January 27, 2023 • 31 mins
Novak Djokovic is one win away from a historic 10th Australian Open title after eliminating Tommy Paul in the American’s first major semifinal — can Karen Khachanov’s conquerer Stefanos Tsitsipas spoil Novak’s party? Our Round Table experts dissect the Tsitsipas win and preview the women’s final: Elena Rybakina v Aryna Sabalenka and their coaches give their takes on the championships decider, and what's been the match of the tournament so far? We ask our AusOpen.com panellists and the fans to nominate their favourites.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
And he's not yet done.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Second match point in this game for Stefanel sits a
pass like cause the.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Toss down goes the sub out wide.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The descted a final three a straight.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the AO Show for Day
twelve of the Australian Open with me John Huvenars bringing
you all the big stories and we have our men's
finalists locked and loaded. Here's what's coming up. Djokovic targets
title ten after mauling Paul.
Speaker 5 (00:46):
Walking on the court was cool playing the match and
getting beaten like that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Sits a pass, Pacifiers, Hutch and all.
Speaker 6 (00:52):
These are the moments that I've been working hard for
to be able to play in finals like this.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Big bash. Rebaikna and sable Anca set for a Grand
Slam showdown.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
It's nearly impossible to split these two.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
And which match has been the best of the tournament
so far? We ask the fans and the experts, what.
Speaker 7 (01:10):
A contest between these two great warriors of tennis.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
That's all ahead on the AO Show.
Speaker 8 (01:23):
Match point after two hours and twenty minutes on Rod
Laver Arena for Novak Djokovic, who serves zan for Tommy Paul,
let's fly long and it's another enormous statement from Novak Djokovic.
Ten semifinals in Melbourne, ten wins and who's to say
(01:43):
it won't be.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
A tenth title on Sunday nights.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Novak Djokovic has overcome a first set stumble to dispatch
American Tommy Paul in straight sets and reach a historic
tenth Australian Open final. Things started swimmingly for the nine
time champion until when serving for the first set at
five to one, he became embroiled in a verbal confrontation
with the chair umpire, Djokovic complaining the serve clock didn't
(02:08):
allow him enough time to walk to his towel between points.
It precipitated an instant swing of momentum as Paul seized
the moment and won four consecutive games to restore parity
to the set. The Serb's frustration simmered, culminating in a
vicious smash at the net to go ahead six to
five in reply, two points from a first set tie break.
(02:29):
The American committed four consecutive unforced errors to hand the
brake and the first set to Djokovic, who tried to
pump up the crowd. After an uncharacteristic twenty four unforced
errors in the first set, the Serb tightened up his
game in the second, committing only six. Paul soon capitulated,
looking increasingly unable to solve the Djokovic puzzle. Four break
(02:51):
point opportunities presented for the rest of the match, but
he was unable to convert any, the fourth seed steam
rolling his way into the final seven five six, one
six two, a record breaking twenty seventh straight win at
Melbourne Park.
Speaker 9 (03:05):
Point to point, it's a it's a great battle first
of all with your with yourself and then of course
the opponent, so you don't have much time between the points,
you know. Also some long rallies you could you could
really feel them. We we both had had the heavy legs,
you know, I think in the first set, but yeah,
I was really fortunate to kind of hold my nerves,
(03:26):
I think, and then towards the end of the first
set it was a key, you know. After that I
started swinging through the ball more so, you know, I'm
just really pleased to get through another final.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
For Paul, there was a game plan, but in his
first major semi final, he simply couldn't find a way
to execute it.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
Walking on the court was cool. Playing the match and
getting beaten like that kind of sucked, but I mean
it's it's great. I got to, you know, see the
level of where I want to be and know how
good I have to play if I want to meet
people like that. It was I think a good experience. He,
like I said, he didn't really let me execute any
(04:03):
game plan.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Djokovic is now ten wins from ten in Australian Open
semi finals and has also never lost a final in Melbourne.
Speaker 9 (04:11):
Final stages of a Slam. At this stage of my career,
I know every single Grand Slam is a golden opportunity
for me to try to get another trophy, you know,
and I don't know how many more I'll have opportunities.
So of course I feel it. You know, I feel pressure,
I feel stressed as any other player, you know, I
feel nerves, I feel excitement. There's a lot of different
(04:33):
emotions that go through today. You know, in the first set,
obviously five one up and serving for the set and
having a set point, and then things quickly changed and
I was really tight on the court. You know, he
came back to five all and I was struggling also
physically and emotionally. And I guess in this kind of
(04:55):
particular matches, at the final stages of a Slam, you
can expect to have crisis one or two or three crisis.
You know, the less the better. But I did have
and I'm really glad to overcome that crisis. Towards the
end of the first set.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Up goes the toss down, goes the serve out, white
the fort the boy sells it to the stands from
the victorious Stefanov's cis a pass. He's into the final.
Speaker 10 (05:25):
Twenty twenty three Australian Open.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Stefanov sitsipass is one win away from a maiden Grand
Slam title following a nervy for set victory over Karen Hutchinov.
There was no shortage of drama from the outset, as
the pair scrapped for an opening in the first set,
breaking each other serve twice, but Hutchinov derailed in the tiebreak,
netting several balls to fall away seven to two. The
(05:49):
second set started on serve, but the Russian was holding
on for dear life, saving multiple break points. He was
forced to the edge of the cliff when Sitzipas slammed
a cross caught four hand winner to close out a
twenty two shot rally and snatch the break. The third
set appeared to be on track for a similar outcome
until Hutchinov caught a second wind on the precipice of defeat.
(06:11):
His Greek opponent flopped an overhead smash while serving for
the match, handing the eighteenth seed. The break proceedings rolled
on to another tie break. This time Hutchinov brought his
a game. He saved two match points with two winners,
one on the Sitzipas serve. Two unforced errors from the
Greek gave Hutchenov the set and it was game on.
(06:33):
After leaving the court at the end of set, Sitzipas returned. Refreshed.
He raced to an early break and held it out
for the remainder of the set to win seven six
six y four six seven six ' three. It's the
third seed's first Australian Open final and his second major
championship decider against Novak Djokovic. An important moment for Tizipas
(06:53):
and for Greek tennis.
Speaker 6 (06:55):
Adriam does a kid to maybe one day get to
to play on this court and copet against the best
players in the world. So I'm happy with a fight
up I put out there today. I've been wanting for
many years now to put Greek tennis on the map,
and me and Maria have done an incredible job.
Speaker 11 (07:11):
I think.
Speaker 6 (07:13):
I know it probably doesn't mean as much for Australians
because of you know, always producing players and you know
they've always had their first shair of high top players.
But you know, coming from a small country like Greece,
I'm so grateful that I get support like this.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Despite his continued success in majors, Hatchanov's losing streak against
top ten players extends to twenty three.
Speaker 12 (07:36):
Always you need to take some lessons and yeah, to
take something, some experience, you know, to move forward, to
improve and to think what did you miss let's say,
or it was just let that the opponent play let's
say better, you know, maybe it's some situations I could
do better. It's always like this.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
If Titsipaz beats Djokovic on Sunday, he won't just be
claiming his first major crown, but also the world number
one ranking for the first time in his career.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I like that number.
Speaker 6 (08:02):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's all about you. It's singular, it's
it's one, it's you know. That's These are the moments
that I've I've been working hard for to to be
able to play in finals like this, but finals that
have a bigger meaning than just the final. So it's
(08:24):
a Grand Slam final. I'm fighting for the number one spot.
It's a childhood dream to to be capturing that number
one spot one day. I'm I'm close, I'm I'm happy.
I'm happy that, I'm happy that this opportunity comes here
in Australia and not let's say somewhere else, you know,
because this is a place of significance.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
So let's do it, guys.
Speaker 13 (08:46):
Let's go.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
So At Citypass triumphs over Hatch andv in four sets
and books a spot in his madeen Hard Court Major final.
I'm joined at the roundtable by commentator Mark Petchi and
GIG analyst Simon ray Pech. Stephanos had match points in
that third set breaker and looked home and host for
all money, but he was made to work for it today.
Speaker 14 (09:09):
Yeah, I mean credit to Karen to keeping it to
close in that third set, because it looked like it
could run away. From him, So I think that he
needs a lot of credit for at least keeping himself
in the same zip code where pressure can actually have
an effect on an opponent. So I think he deserves
credit for that. I thought both of them at times
could have played better. To be honest, I think both
of them were feeling the moment. I think they both
(09:31):
saw it as a huge opportunity. We were talking a
lot about Steph feeling the pressure because obviously he was
the favorite with the five and zero head to head record,
but actually you've got to look at the other side
of the court and fora Hashionov think taking on Steph
in a semi He was also thinking, hey, you know what,
I might not get many better opportunities than this, so
I need to also step up. So I thought the
standard was a bit up and down throughout the course
(09:52):
of it, and Steph started well in the fourth and
the right player one in the end.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
When you kind of look at the overall data.
Speaker 15 (10:00):
And everything else, Yeah, look, I love what what Petch's
described there. I think a couple of key indicators for
me when I have a look at the serving numbers
early in this match, so set one and set two
if I said to you both and to the listeners
that Steph's gone at forty six percent from a first
serve percentage perspective, and set one you're probably thinking alarm
bells or that's concerning, But when you have a look
in behind that, so a deeper dig, fifty six percent
(10:22):
of those first serves were unreturned, So that notion of
that little bit of breathing space and not having to
dig too deep and being able to take that little
bit of pressure off himself. Hashanov, by contrast, only thirty
percent unreturned. So Steph doing a better job to get
into the point and allow his athleticism and shot making
to come to the fore.
Speaker 14 (10:40):
Yeah, I mean, look, I thought that that was one
thing that was unsettling Steph a lot in the first set.
Was obviously got the time violation as well lost to
first serve because he wasn't making as many first serves.
He came into the match with a sixty seven percent,
you know, first serve record of getting the serve in,
and so suddenly you're under assignments just rightly said under
fifty percent. You're like, wow, my best shot and I'm
not finding it. So I thought he actually did pretty
(11:01):
well to get out of that first set, given the
fact that he was misfiring with his first server, considering
how well he'd served up until that point. And I
mean he fired up in the breaker. I mean he
absolutely gunned the ball.
Speaker 15 (11:12):
Yeah, absolutely, and from a return perspective, so flipping that
coin onto the other side. This is where I think
sits APAs did a great job in this match. Easier
said than done. So Hashanov's got an average speed of
two hundred kilometers an hour and set one.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Both these guys are huge servers.
Speaker 15 (11:24):
In fact, I think the sits a pass serve in
my mind anyway, is perhaps underrated when I see it
across the Fortnite here, there's no clear read on patterns
he mixes it up grade. I think it's a really
underrated asset in his game. So Hashana's going at two
hundred codlmeters an hour average first of speed Stefanos in
set one fifty percent, first serve return one percentage, So
he's getting into the point he's making current work hard
(11:46):
for his points. There's very little being given away, which,
as Marx pointed out, I think towards the business end
of the third set, pressure comes into the equation and
we get a real perhaps a glimpse as to what
might a wait stefph on Sunday night.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
We'll get to that shortly.
Speaker 15 (12:00):
But failing that, I think it's almost perhaps the matchup
that we were expecting leading in with Citsipas having the
dominant head to head record, and it's not far away,
very close, but very far in some ways, not far
away from being a routine, straight set performance for Citsipas.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Petro.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
What's happening in the box with the Greek started? I
we know his father Apostolos has been very animated throughout
the tournament. What's that dynamic like as we go into
the last battle?
Speaker 14 (12:24):
Look, I think it's very important to keep like you know,
every sort of culture has its own way of communicating.
You know, we Brits are pretty sarcastic and most of
the time we don't tell you what we're thinking, and
we may discuss the weather and if it's not if
there's not that we'll have a cup of tea.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
And we're pretty much stoic in that regard.
Speaker 14 (12:42):
You know, when I watched Chef communicate with his dad,
that's pretty much how the Greeks communicate on a daily
basis when they go in and order themselves a nice
little espresso.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
You know, it's like that.
Speaker 14 (12:52):
It's just it's just gestures, it's manic, it's it's it's
just who they are.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
And I kind of love it.
Speaker 14 (12:57):
I spend quite a bit of time in Greece in
the summer, and and you know, I don't think we
should read too much into that. It's easy to look
at it and go, wow, how is he able to put.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
That to one side?
Speaker 14 (13:06):
When you know, everything's kicking off in the box and
his dad's doing this with the arm and he's having
a chart and he never stops talking. It's just who
they are, and it's and it's a great way of living.
It's very open, and it's very honest, and it's very authentic.
To some of us, it looks like it shouldn't be
the way that we do things, but it works for
him and he's got himself through to a second major final.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Mixed doubles pair Raffael Martos and Luisa Stefani have made
history as the first all Brazilian team to win a
Grand Slam title, defeating Rowan Bapana and Soniamrza seven six
six ' two in today's final. The newly formed pair
is undefeated in twenty twenty three, having also won two
matches at the United Cup.
Speaker 11 (13:48):
It's an incredible feeling, unreal really, it's a dream come true.
And I think it's really special to share with Rafa
because it's our first Grand Slam title. Like I said,
making three from Brazil to Brazilians here together in Australia
and so extremely special. I'm holding on to this moment
as much as i can, and I'm really happy to
(14:10):
share with our team and families back home because like
you said, we can feel the energy and the support,
and even here in Melbourne there are a lot of
people cheering for us.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
It was a bittersweet ending to the match as the
Tennis World farewell Sonnia Merza, who is playing in her
final Grand Slam event. The thirty six year old won
six slams in her career across mixed and women's doubles,
and she had this message for young Indian girls wanting
to play tennis.
Speaker 16 (14:35):
Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something,
even if nobody else has done it before. I for one,
didn't really have that role model back home in tennis
as a young girl to follow and say, Okay, this
is this woman's done it or this girl's done it,
and I can do it. They have that, you know,
they have that. And if I am able to inspire
(14:59):
even one or two girls to follow their dreams that
are outside of the box or to say, I would
feel that, Yeah, what I've been put in this place for,
I've achieved it.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
The women's doubles final is set for Sunday afternoon, with
Barbora Krasikova and Katarina Sinyakava set to face Japanese pairing
Shuku Aoyama and Enna Shibahara. All Right, we have the
chance to preview now the women's final. Elena Rabaikina Arena
Sabalanka Simon. I'm going to throw it over to you
(15:30):
and give us some insights heading into the women's Championship decider.
Speaker 15 (15:34):
Well, you talk about fine margins in a final, and
you have a look from an analytical perspective at these
two players. And I've been going back and forth and
challenging the people and my team and can you dig
in a little deeper, guys, because it's nearly impossible to
split these two. I mean, you have a look at
serve speeds really similar almost bang on. Okay, have a
(15:54):
look at foehand from the back of the court. So
once we get the ball into play, what's going on
there really similar, not just from a speed perspective, but
from a spin perspective. May be a marginal difference on
backhand side, but really these numbers. They both want to
play first struck tennis. They both want to play from
on top of the point. They've both got weapons left,
right and center. They're both not all that keen to defend.
It's not what they want to do. They want to
(16:15):
impose themselves onto the opponent. So what I get drawn
to a little bit and digging down into the numbers
that we've seen across the fortnite is this from a
first serve unreturned perspective. So who's going to have that
notion when the pressure is that at zenith tomorrow night,
Who's going to have that ability to breathe out? Who's
going to get the free points on serve? Not much
in this, but I just think in a Grand Slam final,
(16:35):
I think these numbers could be significant. So Rabaikner forty
seven percent of her first serves across the Australian Open
this year unreturned, Saberlenka, She's down forty two percent. So
the five percent swing there to a Rebikener. Now, let's
have a look at the returning numbers. So failing to
return the first serve, both of these women, by the way,
return in an outstanding capacity, which I'm sure Pet will
touch on shortly. Rabaikna fails to return the first serve
(16:56):
here at the AO twenty three twenty percent of the time.
Sabalanka is thirty. That's ten percent. Just hit that in
mind and from a second serve perspective. Now, admittedly both
of them are trying to be aggressive here. Both of
them are trying to make things happen. So both of
them don't live with the occasional era being made on
second serve to send the message of here I come.
I'm coming after you. Don't think that you can breathe
out because when I get a look at the next
(17:17):
second serve return, I'm coming again. But the numbers Rebeikner
she fails to return the second serve seventeen percent of
the time, Sablenka twenty three percent of the time. So
when I look through those three I've been trying to
pull at the threads, and that's all I can get
to when I look to those three numbers. I probably
don't need to say where I'm leaning, just marginally with
making a prediction tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
I think you're absolutely ray if you were to ask me.
Speaker 14 (17:38):
I mean, when you're digging down into the numbers, these
are two players that want to hug the baseline. There
are two players that want to take the ball on
the rise. There are two players that are looking, as
you say, to control the middle of the court. Are
much like you do in squash or in chess. You know,
that's what we're doing out there. We got like a
hybrid of those two sports. You're trying to control the
middle of the court. When you're both of those two players,
they're going to take big swings when they get pushed out.
(18:00):
Why they're not going to look to necessarily get back
into play. You know, you've got the one big there
two big things for me out there. Gut check and
that's going to be big. Do Sabalenka Has she really
got through all of the nerves and all of the
problems that she's had with her second serve in this
biggest of moment that's come in her way.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
And I also think that Rebuccina's forehand.
Speaker 14 (18:19):
When you dig down, it goes cross court a lot
of the time, about eighty It looks like eighty percent
of time.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
You've got to kind of give her the line.
Speaker 14 (18:26):
If she takes it, and she takes it on and
she wins it, that's good and exactly what Simon said,
what you're looking for is literally with players that are
on the front foot like this, your patterns are there's
not much in the serve, but your patterns are, what's
the plus one shot with the fourhand, where does it go?
And where does it because you can build a start
to a rally, but once it gets past the fourth shot,
it's organic and then anything goes.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
And with these two, that's what.
Speaker 14 (18:50):
You're looking to do is just trying to predict where
their plus one shot goes so you can manage that
and hopefully get enough balls back in a play to
extract an error. I'm not totally convinced that the A
number is going to dictate who wins tomorrow. I kind
of feel as though it might be the unforced era
number that's going to be more pertinent.
Speaker 15 (19:06):
You know, I was going to throw that question at Pitch,
but as per usual, he's a step ahead of me.
So the main question I had down here and rehearse this,
and how does the Sabolenka second serve hold up in
the face of that positional pressure, that intent, that purpose,
that ball striking that the bikeen is bringing from the
other end of the court. And Pitch has already touched
on that. So I think we've given her a lot
of credit and credit where it's too from twelve months
(19:28):
ago to where she is now. Sabalinka, what a remarkable
mental capacity she's demonstrated.
Speaker 14 (19:34):
To work through some of her dakers and just if
I can just jump in there, I mean it's not
just mental though, is that she got hold of a
bio mckennist and basically broke down her serve. And I
actually love this because I'm actually a massive believer in
this throughout the course of my career and when I've
been coaching, I think it's really important for players and
parents and coaches to understand that there's it's not always
(19:56):
gut check, it's not always mental. It's not always you're
not working hard enough or you're not putting enough hours in.
Sometimes there's fundamental flaws that are causing you to have
the problems that you're having out there. And she went
and she has redesigned her serve, not completely out of
the box and gone completely different, but it is to
the point now where she believes in the motion and
(20:17):
she believes in the technique, which has helped her mentally.
And it's so important for coaches and parents to get
the right words, because you can create a problem out
of nothing, or there is a problem, but all you're
trying to do is tell somebody that they are actually
not tough enough mentally to deal with the situation, when
that isn't actually the case. And I love Arena's story
for that because she's actually proved a good point there
(20:39):
that sometimes as a coach, you don't know everything. You
don't know how to fix every shot in the book.
You don't know how to fix somebody's serve forehand, backhand volley.
You know, get some help, go and find a way
to make yourself be in a position like she's put
herself in here where you can win a major title.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I love it.
Speaker 15 (20:56):
So a picture's describing being at the very top of
our sport and being open to growth and improvement and
solutions and not just looking at the one avenue. So
so often we think physically, we think mentally under pressure,
we think about mentality. How does someone hold up under pressure?
I still think that's a massive factor in tomorrow night's match.
But what Peatures describing is there's four realms or zones here,
(21:16):
so technical, tactical, physical, and mental and Peatures describing the
technical playing a role in the role reversal if you like.
Of the Sabalinka serving fortunes over the last twelve months,
I still do post the question though in my own mind.
So but a bike from a second serve return perspective
seventy four percent of the time inside the baseline coming
at her. Sabalanca craves just that little bit more time
(21:38):
on the ball. From a return perspective, she wants to
create time user fourhand hit that heavy fourhand. She's inside
the baseline forty nine percent of the time on the
second serve return. So I still think it's a narrative
for me, the sabal Anca second serve with that pressure
added zenith and the changes that Mark's described, how does
it hold up against rabike? And of pressing at her
no matter what Tomorrow night.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Well, they're the thoughts of our experts here on the
round table. The coaches of the two competing finalists have
also given their takes on the matchup ahead of tomorrow night,
firstly Rebike and his coach Tefano Vukov, and secondly Sabalinka's
coach Anton Dubrov.
Speaker 13 (22:10):
I think Arena is an extremely powerful player, extremely powerful player,
great foehand, can have a great serving day, can have
a bad serving day, something that will try to capitalize
on tomorrow. Elena is a good rhythm player, so she
can feed off the pace of Arena. Also, I think
on the back end side we're a little bit stronger.
(22:31):
But as a matchup, I mean it's going to be
a lot of mistakes, a lot of winners. I'm sure
about that from both sides because there's going to be
a lot of pressure. So I think who serves well
tomorrow goes through. That's my feeling.
Speaker 17 (22:46):
Well, they both are pretty strong on the surf, they're
pretty aggressive, so I would say like it's going to
be about like who is getting this keep this focus
to be more like concentrate on her own game and
not trying to opponent on the errors. It's more about
who can keep going leg because there will be some
(23:06):
opportunities on the return, for sure, But it's about like
if you're gonna do it or you're gonna wait. So
I think is gonna be like this may be a
few points that may have been dissat in That's what
I think.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
I'm joined now by our friends from oz open dot com,
Viv Christy, Jill Tan and Matrolope, who are entering the
courtroom of Judge John. The matches are real, the rulings
are final. This is Judge Donal. What we're gonna do
is have a discussion about the best matches of the
tournament thus far. And I've asked each of you to
(23:42):
prepare one match. You're gonna have forty five seconds each
to give me the reasons why your match should be
considered the match of the tournament, and then we'll debate
and see who is the ultimate victor. So, Viv, your
testimony for your match of the tournament.
Speaker 7 (23:58):
My match of the tournament is, of course, Tanasi Kokanakus
versus Andy Murray in the second round. What a contest
between these two great warriors of tennis. I feel like
it was Match of the tournament before it actually even began.
With so much at stake. Andy Murray hadn't been to
pass the second round of the Australian Open since twenty seventeen.
(24:18):
We all know that he was playing with a metal hip,
and what a contest it turned out to be. We
all thought that it was going to be a very
straightforward win for Tanasi ko kanakas he was serving brilliantly,
his forehand was just on song. Everything about this match
was all about Tanasi until Andy Murray sees control. So
five hours, forty five minutes later, a great contest between
(24:42):
a fantastic server. Tanasi served thirty seven aces and one
of the best returners ever in the game. And yeah,
I just don't think that you're going to get a
better quality of tennis anywhere.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
Thank you for your testimony, viv Christy. Over to you,
Jill Tan please present your Match of the tournament.
Speaker 10 (24:59):
Yes, so my nomination is Elena Rostapenko's stirring win over
Coco Goff. She was literally untouchable, was seven five six three.
She reached her first major quarterfinals since Wimbledon twenty eighteen.
She's kind of been out in the wilderness. She's twenty five.
She was up facing Coco GoF, you know, last year's
rolling Garrols finalist. It was a bit of past and
present all combined. And Elena Rostapenko was simply unstoppable. Broke
(25:24):
three or three times, and she was simply, you know, stunning,
with unstoppable aggression, winners flying off the racket. She's all out,
totally unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
Matrolope to bring testimony for the third match of the tournament,
what have you got.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Well, I've got the fourth rank clash between Andre Rublev
and Holgaruna, and I'd probably agree with Viv that the
Murray Kochanachus match was the match of the tournament. But
until I watched this match, I couldn't believe how much
I got drawn in emotionally with what was happening, because
maybe the quality of the tennis wasn't the highest of
(25:59):
the tornament, but it is genuinely in the match that
I have watched were I did not know what was
going to happen, and both of those players, in different ways,
where their hearts on their sleeve and their emotions were
just so palpable, and both had match points in the
fifth set, it went to a super tie break. At
the end, ruby Lev was facing two match points. And
every time I watch Rouble If he's such a torch
(26:21):
and soul on the court. And when I saw him
facing those two match points, I thought, oh, this is
going to be another heartbreaking loss for him. And somehow
he steadied himself, served his way out of that predicament.
And then I think he was down maybe five two,
seven to two in the super tie break and managed
to come back, and it was this incredible match point
where he won on the let cord and there was
(26:42):
that amazing shot of the agacy, sorry, the agony and
the ecstasy all in one point where they were both
like heads in their hands for different reasons. And then
ruby Lev's on court interview at the end, he said,
I never win matches like this. I can't like, I
can't believe I won. And I just thought that was
it was just such an unexpectedly incredible fourth round match,
and yeah, it gets my vote.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Okay, ladies, Any reason why rube Lev the Runa shouldn't
be top of the tree.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
Well, did it go for five hours and forty five
minutes and finish after four am?
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Are we saying that's a good thing for all of
the media that were I'm Comoran until the sunrise.
Speaker 10 (27:18):
But what about Ostapenko. She's just been battling, you know,
demons in her mind. She was saying her early win
in twenty seventeen, she hasn't sort of broken through it
a major since then. It's been sort of a monkey
on her back, and she's realized that, you know, it
took her a few years, but she's finally making deep
runs at slams again.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
So we've had Murray have this kind of breakthrough and
stage comeback like we thought he might have been beyond
this point of his career. We had Ostapenko five years
on from that Wimbledon semi final run and her breaking through.
And we've had rube Lev that' said on the court,
I never win matches like this, and he does. You
could make a case for all three. So are we
allowed to throw back to you, John and say which
(27:58):
one do you like?
Speaker 4 (27:59):
So I'm going to disregard the length of the match.
I'm going to disregard that because I think it's unfair,
especially when you've got best of five, best of three.
I'm also going to disregard the round in which these occurred.
So I am going to award the points to Murray
versus Cock and Arcus simply for the drawcard factor. A
(28:21):
five setter that had that much drama at that time
of night, with relevance to one of the greats of
all time, Andy Murray and an Australian, very popular Australian player.
I just think that for me, that is not head
and shoulders, but maybe a forehead above the rest of
the competition. So I hereby declare that Andy Murray versus
(28:41):
the Nazi cockin Archus is the match of the tournament
thus far.
Speaker 7 (28:44):
Thank you John Juvanas. It may not have been a
five set win, but I do feel like.
Speaker 4 (28:48):
I've won an epick quarterjourned Ozopen dot Com, viv Christy,
Jill Tan, Mattralope. Thank you all for joining us in
the courtroom of Judge John. So there's my judgment. But
who am I to decide the best match? It's time
for the people's choice.
Speaker 18 (29:06):
I love the match between Run and rub Led that's right,
rub blev.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
But I want Run to win that game because I
think he deserved it. But I think Ruby Lev did
a great job.
Speaker 19 (29:19):
Now I saw Djokovic and Dimitov, which is an awesome match.
Speaker 20 (29:24):
It's been quite a lot of five setters, which has
been good. Probably Mari versus very teeny. It was good
just to see them going at each other. It could
have gone either way, and it's good to see the
old champion up.
Speaker 11 (29:35):
The Willain's doubles of the Czech Republic versus Ukraine and Romanian.
Speaker 19 (29:42):
Actually, I love the game last night the semifinal between
Azarenka and Revulcino. Azarenka was the two championship winners and
the atmosphere of her is really great and people always
support him and her opponents also has a lot of spots,
so I think the atmosphere is greet and the competition
(30:05):
is exciting.
Speaker 11 (30:07):
Oh.
Speaker 18 (30:08):
I have to say that Andy Murray one because I
was living in the UK for for a few years
and we love to Murray for Wimbledon, and then he
kind of, you know, wasn't not his best anymore. But
this year it's seeing he coming back and had all
these fights. It was amazing.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
Haven't There been some thrilling matches across the past twelve
days and still a couple more to be written. It's
the women's final tomorrow night and the men's to follow
on Sunday. Don't forget to join us tomorrow for Day thirteen,
and don't forget the AO season is underway in the
world's most popular mobile tennis game, Tennis Clash. Download it
today from the app Store. In the meantime, take this
(30:52):
opportunity to subscribe and please rate and review so more
fans can discover the AO show.
Speaker 17 (31:04):
He
And he's not yet done.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Second match point in this game for Stefanel sits a
pass like cause the.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Toss down goes the sub out wide.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The descted a final three a straight.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Hello everyone, and welcome to the AO Show for Day
twelve of the Australian Open with me John Huvenars bringing
you all the big stories and we have our men's
finalists locked and loaded. Here's what's coming up. Djokovic targets
title ten after mauling Paul.
Speaker 5 (00:46):
Walking on the court was cool playing the match and
getting beaten like that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Sits a pass, Pacifiers, Hutch and all.
Speaker 6 (00:52):
These are the moments that I've been working hard for
to be able to play in finals like this.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Big bash. Rebaikna and sable Anca set for a Grand
Slam showdown.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
It's nearly impossible to split these two.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
And which match has been the best of the tournament
so far? We ask the fans and the experts, what.
Speaker 7 (01:10):
A contest between these two great warriors of tennis.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
That's all ahead on the AO Show.
Speaker 8 (01:23):
Match point after two hours and twenty minutes on Rod
Laver Arena for Novak Djokovic, who serves zan for Tommy Paul,
let's fly long and it's another enormous statement from Novak Djokovic.
Ten semifinals in Melbourne, ten wins and who's to say
(01:43):
it won't be.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
A tenth title on Sunday nights.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Novak Djokovic has overcome a first set stumble to dispatch
American Tommy Paul in straight sets and reach a historic
tenth Australian Open final. Things started swimmingly for the nine
time champion until when serving for the first set at
five to one, he became embroiled in a verbal confrontation
with the chair umpire, Djokovic complaining the serve clock didn't
(02:08):
allow him enough time to walk to his towel between points.
It precipitated an instant swing of momentum as Paul seized
the moment and won four consecutive games to restore parity
to the set. The Serb's frustration simmered, culminating in a
vicious smash at the net to go ahead six to
five in reply, two points from a first set tie break.
(02:29):
The American committed four consecutive unforced errors to hand the
brake and the first set to Djokovic, who tried to
pump up the crowd. After an uncharacteristic twenty four unforced
errors in the first set, the Serb tightened up his
game in the second, committing only six. Paul soon capitulated,
looking increasingly unable to solve the Djokovic puzzle. Four break
(02:51):
point opportunities presented for the rest of the match, but
he was unable to convert any, the fourth seed steam
rolling his way into the final seven five six, one
six two, a record breaking twenty seventh straight win at
Melbourne Park.
Speaker 9 (03:05):
Point to point, it's a it's a great battle first
of all with your with yourself and then of course
the opponent, so you don't have much time between the points,
you know. Also some long rallies you could you could
really feel them. We we both had had the heavy legs,
you know, I think in the first set, but yeah,
I was really fortunate to kind of hold my nerves,
(03:26):
I think, and then towards the end of the first
set it was a key, you know. After that I
started swinging through the ball more so, you know, I'm
just really pleased to get through another final.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
For Paul, there was a game plan, but in his
first major semi final, he simply couldn't find a way
to execute it.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
Walking on the court was cool. Playing the match and
getting beaten like that kind of sucked, but I mean
it's it's great. I got to, you know, see the
level of where I want to be and know how
good I have to play if I want to meet
people like that. It was I think a good experience. He,
like I said, he didn't really let me execute any
(04:03):
game plan.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Djokovic is now ten wins from ten in Australian Open
semi finals and has also never lost a final in Melbourne.
Speaker 9 (04:11):
Final stages of a Slam. At this stage of my career,
I know every single Grand Slam is a golden opportunity
for me to try to get another trophy, you know,
and I don't know how many more I'll have opportunities.
So of course I feel it. You know, I feel pressure,
I feel stressed as any other player, you know, I
feel nerves, I feel excitement. There's a lot of different
(04:33):
emotions that go through today. You know, in the first set,
obviously five one up and serving for the set and
having a set point, and then things quickly changed and
I was really tight on the court. You know, he
came back to five all and I was struggling also
physically and emotionally. And I guess in this kind of
(04:55):
particular matches, at the final stages of a Slam, you
can expect to have crisis one or two or three crisis.
You know, the less the better. But I did have
and I'm really glad to overcome that crisis. Towards the
end of the first set.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Up goes the toss down, goes the serve out, white
the fort the boy sells it to the stands from
the victorious Stefanov's cis a pass. He's into the final.
Speaker 10 (05:25):
Twenty twenty three Australian Open.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Stefanov sitsipass is one win away from a maiden Grand
Slam title following a nervy for set victory over Karen Hutchinov.
There was no shortage of drama from the outset, as
the pair scrapped for an opening in the first set,
breaking each other serve twice, but Hutchinov derailed in the tiebreak,
netting several balls to fall away seven to two. The
(05:49):
second set started on serve, but the Russian was holding
on for dear life, saving multiple break points. He was
forced to the edge of the cliff when Sitzipas slammed
a cross caught four hand winner to close out a
twenty two shot rally and snatch the break. The third
set appeared to be on track for a similar outcome
until Hutchinov caught a second wind on the precipice of defeat.
(06:11):
His Greek opponent flopped an overhead smash while serving for
the match, handing the eighteenth seed. The break proceedings rolled
on to another tie break. This time Hutchinov brought his
a game. He saved two match points with two winners,
one on the Sitzipas serve. Two unforced errors from the
Greek gave Hutchenov the set and it was game on.
(06:33):
After leaving the court at the end of set, Sitzipas returned. Refreshed.
He raced to an early break and held it out
for the remainder of the set to win seven six
six y four six seven six ' three. It's the
third seed's first Australian Open final and his second major
championship decider against Novak Djokovic. An important moment for Tizipas
(06:53):
and for Greek tennis.
Speaker 6 (06:55):
Adriam does a kid to maybe one day get to
to play on this court and copet against the best
players in the world. So I'm happy with a fight
up I put out there today. I've been wanting for
many years now to put Greek tennis on the map,
and me and Maria have done an incredible job.
Speaker 11 (07:11):
I think.
Speaker 6 (07:13):
I know it probably doesn't mean as much for Australians
because of you know, always producing players and you know
they've always had their first shair of high top players.
But you know, coming from a small country like Greece,
I'm so grateful that I get support like this.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Despite his continued success in majors, Hatchanov's losing streak against
top ten players extends to twenty three.
Speaker 12 (07:36):
Always you need to take some lessons and yeah, to
take something, some experience, you know, to move forward, to
improve and to think what did you miss let's say,
or it was just let that the opponent play let's
say better, you know, maybe it's some situations I could
do better. It's always like this.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
If Titsipaz beats Djokovic on Sunday, he won't just be
claiming his first major crown, but also the world number
one ranking for the first time in his career.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I like that number.
Speaker 6 (08:02):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's all about you. It's singular, it's
it's one, it's you know. That's These are the moments
that I've I've been working hard for to to be
able to play in finals like this, but finals that
have a bigger meaning than just the final. So it's
(08:24):
a Grand Slam final. I'm fighting for the number one spot.
It's a childhood dream to to be capturing that number
one spot one day. I'm I'm close, I'm I'm happy.
I'm happy that, I'm happy that this opportunity comes here
in Australia and not let's say somewhere else, you know,
because this is a place of significance.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
So let's do it, guys.
Speaker 13 (08:46):
Let's go.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
So At Citypass triumphs over Hatch andv in four sets
and books a spot in his madeen Hard Court Major final.
I'm joined at the roundtable by commentator Mark Petchi and
GIG analyst Simon ray Pech. Stephanos had match points in
that third set breaker and looked home and host for
all money, but he was made to work for it today.
Speaker 14 (09:09):
Yeah, I mean credit to Karen to keeping it to
close in that third set, because it looked like it
could run away. From him, So I think that he
needs a lot of credit for at least keeping himself
in the same zip code where pressure can actually have
an effect on an opponent. So I think he deserves
credit for that. I thought both of them at times
could have played better. To be honest, I think both
of them were feeling the moment. I think they both
(09:31):
saw it as a huge opportunity. We were talking a
lot about Steph feeling the pressure because obviously he was
the favorite with the five and zero head to head record,
but actually you've got to look at the other side
of the court and fora Hashionov think taking on Steph
in a semi He was also thinking, hey, you know what,
I might not get many better opportunities than this, so
I need to also step up. So I thought the
standard was a bit up and down throughout the course
(09:52):
of it, and Steph started well in the fourth and
the right player one in the end.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
When you kind of look at the overall data.
Speaker 15 (10:00):
And everything else, Yeah, look, I love what what Petch's
described there. I think a couple of key indicators for
me when I have a look at the serving numbers
early in this match, so set one and set two
if I said to you both and to the listeners
that Steph's gone at forty six percent from a first
serve percentage perspective, and set one you're probably thinking alarm
bells or that's concerning, But when you have a look
in behind that, so a deeper dig, fifty six percent
(10:22):
of those first serves were unreturned, So that notion of
that little bit of breathing space and not having to
dig too deep and being able to take that little
bit of pressure off himself. Hashanov, by contrast, only thirty
percent unreturned. So Steph doing a better job to get
into the point and allow his athleticism and shot making
to come to the fore.
Speaker 14 (10:40):
Yeah, I mean, look, I thought that that was one
thing that was unsettling Steph a lot in the first set.
Was obviously got the time violation as well lost to
first serve because he wasn't making as many first serves.
He came into the match with a sixty seven percent,
you know, first serve record of getting the serve in,
and so suddenly you're under assignments just rightly said under
fifty percent. You're like, wow, my best shot and I'm
not finding it. So I thought he actually did pretty
(11:01):
well to get out of that first set, given the
fact that he was misfiring with his first server, considering
how well he'd served up until that point. And I
mean he fired up in the breaker. I mean he
absolutely gunned the ball.
Speaker 15 (11:12):
Yeah, absolutely, and from a return perspective, so flipping that
coin onto the other side. This is where I think
sits APAs did a great job in this match. Easier
said than done. So Hashanov's got an average speed of
two hundred kilometers an hour and set one.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Both these guys are huge servers.
Speaker 15 (11:24):
In fact, I think the sits a pass serve in
my mind anyway, is perhaps underrated when I see it
across the Fortnite here, there's no clear read on patterns
he mixes it up grade. I think it's a really
underrated asset in his game. So Hashana's going at two
hundred codlmeters an hour average first of speed Stefanos in
set one fifty percent, first serve return one percentage, So
he's getting into the point he's making current work hard
(11:46):
for his points. There's very little being given away, which,
as Marx pointed out, I think towards the business end
of the third set, pressure comes into the equation and
we get a real perhaps a glimpse as to what
might a wait stefph on Sunday night.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
We'll get to that shortly.
Speaker 15 (12:00):
But failing that, I think it's almost perhaps the matchup
that we were expecting leading in with Citsipas having the
dominant head to head record, and it's not far away,
very close, but very far in some ways, not far
away from being a routine, straight set performance for Citsipas.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Petro.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
What's happening in the box with the Greek started? I
we know his father Apostolos has been very animated throughout
the tournament. What's that dynamic like as we go into
the last battle?
Speaker 14 (12:24):
Look, I think it's very important to keep like you know,
every sort of culture has its own way of communicating.
You know, we Brits are pretty sarcastic and most of
the time we don't tell you what we're thinking, and
we may discuss the weather and if it's not if
there's not that we'll have a cup of tea.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
And we're pretty much stoic in that regard.
Speaker 14 (12:42):
You know, when I watched Chef communicate with his dad,
that's pretty much how the Greeks communicate on a daily
basis when they go in and order themselves a nice
little espresso.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
You know, it's like that.
Speaker 14 (12:52):
It's just it's just gestures, it's manic, it's it's it's
just who they are.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
And I kind of love it.
Speaker 14 (12:57):
I spend quite a bit of time in Greece in
the summer, and and you know, I don't think we
should read too much into that. It's easy to look
at it and go, wow, how is he able to put.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
That to one side?
Speaker 14 (13:06):
When you know, everything's kicking off in the box and
his dad's doing this with the arm and he's having
a chart and he never stops talking. It's just who
they are, and it's and it's a great way of living.
It's very open, and it's very honest, and it's very authentic.
To some of us, it looks like it shouldn't be
the way that we do things, but it works for
him and he's got himself through to a second major final.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Mixed doubles pair Raffael Martos and Luisa Stefani have made
history as the first all Brazilian team to win a
Grand Slam title, defeating Rowan Bapana and Soniamrza seven six
six ' two in today's final. The newly formed pair
is undefeated in twenty twenty three, having also won two
matches at the United Cup.
Speaker 11 (13:48):
It's an incredible feeling, unreal really, it's a dream come true.
And I think it's really special to share with Rafa
because it's our first Grand Slam title. Like I said,
making three from Brazil to Brazilians here together in Australia
and so extremely special. I'm holding on to this moment
as much as i can, and I'm really happy to
(14:10):
share with our team and families back home because like
you said, we can feel the energy and the support,
and even here in Melbourne there are a lot of
people cheering for us.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
It was a bittersweet ending to the match as the
Tennis World farewell Sonnia Merza, who is playing in her
final Grand Slam event. The thirty six year old won
six slams in her career across mixed and women's doubles,
and she had this message for young Indian girls wanting
to play tennis.
Speaker 16 (14:35):
Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something,
even if nobody else has done it before. I for one,
didn't really have that role model back home in tennis
as a young girl to follow and say, Okay, this
is this woman's done it or this girl's done it,
and I can do it. They have that, you know,
they have that. And if I am able to inspire
(14:59):
even one or two girls to follow their dreams that
are outside of the box or to say, I would
feel that, Yeah, what I've been put in this place for,
I've achieved it.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
The women's doubles final is set for Sunday afternoon, with
Barbora Krasikova and Katarina Sinyakava set to face Japanese pairing
Shuku Aoyama and Enna Shibahara. All Right, we have the
chance to preview now the women's final. Elena Rabaikina Arena
Sabalanka Simon. I'm going to throw it over to you
(15:30):
and give us some insights heading into the women's Championship decider.
Speaker 15 (15:34):
Well, you talk about fine margins in a final, and
you have a look from an analytical perspective at these
two players. And I've been going back and forth and
challenging the people and my team and can you dig
in a little deeper, guys, because it's nearly impossible to
split these two. I mean, you have a look at
serve speeds really similar almost bang on. Okay, have a
(15:54):
look at foehand from the back of the court. So
once we get the ball into play, what's going on
there really similar, not just from a speed perspective, but
from a spin perspective. May be a marginal difference on
backhand side, but really these numbers. They both want to
play first struck tennis. They both want to play from
on top of the point. They've both got weapons left,
right and center. They're both not all that keen to defend.
It's not what they want to do. They want to
(16:15):
impose themselves onto the opponent. So what I get drawn
to a little bit and digging down into the numbers
that we've seen across the fortnite is this from a
first serve unreturned perspective. So who's going to have that
notion when the pressure is that at zenith tomorrow night,
Who's going to have that ability to breathe out? Who's
going to get the free points on serve? Not much
in this, but I just think in a Grand Slam final,
(16:35):
I think these numbers could be significant. So Rabaikner forty
seven percent of her first serves across the Australian Open
this year unreturned, Saberlenka, She's down forty two percent. So
the five percent swing there to a Rebikener. Now, let's
have a look at the returning numbers. So failing to
return the first serve, both of these women, by the way,
return in an outstanding capacity, which I'm sure Pet will
touch on shortly. Rabaikna fails to return the first serve
(16:56):
here at the AO twenty three twenty percent of the time.
Sabalanka is thirty. That's ten percent. Just hit that in
mind and from a second serve perspective. Now, admittedly both
of them are trying to be aggressive here. Both of
them are trying to make things happen. So both of
them don't live with the occasional era being made on
second serve to send the message of here I come.
I'm coming after you. Don't think that you can breathe
out because when I get a look at the next
(17:17):
second serve return, I'm coming again. But the numbers Rebeikner
she fails to return the second serve seventeen percent of
the time, Sablenka twenty three percent of the time. So
when I look through those three I've been trying to
pull at the threads, and that's all I can get
to when I look to those three numbers. I probably
don't need to say where I'm leaning, just marginally with
making a prediction tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
I think you're absolutely ray if you were to ask me.
Speaker 14 (17:38):
I mean, when you're digging down into the numbers, these
are two players that want to hug the baseline. There
are two players that want to take the ball on
the rise. There are two players that are looking, as
you say, to control the middle of the court. Are
much like you do in squash or in chess. You know,
that's what we're doing out there. We got like a
hybrid of those two sports. You're trying to control the
middle of the court. When you're both of those two players,
they're going to take big swings when they get pushed out.
(18:00):
Why they're not going to look to necessarily get back
into play. You know, you've got the one big there
two big things for me out there. Gut check and
that's going to be big. Do Sabalenka Has she really
got through all of the nerves and all of the
problems that she's had with her second serve in this
biggest of moment that's come in her way.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
And I also think that Rebuccina's forehand.
Speaker 14 (18:19):
When you dig down, it goes cross court a lot
of the time, about eighty It looks like eighty percent
of time.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
You've got to kind of give her the line.
Speaker 14 (18:26):
If she takes it, and she takes it on and
she wins it, that's good and exactly what Simon said,
what you're looking for is literally with players that are
on the front foot like this, your patterns are there's
not much in the serve, but your patterns are, what's
the plus one shot with the fourhand, where does it go?
And where does it because you can build a start
to a rally, but once it gets past the fourth shot,
it's organic and then anything goes.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
And with these two, that's what.
Speaker 14 (18:50):
You're looking to do is just trying to predict where
their plus one shot goes so you can manage that
and hopefully get enough balls back in a play to
extract an error. I'm not totally convinced that the A
number is going to dictate who wins tomorrow. I kind
of feel as though it might be the unforced era
number that's going to be more pertinent.
Speaker 15 (19:06):
You know, I was going to throw that question at Pitch,
but as per usual, he's a step ahead of me.
So the main question I had down here and rehearse this,
and how does the Sabolenka second serve hold up in
the face of that positional pressure, that intent, that purpose,
that ball striking that the bikeen is bringing from the
other end of the court. And Pitch has already touched
on that. So I think we've given her a lot
of credit and credit where it's too from twelve months
(19:28):
ago to where she is now. Sabalinka, what a remarkable
mental capacity she's demonstrated.
Speaker 14 (19:34):
To work through some of her dakers and just if
I can just jump in there, I mean it's not
just mental though, is that she got hold of a
bio mckennist and basically broke down her serve. And I
actually love this because I'm actually a massive believer in
this throughout the course of my career and when I've
been coaching, I think it's really important for players and
parents and coaches to understand that there's it's not always
(19:56):
gut check, it's not always mental. It's not always you're
not working hard enough or you're not putting enough hours in.
Sometimes there's fundamental flaws that are causing you to have
the problems that you're having out there. And she went
and she has redesigned her serve, not completely out of
the box and gone completely different, but it is to
the point now where she believes in the motion and
(20:17):
she believes in the technique, which has helped her mentally.
And it's so important for coaches and parents to get
the right words, because you can create a problem out
of nothing, or there is a problem, but all you're
trying to do is tell somebody that they are actually
not tough enough mentally to deal with the situation, when
that isn't actually the case. And I love Arena's story
for that because she's actually proved a good point there
(20:39):
that sometimes as a coach, you don't know everything. You
don't know how to fix every shot in the book.
You don't know how to fix somebody's serve forehand, backhand volley.
You know, get some help, go and find a way
to make yourself be in a position like she's put
herself in here where you can win a major title.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I love it.
Speaker 15 (20:56):
So a picture's describing being at the very top of
our sport and being open to growth and improvement and
solutions and not just looking at the one avenue. So
so often we think physically, we think mentally under pressure,
we think about mentality. How does someone hold up under pressure?
I still think that's a massive factor in tomorrow night's match.
But what Peatures describing is there's four realms or zones here,
(21:16):
so technical, tactical, physical, and mental and Peatures describing the
technical playing a role in the role reversal if you like.
Of the Sabalinka serving fortunes over the last twelve months,
I still do post the question though in my own mind.
So but a bike from a second serve return perspective
seventy four percent of the time inside the baseline coming
at her. Sabalanca craves just that little bit more time
(21:38):
on the ball. From a return perspective, she wants to
create time user fourhand hit that heavy fourhand. She's inside
the baseline forty nine percent of the time on the
second serve return. So I still think it's a narrative
for me, the sabal Anca second serve with that pressure
added zenith and the changes that Mark's described, how does
it hold up against rabike? And of pressing at her
no matter what Tomorrow night.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Well, they're the thoughts of our experts here on the
round table. The coaches of the two competing finalists have
also given their takes on the matchup ahead of tomorrow night,
firstly Rebike and his coach Tefano Vukov, and secondly Sabalinka's
coach Anton Dubrov.
Speaker 13 (22:10):
I think Arena is an extremely powerful player, extremely powerful player,
great foehand, can have a great serving day, can have
a bad serving day, something that will try to capitalize
on tomorrow. Elena is a good rhythm player, so she
can feed off the pace of Arena. Also, I think
on the back end side we're a little bit stronger.
(22:31):
But as a matchup, I mean it's going to be
a lot of mistakes, a lot of winners. I'm sure
about that from both sides because there's going to be
a lot of pressure. So I think who serves well
tomorrow goes through. That's my feeling.
Speaker 17 (22:46):
Well, they both are pretty strong on the surf, they're
pretty aggressive, so I would say like it's going to
be about like who is getting this keep this focus
to be more like concentrate on her own game and
not trying to opponent on the errors. It's more about
who can keep going leg because there will be some
(23:06):
opportunities on the return, for sure, But it's about like
if you're gonna do it or you're gonna wait. So
I think is gonna be like this may be a
few points that may have been dissat in That's what
I think.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
I'm joined now by our friends from oz open dot com,
Viv Christy, Jill Tan and Matrolope, who are entering the
courtroom of Judge John. The matches are real, the rulings
are final. This is Judge Donal. What we're gonna do
is have a discussion about the best matches of the
tournament thus far. And I've asked each of you to
(23:42):
prepare one match. You're gonna have forty five seconds each
to give me the reasons why your match should be
considered the match of the tournament, and then we'll debate
and see who is the ultimate victor. So, Viv, your
testimony for your match of the tournament.
Speaker 7 (23:58):
My match of the tournament is, of course, Tanasi Kokanakus
versus Andy Murray in the second round. What a contest
between these two great warriors of tennis. I feel like
it was Match of the tournament before it actually even began.
With so much at stake. Andy Murray hadn't been to
pass the second round of the Australian Open since twenty seventeen.
(24:18):
We all know that he was playing with a metal hip,
and what a contest it turned out to be. We
all thought that it was going to be a very
straightforward win for Tanasi ko kanakas he was serving brilliantly,
his forehand was just on song. Everything about this match
was all about Tanasi until Andy Murray sees control. So
five hours, forty five minutes later, a great contest between
(24:42):
a fantastic server. Tanasi served thirty seven aces and one
of the best returners ever in the game. And yeah,
I just don't think that you're going to get a
better quality of tennis anywhere.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
Thank you for your testimony, viv Christy. Over to you,
Jill Tan please present your Match of the tournament.
Speaker 10 (24:59):
Yes, so my nomination is Elena Rostapenko's stirring win over
Coco Goff. She was literally untouchable, was seven five six three.
She reached her first major quarterfinals since Wimbledon twenty eighteen.
She's kind of been out in the wilderness. She's twenty five.
She was up facing Coco GoF, you know, last year's
rolling Garrols finalist. It was a bit of past and
present all combined. And Elena Rostapenko was simply unstoppable. Broke
(25:24):
three or three times, and she was simply, you know, stunning,
with unstoppable aggression, winners flying off the racket. She's all out,
totally unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
Matrolope to bring testimony for the third match of the tournament,
what have you got.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Well, I've got the fourth rank clash between Andre Rublev
and Holgaruna, and I'd probably agree with Viv that the
Murray Kochanachus match was the match of the tournament. But
until I watched this match, I couldn't believe how much
I got drawn in emotionally with what was happening, because
maybe the quality of the tennis wasn't the highest of
(25:59):
the tornament, but it is genuinely in the match that
I have watched were I did not know what was
going to happen, and both of those players, in different ways,
where their hearts on their sleeve and their emotions were
just so palpable, and both had match points in the
fifth set, it went to a super tie break. At
the end, ruby Lev was facing two match points. And
every time I watch Rouble If he's such a torch
(26:21):
and soul on the court. And when I saw him
facing those two match points, I thought, oh, this is
going to be another heartbreaking loss for him. And somehow
he steadied himself, served his way out of that predicament.
And then I think he was down maybe five two,
seven to two in the super tie break and managed
to come back, and it was this incredible match point
where he won on the let cord and there was
(26:42):
that amazing shot of the agacy, sorry, the agony and
the ecstasy all in one point where they were both
like heads in their hands for different reasons. And then
ruby Lev's on court interview at the end, he said,
I never win matches like this. I can't like, I
can't believe I won. And I just thought that was
it was just such an unexpectedly incredible fourth round match,
and yeah, it gets my vote.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Okay, ladies, Any reason why rube Lev the Runa shouldn't
be top of the tree.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
Well, did it go for five hours and forty five
minutes and finish after four am?
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Are we saying that's a good thing for all of
the media that were I'm Comoran until the sunrise.
Speaker 10 (27:18):
But what about Ostapenko. She's just been battling, you know,
demons in her mind. She was saying her early win
in twenty seventeen, she hasn't sort of broken through it
a major since then. It's been sort of a monkey
on her back, and she's realized that, you know, it
took her a few years, but she's finally making deep
runs at slams again.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
So we've had Murray have this kind of breakthrough and
stage comeback like we thought he might have been beyond
this point of his career. We had Ostapenko five years
on from that Wimbledon semi final run and her breaking through.
And we've had rube Lev that' said on the court,
I never win matches like this, and he does. You
could make a case for all three. So are we
allowed to throw back to you, John and say which
(27:58):
one do you like?
Speaker 4 (27:59):
So I'm going to disregard the length of the match.
I'm going to disregard that because I think it's unfair,
especially when you've got best of five, best of three.
I'm also going to disregard the round in which these occurred.
So I am going to award the points to Murray
versus Cock and Arcus simply for the drawcard factor. A
(28:21):
five setter that had that much drama at that time
of night, with relevance to one of the greats of
all time, Andy Murray and an Australian, very popular Australian player.
I just think that for me, that is not head
and shoulders, but maybe a forehead above the rest of
the competition. So I hereby declare that Andy Murray versus
(28:41):
the Nazi cockin Archus is the match of the tournament
thus far.
Speaker 7 (28:44):
Thank you John Juvanas. It may not have been a
five set win, but I do feel like.
Speaker 4 (28:48):
I've won an epick quarterjourned Ozopen dot Com, viv Christy,
Jill Tan, Mattralope. Thank you all for joining us in
the courtroom of Judge John. So there's my judgment. But
who am I to decide the best match? It's time
for the people's choice.
Speaker 18 (29:06):
I love the match between Run and rub Led that's right,
rub blev.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
But I want Run to win that game because I
think he deserved it. But I think Ruby Lev did
a great job.
Speaker 19 (29:19):
Now I saw Djokovic and Dimitov, which is an awesome match.
Speaker 20 (29:24):
It's been quite a lot of five setters, which has
been good. Probably Mari versus very teeny. It was good
just to see them going at each other. It could
have gone either way, and it's good to see the
old champion up.
Speaker 11 (29:35):
The Willain's doubles of the Czech Republic versus Ukraine and Romanian.
Speaker 19 (29:42):
Actually, I love the game last night the semifinal between
Azarenka and Revulcino. Azarenka was the two championship winners and
the atmosphere of her is really great and people always
support him and her opponents also has a lot of spots,
so I think the atmosphere is greet and the competition
(30:05):
is exciting.
Speaker 11 (30:07):
Oh.
Speaker 18 (30:08):
I have to say that Andy Murray one because I
was living in the UK for for a few years
and we love to Murray for Wimbledon, and then he
kind of, you know, wasn't not his best anymore. But
this year it's seeing he coming back and had all
these fights. It was amazing.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
Haven't There been some thrilling matches across the past twelve
days and still a couple more to be written. It's
the women's final tomorrow night and the men's to follow
on Sunday. Don't forget to join us tomorrow for Day thirteen,
and don't forget the AO season is underway in the
world's most popular mobile tennis game, Tennis Clash. Download it
today from the app Store. In the meantime, take this
(30:52):
opportunity to subscribe and please rate and review so more
fans can discover the AO show.
Speaker 17 (31:04):
He
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