December 16, 2024 • 29 mins
Rennae and Andrea discuss which WTA Players are (or should be) putting in the hard yards in the offseason, and whom we've had to block for making us feel bad for training too hard! Will this year be the comeback for Maria Sakkari we'd all love to see? Can Coco build on her end of year momentum? Is Qinwen Zheng the best clay rival for Iga? All this and more in the WTA edition of the 2025 predictions year end spectacular (sans Caitlin, who went to eat cookies).
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hi everyone, and welcome to the Rene Snubs Tennis podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
It is time Petco. I am joined by Andrea Pekovich,
of course, the great, the one, the only Caitlin. She
has other things to do today, doing cookies. Yeah, she's
eating cookies today. But we are going to discuss the
upcoming Australian pan favorites. What our thoughts are, et cetera,
(00:38):
et cetera. Let's let's start. First of all, give a
give a little bit of a synopsis for someone who's
European or American who has to go down to Australia
and how difficult that transition is to go from really
cold weather like it is in New York right now,
and Europe and and and head down to a Brisbane
(00:59):
or Auckland not so much, but certainly Brisbane where it's
so freaking hot, so freaking humid. Like, how difficult is
that transition?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Definitely not easy. Doesn't become easier the older you are.
I think most players, I think most players will have
a pit stop in Dubai, which a lot of them
do now, where they practice for a week or two
in Dubai get adjusted. But I do have to say
Dubai at this time is beautiful in a sense of perfect.
(01:27):
Weather's kind of like la. Yeah, yeah, it's not. It's dry,
it's warm, but it gets cool in the night, it
gets cool in the mornings. It's not really ideal when
you go to Brisbane and it just knocks you off
your feet because it's humid and hot, or it can
be humid and hot.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
No, albert is not can be always is. Brisbane is
like Florida in summer.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Yeah, it's just Melbourne is different. Melbourne.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yes, dry heat, yeah, fucking dry heat. It can be
like you know, one hundred.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
And we see it sometimes with players like I don't
know if you remember Garbinia Muguruzo had to retire in
her first round match. I think it was against Putin
Sieva one time in Brisbane with cramps and everyone's like,
she's coming from the off season. Why is she cramping
and these.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Sweating out like a yes, a bucket of water every
five minutes.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Yeah, this is the reason. Because she practiced in Marbea,
which is in Spain where you can practice during the
during the winter outside it's like fifteen sixteen degrees European,
so it's cool, like you can sixty five degrees, Yeah, exactly,
but you can practice outside and it's windy. And so
she came to Brisbane and came to Brisbane. Sorry, Brisbane
(02:36):
came a bit late. And then even though she was
in the best shape possible because she played I think
quarters at the Australian opened just a few weeks later
and she lost with match points against Naomi Osaka, who
then ended up winning your show. So she was clearly
in great shape, but that will knock you out. So
that's definitely part of why, and a lot of the
(02:56):
top players it has to be set, especially the men,
because for them the season starts even or ends even later.
A lot of the men take the first two weeks
in Australia as part of the preparation.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
As part of the Novak's playing Brisbane this year, I
believe coming up, so I want it so so yeah,
so the adjustment listen, it's the one. And I joked
about this with Jessica Bagoula during the Garden Cup in
New York and I was like, when are you guys leaving.
She's like, oh, in a week or so, and I
was like, God, damn, I forgot how quickly this strain
open is coming around this year because of the calendar,
(03:28):
the way it's happening with the you know the dates
this year that they're starting January twelfth. Do you remember
playing in Australian Open it January twelfth or thirteenth?
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I don't think I'm that list flying out on the
twenty fifth of December, so it's.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Jessica, Gula and Ammanavarro. I was flying out on Christmas.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Day, but I said they are doing that because I'm
so bad luck.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I go us Ozzies have to bloody be on the
road nine months of the year and it's about time
you guys had to suffer.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Well, that's true, and I agree with that. All of
Asia Pacific players, like Chinese players, Astam players. I don't
know how you do it, and more power to you
about that. But what I don't understand are they play
in United Cup.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
So are playing United Cup? Coco's playing the United Cup,
Jessica's playing Brisbane, emmon of Ours playing Brisbane.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I know that, okay, because the United Cup. Because I
fly out on the twenty fifth, I land on the
twenty seventh in the morning and I have to work
two hours later and I'm on broadcasting. I don't need
to adjust to no time zone. I don't need to
be there a week earlier. So I'm flying in the
last possible moment possible, just so I can still make
it and give myself a three four hour period in
(04:34):
case something gets awry. But these girls, they need to
adjust to the time zone, and they are trying, off,
of course, also to have Christmas at home possibly, So
this is going to cut it very close.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yeah, it's it's not it's not easy for the Americans
and for the Europeans.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
But the rest of the years now, yes, the rest
of the years.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Because then you know, all in Europe you're like, oh,
let me just jump in my car and drive something
flying off, Like Australians have to fly twenty four hours
to get anyway any so we're very excited about that.
So that's sort of like how do you adjust? You suffer.
If you see a European come to Brisbane and you
see them go out to practice for the first time
they come back in, they literally look like a beatroot.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
They are also so paleless when I see myself, when
I see myself on photos in Brisbane.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Like, oh my god, how am I? So I look
like that?
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Also the first two days. So the first day you
usually would just hit very easily, not exert yourself too much.
But then on the second day you have to already
play points and work out a little bit tougher. And
I never, for even after sixteen years on tour, I
would still have this moment of desperation. I didn't do
my job in my off season because on the first
(05:43):
day in Brisbane, after twenty hours of a flight and
in this new, new climate and new time zone, you're like,
I am dying after ten minutes of hitting the ball.
What is wrong with me? I did everything wrong? And
then after three days you're there and everything is fine.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
That's how I feel when I play tennis now every
single time. Oh my god, I'm going to die. We
always do this for a living. I'm always jet likeged
I'm always adjusting to the time zone and the heat.
So let's talk about our favorites. What we expect. I
have to say, looking at the training schedule right now
of Coco Goff on Instagram, she is putting in the
(06:21):
work and I think after her finishing the way she did,
it's going to be real interesting to see. And I
do believe that she has absolutely put her hand up
to be one of the favorites of the U Strain Open.
So let's talk about the ladies first. Okay, who do
you think is the favorite? Clearly there's a lot of
stuff that can happen prior to the Austrain Open, injuries,
(06:41):
all of that stuff happens, we know going into it.
What are your thoughts, Sabalanca eager? You know we're talking
about Coco obviously, Rebarkina, Like, what's going to be her deal? Like,
what are your thoughts behind what you're looking forward to
and who you think is the favorite going to the
Strain Open.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
So my thoughts from the lady's perspective, I'm trying to
keep it very concise. I think Sablenka is the overwhelming favorite,
just because I know how serious she takes the off season.
I know she will put in all the work, and
I think she's the best hardcore player we have. I
think she's proved that over the course of not only
this year twenty twenty four, but also the past few years.
(07:19):
But she's really come into herself on hard courts this year,
and I think she will be the favorite. I do
think I.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Was just stretching my arms oh, okay, I thought you
were showing me stop. I actually I didn't. I needed
my other hand to pull my hand back, having a
cramp in my left arm.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Okay, I thought you were showing, like put your microphone closer.
I'm always yelling. Yeah. And I think that Cocoa gov
will be one of the favorites. I think the way
she played the rest of the season after the US
Open was so impressive, changing the grip on the which
she needs serve she needed to do, but in the
middle of the season, so much respect for that, and
I think she will be one of the favorites. The
(07:57):
one thing I will say last year at the Austrian
and we talked about it, she came out so jagged
from the off season that I almost felt she was
two three kilos too heavy on the upper part of
her body, and that's why I thought she was having
trouble with her serf. Of course, through the course of
the season it turned out it was also a technical issue.
(08:17):
Not only that, because generally.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
It's all technical and then therefore it's also mental.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So yeah, yeah, But in the beginning I was like, oh,
I think she because she was so strong abroad and
the thing what comes with strength is lack of agility.
And I just thought she can't get into the rotation
that she was able to get, So she can't get
that kick and she can't.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Get she doesn't have the boltos in the right spot.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Yeah, and the thing, well, well right, that was then
part of it. But the thing is that usually and
that's why you see the players come out of the
off season Jack, what happens throughout the season. You lose
weight because you're competing all the time, you can't do
as much weightlifting, your eating schedule is different, and so
I think all of these things play part. So I
just think that she has to be careful on that
(09:02):
side in a sense. But I'm so impressed with it.
I don't blocked her on Instagram because when I look
at her off season, that just brings back PTSD from
my off season.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
I'll let me tell you. I can tell you it
would give you PTSD because it's like serious, it's so
serious actually just before we get there, because I didn't
even think about this person. But it'll be interesting to
see a play that we have not talked about a
lot very much, because she has not done very well
in the last twelve months, but some of it was
on the precipice of maybe breaking through is Maria Zachary,
(09:35):
I asked you does a lot of work in the
off season and works probably harder than anyone court. I mean,
that girl is like a beast. What do you expect
from someone like her this year? And what's her coaching situation?
Because I haven't heard anything me neither.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
That's funny because last year, last week, remember I was like,
do you know what Zucker is doing right now? And
I don't know either.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I do think while we do that, I'm going to
look at her instagram.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Oh yeah, yeah, Well I did look at her results
after we talk, and she hasn't played since the US Opened,
so she was and she retired also at the US Open,
and I know that at the Olympic Games she was
struggling with her shoulders. So I'm not sure if it
was still the same injury at the US Open or
if it was something else. But if there is any
(10:17):
time of the year where Maria Zakari can do the
most difference to work come to the other players, it's
the off season. She has a god given body. She's
an athlete. She would be good at any sports. If
it wasn't tennis, if it was check and field, she
would be good. She just has the body gifted by
God that will absorb any athletic work and will just
(10:40):
transform into this incredible athlete. And so I think this
is always her time to shine. Well that part of
the season.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Speaking of you just talking about her on her Instagram,
and I haven't seen her Instagram for a while. I mean, look,
October fifteen, she was like doing her crazy jumping jack stuff,
her intense out sessions. But then on November first, she said,
feels amazing to be back on court, one step at
a time. So November first, that's so she's going to
have two months. That's enough. That's enough. That's enough. Two
(11:11):
months is like we've talked about in previous podcasts, since
it takes ninety days to change it, you know, a
technique or maybe a thought process. I don't see who
she's hitting with, so we'll see who, you know, ends
up on her on her coaching bag for next year,
because she's had a couple in the last year. But
but yeah, it'll be interesting to see again just everything
is her working out, so so we'll see. But I'll
(11:34):
be interesting to see how she translates her tennis next year,
because she certainly dropped off a lot last year. But
interesting anyway, I just threw that name out.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
And I don't know why it's interesting. We hadn't really
talked about it, so and just just the other people
that I think we should keep an eye on, as
Jess Pagoula. I think she really broke through a barrier
with the final let the US Open, And I do
think because I've played her many times, the Australian Open
should be the best possible surface for her.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
I think Australian. I think New York too.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
I think the New York too, But Australia is even quicker,
is even flatter. It's just a little especially the last
few years, they made it more. How do you say,
what's the opposite ladder? Flat? Yeah, just like smoother, smoother, smoother.
So in her ball, I mean you've seen her head
from court side her ball, it goes almost backwards bullet. Yeah,
but backwards bullet. I don't know how to explain, Like
(12:25):
if you know how spinball jumps, her ball jumps almost
like a slice shot. But the quickstot Ever.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
She's the closest one to like playing when Lindsay Davenport
played just the purity of her ball striking and mand
A Nissa Mova similar, that's true, true, but Amanda hits
her from a higher place because she's taller.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Yeah, so actually similar ball, but much less pace on it.
Angie Kerber because she had this weird technique and quite small,
so her ball would also go so flat and down.
So I think that she should feel very comfortable at
the Austrian Open, especially if she has an injury free
off season and is ready.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And also you know, she practices, she spends most of
her time in Florida. It's very hot. This conditions should
not affect her, even though she's coming out of winter.
It's still going to be a bit of a shock
for her as well. But yeah, I think Jess, it
will be interesting to see how she responds to coming
so close at the US Open. So she knows she
can make a final. She knows, you know, even in
that US Open final how close she was, And I
(13:20):
think it does make a difference when you get there,
you know you can get there, So that's that part
of her mentality is changed. We have to talk also
about gin Win, because jin Win made the finals at
this strain open last year, it was kind of like
this wow moment, right, well, wow, like is this the
next you know, big thing? And you know she struggled
after that for a while, but then winning the Olympics
(13:41):
and then having a great fall season as well. What
do you think about her next year? Because talk about somebody,
this is what I'd love about the girls at the top. Now,
the women at the top, some people get so mad,
I say, dan't call them girls. I'm like, I get
over they're girls. But it's like, what do you mean.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
They're mostly are girls? Yeah, like seventeen year.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Olds, Yeah, exactly of that, exactly when they're half my
age or more to me, they're girls. But when you
think about the women at the top, the sable Ancas,
the Eggers, the chin Wins, Paulini, I guess sort of
Cocoa goth, they really want it.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Like they really want to really, Like you would say,
there's been players in the top five that you're like,
do they really want it or they just really good?
They're really good, But do they really want to suffer?
Do they really want to feel the pain of losing?
Like do they hate losing more than they like winning,
and I would say argue that most of them do.
I think Rebekina as the type of player that doesn't
(14:40):
really I don't know how much she hurts when she loses,
but she believes that she can be and she's put
it out there. She wants to be number one in
the world.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Well and with Rebecca and I think she's just in
general and emotionally. She says always, I have a big
emotional in her life, but I think she in general
just goes through her emotions in a less flashy manner
than others. And I think we know these people, but.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
It Amanavara, she don't like she cares, Yeah exactly, we
know she.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Cares, Yeah exactly. That's it. But that's a good point.
I think with Chin when what my prediction is she
will have a phenomenal year twenty twenty five, I don't
think she will be able to repeat Yeshane Open because
it's the first time she has to defend a huge
result and I think she will struggle with that. I
think she's much better than most of the of the
(15:26):
main jaw so she will definitely make the second week,
but I don't think she will get as far as
last year. And then she will have a phenomenal season.
I think it's just an experience you have to go
through one time, and I think she will and she
will do well fourth round or quarters, but I don't
think she will repeat it, that's my prediction. And then
after that, I think she will end this season in
the top five, top five. She's five now.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Right, Yeah, she's five now what a great prediction.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yes, but I think she will like be a perennial
top five, as steady top five with possibilities to be
even it's tough because everyone is so good. I don't
think she it's going to be to be tough to be.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
As I think that she absolutely with Para Riba as well.
The thought process has to be for her to do
well at the strainer open do well, but my god,
like you know, whenever one's like, I mean, Ega is
such a lock at the French But I gotta tell
you chin Win can play on clay.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Yeah, she just has to figure out her movement because
sometimes and that's not always, and she trains in Barcelona.
She will figure this out in like a hot second.
Probably Sometimes she hits the ball and then slides and
it costs you two three meters, right. You see that
with Americans a lot, and she does it right most
of the time, but she still sometimes has it once
she gets that perfected. From now, let's say seventy five
(16:45):
percent correct to ninety percent correct. She will be the
biggest rival for Ega. She beat her at the Olympic Games. Yeah,
on the Philip shatriecord. She will be the biggest rival
in the French Open because theforehand is so fucking heavy.
And it's a similar thing with IgA. You can't rush
her on clay as well as you can on hard courts, right,
because you can rush Hea on hard courts. We talked
(17:05):
about it after the final against Arena Sabalenka. Arena kept
serving that slice.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Wife, she really wants it, like you can see it
in her face. She ain't messing around, she ain't making friends,
She's not shaking hands nicely. She's like, I want to
beat you bitches, Like I don't care, I don't want
to make friends with you. She said it, you can't press.
(17:44):
I think the thing with her is that she has
gained so much confidence about how good she is and
can be. Like it's one thing when you think you
have the capacity to maybe win a slam, or get
to a final, or beat these top players and all
that sort of. But it's another when you start actually
having the result and you start beating, Like beating Ega
in Paris on that court has to give her so
(18:07):
much confidence thinking why not? Why not me win the
French Open next year? But before we get to the
French obviously she's gonna have to defend her finals to
these straight open points, but she has to have a
ton of confidence going in there. I think she's gonna
make quarters at least, and then why not?
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Well, I agree with you. I think that she has
now as have maybe all of the top five, or
at least the Sablenkas, Fiontec's, the Goths and the chin
wen Jangs Paulini. I'm not sure how it's going to
be for her next one. Maybe we can talk about it.
Just because of her physicality, it's not even the game
to me. I think her game and the exuberance she has,
(18:43):
the energy, I think it will take her long ways.
It already has. I just don't know if she can
keep making up for her physical or lack of physicality
compared to the other big players that are pushing more
and more. You know, that's the only thing. But we
can talk about it just to fin on chin Wuan Jang.
I do think that she has separated herself, as have
(19:06):
the others of the top five from the rest of
the pack. So even with a bad performance, I think
she will win most of her matches. Whereas after the
Australian Open. If you remember, she lost to oh my god,
what's her name? She beat Zachary at the Australian Open
in the first round last year, a small Armenian girl.
She switched her citizenship.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Oh yeah, she went, oh god, I can't remember.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Anyway, she beat Chin Wen at the French Open, Like,
how is that possible?
Speaker 2 (19:34):
We need to produce it and look that up for us.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yes, I will look at a sorryer. No.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
I love that Jesse is telling us this. We're supposed
to be the bloody tennis But although you are kind
of obsessed, Okay, we're going to.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Talk about Avanian.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
There we go. We figured out it's like it's like
two words, one word, one syllable.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Anyway, and I think those kind of losses will happen
less and less to her because she lost to Son.
I think at Wimbledon, yes, who had a great run,
so it wasn't that bad of a lost looking back
Newcomer of the Year WT exactly. But she lost her
son at Wimbledon, and she lost to Avenisia and at
the French Open, And I think those type of losses,
I think she's improved too much to have those as
(20:19):
frequently as she had last year. Because last year, if
you look at it, four slams too good, too kind
of for a top five player, not so good, right,
And I think those things will in the past for
junk Genuay.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yeah, I think that she is going to have a
good year next year. I think that, you know, above everything,
and I really believe this. You gotta want it. You
gotta want it every week. You've got to want to
win every match, and if you have that capability and
that sort of mental fortitude, you will win a lot
of matches that you might have lost prior. Because now
she's going to really want to refuse to lose. You've
got to refuse to lose if you want to be great,
(20:54):
you want to be you can't be like, well, I
doesn't feel like it today, you know, you know what
it's like. But yeah, so I think she's going to
have a great So.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
What do you think about Paulini? Do you think she
can repeat, even repeat, because.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
A repeat like two Grand Slam finals.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
But repeat a top eight season. She's in the top yes, five,
but can she be in the top I did? I
think there would be an incredible success if she did,
think I do.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
I think that she understands that she's probably got a
window of about three or four years to really capitalize
on her age, on her experience, and on how well
she plays. You know, as you know, it gets harder
when she get to the mid thirties. I mean, she's
in an age what twenty eight now, and she's kind
of for me, twenty eight is really starting to be
the prime. Not to say that players can't be great
at twenty clearly eager. Yeah, And when I mean all
(21:42):
these players, Sabalanca, they're all done really well in their
twenties early twenties. But I just think she asn't. She's
a true all court player. You know, she can come
to the net, she has good volleys, she's looking to
move forward like all those things. And she doesn't have
a weakness, Like there's not a weakness in her game.
She really can hit every shot for.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
Her scept that she doesn't get free points on her search.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
She doesn't get free points in her serve. But for
someone who's so small, her serve is.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Great, no, incredible, It is late, no, no, she is
incredible for what physicality she has.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
It's just pretty good free points. I would like to
look up actually the stats that she has on first
serve percentages for the year. That would be an interesting
look for her. And her second serve is not overly attackable.
I mean she it's a really nice kick serve. I
think she just doesn't have a lot of weaknesses. So
I think the only thing that's going to stop her
is she plays against a player that maybe overpowers her slightly.
But I see her doing great on clay. There's no
(22:39):
surface that she can't play on. I think she's going
to have I think she'll be in the top ten
for sure throughout the entire year next year, even with
the points that she.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
Has, Yeah, how will that go? What do you think?
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I think she's going to do very very well. I
think she's a player that's going to be a perennial
quarter finalist at Grand Slams all the time. And I
think you know, and pushing through the semis and finals,
and I think she can be anyone on any given day.
You know, it's just how much do you hate to lose?
And that's what's going to come down to how well
she can played through the years.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
So here are the stats. And I think there will
be a problem next year because I do think she
went on energy and exuberants this year and if she
just likes one percent of this, this will become a problem.
She has eighty nine aces in the whole of season
twenty twenty four hundred five double faults, so fifteen more
double faults than aces. Okay, first serf in the court
(23:40):
is sixty seven percent. Out of those sixty seven percent
that she makes on average, she only wins sixty two
percent of those first serves.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
And while we're.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
A top five player, I always obviously always, I know
we always wants.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
To return return is did they have what she is
ranked on serve and say, don't happen?
Speaker 3 (24:00):
That makes me so angry.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
You know, we have such great.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Return points one she has forty five, so she's very
good on second return Like when the opponents second serve,
she's really good. She wins fifty five percent of those points.
So she is an incredible and again, when we talk
about just me and Paulini, I'm comparing her to IgA, Saballenka,
Rebeckena Goth and Hinwin. These are the players I'm comparing
(24:26):
her to her. That she is an incredible player and
is maybe the most fun to watch without.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Sorry, she's my favorite.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Yeah comes without a saying, and I think again, I
always have to say it every time, but it is
something that I think is worth repeating. When we criticize players,
we criticize them on the highest level possible. I'm not
comparing just mean even to.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Me what you're saying, Italy, please don't attack.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
No, they can attack me. I love just me and
I've always talked right. I just think that there's might
be a problem for her. She's just fantastic, exactly. There
is nothing to say. And if I could sign a
paper that gives me just me and Paulini in the
top five at the end of twenty twenty five, I
would sign it in this moment and give half of
my sol away for this. This is how much I
care about it.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I think she's going to be top ten throughout the
whole year. As I said, even with the two finals
of the Slams, because I think she's going to be
incredibly consistent all year. Because think about it, this year
was her real first, real big year. The year before
a little better right.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Doing well finally and the end of the year she
really came.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
In, really came on. But this year she really played well. Right,
So think about how much confidence she would have gained
from this whole experience of this year and winning Grand
Slams in doubles and having the results that she's.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Had and gold medal at the Olympius.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
She knows she can play against all these players on
any given day, and she hits the crap out of
the ball for someone so little, so like Dominique Sibelkova,
I mean, just crack crash.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
And it always makes me angry. With Jess and with Paulini.
Some people who comment on their games they see their
size and not like, oh, they are solid players, they
are pushers. I'm like, have you ever seen them play?
Speaker 2 (26:05):
God?
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Exactly?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Collini and Pogola play.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
What is wrong with people? It makes me always angry.
But this just comes to tell you that how the
appearance comes, it often just sways people in their opinion
but one thing that was really interesting that you said.
You said, twenty eight has become the prime of tennis players.
And there is a really interesting study in baseball which
says that the actual biological peak performance is in explosive
(26:32):
things like baseball, hitting the thing, pitching, hitting the thing
the thing. I clearly don't know much about baseball is
twenty three. So this is the peak performance a twenty people.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
But are the Mets for paying that much money for
fe Well?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Wait, the actual peak performance is around twenty eight because
the experience gained in the five years prior not only
makes up for the loss of explosiveness, but overpowers the
loss of explosiveness after twenty eight. Sorry to say, things
go backwards strongly, but interestingly in tennis it has gotten
(27:05):
to the same level whereas it used to be twenty
five twenty four. Right, my peak was, I would say
between twenty.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Twenty nine, where I started really feeling it.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Also, it depends a little bit on your injuries, Right,
I had a very bad injury in the beginning of
so I think my I peaked a bit earlier and
my body aged a bit earlier because of the compensation.
I started having chronic pain in my knees when I
was twenty eight because I had an acl with nineteen.
But I think generally, as Angie, she played the best
tennis between teny seven and thirty thirty one. So and
(27:38):
you have many players that just mean Paulini, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
I think. I think judsmine as well as is just
a really true all core player, and I think it
takes longer to develop that game Bashers. Yeah, so yeah,
so I think she's gonna have a good year. What
about Coco? What do we think the chances are? Listen,
I would not have said this four months ago. I
certainly wouldn't have said it the US Open, but I
think she's absolutely equal footing as the favorite of the
(28:03):
Train Open.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
We've talked about it briefly when before your computer went
to shite. To me the second favorite for the Austrian Open,
and just slightly behind Arena Sabalenka. I still view Arena
Sabalanka as the best hardcore player, and I think she
should be the favorite. I think with Rebecca now we
don't know yet. Having a new coach sometimes takes a
(28:24):
while before everything works out that you worked on. But
for me, Arena Sabalenka is the favorite and just right
behind her to me as Cocoa gov especially with what
she showed in the last two months of the season
and that grip change. To me, this is the most
impressive thing to in the middle of the season, not
only with the.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Grip change, but also the serve, particularly the second serve.
I want to see what she's developed on the second
surf because for me, if she can get the second
serve to a point where it's just very good, there's
not a lot of losses. I mean, you think about it.
You know, she lost a match to Sabolenka this year
hitting twenty one double faults. Twenty one double faults and
(29:06):
still almost won the match, So you know, this is
a person that we know. Once she gets those little
flaws under control, everything else is so good competitively, athletically,
the backhand, she can get better with her volleys. There's
a lot of things that she can prove on. So
we're going to take a pause now, but yes, we'll
be back.
Hi everyone, and welcome to the Rene Snubs Tennis podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
It is time Petco. I am joined by Andrea Pekovich,
of course, the great, the one, the only Caitlin. She
has other things to do today, doing cookies. Yeah, she's
eating cookies today. But we are going to discuss the
upcoming Australian pan favorites. What our thoughts are, et cetera,
(00:38):
et cetera. Let's let's start. First of all, give a
give a little bit of a synopsis for someone who's
European or American who has to go down to Australia
and how difficult that transition is to go from really
cold weather like it is in New York right now,
and Europe and and and head down to a Brisbane
(00:59):
or Auckland not so much, but certainly Brisbane where it's
so freaking hot, so freaking humid. Like, how difficult is
that transition?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Definitely not easy. Doesn't become easier the older you are.
I think most players, I think most players will have
a pit stop in Dubai, which a lot of them
do now, where they practice for a week or two
in Dubai get adjusted. But I do have to say
Dubai at this time is beautiful in a sense of perfect.
(01:27):
Weather's kind of like la. Yeah, yeah, it's not. It's dry,
it's warm, but it gets cool in the night, it
gets cool in the mornings. It's not really ideal when
you go to Brisbane and it just knocks you off
your feet because it's humid and hot, or it can
be humid and hot.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
No, albert is not can be always is. Brisbane is
like Florida in summer.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Yeah, it's just Melbourne is different. Melbourne.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yes, dry heat, yeah, fucking dry heat. It can be
like you know, one hundred.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
And we see it sometimes with players like I don't
know if you remember Garbinia Muguruzo had to retire in
her first round match. I think it was against Putin
Sieva one time in Brisbane with cramps and everyone's like,
she's coming from the off season. Why is she cramping
and these.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Sweating out like a yes, a bucket of water every
five minutes.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Yeah, this is the reason. Because she practiced in Marbea,
which is in Spain where you can practice during the
during the winter outside it's like fifteen sixteen degrees European,
so it's cool, like you can sixty five degrees, Yeah, exactly,
but you can practice outside and it's windy. And so
she came to Brisbane and came to Brisbane. Sorry, Brisbane
(02:36):
came a bit late. And then even though she was
in the best shape possible because she played I think
quarters at the Australian opened just a few weeks later
and she lost with match points against Naomi Osaka, who
then ended up winning your show. So she was clearly
in great shape, but that will knock you out. So
that's definitely part of why, and a lot of the
(02:56):
top players it has to be set, especially the men,
because for them the season starts even or ends even later.
A lot of the men take the first two weeks
in Australia as part of the preparation.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
As part of the Novak's playing Brisbane this year, I
believe coming up, so I want it so so yeah,
so the adjustment listen, it's the one. And I joked
about this with Jessica Bagoula during the Garden Cup in
New York and I was like, when are you guys leaving.
She's like, oh, in a week or so, and I
was like, God, damn, I forgot how quickly this strain
open is coming around this year because of the calendar,
(03:28):
the way it's happening with the you know the dates
this year that they're starting January twelfth. Do you remember
playing in Australian Open it January twelfth or thirteenth?
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I don't think I'm that list flying out on the
twenty fifth of December, so it's.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Jessica, Gula and Ammanavarro. I was flying out on Christmas.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Day, but I said they are doing that because I'm
so bad luck.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I go us Ozzies have to bloody be on the
road nine months of the year and it's about time
you guys had to suffer.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Well, that's true, and I agree with that. All of
Asia Pacific players, like Chinese players, Astam players. I don't
know how you do it, and more power to you
about that. But what I don't understand are they play
in United Cup.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
So are playing United Cup? Coco's playing the United Cup,
Jessica's playing Brisbane, emmon of Ours playing Brisbane.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I know that, okay, because the United Cup. Because I
fly out on the twenty fifth, I land on the
twenty seventh in the morning and I have to work
two hours later and I'm on broadcasting. I don't need
to adjust to no time zone. I don't need to
be there a week earlier. So I'm flying in the
last possible moment possible, just so I can still make
it and give myself a three four hour period in
(04:34):
case something gets awry. But these girls, they need to
adjust to the time zone, and they are trying, off,
of course, also to have Christmas at home possibly, So
this is going to cut it very close.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yeah, it's it's not it's not easy for the Americans
and for the Europeans.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
But the rest of the years now, yes, the rest
of the years.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Because then you know, all in Europe you're like, oh,
let me just jump in my car and drive something
flying off, Like Australians have to fly twenty four hours
to get anyway any so we're very excited about that.
So that's sort of like how do you adjust? You suffer.
If you see a European come to Brisbane and you
see them go out to practice for the first time
they come back in, they literally look like a beatroot.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
They are also so paleless when I see myself, when
I see myself on photos in Brisbane.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Like, oh my god, how am I? So I look
like that?
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Also the first two days. So the first day you
usually would just hit very easily, not exert yourself too much.
But then on the second day you have to already
play points and work out a little bit tougher. And
I never, for even after sixteen years on tour, I
would still have this moment of desperation. I didn't do
my job in my off season because on the first
(05:43):
day in Brisbane, after twenty hours of a flight and
in this new, new climate and new time zone, you're like,
I am dying after ten minutes of hitting the ball.
What is wrong with me? I did everything wrong? And
then after three days you're there and everything is fine.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
That's how I feel when I play tennis now every
single time. Oh my god, I'm going to die. We
always do this for a living. I'm always jet likeged
I'm always adjusting to the time zone and the heat.
So let's talk about our favorites. What we expect. I
have to say, looking at the training schedule right now
of Coco Goff on Instagram, she is putting in the
(06:21):
work and I think after her finishing the way she did,
it's going to be real interesting to see. And I
do believe that she has absolutely put her hand up
to be one of the favorites of the U Strain Open.
So let's talk about the ladies first. Okay, who do
you think is the favorite? Clearly there's a lot of
stuff that can happen prior to the Austrain Open, injuries,
(06:41):
all of that stuff happens, we know going into it.
What are your thoughts, Sabalanca eager? You know we're talking
about Coco obviously, Rebarkina, Like, what's going to be her deal? Like,
what are your thoughts behind what you're looking forward to
and who you think is the favorite going to the
Strain Open.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
So my thoughts from the lady's perspective, I'm trying to
keep it very concise. I think Sablenka is the overwhelming favorite,
just because I know how serious she takes the off season.
I know she will put in all the work, and
I think she's the best hardcore player we have. I
think she's proved that over the course of not only
this year twenty twenty four, but also the past few years.
(07:19):
But she's really come into herself on hard courts this year,
and I think she will be the favorite. I do
think I.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Was just stretching my arms oh, okay, I thought you
were showing me stop. I actually I didn't. I needed
my other hand to pull my hand back, having a
cramp in my left arm.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Okay, I thought you were showing, like put your microphone closer.
I'm always yelling. Yeah. And I think that Cocoa gov
will be one of the favorites. I think the way
she played the rest of the season after the US
Open was so impressive, changing the grip on the which
she needs serve she needed to do, but in the
middle of the season, so much respect for that, and
I think she will be one of the favorites. The
(07:57):
one thing I will say last year at the Austrian
and we talked about it, she came out so jagged
from the off season that I almost felt she was
two three kilos too heavy on the upper part of
her body, and that's why I thought she was having
trouble with her serf. Of course, through the course of
the season it turned out it was also a technical issue.
(08:17):
Not only that, because generally.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
It's all technical and then therefore it's also mental.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
So yeah, yeah, But in the beginning I was like, oh,
I think she because she was so strong abroad and
the thing what comes with strength is lack of agility.
And I just thought she can't get into the rotation
that she was able to get, So she can't get
that kick and she can't.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Get she doesn't have the boltos in the right spot.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Yeah, and the thing, well, well right, that was then
part of it. But the thing is that usually and
that's why you see the players come out of the
off season Jack, what happens throughout the season. You lose
weight because you're competing all the time, you can't do
as much weightlifting, your eating schedule is different, and so
I think all of these things play part. So I
just think that she has to be careful on that
(09:02):
side in a sense. But I'm so impressed with it.
I don't blocked her on Instagram because when I look
at her off season, that just brings back PTSD from
my off season.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
I'll let me tell you. I can tell you it
would give you PTSD because it's like serious, it's so
serious actually just before we get there, because I didn't
even think about this person. But it'll be interesting to
see a play that we have not talked about a
lot very much, because she has not done very well
in the last twelve months, but some of it was
on the precipice of maybe breaking through is Maria Zachary,
(09:35):
I asked you does a lot of work in the
off season and works probably harder than anyone court. I mean,
that girl is like a beast. What do you expect
from someone like her this year? And what's her coaching situation?
Because I haven't heard anything me neither.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
That's funny because last year, last week, remember I was like,
do you know what Zucker is doing right now? And
I don't know either.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I do think while we do that, I'm going to
look at her instagram.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Oh yeah, yeah, Well I did look at her results
after we talk, and she hasn't played since the US Opened,
so she was and she retired also at the US Open,
and I know that at the Olympic Games she was
struggling with her shoulders. So I'm not sure if it
was still the same injury at the US Open or
if it was something else. But if there is any
(10:17):
time of the year where Maria Zakari can do the
most difference to work come to the other players, it's
the off season. She has a god given body. She's
an athlete. She would be good at any sports. If
it wasn't tennis, if it was check and field, she
would be good. She just has the body gifted by
God that will absorb any athletic work and will just
(10:40):
transform into this incredible athlete. And so I think this
is always her time to shine. Well that part of
the season.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Speaking of you just talking about her on her Instagram,
and I haven't seen her Instagram for a while. I mean, look,
October fifteen, she was like doing her crazy jumping jack stuff,
her intense out sessions. But then on November first, she said,
feels amazing to be back on court, one step at
a time. So November first, that's so she's going to
have two months. That's enough. That's enough. That's enough. Two
(11:11):
months is like we've talked about in previous podcasts, since
it takes ninety days to change it, you know, a
technique or maybe a thought process. I don't see who
she's hitting with, so we'll see who, you know, ends
up on her on her coaching bag for next year,
because she's had a couple in the last year. But
but yeah, it'll be interesting to see again just everything
is her working out, so so we'll see. But I'll
(11:34):
be interesting to see how she translates her tennis next year,
because she certainly dropped off a lot last year. But
interesting anyway, I just threw that name out.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
And I don't know why it's interesting. We hadn't really
talked about it, so and just just the other people
that I think we should keep an eye on, as
Jess Pagoula. I think she really broke through a barrier
with the final let the US Open, And I do
think because I've played her many times, the Australian Open
should be the best possible surface for her.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
I think Australian. I think New York too.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
I think the New York too, But Australia is even quicker,
is even flatter. It's just a little especially the last
few years, they made it more. How do you say,
what's the opposite ladder? Flat? Yeah, just like smoother, smoother, smoother.
So in her ball, I mean you've seen her head
from court side her ball, it goes almost backwards bullet. Yeah,
but backwards bullet. I don't know how to explain, Like
(12:25):
if you know how spinball jumps, her ball jumps almost
like a slice shot. But the quickstot Ever.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
She's the closest one to like playing when Lindsay Davenport
played just the purity of her ball striking and mand
A Nissa Mova similar, that's true, true, but Amanda hits
her from a higher place because she's taller.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Yeah, so actually similar ball, but much less pace on it.
Angie Kerber because she had this weird technique and quite small,
so her ball would also go so flat and down.
So I think that she should feel very comfortable at
the Austrian Open, especially if she has an injury free
off season and is ready.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And also you know, she practices, she spends most of
her time in Florida. It's very hot. This conditions should
not affect her, even though she's coming out of winter.
It's still going to be a bit of a shock
for her as well. But yeah, I think Jess, it
will be interesting to see how she responds to coming
so close at the US Open. So she knows she
can make a final. She knows, you know, even in
that US Open final how close she was, And I
(13:20):
think it does make a difference when you get there,
you know you can get there, So that's that part
of her mentality is changed. We have to talk also
about gin Win, because jin Win made the finals at
this strain open last year, it was kind of like
this wow moment, right, well, wow, like is this the
next you know, big thing? And you know she struggled
after that for a while, but then winning the Olympics
(13:41):
and then having a great fall season as well. What
do you think about her next year? Because talk about somebody,
this is what I'd love about the girls at the top. Now,
the women at the top, some people get so mad,
I say, dan't call them girls. I'm like, I get
over they're girls. But it's like, what do you mean.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
They're mostly are girls? Yeah, like seventeen year.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Olds, Yeah, exactly of that, exactly when they're half my
age or more to me, they're girls. But when you
think about the women at the top, the sable Ancas,
the Eggers, the chin Wins, Paulini, I guess sort of
Cocoa goth, they really want it.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Like they really want to really, Like you would say,
there's been players in the top five that you're like,
do they really want it or they just really good?
They're really good, But do they really want to suffer?
Do they really want to feel the pain of losing?
Like do they hate losing more than they like winning,
and I would say argue that most of them do.
I think Rebekina as the type of player that doesn't
(14:40):
really I don't know how much she hurts when she loses,
but she believes that she can be and she's put
it out there. She wants to be number one in
the world.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Well and with Rebecca and I think she's just in
general and emotionally. She says always, I have a big
emotional in her life, but I think she in general
just goes through her emotions in a less flashy manner
than others. And I think we know these people, but.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
It Amanavara, she don't like she cares, Yeah exactly, we
know she.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Cares, Yeah exactly. That's it. But that's a good point.
I think with Chin when what my prediction is she
will have a phenomenal year twenty twenty five, I don't
think she will be able to repeat Yeshane Open because
it's the first time she has to defend a huge
result and I think she will struggle with that. I
think she's much better than most of the of the
(15:26):
main jaw so she will definitely make the second week,
but I don't think she will get as far as
last year. And then she will have a phenomenal season.
I think it's just an experience you have to go
through one time, and I think she will and she
will do well fourth round or quarters, but I don't
think she will repeat it, that's my prediction. And then
after that, I think she will end this season in
the top five, top five. She's five now.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Right, Yeah, she's five now what a great prediction.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yes, but I think she will like be a perennial
top five, as steady top five with possibilities to be
even it's tough because everyone is so good. I don't
think she it's going to be to be tough to be.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
As I think that she absolutely with Para Riba as well.
The thought process has to be for her to do
well at the strainer open do well, but my god,
like you know, whenever one's like, I mean, Ega is
such a lock at the French But I gotta tell
you chin Win can play on clay.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Yeah, she just has to figure out her movement because
sometimes and that's not always, and she trains in Barcelona.
She will figure this out in like a hot second.
Probably Sometimes she hits the ball and then slides and
it costs you two three meters, right. You see that
with Americans a lot, and she does it right most
of the time, but she still sometimes has it once
she gets that perfected. From now, let's say seventy five
(16:45):
percent correct to ninety percent correct. She will be the
biggest rival for Ega. She beat her at the Olympic Games. Yeah,
on the Philip shatriecord. She will be the biggest rival
in the French Open because theforehand is so fucking heavy.
And it's a similar thing with IgA. You can't rush
her on clay as well as you can on hard courts, right,
because you can rush Hea on hard courts. We talked
(17:05):
about it after the final against Arena Sabalenka. Arena kept
serving that slice.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Wife, she really wants it, like you can see it
in her face. She ain't messing around, she ain't making friends,
She's not shaking hands nicely. She's like, I want to
beat you bitches, Like I don't care, I don't want
to make friends with you. She said it, you can't press.
(17:44):
I think the thing with her is that she has
gained so much confidence about how good she is and
can be. Like it's one thing when you think you
have the capacity to maybe win a slam, or get
to a final, or beat these top players and all
that sort of. But it's another when you start actually
having the result and you start beating, Like beating Ega
in Paris on that court has to give her so
(18:07):
much confidence thinking why not? Why not me win the
French Open next year? But before we get to the
French obviously she's gonna have to defend her finals to
these straight open points, but she has to have a
ton of confidence going in there. I think she's gonna
make quarters at least, and then why not?
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Well, I agree with you. I think that she has
now as have maybe all of the top five, or
at least the Sablenkas, Fiontec's, the Goths and the chin
wen Jangs Paulini. I'm not sure how it's going to
be for her next one. Maybe we can talk about it.
Just because of her physicality, it's not even the game
to me. I think her game and the exuberance she has,
(18:43):
the energy, I think it will take her long ways.
It already has. I just don't know if she can
keep making up for her physical or lack of physicality
compared to the other big players that are pushing more
and more. You know, that's the only thing. But we
can talk about it just to fin on chin Wuan Jang.
I do think that she has separated herself, as have
(19:06):
the others of the top five from the rest of
the pack. So even with a bad performance, I think
she will win most of her matches. Whereas after the
Australian Open. If you remember, she lost to oh my god,
what's her name? She beat Zachary at the Australian Open
in the first round last year, a small Armenian girl.
She switched her citizenship.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Oh yeah, she went, oh god, I can't remember.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
Anyway, she beat Chin Wen at the French Open, Like,
how is that possible?
Speaker 2 (19:34):
We need to produce it and look that up for us.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yes, I will look at a sorryer. No.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
I love that Jesse is telling us this. We're supposed
to be the bloody tennis But although you are kind
of obsessed, Okay, we're going to.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Talk about Avanian.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
There we go. We figured out it's like it's like
two words, one word, one syllable.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Anyway, and I think those kind of losses will happen
less and less to her because she lost to Son.
I think at Wimbledon, yes, who had a great run,
so it wasn't that bad of a lost looking back
Newcomer of the Year WT exactly. But she lost her
son at Wimbledon, and she lost to Avenisia and at
the French Open, And I think those type of losses,
I think she's improved too much to have those as
(20:19):
frequently as she had last year. Because last year, if
you look at it, four slams too good, too kind
of for a top five player, not so good, right,
And I think those things will in the past for
junk Genuay.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yeah, I think that she is going to have a
good year next year. I think that, you know, above everything,
and I really believe this. You gotta want it. You
gotta want it every week. You've got to want to
win every match, and if you have that capability and
that sort of mental fortitude, you will win a lot
of matches that you might have lost prior. Because now
she's going to really want to refuse to lose. You've
got to refuse to lose if you want to be great,
(20:54):
you want to be you can't be like, well, I
doesn't feel like it today, you know, you know what
it's like. But yeah, so I think she's going to
have a great So.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
What do you think about Paulini? Do you think she
can repeat, even repeat, because.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
A repeat like two Grand Slam finals.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
But repeat a top eight season. She's in the top yes, five,
but can she be in the top I did? I
think there would be an incredible success if she did,
think I do.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
I think that she understands that she's probably got a
window of about three or four years to really capitalize
on her age, on her experience, and on how well
she plays. You know, as you know, it gets harder
when she get to the mid thirties. I mean, she's
in an age what twenty eight now, and she's kind
of for me, twenty eight is really starting to be
the prime. Not to say that players can't be great
at twenty clearly eager. Yeah, And when I mean all
(21:42):
these players, Sabalanca, they're all done really well in their
twenties early twenties. But I just think she asn't. She's
a true all court player. You know, she can come
to the net, she has good volleys, she's looking to
move forward like all those things. And she doesn't have
a weakness, Like there's not a weakness in her game.
She really can hit every shot for.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
Her scept that she doesn't get free points on her search.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
She doesn't get free points in her serve. But for
someone who's so small, her serve is.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Great, no, incredible, It is late, no, no, she is
incredible for what physicality she has.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
It's just pretty good free points. I would like to
look up actually the stats that she has on first
serve percentages for the year. That would be an interesting
look for her. And her second serve is not overly attackable.
I mean she it's a really nice kick serve. I
think she just doesn't have a lot of weaknesses. So
I think the only thing that's going to stop her
is she plays against a player that maybe overpowers her slightly.
But I see her doing great on clay. There's no
(22:39):
surface that she can't play on. I think she's going
to have I think she'll be in the top ten
for sure throughout the entire year next year, even with
the points that she.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
Has, Yeah, how will that go? What do you think?
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I think she's going to do very very well. I
think she's a player that's going to be a perennial
quarter finalist at Grand Slams all the time. And I
think you know, and pushing through the semis and finals,
and I think she can be anyone on any given day.
You know, it's just how much do you hate to lose?
And that's what's going to come down to how well
she can played through the years.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
So here are the stats. And I think there will
be a problem next year because I do think she
went on energy and exuberants this year and if she
just likes one percent of this, this will become a problem.
She has eighty nine aces in the whole of season
twenty twenty four hundred five double faults, so fifteen more
double faults than aces. Okay, first serf in the court
(23:40):
is sixty seven percent. Out of those sixty seven percent
that she makes on average, she only wins sixty two
percent of those first serves.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
And while we're.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
A top five player, I always obviously always, I know
we always wants.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
To return return is did they have what she is
ranked on serve and say, don't happen?
Speaker 3 (24:00):
That makes me so angry.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
You know, we have such great.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Return points one she has forty five, so she's very
good on second return Like when the opponents second serve,
she's really good. She wins fifty five percent of those points.
So she is an incredible and again, when we talk
about just me and Paulini, I'm comparing her to IgA, Saballenka,
Rebeckena Goth and Hinwin. These are the players I'm comparing
(24:26):
her to her. That she is an incredible player and
is maybe the most fun to watch without.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Sorry, she's my favorite.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Yeah comes without a saying, and I think again, I
always have to say it every time, but it is
something that I think is worth repeating. When we criticize players,
we criticize them on the highest level possible. I'm not
comparing just mean even to.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Me what you're saying, Italy, please don't attack.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
No, they can attack me. I love just me and
I've always talked right. I just think that there's might
be a problem for her. She's just fantastic, exactly. There
is nothing to say. And if I could sign a
paper that gives me just me and Paulini in the
top five at the end of twenty twenty five, I
would sign it in this moment and give half of
my sol away for this. This is how much I
care about it.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I think she's going to be top ten throughout the
whole year. As I said, even with the two finals
of the Slams, because I think she's going to be
incredibly consistent all year. Because think about it, this year
was her real first, real big year. The year before
a little better right.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Doing well finally and the end of the year she
really came.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
In, really came on. But this year she really played well. Right,
So think about how much confidence she would have gained
from this whole experience of this year and winning Grand
Slams in doubles and having the results that she's.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Had and gold medal at the Olympius.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
She knows she can play against all these players on
any given day, and she hits the crap out of
the ball for someone so little, so like Dominique Sibelkova,
I mean, just crack crash.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
And it always makes me angry. With Jess and with Paulini.
Some people who comment on their games they see their
size and not like, oh, they are solid players, they
are pushers. I'm like, have you ever seen them play?
Speaker 2 (26:05):
God?
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Exactly?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Collini and Pogola play.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
What is wrong with people? It makes me always angry.
But this just comes to tell you that how the
appearance comes, it often just sways people in their opinion
but one thing that was really interesting that you said.
You said, twenty eight has become the prime of tennis players.
And there is a really interesting study in baseball which
says that the actual biological peak performance is in explosive
(26:32):
things like baseball, hitting the thing, pitching, hitting the thing
the thing. I clearly don't know much about baseball is
twenty three. So this is the peak performance a twenty people.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
But are the Mets for paying that much money for
fe Well?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Wait, the actual peak performance is around twenty eight because
the experience gained in the five years prior not only
makes up for the loss of explosiveness, but overpowers the
loss of explosiveness after twenty eight. Sorry to say, things
go backwards strongly, but interestingly in tennis it has gotten
(27:05):
to the same level whereas it used to be twenty
five twenty four. Right, my peak was, I would say
between twenty.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Twenty nine, where I started really feeling it.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Also, it depends a little bit on your injuries, Right,
I had a very bad injury in the beginning of
so I think my I peaked a bit earlier and
my body aged a bit earlier because of the compensation.
I started having chronic pain in my knees when I
was twenty eight because I had an acl with nineteen.
But I think generally, as Angie, she played the best
tennis between teny seven and thirty thirty one. So and
(27:38):
you have many players that just mean Paulini, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
I think. I think judsmine as well as is just
a really true all core player, and I think it
takes longer to develop that game Bashers. Yeah, so yeah,
so I think she's gonna have a good year. What
about Coco? What do we think the chances are? Listen,
I would not have said this four months ago. I
certainly wouldn't have said it the US Open, but I
think she's absolutely equal footing as the favorite of the
(28:03):
Train Open.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
We've talked about it briefly when before your computer went
to shite. To me the second favorite for the Austrian Open,
and just slightly behind Arena Sabalenka. I still view Arena
Sabalanka as the best hardcore player, and I think she
should be the favorite. I think with Rebecca now we
don't know yet. Having a new coach sometimes takes a
(28:24):
while before everything works out that you worked on. But
for me, Arena Sabalenka is the favorite and just right
behind her to me as Cocoa gov especially with what
she showed in the last two months of the season
and that grip change. To me, this is the most
impressive thing to in the middle of the season, not
only with the.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Grip change, but also the serve, particularly the second serve.
I want to see what she's developed on the second
surf because for me, if she can get the second
serve to a point where it's just very good, there's
not a lot of losses. I mean, you think about it.
You know, she lost a match to Sabolenka this year
hitting twenty one double faults. Twenty one double faults and
(29:06):
still almost won the match, So you know, this is
a person that we know. Once she gets those little
flaws under control, everything else is so good competitively, athletically,
the backhand, she can get better with her volleys. There's
a lot of things that she can prove on. So
we're going to take a pause now, but yes, we'll
be back.
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