roberts: we definitely wouldn't have said hardcore. It's a tough scene for Yannick Sinner that he's won two hardcore Grand Slams in a row now isn't it

47:56David Law: We ended up arriving Catherine I'm curious to see what you think about this because you were out at the time when Matt's and I were talking about it we ended up with grass at number three and a year ago it was number one

48:06Catherine Whitaker: only because he lost the Wimbledon final one match It was ridiculous. But he's won the big matches on all the other surfaces over the last year or so. Maybe he doesn't have a best surface because he's equally good on all of them. Maybe that is the answer. Maybe we're trying to force it.

48:24Matt Roberts: Has there ever been a player where... And look, maybe it will be very clear by the end of his career. Hopefully we're a long way away from that yet. But has there ever been a player where you wouldn't be able to say what their best surface is?

48:36David Law: Not between all three surfaces like this. I might have said in Federer's heyday, well, is it hard court where he's won how many US Opens in a row? Or is it Wimbledon where he's won how many Wimbledons in a row? Is it, for Djokovic, grass and hard court? I think you could make a very strong case. Agassi won them all, but I think Klay was clearly the least favoured. And it was the same for Sampras and McEnroe. And they didn't win the French Open, you know, Sampras and McEnroe.

49:14Catherine Whitaker: I always kind of felt like Serena, like... Yeah. You would definitely have said Clay was number three, but also you'd have said, well, at her best, she's the best on Clay. You know what I mean? Yeah. Because she was just the greatest. Yeah. and it yeah it's it's staggering how how adaptable Alcaraz is to all the surfaces and yeah like he's he's reaching finals regularly and he's got a good record now against Sinner so these are the things that are going to be really stopping him from doing it you know will someone trip him up early well he's got the consistency now and what's his record like against his biggest rival and he's kind of got that.

50:00Catherine Whitaker: Obviously, he's not totally because Sinner did beat him in that Wimbledon final. But it feels on sitting here right now. I'm not predicting it, but it's by no means ludicrous. I'm predicting it.

50:16Matt Roberts: Are you actually?

50:17David Law: Yeah, I said he won 12 in a row.

50:19Matt Roberts: You also row back on that at every possible opportunity.

50:23David Law: I mean, I do say I was drinking at the time and it's true, I was.

50:27Matt Roberts: you're predicting the calendar slam

50:29David Law: yeah the other thing that I think keeps it kind of keeps it simple to him is that he's got what Federer used to have which is an absolute love of what he's doing for a living he thinks this is great

50:46Matt Roberts: he was so heartening and nourishing and reassuring hearing him talk about how he was going to make sure he took the time to enjoy and appreciate this he said the bad part of tennis is we have tournaments week after week after week and we don't tennis wants to not give us the chance to stop and appreciate what we're achieving and he said i mean it i think it's a tough scene that you kind of have to break tennis's rules to do this Like it's actively discouraged to get off the treadmill and stop and appreciate it. But he knows he needs to do that. And I'm so relieved to hear him talking like this.

51:31Matt Roberts: Just go and enjoy it, Carlos. Don't go to Dallas. I mean, I know he's never going to go to Dallas, but, you know, whatever his equivalent of Dallas is like.

51:41David Law: Make your own schedule, you know, screw the rules. So you've got the financial power and the ranking power and the fame and importance to do whatever is best for you. Do that.

51:53Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, I remember seeing last year Jim Currier mapping out what would be a sensible schedule for Carlos Alcaraz in 2026. And his key point was trying to find three week breaks. That's an actual rest and reset and you get to have some time away and do some training.

52:13David Law: Look after Wimbledon. Once he had a bit of time off, he went and practiced. He wanted to make sure he got his own back. And look what he ended up as.

52:25Catherine Whitaker: Just on the calendar slam thing as well, obviously I've mentioned there about the big three. Obviously the thing I haven't talked about there is how close Djokovic did get to doing it once he kind of had a bit more of men's tennis to himself. And obviously that incredible 2021 season I think what feels different for Alcaraz compared to that is that, yes, obviously Djokovic has kept up a remarkable level since then and is still competing for Grand Slam titles. But at the time, it felt like, well, this is his last chance to actually win the Calendar Slam, right? Like he was late into his career.

53:02Catherine Whitaker: And that added pressure, I think, as well. Almost a little bit the same for Serena as well. like when she went for it in in 2015 there was this this huge weight attached to it because it felt like this is it this is the one time and obviously Djokovic as well had the Olympics that year that he was going for and he'd never won before like it was just a it was just a lot whereas Alcaraz is as we know young and so early into his career like I think there could be it could be a bit more freedom to him trying to get that achievement if he gets close compared to where Serena and Djokovic were. Do you know what I mean?

53:39David Law: Yeah, he's got time. And by the way, he's just won the same number of Grand Slam singles titles as John McEnroe and Mats Valander at the age of 22.

53:49Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, like we've lost sight of how many seven is. Exactly, absolutely.

53:53David Law: I was thinking that today. Somebody mentioned 22 to him in one of his TV studios and he battered that away. He said, it's so far. And he's right. Seven is so many slams.

54:06Catherine Whitaker: he's already so high up the Wikipedia table

54:13Matt Roberts: I saw so many people looking up that Wikipedia table in the press seats that match was nearing its conclusion Novak Djokovic folks turns out number three was up for grabs Novak Djokovic has taken it look his I mean it's been a while since we've seen him do a a Grand Slam ceremony speech and he said in the speech he said I didn't expect to be doing another one of these and clarified in his press conference afterwards that he always believed he could reach Grand Slam finals again but he'd stopped expecting it a couple of years ago and that was the shift but in that speech he gave it a lot of great lines same in the press conference it was a really great press conference and it's like in these moments now with Carlos with Novak Djokovic it's like Taylor Swift albums isn't it you are looking for the easter eggs what are you not saying what lines should be really be reading between here he didn't say I'll see you next year he said God knows what happens tomorrow or in six months he said it's been a great ride I love you guys

55:28David Law: yeah i think this is exactly what he should say because i don't think he knows what the future holds i genuinely don't because i think he's loving this he's proved to himself again just how good he is he beat me hannock sinner for god's sake in a fifth set he's pushed And Alcres, it's astonishing. I mean, to me, just to round up generally him and Alcres, I feel like they have both burnished their own legacies today. And Djokovic comes out winner really here because he is even greater than he was a couple of days ago in terms of, I think, how I will remember him and how other people remember him.

56:18David Law: but in other ways he's obviously declining because he's getting old I mean obviously he's 38 he's going to be 39 in just a few months time so I still feel like he should do a lap of honour Stan Werenker style at one point because I think he'd enjoy that and I think that's a really high possibility but he's also playing so well and he will surely only be feeling more fuelled in his belief that he can do this, that one day the chips might fall and he might win another one because he got so bloody close. But I don't think he knows when and if. I mean, because I still think it's more likely that he declines more.

57:03David Law: But we'll have to wait and find out.

57:06Matt Roberts: I feel in such a weird place, kind of big picture with Novak Djokovic because he's proven me very wrong this tournament and showed me a level that I doubted that he still had. And I believe he can produce that again. But I still think having to go through two of them is a barrier that is, I mean, on the basis of the evidence we've had, is an insurmountable barrier for him and isn't going to get any less.

57:39David Law: And this was with all the help in the world. This was with all the help in the world.

57:43Matt Roberts: And okay, one of them could fall over or something or, you know, get in, whatever. But basically the challenge is going to be getting through both of them. And I still don't, I don't think that challenge is achievable for anybody in men's tennis right now. and we were on the appearance on the ABC show, Offsiders, that I did this morning, that, Matt, you watched and there was a quote that came up which apparently originates from Burt Reynolds.

58:16David Law: Oh, yeah, Burt. You know him, do you? Burt Reynolds from Cannonball Run and from Smokey and the Bandit. I have not seen these films,

58:26Matt Roberts: but I am aware of the who...

58:28Catherine Whitaker: I'm not getting, I'm afraid.

58:31Matt Roberts: Do you know Toby Keith? Because apparently Toby Keith wrote about this line in a song. No, I don't. No, okay. Well, anyway, the quote is... I don't know him either. No, anyway, we're all learning and growing today. The quote is, I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was. And I think that's where Novak Djokovic might be right now.

58:55David Law: Yeah.

58:56Matt Roberts: but once is unlikely to be enough.

59:01Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, it's got to be twice.

59:02Matt Roberts: It's got to be twice. And that is a lot more than once. Yeah, like, as you said, like,

59:10Catherine Whitaker: this is a win for Novak Djokovic, this tournament. I completely agree with what David said there, adding to his legacy. People will be talking about that Yannick Sinner match when they reflect on Novak Djokovic's career and the fact he's reached another final, he's taken a step up and he's done that. You know, obviously everyone gets older, but he's done that, like getting older. Like I didn't think he could take steps up now at this point in his career and he has done. And yet I agree with you, Catherine, the overall picture still is that everything lined up here in terms of the fourth round withdrawal and the quarterfinal only having to play two sets.

59:55Catherine Whitaker: And these are his favourite conditions to play in, on that court, in that night session. And he came bloody close, but he still had physical issues in the final against Carlos Alcaraz. And it's just very hard now to see that not happening again and again and again as he pushes to try and win this number 25. So my overall sense is that I'm much wearier myself of not writing him off because of what he's shown this week, but I still think it is really hard for him and he is going to need help. I kind of feel like Djokovic would benefit from a third guy coming along. Yeah, take... Like a third guy that...

1:00:44Matt Roberts: He needs to form an alliance with somebody. You take him out, I'll take him out, and then will play in the final.

1:00:51David Law: Or he needs to find somebody who one of those two really struggles with. Exactly. That's what I mean.

1:00:56Catherine Whitaker: Like, not a third guy, because obviously that makes it harder overall. But not a guy that Djokovic struggles. Because he doesn't struggle with many of them.

1:01:02Matt Roberts: He needs Bursic van der Zanskog to come good.

1:01:04David Law: You know, maybe it's a Grigor in flow state again. I'm not sure. But one thing that I did feel like I learned a little bit today is that he is enjoying the process. even we keep wondering and we did at the outset in the pre-tournament press conference when he looked a bit he looked a bit down he looked a bit tired and so forth but I think overall I mean I think sometimes people have a bad day don't they I think generally he's loving the process of trying to figure out if it's possible can I figure a way to do what people genuinely think is impossible to go through these two at the age of 38, 39.

1:01:49Matt Roberts: And look, he's out there on the court tonight with Rafael Nadal there watching him in the front row. And I'm not getting the violins out of Rafael Nadal. He seems to have a lovely life. He's been paid to come to Australia just to receive a bespoke Kia. Lovely. He's got a beautiful family. Seems very happy with life. But I do think, you know, Djokovic has been confronted there with what's on the other side. and I don't think he's looking at that going, I can't wait to get there. I can't wait to be receiving Kiers and sitting on the front row watching Carlos Alcaraz play.

1:02:26David Law: And I think it comes back again to the stuff Andy Murray talked to us about. I think he'll be all right with it when it's over.

1:02:35Matt Roberts: Like that's waiting for him. The Kiers are waiting for him whenever he's ready, but he's not in a flipping rush, is he?

1:02:41David Law: Just to make sure that he's rung every dropout. Yeah, absolutely.

1:02:47Matt Roberts: Does Wimbledon still remain his biggest chance or does the fact that both Alcaraz and Sinner have now won there sort of change how you feel about Wimbledon being the one, if there is to be a one, for Djokovic?

1:03:03David Law: It's interesting because I don't feel like he looked that comfortable there this last year. It was a heavy defeat he had in the end. But look, he still won it all these times. He's still a favourite against the vast majority of players, as things stand right now. So he could put himself in a position. So I'm still not going to write the bloke off completely. No chance.

1:03:33Matt Roberts: I'm not sure anybody will after today, after this week, but predicting it?

1:03:38David Law: No, I'm not predicting it. I'm predicting calendar slam for Carlos Alcaraz.

1:03:44Matt Roberts: And thus concludes our Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic discussion. What a ride it has been these past two weeks with them. I mean, they have ensured that we won't remember the 12 days of duds. we will remember this tournament as having been exhilarating and life-affirming. And it really wasn't the case for 12 days.

1:04:11David Law: We probably will have a few chuckles about the first 12 days at some point. But you're right, I do kind of forget that now.

1:04:19Matt Roberts: Yeah, we'll focus on this stuff in our Australian Open Review show. I mean, Matt might focus on Elsa Giacomo. So, but yeah, they've given us stuff to talk about for the review show. Folks, that's it for part two. We still have a bit more business to take care of in part three. AI is only as powerful as the platform it's built into. That's why it's no surprise that more than 85 % of the Fortune 500 use the ServiceNow AI platform. While other platforms duct tape tools together, ServiceNow seamlessly unifies people, data, workflows and AI, connecting every corner of your business. And with AI agents working together autonomously, anyone in any department can focus on the work that matters most.

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1:05:39Matt Roberts: Welcome back to part three of today's final daily tennis podcast from the 2026 Australian Open. We have our junior champions for this year. We have Ksenia Efremovit, the third seeded 16 year old French girl. She beat Katerina Tupitsina, 6 '3", 7 '5". She will become the junior number one in the girls come Monday. I know she's been somebody that's been tipped for success for a long time. There's an interview during the rounds of her from, I think, 2021 when she was 11, saying that, you know, she wanted to achieve great things and be world number one. So here she is potentially on the way in France.

1:06:24Matt Roberts: I'm very excited about her. And the junior boys title was won by the Slovenian Ziga Sesko. The seventh seed, he beat Keaton Hans of the US 4-6-6-3-6-4. So those are your two names to circle and look out for in the future. Folks, we have one last Sensation of the Day to award and we have two contenders, two strong ones to end on. I was so sure for so much of today that the recipient of the final Sensation of the Day award would be John Blom, chair umpire of the men's singles final who in the second set i think after a very vocal third set after a very vocal call out from a obnoxious man in the crowd said ladies and gentlemen if you call out during the points you will be sent out and that will ruin your night thank you

1:07:30Catherine Whitaker: umpire sass on the rise it is on the rise definitely the more the better

1:07:34Matt Roberts: and then later in the match he said I know you get excited but please don't call out during play I mean honestly even without the sass he was the front runner for sensation of the day because you know big it was always regardless of the result it was always going to be a win for John Blom he's been up front

1:07:54David Law: through most of the tournament hasn't he he's been having plum gigs yeah it's all that Red Bull so yeah

1:08:01Matt Roberts: John Blom was the clubhouse leader I had basically given the award I'd written him in the agenda but then we meet Elena we get doorstepped by Elena in the aftermath of Carlos Alcaraz's victory as we're leaving the Rod Laver arena and lovely Elena has three beers she has a non-alcoholic one for David she has one each for me and Matt and she says I've come to make a last gasp bid for Sensation of the Day. And I don't know if I can deny Elena.

1:08:34Catherine Whitaker: Me neither. It's incredible. So thoughtful.

1:08:37David Law: The alcohol-free element of it is the winning moment for me. And it's not like John got us around him. Exactly, and he had all tournaments.

1:08:45Matt Roberts: Yeah, we have seen him at lunch basically every day. We always do.

1:08:49David Law: He hasn't got a clue who we are.

1:08:52Matt Roberts: So I think my only question is, does Elena get it out right or do we award two for the last day? No, we're denying John. I think John's got work to do.

1:09:02Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, he's got honorable mention, but for me...

1:09:05Matt Roberts: It's Elena. Elena. Yeah. Okay. I'm happy with that.

1:09:09Catherine Whitaker: And also, like, she knew that John Blom was the leading candidate. She called that. She said, I suspect you're going to give it to John Blom, but here are some beers. I just love that mindset.

1:09:25Matt Roberts: There was no entitlement at all from Elena.

1:09:26Catherine Whitaker: He just assumed he'd go.

1:09:31Matt Roberts: Again, all that Red Bull. Have we got a sensation of the tournament? Oh.

1:09:37Catherine Whitaker: Oh, God. That's for the review show. Okay. Very good. That's a good tease.

1:09:43Matt Roberts: You can't drop that on us.

1:09:45Catherine Whitaker: I know, but that's the beauty of the review show. We do that in, what, four days' time? I think we should do that, though, crown a sensation of the tournament.

1:09:51Matt Roberts: Yeah, I absolutely agree. I feel like I mentioned Jason Kubler a lot. But we'll see. That's just off the top of my head. A couple of other bits of business before we wrap up. Firstly, can we have a word for how professional Matt is being, given that he's got Fulham on his screen right now?

1:10:09Catherine Whitaker: And we're losing.

1:10:10Matt Roberts: Yeah. It's not over yet.

1:10:13Catherine Whitaker: I fucking hate Man U. There was a court. Oh, they've just scored again. They've literally just scored again. Kunja's doing his stupid celebration. That's going on.

1:10:23David Law: please VAR it out

1:10:26Catherine Whitaker: there was absolute VAR nonsense on the first goal as well

1:10:30Matt Roberts: okay well he was professional up until 30 seconds ago

1:10:34Catherine Whitaker: we conceded against Man City live on the pod and I went oh and they've scored

1:10:39Matt Roberts: and it's happened again yeah sorry Matt it's happened again look comebacks do happen

1:10:47David Law: no not this time I'm going to have to put an explicit on this now

1:10:50Matt Roberts: a couple of other bits of business First of all, a correction from yesterday. I said, and I do this a lot, actually, I get my Wimbledons a bit jumbled around the pandemic. I said that Rabakina had won her Wimbledon title in 2021. And I led David astray with that. Of course, she won her Wimbledon title in 2022. Last bit of business from this tournament before, of course, our Grand Slam, our Australian Open review show coming to you later in the week for Friends of the Tennis Podcast. A story that dropped today very widely because Craig Tiley, the tournament director of the Australian Open and the CEO of Tennis Australia, has been speaking to a lot of media today.

1:11:36Matt Roberts: He's spoken to Matt Futterman from The Athletic. In fact, Matt Futterman was writing up this story when we were at lunch earlier on today, like the true professional that he is. And as always, Craig Tiley is thinking very big picture, even in what might be the last days of his in this job, in these two jobs that he has. He is rumoured to be leaving Tennis Australia and taking the big job in the US at the USTA. That has not been confirmed, but it also has very much not been denied either. But if he is going to go, he wants to go out with a bang And he wants to go out letting people know what his vision is for this tournament that he has shepherded over the last 20 years.

1:12:24Matt Roberts: And there's a number of very big visions. He says, as a sport, we need to evolve. And I think the biggest headline here is that he wants to see women at the Australian Open play best of five sets from the quarterfinals onwards. And he's talking about doing it from 2027. And look, if we've learned anything, it's that Grand Slams can do whatever the fuck they want.

1:12:52David Law: Yep, if they make up their mind.

1:12:55Matt Roberts: Yeah, if they want to, they can do it. Now, we said that there would have to be a lot of consultation with players to push this through. And that makes me think maybe this won't happen. because, look, I want women and men to play the same format of the sport regardless of what the players think about it. Like, the players are going to push for whatever suits them best and gives them the best chance of winning. I don't personally think that is what's particularly significant in terms of weighting, whether this is the right thing for the sport. I'm sure there would be some initial turbulence and there would be some things that would feel unjust or, you know, it would impact players differently to others.

1:13:44Matt Roberts: And that would be something with, you know, that would be a big talking point. I'm not saying I wouldn't have sympathy with that. I'm just saying this is about so much more than that. So I fear that this vision could end up falling on that stumbling block. But I like that he's sort of pointing out, do you know what, if you want to do this, we can just do this stuff, you know?

1:14:13David Law: And also, he's the first person in a position of power who's aired that idea at Grand Slam tournaments. I haven't heard anybody else say that. I mean, I share your view. The formats need to be the same across the board. That's the thing. And I don't think making everybody play best of five sets all the way through the tournament is remotely possible or sensible. I think it needs to go the other way. I think they all need to play best of three sets until the quarterfinals, or at least until the fourth round, personally. But still, I've long felt that women should get the same stage as the men in the latter stages, absolutely.

1:15:02Matt Roberts: And it is in the latter stages that that disparity has the biggest impact. And you'd so notice just how much more oxygen the men's tournament takes up. I mean, it literally takes up so much more court time. In our final podcast, we don't have a women's match to look ahead to. So the men's final gets our whole show on the final day. All of these things add up to just a picture of total inequity, really. As hard as you might try and swim against that tide to correct it, it's very, very difficult. He's also talking about expanding the precinct, as they call it here. They love a precinct in Australia.

1:15:50Matt Roberts: expanding into other nearby areas to ease the burden of the it's a subtle recognition I think that maybe they have gone a bit too far with overcrowding but I don't think there's it's also an admission that they're probably not going to row back on the revenue they're receiving from it so the answer is to expand rather than to say actually we're going to let fewer people in next year and earn a bit less money. He wants to get rid of lets. He wants to get rid of everybody on the court. He wants courts to be completely clean and not have any human beings or furniture on them. What do we think of that vision?

1:16:33Catherine Whitaker: I don't love that. I like the character that comes with having some other human beings on the court. You want John Blom there.

1:16:42Matt Roberts: You want Greg there.

1:16:43Catherine Whitaker: I do, yeah. He wants to put the umpire in a bunker or something and have them come out to deal with situations. I don't know. I don't love that. But, you know, it feels like he's saying a lot of things at the moment. I'm not actually sure any of these will necessarily come off.

1:17:07Matt Roberts: It is giving, tossing a grenade on the way out, isn't it? and also

1:17:11David Law: but what I do like about Craig is he's prepared to say stuff and then everybody has to talk about it yep absolutely and questions will be asked to the other Grand Slams are you up for this and I think that's good oh god we're going to have

1:17:23Matt Roberts: to go to another Raleigh Marino press conference

1:17:27Catherine Whitaker: it's one of those things where like I really applaud and appreciate someone who like Craig is having ideas and wants to make the sport better and all of that kind of stuff and is prepared to take some risks and all of that. At the same time, I do look at it and think it's yet another frustration that wouldn't this be so much better if tennis as a whole was talking about these things rather than just one person putting it out. Like, I think I would like to see it trialed maybe, which feels like the wrong word to use at a grand slam, But like, I would like to see what it's like if the women play best of five from quarterfinals onwards.

1:18:10Catherine Whitaker: But I think it would be weird then if it was just at the Australian Open and then we went back to it. Like, that makes no sense to me. Like, why is the sport doing that? I think it would always be better if everyone was more on the same page. So I applaud Craig for putting it out there and being prepared to say these things. but the actual process of it coming in doesn't feel like it would be particularly satisfactory to me if it was just a slam giving it a go. Maybe that's what you need to get the others on board. Maybe there needs to be someone who goes first, but I don't know, I just would always prefer more collective action.

1:18:53Matt Roberts: Hashtag Tennis United. What a note to end on. except it's not the end because I have some very important thank yous first of all to our Australian Open mascot Gus now I'm glad I read these words from Renee Gus's owner earlier on when I was going through the agenda and I'm not reading them for the first time now because I did actually tear up reading this but Renee says today is Gus's final day as a tennis podcast mascot and her human parents want to say thank you to David, Catherine, Matt, Hannah and Vicky. These three weeks at the Australian Open, her favourite Grand Slam have been incredibly special.

1:19:36Matt Roberts: Gus unfortunately has terminal cancer and this is likely her last year with us which is why getting to share her with all of you in this way has meant so much. Being able to take daily walks with her mum, listening to her shout outs on the podcast has been one of the happiest parts of this time. Thank you for being the soundtrack to Gus's life. That is so lovely. And it has been an absolute joy to have daily photos and updates on Gus. You and Gus have done us proud, Brené. And I hope whatever time you have left with her is incredibly warm and special. And that there's lots of cuddles involved.

1:20:17Matt Roberts: So thank you from all of us. And thank you also to Vicky, Hannah, Gorona and Jib, our incredible team behind the scenes, without whom, and I really do mean this, we could not, this show would not be on the road. Don't quite know where it would be, but very much off road.

1:20:40Catherine Whitaker: And we've had Vicky and Jib both completing their career slam for us as well. So fitting that Alcaraz did it to make it a big three.

1:20:51Matt Roberts: This time last year, we didn't have Vicky or Jib 12 months ago. And I don't know how we were functioning. Maybe we weren't. Anyway, life is better now with them involved. And Goran and Hannah too. Like, it's just, it's an incredible team. We have David's Diamonds, we call them. There's also David's Duffers, but we don't talk about them. I mean, we do talk about them. Just not publicly. You two are part of the Diamonds as well. Yeah, David has a remarkable skill at finding diamonds.

1:21:22Catherine Whitaker: And it's particularly amazing here because so much happens when we're asleep.

1:21:26Matt Roberts: Yeah. Oh, God, you wake up and things are just done.

1:21:28Catherine Whitaker: Things are done. It's amazing. It's brilliant.

1:21:31Matt Roberts: Yeah. And, folks, if you like what we do, the best way to support us is by being a friend of the Tennis Podcast. Friends get a minimum of 25 bonus podcasts per year, including monthly live Q &A shows, eight editions of Tennis Relived, our deep dive history series, Tennis Podcast Meets, where we interview players that we want to get to know, players that we're interested in, players that we think you might be interested in. And you also get four Grand Slam review shows with voice notes per year. and the first of those is coming up in just a few days time and the voice notes have already started coming in incredibly

1:22:17David Law: we've already had Pam's

1:22:18Matt Roberts: thanks Pam you legend thanks Pam yeah she just couldn't wait it was amazing you also get a listening experience with significantly fewer adverts in all of our episodes both Friends specials and our weekly and daily Grand Slam shows you also get access to The Barge which is our community chat platform and a tonic for tennis fans looking for a place to talk about the sport without the toxicity of Twitter or other online spaces. Hannah is our captain of the barge and it's a joyful place. It really is. It's something very special to us. So maybe it could be special to you too. You also get access to Hannah's column and her incredible writing and an archive of more than 100 Friends shows from the past four years.

1:23:08Matt Roberts: That is all for Friends of the Tennis Podcast. The link is in our show notes. As always, if you'd like to get on board the Friends train and we'll pop it in our newsletter as well. So do subscribe to the newsletter. One more stat to come in the newsletter, Matt. Have you got one more in you?

1:23:26Catherine Whitaker: Sure. I haven't done it yet.

1:23:28Matt Roberts: But, you know, the night is young.

1:23:30Catherine Whitaker: It's only 2.30. Pull them a 2-0 down. I'm in a great mood.

1:23:38Matt Roberts: Well, how do you feel about some shout-outs?

1:23:40Catherine Whitaker: Yes, let's do them. I've definitely got them. Go for it. We have Teresa.

1:23:48Matt Roberts: Hello, Teresa. Tulsa.

1:23:49Catherine Whitaker: Hi, Teresa. Tulsa, Oklahoma. Indeed. Teresa says, I've been listening to you for years and enjoy it so much. Thank you for all you do.

1:23:59Matt Roberts: Oh, thank you, Teresa. like there is a Theresa Valantova Catherine Whittaker

1:24:08David Law: you are a diamond

1:24:09Matt Roberts: that I interviewed for Tennis Podcast Meets what feels like a million years ago but it was actually two and a half weeks ago

1:24:16David Law: yeah I'd completely blanked on that

1:24:19Matt Roberts: and she's destined for big things I think so yeah Theresa thank you very much we also

1:24:28Catherine Whitaker: have Sam Wood

1:24:30Matt Roberts: Hello, Sam.

1:24:31Catherine Whitaker: Hi, Sam. Sam, we know Sam.

1:24:33Matt Roberts: Sam is from where I'm from.

1:24:37Catherine Whitaker: Grew up down the road from Catherine.

1:24:39Matt Roberts: There we go.

1:24:40Catherine Whitaker: In Wokingham.

1:24:41Matt Roberts: Yeah.

1:24:42Catherine Whitaker: Sam's a barger. That's my neck of the woods. Big barger. Yeah.

1:24:46Matt Roberts: Is she a Reading fan?

1:24:48Catherine Whitaker: Not sure.

1:24:50Matt Roberts: I think she'd probably mention it if she was, wouldn't she? Probably.

1:24:54Catherine Whitaker: but what I do know is that Sam hangs out with barges at Wimbledon and they've already got their barge a day at Wimbledon planned and organised and Sam's going to be part of it

1:25:06David Law: lovely love it

1:25:08Matt Roberts: Sam like Sam Stozer yeah and Sam Schroeder yeah good work there we go I'm doing this all by myself here folks I know

1:25:18David Law: well I'm just backing you up just you know go on Catherine

1:25:23Matt Roberts: Thank you, Sam.

1:25:25Catherine Whitaker: And finally, we have Trevor Anderson, who is from Brick, New Jersey.

1:25:32Matt Roberts: Yay!

1:25:33Catherine Whitaker: And his favourite player is a Mandarin Isamova. Has to be. Oh, good work, Trevor.

1:25:40Matt Roberts: And is that because of New Jersey? Or would his favourite be a Mandarin Isamova even without the New Jersey connection? Do we know that?

1:25:49Catherine Whitaker: We don't know that. But I'm going to say that even without the New Jersey connection, Amanda would be Trev's fave.

1:25:59Matt Roberts: I've called him Trev. Trevor like David's dad. And Anderson like Kevin Anderson. Have they ever been mentioned in the same breath before, David? No.

1:26:09David Law: Kev will be delighted.

1:26:13Matt Roberts: There we go. Trevor, Sam and Teresa, thank you ever so much for being friends of the tennis podcast. The leaf flowers have started. It's our time. It's like them starting to play the music in the Oscars speeches, isn't it? It's time for you to go. Not before saying hello to our wonderful mascots, Bodie, Maisie and Roger. We love you. If you want to find out where our final standings are in the Australian Open predictions, then subscribe to that newsletter. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg, Chris and Jeff. we are part of the athletic podcast network thank you to Charlie, Matt and James for their incredible work their contributions to this podcast and just being tremendous company at a Grand Slam they really enhance our experience so that's been great that's it that's the Australian Open 2026 until the review show if you're a friend of the pod we'll be back in a week

1:27:17David Law: We sure will.

1:27:18Matt Roberts: I just, it just popped up that people are playing tennis in Abu Dhabi.

1:27:23Catherine Whitaker: There you go. Leila Fernandez was on court when we started this pod.

1:27:27Matt Roberts: How's that possible? What is going on? What a ridiculous sport. We love it though. Big Davis Cup. Yeah, the big Jack Draper comeback. Go on, Jack. I'm pumped all of a sudden. It's, look, it's been a joy. I can't believe we get to do this for a living. and I can't believe you all listened to it. It's an absolute pleasure to do this. Despite 12 days of duds, it has been a joy. And we're very grateful to you for listening because if you weren't, we'd just be shouting into the void, which is what David and I were doing for the first sort of two and a half years of this show. So thank you for listening.

1:28:07Matt Roberts: One last time from the Australian Open 2026 and the Media Centre's Creator Lounge. It's over and about.

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