September 25, 2025 • 44 mins
Team World has taken back the Laver Cup in San Francisco! Xave and Brie are joined by Tennis Australia’s data extraordinaire Simon Rea and AusOpen.com’s Dan Imhoff to recap the 8th edition of the event. The panel also reacts to Novak Djokovic returning to the Shanghai Masters, Iga Swiatek winning her 25th WTA title, and Italy going back to back at the Billie Jean King Cup. Plus, they celebrate Dasha and Luke Saville’s baby news!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
H Hello and welcome to the tennis seeing Red, Fritz
and Demon deliver the Labor Cup for Team World, Viva
a Dahlia Italy still Queens of the Village and King Cup,
and the Master returns the goat himself.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
How will Djokovic hold up in Shanghai? That and more
is all ahead with me? Xavier Muller bark alongside me,
the Blue tick herself. It's pretty Stuart, Hi, nice to
see you. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Is it kind of good to be here?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Well, that's good. The numbers never lie, and neither does
he Analyst to the stars, Simon Ray, Hey, thanks for having
me back. Always a pleasure. We ask quite frequently. It's
rare to say yes, so thank you for coming. Busy true,
the numbers well, you know, pod Castle lies and everything
think of.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Decline yet, but all the same, good to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And the man who wields a pen like excalibur. So,
Dan Imhoff, welcome to the round table, knighted.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
You've become a sir.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Any two weeks in a row.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
This is pretty special. It's like a slam run second week,
So Dan.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It's a big week for you.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
It is, and why I think.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Using it as the week.
Speaker 6 (01:22):
But in my notes to ask you about your beloved
Brisbane Lions.
Speaker 5 (01:26):
Yes, so they're through to a third Grand Final in
a row.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Which is unusual for poor Brizi, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
It wasn't in the early two thousands living in the past,
mate follow as well.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Family.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Does you have familial ties to Geelong?
Speaker 4 (01:46):
That's correct?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yes, the superior team.
Speaker 6 (01:50):
And simon moving on from mister mister Tigers Lions.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Ironically breeze of cheating, so it all feline sort of family.
Speaker 6 (02:03):
It's ninety nine days until the Australian Summer of Tennis.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Kicked off, freaking out which gave.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
Me hives this morning. But what does the team have
planned on your site?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Yeah? So wow, ninety nine days countdown really is on
a couple about that, Yeah, we've got obviously our real
time analytics that we provide at the Australian Open. We
provide that in house. I think we're the earnest Slam
to do that without outsourcing, so proud of that. We
want to support our Aussies clearly, that's a big part
of our focus over the summer and some of what
(02:33):
we're going to talk about today. You know, we want
to help them beat the rest of the world. So
as much as we're trying to provide an unbelievable experience
to all comers here at the Australian Open, we certainly
have an eye on the prize in terms of wanting
to support our Aussies and seeing them go deep in
the event. And I think there's a part of what
we do that I haven't surfaced well enough and widely enough.
Is the team. We've got some data going back five, six, seven,
(02:56):
a decade or so in terms of time that sits
in front of the tournament director, sits in front of
mister Tyley, and could inform him in terms of length
and matches over time. What are the trends length of
matches on which courts, what's the point duration look like?
You know, are tennis points looking different in twenty twenty
six than they did in twenty twenty one, time between points?
You know, it's kind of like I think you name
(03:17):
it in terms of some of those metrics of interest
and maybe they're just of interest to me. No, they're
our fingertips. So there's some things that I think we
could do or spread the word a little bit more
widely in twenty twenty six than we have before on.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Is there like a live dashboard during the event like
that Craig sees yeah, that one. He's not just looking
at historical but minute to minute the matches are going
longer trends that are happening throughout any given day.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I think depending on how well versus you are unfiltering
for what you want to see. Tournament IQ we call it,
and it sits in front of him and his team there,
and we'd like to think that if there's an insight
that he's interested in, hey, late finishes, et cetera, you
know what are the trends there? It's in front of
him and he's got those insights at his fingertips.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
And when you're.
Speaker 6 (03:58):
Sitting in coaches box, which we at you sometimes during
the A do, especially with our Aussies, and you've got
an iPad, is that what you're looking at?
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Yeah, that's the real time analytics. So that's serve location,
serve location under pressure. Where were they returning from in
the first set? Where are they now in the four set?
What's happening to that? Forehand? Are they are they starting
to hurt us with that? Forehand? Are they making more
errors off that side as the match is going on,
et cetera.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Now, each week we do something we called what's caught
your eye? Great little pun let's start with you, Dan Imhoff.
What caught your eye? This week?
Speaker 5 (04:26):
I'm going to go with labor Cup and I just
finished the eighth edition in San Francisco.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
And who won Team World?
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And we had we actually last week we had to
guest score. We did pretty sure.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Are you ready? You know, are you ready to hand
your crown back? I think Jamie was the only one
that picked yes. Well, Jamie and I both picked corrected
the crown sits here, so we need to see the score. Yeah, okay,
we're going to look back into tape. I'm pretty sure
my pick isn't actually possible. So yeah, even had it
(05:02):
come to fruition.
Speaker 6 (05:03):
Though, because I had mine very close together with World.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Just beating myself and I picked. Yeah, Well we just
picked a number and I'm.
Speaker 6 (05:17):
Pretty sure I won again. But look, I don't want
to be seen as Dan insufferable.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
Alex Demonor ended up being probably one of two stars
for Team World, I'd say, yeah. A bit of a
whirlwind trip back and forth across the Pacific went across.
He was the only player that ended up winning three matches,
which is impressive coming off.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Set back in Sydney. Who did He beats.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
Verev Mensik and straight sets, and he teamed with Michelson
in doubles to beat Rude and Runa the Scandinavians.
Speaker 7 (05:51):
I took this as a big opportunity to take a
step in the right direction and play the type of
tennis that I want to be playing ultimately. And you know,
I've had a couple of tough matches and tough losses
where I've I've had lots of regrets and you know
that wasn't easy to deal with. So a little change
(06:13):
in mindset and kind of backing myself and playing the
type of way I want to play with that clarity
has been very important from the very first point.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
To the last.
Speaker 7 (06:26):
And yeah, it's it's definitely the way I want to
be playing.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Did he have something to prove? Do you think was
he like Davis cut rattled me, I need to go
and smash them. And I think he liked the environment.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
There was a really touching moment in the lead up
in the training sessions where Rod Labor, the namesake of
the event, the new vice captain of the Team World, Pat,
Rafter and demon all were on court together, three of
ourt generations of standard bearers. I guess demon I hasn't
won a Slam yet obviously, but the other two are
(06:57):
two of our greats.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Two greats, Yeah, like synonymous with the sports.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
Yeah, he called a real pinch me moment getting to
spend a bit of time with them. And Rafter himself
had some nice things to say after he won that doubles.
He said, he always tends to underestimate himself. He's quite humble,
he's impressive at net. What I also like, he never
gets discouraged. He stays true to himself and he knows
his game.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
So that's nice.
Speaker 5 (07:23):
A pretty big rap from Pat. He doesn't throw around
compliments like that. Willy nilly, do you know.
Speaker 6 (07:29):
The observation just from watching Labor Cup was that everyone
was having a really good time. Like even watching Agassy
with Rafter, I really loved like this small, unassuming Agassy
with his four part Rafter and they're laughing on the
sidelines and obviously winning as well. But and then when
you look on the other side with Henman and Janig Noah,
(07:50):
they were kind of similar it actually has a really
nice kind of playful I suppose because you're also playing
for points, right like, it is more relaxing.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
There's definitely less pressure.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
I mean, I know they they ride it on that
last day, but it's still less pressure than probably Dave's
carp or slam or you know that.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
It's more about pride being on the line, and you know.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
It's a bit of fun for this hang out a
bit together, and I think there's opportunity in that as well.
And one of the things that I really enjoyed reading
about out of the weekend or seeing in real time
as well was the relationship that Demon had with Captain
Agacy and then and then with Pat on the sideline
as well, and a couple of things that he spoke
about and that that came out in the analytics postmatch
in terms of the use of his slice back end,
(08:31):
something that Andre was trying to get him to do
a lot more of, particularly against Veriev and coming coming forward.
You've touched on it, Dan in terms of you know,
Pat said to him, yeah, you volley better than perhaps
you give yourself credit for. It needs to become a
part of your game. And Demon made comments as well
so often we associate his movement, his explosiveness around the
court with his ability to defend and retrieve CounterPunch. But more,
(08:53):
can you use that speed in an offensive way? Can
you get inside the baseline? Can you take time away
from your opponent? And we saw a lot more of that.
I think Demon was talking about the different geometry that
exists on the court. There's perhaps more options to use
my speed in a different way than I'd realized before.
And he was tracing that back to the conversations with
Andre and Pad on the side. I probably hadn't had
a lot to do with Andre before.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
And what better person one of the greatest exactly had
who took the ball early, earlier than most.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
Really nice to have a different perspective from your every
day with his coach since he was young, right, it's
been really faithful to that coach. And now he's just
had this two breaths of fresh air, giving two different perspectives.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Funny, this renewal of the captaincy of both teams has
really injected a whole energy because there was Macenroe and
Borg were there for the first seven phenomenal captains, and
but you know, it seems there was time for it
could change and gosh, and they really you could tell
(09:54):
that Agassi and Noah came in and really gave a ship.
They were just like, let's do this. Boys.
Speaker 6 (09:59):
Look like he was having the best time, and I
know Ralph said he had the best time, like yeah,
And you could feel it through the TV screen and
watching and in the social content.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
It's really good.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
The other one I wanted to mention was Taylor Fritz,
who had that pivot to win over Alcarez in straight sets,
which was impressive given he'd come off at US Open
loss to Djokovic. You went sure how he was going
to rebound, but he was really strong and then he
beats very of in the twelfth match to seal at
fourteen World.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yeah. Actually, we've got to grab from Taylor Fritz after
beating Alcaraz to have the listen here.
Speaker 8 (10:34):
Such an amazing moment. And I'll say it again, I
think what really does it for me is not is
not the win itself. It's the It's just how I played.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
It's just a level.
Speaker 8 (10:45):
It's taking advantage of those big moments, pulling the trigger,
just just going out and taking it. You know, I
think I win, I win a lot of matches from
kind of like just serving and pushing, and I think
that this kind of my joke this year. This is
I'm a bi it that pushes, but this is the
tennis that I want to play. And yeah, it makes
(11:09):
me so happy to to.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Play at that level.
Speaker 8 (11:13):
And you know, I'm hoping this can be, you know,
a sign of things to come as far as just
me being able to just trust.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Just trusted in the big moments. Right, So we just
heard from Fritz. They're great player, not a great comedian.
But anyway, Simon, how's Fritz able to adapt his game
on slower courts like this to beat the big players?
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Well, I thought that was really instructive hearing him talk
about his want and his determination to play a more
aggressive brand of tennis and to not rely on We
know he's got that ability to be safe and be consistent.
He called it pushing, and he can do that well,
but up against the very best, it's not been a
recipe that's been enough to challenge them. So the head
to heads against al Karez one and three, against Sinner
(11:56):
one and four, including losing the last three matches, I'm
just looking at over the last twelve eighteen months or so,
losing the last three in straight sets, and against Djokovic
he's zero and eleven. And I had a look at
those matchups to try to dive a little bit deeper
what is going on when he plays those players. I
think he's caught a little bit between on a second serve,
so all of those players are able to impact on
his second serve. I think Taylor would say if he
(12:18):
were in the room with us, his athleticism and physicality
and movement is not a strength of his game like
it is with those other three. He wants to play
on top of the point more. He wants to be
the one dishing out the punishment which he alluded to there.
But on second serve, even at mid one hundred and
sixties on speed one hundred and sixty k's an hour,
one hundred and sixty five k's an hour, it's not
enough to threaten those guys, and they take control of
(12:39):
the point, they get an opportunity on second serve. I
think where he comes unstuck against them, and he's very
predictable generally with his location on second serve, even at
one hundred and sixty five k's an hour on second serve.
If they know where it's coming, they will impact you.
And again I said it last week, or think of
the last time I was on That is where good
players go to die. If they have a read on
your serve and you become predictable, they will hurt you,
(13:01):
and they will hurt you every time. And that I
think is the price that Taylor Fritz is paying. He
either needs one of two things, or perhaps both, more
variety on a second serve or much more speed, be
prepared to serve a few more double faults. Serve into
the mid one seventies, I think is a frontier that
he hasn't yet explored, but he did at the Labor Cup.
He's up at one hundred and seventy k's an hour,
(13:22):
and Carlos Alcarez could not impact on Fritz's second serve
on those slow courts in San Francisco. So that's the
throw caution to the window bit those second serve I think.
So he's either got to mix up location a lot more,
keep them off balance in that way, or he's bringing
a lot more heat. One hundred and sixty five k's
in hours not enough. It won't threaten those thays. It
needs to be one hundred and seventy five. Even then
it might not be if I were coaching him, might
(13:43):
be work, and I'm not for good reasons. I'd be
working on more variety on the second serve.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
That shot placement, keeping them guessing exactly crucial.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Because to chilly to dumb it down.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
And I think that's why that's why I thought it
was really instructive what he was saying around. I want
to bring that brand of aggression and purpose to the
court more often, and I want to be in charge
of success from my own destiny perhaps rather than relying
on my opponent to miss, because those guys they don't miss.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Yeah, yeah, well that was Labor Cup number eight. Next
year they're actually heading back to London to the O
two down. You might finally get a ticket instead of
just watching Late Night down here. I know you're in
rabbit hosted here.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Someone asked me, Davis Cup, where was it next year?
Speaker 6 (14:24):
And I said Copenhagen, And then later on he was like,
bre HiT's in London, and I was like, I had
no idea.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I just picked like a city.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Hey, I'll tell you one thing though, that is a city.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
He named a city Queen of.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Geography London, So that'd be fantastic.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah, and junk at first.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
One sounds good, sounds good, that'd be good.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
All right, Well, I'm going to jump in here with
what caught my eye. Speaking of Europe, that's a long
boater pool. But Italy secured its second consecutive winner the
BJK Cup. It was a two love sweep over eighteenth
time champions of the United States. Elizabeta Cocchiareto defeated Emma
Navarro six four sixty four, recovering from a break, and
Jazz and Palini defeated Jess Pagola at six four six,
(15:04):
two of her first win over Pagola in six meetings.
So it was quite a domination by the Italianos.
Speaker 6 (15:11):
Yeah, and I feel like they only won BJK Cup
in November last year, didn't They did.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
They're the first team to go back to back since
check ya did early twenty six teams last time.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Yeah, defended so good. It is pretty amazing.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
There was a good stat too about their head to head.
I don't know if you saw it with the US, Yeah,
you don't. I know, it's been strong, but you always
think of US as like, don't on a level. Yeah,
and there might be a caveat here that players like
Serena wouldn't have played every year. But they've now won
their last six ties against the US, including three finals
(15:47):
O nine, twenty ten, and twenty and this year.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Last time the US beat Italy was twenty two years ago.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Woh wow.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
Yeah, I would never have expected that, right.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
I mean, the Italian tennis world is incredible. Somewhere here
we got out. We did a documentary last year, you know,
the rise of Italian tennis off the back of Yannick
Sinner's championship here. It's just been incredible and it's amazing
to see there's real dominant forces in the Italian women's
side as well.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Yeah. Absolutely, and Paulini clearly at the front of the queue. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
In twenty twenty four was a breakout year for Paulini.
Roland Garros's final Wimbledon final, Olympics doubles gold Simon, how
do you think in twenty twenty five has her game
heading into the WTA finals.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
I think her game's in great shape. Has she had
the absolute breakthrough this year at slam level that perhaps
we saw from her last year? No, she still finds
herself well and truly secure in the top ten in
the world show. I think she's ranked number eight this
week and the WTA rankings, and I love the way
she goes about it. She's a player that's smaller in stature.
She's one that she doesn't have the overpowering first serve,
(16:49):
you know, but what she does have is great variety.
We spoke about it before. She keeps her opponent off
balance on us, so she knows she's not going to
blast the ball by you. But what she does is
she kind of flips that script on its head and
that's your turn to serve at her. Now she keeps
you off balance. So typically most players have a return
profile where we know what to expect. The player A
likes to return from on top of the baseline on
(17:09):
second serve. They like to be inside the baseline. You
know what you're going to get against her, you don't.
She can do it all. She can be on top
of the baseline on first serve return. She can be
three and four meters behind the baseline on first serve return,
so that gives her the ability of flex. If she's
up against a Sablenka, she can go back by herself
some time. She prides herself on making returns into play.
She's not going to allow the opponent cheap points. She's like,
(17:32):
if you're going to beat me. Her mentality is, if
you're going to beat me, you're going to earn it.
So I've got some tools in my kit bag where
i can mix it up. I can keep you off balance,
i can give you a different look. I'm going to
challenge your rhythm as the server, and anytime I do
get the racket on the ball, I'm going to put
it into play. She wins fifty percent of her first
serve return points. The average for the top hundred, even
(17:53):
the top ten is forty percent. So when you think
about putting a ten percent gap on the field, that's
really significant. Talk to a little bit how she does that,
mixing up her position, making a whole bunch of returns,
eliminating the ability for the server to get free points.
And then she does it differently from the back of
the quart as well. Again, it's not an overpowering game
per se, but her forehand she does it differently, more spin,
(18:14):
more net clearance, She gets the ball jumping off the court.
She challenges your impact point down the other end, and
I just love the way she goes about it. She
goes about it in a different way. She's really clear
on her weapons, what works for her and how she's
going to impose those weapons onto her opposition on any
given day. And it's different than what we see from
the rest of the top ten and the stock standard
(18:37):
approach if you like.
Speaker 7 (18:38):
So.
Speaker 5 (18:38):
And her court speed too is another factory. Her ability
to fan get to her left and find that forehand
that we've spoken about. Yeah, the points you know.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Are hard to come by against her because she defends
so well. She can neutralize some of the weapons that
are coming at her, and she can get points back
on her terms, particularly in the right conditions, which for
her are slower. That's why we've seen some of her
outstanding performances be on the clay courts. So, to answer
your question directly, how does her game match up with
the faster indoor type surfaces. It's more of a challenge
(19:06):
for her, but that's how good she is. She can
still win matches against the best players in the world
in those conditions.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
Yeah, she seems mentally strong as well, like she's always
out there smiling her face, bopping around like, I feel
like she's quite I.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Think that's a great point you make, and she was.
When you talk to our play development crew. Nicole Pratt
spent some time in Italy when she was maybe eighteen nineteen.
She was a little bit of a later developer. She
wasn't you know, world number one junior at sixteen And
I said to pretty well, what was she like at
eighteen nineteen? Determined, never missed a session, Incredible personal qualities,
(19:38):
She knew that she was going to get there. She
was resolute and she was on a journey and she
wasn't going to be put off that journey easily. So
amazing how it comes back to, you know, the kind
of the fire that burns from with and here we
are a decade or so later and you see that
coming true every week out on tour.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
And that team result too.
Speaker 5 (19:55):
For Polini, as you said, didn't have quite as strong
a year at the Slams as last year. That could
re really catapult her into this last of the year
and coming into AO again.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
Which I think the team culture piece has to be
a part of that record against the US. That's incredible
when you think about the force of the United States
is right, that is an incredible start that Dan referenced
to it.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
Yeah, even though the women led the way before Verytini
Singer and the men, they of course had a lot
of slam success early with Skivonni and Pinetta Irani who's
still out there, so they kind of forged the way
a little bit. But she's obviously a lot younger than them.
She wasn't a part of that, but they paved the
way for her.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Yeah, So sticking with the team aspect, you know, the
Italians are obviously having a very dominant period. Yet again,
looking more locally, Dan, in your opinion with the Aussies,
are we going to see them progress a bit further
in the next round of BJK Cup.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
I think they'll do very well in Hobart. They've got
a pretty good draw with Brazil and Portugal. Brazil has
one big with how to admire, but beyond that they
should they would be expected to win all their matches,
so it'll be interesting.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
It'll be a bit colder in November.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
Maybe resiliens aren't totally keen on that can only hope
for the essay.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
All right, Bree, let's jump over to you before we
take a call from China. Little Tea's there. Now you're
consistently bringing up Eager. Tell us your thoughts.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Hi, everyone, I'm going to talk about Eager. No, but Eager.
She had success in Soul last week. So she defeated Alexandrova,
won six seven six seven five. It was a third
WTA title this year, which is amazing, and it is
now her twenty fifth WTA career title, huge, which is amazing.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
She's only what twenty twenty three, twenty four four, maybe.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
Twenty four Wow, Yeah, so it's a really big So
you know, we had seen a little bit less of
Eager throughout the year this year, but we are definitely
seeing her back on top, which is great to see.
One of the things I really did love is in
her presser she spoke about, and we'll throw you to it,
how her dad had actually been at this same location
(22:10):
in nineteen eighty eight for the Olympic Games.
Speaker 9 (22:13):
The Olympics in eighty eight were like the highlight of
his career, and you know he's been telling a story
about it since we were me and my sister were kids,
you know. So I'm happy to explore this city. You know,
he's been talking about being here as a you know,
great adventure. So I played different sport.
Speaker 6 (22:35):
So her father was in the rowing team at the
Soul nineteen eighty eight Olympic Games, didn't win. So she
was basically saying that she's very happy to be there
and be winning on her terms when her dad couldn't.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So that was quite cute.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
What do you consist in that family?
Speaker 6 (22:52):
Yeah, I tend to find that the more you hear
about tennis players, the more they've got like these.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Athletes got to mention, but everyone in my family has
a gold mat.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
It's like and even like things like archery. It's like
award winning archery. Like sorry Puddon, but that explains. But
I'm not an athlete because you're my parents terrible athletes.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Hello to mom and dad. Yeah they do.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
Listen, So hey, there, ed In Julie, keep running. But
how many career titles can Eager win if her career
last another decade?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Good question, you said, what did she win her twenty fifth?
Speaker 4 (23:29):
Twenty four that's from thirty finals.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
I believe that's an open year of record as well
to won it in that few final Yeah, look, it's
it's all motivation, really, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Very good.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
And how much she can keep evolving as the game of.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Well there's something missing. She's never one nao, which is
exciting for us. Yeah in January, isn't it very exciting?
It is she's always in the mix, like she's always
you know, a hat to choose, you know, maybe maybe
you know what's going to tip it over. What makes
her the clear cut missing? Yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Yeah, I think that's a really good question.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Open your app I think going to tell you.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
I think she can claim another another fifty titles, And
it's easy to sit here and throw the number out.
The remarkable part is getting to work having a look
at some of the numbers around those those great champions
of our sport and how many titles they've collected over
the journey. That's the hard part, get to work and
fulfill the fifty. But I think she could average five
titles a year for the next decade. I can comfortably
see that she's such a force on the clay courts,
(24:32):
and I think we are seeing her improve on the
faster surfaces. I reckon she's a better version this year
on faster hard courts than she was twelve twenty four
months ago. For sure, so she's continuing to improve to
evolve her game. Yeah, I reckon she can average five
titles a year and that's not easily, not easy to do.
For the next decade, I can see her getting to
mid seventies and beyond. Well, very few gave her much
(24:55):
hope of winning Wimbledon, did they?
Speaker 2 (24:57):
So exactly?
Speaker 4 (24:58):
You would not put it past her if she when
Chicken win at Melbourne Park, for sure.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
So do you think she could or will win this year?
Would you put her based on what you're currently seeing
to both.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Of you experts and following on from that, does it
come down to what Sabalinka is doing.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
Yeah, I wouldn't have a favorite going in right now,
but i'd certainly have her in the top handful.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
I think that's a great point from Dan. I would
have said, probably Wimbledon's her slam that's going to challenge
her the most, so to be as dominant as she
was on that day against the Nisamova. And we spoke
last time. I was on about the response from Anisimova
in New York, how impressive that was. But if she
can conquer Wimbledon, and she can conquer the blue hard
courts at Melbourne Park for sure.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Put some clay down there, labor and she'll be right
at home. She loves a bit of thin then she
is favorite. Yeah, just happening anytime soon.
Speaker 6 (25:46):
We did just touch before on how tennis players tend
to have a lot of athletes as their parents, Simon,
is there any advantage of this because we've got sab Carter,
Zachary Rude sheltered for its CISP pass, I've all got
sporting families and there's many more when.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
It's tennis like.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Then you've got people who have these incredible histories that
you're putting out archery and it's mad. What's going on?
Is it something in the water?
Speaker 3 (26:16):
And does it help them? Does it make them better?
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Well, that's one that I haven't jumped into the data
to its life, but I think undeniably that the genetic
advantage right, it exists. That's real. And then some of
the conversations. I think it can have its challenges as
well when you think about sometimes what we see in
terms of the dynamic with the CITs of pass camp. Maybe,
but I think you know, when you're able to share
(26:39):
experiences and talk through some of the difficult moments and
a shoulder to lean on and been there, done that
like that. Impossible to put it value being able to
relate exactly child exactly, and it's never quite as good
as it seems, and it may not be as bad
as it seems, and the lowest of lows. I've got
to feel like there's a huge benefit in those moments
to having been there before.
Speaker 5 (27:00):
Is that genetic element, the genetic element of their ability.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
But then if the parent was.
Speaker 5 (27:06):
Also a pro athlete, that's a whole other level environmental
experience of having been there, done that, and how to
handle some of those difficult moments that inevitably pop up
along the way.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
All Right, we're going a little bit long today, as
we tend to do here at the tennis, so we're
gonna have a quick break and then after this we
will have an update live from Asia with our very
own rested egg stick around. Welcome back, Brie. There's a
strange man on our TV.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
He's not a strange man.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
It's reached the dude from our social and content team.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Where are you, buddy?
Speaker 10 (27:38):
How everyone?
Speaker 11 (27:39):
I'm from Beijing, China at the Beijing Olympic Park on
my way to the side for the China open for
the first round action to continue. Stunning day and here's the.
Speaker 10 (27:50):
Behind me. Yeah and yeah it's a stunning walk.
Speaker 11 (27:53):
It's like beautiful Parkland lanterns everywhere.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
It's got a look at that.
Speaker 10 (28:01):
Yeah, it's a warm.
Speaker 11 (28:02):
Sculpture behind me. No idea what that is. Yeah, it's
really hot today. We had some cooler days earlier on
for qualities, but today's really hot.
Speaker 10 (28:11):
To expect some lively fast conditions and main.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Drawl kicks off when Reese.
Speaker 11 (28:16):
So madraw for the WTA side started yesterday and we
had yeah, some early round results with some of the
top seeds having buyers in the women's side and yeah,
some great results across the board.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Tell us a little bit.
Speaker 6 (28:30):
We'll kick off with an Ossie success that's happened so far.
Tell us how Priscilla Han's going. I know you had
a chat with her last night.
Speaker 10 (28:37):
Yeah, I did.
Speaker 5 (28:38):
So.
Speaker 11 (28:38):
It was a record breaking China opened for the Aussie
women with Madison English and Priscilla hon qualifying. That took
out total in the women's singles up to six. So
Ossie women's tennis at the moment is having a real
moment and Priscilla Hahn speaking of having a real moment.
She is on absolute fire. She's having some of the
best success of her career, coming off qualifying at Wimbledon
(28:58):
and then the US Open and now here she won yesterday.
She'd be Gula Bitch in three sets after losing the
first set quite quickly, and she was just ecstatic after
the match. I spoke to her, and this win is
her first WTA one thousand win, and it's also a
win that projects her into the top one hundred for
the first time.
Speaker 10 (29:18):
A story of great perseverance.
Speaker 11 (29:20):
She's been around for so many years, and she told
me everyone's told her she's always had the talent, she'll
get there one day, but she's had so many injuries,
so many setbacks, and now to just see her finally
breakthrough into the top one hundred and being I think
five top one hundred wins since Wimbledon.
Speaker 10 (29:36):
She's on absolute fire at the moment.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
And I think she's twenty seven right, So it's not
as you said, it's coming. It's not an instant success
for her. She's had to wait and there was a
serious injury there where she didn't think she'd.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Ever play again.
Speaker 11 (29:48):
Yeah, she's just really turned her form around and had
an amazing run, really taking it.
Speaker 10 (29:55):
To her opponents as well. On serve.
Speaker 11 (29:56):
The Serf hasn't been at her best, she told me
at the China Open. She really had good success at
the US Open with r Serf, But just holding up
in the big moments is what she told me. She said,
in the pressure points when she needed it to work,
things happened for her and she just had mental capacity
and mental energy to get through those stuff.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Moments now raised from some good news for Prehon to
some kind of disappointing you, especially for the local fans.
Sablenka withdrew from Beijing due to a little minor injury.
How's that going to affect the tournament? Do you think?
Speaker 11 (30:30):
Yeah, well, it's interesting for Sabalanca. Obviously she sits at
world number one at the moment. Madison Keys is also withdrawn,
but the rest of the top ten are all in
and that race for the number one ranking year and
number one is really on so Bre. You just spoke
about Eager before and Soul. She's coming in with some
great form. She will come into this event as the
number one seed. Coco Goth number two. Those two will
(30:52):
probably go in the favorites at the moment there is
some pretty good shape, but without Sabalanca really opens up
the drawer, and it opened ups that opens up that
year end number one race.
Speaker 6 (31:02):
And it's kind of then similar on the men's right
because our Karaz is playing Tokyo, so we've just got Sinner.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
What does that?
Speaker 6 (31:09):
Who does that open up possibilities for other players against
Sinner or is it just going to be just the
Sinner show?
Speaker 11 (31:16):
Yeah, it's really bizarre, isn't it that we're not going
to have Alkaaz and Cinner. They had such a good
final here last year. It was probably the match of
the year in my opinion in Beijing. But there are
two five hundred events this week, Tokyo and Beijing.
Speaker 10 (31:28):
Ganix without his best year. But who else is in
the draw?
Speaker 11 (31:32):
Well, there's only four of the top twenty players in Tokyo.
The rest who are playing this week are in Beijing.
So the stronger draw is here in Beijing.
Speaker 10 (31:41):
It's just a matter of who do we think could
make the final.
Speaker 6 (31:45):
Obviously Chinwen we haven't seen as much from her sadly
this year due to injuries. She's possibly returning to this event.
Speaker 10 (31:56):
Watch this space.
Speaker 11 (31:57):
She's currently in the draws the number seven seed to
make her return. And last year when I was here,
I got the chance to watch her. Sat at the
very top of the Lotus Stadium, which is a huge stadium, and.
Speaker 10 (32:08):
Got to watch her on the center court.
Speaker 11 (32:10):
And she's like Taylor Swift here in China, she is huge,
so it's massive for the event if she does play.
Speaker 10 (32:16):
The crowd was absolutely full.
Speaker 11 (32:17):
Not a spare seed in the stadium doesn't quite the
singing abilities.
Speaker 4 (32:21):
And Taylor, she loves it.
Speaker 11 (32:23):
She is a queen of karaoke. She absolutely loves it.
She brings us energy. Watch this space. I had heard
some rumbling she's not one hundred percent. He hasn't come
through for her media yet, but watch this space. She's
still in the draw, so fingers crossed because that'd be
great for the event.
Speaker 6 (32:37):
So Race, thanks so much for joining us. We know
you're over there getting some amazing content dumplings and he's
having dumplings to promote the Australian summer, which is ninety
nine days away. We know that you're when you wind
up all that content capture in Beijing, you will be
off to Shanghai. So hopefully we can talk to you
when you're there as well. If not, we'll see you
(32:58):
back here in Melbourne.
Speaker 10 (32:59):
Thanks.
Speaker 11 (33:00):
Thanks, guy's exciting time to head for the summer at tennis.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Well, good on Reese having a great time over there.
And he's off to Shanghai next and so is the
goat himself, the joker Simon. You've got a little court
your eye moment to round out this show. What's happening
in Shanghai.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
Yeah, so Novak's off to Shanghai, and we know we've
seen him on a reduced schedule in twenty twenty five.
We haven't seen a lot of activity from him outside
of the Slam, certainly in recent times. So looking forward
to seeing the brand of tennis that he brings to
the court there. In terms of you know, you and
the teams they've asked me to have a look at, well,
what does success look like for Novak in Shanghai? I
think semi final or better. As part, I think you
(33:43):
become a victim of your own success, don't you, In
terms of you know, for meor mortals, it's maybe winning
a couple of matches and finding your way again on
a hard courtse But for this guy, you know, he'll
be looking at anything less than a title is a
fail for him. Semi final or better is a resounding
success and building towards some of the bigger events at
(34:05):
the back end of the year on the European indoor swing.
Speaker 6 (34:07):
He recently said in his press conference, which we talked
about at the US Open, that he feels he's got
more in the game if he's on the three sets
versus the five. Now with some of the younger players,
do you think we could see that performance as an
example in this set.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
I think it's a good point because I think you
know our reference semi finals, and I think if you
forecast forward to that, I think what happens is at
that point in time in a best of three event,
you've got more petrol in the tank because you haven't
spent so many of your tickets in getting there. You've
got more energy, more reserves to still call on in
those moments when you really need them up against your
sinners and your alcaraz is at the business end of
(34:45):
those tournaments. So I think that's a good point and
potentially a differentiator that allows him to have more success
against those guys than what we've seen at best of
five level. As he spoke to off the back of
his loss in New York.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Yeah, well it's been quite a tough week as well
for him personally, his longtime mentor Nicola Pilich. He was
a singles finalist of Roland Garross back in seventy three,
later coach Djokovic and Ivanizovich. So a real lost for
the tenise community, Nicola, and all of our thoughts and
commiseration commiserations go to his family and friends of his
(35:19):
and best like to Novak going into Shanghai.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Really looking forward to seeing what he can do.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
So hypothetically, Simon, if he does win Shanghai, how could
that influence his career outlook?
Speaker 4 (35:30):
Well, in terms of career outlook, I just think it
gives him if in that hypothetical world he's able to
get over the top of one of or both of
Alcoraz and Sinner at the business end of some of
those touraments, I think it does give some renewed hope,
some renewed belief that perhaps, and we know the margins
are fine when you get to the business end of
these of these big events, perhaps he's been lacking at
best of five set level, So anything that might help
(35:53):
to shift the needle to possibility and opportunity rather than
just that era of uncertain he which I think he's
been dealing with and facing those two men in recent
times can only be a helpful thing. So perhaps best
of three set tennis in that way is a good
vehicle to shift the needle towards best of five.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
You can plant any seed of doubt like he did
at the Olympics last year.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Yeah, he's a good point of following the AUSSI open. Yeah,
so he's in his head.
Speaker 5 (36:20):
So if he can get into little advantage in Shanghai
doing something like that, he'll take it.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
I think that's right.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
Confidence comes from action, So that's part of the action
that he'll be hoping to bring to the court in Shanghai.
Very good.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Well, that wraps up our court year I this week
and speaking of that outcomes from action, baby news there
is speaking of that. Yes, we know the mechanics.
Speaker 6 (36:45):
I did actually message them both on Instagram being like,
this is the best news ever, Like, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
What do they replay red?
Speaker 3 (36:51):
No, they disliked. Yeah, Dasha and Luke.
Speaker 6 (36:54):
Last week Friends of the Pod, Friends, Dear dear friends
of the Pod, Dear friends of Australian tennis community really
and the global tennis community. They shared on Instagram that
they're expecting their first childhood. A few days later, they
found out the gender and we're gonna have a look
at what they posted.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Who do you want?
Speaker 5 (37:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 12 (37:25):
Are you actually.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
What is it?
Speaker 3 (37:32):
It's a bar?
Speaker 12 (37:37):
Come here?
Speaker 10 (37:39):
Oh it's a.
Speaker 12 (37:42):
Bye oh oh boy?
Speaker 6 (38:00):
How cute is that they're having a little boy and
is growing to be amazing? And actually that brought it
some more tears to my eyes. Yeah, I've heard the
dogs get really put out.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
You've got to put a sock in the dog's bed
from the baby. Oh really, I'm going to like so
not notice a random sock every.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Time I get home.
Speaker 6 (38:20):
Dumpling steals my socks out of my shoes.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
When you have the baby, mummy smell the baby in
the hospital, and then you get an article of the
baby's clothing and you bring that home first, and the
dog goes, Okay, that's a smell that I'm going to
have to get used to. Then the baby comes in
and the dog goes, all right, it's more than a sock,
but I'll take it. That's basically how work.
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Yeah, It's like when you get a new puppy.
Speaker 6 (38:40):
You always put a jump rog with your scent on
it so they don't get as anxious.
Speaker 2 (38:43):
When you're not home. Interesting.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Yeah, you can tell you not a dad.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Because I said your socks are gross.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Yeah, probably.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
Telling you not a dady.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
Dog dad, I just lost it.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Well, that is thrilling news. And speaking of thrills, that's
what's happening in their lives this week. Let's take a
look around the table for our Ace of the week.
I love this bit. This is the bit where everyone
gets to say something that's giving them a little bit
of joy, not necessarily tennis related. I prefer it to
not be. Simon, I know you've got one burning a
hole in your pocket. What's your Ace of the week?
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Yeah, well mine is. Sorry to disappoint you, but hopefully
you'll approve all the same, save slightly tennis related. Thinking
about Priscilla Horn and we've spoken about her finding away
into the top one hundred right now, mate of all
of ours here at Tennis Australia and a longtime coach
of hers through all of her developmental years, who was
just I can't describe him any other way than a
gorgeous human being who left us in twenty twenty three
(39:43):
at the age of forty three, passed away due to melanoma.
Was Anthony Richardson and I reckon. When Pre won that
match last night against Victoria Gullibich Golibich and found her
way into the top one hundred, I think Richo raised
a glass of something really nice upstairs, and I know
it wasn't only one that was thinking of him last night.
He spent literally hundreds of weeks traveling around Australia and
(40:05):
around the world with Pre and was such an amazing
influence on her, not to mention his own daughters and
our sport more broadly. So yeah, I just thought that
was an opportunity time to let rich I know that
we're all thinking of him here today.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Lovely touch.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
That was a brilliant ace of the week. I'm after that.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
So Dan, what what what about you you got anything? Well?
Pre kind of jumped the gun on it a little bit.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
Really, I just read the notes.
Speaker 5 (40:31):
So I'll just finish up. What was my ace of
the week. Going to the AFL Grand Final. I got
tickets one hundred thousand people. It's our super Bowl at
the MTG, just across from Melbourne Park really tough to
get a ticket, and my team looking to go back
to back.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
They haven't done that since last year.
Speaker 5 (40:54):
The Big Cat Jack. Yeah, they're taking on Geelong Cats
and I believe you're going.
Speaker 4 (41:00):
Yeah, I'll be there with my six year old who's
very much looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
Angry fans a ticket and get a ticket.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
That's the week I've got some days off.
Speaker 6 (41:14):
I think I would like to say Melbourne is one
of the best cities to live in because we get
quite a lot, well a few more days off than
the rest of the country due to sport, and I'm
into that.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
And then tomorrow is our.
Speaker 6 (41:29):
Said to me, why do you have the day off?
And I was like, oh, so people can go watch
the grade and they're like, you're going I was like,
absolutely not.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
I with my girlfriend, why is it not on the
Monday's wrecked on?
Speaker 6 (41:43):
That indicate I also have the Monday off, which is
what I'm excited. So I have a four day weekend
because I have been quite busy and my brain feels
like it's not braining. Dan can attest to it. He
sits with me. Yeah, So I've decided I need some
circuit breakers to be back and then I can and.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
That's great and you need to do that. I do.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
I really like to push myself to the brink.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
And then once you go well past that brink and then.
Speaker 6 (42:12):
Then I have I probably should sleep for a couple
of days. So yeah, I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker 4 (42:17):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Yeah, what about you ve?
Speaker 2 (42:20):
Well, as you may have noticed, I am out of my.
Speaker 3 (42:23):
Sling, but still your hand as a.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Hey, that's better than last week.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
Yeah, I think that's a lot.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
Well do you want to bump it again? You find
out you don't, So I'm out of the sling now,
but the real age of the week I can. And
then he's like, because I can't move it up, but
I can do this. I just can't enough with the motions. No,
so it's not just that I'm out of the sleep.
But I love my team here at Tennis Australia. I've
got really good people, yes, who work with us. And
(42:54):
one of them, Jake, gave me rhymes okay, just to
be like, mate, I know you've had a really rough
He just gave me this really birthday cake. No, hers
was a weird unicorn that I got from the supermarket.
Speaker 3 (43:09):
That's a really so that was Yours of the week.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
The cake, that's the cake, the gesture from my team.
Speaker 6 (43:15):
It's been a big show today. I'm going to leave
it there. There's been so much energy, so many giggles.
Don't worry, there's going to be so much editing as well.
So thank you to Simon and Dan for being here
with us today, Zave, thanks for having us always a pleasure.
We didn't fight as much as we normally.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
Do, not in what we left in yeah yeah, yeah,
and we also love each everything.
Speaker 6 (43:36):
But thanks to you for watching or listening and we
will see you next week.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Hey everyone, Harps and Andy here just want to remind
you that you can watch every episode of the Tennis
on our YouTube channel, Australian Open tv.
Speaker 13 (43:52):
And we have an email as well podcast at tennis
dot com dot are you. If you thought the show
was amazing or you thought it was terrible, we are
keen to hear from you. We'll read it, so feedback comments,
whatever it is. Get in touch with us at our
email and we'll catch you on the next one.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Catch you later.
H Hello and welcome to the tennis seeing Red, Fritz
and Demon deliver the Labor Cup for Team World, Viva
a Dahlia Italy still Queens of the Village and King Cup,
and the Master returns the goat himself.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
How will Djokovic hold up in Shanghai? That and more
is all ahead with me? Xavier Muller bark alongside me,
the Blue tick herself. It's pretty Stuart, Hi, nice to
see you. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Is it kind of good to be here?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Well, that's good. The numbers never lie, and neither does
he Analyst to the stars, Simon Ray, Hey, thanks for having
me back. Always a pleasure. We ask quite frequently. It's
rare to say yes, so thank you for coming. Busy true,
the numbers well, you know, pod Castle lies and everything
think of.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Decline yet, but all the same, good to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And the man who wields a pen like excalibur. So,
Dan Imhoff, welcome to the round table, knighted.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
You've become a sir.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Any two weeks in a row.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
This is pretty special. It's like a slam run second week,
So Dan.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It's a big week for you.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
It is, and why I think.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Using it as the week.
Speaker 6 (01:22):
But in my notes to ask you about your beloved
Brisbane Lions.
Speaker 5 (01:26):
Yes, so they're through to a third Grand Final in
a row.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Which is unusual for poor Brizi, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
It wasn't in the early two thousands living in the past,
mate follow as well.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Family.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Does you have familial ties to Geelong?
Speaker 4 (01:46):
That's correct?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yes, the superior team.
Speaker 6 (01:50):
And simon moving on from mister mister Tigers Lions.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Ironically breeze of cheating, so it all feline sort of family.
Speaker 6 (02:03):
It's ninety nine days until the Australian Summer of Tennis.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Kicked off, freaking out which gave.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
Me hives this morning. But what does the team have
planned on your site?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Yeah? So wow, ninety nine days countdown really is on
a couple about that, Yeah, we've got obviously our real
time analytics that we provide at the Australian Open. We
provide that in house. I think we're the earnest Slam
to do that without outsourcing, so proud of that. We
want to support our Aussies clearly, that's a big part
of our focus over the summer and some of what
(02:33):
we're going to talk about today. You know, we want
to help them beat the rest of the world. So
as much as we're trying to provide an unbelievable experience
to all comers here at the Australian Open, we certainly
have an eye on the prize in terms of wanting
to support our Aussies and seeing them go deep in
the event. And I think there's a part of what
we do that I haven't surfaced well enough and widely enough.
Is the team. We've got some data going back five, six, seven,
(02:56):
a decade or so in terms of time that sits
in front of the tournament director, sits in front of
mister Tyley, and could inform him in terms of length
and matches over time. What are the trends length of
matches on which courts, what's the point duration look like?
You know, are tennis points looking different in twenty twenty
six than they did in twenty twenty one, time between points?
You know, it's kind of like I think you name
(03:17):
it in terms of some of those metrics of interest
and maybe they're just of interest to me. No, they're
our fingertips. So there's some things that I think we
could do or spread the word a little bit more
widely in twenty twenty six than we have before on.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Is there like a live dashboard during the event like
that Craig sees yeah, that one. He's not just looking
at historical but minute to minute the matches are going
longer trends that are happening throughout any given day.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I think depending on how well versus you are unfiltering
for what you want to see. Tournament IQ we call it,
and it sits in front of him and his team there,
and we'd like to think that if there's an insight
that he's interested in, hey, late finishes, et cetera, you
know what are the trends there? It's in front of
him and he's got those insights at his fingertips.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
And when you're.
Speaker 6 (03:58):
Sitting in coaches box, which we at you sometimes during
the A do, especially with our Aussies, and you've got
an iPad, is that what you're looking at?
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Yeah, that's the real time analytics. So that's serve location,
serve location under pressure. Where were they returning from in
the first set? Where are they now in the four set?
What's happening to that? Forehand? Are they are they starting
to hurt us with that? Forehand? Are they making more
errors off that side as the match is going on,
et cetera.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Now, each week we do something we called what's caught
your eye? Great little pun let's start with you, Dan Imhoff.
What caught your eye? This week?
Speaker 5 (04:26):
I'm going to go with labor Cup and I just
finished the eighth edition in San Francisco.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
And who won Team World?
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And we had we actually last week we had to
guest score. We did pretty sure.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Are you ready? You know, are you ready to hand
your crown back? I think Jamie was the only one
that picked yes. Well, Jamie and I both picked corrected
the crown sits here, so we need to see the score. Yeah, okay,
we're going to look back into tape. I'm pretty sure
my pick isn't actually possible. So yeah, even had it
(05:02):
come to fruition.
Speaker 6 (05:03):
Though, because I had mine very close together with World.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Just beating myself and I picked. Yeah, Well we just
picked a number and I'm.
Speaker 6 (05:17):
Pretty sure I won again. But look, I don't want
to be seen as Dan insufferable.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
Alex Demonor ended up being probably one of two stars
for Team World, I'd say, yeah. A bit of a
whirlwind trip back and forth across the Pacific went across.
He was the only player that ended up winning three matches,
which is impressive coming off.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Set back in Sydney. Who did He beats.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
Verev Mensik and straight sets, and he teamed with Michelson
in doubles to beat Rude and Runa the Scandinavians.
Speaker 7 (05:51):
I took this as a big opportunity to take a
step in the right direction and play the type of
tennis that I want to be playing ultimately. And you know,
I've had a couple of tough matches and tough losses
where I've I've had lots of regrets and you know
that wasn't easy to deal with. So a little change
(06:13):
in mindset and kind of backing myself and playing the
type of way I want to play with that clarity
has been very important from the very first point.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
To the last.
Speaker 7 (06:26):
And yeah, it's it's definitely the way I want to
be playing.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Did he have something to prove? Do you think was
he like Davis cut rattled me, I need to go
and smash them. And I think he liked the environment.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
There was a really touching moment in the lead up
in the training sessions where Rod Labor, the namesake of
the event, the new vice captain of the Team World, Pat,
Rafter and demon all were on court together, three of
ourt generations of standard bearers. I guess demon I hasn't
won a Slam yet obviously, but the other two are
(06:57):
two of our greats.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Two greats, Yeah, like synonymous with the sports.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
Yeah, he called a real pinch me moment getting to
spend a bit of time with them. And Rafter himself
had some nice things to say after he won that doubles.
He said, he always tends to underestimate himself. He's quite humble,
he's impressive at net. What I also like, he never
gets discouraged. He stays true to himself and he knows
his game.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
So that's nice.
Speaker 5 (07:23):
A pretty big rap from Pat. He doesn't throw around
compliments like that. Willy nilly, do you know.
Speaker 6 (07:29):
The observation just from watching Labor Cup was that everyone
was having a really good time. Like even watching Agassy
with Rafter, I really loved like this small, unassuming Agassy
with his four part Rafter and they're laughing on the
sidelines and obviously winning as well. But and then when
you look on the other side with Henman and Janig Noah,
(07:50):
they were kind of similar it actually has a really
nice kind of playful I suppose because you're also playing
for points, right like, it is more relaxing.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
There's definitely less pressure.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
I mean, I know they they ride it on that
last day, but it's still less pressure than probably Dave's
carp or slam or you know that.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
It's more about pride being on the line, and you know.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
It's a bit of fun for this hang out a
bit together, and I think there's opportunity in that as well.
And one of the things that I really enjoyed reading
about out of the weekend or seeing in real time
as well was the relationship that Demon had with Captain
Agacy and then and then with Pat on the sideline
as well, and a couple of things that he spoke
about and that that came out in the analytics postmatch
in terms of the use of his slice back end,
(08:31):
something that Andre was trying to get him to do
a lot more of, particularly against Veriev and coming coming forward.
You've touched on it, Dan in terms of you know,
Pat said to him, yeah, you volley better than perhaps
you give yourself credit for. It needs to become a
part of your game. And Demon made comments as well
so often we associate his movement, his explosiveness around the
court with his ability to defend and retrieve CounterPunch. But more,
(08:53):
can you use that speed in an offensive way? Can
you get inside the baseline? Can you take time away
from your opponent? And we saw a lot more of that.
I think Demon was talking about the different geometry that
exists on the court. There's perhaps more options to use
my speed in a different way than I'd realized before.
And he was tracing that back to the conversations with
Andre and Pad on the side. I probably hadn't had
a lot to do with Andre before.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
And what better person one of the greatest exactly had
who took the ball early, earlier than most.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
Really nice to have a different perspective from your every
day with his coach since he was young, right, it's
been really faithful to that coach. And now he's just
had this two breaths of fresh air, giving two different perspectives.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Funny, this renewal of the captaincy of both teams has
really injected a whole energy because there was Macenroe and
Borg were there for the first seven phenomenal captains, and
but you know, it seems there was time for it
could change and gosh, and they really you could tell
(09:54):
that Agassi and Noah came in and really gave a ship.
They were just like, let's do this. Boys.
Speaker 6 (09:59):
Look like he was having the best time, and I
know Ralph said he had the best time, like yeah,
And you could feel it through the TV screen and
watching and in the social content.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
It's really good.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
The other one I wanted to mention was Taylor Fritz,
who had that pivot to win over Alcarez in straight sets,
which was impressive given he'd come off at US Open
loss to Djokovic. You went sure how he was going
to rebound, but he was really strong and then he
beats very of in the twelfth match to seal at
fourteen World.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yeah. Actually, we've got to grab from Taylor Fritz after
beating Alcaraz to have the listen here.
Speaker 8 (10:34):
Such an amazing moment. And I'll say it again, I
think what really does it for me is not is
not the win itself. It's the It's just how I played.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
It's just a level.
Speaker 8 (10:45):
It's taking advantage of those big moments, pulling the trigger,
just just going out and taking it. You know, I
think I win, I win a lot of matches from
kind of like just serving and pushing, and I think
that this kind of my joke this year. This is
I'm a bi it that pushes, but this is the
tennis that I want to play. And yeah, it makes
(11:09):
me so happy to to.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Play at that level.
Speaker 8 (11:13):
And you know, I'm hoping this can be, you know,
a sign of things to come as far as just
me being able to just trust.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Just trusted in the big moments. Right, So we just
heard from Fritz. They're great player, not a great comedian.
But anyway, Simon, how's Fritz able to adapt his game
on slower courts like this to beat the big players?
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Well, I thought that was really instructive hearing him talk
about his want and his determination to play a more
aggressive brand of tennis and to not rely on We
know he's got that ability to be safe and be consistent.
He called it pushing, and he can do that well,
but up against the very best, it's not been a
recipe that's been enough to challenge them. So the head
to heads against al Karez one and three, against Sinner
(11:56):
one and four, including losing the last three matches, I'm
just looking at over the last twelve eighteen months or so,
losing the last three in straight sets, and against Djokovic
he's zero and eleven. And I had a look at
those matchups to try to dive a little bit deeper
what is going on when he plays those players. I
think he's caught a little bit between on a second serve,
so all of those players are able to impact on
his second serve. I think Taylor would say if he
(12:18):
were in the room with us, his athleticism and physicality
and movement is not a strength of his game like
it is with those other three. He wants to play
on top of the point more. He wants to be
the one dishing out the punishment which he alluded to there.
But on second serve, even at mid one hundred and
sixties on speed one hundred and sixty k's an hour,
one hundred and sixty five k's an hour, it's not
enough to threaten those guys, and they take control of
(12:39):
the point, they get an opportunity on second serve. I
think where he comes unstuck against them, and he's very
predictable generally with his location on second serve, even at
one hundred and sixty five k's an hour on second serve.
If they know where it's coming, they will impact you.
And again I said it last week, or think of
the last time I was on That is where good
players go to die. If they have a read on
your serve and you become predictable, they will hurt you,
(13:01):
and they will hurt you every time. And that I
think is the price that Taylor Fritz is paying. He
either needs one of two things, or perhaps both, more
variety on a second serve or much more speed, be
prepared to serve a few more double faults. Serve into
the mid one seventies, I think is a frontier that
he hasn't yet explored, but he did at the Labor Cup.
He's up at one hundred and seventy k's an hour,
(13:22):
and Carlos Alcarez could not impact on Fritz's second serve
on those slow courts in San Francisco. So that's the
throw caution to the window bit those second serve I think.
So he's either got to mix up location a lot more,
keep them off balance in that way, or he's bringing
a lot more heat. One hundred and sixty five k's
in hours not enough. It won't threaten those thays. It
needs to be one hundred and seventy five. Even then
it might not be if I were coaching him, might
(13:43):
be work, and I'm not for good reasons. I'd be
working on more variety on the second serve.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
That shot placement, keeping them guessing exactly crucial.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Because to chilly to dumb it down.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
And I think that's why that's why I thought it
was really instructive what he was saying around. I want
to bring that brand of aggression and purpose to the
court more often, and I want to be in charge
of success from my own destiny perhaps rather than relying
on my opponent to miss, because those guys they don't miss.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Yeah, yeah, well that was Labor Cup number eight. Next
year they're actually heading back to London to the O
two down. You might finally get a ticket instead of
just watching Late Night down here. I know you're in
rabbit hosted here.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Someone asked me, Davis Cup, where was it next year?
Speaker 6 (14:24):
And I said Copenhagen, And then later on he was like,
bre HiT's in London, and I was like, I had
no idea.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I just picked like a city.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Hey, I'll tell you one thing though, that is a city.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
He named a city Queen of.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Geography London, So that'd be fantastic.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah, and junk at first.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
One sounds good, sounds good, that'd be good.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
All right, Well, I'm going to jump in here with
what caught my eye. Speaking of Europe, that's a long
boater pool. But Italy secured its second consecutive winner the
BJK Cup. It was a two love sweep over eighteenth
time champions of the United States. Elizabeta Cocchiareto defeated Emma
Navarro six four sixty four, recovering from a break, and
Jazz and Palini defeated Jess Pagola at six four six,
(15:04):
two of her first win over Pagola in six meetings.
So it was quite a domination by the Italianos.
Speaker 6 (15:11):
Yeah, and I feel like they only won BJK Cup
in November last year, didn't They did.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
They're the first team to go back to back since
check ya did early twenty six teams last time.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Yeah, defended so good. It is pretty amazing.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
There was a good stat too about their head to head.
I don't know if you saw it with the US, Yeah,
you don't. I know, it's been strong, but you always
think of US as like, don't on a level. Yeah,
and there might be a caveat here that players like
Serena wouldn't have played every year. But they've now won
their last six ties against the US, including three finals
(15:47):
O nine, twenty ten, and twenty and this year.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Last time the US beat Italy was twenty two years ago.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Woh wow.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
Yeah, I would never have expected that, right.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
I mean, the Italian tennis world is incredible. Somewhere here
we got out. We did a documentary last year, you know,
the rise of Italian tennis off the back of Yannick
Sinner's championship here. It's just been incredible and it's amazing
to see there's real dominant forces in the Italian women's
side as well.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Yeah. Absolutely, and Paulini clearly at the front of the queue. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
In twenty twenty four was a breakout year for Paulini.
Roland Garros's final Wimbledon final, Olympics doubles gold Simon, how
do you think in twenty twenty five has her game
heading into the WTA finals.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
I think her game's in great shape. Has she had
the absolute breakthrough this year at slam level that perhaps
we saw from her last year? No, she still finds
herself well and truly secure in the top ten in
the world show. I think she's ranked number eight this
week and the WTA rankings, and I love the way
she goes about it. She's a player that's smaller in stature.
She's one that she doesn't have the overpowering first serve,
(16:49):
you know, but what she does have is great variety.
We spoke about it before. She keeps her opponent off
balance on us, so she knows she's not going to
blast the ball by you. But what she does is
she kind of flips that script on its head and
that's your turn to serve at her. Now she keeps
you off balance. So typically most players have a return
profile where we know what to expect. The player A
likes to return from on top of the baseline on
(17:09):
second serve. They like to be inside the baseline. You
know what you're going to get against her, you don't.
She can do it all. She can be on top
of the baseline on first serve return. She can be
three and four meters behind the baseline on first serve return,
so that gives her the ability of flex. If she's
up against a Sablenka, she can go back by herself
some time. She prides herself on making returns into play.
She's not going to allow the opponent cheap points. She's like,
(17:32):
if you're going to beat me. Her mentality is, if
you're going to beat me, you're going to earn it.
So I've got some tools in my kit bag where
i can mix it up. I can keep you off balance,
i can give you a different look. I'm going to
challenge your rhythm as the server, and anytime I do
get the racket on the ball, I'm going to put
it into play. She wins fifty percent of her first
serve return points. The average for the top hundred, even
(17:53):
the top ten is forty percent. So when you think
about putting a ten percent gap on the field, that's
really significant. Talk to a little bit how she does that,
mixing up her position, making a whole bunch of returns,
eliminating the ability for the server to get free points.
And then she does it differently from the back of
the quart as well. Again, it's not an overpowering game
per se, but her forehand she does it differently, more spin,
(18:14):
more net clearance, She gets the ball jumping off the court.
She challenges your impact point down the other end, and
I just love the way she goes about it. She
goes about it in a different way. She's really clear
on her weapons, what works for her and how she's
going to impose those weapons onto her opposition on any
given day. And it's different than what we see from
the rest of the top ten and the stock standard
(18:37):
approach if you like.
Speaker 7 (18:38):
So.
Speaker 5 (18:38):
And her court speed too is another factory. Her ability
to fan get to her left and find that forehand
that we've spoken about. Yeah, the points you know.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Are hard to come by against her because she defends
so well. She can neutralize some of the weapons that
are coming at her, and she can get points back
on her terms, particularly in the right conditions, which for
her are slower. That's why we've seen some of her
outstanding performances be on the clay courts. So, to answer
your question directly, how does her game match up with
the faster indoor type surfaces. It's more of a challenge
(19:06):
for her, but that's how good she is. She can
still win matches against the best players in the world
in those conditions.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
Yeah, she seems mentally strong as well, like she's always
out there smiling her face, bopping around like, I feel
like she's quite I.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Think that's a great point you make, and she was.
When you talk to our play development crew. Nicole Pratt
spent some time in Italy when she was maybe eighteen nineteen.
She was a little bit of a later developer. She
wasn't you know, world number one junior at sixteen And
I said to pretty well, what was she like at
eighteen nineteen? Determined, never missed a session, Incredible personal qualities,
(19:38):
She knew that she was going to get there. She
was resolute and she was on a journey and she
wasn't going to be put off that journey easily. So
amazing how it comes back to, you know, the kind
of the fire that burns from with and here we
are a decade or so later and you see that
coming true every week out on tour.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
And that team result too.
Speaker 5 (19:55):
For Polini, as you said, didn't have quite as strong
a year at the Slams as last year. That could
re really catapult her into this last of the year
and coming into AO again.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
Which I think the team culture piece has to be
a part of that record against the US. That's incredible
when you think about the force of the United States
is right, that is an incredible start that Dan referenced
to it.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
Yeah, even though the women led the way before Verytini
Singer and the men, they of course had a lot
of slam success early with Skivonni and Pinetta Irani who's
still out there, so they kind of forged the way
a little bit. But she's obviously a lot younger than them.
She wasn't a part of that, but they paved the
way for her.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Yeah, So sticking with the team aspect, you know, the
Italians are obviously having a very dominant period. Yet again,
looking more locally, Dan, in your opinion with the Aussies,
are we going to see them progress a bit further
in the next round of BJK Cup.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
I think they'll do very well in Hobart. They've got
a pretty good draw with Brazil and Portugal. Brazil has
one big with how to admire, but beyond that they
should they would be expected to win all their matches,
so it'll be interesting.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
It'll be a bit colder in November.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
Maybe resiliens aren't totally keen on that can only hope
for the essay.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
All right, Bree, let's jump over to you before we
take a call from China. Little Tea's there. Now you're
consistently bringing up Eager. Tell us your thoughts.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
Hi, everyone, I'm going to talk about Eager. No, but Eager.
She had success in Soul last week. So she defeated Alexandrova,
won six seven six seven five. It was a third
WTA title this year, which is amazing, and it is
now her twenty fifth WTA career title, huge, which is amazing.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
She's only what twenty twenty three, twenty four four, maybe.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
Twenty four Wow, Yeah, so it's a really big So
you know, we had seen a little bit less of
Eager throughout the year this year, but we are definitely
seeing her back on top, which is great to see.
One of the things I really did love is in
her presser she spoke about, and we'll throw you to it,
how her dad had actually been at this same location
(22:10):
in nineteen eighty eight for the Olympic Games.
Speaker 9 (22:13):
The Olympics in eighty eight were like the highlight of
his career, and you know he's been telling a story
about it since we were me and my sister were kids,
you know. So I'm happy to explore this city. You know,
he's been talking about being here as a you know,
great adventure. So I played different sport.
Speaker 6 (22:35):
So her father was in the rowing team at the
Soul nineteen eighty eight Olympic Games, didn't win. So she
was basically saying that she's very happy to be there
and be winning on her terms when her dad couldn't.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So that was quite cute.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
What do you consist in that family?
Speaker 6 (22:52):
Yeah, I tend to find that the more you hear
about tennis players, the more they've got like these.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Athletes got to mention, but everyone in my family has
a gold mat.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
It's like and even like things like archery. It's like
award winning archery. Like sorry Puddon, but that explains. But
I'm not an athlete because you're my parents terrible athletes.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
Hello to mom and dad. Yeah they do.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
Listen, So hey, there, ed In Julie, keep running. But
how many career titles can Eager win if her career
last another decade?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Good question, you said, what did she win her twenty fifth?
Speaker 4 (23:29):
Twenty four that's from thirty finals.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
I believe that's an open year of record as well
to won it in that few final Yeah, look, it's
it's all motivation, really, isn't it?
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Very good.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
And how much she can keep evolving as the game of.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Well there's something missing. She's never one nao, which is
exciting for us. Yeah in January, isn't it very exciting?
It is she's always in the mix, like she's always
you know, a hat to choose, you know, maybe maybe
you know what's going to tip it over. What makes
her the clear cut missing? Yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Yeah, I think that's a really good question.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Open your app I think going to tell you.
Speaker 4 (24:10):
I think she can claim another another fifty titles, And
it's easy to sit here and throw the number out.
The remarkable part is getting to work having a look
at some of the numbers around those those great champions
of our sport and how many titles they've collected over
the journey. That's the hard part, get to work and
fulfill the fifty. But I think she could average five
titles a year for the next decade. I can comfortably
see that she's such a force on the clay courts,
(24:32):
and I think we are seeing her improve on the
faster surfaces. I reckon she's a better version this year
on faster hard courts than she was twelve twenty four
months ago. For sure, so she's continuing to improve to
evolve her game. Yeah, I reckon she can average five
titles a year and that's not easily, not easy to do.
For the next decade, I can see her getting to
mid seventies and beyond. Well, very few gave her much
(24:55):
hope of winning Wimbledon, did they?
Speaker 2 (24:57):
So exactly?
Speaker 4 (24:58):
You would not put it past her if she when
Chicken win at Melbourne Park, for sure.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
So do you think she could or will win this year?
Would you put her based on what you're currently seeing
to both.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Of you experts and following on from that, does it
come down to what Sabalinka is doing.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
Yeah, I wouldn't have a favorite going in right now,
but i'd certainly have her in the top handful.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
I think that's a great point from Dan. I would
have said, probably Wimbledon's her slam that's going to challenge
her the most, so to be as dominant as she
was on that day against the Nisamova. And we spoke
last time. I was on about the response from Anisimova
in New York, how impressive that was. But if she
can conquer Wimbledon, and she can conquer the blue hard
courts at Melbourne Park for sure.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Put some clay down there, labor and she'll be right
at home. She loves a bit of thin then she
is favorite. Yeah, just happening anytime soon.
Speaker 6 (25:46):
We did just touch before on how tennis players tend
to have a lot of athletes as their parents, Simon,
is there any advantage of this because we've got sab Carter,
Zachary Rude sheltered for its CISP pass, I've all got
sporting families and there's many more when.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
It's tennis like.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Then you've got people who have these incredible histories that
you're putting out archery and it's mad. What's going on?
Is it something in the water?
Speaker 3 (26:16):
And does it help them? Does it make them better?
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Well, that's one that I haven't jumped into the data
to its life, but I think undeniably that the genetic
advantage right, it exists. That's real. And then some of
the conversations. I think it can have its challenges as
well when you think about sometimes what we see in
terms of the dynamic with the CITs of pass camp. Maybe,
but I think you know, when you're able to share
(26:39):
experiences and talk through some of the difficult moments and
a shoulder to lean on and been there, done that
like that. Impossible to put it value being able to
relate exactly child exactly, and it's never quite as good
as it seems, and it may not be as bad
as it seems, and the lowest of lows. I've got
to feel like there's a huge benefit in those moments
to having been there before.
Speaker 5 (27:00):
Is that genetic element, the genetic element of their ability.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
But then if the parent was.
Speaker 5 (27:06):
Also a pro athlete, that's a whole other level environmental
experience of having been there, done that, and how to
handle some of those difficult moments that inevitably pop up
along the way.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
All Right, we're going a little bit long today, as
we tend to do here at the tennis, so we're
gonna have a quick break and then after this we
will have an update live from Asia with our very
own rested egg stick around. Welcome back, Brie. There's a
strange man on our TV.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
He's not a strange man.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
It's reached the dude from our social and content team.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Where are you, buddy?
Speaker 10 (27:38):
How everyone?
Speaker 11 (27:39):
I'm from Beijing, China at the Beijing Olympic Park on
my way to the side for the China open for
the first round action to continue. Stunning day and here's the.
Speaker 10 (27:50):
Behind me. Yeah and yeah it's a stunning walk.
Speaker 11 (27:53):
It's like beautiful Parkland lanterns everywhere.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
It's got a look at that.
Speaker 10 (28:01):
Yeah, it's a warm.
Speaker 11 (28:02):
Sculpture behind me. No idea what that is. Yeah, it's
really hot today. We had some cooler days earlier on
for qualities, but today's really hot.
Speaker 10 (28:11):
To expect some lively fast conditions and main.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Drawl kicks off when Reese.
Speaker 11 (28:16):
So madraw for the WTA side started yesterday and we
had yeah, some early round results with some of the
top seeds having buyers in the women's side and yeah,
some great results across the board.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Tell us a little bit.
Speaker 6 (28:30):
We'll kick off with an Ossie success that's happened so far.
Tell us how Priscilla Han's going. I know you had
a chat with her last night.
Speaker 10 (28:37):
Yeah, I did.
Speaker 5 (28:38):
So.
Speaker 11 (28:38):
It was a record breaking China opened for the Aussie
women with Madison English and Priscilla hon qualifying. That took
out total in the women's singles up to six. So
Ossie women's tennis at the moment is having a real
moment and Priscilla Hahn speaking of having a real moment.
She is on absolute fire. She's having some of the
best success of her career, coming off qualifying at Wimbledon
(28:58):
and then the US Open and now here she won yesterday.
She'd be Gula Bitch in three sets after losing the
first set quite quickly, and she was just ecstatic after
the match. I spoke to her, and this win is
her first WTA one thousand win, and it's also a
win that projects her into the top one hundred for
the first time.
Speaker 10 (29:18):
A story of great perseverance.
Speaker 11 (29:20):
She's been around for so many years, and she told
me everyone's told her she's always had the talent, she'll
get there one day, but she's had so many injuries,
so many setbacks, and now to just see her finally
breakthrough into the top one hundred and being I think
five top one hundred wins since Wimbledon.
Speaker 10 (29:36):
She's on absolute fire at the moment.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
And I think she's twenty seven right, So it's not
as you said, it's coming. It's not an instant success
for her. She's had to wait and there was a
serious injury there where she didn't think she'd.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Ever play again.
Speaker 11 (29:48):
Yeah, she's just really turned her form around and had
an amazing run, really taking it.
Speaker 10 (29:55):
To her opponents as well. On serve.
Speaker 11 (29:56):
The Serf hasn't been at her best, she told me
at the China Open. She really had good success at
the US Open with r Serf, But just holding up
in the big moments is what she told me. She said,
in the pressure points when she needed it to work,
things happened for her and she just had mental capacity
and mental energy to get through those stuff.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Moments now raised from some good news for Prehon to
some kind of disappointing you, especially for the local fans.
Sablenka withdrew from Beijing due to a little minor injury.
How's that going to affect the tournament? Do you think?
Speaker 11 (30:30):
Yeah, well, it's interesting for Sabalanca. Obviously she sits at
world number one at the moment. Madison Keys is also withdrawn,
but the rest of the top ten are all in
and that race for the number one ranking year and
number one is really on so Bre. You just spoke
about Eager before and Soul. She's coming in with some
great form. She will come into this event as the
number one seed. Coco Goth number two. Those two will
(30:52):
probably go in the favorites at the moment there is
some pretty good shape, but without Sabalanca really opens up
the drawer, and it opened ups that opens up that
year end number one race.
Speaker 6 (31:02):
And it's kind of then similar on the men's right
because our Karaz is playing Tokyo, so we've just got Sinner.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
What does that?
Speaker 6 (31:09):
Who does that open up possibilities for other players against
Sinner or is it just going to be just the
Sinner show?
Speaker 11 (31:16):
Yeah, it's really bizarre, isn't it that we're not going
to have Alkaaz and Cinner. They had such a good
final here last year. It was probably the match of
the year in my opinion in Beijing. But there are
two five hundred events this week, Tokyo and Beijing.
Speaker 10 (31:28):
Ganix without his best year. But who else is in
the draw?
Speaker 11 (31:32):
Well, there's only four of the top twenty players in Tokyo.
The rest who are playing this week are in Beijing.
So the stronger draw is here in Beijing.
Speaker 10 (31:41):
It's just a matter of who do we think could
make the final.
Speaker 6 (31:45):
Obviously Chinwen we haven't seen as much from her sadly
this year due to injuries. She's possibly returning to this event.
Speaker 10 (31:56):
Watch this space.
Speaker 11 (31:57):
She's currently in the draws the number seven seed to
make her return. And last year when I was here,
I got the chance to watch her. Sat at the
very top of the Lotus Stadium, which is a huge stadium, and.
Speaker 10 (32:08):
Got to watch her on the center court.
Speaker 11 (32:10):
And she's like Taylor Swift here in China, she is huge,
so it's massive for the event if she does play.
Speaker 10 (32:16):
The crowd was absolutely full.
Speaker 11 (32:17):
Not a spare seed in the stadium doesn't quite the
singing abilities.
Speaker 4 (32:21):
And Taylor, she loves it.
Speaker 11 (32:23):
She is a queen of karaoke. She absolutely loves it.
She brings us energy. Watch this space. I had heard
some rumbling she's not one hundred percent. He hasn't come
through for her media yet, but watch this space. She's
still in the draw, so fingers crossed because that'd be
great for the event.
Speaker 6 (32:37):
So Race, thanks so much for joining us. We know
you're over there getting some amazing content dumplings and he's
having dumplings to promote the Australian summer, which is ninety
nine days away. We know that you're when you wind
up all that content capture in Beijing, you will be
off to Shanghai. So hopefully we can talk to you
when you're there as well. If not, we'll see you
(32:58):
back here in Melbourne.
Speaker 10 (32:59):
Thanks.
Speaker 11 (33:00):
Thanks, guy's exciting time to head for the summer at tennis.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Well, good on Reese having a great time over there.
And he's off to Shanghai next and so is the
goat himself, the joker Simon. You've got a little court
your eye moment to round out this show. What's happening
in Shanghai.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
Yeah, so Novak's off to Shanghai, and we know we've
seen him on a reduced schedule in twenty twenty five.
We haven't seen a lot of activity from him outside
of the Slam, certainly in recent times. So looking forward
to seeing the brand of tennis that he brings to
the court there. In terms of you know, you and
the teams they've asked me to have a look at, well,
what does success look like for Novak in Shanghai? I
think semi final or better. As part, I think you
(33:43):
become a victim of your own success, don't you, In
terms of you know, for meor mortals, it's maybe winning
a couple of matches and finding your way again on
a hard courtse But for this guy, you know, he'll
be looking at anything less than a title is a
fail for him. Semi final or better is a resounding
success and building towards some of the bigger events at
(34:05):
the back end of the year on the European indoor swing.
Speaker 6 (34:07):
He recently said in his press conference, which we talked
about at the US Open, that he feels he's got
more in the game if he's on the three sets
versus the five. Now with some of the younger players,
do you think we could see that performance as an
example in this set.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
I think it's a good point because I think you
know our reference semi finals, and I think if you
forecast forward to that, I think what happens is at
that point in time in a best of three event,
you've got more petrol in the tank because you haven't
spent so many of your tickets in getting there. You've
got more energy, more reserves to still call on in
those moments when you really need them up against your
sinners and your alcaraz is at the business end of
(34:45):
those tournaments. So I think that's a good point and
potentially a differentiator that allows him to have more success
against those guys than what we've seen at best of
five level. As he spoke to off the back of
his loss in New York.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Yeah, well it's been quite a tough week as well
for him personally, his longtime mentor Nicola Pilich. He was
a singles finalist of Roland Garross back in seventy three,
later coach Djokovic and Ivanizovich. So a real lost for
the tenise community, Nicola, and all of our thoughts and
commiseration commiserations go to his family and friends of his
(35:19):
and best like to Novak going into Shanghai.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
Really looking forward to seeing what he can do.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
So hypothetically, Simon, if he does win Shanghai, how could
that influence his career outlook?
Speaker 4 (35:30):
Well, in terms of career outlook, I just think it
gives him if in that hypothetical world he's able to
get over the top of one of or both of
Alcoraz and Sinner at the business end of some of
those touraments, I think it does give some renewed hope,
some renewed belief that perhaps, and we know the margins
are fine when you get to the business end of
these of these big events, perhaps he's been lacking at
best of five set level, So anything that might help
(35:53):
to shift the needle to possibility and opportunity rather than
just that era of uncertain he which I think he's
been dealing with and facing those two men in recent
times can only be a helpful thing. So perhaps best
of three set tennis in that way is a good
vehicle to shift the needle towards best of five.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
You can plant any seed of doubt like he did
at the Olympics last year.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Yeah, he's a good point of following the AUSSI open. Yeah,
so he's in his head.
Speaker 5 (36:20):
So if he can get into little advantage in Shanghai
doing something like that, he'll take it.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
I think that's right.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
Confidence comes from action, So that's part of the action
that he'll be hoping to bring to the court in Shanghai.
Very good.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Well, that wraps up our court year I this week
and speaking of that outcomes from action, baby news there
is speaking of that. Yes, we know the mechanics.
Speaker 6 (36:45):
I did actually message them both on Instagram being like,
this is the best news ever, Like, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
What do they replay red?
Speaker 3 (36:51):
No, they disliked. Yeah, Dasha and Luke.
Speaker 6 (36:54):
Last week Friends of the Pod, Friends, Dear dear friends
of the Pod, Dear friends of Australian tennis community really
and the global tennis community. They shared on Instagram that
they're expecting their first childhood. A few days later, they
found out the gender and we're gonna have a look
at what they posted.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Who do you want?
Speaker 5 (37:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 12 (37:25):
Are you actually.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
What is it?
Speaker 3 (37:32):
It's a bar?
Speaker 12 (37:37):
Come here?
Speaker 10 (37:39):
Oh it's a.
Speaker 12 (37:42):
Bye oh oh boy?
Speaker 6 (38:00):
How cute is that they're having a little boy and
is growing to be amazing? And actually that brought it
some more tears to my eyes. Yeah, I've heard the
dogs get really put out.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
You've got to put a sock in the dog's bed
from the baby. Oh really, I'm going to like so
not notice a random sock every.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Time I get home.
Speaker 6 (38:20):
Dumpling steals my socks out of my shoes.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
When you have the baby, mummy smell the baby in
the hospital, and then you get an article of the
baby's clothing and you bring that home first, and the
dog goes, Okay, that's a smell that I'm going to
have to get used to. Then the baby comes in
and the dog goes, all right, it's more than a sock,
but I'll take it. That's basically how work.
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Yeah, It's like when you get a new puppy.
Speaker 6 (38:40):
You always put a jump rog with your scent on
it so they don't get as anxious.
Speaker 2 (38:43):
When you're not home. Interesting.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Yeah, you can tell you not a dad.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Because I said your socks are gross.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Yeah, probably.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
Telling you not a dady.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
Dog dad, I just lost it.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Well, that is thrilling news. And speaking of thrills, that's
what's happening in their lives this week. Let's take a
look around the table for our Ace of the week.
I love this bit. This is the bit where everyone
gets to say something that's giving them a little bit
of joy, not necessarily tennis related. I prefer it to
not be. Simon, I know you've got one burning a
hole in your pocket. What's your Ace of the week?
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Yeah, well mine is. Sorry to disappoint you, but hopefully
you'll approve all the same, save slightly tennis related. Thinking
about Priscilla Horn and we've spoken about her finding away
into the top one hundred right now, mate of all
of ours here at Tennis Australia and a longtime coach
of hers through all of her developmental years, who was
just I can't describe him any other way than a
gorgeous human being who left us in twenty twenty three
(39:43):
at the age of forty three, passed away due to melanoma.
Was Anthony Richardson and I reckon. When Pre won that
match last night against Victoria Gullibich Golibich and found her
way into the top one hundred, I think Richo raised
a glass of something really nice upstairs, and I know
it wasn't only one that was thinking of him last night.
He spent literally hundreds of weeks traveling around Australia and
(40:05):
around the world with Pre and was such an amazing
influence on her, not to mention his own daughters and
our sport more broadly. So yeah, I just thought that
was an opportunity time to let rich I know that
we're all thinking of him here today.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Lovely touch.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
That was a brilliant ace of the week. I'm after that.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
So Dan, what what what about you you got anything? Well?
Pre kind of jumped the gun on it a little bit.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
Really, I just read the notes.
Speaker 5 (40:31):
So I'll just finish up. What was my ace of
the week. Going to the AFL Grand Final. I got
tickets one hundred thousand people. It's our super Bowl at
the MTG, just across from Melbourne Park really tough to
get a ticket, and my team looking to go back
to back.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
They haven't done that since last year.
Speaker 5 (40:54):
The Big Cat Jack. Yeah, they're taking on Geelong Cats
and I believe you're going.
Speaker 4 (41:00):
Yeah, I'll be there with my six year old who's
very much looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
Angry fans a ticket and get a ticket.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
That's the week I've got some days off.
Speaker 6 (41:14):
I think I would like to say Melbourne is one
of the best cities to live in because we get
quite a lot, well a few more days off than
the rest of the country due to sport, and I'm
into that.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
And then tomorrow is our.
Speaker 6 (41:29):
Said to me, why do you have the day off?
And I was like, oh, so people can go watch
the grade and they're like, you're going I was like,
absolutely not.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
I with my girlfriend, why is it not on the
Monday's wrecked on?
Speaker 6 (41:43):
That indicate I also have the Monday off, which is
what I'm excited. So I have a four day weekend
because I have been quite busy and my brain feels
like it's not braining. Dan can attest to it. He
sits with me. Yeah, So I've decided I need some
circuit breakers to be back and then I can and.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
That's great and you need to do that. I do.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
I really like to push myself to the brink.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
And then once you go well past that brink and then.
Speaker 6 (42:12):
Then I have I probably should sleep for a couple
of days. So yeah, I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker 4 (42:17):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Yeah, what about you ve?
Speaker 2 (42:20):
Well, as you may have noticed, I am out of my.
Speaker 3 (42:23):
Sling, but still your hand as a.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Hey, that's better than last week.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
Yeah, I think that's a lot.
Speaker 2 (42:32):
Well do you want to bump it again? You find
out you don't, So I'm out of the sling now,
but the real age of the week I can. And
then he's like, because I can't move it up, but
I can do this. I just can't enough with the motions. No,
so it's not just that I'm out of the sleep.
But I love my team here at Tennis Australia. I've
got really good people, yes, who work with us. And
(42:54):
one of them, Jake, gave me rhymes okay, just to
be like, mate, I know you've had a really rough
He just gave me this really birthday cake. No, hers
was a weird unicorn that I got from the supermarket.
Speaker 3 (43:09):
That's a really so that was Yours of the week.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
The cake, that's the cake, the gesture from my team.
Speaker 6 (43:15):
It's been a big show today. I'm going to leave
it there. There's been so much energy, so many giggles.
Don't worry, there's going to be so much editing as well.
So thank you to Simon and Dan for being here
with us today, Zave, thanks for having us always a pleasure.
We didn't fight as much as we normally.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
Do, not in what we left in yeah yeah, yeah,
and we also love each everything.
Speaker 6 (43:36):
But thanks to you for watching or listening and we
will see you next week.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Hey everyone, Harps and Andy here just want to remind
you that you can watch every episode of the Tennis
on our YouTube channel, Australian Open tv.
Speaker 13 (43:52):
And we have an email as well podcast at tennis
dot com dot are you. If you thought the show
was amazing or you thought it was terrible, we are
keen to hear from you. We'll read it, so feedback comments,
whatever it is. Get in touch with us at our
email and we'll catch you on the next one.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Catch you later.
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