Davis Cup - Semis set after doubles drama

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1:56Matt Roberts: Hello and welcome to the Tennis Podcast where it is a quarter past midnight UK time. That is where you find me and David. And it is a quarter past 1am Bologna time. And that is where you find Matt Roberts. it's an absurd time of night for tennis to have been happening. So, of course, the tennis was brilliant. Those are the rules. We have just all watched Tim Putz and Kevin Kravitz seal victory for Germany on their fifth match point in the decisive doubles rubber over Argentina. It's everything you want from the Davis Cup, except that it's happening at one o 'clock in the morning. Matt Roberts.

2:44Catherine Whitaker: yeah you couldn't have said it better obviously the first law of post-midnight tennis is that it shouldn't be happening at all and the second law of post-midnight tennis is that when it happens it is i'm gonna just say it fucking amazing normally quality wise and that's what happened today like i got on site at 8 30 a.m this morning it is quarter past one in the morning the next day and i'm still here this was the day that the davis cup decided to have its deciding double rub doubles matches of course when we had two ties to fit in five of the matches today ended in straight sets and yet we still ended at one o 'clock in the morning like what a sport and yet i kind of could have gone back to the hotel to watch the doubles but you two know what it's like it's actually a lot better to be at the venue with the adrenaline you don't want the the crash that get that's waiting for you when you get back to the hotel and everyone gets a bit loopy and delirious and mad at this time and it's just quite a fun energy to be around so as much as i hate it i also love it I'm part of the problem and here we are.

4:04Matt Roberts: Yeah, you look in way better shape than we do. You're all like hype and adrenalised, whereas I'm in my pyjamas and Billie Jean went to bed two and a half hours ago. That's the vibe that I've been dealing with. Look, we will talk in great detail about that tie, both the brilliant ties that we had today, all four quarterfinals. That's what we're here for and to look ahead to tomorrow and Saturday's semifinals. Not tomorrow, today. Today and Saturday's semifinals. But I do feel like we should start by rowing back a bit because the last time you heard from us, we were producing a podcast that went out of date.

4:49Matt Roberts: I think, Matt, that is the quickest. David, maybe you can confirm you're the auditor on this. I think it's the quickest a podcast has ever gone out of date for us. I was quite proud of that one, actually. I mean, to produce it and not even manage to quite finish the edit, only for it to suddenly become apparent that the main person we've been talking about for the majority of the show had just pulled out. Yeah, rendering most of it out of date was important. Impressive. And I think I've only managed to sort of, you know, one up it or at least back it up by realising that I think I've got every single one of my punchy predictions wrong.

5:39Every one, even without Alcaraz in it. I picked Czechia to win and they still didn't.

5:47Matt Roberts: You picked Czechia to beat Carlos Alcaraz. I know. Czechia couldn't even beat Pablo Caronjabuster.

5:54Catherine Whitaker: David, David, I am going to throw you a bone. You did predict Italy to beat Austria. Yes. And at one point, two shows ago, I think I briefly said they might win the whole thing. That was before I looked at the draw. And so, you know, if they go and win the whole thing, I'm just going to grasp onto that for grim life. But, I mean, yeah, the Rindiknesh thing didn't happen. God, that feels a long time ago. The Czechia thing. Oh, goodness.

6:23Matt Roberts: Lots of things have happened and lots of things have not happened. So what's not happened is Carlos Alcaraz playing the Davis Cup. If you don't know that by now, if you just get all your information from us and you merrily listened to the last show and missed the 45-second little add-on I did at the start to try and cover us, then I'm really sorry to have led you astray. Carlos Alcaraz is out of the Spanish team for the Davis Cup. He said on the eve of the tournament, the very, very eve of the tournament, I am very, very sorry. I'm very sorry. I've added an extra there. I'm sure he is very, very sorry.

7:04Matt Roberts: But he said he's merely very sorry to announce that I will not be able to play with Spain in the Davis Cup in Bologna. I have an edema in the hamstring of my right leg and the medical recommendation is not to compete. I've always said that playing for Spain is the greatest thing there is, and I was very excited to be able to help fight for the salad bowl. I'm going home hurt. And then he posted today a photo of himself watching the Spanish doubles team who went on to seal victory for Spain over Czechia. And, of course, that was lovely that he was supporting Spain, and the caption was Vamos, but all anybody is focusing on is the chaotic arrangement of prized Grand Slam trophies that Carlos Alcaraz has in his extremely unglamorous-looking living room.

8:02Matt Roberts: I'm obsessed with it. There's like a Wimbledon trophy right shoved in the back with a US Open trophy alongside it, and there's a sort of... Is there a weird Cincinnati ceramic? Seems to have pride of place. Yeah. Good Carlos Alcaraz stuff in there.

8:24Catherine Whitaker: So good. So good. Yeah. I mean, I think it's his parents' living room or something by the looks of things. There's a very dodgy tablecloth. He's got his shoes on inexplicably. And yeah, these trophies. These trophies. I kind of feel like the real pride of place in that house is probably like his under-10s local Murthier trophy or something. I feel like it's that kind of vibe. It's like they've always been there. This Wimbledon one's just got to go to the back right at the top. It's just so wholesome. It's wonderful. And obviously gutting news.

9:06Matt Roberts: I believe that he is gutted. He really had every intention of competing. I don't know a lot about Ademas. It's obviously slightly more serious than he had hoped it was.

9:22Catherine Whitaker: I think it was the risk of what it could become if he played on it. I think there was a big risk that he could have done something a lot more serious. He could have ripped it. And that would have really put his Australian Open participation, let alone ability to win it in doubt.

9:41Matt Roberts: Sorry, I think you mean one-point slam, Matt. I'll stop you there. All eyes on the one-point slam at this point. No, he still could have won that. He might have been able to get through that.

9:50Catherine Whitaker: Yeah.

9:54Catherine Whitaker: Very specifically the Australian Open. And, yeah, look, he was keen to play. We know that. He got a van all the way from Turin to Bologna, even though he was struggling with this injury, even at the time. He did everything he could. It was the doctor's call, I think, in the end for him not to play. And it is gutting, absolutely. I can't think of an event that wouldn't be enhanced with the presence of Carlos Alcaraz. But what I will say is that as much as we want the Davis Cup, have the top players and as much as you know the top players participation in davis cup potentially being one of the main reasons why this format changed you know it's important we have them oddly it is also the event that's least impacted i think by the absence of the top players you have so much other stuff team nominations captains fans behaving differently interactions on the bench playing for your country all this other stuff brings life to the event and there have been some matches today well in the in the last few days between you know players who would never get that kind of stage or that kind of crowd watching them and yet it's it's accepted as normal in davis cup because it's the davis cup so there is this real conundrum you want them to play but you don't actually lose the the heart and soul of the competition when they're not there In a way that I think ATP Tour events without them have really this year felt like, oh, it's not a waste of time, but everyone knows that we're really, really missing those top players.

11:44Catherine Whitaker: There's just so much more to the Davis Cup, I think, than these individual top players. Other people might feel differently. That's how I feel personally. Would love to have them here. But I've not really been thinking about Carlos Alcaraz and Yannick Sinner all that much. I've been thinking about the players who are here and I do think that is pretty unique to the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.

12:04Matt Roberts: You've been thinking about Pablo Karenja Busta. You and David Ferrer both. I owe him an apology. Not just for what I said about him on the pod a few days ago, but what I was saying about him in our WhatsApp group, David, earlier on today because when Jakub Mancic beat Pablo Karenja Busta in the opening match of today's first quarterfinal, Spain against Czechia. The tie that many people thought would decide the outcome of this whole Davis Cup, OK, that was before Carlos Alcaraz withdrew and the odds on Spain winning just altered entirely. But when Jakub Menchik beat Pablo Carreño Busta, I was busy sending you both the screen grab of the Alejandro Davidovich, Fakina, Jakub Menchik head-to-head.

12:52Matt Roberts: I told you, David, but I was wrong. David Ferrer knew what he had in Jaume Mouna and in Marcel Gronoyes and Pedro Martinez, who pulled off an incredible victory in the doubles to beat Thomas Mahatch and Jakub Menchik, a very tennis podcast-coded doubles team, 7-6, 7-6. A match that I missed, David, due to having to seek warmth because on the coldest day of the year, minus one degree, a man came to remove my front door today because it didn't comply with new fire regulations. So I had to... Oh, my God! I simply had to flee to find warmth. So I need you both to tell me how everything from Mouna beating Lehechka onwards went down, please.

13:53Yes, well, I mean, I watched the lot. And actually, I thought Pablo Garena Busta put up a decent enough showing. I actually thought early on in that match, he might just tie Jakub Menchik up in knots here. And if you look at Menchik's year, whilst he's had spectacular results, particularly in Miami, of course, he can get sort of undone by certain players. And I actually ended up thinking, once the doubles had completed, you know, there's an example of it. Karen Buster couldn't quite pull it off, but the danger signs were there. I don't know how much you can trust. And look, this is coming from the guy who picked Checkia to win the whole thing, so I haven't got a leg to stand on.

14:34I realise that in hindsight. But really, the guy I expected to be ultra-reliable didn't get a point. you know and that's Uri Lhechka I thought he was the guy who will put in a performance that that you can rely upon and I thought Mensik well you know he's got a very high level but he can also get get in trouble and I thought he did a really good job Mensik he came out he was he was clearly pretty apprehensive and nervous and Karina Buster was was hitting a lovely ball but he just got overpowered in the end and the serve was working enough and the winners came and Mensik goes one up and honestly if you'd have told me then that czechia would not win that tie from there i would have been i i just i'd pretty much just penciled that one in and um out came jamey muna and played probably the best tennis of the day i mean i think some of the level we saw in in this evening's tie was exceptional particularly with with echeverry in in his match against uh struff and then the doubles, obviously, that we've just witnessed was the match of the day.

15:43But Munar just came out and took Lehechka apart, really. He made him look stiff and awkward and pretty one-dimensional and I was surprised. So that's one all. And then in the doubles, I mean, we'll get Matt's take on it as well, but, I mean, it was so fascinating because Mahatch came out so confident and shot-making and hitting. He hit one absolute worldy cross-court forehand passing shot that had Thomas Burdick shown in a close-up on the screen just going, OK, we're in that territory. I've seen this guy do it. He's seen the best tennis player in the world as well on the practice court, just like us.

16:27Clearly in his mind, here he is about to show it. But in truth, the other team with a better doubles pair and overall you've got two exceptional players on the Czechia side but it finished on a Jakub Menchik double fault and that is what I'm getting at. He smashed this serve in because he clearly didn't have enough confidence to get into another rally and he tried to go for broke and he hit it long. And I think he's still got work to do in his career but that is, I think, a massive achievement by Spain, stomaching the disappointment of Alcaraz having to pull out and coming back and finding a way to win.

17:14Matt, I didn't give them a hope before this tie, quite honestly,

17:18Matt Roberts: based purely on the still images I saw of the Spain pre-tournament press conference after Alcaraz's withdrawal. It looked like a funeral. like they it looked like they were on a death march they did not look sort of fired up to prove a point about how they were not a one man team that was certainly the vibe that I was getting from them so I definitely wasn't giving them a prayer when Menchik won the opening opening match of this tie like what a turnaround what a performance what a show of heart from the Spanish team I defer to our soon-to-be Spaniard to talk about Spanish heart.

18:04Catherine Whitaker: Well, that is something that they really value and cling to and talk about as part of this team. You know, at the pre-tournament press conference, the one you referenced in the Spanish portion of it, there were an awful lot of questions about the spirit of Mar del Plata. which is a place in Argentina where Spain went in 2008 without Rafael Nadal and won the Davis Cup final against Argentina with David Nalbandian and Juan Martin Del Potro. And it was Vadasco and Lopez who managed to win that tie for Spain. David Freire was part of the team. And it was very much the vibe of, can you do that again?

18:53Catherine Whitaker: You know, then there you didn't have Rafa Nadal. Here you don't have Carlos Alcarez. Have you got that spirit in you? You know, that underdog spirit. And David Ferrer was very much like, yes, because we don't need to go back as far as 2008. We can go back to September and the tie against Denmark in Marbella, where they were 2-0 down. Carlos Alcarez is not there. Pedro Martinez, I think he had match point against him. that would have ended the tie, you know, and they came back and they won. So they're kind of, they have got that in them, that fight, you know. And I think definitely the Carlos Alcruz not being there was a big blow, but they did sort of just tap into that today once they went 1-0 down.

19:38Catherine Whitaker: That was the interesting thing, you know. I thought, I was the same as you, I thought, oh, they're in massive trouble here. Like, you know, I've never really thought Kroenio Busta was going to beat Menchik, But when he lost, I thought, wow, they've got to play two great matches now to turn it around. And David's right. Munar was unbelievable. I feel like we've, you know, shouted him out for his year that he's had. And we've really taken notice of it and yet probably still underrated it. This was a guy who really did not have results off clay before this year. And I still think one of the best matches I've seen all year was his match against Alcaraz at Queen's that he lost.

20:17Catherine Whitaker: But he was so good in that match. And he's now able to bring this attacking tennis to an indoor hard court like we've got here in Bologna. And he served Lehechka off the court. His serve was just unbelievably good today in a way that he never used to get that out of it. So props to Munar. And then David summed up the doubles really well. And David Ferrer really believes in this doubles team. He called Granos the best doubles player in the world. you know he probably would say that you know because that's his player but i think he he probably believes it like he really rates can i yes and he combined well with pedro martinez and yeah it was it was a it was a hell of a win because i think there was i think they faced set points in both sets did the spanish there but they managed to to just win the big points in the tie breaks and yeah, another comeback for this sort of underdog Spanish team.

21:18Matt Roberts: Yeah, and one of two today because Spain now face Germany in Saturday's semi-final and a very similar cadence of tie for Germany and Argentina today. Thomas Martínez Chavere taking the lead for Argentina against somebody who seems to now officially be being called Struffy. We were doing it sort of ironically on the last pod, but commentators are now doing it. Not sure what's happening, re-Yan Leonard Struth's identity. But he lost his singles in two tie-break sets to Thomas Martínez Chavere, who I thought was awesome today. I thought there was a real, like, strut and swagger. And he looked... I'm always a bit surprised by how tall Echeverry is.

22:09Matt Roberts: I'm like, oh, a bit like Sonogo. I don't expect him to be tall. But he looked even taller to me today. I don't know, he just really sort of puffed his chest out and rose to the occasion. It was all for nothing, though, because Sarundolo followed him out onto court, and bless him, he warmed up as the match went on, didn't he? but he started off extremely flat and nervous and not timing the ball. He ended up losing out to Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 7-6. And then we had the doubles that we've all just watched and are still breathless from. 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, Puts and Kravitz over Molteni and Zabajos. Match point saved.

22:55Matt Roberts: They clinched it on their fifth match point. David, it was absolute scenes Yeah, it was one of the great doubles matches I think we don't care who wins and yet you cared about this match you just were hanging on every single point and I mean Argentina got off to an amazing start in that doubles having sort of suffered the disappointment of having to go out there at all because given Sorondolo's record against Zverev I think they might have been quite hopeful. And Sorrentino struggled, as you say, and Zverev sort of survived his sticky patch in the middle of the second set there. And then out come Argentina, and there's a bias.

23:40He's some doubles player, isn't he? Left-handed. He's a wizard with that left-handed backhand of his. And they break immediately. They win that first set comfortably. Then they get reeled in, and you go into this deciding. set and all the way through it, Argentina are kind of the better team in that third set. They're the ones getting into the Germany service games, getting to 30 or pushing them whilst sort of cruising through their own service games. Then towards the end of the set, it started to change a little bit and Germany got into it, but it goes into this tie break. And then Germany just take over.

24:20And it's, you know, it's first to seven tie break, not the first to 10. Six, three up. Six, three up. and they lost four points in a row. And then they suddenly match point down. So they've had three match points, they go match point down. Matt, I was struggling to kind of focus on what was actually happening in the points. Was this choke stuff from Germany, or was this just incredible tennis from Argentina that got them back into it?

24:49Catherine Whitaker: I think in that run of four points, I'm pretty sure the Germans missed some volleys that they definitely would have expected to make. But no, I wouldn't call it choke stuff because the tension was just so high. And then they kept coming up with the goods to sort of deny the other one on their own match point. It was, as you said, everything you could wish for from a doubles match. People know I'm not particularly high often on men's doubles. I don't really like watching it a lot of the time. I was living for this match. Like the rush to get to the net was just awesome to see. Like, you know, both teams so comfortable up there.

25:35Catherine Whitaker: And then the drama and just not knowing what was going to happen. It was brilliant. It was such high quality. And, you know, Kravitz and Putz now, I think, you know, genuinely one of the best doubles pairs in Davis Cup history, you know. And this tournament has been around since 1900. They only ever lost one match together. I think Putz has won 20 of his 21 Davis Cup doubles matches and Kravitz has won 19 of his 20. It is absolutely remarkable. And therefore, credit Molteni and Zabaios for pushing them that far and very, very nearly beating them. It was just an absolute treat of a match. One of the matches of the year, for sure.

26:24Catherine Whitaker: Look at me talking about men's doubles as one of the matches of the year. That's what the Davis Cup does to me.

26:31Matt Roberts: What was the atmosphere like in the stadium? I was excited for the big Argentina return to the Davis Cup. Obviously, Argentina is a long way from Italy. So they weren't the numbers that you would ideally want to get, but they now had to make some noise.

26:50Catherine Whitaker: Oh, they do. I think if they'd won, I might have even given you a little rendition of their song. I've just had it stuck in my head all day. Soy Argentino. Es un sentimiento. No puedo parar.

27:09Catherine Whitaker: Soy Argentino. Oh, they're just the best. They're just the best. And they're like in every sport. And look, you're right. It wasn't...

27:18Matt Roberts: It's making me really sad that they're out, Matt.

27:20Catherine Whitaker: Oh, no. Did Germany have a song? What would he have done if they'd won?

27:23Matt Roberts: Did Germany have a song? I only want teams with songs to stay in.

27:27Catherine Whitaker: There was a lot of flag waving from the Germans, whereas the Argentinians were more scarf around the head, jumping up and down. It's a very different energy. Look, they provided a great noise. I think in both ties, the crowds thinned out, which is a shame, but also understandable. You know, there were long ties. We went on for like seven or eight hours per tie. It is, and I cannot stress this enough, the most uncomfortable stadium I've ever sat in. I think like the seats are not big enough. There's no leg room. You're squeezed in next to the people next to you. And look, I think people suck it up, right, because they want to be there.

28:09Catherine Whitaker: But it is such an uncomfortable experience.

28:12Matt Roberts: People are physically able to suck it up. That is extremely exclusionary to have something that uncomfortable.

28:19Catherine Whitaker: There's not even any handrails walking up the steps. You know, the media seats, you have to probably walk up 20 steps to get to them and then obviously down as well. And I'm quite surprised no one has fallen. I mean, maybe they have. I mean, it's not great, I have to say. So, yes, both times the crowds thinned out. I think in the day session, that was partly because they'd obviously got a lot of school kids in there to fill seats, which is something the Davis Cup finals has done over the last few years and I think is a good solution. And unfortunately, though, there's a time limit. They can't be there the whole day.

28:58Catherine Whitaker: And therefore, for that final doubles of Spain-Czechia, the stadium was a lot emptier than it was for the middle portion when it was pretty full. and then I think it thinned out tonight because, you know, people have lives and can't be watching tennis so late into the night. But good atmosphere, good noise. And I think it, I mean, to me, it sounded like Davis Cup. I don't know if that came through on the telly, but it was the right kind of vibe. You just wish for more of it, I suppose.

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31:58Matt Roberts: Welcome back to part two of the Tennis Podcast, where we're going to take you back in time now to what feels like another age and the first two quarterfinals of this year's Davis Cup Final Eight. Let's start with Belgium's defeat of France on Tuesday, the opening quarterfinal of these Davis Cup finals. 2-0 for Belgium. Raphael Collignon beating Corentin Moutet in three sets and then Zizou Burgs beating Artur Rindeknes in straight sets. We'll touch upon that, but there is really one story in town here with this tie and it's what on earth was Corentin Moutet thinking? Talk us through it, David. Yeah I'm afraid, Corenton this was not your finest moment, was it?

32:55Look, he was amazing in the first set of this match he came out inspired and he just took it to Collignon, I mean he was just thrashing the ball all over the place, playing all of his shots, Collignon looked really nervous actually and quite tight and I felt inhibited I think moment for him Yeah, I mean, I think it was 6-2 that first set. I mean, it was just so one-sided. And really, I thought the way Corentin's playing, it's like he's not even conscious here. He's just sort of playing. He's just letting it all flow. He's having the time of his life. You got the sense that his team were into him, you know, and really enjoying his tennis and the tricks and all the flashes and everything that he does.

33:40And then Collinion just got a bit of a foothold in the second set. He just managed to kind of keep the score close. You know, that's what you've got to do, isn't it, in those situations. And that's what he did. He kept it close and he kept it close. And then he got to, I think it was, was it five all? And 15 all, I think. Five, six, I think. Five, six. Five, six, 15 all. Mutay is serving and taking him to a tie break. A tie break that could win him the tie. And he dominates this point and he opens the court up beautifully to get to the net where a ball is dropping out the sky for him to just pat away or to smash away whatever he wants.

34:26He could do whatever he wants with it. Instead, he decides to let it drop, put his racket behind his back and play a through the legs, half volley drop shot. And he got it wrong. and he mishit it and he shanked it into the net. He's 15-30 down. He got broken. He lost the set 7-5. I mean, his team, by this stage, are not enjoying his tennis anymore. They just blanked him. They weren't happy with him at all. And Collignon, I mean, fair play to him. He just kept growing into this match. I mean, it's still a good deciding set, but, you know, Coninion won that match. Mute, I'm afraid, let himself down this time.

35:21I mean, maybe it wasn't the deciding moment of the match, but come on, you can't do that in Davis Cup. If you're going to play that shot, you have to make it. But don't play the bloody shot.

35:35Matt Roberts: But if he'd played that shot and he'd made it, everybody would have gone, oh, that's such a... Like, what a brave thing to do. It's only brave if there's a risk of it not... Yeah. If you're not making it, right? I just... I'm playing devil's advocate here because you are the Quarantan Moutet apologist. Oh, I do love him, yeah. Describing the way he played in that opening set and, like, he's just on instinct and everything's coming off, they're two sides of the same coin, aren't they? You don't get that without... Yeah, you're right. is there a way of a Korentan Mutay existing in the world that can do all of the stuff we love and not be at risk of doing whatever it is he did at 5 '6"?

36:17Matt Roberts: Kind of the first set was it. But it's one thing to do it when you're relaxed and your body's not feeling tension. And, look, I don't think you can give him too hard a time. I mean, he's been really good in Davis Cup this year. To get them there, he's learning about it. and you know he then had to face Matt Roberts in the press conference um you know it's it these are new things and and I dare say the question David just not the first is the first question

36:49Catherine Whitaker: in my defense I have I have two defenses one is that I didn't know how many English questions there were going to be. There are not that many journalists here. The press conference are generally pretty quick and those mid-Tai ones especially, you know, they kind of want to get the players in and out and there were French journalists waiting.

37:12Matt Roberts: Were you panic formulating what the fuck was that quarantine in French in your head?

37:18Catherine Whitaker: No, I actually wasn't. Just in case you had to ask it in French. Because I knew that...

37:23Matt Roberts: Like in the Emily Maresmo press conference.

37:25Catherine Whitaker: Yeah. I absolutely knew that if I didn't get it in English, at least Eric Salio or someone in the French portion of the press conference would get it in French. But, so I wanted to get it in. But I also, my second defense is I did couch the question, first of all, as a bit of a positive. I said, can you talk us through how well you were playing in those first couple of sets? But then I said, but then what were you thinking? that was that was how I ended the question

37:59Matt Roberts: I think he got it he gave a brilliant answer he got it he knew what he he knew what he'd done and he fronted up to it

38:11Catherine Whitaker: it was a classic example of how speaking to the media can actually really like enhance your image I think because I went into that press conference thinking what a clown like that was stupid I can't really see any kind of justification for it whatsoever I'd have been like his team blanking him and that continued by the way when he lost that third set It was a close third set. He put the underarm serves away. He played it pretty straight did move say no one put an arm around him right at the end certainly publicly he just they all just sort of sat there and he and he trudged off so I was feeling like

38:56Matt Roberts: I think that's harsh, one point one moment of madness I agree, that's what a moment of madness looks like for Quarantan Moutet on somebody else it looks like going for a huge second serve and missing and double faulting it at 15.30, 5.6 doesn't it like that's just his particular variety of rush of blood to the head right and that was extra silly but like and and that was what he explained so well

39:26Catherine Whitaker: in the press conference he said it you know as i said so i'm i you know i kind of like to think if i were his teammate i wouldn't have acted like that but i was feeling i'm sure like they were feeling towards him but when he explained himself i ended up feeling a bit guilty about that i felt a little bit sorry for for him because he did explain it in terms of stress and anxiety and And his exhibits itself like that. Just a moment of sort of shot selection madness. Because as you said, he so often treads that line. And he'd been getting it so right before then.

40:03Matt Roberts: Do you think there'll be a lasting impact for him in his Davis Cup career and his place in this French team?

40:15Catherine Whitaker: Possibly. I mean, I was genuinely very interested to see if they'd won. whether he would have been chosen to play the next tie. I was kind of thinking perhaps not. You sort of go the complete opposite and you go with someone like Giovanni Mpeshi Perikar, who's here. You absolutely know what you're going to get from him.

40:33Matt Roberts: Not a return.

40:36Catherine Whitaker: Right. But, you know, the best serve in the world. I think so. I mean, he put out a very lengthy Instagram, apology as well, talking about having he's got a heavy heart. It did really feel like even then it was still going too far. No one had said, it's okay, quarantine.

41:01Matt Roberts: We get it. Don't do that.

41:04Catherine Whitaker: Try not to do that again, but we get it.

41:09Matt Roberts: Try not to do that again. Hug. That's what needed to happen. That's what my management technique would have been. Do you know what, David? He needs you. He needs us.

41:23Catherine Whitaker: I thought the same.

41:25Matt Roberts: Yeah. Quick word on Zizou Berg's getting the job done for Belgium. He was fantastic.

41:32Catherine Whitaker: I like Zizou Berg's. I mean, he was that day's...

41:37Matt Roberts: I mean, it's on the up, isn't it? He was that day's Jamey Muno, really, because, you know, obviously I've gone in to watch Arturindiknish, and Bergs is just, his game looked so compact and reliable and he was all over the court. I mean, the first game he did like a Pete Sampras slam dunk smash attempt and he actually made the shot. He looked a bit awkward as he kind of landed. You've got to work on it a bit, but he's a good athlete, but he's so up for it. You know, he's so combative. He speaks really well, I think, as well. When he was interviewed before and after, I thought, what a thoughtful guy.

42:14But, yeah, I mean, Rindikinesh kind of caught him on the way back by Berg's choking a little bit and Rindikinesh coming up with some inspired tennis, but he was always second best in that match.

42:28Matt Roberts: So Belgium through to the semifinals, where they will take on defending champions Italy. Italy dispatching underdogs Austria 2-0 on Wednesday. Matteo Berrettini defeating Alexander Rodionov? What is Rodionov's first name?

42:47Catherine Whitaker: Yuri.

42:48Matt Roberts: Yuri. I had a stab in the dark there. Yuri Rodionov, 6376. There was, I'd say, a 20 % chance it was going to be Alexander. But it wasn't. Flavio Caboli then thrashed Filip Misalic. Correct. Got it. With an F. Filip with an F. Filip Misalic, 6 '1", 6 '3". Good performance for a Caboli believer, David. Yeah, and maybe not the best performance from his opponent. I mean, by comparison to everything else we've seen, this whole tie was just uneventful, really. I mean, it was, you know, Austria just, I thought they would show more, if I'm honest. They just didn't get going. There was a real class gap between these two teams.

43:53I mean, Berrettini and Caballi, they're class players. And Austria have done incredibly well to get there. I thought maybe the inspiration and Meltzer being on the sidelines and the way they've kind of got there as underdogs, they would produce more. But, no, it was tough going for them. A golfing class, even with Berrettini not looking, Matt, entirely fit.

44:16Matt Roberts: Yes, he's come through this one unscathed in straight sets, but he surely must be a worry for the semifinals onwards.

44:26Catherine Whitaker: yes I think so I mean there were reports even before this tie that he was struggling with his back in practice and that Sonago was very much you know on standby which I think is his job yeah I mean what else is he here for if not to be on standby for injured Matteo Perrettini I'm not sure that was news, really. But anyway, that was very much being reported. And look, he did, I thought, look a bit stiff at times in that in that match Berrettini sort of running out to the backhand side, I thought in particular. And again, I think some Italian journalists think that maybe Sonogo comes in for the semifinals.

45:18Catherine Whitaker: but look I don't I'm I don't know if it's a sort of day-to-day injury it sort of just depends how how Berrettini's feeling and you cannot deny the presence that Berrettini has you know he got I think the biggest roar of all as that Italian team came out in the crowd and he literally like lives for the Davis Cup. He's now very much talking about how he's using it in this stage of his career to be the thing he wants to be present at and wants to be part of. And he talks very movingly about hearing the national anthem when he was a kid and wanting to be there lined up as a player. And now he's getting to do that.

46:01Catherine Whitaker: It really means a lot to him, this competition. He's now won seven matches in a row in the Davis Cup. He's got a very good record in it, singles. and obviously some doubles with Sinnoh as well. And I think that's going to be hard to resist for Volandri. If he's able to play and able to serve, I think they're going to want Berrettini in there because he's just such a good vibe. But it is a balance because I do think there is an injury concern there for sure.

46:34Matt Roberts: Would be the crowning achievement of his career, I think, to win this Davis Cup for Italy as the talisman of the team. Obviously, he's been part of winning teams, and that's probably currently the crowning moment of his career. But I think if he were able to lead them to this, this time, that would mean more to Matteo Berrettini probably than anyone else, really. I mean, I'm just saying that because he's Italian and he emotes, doesn't he? I'm sure they all want it. But you know what I mean, he makes you feel things, Matteo Berrettini, doesn't he? And there is just a whiff of tragedy about him and all his injuries and his curses and his Covid at the wrong time just before Wimbledon.

47:19Matt Roberts: OK, that's it for part two. Matt, do you want to play us out of part two with La Marseillaise?

47:27Catherine Whitaker: I do know the words to La Marseillaise.

47:30Matt Roberts: I know you do.

47:30Catherine Whitaker: but no, I've done quite enough terrible singing for one podcast. I am flagging a bit.

47:40Matt Roberts: Join us in part three.

47:42Catherine Whitaker: The clock has just ticked over to two o 'clock in the morning.

47:45Matt Roberts: Okay, join us in part three for punchy predictions and they'll be extra punchy this time. 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 14500 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. Learn how ServiceNow puts AI to work for people at servicenow.com.

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49:11Matt Roberts: Welcome back to part three of tonight's or this morning's tennis podcast, whatever you want to call it. we have the dregs of Matt Roberts bringing you punchy predictions for the Davis Cup semi-finals and we have a David you look perkier than you did at the start of the pod to be honest you're going to have to carry part 3 looking forward to my 6.30 alarm Belgium oh my god Belgium against Italy first semi-final what you got Italy

49:50Italy but I've liked Belgium yeah I do they they're not Austria right they big

49:58Matt Roberts: up Austria in the pre they let you I was really just I mean everybody's let me down some I'm down on all the ones who let me down and and also just on Belgium

50:09Catherine Whitaker: just one thing we just one tiny thing we didn't mention before like they loved beating France. Loved it. You know, like there's a very lovely Belgian journalist here who was like, it's going to be the best day of my life if we beat France. Like they hadn't beaten France in this competition since 1997. They lose at like every sport to France. And I think they, you know, I sort of really tried to make the rivalry happen in the press conference. Steve Darcy did say, you know, we are friends with the French guys and that makes sense, right? They've got a shared language on tour. I think they do sort of gravitate towards each other.

50:49Catherine Whitaker: And Zizou Burgs was like, well, I'm actually from the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium. So actually, I don't like the Dutch. You know, he was quite funny about that. But generally, I think the fans were desperate to win that one and there was a great vibe in the stadium. Like the Belgians had a lot more support than the French. So I hope that doesn't take the edge off them, you know, but I don't think it will. I think they're absolutely up for this. And Collignon's got a sneaky good record this year. He's beaten Rude. He's beaten Dimonor. Like, I think he could beat Berrettini or Sonogo. Like, I think we probably could write that one off.

51:26Catherine Whitaker: But that match is in the balance. And Berg's beat Caballi in Bologna last year in the group stages. It was in a different stadium, but it was in the same city. I think Caballi's better player this year. and I do think he's got a bit of a look in his eye, actually, when he gets on court as the Italian number one. And he said, you know, I like the pressure. It means I want to be here. I want to play. I like that answer from him. I am backing Italy, but I agree with David. Belgium are not a pushover.

51:58Matt Roberts: Matt, that was all brilliant stuff. It was not punchy. I mean, it's your bedtime that I'm worried about here. So, you know, you're charging your own destiny.

52:06Catherine Whitaker: We've just passed anything possible, haven't we? I'm now worried about David's 6.30 alarm, so I will be punctier.

52:13Matt Roberts: Right. We're not doing shout-outs. Spain against Germany on Saturday. David?

52:26I think Germany. Yeah, I think Germany, really. I mean, I wasn't aware that that doubles team was quite as formidable as they are. You know, one lost Davis Cup rubber in all those. It's extraordinary. You've got to think that Zverev is going to be favourite for all of his singles. And, you know, put him in a doubles, that's tough sledding for anybody. But what I like about the two semifinals is that they don't feel absolute shoe-ins either way. I think that they're both competitive matches. Matt?

53:11Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, look, I liked this match-up for Spain when they had Alcaraz because then you've got Munar in the number two and I think he could have beaten Struf and then I think Alcaraz would have beaten Zverev and I think that was quite a clear route for Spain to get past Germany. However, without Alcaraz, that complexion changes entirely. I think it's not a given at all that Carreño Busta beats Struf. and even if he does, I think Germany a favourite in the next two matches as well. As impressed as I was with Munar, I think you've got to back Zverev. I didn't think he played that well tonight. He did serve well, and he played well in the big moment, in that tiebreak, he played well.

53:59Catherine Whitaker: And then the doubles. Again, Spain have got a good doubles team. They could push it, but I would back the Germans even after this exertion tonight. so yeah I'm going with Germany in that one

54:11Matt Roberts: Okay well we'll be back with our next podcast on Saturday night after that second semi-final, goodness knows when

54:19Catherine Whitaker: Well it's an earlier start time on Saturday because they know they have to come back for the final the next day

54:25Matt Roberts: How much earlier?

54:27Catherine Whitaker: I think it's a midday start in Bologna so we should be fine Great

54:36Matt Roberts: we will cover this in a lot more detail on future pods but obviously we've also had the news in the last couple of days that Roger Federer will get the honour of being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame next year alongside Mary Carrillo and that is just the best news, we are so completely thrilled, I mean obviously brilliant about Federer that was a shoo-in that was always going to happen great congratulations roger so frigging thrilled for mary carillo that is just the best news and look i know we often when the hall of fame comes up as it often does we always kind of preface it with you know we we don't really do those here in the uk and we try to understand them but they're just not woven into the fabric of our sporting law in the way they are in the US.

55:33Matt Roberts: But we watched that video with the various people informing Mary that she'd got the nod and she'd been voted in. Both McEnroe brothers, who, of course, she grew up with, were there on that call, and you could absolutely see what it meant to her. So we are all so thrilled for Mary, and we're going to try and be there when she gets inducted next year. I suspect quite a lot of other people will try and be there for Mary and for Roger Federer. Lucky Roger that he gets to bask in Mary Carrillo's reflected glow.

56:10Catherine Whitaker: I say good luck, Roger, with your speech because Mary's going to blow you out of the water.

56:18Matt Roberts: He doesn't stand a chance, does he? Doesn't stand a chance.

56:24Catherine Whitaker: It's going to be great.

56:25Matt Roberts: Folks, don't forget you can keep up to date with the Davis Cup finals on the Davis Cup Instagram, TikTok and X. You can sign up to the free official Davis Cup newsletter at daviscup.com and you can follow all the action on the newly updated World Cup of Tennis app, which brings together the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge. Search World Cup of Tennis on the App Store or Play Store to download for free. Hello to our mascots, Phoebe, Mazie and Roger. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg. Chris and Jeff. Matt, let's have some just kidding. We are part of the Athletic Podcast Network.

57:02Matt Roberts: Thank you for listening. We'll speak to you Saturday.

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57:59We've all felt that pit in our stomach when the connection flares up right when it matters most. Your business is only as strong as your connection. AT &T Business is the reliable provider built for that exact brand of hustle, so you can stay focused on the work that builds your legacy. Powered by AT &T Business. Built to work. Get AT &T Business at business.att.com.