August 31, 2025 • 23 mins
As we enter the second week of the US Open, Brett Thomas is joined by AO doubles finalist Luke Saville to discuss the highlight matches of round three. Naomi Osaka sets up a blockbuster showdown with Coco Gauff, Alex de Minaur edges closer to another quarter final, Felix Auger-Aliassime takes his first top-5 scalp and is Novak Djokovic flying under the radar? Plus, ‘Stocks Up, Stocks Down’: does Luke have an issue with underarm serves?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the tennis Mini a rap at the end
of every round of the US Open. Coming up, She's back,
Naomi Osaka on the charge in New York, the Demon
rises and Felix Augier, Eli sim lights up the night
session with me, Brett Thomas and fresh from the US
and AO Doubles finalist Luke Saville.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome, Luke, Thank you, brag good to be here and
definitely starting to heat up the second week of the
US Open and some blockbuster matchups to come, really exciting.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
And we'll talk about the round that was Round three,
but you are fresh back from the US. We had
Daria on the last episode. How's the jet lag on
this Sunday morning in Australia.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, it's almost been a week since coming back and
early mornings getting up, but yeah, putting the robe on
and making a coffee in my home home coffee machine,
so flicking the tennis on as well. So I'm usually
an early early riser. But yeah, some jet lag. Quick
trip to the US just over a couple of weeks
(01:01):
where I was doing some work with James McCabe who
did pretty well and.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
He played some doubles with him as well.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I did. Yeah, Yeah, that got out, but it was
more just to he hadn't played in a while. Was
his first event back after about three weeks of training,
and just sort of thought to get some matches in
for James, and yeah, I really enjoyed it with him.
I coached against one of my good mates, James Duckworth.
Second round of the quality, So that was an interesting one.
(01:27):
But nice for me to get to another Grand Slam
and to sort of see the level and you know,
the game is always evolving, and really enjoyed it, and
to see Dasha there as well, and to explore New York.
It was a great couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Well, great to have you with us on the tennis Mini.
Let's get stuck into it. Your match of the round
for round three. What caught your eye?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah? Mine was yesterday watching Taylor Townsend defeat Mirror and
Dreva seven five six two, and very interesting one. Taylor Townsend,
the twenty nine year old obviously so well equipped in doubles,
obviously world number one I believe, and just possesses that
really aggressive game style and I really thought she brought
(02:08):
that out in that singles match, really taking it to Andreva,
rushing her sort of taking her second serve early, getting
to the net, really just not playing the same point
twice I felt, and just sort of displaying that variety
that Taylor Townsend has. Her ability has sort of come
to net, steel volleys, take time away. I thought was incredible.
So I think her draw opens up now and it's
(02:29):
really just great to see her feeding off the crowd support.
Obviously on Arthurs Stadium. Twenty nine year old, so sort
of getting to the twilight but playing great tennis and
also balancing that sort of singles and doubles I think
is very very impressive because it's not easy physically to
play both.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Do you think she's been fired up by what happened
with Elena Ostapenko and now she's got She already had
crowd support being this her home Slam, but do you
think that's just given her that bit of an extra edge.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I don't think the altercation had much to do with it,
but probably just the result, to be honest. Beating Ostapenko
and Osapenko in the second round and then Andreva in
the third round, that's a brutal draw. So she's done
incredibly well there and I think she's one to watch
it'll be interesting how she balances the singles and doubles
throughout the second week of the Grand Slam. I think
(03:22):
that's always the challenge physically, but she can go deep
in both. I really don't see how, you know, she's
very well balanced right now to go deep.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Mira Andreva only eighteen at the French also played a
local hope. What's it like when you're at another Slam
or another event and you're playing someone who's at their
home tournament and it feels like the crowd is completely
against you.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Definitely not easy, and Mira Andreva, she's experiencing a lot
of first right now. I think we keep forgetting she's
only eighteen years old, you know, sort of six in
the world. So she's an incredible tennis player, but she's
coming into a lot of these Grand Slams, and you
know she's being the hunted now, and you know she's
her rise has been so rapid, and now she's playing
(04:10):
on these massive courts with the crowds against her. So look,
she will she'll be better off for these experiences. It's
not easy to play on Arthur Ash with a whole
crowd against you when you're eighteen, But I think, yeah,
she was flustered in that match, There's no doubt about it.
She didn't handle it very well.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
I think her coaching coach's box they are a little
bit sort of flat that there's not much they could
do to help her in that moment. But they'll go
away and she'll be better off. And I see her
being a multiple Grand Slam winner. She's got the game.
I was watching a little bit bit of her play
doubles today, so she's straight back up on the horse
and a great doubles player as well, so she'll be fine,
(04:49):
better off of the experience.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Yeah, long career ahead of her.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
My match of the round, Unfortunately for an Australian perspective,
Naomi Osaka de fitting Daria Kazakina six love, four to six.
She recovered the Aussie in the second and six to three.
Osaka won the first set in just over twenty minutes.
It's a deepest run at a major since winning the
AO in twenty twenty one, and looks like Luke She's
officially back Naomi Osaka.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
One hundred percent. I think that's she's just such a
dangerous player, especially on the fast courts and conditions in
New York City and it's great to see her back
in the fourth round, so incredibly dangerous. I wouldn't be
surprised if she makes a really deep run here and
been struggling for a few years, but full time Grand
Slam winner, she knows how to play deep in slams
(05:34):
in the second week of them especially, so definitely watch
that space. A pretty good run for Darik Kazakina playing
for Australia now. Watched a little bit of her play
rack him over second round and that was a seven
to five and the third long, long match, So good
to see her back playing well. But O'saka, I just
felt like it's sort of on her rack at that
(05:55):
match against Kazakina, and she obviously played very well to
seal that in three sets.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, she's won nine out of her last ten. Naomi
Osaka and some signs here at the Canadian Masters are
finalist there. But great for Dasha that to lose the
first set like that in about twenty minutes but then
recover and win the second shows a lot of mental
strength and resilience.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
For sure, And I think that's the great thing about
tennis and the scoring system is you know, after the
first set, it's a new set, so you can definitely
mentally reset. And you know, Dasha, she's an amazing competitor.
I think that's probably her biggest strength. Great competitor, really
good mover, so incredibly steady on the court. So not
surprised that she hit back there and made that a
(06:36):
real match. So I think, you know she's well and
truly inside that top twenty dasher and playing for Australia,
and you can see the whole Ossie community, you know,
really behind her. She's a great girl. Really enjoy her,
my Dasher and her best of friends. So my dash
is thrilled that she's turned ozzy now and can't wait
for her to sort of come to Melbourne end of
the year and then to hang out.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
We'll talk more about Naomio Sa.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
She's got Coco Goff Blockbust a Round A sixteen match
that's come up a little bit later on when we
look ahead to the round to come. But time now
Luke for our segment, Stocks Up and Stocks down.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Wall Street. Of course, the New York team roll with
us there.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
We'll start off with a match that just finished before
we started recording Sunday in Australia Saturday of course in
the US, and Felix Augur ali asim lit up the
night session against to Alex Zaverev, his first time beating
a top five opponent.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
What a great win for the Canadian.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Huge and especially coming from a set down the number
three seed and fifty one winners over the top five opponents,
so incredible match. And Felix, he's just so dangerous, is
an incredible player, just probably hasn't quite put it all
together before. And look that might sound harsh, amazing player,
but in slams at the highest level, you really need
(07:56):
to put it together for a whole match and obviously
multiple matches to make a deep run. So I think
he's one of those players when you talk about who
can challenge, you know, the top two, I feel like
someone like him Ken He has the game moves incredibly well,
and you know, that's definitely a statement win beating sash
As whereof so Andre Rublev next in the fourth round
(08:16):
and then just looking ahead is a potential quarter final
match up with our own Alex demon R. So incredibly
exciting there and I think that's definitely a draw where
all sort of four opponents there can fancy themselves to
make the semis.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Yeah, so let's talk about the Demon, who you know
very well played a German opponent, Daniel Altmeyer, who was
forced to retire. He'd come through two five sets scraps
one against Stefanos sits a pass so literally ran out
of legs.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
He had a thigh injury. The German.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Yeah, yeah, I was watching a bit of that this morning,
and you know, Daniel altmight won the first set, but
he just always felt like if Demon can just sort
of hang in there and make it tough, He's just
so tough to beat over best of five sets. It's
just there's sort of no way around that, and especially
the lower rate guys. You know, I feel like in
Alex's head, it's, you know, almost asking the question, you've
got to play three hours maybe longer of your best tennis.
(09:10):
You've almost got to say red line. We sort of
say that in tennis terms, you've got a red line
to beat me, and a lot of these guys it's
just so tough to do that over five, especially in
the heat. So he really, you know, you just sort
of locked down there, did it miss? And alt My
sort of started to run out of gas. As you said,
so great for Alex to get through that. And you know,
he's just he's almost a regular in these fourth round
(09:30):
and quarterfinals now in Grand Slams, and I think all
of Australia, including him, of course, and just hoping and
wanting just that a little bit sort of deeper run
from him. But incredible player, putting himselves in great position
almost slam after slam. So I think this is a
great opportunity for him.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
He's made the quarters at all the Slams twice in
New York. Let's hope this is his year he gets
to the real pointing in of the tournament, as Novak
Djokovic has done many times before. I'm not sure there's
any history left for him to break, but he has
broken one, and that was one hundred and ninety two
Grand Slam hardcourt wins. Went past Roger Federer.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
At thirty eight.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
He's the oldest man to reach the last sixteen in
New York's and Jimmy Connor's way back in nineteen ninety one.
Didn't play any tennis before the US Open, coming in
fresh dropped a set against Cameron Nori. But he's just
sort of slowly building and if you can call him
a dangerous floater. Novak Djokovic is a twenty four time
Grand Slam winner, then he is won for Sinner and Alcarez.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
For sure, and I think it's probably one of the
few times he's come into the US Open with that
being his first event, So definitely a change of sort
of tactic there for him, and I think it could
pay dividends because we know how long the season is
and Yannick Sinner retired in the final of Cincinnati. I
think he's fine now as we're talking off air, but
I think coming in fresh can definitely help Novak. He
(10:49):
knows how to play tennis, he knows how to conserve
energy over two weeks during a Grand Slam. So he's
back in the fourth round. Almost feels like every match
he wins he's breaking a record sort so in the
fourth round and as you said, a dangerous floater, which
is quite funny to say, but he can't write him off.
It's that simple. And I think if he gets to
a semi to a quarter, he's just going to get
(11:12):
better and he knows what to do to win these
Grand Slams. In the last two three matches of the tournament,
So he's definitely someone to watch, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Absolutely. Okay.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Another stocks up for me is the internet and Camille Mychik,
the Polish star had beaten Karen Katschinoff. He's signing his
autograph and taking self. He's a young fan comes down
with a ball to sign. He was so taken by
that he gave him a hat, his hat. As he
turned away, an older fan ripped the hat out of
the young kid's hands and the internet's blown up. My
(11:44):
chick didn't see it at the time, caught up with
it on social media and actually posted can you help
me find this young fan? And within an hour I
think we might bring it up here that found him.
How good is this the power of technology? Luken, There
is the young fan his well deserved hat.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
You can almost say what you want about social media,
but there's definitely some positives about it, isn't there? And
that's that's great to see, to see that he's connected
with a young fella and then giving him some stuff,
giving him another hat. So that's great to see. Camille
is a great guy. He's had some injury setbacks, but
to see him back in Grand Slams, it's no surprise
(12:23):
to me. He's just a class act, is an incredible player,
great competitor. So it's really nice to see that. And yeah,
we've got to we've got to find the thief as well.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, we do the joke around the thief in the night. Okay,
stocks up for me. American women. We don't have the
budget to play the Lenny Kravitz song, but five American
women Luke in the last sixteen Amanda ad A Samova
the latest through just before we recorded eight years since
that happened. So we've got Jessica Bagoula, an Lee Taylor Townsend,
we mentioned, Coco Goff and Amanda and A Samova just
(12:54):
riding the hometown wave.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah, it's I feel like they've been coming for a
while now. The American women that's with no Madison Keys
as well, so thus so incredibly strong and I think
that's great to see just coming in a wave. And
I think that's what Australia are sort of looking to
do as well. And even the start of the year
when we had a few of our women just on
(13:17):
the brink of top hundred, I think that was Kim
especially is La tom Lanovitch, even maybe my joint and
now they're all in there and pushing. So I think
that's the power of one or two sort of breaking
in and then everyone's watching that. I can do that
as well, and it sort of creates a nice sort
of flow on effect. So it's great to see that
sort of hunting in a park if you like. And
(13:40):
I think Australia we can definitely go in that direction
as well.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Yeah, it sort of takes the pressure off each other.
It's not just one that we're focusing on. Now there's
or that Americans are focusing on. Now there's five. Let's
get to stocks down, and I want to start with
Stefano sits a Pass threatening to hit Daniel Lotmayer for
an underarmed serve in their last match against each other.
Do you get frustrated when an opponent pulls out an
under armed serve, which has been popularized by Nick Kurios.
(14:05):
You could go back to Michael Chang against Stefaniedberg, but
Nick Kirios certainly has brought it back in vogue.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Does it frustrate you?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
No, I'm fine with it. I think anything goes and
it's not against the rules. Maybe some gainsman shit, but
I mean I've done it before. I think. You know,
if you go into the tactics of tennis, you know
there's the courts are slower, the balls are slow, conditions
are slow, and a lot of players are standing a
long way back, so it's really tough to serve through
them and get the ball pass them. So to sort
(14:31):
of counteract that is the underarm serve and drop it
short and sort of force them to change their returning
position a little bit and come up and make them
watch for that serve. So I think tactically there's a
place for it. If your opponent's going to stand on
the back fence and make it really difficult for you
to serve through them, then you hit the under arm.
So I've got no issue for it or with it,
I should say. And I think as long as you're
(14:53):
not sort of changing your routine is kind of what
I'll say in terms of if you bounce the ball
for quite a while, let's say three or four bounces
when you usually serve, and then the next one it's
you sort of rush up to the line and then
go bang and sort of catch them off guard, then
I've probably got an issue with it.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
So it's it's that fine line. He is probably what
I'm trying to say.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Yeah, Emma Radicanu hadn't actually won around at the US
Open since she won the tournament a few years ago.
She did that, but unfortunately went out in the third
round to Alena Rebarkaner.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yes, you know, obviously Rebuccana's incredible play and so dangerous
on her day especially, but you know, I think Radakanu
she had the Strain Open six to one, six love
defeat de Swytek, which is also very difficult. But I
think all in all, she's had a great year, so
I'll sort of pay her some compliments here as well.
She's you know, she was sort of struggling a little
(15:44):
bit at the beginning of the year, but now I
think she's up inside them at least the top fifty.
So she's doing really well, and sort of credit to
her for sticking at it. She was probably copying a
little bit of criticism, taking a lot of wildcards and whatnot,
but she's earned her way up there, and third round,
third round of a Grand Slam still a pretty good
run for her.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Yeah, and she keeps running into some of the best
in the world. The Grand Slam winners Fiontech, as you said,
Australian Open and the French Open, and Sabolenka at Wimbledon
as well, So she's losing to the top players in
the world.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
For sure, and she wasn't too far off that Wimbledon
match as well, So I think she's I mean, she's
clearly got the game to compete at the top level.
That goes without saying she's a Grand Slam winner, but
I think she'd be very happy with our year. Try
and finish it strong in Asia to finish the year,
and she'd be very happy. I think she would have
been close to one hundred starting the year, so she's
(16:35):
a great year and a lot of pressure on her,
so I think she's handling it reasonably well.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Now we mentioned the American women doing very well. In
terms of the American men, Tommy Paul playing as we
record this, they do have Taylor Fritz through to the
round of sixteen. Ben Shelton though, won't be joining them,
which is a shame because he is a real crowd
favorite and summon on, I think that a lot of
us enjoy watching.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
For sure, the crowds. In no doubt, I really thought
he was going to have a very deep run. So
getting struck down via injuries very difficult for him, you know,
in the third round, and felt like he was probably
a really good chance to bet. Adrian Manarino again a great,
great player of our game and a veteran. But Ben Shelton,
he's definitely won for the future, you know, winning in
(17:21):
Canada only a few weeks ago, and he's definitely one
for the for the lights, you know, for the night
sessions in New York City. And disappointing to see that,
but he's young, he's healthy, he'll rebound and he'll be
one to watch for many years to come.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Yeah, just a shame it's not this year. Was tracking
down a ball to win the third set final point,
won the point, but that's possibly where he hurt his shoulder.
So Ben Shelton, the lefty unfortunately out of New York.
All right, Time for a change of events here, Luke,
and then we'll come back with a preview of the
Round of sixteen.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
It's the Tennis Mini and we've got on through the
talking point for round three. Moving ahead to the second
week in New York, or third if you count the
mixed doubles. Brett what matchup. Are you looking forward to
them to the most beautifully done.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I think there's only one that we've really picked out,
and that is Naomi Osaka Coco Goff. Clearly, I think
the match of the round three two in their head
to heads favoring Coco GoF. They've met twice at Grand
Slam level twenty nineteen. Can you believe the Coco Gough
were just fifteen? Anomeo Osaka won that, but then Coco
got her at the AO in twenty twenty six, three
(18:33):
sixty four. Coco said they're not the best of friends.
Naomi's hoping there's a bit of support for her there
as well, but that is going to be absolutely huge
blockbuster for sure.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
That's a huge one I need. And even watching Coco
Gough in her match the other night, she was actually
reduced to tears at some stage because she was struggling.
I think on her second serve she had the in
tennis terms, we caught the yips. She was double folding
quite a bit. But I sort of turned that into
a bit of a positive even just the sort of
the way she rebounded, won that first set in a tiebreak,
(19:05):
and then you know, sort of ran off with a
second set. I thought was an incredible display of composure, discipline, persistence,
all those sort of character traits which she has. So
I thought she did a great job and just shows
the champion she is, even being still so young. So
I think she did a great job. And I think
early in Grand Slams you're not gonna be playing your
(19:25):
best at times, but just getting through those matches and
then you know, I think she'll find that she would
just play better and better after going through some difficult,
difficult sort of matches early in the tournament.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
It's interesting her first two matches were played at night,
her third round where the pressure seemed to be on her.
Either tom Yanovitch was her first round match. Her third
round match was during the day against Magdalena Freck. Now,
you wonder if she requested that so she was out
of the pressure of the night session because that was
virtually flawless. Her served seemed fairly good, So I wonder
(19:55):
if that just took a little bit of the pressure
off her.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. And Veckich was the match
that I was watching, and pretty tough second round for
Coco and for both women in fact, so I thought
she did a great job to get out of that one.
And yeah, as you said, she played great third round.
I didn't see too much technically wrong with the serves.
You just lost a bit of feeling on it wasn't
quite getting that shape on the second serve, which is
(20:18):
so important. So she's definitely one to watch. And this
fourth round match is a blockbuster.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Yeah, huge couple of Grand Slam champions going up against
each other. What's your match of the round of sixteen
that you're looking forward to the The match that.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I'm looking forward to the most is Alex Demonar playing
the qualifier Luca Reedy, And you know, I think is
definitely a good opportunity for Alex. Even if he is
watching this, I think he's a realist, he understands that
and sees that, and you know, as we're saying earlier
in the show, it's a good opportunity. The draw has
(20:52):
opened up a little bit, has a good record against
Felix and Andre Rublev, incredible players, but in the quarters
of the Grand Slam, I think he'd probably take that.
And as I said earlier, just keeps putting himself in
these positions to contend deep in slams and just hasn't
quite gone further than what he would like. But Jeseus
(21:13):
he's not going down without a fight. And Luca Reid
he's got a big game. He's played what is that,
that's six matches now in New York City, so he's
full of confidence. Come through qualities is not easy. Everyone
can play inside the ranking of two hundred and forty
in the world. But I think a little bit like
today with Daniel Oltmeyer, he's got to be tired ready.
So I think Alex's mentality is just going to be
(21:36):
make him work. Even if REDI can play a good
first set, even first two sets, you know you've got
to do that for three full sets, and I think
Alex is going to make it really difficult. He should
be fresh physically, he's in the best shape of his life,
playing credible tennis. So I'm right behind him. I think
all of Australia is, and I can see him making
a semi final and pushing deeper beyond that.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Very excited for Yeah, how is his body because we
know that he's gotten this deep and a tournament before,
only for his body to kind of let him down.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
He looks like he's fairly fresh though.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Yeah, the Wimbledon was a difficult one, but I feel like,
you know, his hip, he was struggling with that for
quite a while, even after Wimbledon, for quite a few months,
so it has led himself down. But I think he's
physically great. I think it might have been earlier in
the year when he won a match here in Australia
and he's sort of hitting his legs and he was
(22:32):
kind of saying, my legs are back, I've got my
I've got my wheels. So he relies so heavily on those.
Maybe the best mover in the game, so I think
he's going to make it very difficult for Ready to
get the ball past him, make it super physical just
in general, and he's very desperate for a big run
at a Grand Slam. You know. I think he's he's sort
(22:53):
of been pretty outspoken on that. The two guys at
the top reasonably handy tennis players and tough to knock off,
but Alex always goes out there with a great crack,
has a crack, and I'm looking forward to see what
he can produce, hopefully playing for a whole nother week.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Yeah, well, let's hope we're talking about Alex Demon or
Deep in the next week with you as well. Luke,
appreciate you joining us today on the Tennis Mini. Thanks, thanks,
hav me cheers and we will be back on Monday
in the US or Tuesday in Australia here on the
Tennis Mini review at the end of each round of
the US Open.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
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 4 (23:34):
And we have an email as well podcast at tennis
dot com dot au. 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 (23:50):
Catch you later.
Welcome to the tennis Mini a rap at the end
of every round of the US Open. Coming up, She's back,
Naomi Osaka on the charge in New York, the Demon
rises and Felix Augier, Eli sim lights up the night
session with me, Brett Thomas and fresh from the US
and AO Doubles finalist Luke Saville.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome, Luke, Thank you, brag good to be here and
definitely starting to heat up the second week of the
US Open and some blockbuster matchups to come, really exciting.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
And we'll talk about the round that was Round three,
but you are fresh back from the US. We had
Daria on the last episode. How's the jet lag on
this Sunday morning in Australia.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, it's almost been a week since coming back and
early mornings getting up, but yeah, putting the robe on
and making a coffee in my home home coffee machine,
so flicking the tennis on as well. So I'm usually
an early early riser. But yeah, some jet lag. Quick
trip to the US just over a couple of weeks
(01:01):
where I was doing some work with James McCabe who
did pretty well and.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
He played some doubles with him as well.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I did. Yeah, Yeah, that got out, but it was
more just to he hadn't played in a while. Was
his first event back after about three weeks of training,
and just sort of thought to get some matches in
for James, and yeah, I really enjoyed it with him.
I coached against one of my good mates, James Duckworth.
Second round of the quality, So that was an interesting one.
(01:27):
But nice for me to get to another Grand Slam
and to sort of see the level and you know,
the game is always evolving, and really enjoyed it, and
to see Dasha there as well, and to explore New York.
It was a great couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Well, great to have you with us on the tennis Mini.
Let's get stuck into it. Your match of the round
for round three. What caught your eye?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah? Mine was yesterday watching Taylor Townsend defeat Mirror and
Dreva seven five six two, and very interesting one. Taylor Townsend,
the twenty nine year old obviously so well equipped in doubles,
obviously world number one I believe, and just possesses that
really aggressive game style and I really thought she brought
(02:08):
that out in that singles match, really taking it to Andreva,
rushing her sort of taking her second serve early, getting
to the net, really just not playing the same point
twice I felt, and just sort of displaying that variety
that Taylor Townsend has. Her ability has sort of come
to net, steel volleys, take time away. I thought was incredible.
So I think her draw opens up now and it's
(02:29):
really just great to see her feeding off the crowd support.
Obviously on Arthurs Stadium. Twenty nine year old, so sort
of getting to the twilight but playing great tennis and
also balancing that sort of singles and doubles I think
is very very impressive because it's not easy physically to
play both.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Do you think she's been fired up by what happened
with Elena Ostapenko and now she's got She already had
crowd support being this her home Slam, but do you
think that's just given her that bit of an extra edge.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I don't think the altercation had much to do with it,
but probably just the result, to be honest. Beating Ostapenko
and Osapenko in the second round and then Andreva in
the third round, that's a brutal draw. So she's done
incredibly well there and I think she's one to watch
it'll be interesting how she balances the singles and doubles
throughout the second week of the Grand Slam. I think
(03:22):
that's always the challenge physically, but she can go deep
in both. I really don't see how, you know, she's
very well balanced right now to go deep.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Mira Andreva only eighteen at the French also played a
local hope. What's it like when you're at another Slam
or another event and you're playing someone who's at their
home tournament and it feels like the crowd is completely
against you.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Definitely not easy, and Mira Andreva, she's experiencing a lot
of first right now. I think we keep forgetting she's
only eighteen years old, you know, sort of six in
the world. So she's an incredible tennis player, but she's
coming into a lot of these Grand Slams, and you
know she's being the hunted now, and you know she's
her rise has been so rapid, and now she's playing
(04:10):
on these massive courts with the crowds against her. So look,
she will she'll be better off for these experiences. It's
not easy to play on Arthur Ash with a whole
crowd against you when you're eighteen, But I think, yeah,
she was flustered in that match, There's no doubt about it.
She didn't handle it very well.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
I think her coaching coach's box they are a little
bit sort of flat that there's not much they could
do to help her in that moment. But they'll go
away and she'll be better off. And I see her
being a multiple Grand Slam winner. She's got the game.
I was watching a little bit bit of her play
doubles today, so she's straight back up on the horse
and a great doubles player as well, so she'll be fine,
(04:49):
better off of the experience.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Yeah, long career ahead of her.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
My match of the round, Unfortunately for an Australian perspective,
Naomi Osaka de fitting Daria Kazakina six love, four to six.
She recovered the Aussie in the second and six to three.
Osaka won the first set in just over twenty minutes.
It's a deepest run at a major since winning the
AO in twenty twenty one, and looks like Luke She's
officially back Naomi Osaka.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
One hundred percent. I think that's she's just such a
dangerous player, especially on the fast courts and conditions in
New York City and it's great to see her back
in the fourth round, so incredibly dangerous. I wouldn't be
surprised if she makes a really deep run here and
been struggling for a few years, but full time Grand
Slam winner, she knows how to play deep in slams
(05:34):
in the second week of them especially, so definitely watch
that space. A pretty good run for Darik Kazakina playing
for Australia now. Watched a little bit of her play
rack him over second round and that was a seven
to five and the third long, long match, So good
to see her back playing well. But O'saka, I just
felt like it's sort of on her rack at that
(05:55):
match against Kazakina, and she obviously played very well to
seal that in three sets.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, she's won nine out of her last ten. Naomi
Osaka and some signs here at the Canadian Masters are
finalist there. But great for Dasha that to lose the
first set like that in about twenty minutes but then
recover and win the second shows a lot of mental
strength and resilience.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
For sure, And I think that's the great thing about
tennis and the scoring system is you know, after the
first set, it's a new set, so you can definitely
mentally reset. And you know, Dasha, she's an amazing competitor.
I think that's probably her biggest strength. Great competitor, really
good mover, so incredibly steady on the court. So not
surprised that she hit back there and made that a
(06:36):
real match. So I think, you know she's well and
truly inside that top twenty dasher and playing for Australia,
and you can see the whole Ossie community, you know,
really behind her. She's a great girl. Really enjoy her,
my Dasher and her best of friends. So my dash
is thrilled that she's turned ozzy now and can't wait
for her to sort of come to Melbourne end of
the year and then to hang out.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
We'll talk more about Naomio Sa.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
She's got Coco Goff Blockbust a Round A sixteen match
that's come up a little bit later on when we
look ahead to the round to come. But time now
Luke for our segment, Stocks Up and Stocks down.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Wall Street. Of course, the New York team roll with
us there.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
We'll start off with a match that just finished before
we started recording Sunday in Australia Saturday of course in
the US, and Felix Augur ali asim lit up the
night session against to Alex Zaverev, his first time beating
a top five opponent.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
What a great win for the Canadian.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Huge and especially coming from a set down the number
three seed and fifty one winners over the top five opponents,
so incredible match. And Felix, he's just so dangerous, is
an incredible player, just probably hasn't quite put it all
together before. And look that might sound harsh, amazing player,
but in slams at the highest level, you really need
(07:56):
to put it together for a whole match and obviously
multiple matches to make a deep run. So I think
he's one of those players when you talk about who
can challenge, you know, the top two, I feel like
someone like him Ken He has the game moves incredibly well,
and you know, that's definitely a statement win beating sash
As whereof so Andre Rublev next in the fourth round
(08:16):
and then just looking ahead is a potential quarter final
match up with our own Alex demon R. So incredibly
exciting there and I think that's definitely a draw where
all sort of four opponents there can fancy themselves to
make the semis.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Yeah, so let's talk about the Demon, who you know
very well played a German opponent, Daniel Altmeyer, who was
forced to retire. He'd come through two five sets scraps
one against Stefanos sits a pass so literally ran out
of legs.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
He had a thigh injury. The German.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Yeah, yeah, I was watching a bit of that this morning,
and you know, Daniel altmight won the first set, but
he just always felt like if Demon can just sort
of hang in there and make it tough, He's just
so tough to beat over best of five sets. It's
just there's sort of no way around that, and especially
the lower rate guys. You know, I feel like in
Alex's head, it's, you know, almost asking the question, you've
got to play three hours maybe longer of your best tennis.
(09:10):
You've almost got to say red line. We sort of
say that in tennis terms, you've got a red line
to beat me, and a lot of these guys it's
just so tough to do that over five, especially in
the heat. So he really, you know, you just sort
of locked down there, did it miss? And alt My
sort of started to run out of gas. As you said,
so great for Alex to get through that. And you know,
he's just he's almost a regular in these fourth round
(09:30):
and quarterfinals now in Grand Slams, and I think all
of Australia, including him, of course, and just hoping and
wanting just that a little bit sort of deeper run
from him. But incredible player, putting himselves in great position
almost slam after slam. So I think this is a
great opportunity for him.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
He's made the quarters at all the Slams twice in
New York. Let's hope this is his year he gets
to the real pointing in of the tournament, as Novak
Djokovic has done many times before. I'm not sure there's
any history left for him to break, but he has
broken one, and that was one hundred and ninety two
Grand Slam hardcourt wins. Went past Roger Federer.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
At thirty eight.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
He's the oldest man to reach the last sixteen in
New York's and Jimmy Connor's way back in nineteen ninety one.
Didn't play any tennis before the US Open, coming in
fresh dropped a set against Cameron Nori. But he's just
sort of slowly building and if you can call him
a dangerous floater. Novak Djokovic is a twenty four time
Grand Slam winner, then he is won for Sinner and Alcarez.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
For sure, and I think it's probably one of the
few times he's come into the US Open with that
being his first event, So definitely a change of sort
of tactic there for him, and I think it could
pay dividends because we know how long the season is
and Yannick Sinner retired in the final of Cincinnati. I
think he's fine now as we're talking off air, but
I think coming in fresh can definitely help Novak. He
(10:49):
knows how to play tennis, he knows how to conserve
energy over two weeks during a Grand Slam. So he's
back in the fourth round. Almost feels like every match
he wins he's breaking a record sort so in the
fourth round and as you said, a dangerous floater, which
is quite funny to say, but he can't write him off.
It's that simple. And I think if he gets to
a semi to a quarter, he's just going to get
(11:12):
better and he knows what to do to win these
Grand Slams. In the last two three matches of the tournament,
So he's definitely someone to watch, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Absolutely. Okay.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Another stocks up for me is the internet and Camille Mychik,
the Polish star had beaten Karen Katschinoff. He's signing his
autograph and taking self. He's a young fan comes down
with a ball to sign. He was so taken by
that he gave him a hat, his hat. As he
turned away, an older fan ripped the hat out of
the young kid's hands and the internet's blown up. My
(11:44):
chick didn't see it at the time, caught up with
it on social media and actually posted can you help
me find this young fan? And within an hour I
think we might bring it up here that found him.
How good is this the power of technology? Luken, There
is the young fan his well deserved hat.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
You can almost say what you want about social media,
but there's definitely some positives about it, isn't there? And
that's that's great to see, to see that he's connected
with a young fella and then giving him some stuff,
giving him another hat. So that's great to see. Camille
is a great guy. He's had some injury setbacks, but
to see him back in Grand Slams, it's no surprise
(12:23):
to me. He's just a class act, is an incredible player,
great competitor. So it's really nice to see that. And yeah,
we've got to we've got to find the thief as well.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, we do the joke around the thief in the night. Okay,
stocks up for me. American women. We don't have the
budget to play the Lenny Kravitz song, but five American
women Luke in the last sixteen Amanda ad A Samova
the latest through just before we recorded eight years since
that happened. So we've got Jessica Bagoula, an Lee Taylor Townsend,
we mentioned, Coco Goff and Amanda and A Samova just
(12:54):
riding the hometown wave.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah, it's I feel like they've been coming for a
while now. The American women that's with no Madison Keys
as well, so thus so incredibly strong and I think
that's great to see just coming in a wave. And
I think that's what Australia are sort of looking to
do as well. And even the start of the year
when we had a few of our women just on
(13:17):
the brink of top hundred, I think that was Kim
especially is La tom Lanovitch, even maybe my joint and
now they're all in there and pushing. So I think
that's the power of one or two sort of breaking
in and then everyone's watching that. I can do that
as well, and it sort of creates a nice sort
of flow on effect. So it's great to see that
sort of hunting in a park if you like. And
(13:40):
I think Australia we can definitely go in that direction
as well.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Yeah, it sort of takes the pressure off each other.
It's not just one that we're focusing on. Now there's
or that Americans are focusing on. Now there's five. Let's
get to stocks down, and I want to start with
Stefano sits a Pass threatening to hit Daniel Lotmayer for
an underarmed serve in their last match against each other.
Do you get frustrated when an opponent pulls out an
under armed serve, which has been popularized by Nick Kurios.
(14:05):
You could go back to Michael Chang against Stefaniedberg, but
Nick Kirios certainly has brought it back in vogue.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Does it frustrate you?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
No, I'm fine with it. I think anything goes and
it's not against the rules. Maybe some gainsman shit, but
I mean I've done it before. I think. You know,
if you go into the tactics of tennis, you know
there's the courts are slower, the balls are slow, conditions
are slow, and a lot of players are standing a
long way back, so it's really tough to serve through
them and get the ball pass them. So to sort
(14:31):
of counteract that is the underarm serve and drop it
short and sort of force them to change their returning
position a little bit and come up and make them
watch for that serve. So I think tactically there's a
place for it. If your opponent's going to stand on
the back fence and make it really difficult for you
to serve through them, then you hit the under arm.
So I've got no issue for it or with it,
I should say. And I think as long as you're
(14:53):
not sort of changing your routine is kind of what
I'll say in terms of if you bounce the ball
for quite a while, let's say three or four bounces
when you usually serve, and then the next one it's
you sort of rush up to the line and then
go bang and sort of catch them off guard, then
I've probably got an issue with it.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
So it's it's that fine line. He is probably what
I'm trying to say.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Yeah, Emma Radicanu hadn't actually won around at the US
Open since she won the tournament a few years ago.
She did that, but unfortunately went out in the third
round to Alena Rebarkaner.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yes, you know, obviously Rebuccana's incredible play and so dangerous
on her day especially, but you know, I think Radakanu
she had the Strain Open six to one, six love
defeat de Swytek, which is also very difficult. But I
think all in all, she's had a great year, so
I'll sort of pay her some compliments here as well.
She's you know, she was sort of struggling a little
(15:44):
bit at the beginning of the year, but now I
think she's up inside them at least the top fifty.
So she's doing really well, and sort of credit to
her for sticking at it. She was probably copying a
little bit of criticism, taking a lot of wildcards and whatnot,
but she's earned her way up there, and third round,
third round of a Grand Slam still a pretty good
run for her.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Yeah, and she keeps running into some of the best
in the world. The Grand Slam winners Fiontech, as you said,
Australian Open and the French Open, and Sabolenka at Wimbledon
as well, So she's losing to the top players in
the world.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
For sure, and she wasn't too far off that Wimbledon
match as well, So I think she's I mean, she's
clearly got the game to compete at the top level.
That goes without saying she's a Grand Slam winner, but
I think she'd be very happy with our year. Try
and finish it strong in Asia to finish the year,
and she'd be very happy. I think she would have
been close to one hundred starting the year, so she's
(16:35):
a great year and a lot of pressure on her,
so I think she's handling it reasonably well.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Now we mentioned the American women doing very well. In
terms of the American men, Tommy Paul playing as we
record this, they do have Taylor Fritz through to the
round of sixteen. Ben Shelton though, won't be joining them,
which is a shame because he is a real crowd
favorite and summon on, I think that a lot of
us enjoy watching.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
For sure, the crowds. In no doubt, I really thought
he was going to have a very deep run. So
getting struck down via injuries very difficult for him, you know,
in the third round, and felt like he was probably
a really good chance to bet. Adrian Manarino again a great,
great player of our game and a veteran. But Ben Shelton,
he's definitely won for the future, you know, winning in
(17:21):
Canada only a few weeks ago, and he's definitely one
for the for the lights, you know, for the night
sessions in New York City. And disappointing to see that,
but he's young, he's healthy, he'll rebound and he'll be
one to watch for many years to come.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Yeah, just a shame it's not this year. Was tracking
down a ball to win the third set final point,
won the point, but that's possibly where he hurt his shoulder.
So Ben Shelton, the lefty unfortunately out of New York.
All right, Time for a change of events here, Luke,
and then we'll come back with a preview of the
Round of sixteen.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
It's the Tennis Mini and we've got on through the
talking point for round three. Moving ahead to the second
week in New York, or third if you count the
mixed doubles. Brett what matchup. Are you looking forward to
them to the most beautifully done.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I think there's only one that we've really picked out,
and that is Naomi Osaka Coco Goff. Clearly, I think
the match of the round three two in their head
to heads favoring Coco GoF. They've met twice at Grand
Slam level twenty nineteen. Can you believe the Coco Gough
were just fifteen? Anomeo Osaka won that, but then Coco
got her at the AO in twenty twenty six, three
(18:33):
sixty four. Coco said they're not the best of friends.
Naomi's hoping there's a bit of support for her there
as well, but that is going to be absolutely huge
blockbuster for sure.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
That's a huge one I need. And even watching Coco
Gough in her match the other night, she was actually
reduced to tears at some stage because she was struggling.
I think on her second serve she had the in
tennis terms, we caught the yips. She was double folding
quite a bit. But I sort of turned that into
a bit of a positive even just the sort of
the way she rebounded, won that first set in a tiebreak,
(19:05):
and then you know, sort of ran off with a
second set. I thought was an incredible display of composure, discipline, persistence,
all those sort of character traits which she has. So
I thought she did a great job and just shows
the champion she is, even being still so young. So
I think she did a great job. And I think
early in Grand Slams you're not gonna be playing your
(19:25):
best at times, but just getting through those matches and
then you know, I think she'll find that she would
just play better and better after going through some difficult,
difficult sort of matches early in the tournament.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
It's interesting her first two matches were played at night,
her third round where the pressure seemed to be on her.
Either tom Yanovitch was her first round match. Her third
round match was during the day against Magdalena Freck. Now,
you wonder if she requested that so she was out
of the pressure of the night session because that was
virtually flawless. Her served seemed fairly good, So I wonder
(19:55):
if that just took a little bit of the pressure
off her.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. And Veckich was the match
that I was watching, and pretty tough second round for
Coco and for both women in fact, so I thought
she did a great job to get out of that one.
And yeah, as you said, she played great third round.
I didn't see too much technically wrong with the serves.
You just lost a bit of feeling on it wasn't
quite getting that shape on the second serve, which is
(20:18):
so important. So she's definitely one to watch. And this
fourth round match is a blockbuster.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Yeah, huge couple of Grand Slam champions going up against
each other. What's your match of the round of sixteen
that you're looking forward to the The match that.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I'm looking forward to the most is Alex Demonar playing
the qualifier Luca Reedy, And you know, I think is
definitely a good opportunity for Alex. Even if he is
watching this, I think he's a realist, he understands that
and sees that, and you know, as we're saying earlier
in the show, it's a good opportunity. The draw has
(20:52):
opened up a little bit, has a good record against
Felix and Andre Rublev, incredible players, but in the quarters
of the Grand Slam, I think he'd probably take that.
And as I said earlier, just keeps putting himself in
these positions to contend deep in slams and just hasn't
quite gone further than what he would like. But Jeseus
(21:13):
he's not going down without a fight. And Luca Reid
he's got a big game. He's played what is that,
that's six matches now in New York City, so he's
full of confidence. Come through qualities is not easy. Everyone
can play inside the ranking of two hundred and forty
in the world. But I think a little bit like
today with Daniel Oltmeyer, he's got to be tired ready.
So I think Alex's mentality is just going to be
(21:36):
make him work. Even if REDI can play a good
first set, even first two sets, you know you've got
to do that for three full sets, and I think
Alex is going to make it really difficult. He should
be fresh physically, he's in the best shape of his life,
playing credible tennis. So I'm right behind him. I think
all of Australia is, and I can see him making
a semi final and pushing deeper beyond that.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Very excited for Yeah, how is his body because we
know that he's gotten this deep and a tournament before,
only for his body to kind of let him down.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
He looks like he's fairly fresh though.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Yeah, the Wimbledon was a difficult one, but I feel like,
you know, his hip, he was struggling with that for
quite a while, even after Wimbledon, for quite a few months,
so it has led himself down. But I think he's
physically great. I think it might have been earlier in
the year when he won a match here in Australia
and he's sort of hitting his legs and he was
(22:32):
kind of saying, my legs are back, I've got my
I've got my wheels. So he relies so heavily on those.
Maybe the best mover in the game, so I think
he's going to make it very difficult for Ready to
get the ball past him, make it super physical just
in general, and he's very desperate for a big run
at a Grand Slam. You know. I think he's he's sort
(22:53):
of been pretty outspoken on that. The two guys at
the top reasonably handy tennis players and tough to knock off,
but Alex always goes out there with a great crack,
has a crack, and I'm looking forward to see what
he can produce, hopefully playing for a whole nother week.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Yeah, well, let's hope we're talking about Alex Demon or
Deep in the next week with you as well. Luke,
appreciate you joining us today on the Tennis Mini. Thanks, thanks,
hav me cheers and we will be back on Monday
in the US or Tuesday in Australia here on the
Tennis Mini review at the end of each round of
the US Open.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
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 4 (23:34):
And we have an email as well podcast at tennis
dot com dot au. 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 (23:50):
Catch you later.
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