US Open Day 9 - Awesome Osaka sends Gauff back to drawing board

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1:16Matt Roberts: Hello and welcome to the Tennis Podcast coming to you from Flushing Meadows, New York on day nine of the US Open. It is 5.30 in the evening. It is Labor Day. The sun is shining. The crowds are buzzing. The honey juices are flowing. And we are absolutely thrilled to be joined for part one of today's show by the one and only, the incomparable, the woman with an Aperol spritz in hand, appropriately for the last days of summer. It is, of course, Mary Grillo. I just came on, honestly, because David picked Naomi Osaka to win, correct? Correct. I just needed to see the grin on his face. Look at that sinister laughter.

2:01David Law: Yeah, I've been practicing. Somebody showed me a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his film roles being very smug and showed me that that is how you do it. So I'm very much trying to replicate that at the moment. Oh, boy.

2:15Matt Roberts: David is so invigorated by Osaka's form that he's learned what a GIF is and he started recreating them. By the way, in that press conference, whatever that is that Naomi pulled out of her keister, whatever, I don't even know the name of it and I refuse to know. I do not want to know what those things are. The Boo-Boo's are the Frankie the Cat of the 2025 US Open. Frankie the Cat is... Von Drozhova's cap from two years ago. Look, I think Le Boubou's, it's a Gen Z thing, isn't it? I feel like... They're big. It's not for me. It makes me feel a bit tired as well. But people are loving it. All right.

2:59Matt Roberts: Fair enough. Let's start, obviously, with Naomi Osaka's defeat of Coco Gauff. 6-3, 6-2, a dissection from Naomi Osaka of an already diced up game from Coco Goff, let's face it. Mary, you commentated on this from the booth. We all watched it from various different spots. How similar or different or anything was this match to what you were expecting it to be? I honestly, I thought it was going to go like this because of Osaka's form and because of Coco's form. You know, Coco's, I felt badly for her, not terrible for her because she did serve better. But the fact that she won a major just a couple of months ago, and now she kind of feels like she's got to get her game down to the studs.

3:57I'm kind of thinking like what took her so long? You know what I mean? I'm not saying that she's not doing well enough, because, of course, she's doing great and she's a nice kid. But you can't have those grips.

4:14They're sort of criminal grips. And for her to, I mean, obviously she can win on clay and she can win on hard when she's confident. But when she's lacking that, she's got nowhere to go. And I was lucky enough, I called the match with Lindsay Davenport beside me And she said right away that Thomas Witkorowski was going to give Osaka so much clarity. The guy's a great tactician. I can tell when Lindsay thinks highly of coaches and when she doesn't. Because we'll show a picture of some coach and she just kind of rolls her eyes. It's awesome. And she won't even say the guy's name. But she jumped in on Thomas Witkorowski.

4:56And again, that Osaka could play with so much clarity. and Coco doesn't have that right now. That's kind of what I expected.

5:05Matt Roberts: She said, Naomi Osaka, I played smart today. She said, it was very easy for me to know what I have to do. Yeah. And that was what we saw out there, wasn't it? Osaka executed exceptionally, but it was extremely clear to see what she had to do, David.

5:24David Law: Yeah, that was a game plan. She broke the forehand down. She was relentlessly targeting that side and she has the ability. She was hitting the ball crisply from the first ball was Osaka and you could hear it when you're watching. I was watching your coverage actually, Mary, and Catherine and Matt were in the stadium. And she has that ability even from a central position with the backhand to hit it inside out and target that forehand. And then occasionally she would just suddenly spread the play and go the other side and you could see that Goff was leaning the wrong way because she's so used to having to hit forehands.

5:59David Law: And, I mean, some of them were... She didn't really seem to know what was coming off the strings from one minute to the next on that side. Some of them hit the middle of the net. Some of them hit the back fence. Some of them were good. But you can't play like that. Not sustainably.

6:16Catherine Whitaker: No, and look, frankly, the backhand was poor today as well from Goff. Like, that's her shot that's always there. And yet, that went missing today. That was a real shock to me, particularly given what Mary said. You know, if you told me that Goff would serve like she did today, I would have actually felt quite likely that this would have been a closer match. Like, I really didn't see the ground strokes being as bad as they were today. And I know that it was easier for her to make them look better against Magdalena Freck without the pace. but I thought that she would at least be able to rally a little more with Osaka than she was today and yeah it felt like a bit of a regression to be honest whereas each match so far in the tournament it felt like she was just clearly nowhere near where she needed to be to you know bring her best level and win this thing but I just thought she was progressing a little bit and it It kind of went away today, which was sad to see because I was hyped for this match.

7:25Catherine Whitaker: I was sat next to Pam Shriver earlier, and she described it as a first-namer in that you refer to Coco and Naomi, and you know who they are. It had this stardom to it, this match. And it just fell a little bit flat, really. And I'm sure we're going to get into talking about Osaka and her prospects and David's prediction. I would suggest we do, yeah. And we're all high on that. And I think the point about Rick Karofsky is interesting because think of what he did with Sviontek's game. He actually streamlined it. And I think in time that ended up working against Sviontek because Sviontek's someone who's got great movement, so many other things than just hitting big ground strokes.

8:09Catherine Whitaker: But with Osaka, it feels like that movement's there, the ground strokes are locked in, and she's got such a clear game plan. And she's executing it right now. So I'm happy from an Osaka perspective. I really, really am. But I did find the goth vibes tough today. And we were in the press conference when Osaka said that Witkorowski has explained to her that she doesn't have to play Pant on Fire tennis, you know. She moves well enough now to play rallies and to trust in those. And that, to me, that's a huge game changer. Because you never knew what you were going to get with Naomi at times.

8:42Matt Roberts: Yeah, she's not looking to pull the trigger all the time. The rally tolerance today was incredibly, incredibly good from Osaka.

8:51Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, she had a wonderful expression, silent confidence. Yeah, I love that. In terms of how she trusts her movement to be in the right place and then she can pick the right shot and not overplay. You know, it is like Osaka of five, six years ago when she was winning her majors. You know, that was a quality she had then as well.

9:16Matt Roberts: And yet, from Coco Gauff, eight winners to 33 unforced errors. She couldn't get anywhere near the Osaka serve. Osaka did not have a great serving day. She served 42 % first serves and Gauff won six receiving points. So I guess, look, I think Naomi Osaka played brilliantly today and I'm not high on Naomi Osaka. I really am. I'm excited about this. But I'm also looking at that Gauff. I'm trying to look at that Goff performance objectively, and I'm not sure anybody in the top 20 would have failed to beat Coco Goff today. Like, she was, she even, I can't believe I'm saying this about Coco Goff, she looked emotionally flat to me.

9:57Matt Roberts: She looked like she didn't even have the juice in her to not fight. She was giving it everything, but, you know, I talk about Coco Goff dragging people into the trenches and leaning into playing a mess of a match. she didn't have it in her to make it messy today and to give the crowd what they needed to create some mess themselves.

10:21David Law: Yeah, we were hoping for more mud. She even said flat in the press conference. She felt a bit flat. Where does flatness come from, do you think, in her world right now? Why is that happening? You know, it was interesting that she said after the French Open she already knew that she wanted to make changes. Did that surprise you guys as well as it did me? I mean, obviously, Clay gives her time to set up her shots and to hit with those grips and all that stuff. But I think, honestly, I think she is the captain of that whole squad, that whole team. I think she is more honest about her game than the people around her.

11:03And she knows, you know, she knows that she has a lot to work on. She's a great player already, but she's got to deconstruct a lot of habits and a lot of strokes. And I think she knows, you know, you can't get orange juice out of an apple, okay? It's just not, like, you've got to stop trying to act like you can.

11:30Matt Roberts: Is the apple here the forehand and service grip? Yes. and the orange juice is making four hands. My April spread. You know what I mean? Absolutely, yeah.

11:43Catherine Whitaker: Is it almost more of a surprise to you how well she's done with the grips than a performance like this? Is this almost expected in some way to you? She's a great fighter and she's got a terrific attitude, all of that. But, I mean, there's part of me that's thinking, you know, should she be doing more? Should she have won more than two majors by now? I mean, she's so damn good in spite of some really flawed strokes. So I am just, I'm hoping to God that this new dude is going to straighten her out.

12:22Matt Roberts: Do you think too much pressure is being applied to poor old Gavin McMillan, who everyone in the world knows what he looks like and knows what his name is now? I mean, I genuinely do wonder if the reason she didn't do this sooner is because he wasn't available. I mean, Coco Gauff has said, we did this now, this suboptimal week before the US Open timing, is because Gavin became available and he's in such high demand. It felt like now or never and we have to snap him up. it's starting to sound like she's been waiting for the the messiah figure that is gavin mcmillan and look he seems to be a very well-adjusted low-key kind of guy that backs his abilities and has the cv to support that but it's a serious load of pressure on this guy and what he can do with With that technique, right?

13:15Yeah.

13:16Matt Roberts: Like, are there other gaps? Is he? Is he the only gap? How many expert biomechanics are there in the world?

13:24David Law: Tell you what, though.

13:25Matt Roberts: How rare is this?

13:26David Law: That serve was looking the business today in parts, wasn't it? I mean, she rolled through a couple of 110 mile an hour service games. And I thought, OK, well, the serve's all right. And really, that's probably what kept it from being 6-1, 6-1. but yeah I do find the acceptance from her absolutely fascinating to win the French Open just a few months ago and to be in such a ditch of despair like this is I can't remember a turnaround like that with any Grand Slam champion where they've suddenly felt as low about their own game when they've just won a Grand Slam. Yeah, you win the French Open and you don't think that the boat needs rocking.

14:12But now the boat needs rocking. Right?

14:15Catherine Whitaker: I guess what I love about Coco Gough is that she's like, okay, she's down about the state of her own game within this tournament, but she's looking forward to doing the work. She always is talking about ways to improve and she's talking about it long term as well. She compared where she was, you know, four years ago was the kind of time span she used and said, if I can make a similar jump in the next four years as I've made in these four years, like she didn't say this, but it was kind of like, what a player I'm going to be. Right. And I just think you've got to, that's her, that's one of her superpowers, right?

14:52Catherine Whitaker: That she embraces that hard work. She, she relishes it. And I, I have to think that, okay, it strikes me that it's kind of hard to overhaul these strokes, and I don't think she's ever going to have the best technique on the WTA Tour on the forehand, for example, but I have to think that with her attitude, she will get better than this. I admire the long game. I'm with you. I'm with you. Yeah.

15:22Matt Roberts: Is this, I mean, look, maybe Coco Goff takes it too much to the extreme and she's too hard on herself, and I think maybe that's something she recognizes about herself. She tries to be kinder to herself, doesn't she? But is that humility and that desperation to get better all the time, no matter what the results, is that what separates the greats, the really exceptional players from the rest? We were talking about players who seem unable to truly take accountability for what's happening out there on the court the other night. I don't want poor old Denis Shapovalov to catch more strays from me than he already has.

16:04Matt Roberts: But, you know, thinking about how Daniel Medvedev was clinging on to his run to the Haller final despite all the other nonsense that was going on. And Taylor Fritz, bless him, thinking that his head-to-head against Novak Djokovic isn't important tomorrow. Like, I kind of love all the delusion. But is it... I don't think Coco wants delusion. Well, exactly. I don't. I think she's tired. What's better? You know, people, look, she's a super, I'm crazy about her. I'm crazy about her. But she's got, like, she wins a French Open. She flies back home to do a whole bunch of media stuff and, you know, her clothing, whatever.

16:45And then she came into Wimbledon totally cold. She hadn't prepared, you know. I wish she wasn't so famous. I think she, you know, what I like about her, I've never heard her truly lie. And she even said she was putting up a game face to us today in press. She admits it. She admits it. Of course she was devastated that she couldn't post today. but that's why I think I like the idea that I wish she'd be more in charge of the team more in charge of her schedule, more in charge of her training blocks this training block she's taking is only a couple of weeks, right?

17:30Matt Roberts: Yeah, I asked her about that, what's the plan now? Do you feel like you need to step away from the tour to give this project the kickstart it needs with Gavin? Keep giving his name up in lights to ramp up the pressure on him and she said yeah I'm taking a training block but then she said I've got until Beijing which I was already signed up for so actually it's just the natural lull in the tennis calendar she's got I guess sort of a couple of weeks now before she'll have to start thinking about flying to Beijing I mean I suppose in the context of the tennis calendar a week two weeks is a long time but like I don't know it's not a long time I'd love to have seen her say goodbye to 2025 but she also said I don't care about anything that happens after the results wise she said

18:18David Law: I mean you know good luck to people promoting the WTA finals because Coco couldn't give a toss

18:24Matt Roberts: whether she wins she said I won it last year because I didn't care basically and the pressure was off

18:28David Law: she said I've said this every year from the end of the US Open to Australia the only important thing is improvement that is music to my ears oh that's what I'm saying look there's a lot to like about her but for me that's number one just just call it just call it straight

18:46Matt Roberts: let's talk about Naomi Osaka Mary I know you were very taken with her body language I loved today's match I loved it right away right away I mean there was even there was some old lady with this big ass bonnet on her head who was who was doing the coin toss and she came out Naomi came out and she was already smiling and she looked very relaxed and then this little old lady Naomi wanted to see who she was like she ducked underneath the bonnet to say hi to her she was

19:15Catherine Whitaker: a hundred years old she was a hundred years old yeah oh my god yeah she was and she yeah she was and right then i knew that she was in a great frame of mind you know i mean a happy warrior she just wanted to be there she felt good about it you know she looked under the bonnet just as she's looked under the hood of her own game. What a ridiculous metaphor. Yeah, I just, I like where she's going. I don't know why you knew, David, that Osaka was going to have this kind of a U.S. Open. And I'm a bit indignant that you did know. But I'm happy for you. So are these two.

19:55Matt Roberts: I'm not indignant. I'm juries out. All right, that's charming.

19:59David Law: She's just gone and beaten Koga at golf. Juries still out.

20:03Matt Roberts: Yeah, you said she'd win it.

20:04David Law: True. I've saved myself from humiliation. Now I've not got to move on to the...

20:09Matt Roberts: I do think that hurdle has been cleared.

20:11David Law: There are three stages. There's save yourself from humiliation, then there's reply to the doubters, and then there's gloating. Okay. So it's like a rocket ship. You just lose those various pieces of the ship.

20:27Matt Roberts: We're still in the Earth's atmosphere. adjust.

20:29David Law: I mean look I have been at every Osaka match this week and watching her body language has been one of the great fascinations because she is very different depending on the match that's what I've seen and we saw it as well I referenced it to her in the press conference about the Montreal final body language I know there was a lot going on there and the crowd were involved and but she she went from being a setup to being really looking like she could just couldn't handle this situation at all and look terribly unhappy out there and in the first couple rounds she kept talking about needing to have a good attitude that those were her her buzzwords really and yet she would still be very hyper on herself really up in terms of celebrating winners really giving herself come ons but also very hard on herself when she was missing and then you could see her trying to process these misses and get over them.

21:25David Law: Today, there was none of that. The moment that Coco Gauff hit 210 mile an hour in returnable serves in the third game, Osaka just smiled. She smiled it up. Yeah, and you could see her features were relaxed all the way through the match. She just looked like somebody happy to be there, happy to have this stage again, and she was enjoying herself. I didn't see her coming back like this. I really didn't. And now, I mean, we've gone months without seeing Naomi's teeth, right? Like she barely smiles at all. And now she's, I'm very happy for her. It's the LeBuboos, Mary. What's that?

22:06Matt Roberts: It's the LeBuboos. Don't even, I don't, stop that. I'm too old for LeBuboos. Me too. Thank you. As much as this run is a great advert for David Law's predictive powers, Do you know what it's not a great advert for? The services of Patrick Morotoglu.

22:27David Law: Yeah, well, I've referenced that a few times over the last year as well.

22:32Matt Roberts: She's so different. Like, I know it's not, it's too, it's too binary to draw just total cause and effect between results and coach. But, I mean, everything just looks so different about her. that clarity, it was so muddy for so long for Naomi Osaka. Yeah, and I like how Naomi described Witkowowski. Like, he's actually a teddy bear. He looks, you know, stern and, you know. He's a grown-up, isn't he? And it's not about him. Oh, hello.

23:10David Law: He's not getting in the way. He's not getting himself up in headlines saying there are no stars in women's tennis when he's coaching one of the biggest ones in the sport. Yeah. He's just quietly doing his job.

23:21Matt Roberts: Matt came in with a big Witkarowski, Marco Silva comparison earlier, which really is the highest praise he can give anyone.

23:30Catherine Whitaker: This is the manager of my football team there. And he followed, well, a bit of a Muppet, really, was our manager before him. So, you know, draw your own conclusions about what I was getting at.

23:47Matt Roberts: Naomi Osaka has Karolina Mukova next your Mookie married Mookie I love the Mookster I mean one of the most stylish players but again I don't see her hurting I'm trying to figure out where she might hurt Osaka and I'm not feeling it Mookie's so good but she had to get treated for what looked like a back injury I mean she's perpetually injured and that's been such a tragedy for her career I'm glad she's gotten this far she's a pleasure to watch but what is she going to do against I don't know what she can do where does she attack Osaka from

24:25David Law: I don't know it's interesting because she beat her last year but it was a very different Osaka than this and she has reached two semi-finals I think the big thing is how can you play your proper game when you're clearly physically as impeded as she is right now I mean there's a lot going on there And physically impeded.

24:47Catherine Whitaker: And there's an accumulation every round. She's played three sets every round. You know, going right back to the first round against Venus Williams. She's just been on court a lot. She's got 12 sets in her legs. I think we've kind of said it after every round, haven't we? Like, we're expecting Mukova to hit the wall. And with every time that she doesn't, it becomes more likely that she will in the next one. Because, I don't know, I think that game, Her ability to come forward, her ability to be so precise with her attack. I think at her best, she's a handful for anyone. But I do think that Osaka can take over that match with the way she's striking the ball right now and some of the physical doubts that I think we'll have in a couple of days' time over Mukova.

25:37Matt Roberts: In the on-court interview, Karolina Mukova, after her win over Marta Kostiuk today on grandstand, And she was asked about, she said, you're the queen of the marathon matches. You've gone three sets in all of them. She was like, I would like to hand back that title, please. That's not what I want to be. Give me a quick, easy match, please. So everyone's backing Osaka to reach the semis. I am.

26:03Catherine Whitaker: I am. It's the, look, it's the tournament of the dormant volcanoes. And she's, as we said the other week, she's been the most dormant. and she is the most volcano when she erupts. So, by the way, Mukova, another dormant volcano, you know, like not often around, but when she is, she can get into the latter stage of these mages. So there could be a lot of lava going on in this quarterfinals. So much. I like the idea of that.

26:32David Law: You don't even need to ask me.

26:34Catherine Whitaker: It'd be amazing if he went nothing, Mukova. Just a change of heart.

26:39Matt Roberts: Igor Shviontek incredibly comfortable today 6-3, 6-1 in 64 minutes over Ekaterina Alexandrova it was so comfortable she did the most damning thing possible to her opponent and she hit the practice court afterwards

26:52David Law: that was very funny in the post-match interview on court because before she started speaking she was sending somebody a text and fair play to the interviewer he said we're going to get on to the match but first of all who are you sending the text to and she said I was just to my coach to go and book a practice court because I'm going to go straight out there. Please tell me her opponent had left the court. I think so, fortunately.

27:17Matt Roberts: Yeah, she wasn't doing a Medvedev and just hanging around while Benjamin Bonsie robbed it in her face. Yeah, I mean, she was awesome today, Shontek. Her first and only outing of the tournament on Armstrong, she awaits the winner of Amanda Anisimova and Beatrice Adagmaier. who play in the last match tonight, so we'll talk about that in part two. Matt.

27:42Catherine Whitaker: How are you feeling, Matt? I'm feeling good, and that's what makes me nervous.

27:50Matt Roberts: It's an opportunity, isn't it?

27:52Catherine Whitaker: They're not like me, Mary. I just assume it's all going to be fine. Yeah, just on Svantec today, I thought this could be a stressful match for her against Alexandrova with those flat hits. There was a real, to me anyway, obvious turning point in this match when, I mean, Alexandrova miss of the tournament to get broken in that first set for 4-3, literally on top of the net. And she just tried to just caress the ball over the net and it went straight down into the net. It was a horrible miss. And she didn't recover for about 20 minutes. She was kind of sulky, kind of slumpy after that. And Svantec just took it and ran with it.

28:40Catherine Whitaker: Because it had been a bit of a tense start. She did a couple of double faults. Svantec in her first service game and got broken. And they were even to 3-all. But then from that point on, Svantec was absolutely sublime in this match. And, yeah, I think probably her best performance of the tournament, actually, just at the right time after a couple of trickier performances leading into this.

29:03Matt Roberts: Let's talk about the men's matches we've seen today. Let's start with one you commentated on, Mary. Felix Auger-Aliassime. 7-6, 6-3, 6-4. Comprehensive over Andrei Rublev. A man that he had lost seven of eight previous meetings with. So he had overturned the head-to-head deficit against Zverev in the previous round. And now he does it against Rublev. Is that evidence of a new Felix? I would love that to be true. I really would. I mean, I've always, he's just such a gentleman. I mean, he's a class above in those ways to a lot of the guys in that locker room. And I've always liked his game. Jim Currier did such a great, he explained so well why Felix Auger, he hasn't done what Jim thought he would do.

29:53And it's off of the backhand. He thinks he rolls the backhand too much. And it becomes, it's less a weapon than it should be.

30:01Matt Roberts: just on that I was listening to that and I was mouth agape it was such a like gosh someone's finally explained it, it was incredible analysis he says there's just so much topspin on his backhand that he's unable to, just makes him unable to be aggressive in backhand backhand to backhand exchanges he can't hit down on the ball at all but it does make him when his backhand is able to come into its own when he's able to use width and angles and he's good with a target. He's good at backhand passing shots. But in terms of backhand to backhand exchanges it's just easy meet for your top players that have a reliable backhand that can be a weapon when they need it because they just know they can sit into those rallies and Felix cannot hurt them.

30:55The only thing I like more than sitting next to Jim Currier when there's a real match going on is when we're sitting there watching a stinker. Because then he really goes off the rails.

31:07Matt Roberts: We love that too. We had a message from Hannah in the first set of this match. Let's just say this wasn't a Hannah Wilkes coded tennis match. She wasn't into this one. Rublev against Orgelia's team. It's just not her vibe. She's a mook of a gal. Different folks, different strokes. She said, you know this matches everything you feared it would be when Carrillo's busting out the Boletieri impression in set one. That is definitely the warning sign.

31:37David Law: But it did prove fertile ground for just a fantastic conversation and the picking of Jim Currier's brain. Well, that's what I try to do. I mean, and I try to do it early in set so we don't get in the way of any kind of tension. And he did the Rublev second serve as well. Exactly right. I mean, he's just so damn good. What's wrong with him? How have I not noticed that before? No, because he always middles. He always goes body. Same place every time.

32:06Matt Roberts: Jim Currier said pretty much on the second Rublev service point of the match. Watch. Yeah, he said watch. Watch every single time it's going to go here. I staked my reputation on it. And it did. Went to the same place every time. Yeah, I'm just crazy about Jim. I'm so lucky to work with him a lot. What I don't understand though, Mary, is when there's something that obvious, maybe not to me, but to obviously people that know the game. Like, why isn't Rublet doing something about that? It'll be interesting to see what Marat Safin will bring to this party, right?

32:46But Jim, at some point...

32:48Matt Roberts: I have some slanderous answers speculating about what Marat Safin might be bringing to the party. Well, at one point, Jim said that Marat, because I had mentioned that Rublev had said he doesn't talk much, but, you know, only when he really has something to say, he's a sensei. And I had to bring up the fact that, you know, Sensei Safin dropped his shorts in the middle of a match during a French Open.

33:11David Law: This is true. That did happen.

33:13Matt Roberts: So, okay, you know, is this a different Felix?

33:18David Law: And what is different? You know, is this just he's suddenly feeling a bit of confidence off a couple of wins and probably isn't that repeatable? Or has he found something? Has he found some missing link, I wonder? He was just so focused. It was such a nice, tight match from him. It was so contained. You know, he never got rattled. which is kind of it's not like he has a huge weapon that he can throw down against people, he's got to build points he's got to clearly he's worked very hard to make his game more solid more difficult to play against and I don't know, I've always liked him so much as a man that I'm very happy that he seems to be putting in the work he says, I've had to learn patience I've had to learn to be humble.

34:12He's had some injuries that have really set him back, a knee, a back. You know, he's lost some valuable time. And he must feel like players like Sinner and Alcarez have stormed away from him because they do have so much more game. But if the game he has is held together well, I really hope he reaches the top of his game. Is that what you think?

34:40Catherine Whitaker: Yes, it is. I'm always impressed when someone backs up a big win. And that was a big win he had over Zverev. He could well have got up for that match. And then I really thought this could be a nervy affair with two players with a big opportunity in front of them. To me, Orjelias didn't seem nervous at all. He seemed very focused. He's a grown-up. And there was a moment at the end of the first set where he had some set points and his forehand got away from him. You know, I think Jim was pretty much calling it a choke in commentary.

35:20David Law: That was an outright gag. Right. That's my man. My main man, Jim Curry.

35:28Catherine Whitaker: And look, part of it is, you know, he got another opportunity. had he been playing a Sinner or an Alcaraz, you get one chance against them. And that might have been it. But against Rublev, he got another chance and he jumped on it. And he started hitting his forehand a lot better again as this match went on. And he overpowered Rublev, I thought. The ease of Orgelia's seam's power today really struck me. I was courtside for this one. And yeah, I was impressed with him. It did feel like what we always thought his game would be. Athletic. Yes. Contained in a way that it often doesn't look that way.

36:10Catherine Whitaker: He can often spray the ball, but he wasn't doing any of that today. But he's a thoroughgoing professional, right? Totally. And again, him against De Manor in the quarterfinals is another one of those big opportunity matches.

36:24Matt Roberts: For both of them. Yeah. I mean, this is the good news for both of them. they don't have to face either Sinner or Alcraz, which makes it just so tantalising. Is this going to be about who deals with that size of opportunity the best?

36:42David Law: Good question, because I remember the Ogiela-Sim-Diminor-Davis cup match in the final of three years ago, and Felix was flying high at that time. He was the best player in that tournament, and it was clear that he was going into that fun as the best player. And Diminor, you know what he's like, he's a warrior. He's happy to just throw himself to the dogs in order to try to win any points. But he couldn't cope. He couldn't cope with the power that day. And since then, Felix has dropped like a stone, really, in terms of the ranking and his confidence. And Diminor's just gradually built and become a better tennis player.

37:21David Law: I think that Oji Aliassim showed he had the blueprint he has the game to beat Deminor, I don't know but you know is he going to keep repeating this is the thing or is it just a couple of confident matches and then maybe he returns to the mean of what his game has been the last three years I hope this becomes his base me too who do you think is going to win that? Deminor and Oji Aliassim who do I think will win? I'm going to give a slight edge to Felix. Yeah, I would say the same.

37:57Matt Roberts: Mazzetti, the other winner that we've had so far today in the singles, incredibly comfortable, 6-3, 6-love, 6-1, continuing to fill the Jack Draper role at the 2025 US Open.

38:09Catherine Whitaker: I said everyone who plays Mazzetti falling apart in front of him, I just was chatting with the Spanish journalists, Muna has laryngitis. oh poor bloke like poor bloke but like again what is going on with this Mazzetti draw like I just I'm pleased for him I'm thrilled he's in the quarterfinals he's one of my favorite players to watch and he's had a he said it in his post-match interview he said last month has been terrible I've been sad about my games had about my results but he was you know kind of joking about it he's changed his serve um and he's in the quarterfinals i still have no idea how he's playing it's and it was the it might be even more extreme than draper last year i mean draper's carried on to the semis because he played diman or in the quarters who had that hip problem and really couldn't couldn't move very well so that's my mazetti analysis like i think he's doing he's he's intending to do really good things.

39:14Catherine Whitaker: I think his intentions are good. But they've not been tested yet. We know as much as he does. Right. And I'm usually so high on Musetti and I am pleased about this, but this draw.

39:28David Law: It's a good ranking builder, isn't it? Great.

39:31Matt Roberts: It's going to get even better when he faces Alexander Bublik in the quarterfinals, isn't it? Well. How silly is that going to sound when people come back for part two?

39:42Matt Roberts: Mary, thank you so much for joining us. I love being with you guys. On part one, I'll let you sip the dregs of your Aperol spritz like the dregs of summer that we are so enjoying here in New York this fortnight. And we will join you in part two to find out exactly how silly that line about Alexander Bublik turns out to be.

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42:11Matt Roberts: Welcome back to part two of tonight's tennis podcast recording at Flushing Meadows, New York. It is now 1045 in the evening and all play is done for the day. And that's because we've seen two absolute blowouts on the Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight. Oh, how you must have all been laughing at me when I suggested that Alexander Bublik had even the faintest chance against Yannick Sinner. Let's start there. Sinner defeating Bublik 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. What on earth happened to Alexander Bublik, David?

42:45David Law: Well, Catherine, I think I might have used the word ambushed last night. Well, somebody got ambushed. It's just that it was the other bloke. and I mean I did couch it by saying if he played his best then I thought that that could happen he was so far from his best Alexander Bublik that it it was unrecognizable from the player that we have seen played his best against Jack Draper against against Yannick Sinner beating him on the grass earlier this year and and in the previous round against Tommy Paul and having being a player who had not dropped his serve all tournament the first thing he did in the very first game of the match was to lose his serve and matt and i were sitting together at that time and we kind of looked at one another and thought ah okay his serve's not working and nothing was working he fought faulted he was hitting drop shots i think the first eight drop shots that he hit he lost the point he hit a double fault of underarm serves one after another um in the first set and i think what actually happened i mean i think it's very easy to look at the score and think oh sinner must have been absolutely awesome all the way through and i definitely feel like public was trying to paint it as that in the way that he kind of joshed with sinner at the net and did his little social media post of AI or whatever it was and and tried to make out like this guy's unbeatable of course I lost well actually in the first set Sinner didn't really have much of a say in any of it Bublik was absolutely awful and I think he came out cold for whatever reason whether it's nerves or whether it was just one of those days he was so bad he couldn't do any of the things that he's famous for and therefore it was sort of fall of after 14 minutes um and thereafter i think sinner was so relaxed that he did start to to play really well but public never got going it's all

44:52Matt Roberts: straight from the nick curios playbook isn't it if you can't if you don't try you can't fail and i'm not saying he was outright tanking tonight but there was a he was searching for the narrative of this guy's AI, that's a bailout. That is an absolute psychological bailout. This guy is just absolutely too good. I think he has a serious mental situation going on, which he can probably function pretty well with for the majority of his career. I think it's dormant unless he plays the very top guys that he doesn't think he can beat fair and square. I think that's when it comes into play. I think most players, he thinks he can beat fair and square, so he's happy to be himself and try.

45:43Matt Roberts: But he didn't. My armchair psychoanalysis of tonight is he didn't think he and his game were enough to beat Yannick Sinner tonight, so he psychologically bailed out. That's what it felt like to me.

45:58David Law: Well, I think it's fair enough, and given that we'll come on to talk about another player who was very heavily beaten tonight, who didn't stop trying from point one to point at the end. I think you see a very different approach to the sport. And look, you know, it's easy for me to sit here and say what he could and should have done, but it was really disappointing. And I'm sitting there in front of an absolutely packed crowd of people, 24 ,000 people who've paid top dollar to be there. And when he threw the underarm serves in, they booed. they let him off the hook after that because he hit one worldie when he was 6-1, 6-1 down and he waved his hand as if to say come on give me some love and they did and they sort of cheered him off the court after he'd lost in an hour and 12 minutes okay I mean look losing to Yannick Sinner is no disgrace but

46:52Matt Roberts: that's it, that's why it's an easy bailout option though isn't it it's there, sit your fingertips

46:56David Law: I'd love to have seen him dig in like really dig in and just think okay these shots aren't working and I'm going to do something. I'm just going to make the guy work or something.

47:06Matt Roberts: Is anyone in the world compiling stats on underarm serve double faults? I'm sad to say I'm not sure even Matt Roberts has stats on underarm serve double faults, but I would love to declare that a first.

47:20Catherine Whitaker: Certainly the first I've heard of. Right. That's enough for me.

47:25Matt Roberts: We had a foot fault double fault from Maxime Cressy, I believe. Iconic. iconic in itself at the Australian Open a while back but this is the first underarm serve double fault and I please don't misinterpret my laughing at this as any kind of slight on the art of the underarm serve I love nothing more but an underarm serve double fault is iconically bad and quite funny yeah

48:03Catherine Whitaker: and look I said that Bublik I felt was the second most likely guy in this draw to beat Sinner let's not rewrite what we said about this we did think that this was a genuine threat to Yannick Sinner tonight given Bublik's top level the flip side of that is he was also probably the most slightly guy to get absolutely blown out. I think, I thought Sinner would win. I didn't think it would look like this. I thought there would be at least a moment where Bublik rattled him and scared him and brought some of what he could to the match. But, you know, he lost his opening service game, as Davis described.

48:48Catherine Whitaker: He lost his next service game as well. And yeah, then there wasn't really that much resistance from him. But I do think Sinner, from what I saw played well tonight and honestly like his draw now, Muzetti, Auger Aliasim and Dimonor are the players left in his half, all very very good players but I really don't look at any of them as threats to Yannick Sinner, we know the head-to-head against Dimonor, we saw him play Augie Aliasim just a few weeks ago I know Augie Aliasim's been a lot better this tournament but even so it's hard to believe that that would be that tough for Sinner and then you know Mazzetti in the quarterfinals his fellow Italian just think he's going to be able to rush him and kind of hit him off the court is my feeling especially on a hard court

49:52Matt Roberts: Our resident Mazzetti guy isn't doing a great job of hyping up for that match

49:56Catherine Whitaker: which is a worry. So, like, this is, I guess what I'm saying is, like, not only has he won this match tonight, Yannick Sinner, but just feels like big picture has been a really good day for Sinner in terms of his draw and his prospects and his, you know, his chances of getting to that final, which were high anyway, but just feel not a dead cert because nothing is, but almost as close to that as you could get right now. It feels like.

50:28Matt Roberts: Second match on Ash tonight. Another blowout, quite frankly. But as David hinted at, quite a different one in terms of feel. Just a total golfing class between Amanda Anisimova and Beatriz Hadajmaier. But no golfing effort whatsoever. Six love, six three for Anisimova. Who, Matt, we watched a period of this together and you said she's feeling it tonight, Anisimova. She was going for everything. And OK, she missed a few. There were some errors in there. But the type of errors she was making, I think, indicated how she was feeling about her game.

51:09Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, she was trying audacious shots because the way she was hitting the ball tonight, they had a chance of going in. You know, they weren't bailout shots. They were, she genuinely thought she could make them. but she just jumped all over Hadashmayer right from the start of this match. I said in part one, I felt like Anisimova was going to win. I think match-up-wise, the lefty Hadashmayer serve and forehand into the Anisimova backhand is just great for Anisimova. The Hadashmayer serve is a weak shot anyway, especially the second serve, and Anisimova can get on top of that. Anissimova's serving really well this tournament.

51:52Catherine Whitaker: I mentioned that the other day and she kept up her high percentage tonight. She was great and I think what I like most about the performance is she was up a set in a break, she got pegged back, but that put her to work. She just immediately made sure that this match didn't get away from her, it was fully in her control and she was also desperate for the double break. She didn't get it at 4-2, but she was pushing for it. And she knew that she needed to do that because Hadash Maia doesn't let Maxis go and always competes to the very end and had a lot of Brazilian support tonight. It could have gone another way, but Anisimovi just didn't let it.

52:32Catherine Whitaker: These conditions, cool night, absolutely perfect for her, I think. and yeah definitely her best performance of the tournament her best ball striking day so far where you've just thought okay the game's clicking she's feeling confident best she's played all

52:50David Law: tournament there was a moment I think in the third game when Hadad Shmaja was serving she'd already lost the serve and it was very clear that Anisimova is on it like you say the ball is just pinging out the centre of the racket both sides that's the other thing she can hurt you so much with both forehand and backhand forehand has got so much better yeah um but in the second tadajmaya service game i think she's loved 15 down she did a first serve where she tried to go down the middle and she missed the centre service line to the side by about eight feet it was just completely going in the wrong direction and I thought oh she's this is like Bublik she's just completely frozen here she can't she's got no feel no no timing at all and then she double faulted and then she said it was just it was a disaster and it was the it was both things at the same time brilliant Anissimova the worst version of Hannajmaja and then she won one point when she was about five love down and she just goes come on you know and she's really and it's not one of those where you think don't be ridiculous you know you're way behind she's trying to will her way back into this contest and she actually ended up making the second set games competitive and she held on and I thought I thought we were looking at a double bagel when it was six love one love I thought I don't think she wins a game here um but fair play to her she just dug in and I do wonder what would have happened if you stuck that attitude in public but anyway they're two different people and I accept that You probably don't get the heights of Bublik if you have a completely different personality.

54:34David Law: I don't know. But Hadaj Maia is somebody I have enormous respect for. But Anissa Mova is somebody I have great excitement and anticipation for. Because she has bounced back from that Wimbledon. I realise that that isn't a fully formed bounce back until she actually plays the woman she ended up on the other end of a Sixth Love from. from but it's good going this isn't it well the good news for her is she doesn't have to wait too

55:02Matt Roberts: long now to to get the opportunity to fully bounce back because the wimbledon final repeat is on matt how you feeling oh the ptsd

55:19Catherine Whitaker: no look i asked her about it at the start of the tournament do you want to play igles viontech and And she said yes. I don't necessarily think she knew her draw, I don't think she knew that that was on as early as this in the quarter-finals, but it's here now. And she said, I want to play her when I'm like myself. Because there are definitely aspects of that match-up that I think are problematic for Anisimova. The width that Svantec just naturally generates on her ground strokes is going to be a problem. It's a problem for better movers than Anissimova. You know, it's world-class, that of Svantec.

55:59Catherine Whitaker: But I genuinely think there are parts of Anissimova's game that she just didn't bring to that Wimbledon final because of nerves and because of exhaustion and because of the moment that can hurt Svantec as well. Like, the ball striking... Svantec's not going to like that if Anissimova can bring it, if she can serve like she has done and if she can take advantage of maybe Svantec not serving like she was earlier in the year, which she generally hasn't been this tournament. All the reasons I was excited about Anissimova's chances going into the Wimbledon final are still there. They've been a little bit dampened by what happened in that Wimbledon final, but I do genuinely think she's a big threat here, Anissimova.

56:49Catherine Whitaker: and she has a good day if she has a good day it's going to be so much about the start i think like yeah if she goes like if she goes three love down or something like that and trauma starts flooding back to to her and to you right and look maybe then the crowd can carry her a little bit and she just needs to get over the wimbledon yeah experience however win the toss choose to serve hold. Right. You're in the match.

57:21Matt Roberts: You're in credit. Boom. Everything from here is upside.

57:25David Law: She's not exhausted physically. Totally. It's a big difference. Big deal that. She's expended very little energy.

57:32Catherine Whitaker: And she just had the biggest moment of her life beating Sabalenko in that Wimbledon semi-final. That would have felt like a summit

57:40Matt Roberts: in itself. Right.

57:41Catherine Whitaker: She had a very stressful route through to that Wimbledon final in terms of three set matches and tight moments that, you know, she's not really had that this tournament. She's going to do a lot better. I feel good about it.

57:57David Law: She hasn't got the whole Wimbledon final paraphernalia. Exactly. The silence, the stillness, the walk.

58:05Catherine Whitaker: You know, Iga Svjantek, who's won every Grandstand final she's played in. Like, there was just so much that was intimidating about that.

58:13David Law: This is more like just another tennis match. It's a big one. And in front of a crowd that will be supporting her big time.

58:21Catherine Whitaker: It's exciting.

58:23Matt Roberts: And you'll be fit and well this time?

58:26Catherine Whitaker: Well, let's hope. I thought I was going to be last time.

58:33Matt Roberts: Last result to cover from today, the run of Venus Williams and Leila Fernandez continues. Probably the match of the day in terms of, in fact, not probably, the match of the day in terms of the two main show courts today, this over on Armstrong, the final match of the day there, 6-3, 6-4. I mean, still not a thriller in itself, but it's a pretty low bar to clear to be the match of the day on Ash and Armstrong. And look, the crowd just lapped this up. Absolutely lapped it up.

59:02David Law: Wonderful. It was the story of the grounds today. Everybody was talking about it. And Venus Williams is saying that she is going to be on her sister's case to come and be part of it all because she wants her here.

59:16Catherine Whitaker: She's got to get here tomorrow, not before four, I think, against Townsend and Cinearchiva. Yeah, against the top seeds. It's a hell of a match.

59:25Matt Roberts: That's cool. Yeah, it really is cool. OK, that's it for part two. We'll be back in part three to look ahead to tomorrow. 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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1:00:42Matt Roberts: Welcome back to part three of tonight's tennis podcast. Let's look ahead to tomorrow, Tuesday, September 2nd, day 10 of this U.S. Open. The quarterfinal stage is upon us. We still start at 11.30 on Arthur Ashe Stadium with Jessica Pagula against Barbora Krejcikova. Predictions, please.

1:01:06David Law: I find this a really difficult one to predict. But Krachikova has just dashed the hopes of a couple of Americans and is so capable. I'm going to go Pagula. I think Krachikova might run out of gas a little bit this time. These have been hard-fought matches. Pagula's had things straightforwardly. She's relentless and consistent and is going to be her best self, I think, with the crowd behind her. I think she'll enjoy that. I'm going to go Pagula.

1:01:35Catherine Whitaker: Matt. Finding this really hard because Pagula has just not played anyone in the class and calibre of Krejcikova on this run. She's had a very kind draw. And look, she's done well because she's lost to those sorts of players at the slams this year. Those have been the sorts of players to trip her up. So it's a good run from Pagula and she's been really clinical in first sets. And, you know, in her most recent match, she was better in the second set as well. But I don't know, I pause on, like, Pagula's playing brilliantly because we just haven't seen her against that standard of opponent. But I do agree with David on the critique of her hitting the wall thing.

1:02:27Catherine Whitaker: Like, I don't know how many matches, like, the last two she's got left in her, where she has a slow, sluggish start and works her way in. I guess I think Pagula's playing at a level that if she does start like that again, Kraychikova, Pagula might be able to put her away in a way that Townsend wasn't.

1:02:55Catherine Whitaker: So I think I'm leaning Pagula as well, but mostly on reasons of potential Kraychikova exhaustion. All things being equal, tennis against tennis, I think I will be back in Kraychikova.

1:03:11Matt Roberts: Lehechka Alcaraz, second matchup. I think we're all going for an Alcaraz victory.

1:03:16Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, that one's easier. Victory. Yes.

1:03:18Matt Roberts: Yeah. Night session.

1:03:20Catherine Whitaker: I remember how boring their Queen's final was. I do.

1:03:23Matt Roberts: That's why I'm moving on quickly, Matt.

1:03:24Catherine Whitaker: Yeah. It was turgid. It was the grass, right? Lehechka.

1:03:28Matt Roberts: But Le Hetchke loved, I think grass is his best surface.

1:03:31Catherine Whitaker: But it was boring because of the grass and the way they were serving and there were just a few chances.

1:03:37David Law: Yuri Le Hetchke have made Carlos Alcaraz boring. He did.

1:03:42Catherine Whitaker: I remember having a real moment during that thinking, oh God, please don't ruin Alcaraz.

1:03:53Matt Roberts: Well, that's a good hype job for tomorrow.

1:03:56David Law: I do think it's different on grass. I think so. I actually think tomorrow will be a good match, like a good rally. He's got a win over him on hardcore.

1:04:07Catherine Whitaker: He beat him in Doha, I want to say.

1:04:09David Law: Yes, I think so. And I saw highlights of that in the run-up to that Queen's match. And it was one of those where Alcraz was pulling rabbits out of hats in order to win amazing points, but he wasn't winning the run-of-the-mill stuff. That's where he's doing more now. But I think Lehechikor will give a good account of himself, but I just feel more confident in Al Kraus' state of mind and approach and solidity than I ever have. So, yeah, I think it'll be him.

1:04:42Matt Roberts: The predictions don't get any easier here because night session starts with Irina Sabalenka against Marketa Vondrosheva. I'm going to ask for a Vondrosheva prediction from you both.

1:04:54Catherine Whitaker: Not allowed.

1:04:57Matt Roberts: the phases these two are making. I make the rules here. I want a prediction.

1:05:03David Law: I'm going Sabalenka as well. I'll go Sabalenka in three.

1:05:07Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, I like that. I do just have a lot of faith in Sabalenka in these matches, in this sort of time, in a slam. She's got that really good record against Vondrosha on hard courts. I think that was such a good performance from Vondrosheva against Rabatkinner, like, seeing that again. She's capable, but I guess I would be a bit surprised if she plays as well again. And Sabalenka's got her tie-break record. You know, like, Vondrosheva's probably going to have to do it, not with tie-breaks, and maybe that feels difficult. Yeah, I'm going Sabalenka. I'm really looking forward to that one. That's the match I'm most looking forward to tomorrow.

1:05:52Matt Roberts: Last match of the day, Tamari Djokovic against Fritz.

1:05:57David Law: I think everyone's going Djokovic.

1:05:59Matt Roberts: I would like sets, please.

1:06:01David Law: I'm also going four close, tight, hard-fought sets for Novak Djokovic. I do think that Fritz, if he could just turn an extra one of those sets in his favour and take it long, I think he might be able to wear Djokovic down. and maybe even impose an injury or something like that. I know that sounds horrible, but that has been happening more and more to Djokovic. But ultimately, I think Djokovic will probably just play those bigger points, the better of the two, and end up winning it in four.

1:06:35Matt Roberts: OK, well, we'll be back with the tennis podcast at the end of all of it. I will say hello to our mascots, Maisie, Phoebe and Roger. Hello to our top folks and executive producers, Greg and Jeff and Chris. who we saw today. Yeah, lovely Chris. Popped up on our row in the media centre. What a delight.

1:06:57Catherine Whitaker: Yeah, that was great. And we're going to catch up later in the week as well.

1:07:02Matt Roberts: Yeah, Matt's going to share views about draws. Try and be an influencer. We love you, Chris. Thank you very much for your support. We are, of course, part of the Athletic Podcast Network. Matt, let's have some shout-outs.

1:07:17Catherine Whitaker: We start with Adam Maundrell in Sydney.

1:07:21Matt Roberts: All right, Adam. Hello, Adam.

1:07:23Catherine Whitaker: Adam says, I've been listening since 2018. My first episode was Mats Hachinov takes.

1:07:30David Law: Oh, big. Wow. Which is wild to me. Adam, you were there at the start of an era.

1:07:37Catherine Whitaker: Wow. Adam says, I love the pod and lurking on the barge. just has Wimbledon to go to complete his fan career golden slam. So it must have been to an Olympics.

1:07:50David Law: Adam. Like Adam Hogg, the ATP finals tournament director. There you go.

1:08:00Matt Roberts: Are there no tennis-playing Adams?

1:08:03David Law: I can't think of any. We've had this before.

1:08:05Matt Roberts: Have we? Is Adam a perpetual black spot?

1:08:07Catherine Whitaker: I've got a name in mind. Pavlashek? Yes, Adam Pavloszek. Adam Pavloszek. Check.

1:08:13David Law: Yeah, very well done. Love the way you're saying that, Catherine.

1:08:16Matt Roberts: It's like, oh, yeah, Adam Pavloszek. Yeah, Pavloszek and Hogg, the big two. And this one, the big three. Adam from Sydney, Adam Hogg, Adam Pavloszek, the big three. Correct. Thank you, Adam.

1:08:30Catherine Whitaker: And next up, we have two birthday shout-outs. Oh, lovely. The first one is from Emma Gillette for her husband, Sam. Aw. Splendid work, Emma. It was Sam who introduced Emma to the pod during COVID. Well done, Sam. She thought it would be lovely to give him a US Open shout out for his birthday on September 1st, which is today as we're recording.

1:08:57David Law: Happy birthday, Sam.

1:08:59Matt Roberts: Happy birthday, Sam. Yeah, you're probably listening to this on September 2nd, but I promise you, as we are speaking, it is your birthday, September 1st, and we are wishing you a very happy one. That's a lovely birthday thing to do. Yeah, it sounds like Sam Quarry. Yeah, we've seen a lot of Sam Quarry this tournament. We have, yeah.

1:09:18David Law: I heard him commentating today.

1:09:20Catherine Whitaker: And our second birthday shout-out is for Jeff McAvoy. And Jeff's birthday is the 2nd of September. So presumably, hopefully, when he's listening to this.

1:09:35Matt Roberts: Happy birthday Jeff

1:09:37Catherine Whitaker: Happy birthday Jeff And this comes from Jeff's partner Ricky Good work Ricky Ricky says My name is Ricky And this is a birthday shout out from my partner Jeff Who stumbled across the tennis podcast earlier this year And suddenly introduced us to a whole new pastime We did not know we craved so much Though not playing tennis often Jeff is an avid tennis fan It's not unusual to find him consulting the latest score updates, planning the next tournament escapade, or hiding away from the TV when his favourite player, Yannick Sinner, loses more than two points in a row. So not much hiding tonight.

1:10:19Matt Roberts: Not much hiding at all.

1:10:21Catherine Whitaker: Wow, brilliant night. Thank you for bringing so much fun into our week. We hope to be able to see one of your live shows, and we look forward to seeing Blonde Matt soon. Don't we all? happy birthday Jeff

1:10:35Matt Roberts: Jeff we hope to deliver the ultimate birthday present come

1:10:39David Law: Saturday what would I rather though would I rather Osaka win it and I get all the credits or would I rather Matt go blonde ah the choices

1:10:49Catherine Whitaker: they're both good outcomes

1:10:50Matt Roberts: we are so up we are so so up folks thank you ever so much for listening Jeff Adam and who am I missing Sam Sam, courtesy of Emma. Birthday Sam. Jeff, Adam and Sam, thank you ever so much for listening to and supporting the Tennis Podcast. If you would like to get yourself a shout out, an intro, a pet mascot slot, then the link to do all of that is in our show notes. And being a friend of the Tennis Podcast gets you access to all of our bonus episodes. It gets you access to the barge, our safe community space to chat about tennis. It gets you access to Hannah's column. She's just posted her week one thoughts, which are, of course, excellent.

1:11:37Matt Roberts: It gets you ad-free listening. It gets you all sorts of things. So we'll post the link to that in our show notes as always. Check it out if you fancy it. Do check out our Instagram, which is where we post all of our BTS and other fun stuff. We'll post the link to subscribe to our newsletter in the show notes as well. That's where you can find Matt's stat. And we will also post a link to get tickets to our upcoming live show in Wrexham. Yes, Wrexham of Welcome to Wrexham fame. We can welcome you to Wrexham on October the 22nd. Come and see us, folks. Link in the show notes. Thank you for listening.

1:12:15Matt Roberts: We'll speak to you tomorrow.

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