January 27, 2025 • 9 mins
Grand slam title number three for Jannik Sinner, with his repeat success at the Australian tennis Open.
He's won in straight sets over Alexander Zverev.
Tennis commentator Seb Lavie joined Piney to recap the action.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Australian Tennis opened down and dusted. Yanick Center is
men's singles champion for the second straight year. That's the
second yeah, straight sets win for Janick Sinner over Alexander Zverev.
Madisone keys winning the women's title in three sets against
(00:34):
top seed Arena Sablenka the previous night. Let's bring in
former tennis professional, now commentator and analyst and director of
the Lavy Tennis Academy, Sebastian Leavy is with us. Sebastian.
Let's start with the men's final last night. Janick Center
in straight sets, six three seven, six, six three. It
all looks very comfortable when you write it down. Did
(00:55):
he ever look troubled to you last night?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Look, there was definitely some moments, especially in that second
set was fall in the tiebreak and Siner got a
net cord which really just fell his way, so that
was quite fortunate. But look, I think he's definitely been
the strongest player throughout the whole tournament. He's showed that
he's well and truly number one in the world. There
were a few moments obviously where THEREV potentially had a
few opportunities, but based on that three set score line,
(01:21):
it was pretty one.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Sided across the tournament. What has been most impressive for
you about Jannick Center.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
I think firstly, I've got the chance to see him
live play live a few times over there. I think
number one what stands out is just how calm he
is between points. Obviously there's some incredible points, but after
the point, he just goes to his tow will resets, refocuses,
and just goes back to work. And I think you
know that compounding pressure on his opponent of every time
there's a obviously there's unbelievable tennis, but there's someone who's
(01:50):
playing unbelievable tennis in front of you and then they're
just ready to go again. It just really gets to
their opponents. And then secondly, I'd say the way he's
able to hold the baseline, the way he's able to
take the ball early and just create effortless power as
really impressive. And I think just again in a best
of five set match, for someone to beat him got
to do that for three sets, and that's just really difficult.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
That mental side of it's so interesting to me, you know,
because if you were playing him, for example, and you
know you're broken or something like that, or you thought
you're on top, you look across the net and he
just looks completely unconcerned by and all. That must be
pretty hard to take if you're as opponent.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, yeah, one hundred percent. I mean when he played
Ben Sheldon, he got off to a little bit of
a shaky start, didn't play that well at the start,
but just managed to hang in their safe set points,
was done a break early, but just kept doing his job,
you know, and he doesn't make really any unforced errors,
and it just again, it just compounds on the opponent
and they are the ones who have got to come
up with the sharps. That just puts a little bit
more pressure on them to do a little bit extra
(02:47):
with the ball. And you know, again he's just incredible
quality at the moment and pretty hard to see him
losing on hardcourt and at the stage.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, and you talk about hard court, the first player
in Snovak Djokovic in twenty sixteen to win three success
of hard court Grand slams, Ossie Open last year, you
was Open last year, Ossie Open, this year he's only
twenty three. What might he go on to achieve?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Well, I look at this stage, it looks like it's
pretty much him and alcraz who are really leading the
pack at the moment. There are a few young guns
who are coming up. Jil Fonseca from Brazil is pretty impressive,
but he's probably still a few years away from really peaking.
So I think I think Center and Alcarez would probably
have a pretty good run at the majority of the
slams over the next four to five years. What he's
able to achieve will depend on a lot of things. Obviously,
(03:32):
he's working with Darren Cahill, but that relationship will come
to an end at the end of this year, so
he'll have to find something new.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
You know.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Tennith's invidual sports, so as soon as there's a little
personal problem or a little injury, sometimes it slops quickly.
But the way he looks and the way he takes
care of his body and the level of professionalism, it
looks like he could definitely be reaching double digit slams
within the next couple of years. For a few years
rather Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
He hasn't made a final of either the French Open
or Wimbledon semi finals, last year at the French and
in twenty twenty three at Wimbledon. And what does he
have to do to translate his hard court success onto
the clay in the grass.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah, well, again, at the moment, his biggest strength is
really his movement and able to hold the baseline on
a clay court. Obviously it's a little bit slip through
the ball bounces a bit higher, so it's not as
easy to hold that baseline the way he does on
a hard court. Having said that, the way he strikes
the ball is incredible, so I don't think there'll have
too much trouble translating it to a clay court. I'd
(04:31):
say probably this year, if not this year, next year
and then for Wimbledon. Again it's a it's a little
bit of a lottery sometimes in terms of there's only
two or three tournaments to get ready. You've got to
really peak, and if you have a deep run at
French Open, you really don't have any time to recover
and get ready for in Wooden. But again, I think
he's able to adapt. You could see he's coming a
little bit more to the net. His service phenomenal, so
(04:53):
I don't think he'd faced a break point actually in
the whole final, So you know, if he serves like
that on any surface, he'll be dangerous. And I think
it's only a matter of time until we see him
list one of those two Grand Flans too.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
What about Alexander Zverev. That's thirty six tournaments now, his
third final. He's made finals at the Australian, the French
and the US Open now, but he's never won one.
Do you think he.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Will look I think I think his window is definitely
closing again. With the strengths that Alcarez and Sinner have
at the moment, it looks like they're only getting better.
I think Zev was probably probably doing the right decisions.
He's starting to be a little bit more aggressive, he's
taking the ball a little bit earlier coming to the net,
(05:34):
But I just think at the stage he probably still
doesn't yet have quite enough aggression in his game to
really win Grand Slams. Obviously, he's been very close, and
I wouldn't be surprised if it if it happens in
the next couple of years, but he's definitely got to
keep improving his game because the way that those young
guys are just developing is pretty insane, and he's going
to have to make some changes quickly in his game
if he's going to have to win one of those soon.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
And just before we moved from the men's Novak Djokovic
retired and has semi against Verev after one set. Twenty
four major titles. He was looking for twenty and twenty five.
The Aussie opened felt like his best chance of that.
Might twenty four be his final number?
Speaker 3 (06:14):
I would say no, it could be, but just the
way that Djokovic is always just redefining himself and the
way he's able to improve even at his age is
really incredible. Obviously, he picked up an injury against Alperas,
he still managed to win that match, had to pull
out against verb So he's definitely up there in the
best few players of the world. If he will win
(06:35):
one or nine, I think it will come down to
a lot of different little circumstances, but I definitely think
he still has a tennis to do it. I'd say
US Open, he'll have a good, pretty good shout and
potentially Winbledon as well. I don't think it will be
likely on the clay, but I think he still has
you know, four or five Grand Flames lesson and he
definitely could take one out.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Let's look at the women's singles. Madison Keys at her
forty sixth at tentp We'll talk about Zverev thirty six,
forty six tournaments, and now she's finally won one, beating
world number one Arena Sabolinka, double defending champion. She'll got
also got past Eggis Fiontech, the second seed in the semis.
What did you make of Madison Keys run to the title.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Honestly, it was really incredible. And then she obviously went
down around in Auckland, which was a bit of a
bit of a bummer for her hair, bit of a
bummer for us not to see a bit more of her.
But then went on to win Adelaide and then when
obviously seven matches in a row at Doesy Open, and
she beat some quality players. She did it in big
three set battles. I think the match against Egos Jantek
was probably one of the best matches of the tournament.
(07:35):
And then to come through again clutch against Thebilanka in
the final. It's really inspiring because obviously, you know she
was always a young gun. She was always coming up
didn't quite manage to get her against Sloan Stevens quite
a while ago now, but just kept on going, said Hungary,
kept making progress. She finally got it, and I think
it's very well deserved.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
And so will that mean a bit of a damn
bursting for her? Can that happen that? You know, it
takes your age just to win one, but once you do,
you've got the belief that you can, and you might.
You know, you might see her win a couple more.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
I think it's possible. I think Schwantek and Soberlanka at
the moment have had been really dominating. I think Coco
gough is probably is probably about there as well. Having
said that, obviously, Madison Keith has got a huge game
and she's able to beat anyone on any given day,
so I think it wouldn't surprise me she got another
one or two. But I think also the level that
(08:27):
those other women are playing at the moment are probably
generally slightly higher than her. But I think a lot
of things aligned for her. But look, I hope she
goes on to win a few more because she's got
an incredible game and the way she closed out that
match was phenomenal, And.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Just a word on Lulu Son, who after terrific twenty
twenty four, has not had the start to twenty twenty
five she was after either in Auckland or in Melbourne.
But we shouldn't worry about that. That might just be
a moment in time for her. She's still got plenty
of time.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
She's got plenty of time, and I think that year
often you go through a little transition years and last
year she obviously first threw on the scene. She didn't
really have much pressure on her shoulders, coming from about
two hundred in the world to almost top fifty, so
that's a pretty quick work up. The latter. Having said that,
now the pressures on her to perform, the eyes on her.
(09:17):
She hasn't really played a match prior to Auckland before.
I think it was all this match before that, so
you know, it takes time to find it rhythm. She's
obviously a very aggressive player, needs to find her strength
and needs to find a bit of a hot streak.
But I definitely think, you know, we'll be seeing her
plenty in the next few years, but maybe this year
will be a little bit tougher for her, just to
really reinstate herself as one of the top fifty players
(09:38):
in the world.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Sebastian really appreciate your analysis this evening. Thanks so much
for joining us.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Thank you, my pleasure.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Great to Tetia. Sebastian, thanks indeed. Sebastian Leavy there, former
pro coach, analyst, commentator, director of the Lavy Tennis Academy,
talking about the just complete of Australian Open.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Australian Tennis opened down and dusted. Yanick Center is
men's singles champion for the second straight year. That's the
second yeah, straight sets win for Janick Sinner over Alexander Zverev.
Madisone keys winning the women's title in three sets against
(00:34):
top seed Arena Sablenka the previous night. Let's bring in
former tennis professional, now commentator and analyst and director of
the Lavy Tennis Academy, Sebastian Leavy is with us. Sebastian.
Let's start with the men's final last night. Janick Center
in straight sets, six three seven, six, six three. It
all looks very comfortable when you write it down. Did
(00:55):
he ever look troubled to you last night?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Look, there was definitely some moments, especially in that second
set was fall in the tiebreak and Siner got a
net cord which really just fell his way, so that
was quite fortunate. But look, I think he's definitely been
the strongest player throughout the whole tournament. He's showed that
he's well and truly number one in the world. There
were a few moments obviously where THEREV potentially had a
few opportunities, but based on that three set score line,
(01:21):
it was pretty one.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Sided across the tournament. What has been most impressive for
you about Jannick Center.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
I think firstly, I've got the chance to see him
live play live a few times over there. I think
number one what stands out is just how calm he
is between points. Obviously there's some incredible points, but after
the point, he just goes to his tow will resets, refocuses,
and just goes back to work. And I think you
know that compounding pressure on his opponent of every time
there's a obviously there's unbelievable tennis, but there's someone who's
(01:50):
playing unbelievable tennis in front of you and then they're
just ready to go again. It just really gets to
their opponents. And then secondly, I'd say the way he's
able to hold the baseline, the way he's able to
take the ball early and just create effortless power as
really impressive. And I think just again in a best
of five set match, for someone to beat him got
to do that for three sets, and that's just really difficult.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
That mental side of it's so interesting to me, you know,
because if you were playing him, for example, and you
know you're broken or something like that, or you thought
you're on top, you look across the net and he
just looks completely unconcerned by and all. That must be
pretty hard to take if you're as opponent.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, yeah, one hundred percent. I mean when he played
Ben Sheldon, he got off to a little bit of
a shaky start, didn't play that well at the start,
but just managed to hang in their safe set points,
was done a break early, but just kept doing his job,
you know, and he doesn't make really any unforced errors,
and it just again, it just compounds on the opponent
and they are the ones who have got to come
up with the sharps. That just puts a little bit
more pressure on them to do a little bit extra
(02:47):
with the ball. And you know, again he's just incredible
quality at the moment and pretty hard to see him
losing on hardcourt and at the stage.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, and you talk about hard court, the first player
in Snovak Djokovic in twenty sixteen to win three success
of hard court Grand slams, Ossie Open last year, you
was Open last year, Ossie Open, this year he's only
twenty three. What might he go on to achieve?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Well, I look at this stage, it looks like it's
pretty much him and alcraz who are really leading the
pack at the moment. There are a few young guns
who are coming up. Jil Fonseca from Brazil is pretty impressive,
but he's probably still a few years away from really peaking.
So I think I think Center and Alcarez would probably
have a pretty good run at the majority of the
slams over the next four to five years. What he's
able to achieve will depend on a lot of things. Obviously,
(03:32):
he's working with Darren Cahill, but that relationship will come
to an end at the end of this year, so
he'll have to find something new.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
You know.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Tennith's invidual sports, so as soon as there's a little
personal problem or a little injury, sometimes it slops quickly.
But the way he looks and the way he takes
care of his body and the level of professionalism, it
looks like he could definitely be reaching double digit slams
within the next couple of years. For a few years
rather Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
He hasn't made a final of either the French Open
or Wimbledon semi finals, last year at the French and
in twenty twenty three at Wimbledon. And what does he
have to do to translate his hard court success onto
the clay in the grass.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah, well, again, at the moment, his biggest strength is
really his movement and able to hold the baseline on
a clay court. Obviously it's a little bit slip through
the ball bounces a bit higher, so it's not as
easy to hold that baseline the way he does on
a hard court. Having said that, the way he strikes
the ball is incredible, so I don't think there'll have
too much trouble translating it to a clay court. I'd
(04:31):
say probably this year, if not this year, next year
and then for Wimbledon. Again it's a it's a little
bit of a lottery sometimes in terms of there's only
two or three tournaments to get ready. You've got to
really peak, and if you have a deep run at
French Open, you really don't have any time to recover
and get ready for in Wooden. But again, I think
he's able to adapt. You could see he's coming a
little bit more to the net. His service phenomenal, so
(04:53):
I don't think he'd faced a break point actually in
the whole final, So you know, if he serves like
that on any surface, he'll be dangerous. And I think
it's only a matter of time until we see him
list one of those two Grand Flans too.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
What about Alexander Zverev. That's thirty six tournaments now, his
third final. He's made finals at the Australian, the French
and the US Open now, but he's never won one.
Do you think he.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Will look I think I think his window is definitely
closing again. With the strengths that Alcarez and Sinner have
at the moment, it looks like they're only getting better.
I think Zev was probably probably doing the right decisions.
He's starting to be a little bit more aggressive, he's
taking the ball a little bit earlier coming to the net,
(05:34):
But I just think at the stage he probably still
doesn't yet have quite enough aggression in his game to
really win Grand Slams. Obviously, he's been very close, and
I wouldn't be surprised if it if it happens in
the next couple of years, but he's definitely got to
keep improving his game because the way that those young
guys are just developing is pretty insane, and he's going
to have to make some changes quickly in his game
if he's going to have to win one of those soon.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
And just before we moved from the men's Novak Djokovic
retired and has semi against Verev after one set. Twenty
four major titles. He was looking for twenty and twenty five.
The Aussie opened felt like his best chance of that.
Might twenty four be his final number?
Speaker 3 (06:14):
I would say no, it could be, but just the
way that Djokovic is always just redefining himself and the
way he's able to improve even at his age is
really incredible. Obviously, he picked up an injury against Alperas,
he still managed to win that match, had to pull
out against verb So he's definitely up there in the
best few players of the world. If he will win
(06:35):
one or nine, I think it will come down to
a lot of different little circumstances, but I definitely think
he still has a tennis to do it. I'd say
US Open, he'll have a good, pretty good shout and
potentially Winbledon as well. I don't think it will be
likely on the clay, but I think he still has
you know, four or five Grand Flames lesson and he
definitely could take one out.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Let's look at the women's singles. Madison Keys at her
forty sixth at tentp We'll talk about Zverev thirty six,
forty six tournaments, and now she's finally won one, beating
world number one Arena Sabolinka, double defending champion. She'll got
also got past Eggis Fiontech, the second seed in the semis.
What did you make of Madison Keys run to the title.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Honestly, it was really incredible. And then she obviously went
down around in Auckland, which was a bit of a
bit of a bummer for her hair, bit of a
bummer for us not to see a bit more of her.
But then went on to win Adelaide and then when
obviously seven matches in a row at Doesy Open, and
she beat some quality players. She did it in big
three set battles. I think the match against Egos Jantek
was probably one of the best matches of the tournament.
(07:35):
And then to come through again clutch against Thebilanka in
the final. It's really inspiring because obviously, you know she
was always a young gun. She was always coming up
didn't quite manage to get her against Sloan Stevens quite
a while ago now, but just kept on going, said Hungary,
kept making progress. She finally got it, and I think
it's very well deserved.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
And so will that mean a bit of a damn
bursting for her? Can that happen that? You know, it
takes your age just to win one, but once you do,
you've got the belief that you can, and you might.
You know, you might see her win a couple more.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
I think it's possible. I think Schwantek and Soberlanka at
the moment have had been really dominating. I think Coco
gough is probably is probably about there as well. Having
said that, obviously, Madison Keith has got a huge game
and she's able to beat anyone on any given day,
so I think it wouldn't surprise me she got another
one or two. But I think also the level that
(08:27):
those other women are playing at the moment are probably
generally slightly higher than her. But I think a lot
of things aligned for her. But look, I hope she
goes on to win a few more because she's got
an incredible game and the way she closed out that
match was phenomenal, And.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Just a word on Lulu Son, who after terrific twenty
twenty four, has not had the start to twenty twenty
five she was after either in Auckland or in Melbourne.
But we shouldn't worry about that. That might just be
a moment in time for her. She's still got plenty
of time.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
She's got plenty of time, and I think that year
often you go through a little transition years and last
year she obviously first threw on the scene. She didn't
really have much pressure on her shoulders, coming from about
two hundred in the world to almost top fifty, so
that's a pretty quick work up. The latter. Having said that,
now the pressures on her to perform, the eyes on her.
(09:17):
She hasn't really played a match prior to Auckland before.
I think it was all this match before that, so
you know, it takes time to find it rhythm. She's
obviously a very aggressive player, needs to find her strength
and needs to find a bit of a hot streak.
But I definitely think, you know, we'll be seeing her
plenty in the next few years, but maybe this year
will be a little bit tougher for her, just to
really reinstate herself as one of the top fifty players
(09:38):
in the world.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Sebastian really appreciate your analysis this evening. Thanks so much
for joining us.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Thank you, my pleasure.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Great to Tetia. Sebastian, thanks indeed. Sebastian Leavy there, former
pro coach, analyst, commentator, director of the Lavy Tennis Academy,
talking about the just complete of Australian Open.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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