Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talks EDB, Vacant Eggs and healthy serving
of Sport. The All Sport Breakfast on your home of
Sport Used Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Well, an action packed finals day for everyone that's got
tickets at the ASB Tennis Classic and Auckland on center
court and nice to have star power and key WE
representation in this the men's doubles final We're beginning at
around eleven thirty This morning will feature New Zealand's very
own Michael Venus and his Croatian partner Nicola Metkitch taking
(00:41):
on Christian Harrison and Rajiv Rahm, so that will be
an exciting one to eleven thirty. And then following that
the French tennis veteran Gail Mond Feast features in the
singles final alongside Zizuberg. So I'm sure everyone that's had
tickets for a while are pretty excited. It's to the
personnel they're going to be seeing on center court at
Auckland today covering the ASP Classic for us once again
(01:04):
this summer has been Michael Burger out of the New
Zealand Heralds want it to here and Michael. Pretty exciting line
up for the day today, isn't.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
It, Adam, Good morning. Yeah, I think you summed it
up well. It's basically the perfect scenario. It's whatever from
once on finals to day is a name is a
big star and you can't get much bigger than the
goal on my feast and who's run them this week
has been incredible. I wouldn't quite say it's the Mond
Feast miracle, but it's pretty close to that, and then
to have a keyw in the doubles just makes it
(01:34):
extra special. We've seen it before, of course with Marcus
Daniel in twenty ten, and you mentioned Michael Venus. He
won this tournament in twenty sixteen and he was also
in the final in twenty nineteen.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
So it's shaping up really well today. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Well, we'll talk Michael Venus first. And even though you
know he's had that win, as you say, almost a
decade ago now, but he's really struggled at this tournament
in recent years, hasn't he? So getting through yesterday in
that third set tiebreak to get to this final, and
we heard some of your interview with him, Michael before
eight o'clock. It just feels like it means so much to.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Him, it's extra special. You know, he only plays he
once a year. You know, he's a big name on
the tour all year and he comes back once a year.
And really, I guess he feels a bit of pressure
to impressed because he's got all his family, his friends watching,
and plus the whole country kind of expecting him to
do something.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
And he's had a run of a first round exit.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
So to get to the final is fantastic, and to
do it with a new partner is something pretty special.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
They only linked up in September.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Sorry, then he talked about linking up September, but this
is only their second tournament together, so to do what
they've done is really cooled. They were top seeds, but
that only adds to the expectation.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
So very very special scenario.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
And it'll be a close final, but I think they'll
be hard to beat.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Do you think with the player like Michael that you know,
as time goes on and as his career goes on,
it's easier to adapt to a new partner, or is it?
Does it always take a bit of time in the
saddle to get everything thing right.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
I think it probably is easier. It's quite amazing.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I was looking at last night and Michael Venus is
thirty seven now, which made me feel pretty old.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
And I realized that because I'm sure you remember too.
I remember him as a as a young buck. But
he's played so much.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I mean, this is this is something like his forty
eighth or forty ninth final, which is incredible. He's one,
he's one twenty five I think from memory, so he's
been around a long time. He's had a lot of
different partners, and I think it's a good point, Adam,
you must learn to adjust a lot quicker to each
new to each new partner. But I feel like these
two in particular, they really they suit each other quite well.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Venus is all is all.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Power and adrenaline and we all know about his game
Massive Serve, Big fourhand and Metic is a bit more
precision guy. He's super experienced as well a very clever player.
So I like I like them as a combination.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Interesting, what on TV yesterday the crowd's still emptied out
of it after the singles, even though Michael Venus was
playing in that doubles semi final. You know, the interest
in doubles. Do you think it could be a bit
stronger from Kiwi fans, you know, through the course of
the week, especially you know when there's there's one of
our own play.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah, that's a funny one. I didn't notice it yesterday too.
It was a bit of a surprise. All I could
think of was it had it had been a long day.
Most people have got there around around sort of eleven
thirty twelve that doubles match. The first one started about
six o'clock, So I guess that's the reason. Because on
other nights this week Andrew in the Woman's Week, people
(04:43):
have stuck around for the doubles at night, and you've
been sitting there at ten thirty at night with a
really decent crowd inside the Manuka Doctor Arena. So most
of the time I think huis do get behind doubles
and it's always fascinating because it's so much better to
watch live. I think I think TV doesn't really do
doubles justice, but when you see it live.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
You can really see the skill, the speed, the reflexes.
So there is a following of doubles. But yeah, it probably.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Needs to be promoted a bit more by the tour
and by the sport in general.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, great, So eleven thirty today, what do we know
about the pairing that they'll be up against in the final.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
The American pair Christian Harrison and Reggie Ram are very
experienced that both won big tournaments together and also with
other players over their careers, so it'll be tough.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
They're not seeded, but they're a very good combination.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Came through a super close tiebreak last night ten to
eight against a couple of experienced Argentinian so it'll be
This match will be a lot tighter than the Venus
semi final and their quarterfinal, even though those two, of
course both went to match tiebreaks as well. This will
be close, but I feel that that Venus and Metics
(06:02):
are the better pairing here.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
All right, Well, fingers crossed, Yeah, eleven thirty, that's it's underway.
And then following that will be the singles final. And
there we mentioned it before, birds Gale one face up
against zizu Berg's. But yeah, getting being able to see
the French legend, you know, for at one point just
that was that the poster boy of men's tennis right
around the world. This is it's pretty special, isn't it
this late on in his career.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
It's been amazing. You know. It was great that he
came back. It's great that he's still playing.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
But we all thought sitting there on Tuesday that it
wasn't going to last long.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
He was.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
He was six one, five to two down in his
first round match. He thought, okay, this is all over.
Somehow it comes back, takes the takes a second set
in entire breaker, wins the third, and from then on
he's he's just rolled on and he's been breaking sort
of records along the way.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
He's now the.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Well by far, the oldest man to be in an
Auckland final since nineteen seventy, but he's also the second
oldest player of anyone on the ATP Tour to make
a final since nineteen ninety. So it's just it's just
thirty eight and he's still he's still got it because,
as you know, Adam Tennis is just getting so so physical,
so fast. The players are getting younger and stronger, and
(07:16):
he's out there still doing it and he's been playing great.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Absolutely, Indeed, who's your pick for Michael? Before you go.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
My pick, this is going to sound like I'm sitting
on the fence. But my whoever takes the first set
is going to win this. I can't see mont Feast
winning him three. But if he wins the first set,
he will he will roll onto the title. I mean
he's up against the Belgium world number sixty six, zizu Bergs,
who's named after zenidin Zadan. His parents are big fans
of the French footballer, and the Belgium's in his first finals,
(07:46):
so it's a big ask.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
But he has looked good.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
He's aggressive player and he'll try and get mont Feast
moving around and wear him out. I think mont Feast
will be too good, but it will be closer than
people probably think.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
All right, well, hopefully it is and the crowd gets
a good show with both those games. Ready, appreciate your time.
Michael enjoyed the day. There are going to be another
fantastic finals day at the ASB Tennis Classic and Auckland
on center court. So yeah, great that Michael Venus as
a part of it once again as he bids her
another title. It's been a long time between drinks for him,
as you heard, so yeah, his final underwear eleven thirty
and then that singles final featuring the French Star gail
(08:21):
Mont Feast underway right after the Doubles, so enjoy the
day if you're heading along. All coverage here on News
Talks FB and it Aren't the Nzed Herald as well.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk set B on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio