Olympics: Hammers and Dongs (Au Revoir, Paris)

The Olympics are over. What on earth are Devang and Simon going to do with their time now? How about we just go head first into the American Hard Court season instead. The tennis season never stops. Open Era never stops. Sport never stops. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Hello, and welcome to the Open Air Podcast. My name
is a being to sign. I'm joined as always by
mister Simon Bush or Bush the masses. The people were
wondering where the episode was on Monday, but we were
still recovering from the Olympic Games hangover. It's not over
yet as we record, but we're hitting close to the

(00:33):
very ends. Or how are you doing?

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, I'm doing well. Blame the IOC and the Olympic
schedules for our changed schedule. It's clearly nothing to do
with us. We just had to base this podcast around
what was going on in France and in Paris in particular.
I have had such a good time. I've enjoyed it
so much. I don't know what I'm going to do
with with my life at the end of the conclusion

(00:55):
of this games, but I've enjoyed it immensely. It has
to be said.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
I've been thinking about that as well. Like the we
went from Euros straight into the Olympics pretty much so
for having stuff on at all times, it was. It's
been quite the summer, but it feels like we're gonna
hit a real low period soon. How much preseason NFL
football are you going to watch.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Who am I kidding? Probably quite a lot.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Oh yeah, that's I shouldn't asty that you sick, hope.
But now the whole world knows. Okay, So let's let's
talk Olympics. So we're gonna we're gonna give our thoughts
on the Olympics as a whole, because Bush is obsessed
and I've watched a lot and am quite an Olympics
fan myself, as we've discussed at length. But let's start

(01:45):
with the tennis Bush, And let's start with the Golden Slam.
Novak Djokovic doing the damn thing, beating Carlo zaker Az
in a final after not being able to do it
the last few times. I didn't think Novak is going
to win this match, Bush, and I was surprised yet
again by the performance from the Super Serve because it

(02:06):
was his best match all year. He truly turned it
on for quote unquote the one match that mattered, and
I found myself genuinely like I liked it, I liked anyone,
and was like you could tell that it was that
was it for him in some ways. Obviously he's going
to keep playing, but it felt like he had checked

(02:27):
that last box I'm curious how you felt about.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
It, Super Serb or Super Serve, given how well he
served in this matchup. I have no attachment to this
Golden Slam at all. From a personal standpoint, I think
it's it's cool for the sport just to have someone
achieved that feat following stephie Graff and Graf on a doll.
It's it's it's cool from that perspective, and I think

(02:50):
it for Novak Djokovic's fans, I think it's an incredible
achievement to join those two other great players, because it's
very rare that you see this achievement being I thought
he I think learned some lessons from the last matchups
that he's had with Carlos Sakaraz. It's crazy, crazy statement

(03:11):
to say. I think if this was a five setup,
this might actually have been a significantly closer, just given
how I think Djokovic's game plan was to get these
two tiebreakers and then win in tiebreakers, so well, take
care of your own and then kind of work. From
that standpoint, which I think he did exceptionally in this match.
But I guess from an emotional standpoint, I think it's

(03:33):
cool for the sport but it just very little for
me personally.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Yeah, and I wasn't surprised, let's say that that was
your take. But I think I thought Carlos looked super nervous,
more nervous than he had looked in the other finals.
And I wonder if it's because he thought he was
supposed to win this match in some ways, like I
know a lot of the finals he's played, and he
looks nervy, like that's just kind of how he plays,

(03:58):
I feel like. But and I think we got I
got some pushback on discord, and rightfully so from Josh
who was like Alchaiz played well, But I don't know
if the strategy was to get it to the tiebreak
where I mean the nerves and playing role on Garrols
trying to event rafa in some ways, trying to maybe
not make this whole thing about Novak and in some

(04:20):
weird way that being important for Spain. Like I don't
know if that mattered at all to him, but it
felt like this was different than the other tennis that
he's that he's played so far, and it kind of
goes to what we've been talking about about the Olympics,
and like it mattering a bit differently in some ways,
and there is I think now that we can go
back through the years, like several moments where Olympic tennis

(04:43):
was able to maybe eclipse what we see at the Slams,
which is it does not talked about that way at all.

Speaker 2 (04:49):
So what you're saying is Olympic tennis is built different, divine.

Speaker 1 (04:54):
And it's three sets. And that's pretty much why I
think the magic of Olympic tennis is especially on the
men's side, obviously because in the women's side it's no different.
But I do think there's just that element of, oh God,
like what, it's best of three? You do not have
time to mess around. I kind of like that element
of it, and I like the idea of not having

(05:15):
that insulation of best of five that we see so
many of these guys need to use it because I mean,
the margins are so thin, and I think if that
was Novak's game plan, it was another really smart. I
felt like he was coaching his box for most of
that final as well, which was hilarious because that's one
of those things that everyone was super freaked out as well. Well.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
I think the person that would agree with you most
about feeling nerves is Carlos Akaraz himself quote a post
tournament and post these Olympic games and obviously very visibly
emotional the conclusion of the match in tears, and I
think quoted in the last few days when we're recording,
effectively saying that it's the most nervous he felt on

(05:59):
court ahead of all of his Grand Slam finals, like
this moment playing for his country for a gold medal. Understandably,
it really is. And I think is there something to
read into someone living in the village getting the full
Olympic experience the way that al Choraz did fully buying

(06:22):
into being around his compatriots. I think in a lot
of ways, soaking in that atmosphere that perhaps raises those
stakes a little bit. That you are in and around
s importing the camp. You know, everyone handles that and
deals with it of their own way, but maybe that
displayed a little factor in maybe raising the stakes and
feeling that emotional pressure a bit more.

Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah, And I think not doing the job with Rafo,
which I mean, it wasn't like they were supposed to win,
but I think it did matter that they kind of
went out the way they did and you might have
felt some extra pressure from that as well. But he'll
be back, I mean, barring injury, he will definitely be back.
But I think as Novak's last kick at the can
that it was against Alcarez, and that Alcarez will have

(07:06):
this as something to build off of going forward, because
I don't think it'll it'll set him back really. If anything,
this will help him. But what a thing for him
to have. It's like he's still he's still just starting
in this game and he's had one of those like okay,
it's a seminal tennis moment that most most people will remember,
whether or not their novack stands.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, And I think this was Djokovic's everest. I think
you rightly called it and saying that this was the
thing that he If he lost every match and during
the course of the year and won this gold medal match,
I think it would have been a successful season for him.
It's the only thing that he had left on the
on the agenda or on the tennis bucket list. So
is it this a surprise or a shock? Absolutely not,

(07:49):
one hundred percent. It's not a shock. He was always
going to bring his any game for this regardless of
where his body was at and his fitness was, he
was going to go out on court on his back
and they would have to drag him off, kicking and
screaming fairly unsurprisingly.

Speaker 1 (08:03):
I wonder if it was anyone, but since he passed
that when he felt the knee, if anyone, if someone
be playing someone who didn't have a mental inability to
beat Novak Djokovic, but that's not how it works. That's Novak.
Let's finish out on the men's side before we talk
about k and Jang and what happened on the women's side.

(08:25):
But Andy Murray also bush walked away from the game,
didn't play in singles, played doubles with Dan Evans. They
had a good run. They got blitzed by Fritz and Paul,
which I think in that matchup that was not I
feel like Tommy Paul was like, we're going to retire
this guy before the match, and they did, and I'm like, okay,
what they had from the Labor Cup Soak and Tiaffo

(08:46):
they brought here the Americans in terms of ending legends.
But you talk about someone who did the whole Olympic
village thing, like this was the perfect way for Andy
Murray to leave tennants because he loves sports, and I
feel like this was a good excuse for him to
be able to get great seats for all the events
he always wanted to see.

Speaker 2 (09:06):
His Olympic Games is the embodiment of that grand theft
auto meme of the oh fuck, here we go, Oh shit,
here we go again. He just kind of felt like
every time he walked off court following another houdiniac to
get through with Dan Evans, it's like, oh God, I
have to do this again. I thought I was done here,
and it made for a really good spectacle. It made
for a really enjoyable few matches, just simply because there

(09:31):
was always the question could he do it? No, surely not.
I think they're both washed to the point that they're
not going to win this gold medal or like compete
for a medal, but you never know. Maybe, And I
think the way they lost in the end was a
satisfying conclusion because it was never really close until it
kind of was close, and then it really wasn't at
the end like I think it was. They competed hard,

(09:51):
they played well. I think they lost to the team
that they were supposed to lose to and I think
he just gave everyone a great send off. I think
the till of three weeks between when we're done here
at the Olympics was a perfect ending for the Scott
and I think everyone should be happy, not least him,
because I think it's a perfect end to his career.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
And another one of those guys where, like I, his
peers always spoke highly of him, but seeing them interact
with Andy up close, and seeing random athletes interact with
Andy and just getting that vibe of oh, like, he
will be missed big time, not just as a as
a player obviously, but as a presence in the sport.

(10:30):
And I think that's something he reminded us of a
lot during this But yeah, I all of not the
false retirements, but like the will here, won't he? And
the fact that Roberto Batista, who was not involved in
this final didn't make it feel real. But the adding
I used to play tennis in his bio is very

(10:52):
good and I am curious to see what he does next,
whether or not he sticks around the game. I was
thinking about with Milosh round Itch, who pulled out in
Montreal due to his shoulder injury, and I was talking
to someone on site, Mike McIntyre actually a matchpoint and
we were discussing whether Milosh would stay in tennis afterwards,

(11:12):
and it didn't seem so like Mike didn't think so.
But I wonder about Andy, what do you think?

Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yeah, I think, gun to my head, he does. Like
I think he's he thinks the game so well, and
I think he perhaps has I think he maybe perhaps
has gone through the reflection period away from the game
that a lot of players sort of go through when
they first retire from the sport, where I think he's
already done that because of the the hip surgery, you know,
multiple times, and to come back, and I think it

(11:39):
perhaps has put him in the headspace where he does
love the sport and loves the things that come with it.
So I think he would be a superb coach. I
think he'd be a superb head of the LTA. I
think he'd be a superb you know, any level of
tennis that he wants to be involved with. He has
the brain, he has the smarts. Obviously, he has the
knowledge taken from a twenty odd year career. I would

(12:01):
be I think, you know, going out on him, I
would be surprised if he doesn't stay involved in the sport.

Speaker 1 (12:07):
Yeah, I think I agree, and I feel like with
what's coming in tennis, it would be helpful if someone
like him was around or involved on the player's side,
potentially if the PTA becomes something bigger, or when when
the ATP and WTA go to their players to ratify
whatever it is that's coming, which sounds relatively soon, or

(12:32):
definitely something that will come up in earnest in twenty
twenty five. But yeah, let's see anything else from the
men's side. Bush that captured your attention.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
Just the sort of a month and a half that
it's been for Lorenzo Messetti, I think just to highlight
that of someone who I think has been very open
about the strolls that it's been on tour, both mentally
and physically, and someone I am obviously a tremendou this
believer in from a talent standpoint, and just trying to

(13:04):
put a few weeks together to solidify that he does
belong at the top end of the sport. And I
think he really does, and I think there's a demonstration
here both at Winwood and the Olympics that he's he's
more than capable of being not just a top ten player,
but someone who is competing for Grand Slams. You do
kind of feel like there is just that one little

(13:24):
roadblock in the way, like that one final thing that
he needs to have the belief in the game to
find it to get over the line. But in general,
what a week for him or what a what a
month for him?

Speaker 1 (13:35):
That tennis abstract page for Lorenzo who said he's looking
pretty nice, there's some odd there's a big common name
in one, Novak Djokovic. That's that stopped him in some
big moments. But yeah, if that's the final piece, I mean,
he's not the only guy who're not the first player
to encounter that, but he is one of the few
that I think has the abilities and the capability to

(13:55):
figure it out. And I thought the bronze medal match
with Felix, I think feel like already having the bronze
with Gabby Debrowski and mixed doubles maybe altered his thinking slightly.
Not to say he wasn't trying to win it, but
I thought for what he had put in the last
two months, Like you said, Bush, I deserve reward for
Lorentzu Mesceti to get that bronze medal.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
Keep an eye off for him, I think the rest
of the season, I don't. I don't know how he's
gonna do on hard courts, especially the slower hard courts.
In on the hard courts wing doesn't. You never know though,
we'll see. Like I'm on record, maybe the biggest fan
in the world of here, so fingers crossed it continues,
this form keeps going into the rest of the season.

Speaker 1 (14:33):
Shout out to Ebden and Piers from Australia for winning
that men's doubles title. I do. I do like it
when a doubles team wins when there's a bunch of
singles guys entered her singles women on the women's side
either like I do like that the peerst in me.

Speaker 2 (14:50):
I'm absolutely a fan of championship tiebreakers as well. I think,
especially in this format, winning a leveling it up and
then having to go to a ten point tiebreaker in
the third set is just stuff. Tremendous fun it really is.
It feels like a shootout.

Speaker 1 (15:08):
It made again, was like the idea of the Olympics
in play. It made these feel very, very tense and
Vombit inducing as a spectator watching somebodys.

Speaker 2 (15:20):
And like, oh god, this it speaks to the interesting
part about tennis as well, doesn't it. So we've seen
how many sports have we seen off for the last ten,
twelve days, sixty who knows sixty different disciplines, And then
you look at tennis it is an elongated period. In
the same way at football, you know, nineteen minutes, you
have a long time, just that the nature of time
to level up and to sort of have the ability

(15:42):
to compete. And then you look at gymnastics and you're like,
one fall, you are your host. You can't afford anything.

Speaker 1 (15:48):
Perfection started. Don't get me started on some of the
wild abilities for those those folks. Incredible we'll talk about
in the second half. Okay, women's side. A smart tennis
fan a listener of this show definitely, but not us
apparently because we are not smart tennis fans. But if

(16:09):
I presented to you a scenario which Kwan Jeng wins
the gold medal in Paris, I think there's a passable like,
oh yeah, okay, it happened like this shirt. So if
I presented it like this in the sense that she
defeated a retiring Angelie Kerber in a near all timer

(16:30):
of a match in the quarterfinals. Follows that up when
it win over Egas Friantek, in which she pulls the
EGA move and holds her up in an important moment
on her opponent's serve and then goes toe to Toadnavekicch
and pulls no apologies along the way, cementing herself as

(16:50):
a gold medalist. You could believe that.

Speaker 2 (16:52):
Right, absolutely, yeah, no, denying that she's been good on
clay this season as well, like has got a pretty
good record of overall as I want to title this year
already in Palermo. So like a good player on the
surface who's still in the ascent as well. And there
is something to be said about the Chinese crowd as
well at the Olympics, who are yeah, badging their athletes.

Speaker 1 (17:17):
I've never seen Dona Maage that bad before and I
don't know, I don't know if Young necessarily hated it,
if you know what I mean, But yeah, by for reactions,
but well played well and an especially the emmena barrow
stuff which come at the come at the Queen you

(17:38):
best not miss and they all missed.

Speaker 2 (17:40):
If you're being ages frantech On clay at Roland Garross.
You deserve to win any title that you're in the
mixed four. That's how good the poll has been. So
the right player won this tournament, I think on merit.
I think Dono Becach had a great tournament as well.
I think it was it was a good story to watch.
But I think you know, we're we're in heavy territory

(18:04):
now of how good can this player be after a
little bit of a slow burn. It has to be said,
considering there some of the scalps that she has had
and the expectation placed upon a player like this, it's
been flattering to deceive is quite the phraseology here. I
think we just all expected a little more from the
talent level that was there. I mean, and boy did

(18:25):
she deliver in this tournament. Four marks and fully worthy
of it.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
Talker about a big moment, I think it's this is
China's first gold medal in singles in tennis, and I
mean the investment is the investment, and the academies and
the and the players are producing her one thing. But
I think the singles achievement is a big moment, and
I think you could see it as well from the
reaction not just of the China fans at the stadium,

(18:52):
but in her box especially, there seemed to be quite
a few dictataries who were who were very invested in
in the in the rallies at every shot, and a
little more so than I maybe saw from the check
Ya crew during the Mixed Devil's Final or something else.
So I think as well in terms of carving that
place within the tennis high society and especially at Roland Garros,

(19:14):
like I think that was a big moment as well,
that it wasn't a European champion.

Speaker 2 (19:19):
Totally right, and Australian Open finalists lest we forget, like
getting to the first Slamp final. This there's the order
of events that you want to see from a young
player continuing to ascend, finally getting a big title like
this in the format that it is, I mean, just
really good. Like what else can we really say about this?

(19:40):
Like this is a player that's still ascending as well,
And maybe maybe it's a more open question to the
Open era universe of why on Earth does a rivalry
like Jongen Spheertech, which is kind of a rivalry but
not a rivalry but kind of feels like a rivalry. Still,

(20:03):
there's no smoke without fire again on this one. I
guess we're just a few days removed from saying there
is plenty of smoke around the gas context given her
dressing down on court from Danielle Colin.

Speaker 1 (20:12):
Hill, it's still one of the highlights of the games
for me.

Speaker 2 (20:17):
You do get the sense that Shang and Stech don'there
you like each other a whole lot.

Speaker 1 (20:21):
No, I don't know if anyone likes anyone, to be honest,
happiness after the events that I've seen, and to be fair,
I've seen a lot of camaraderie in Toronto in the
early days so far, but I I, yeah, I think
there is some smoke there. And I kind of also
enjoyed and welcome that Ego was able to get bronze

(20:41):
because I felt like if this was going to be
a fair indicator of who who are the best play
quartet players, and in this tournament especially, I didn't think
Ego was like bad bad. I thought her performance was
definitely worthy of a top three showing. So it felt
like justice on the way inside overall, justice.

Speaker 2 (21:03):
For Jiang.

Speaker 1 (21:06):
The double and let's talk about I'm just gliding over
your your wonderful job there and talk about Jasin Paulini,
who I think, like donovekch was a sentimental favorite for
a lot of people after she came so close the
last couple of majors. Sarah Irani pairing up with Paulini

(21:26):
to win Devil's Gold a bit of a long shot.
Maybe it shouldn't have been, as they were the third seed,
but I had andre Eva and Diana Schneider's incredible bandana
as the winners in this. But that was another good
super breaker that was excellent.

Speaker 2 (21:42):
Thank god Justin Paulini won this time.

Speaker 1 (21:48):
Seriously, no one will be sad really with a silver,
I guess. I guess you would be in some situations,
but in this case, yeah, I also wonder and tennis
is great for this where probably are happier with the
bronze than a silver in some situations, right ninety percent
of the time, because you've won that third place match.

(22:10):
I know this is a common discussion, But where do
you fall on this?

Speaker 2 (22:13):
Sure, yeah, let's go with the psychology from the from whatever.
Don't know how you would define the discipline of psychology,
whether or not that's real or not, but that's maybe Jesus,
that's so many account of worms that I probably shouldn't
have done this on this podcast recording at this time
of day. But yes, the data does indicate that the
bronze medalists are usually happier than the silver metalists, or

(22:34):
specifically for that reason.

Speaker 1 (22:36):
We'll close on the bronze that Canada won, and mainly
Gaby Debrowski, who is in Toronto. She made the trip back.
Felix made the trip back as well, and he lost
promptly and went sure all which.

Speaker 2 (22:50):
I I I'm surprising.

Speaker 1 (22:52):
I mean, yeah, like, I hate the fact that he
showed up, Like I understand why these these cats have
a ton of sponsor sponsorship stuff to do and so
you had to go. But I also commend him in
general for doing all of this off of that. But
I thought Felix picked up Gavy at points. I thought
gave you picked up Felix at points, especially towards the
end when they got that bronze. It was a really

(23:14):
great partnership to see, and you could also see Felix
kind of get out of his head a bit after
you had a really really bad year. And I think
this week, hopefully long term, is sort of an elixir
for room, but playing with someone like Gavy I think
helped him a lot.

Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yeah, absolutely, play with them more, I think is the
advice that I give here. Exceptional doubles player Gabrie de Barowski,
multiple time Slam champion, just you could. I mean you
can see it right watching her play and just how
her exploits during the course of this week and a
half at the Olympics, that she was in some ways
picking up Felix, in some ways carrying that team. But

(23:51):
it also should be said, like you, I think we
banged the drums so much for Felix Aliasim Jesus Christ.
I'm for Felix O j Alias seem it's rough, it's
warm here in Vancouver, and you can in doubles you
can see why. Like the serve is is massive. His
movement is excellent, and his ability to get to the

(24:14):
front of the court and have an all court game,
and he's a good voll area as well. He should
be good in this discipline and we still have high
hopes for him in singles like this. This is a
really really good player and I hope you can pull
it together.

Speaker 1 (24:28):
This serve definitely showed up for large portions of this
of this tournament in both singles and doubles, and that
is something that hopefully can you remain a thing, because yeah,
that was a big game changer for him. Anything else,
Simon on the tennis side, before we go to party shots.

Speaker 2 (24:47):
I mean, did you enjoy the fan fiction story the
mixed doubles winner.

Speaker 1 (24:53):
In Nakova in the hack? I did? I love Barb
Kretschikova also being the Zindaia Challengers type paper in the box.
As Josh mentioned on the discord, that's funny, very interesting.
Who knows? Who knows? I like the dynamic. There are several,
but Mahak being the short short guy that somehow has

(25:16):
been lionized as one of the vanguards of the short
short revolution in men's tennis, which I need some sources
to site on that, because I don't know if he
was the very first, but apparently based on some of
the readings I've done, he's being given credit.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
So what do I know, Short short king, if you will.
My partner watched this final and also another who was
playing someone else did the really short shorts thing. It
might have been during the Euros. Someone had fully pulled
up the shorts, and she asked.

Speaker 1 (25:49):
Why Ekland Rice did I think? I think?

Speaker 2 (25:53):
I think Her exact phrasing was, why on earth is
that player wearing a diaper on Core.

Speaker 1 (25:59):
Which, honestly, we've seen enough people shit themselves spendap word
with that.

Speaker 2 (26:05):
It's not far it's not far away, show Schultz.

Speaker 1 (26:10):
Not a fan check yet. Bags of medals and doubles
once again amazing, although they did not win the bronze.

Speaker 2 (26:19):
Something's going on, something's going well over in Shack. Yeah,
they know what they're doing when it comes to tennis.

Speaker 1 (26:25):
Chats to Christina Buksa and Sarah Sara Subez Tormo for
grabbing the bronze in the women's doubles. Okay, when we
come back, we'll tackle some other news that we haven't
talked about yet, including RAFA and Ndal which wrong from
the US Open, plus some National Bank Open stuff as
the tours hit Canada. All of that coming up next

(26:47):
on Open Air. Welcome back to the Open Air Podcast.
It's time for part writing shot Simon. We've got plenty
of news including tennis.

Speaker 2 (27:06):
What an intro have we What a what a six
days it's been last books.

Speaker 1 (27:14):
Sources I've had days at the National Bank Open. As
we record this late in the evening Eastern time, there's.

Speaker 2 (27:25):
Not much tennis US. It has to be said, perhaps
the biggest thing that's happened during the course of the
week is Raphie Nadal has pulled out of the US Up,
and entirely expectedly. Again, I think you would have to
be incredibly naive if you're going to believe that he
was going to show up and play there all as
once again, it has appeared across the timelines everyone is.

Speaker 1 (27:49):
Did he say that? Though?

Speaker 2 (27:50):
Did? He wrote? In English?

Speaker 1 (27:54):
I was shook. That's why I was shocked, because if
there's no all a Taurus, then you have to know
something for real is going on. No. I We ran
this through our Rafa Nadal expert, Whisper Prianca, and I
think the vibe is that you will retire soon. But

(28:14):
it wouldn't be at something like the Labor Cup because
it's been done before obviously, and we don't need another
Ellie Golding type serenade. But it does make the question,
how do you think Rafa would go out? Is going
to be at a Kambella Harris tim Waltz rally, will
it would be?

Speaker 2 (28:32):
That would be that would be that would be a surprise.
And now introducing the Secretary of Sport, how would how
would Tim Waltz do that? In terms of a folks
in Minnesotan.

Speaker 1 (28:52):
They're taking ideas. Apparently they're they're taking ideas by gum
here he is.

Speaker 2 (29:00):
It being him.

Speaker 1 (29:01):
Presenting Jordan Love who would then present Ralph Jordan Love
Packards scored it back. I don't know why he'd be
presenting a Wisconsin guy. But anyways, how do you think
Nadal will hang him up? Bush? I? I I'm curious
because I think Josh threw it there Barcelona. On the discord,
there's some talk about potentially the French Open again next year,

(29:24):
but what do.

Speaker 2 (29:25):
You think He's not getting that friend shop and next year?

Speaker 1 (29:27):
Surely I don't think he want Yeah, yeah, this the
Labor Cup doesn't make sense, But I do feel like
early next year potentially doing it low key, not at
a tournament could be something. Doing it announcing it at
his academy also feels right.

Speaker 2 (29:44):
So be a tournament, yeah, like another year on tour.
I cannot not a chance that that seems he's gonna
be thirty nine by the time he's trying to come
back on tour for the twenty twenty five season. I
imagine he comes back and wins the French Jump and
next not okay.

Speaker 1 (30:03):
One of the greatest things ever and now now I'm
fully believing it. But the labor couple will be fascinating
because you have such as bizarre cast of characters on
the europe side. It's fairv Medvedev ruined in City Bass
with rafa Adl and Alcias. What are the vibes on
that team? Also? What are we doing here? This is

(30:26):
my other question?

Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, yeah, what's the point of this tournament? After Roger
Federer has gone? It feels.

Speaker 1 (30:35):
Entirely weird, weird husks of the world team getting together
and potentially winning. But does it feel like it matters
at all? I don't know. So anyways, let's see what
happens in Berlin. I'm surprised that he's going, but he's
getting a huge check probably so that that is a
factor as well.

Speaker 2 (30:55):
You know, I have keen aid listeners amongst you will
have noticed that I didn't answer the question that you
asked me, mostly because it didn't I don't know. I
have no idea how he's gonna hang.

Speaker 1 (31:06):
Out and perhaps it doesn't matter, like we shouldn't know,
it's not up to us. Let's see what he does.
The US Open will be not the same without him.
Anytime Rafha made a run at the US Open, it
felt weirdly mythical, which does that fair? He wasn't supposed

(31:27):
to do it.

Speaker 2 (31:27):
It almost felt like he was doing an out of
spite of the tonnay and of the city.

Speaker 1 (31:34):
Exactly, and that's I love that. I love that part
about him. So he will be missed for sure, and
we shall see when he returns to Berlin what he's like.
Tech Simon good season so far.

Speaker 2 (31:49):
Yeah, somewhat of an understatement. Despite her loss in the
semi final at the Olympic Games, she qualifies for the
wtatoe finals, becomes the first player to do so. You know,
it's a thin week when it comes to news when
this makes the list. Of course she was going to
qualify for the WTA finals. Of course that was going

(32:10):
to happen. The interesting part about this was who else
was in the race. And I think that chase for
the eighth position will be the interesting part because currently
Daniel Collins is in it, and wouldn't that be a
good send off, and I think that's really one of
the reasons that I wanted to bring this up is
that ultimately I hope she continues the season has a
good hard court swing, because it would be wonderful to

(32:30):
see her sign off her career at the WTA Finals,
and I think that would be just so nice to see.

Speaker 1 (32:37):
I think Danielle is up to six now as well,
so and Keewan Jang is now eight, so Jason Paulini
is fourth. This is It's awesome.

Speaker 2 (32:48):
It's awesome.

Speaker 1 (32:51):
I had some conversations about like where the tour on
the women's side kind of shakes out now with Brabakana
dealing with the injuries and Coco gar having some on
and off stuff. But I'm very curious to see are
you to Sabolenka this week in Toronto Bush, because this
will be our first look at her post injury and
someone that obviously has a good time on a hard court.

Speaker 2 (33:12):
It's gonna be interesting to see how Saberlenka looks coming back.
It really will be just given the the injury and
is it FATA say, an up and down season when
you win a Grand Slam. Probably not, but just on
the nature of how much time she's missed. She's looked
good when she's played, but she's not played a whole
lot over the last few months, so I think that
will be the fascinating part.

Speaker 1 (33:34):
Yeah, and obviously like stuff off the tennis court with
her season, like not yea, I had a super great year, right,
So like there's there's a lot of stuff going on.
She made it to the Semis in Washington, lost to
a very informed Vera Buskova, So we shall see where
Sabolenka is at. And our segue into the Olympics is

(33:55):
Andre Rublov, unfortunately, who joined in on the conversation regarding
Ewan Khalif, the Algerian boxer who will box for gold.
Uh rub Lev joining a sea of idiocy regarding the
boxer and misidentifying her and several other things. But to

(34:18):
his credit, Andre Rublev did retract his post bush which
in this absolute clusterfuck of a world, it's a low bar,
but I think he cleared it for me by by
walking it back.

Speaker 2 (34:32):
Yeah. In the notes, I wrote my favorite think of
it quote that he took a shit with his trousers on,
which gets me every time. It always makes me laugh.
But you are allowed to fuck up. You are allowed
to fuck up if you listen to the people that
are telling you that for the reason that you have
fucked up, and you think twice about things, you respond

(34:54):
to it. We want people to be perfect. It's I
think the people that plant their head firmly in the
sand and only dig it deeper or pick the shovel
out the brain.

Speaker 1 (35:06):
Proudly keep digging.

Speaker 2 (35:08):
Yeah, exactly so, I think it is a reasonable position
to be mad, Andre Rublev. I think it is equally
an okay position to be accepting that someone is learning
and continuing to move, and you hope continues to learn
in this space. The last said for some of the

(35:30):
other fucks in this area. Jesus Christ has been a
bad week.

Speaker 1 (35:35):
It's not held that the one of the shit brain
federations involved in this, the IBO, might be the worst
sport federation in the history of sport, which is saying
something considering all of the organizations that have tarnished themselves.
But holy cow, like, what the hell I think it's

(35:56):
the IBA. Sorry, But in any case, the fact that
we have nine thousand boxing federations and this is the
shittiest one that the I and the IOC deals with them.
It's quite IOC.

Speaker 2 (36:09):
Let's talk about Olympics Bush, I mean a second on
that point. Let me just yeah, let me ask an
open question here again, just for the sake of it.
If I was to say, rank in order of shittiness
the ib A, the IOC, the nc double A, the NFL,
and FIFA, you have to fucking think about it, because
all of them are awful, which I think might make

(36:31):
you force to off and think about it.

Speaker 1 (36:33):
I think the i V is the winner, though, like
I don't. I don't think this organization as an entity
is functional based on credible president is credible functional based
on who the president is and based on the decisions
they make. Oh god, it's just.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
These are horrendous organizations, like just truly horrendous on so
many lovel I'm so handing in my credential card to
ever go to any of these organizations. Again, that would
be Claire. I'm the one saying that's not dev don't
take away his card. But Jesus Christ, it's awful.

Speaker 1 (37:12):
Oh man, Yeah, that's great. So there's been a several
great moments, though in spite of themselves. I mean, the Olympics,
the athletes, the fans, the people have helped put these
games on, whether it be volunteers, organizers like I think
there's been a lot of great moments. I will point

(37:34):
out a few bush that stood out to me, and
I think of the one hundred meter race, I had
to watch it over again. I thought that was weirdly
epic in a French way that they made them wait
that long and then also not knowing who won till
Noah Aisles was declared and you ripped off his bib.
I thought that was really poetic. And also Sibo Biles,

(37:55):
just all of it. But also when Rebecca and Rodde
won the Untrod won the the four exercise gold and
Simone was part of that dedication to her. That will
that will probably linger in my mind for a long time.
The Brazilian surveer Medina as well, that photo, and also
the serving event in general. We had whales and like

(38:17):
live shots which was amazing. A lot of cool stuff, man,
But what what for you stood out?

Speaker 2 (38:24):
Yeah, I mean I think a lot of the a
lot of the same things that that you sort of highlighted.
I enjoyed watching Keeliy Hodgkinson win gold from that from
the British perspective. I thought that the both Canadians in
the hammer throw was, you know, for for a nation
like Canada to produce two gold medals in the way
that they did, you know, remarkable, a remarkable achievement. And

(38:45):
to be head and shoulders about the field as well,
which is which is wonderful to see. I enjoyed do
Plantis breaking the world record and high jump mando. I
thought it was it was great, It was good theater.
I was trying to make a Timothy Sham shadow a
joke there, or Jason for.

Speaker 1 (39:05):
A small small business owner from Chicago running a humble restaurant.
He's doing great stuff. He's monod Plant is uh that
whole event. I I love the pole vault. Scariest thing
to me that you could do. I think it's an
Olympic event. As someone who is kind of high diverse,
even though I don't mind roller coasters, I think like

(39:26):
just being not restrained that high up scares the shit
out of me. But like the caaraderie amongst the pole
vaulters was actually heartwarming. I liked it a lot.

Speaker 2 (39:37):
Yeah, they seem to genuinely support each other and like
each other a lot. I think that's one of those things.

Speaker 1 (39:42):
It's because the sport is insane and there's like there's
there's there's really just as a small set of people
who are are in it to.

Speaker 2 (39:52):
Win it and dedicated this way and a lesson to
everyone before you go out, make sure you talk, of course,
like don't.

Speaker 1 (39:59):
Oh dogs, hammer and donks. That's why we're calling it
this if in case you're wondering, check the check out
the film where.

Speaker 2 (40:06):
If you know, you know, I want to.

Speaker 1 (40:11):
Yeah, does it suck because he's a like an attractive
guy who is now confirmed as having a reasonable dog.
I think this is a fine self advertisement.

Speaker 2 (40:25):
Do we want to be like this as a society?
Strong upon watching Olympic Games?

Speaker 1 (40:31):
When you take over the I b A, maybe we
can get things going in a better direction. But until then,
I wanted to shout out Teddy Reiner uh the French
Judica and Jean Lopez, the Cuban wrestler, dominant dominant athletes
who went out in possibly the coolest way possible, whether

(40:52):
it be loving leaving your shoes on the mat, that
is the ultimate retirement to me, like in tennis, to me,
that is the leave your shoes on the court after
you win something. How how cool would that be if
Rafacan engineer I turned him into do that. That's the
way to go, because I think that's that's sport to me?
Is it?

Speaker 2 (41:12):
Is it shoes or is it bandana for Nadal?

Speaker 1 (41:16):
Yeah, that's fair, that's fair. But I because no one's
done that, correct, No one in tennis has done that.

Speaker 2 (41:23):
On the floor. Well Delpatra did it on the net,
so it's that's true. Delfo, Oh, delfo, that was He's
ruined it.

Speaker 1 (41:31):
Yes, and also hey Delpo though feels he fills the
Olympic lore theory of seminal moments happening in the Olympics
that feel like they are in a weird times wormhole,
of like they exist outside of the rest of tennis.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
I have lots and lots of things to say about
the Olympics, and I keep threatening this sport by sport,
I know, but in the interesting I think I could
do all of it. Not now, but I think I
could do all of it.

Speaker 1 (42:00):
What yeah, I mean I I you're so hesitant about this.
I don't want to open the Pandora's box.

Speaker 2 (42:10):
I'm very you don't want to do a three and
a half hour show going by Sport as a test
to see how much you watched over the last thirteen days.

Speaker 1 (42:22):
I'll say this about kayak cross one of the most physical,
violent sports I've seen that I did not expect at all.
But that is damn getting around those those cones, I guess,
those hanging cones in which you have to turn around
the same one. My god, what I saw they It's also, yeah,
I don't I see that. I also the Ethiopian runner

(42:44):
who was knocked out in the steeple chase. That was frightening.
There was a bit of frightening stuff as well. I
think that the soccer has been a bit of a
shit show, to be honest, like just from like a
people in seats thing and making sure like that all

(43:06):
the games felt treated the same. I haven't got that
vibe from watching them, most of them streaming. I wonder
if anyone can write it and tell us what it
was like there at some of the grounds, like st
Ancienne's ground when Canada is playing, like I don't know.
I know why they didn't have to have these things
in Perish because they have too much stuff going on
and they had to spread them out. But I felt

(43:28):
like the soccers was felt shoehorned into these games, and
I know it often feels like that, but it really did.

Speaker 2 (43:35):
Here is it a controversial statement, Well, I'm going to
make the controversial statement. You can feel free to disagree
with me, but I don't think football, golf, and basketball
are Olympic sports, like the professionalization, like the professionalsion of
the sports, unless they're going to be amateur or like
and involve some rules, and.

Speaker 1 (43:55):
So three on three has the right idea then in
your mind, yeah, that's kind of be shit to watch
this though it has to be said a lot of
people liked it basically because they hate defense. I guess,
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (44:07):
I don't know what the I don't quite understand. Like
obviously I'm a basketball fan, an NBA fan, but I'm
just not particularly enjoyed watching a nation who is so
dominant steamroll through everyone because of how the sport.

Speaker 1 (44:22):
Is set up, and that way three and three was
fascinating because that neither were a US team won gold.
So that was I mean a bit of a yeah,
it's a fair show. Like I also found it interesting that,
like Novak winning on Sunday, I felt overshadowed Scottie Scheffler
mounting it insane comeback and winning a gold medal. Like,
I didn't feel like that was talked about enough at

(44:43):
all based on how nuts that was.

Speaker 2 (44:46):
Yeah, I mean one of the best seasons of a
professional athlete ever. It has to be said, just given
how he's arrested.

Speaker 1 (44:53):
He also arrested before one of the majors for hitting
a cop with his car.

Speaker 2 (44:58):
Yes, doing practice in before the final round of a Majia.

Speaker 1 (45:02):
He checked off the Americana box all in one. It
was only right he was presented the gold medal afterwards.

Speaker 2 (45:11):
All he had to do is to shoot his gun
into the sky as that eighteenth hole pot fell down.

Speaker 1 (45:19):
I will say I do. I found myself not going easier.
I'm not like hating on any of these athletes really
except for the ones that deserve it, but like I'm
going easier on the individual athletes I find whereas I
reserve my nationalistic score for the team events because I
feel less bad about it, But I do see where
you're coming from, where the professionalization and also like the

(45:40):
weird half measures of the men's side being under twenty
three except for three overaged players.

Speaker 2 (45:45):
Like, what are we doing? Like I.

Speaker 1 (45:48):
Think the women's game as a show, as a chance
to actually field all of the best women's players. Yes,
like that's why it has this place as the best
of the best. But the Olympic should be. But once
you start introducing these kVA it's like, I I think
it's different. I disagree. Whereas I think the basketball should
be in, I'm less sure about about men's soccer in

(46:09):
the Olympics.

Speaker 2 (46:11):
Yeah, this is not an Olympics podcast, but you.

Speaker 1 (46:15):
Got you've got time, sir if you want to, if
you want to take the the soapbox.

Speaker 2 (46:21):
No, no, it's totally fine. It's fine. I'll do it
by myself, dammit. Coming to a feed near you, me
reading out nine hundred pages as well.

Speaker 1 (46:32):
It's going to read the results of the events. Is
this is this your grand content plan, saber individual winner.

Speaker 2 (46:42):
I'm going into business for myself, as I had the notes. Well, man,
I was watching this and I could not believe the
way that Ukrainian came in second. It's gonna be no,
but I do.

Speaker 1 (46:54):
I Back when Twitter was good twitch, it might have
been actually for like three days. In hindsight, it might
have been three day when Twitter was good and its
long history, but I did enjoy that as like if
you were watching something and you just put it out there,
like wait, yes, I remember this CA Bowl. Them CA
Bowl is the moment of the Games for me, because

(47:15):
I think the Olympics for me are weird made up
track events slash swimming events. I love those two but
combined events that are like new and they feel like
kind of flimsy on the premise, but also the introductions
and when and to get into this. Fem Cable and
Sidney McLaughlin are the like icons of four hundred meter

(47:38):
hurdlers hurdling, and I think Sidney McLoughlin is like the
bigger start, but they're both up there. It's like the
top two in their sports. So it was thought they
would not race in their four x four hundred because
they were resting, and Sidney McLaughlin didn't race for the
USA in the final. But when they were introducing the
Dutch team, the CAA bole was there and it's done

(48:00):
everyone and it felt like a wrestler being introduced into
the Royal Rumble you weren't expecting.

Speaker 2 (48:06):
In the race.

Speaker 1 (48:08):
In the race, the Dutch are getting smoked until the
anchor leg when a cable takes over and literally runs
down the Americans. It was the greatest thing I think
I have seen at these games. And she sounds a
bit like Mickey Mose, which is why you might have
remembered her name from before, because I think there's a
clip going around cable doing an interview. But I loved

(48:31):
her coming back. But the reaction of her teammates push
that was awesome. It was really cool.

Speaker 2 (48:37):
Yeah, it's it's right up there in terms of moments
of she came from so far bas it was ridiculous.
Maybe maybe a point to more broadly made mixed events
are good like they are, They're really really interesting, offers
a new dynamic to everything. There was a few mixed
events in in the pool as well, for I believe

(49:00):
the second time after it first appearing in twenty twenty
one at the Tokyo Olympics. So it's good to see
a continuation of that. I'm down for. I think it
makes for a pretty good spectacle. So more of this, please.

Speaker 1 (49:13):
I don't know when this is coming out, but that
four hundred meter hurdle final that will probably be one
of the showstopper. Last few moments of the Games. Make
sure you watch that, okay before two challenges remaining, push,
I'll let you get out one more Olympic take if you've.

Speaker 2 (49:33):
Got I mean, it has to be cycling, does it not?
Team GB?

Speaker 1 (49:40):
Oh man, oh, can we talk about reev call? Even
Paul as well did the double and then when he won,
on his way to winning, his bike explodes and they
just throw him a random bike and he's like trying
to work out the gears and then after just like
that was cool. It was laughing with the caravan. I

(50:02):
thought that was a hilarious moment from someone who is
hopefully clean but also an incredible cycle.

Speaker 2 (50:08):
It's totally cap I love just that the image of that,
it's it's it's equivalent to someone being thrown, like someone
breaks their stick in hockey and they get chucked on
from the bench or like I kind of like this
idea in tennis as well, like you drop your racket
and you're not allowed to pick it up mid rally,
so your coach has to lot it to you from
the from the crowd.

Speaker 1 (50:26):
So guess it was so great and TEAMGB is still
doing it totally on the level.

Speaker 2 (50:32):
Yeah, no issues here, very very clean or above ground,
above surface. Everything's fine. Best team in the world, best
athletes in the world, and they continue to dominate on
the track. I think that so the sprint events in
the cycling. I don't like how a lot of this

(50:54):
stuff is backloaded, and I know some of the venues
in the way that it gets moved around of the Olympics.
But I think it's a it's a fun sport that
I think actually would would benefit being closer to the
start of the Games than at the end of it,
because I think a lot of people's attention is rightfully
so quite fatigued at this point of having two solid
weeks of events. I actually feel the same way about

(51:14):
some of the newer sports or some of the newer
sports to the Games, the same way that skateboarding is.

Speaker 1 (51:20):
Like I just want somebody to say making for last
it feels like right, which which is.

Speaker 2 (51:25):
Cool, Like I respect that because you know, it's a
brand new sport and all that to the Games. So
I think that that's kind of interesting. But yeah, most
I think most people have tuned out at this point,
other than absolutely sickos I eat us and this podcast.

Speaker 1 (51:42):
My hand is up. It's it's scenario medium, but my
hand is up.

Speaker 2 (51:47):
I have to admit.

Speaker 1 (51:48):
I checked.

Speaker 2 (51:48):
I did four hours today and that was I couldn't
do much more. That was about my limit. So it's
easily in my shortest day.

Speaker 1 (51:57):
Let me do handball. Handball is early in the Olympic sport.
Hanging on to what the hell is going on in
Europe that they convince people to get this in the
Olympic Games.

Speaker 2 (52:08):
How is squash not an Olympics sport? Given that everything
coming back?

Speaker 1 (52:11):
It's coming back and then La, sir.

Speaker 2 (52:13):
So so I can go down to La. I'll take
the three hour flight and hang on to your transportations.

Speaker 1 (52:19):
Hang on your goggles, sir, your predictive goggles.

Speaker 2 (52:23):
Another potential metal for GB. We should only put sports
in either calendar or GV could win.

Speaker 1 (52:30):
Two challenges remaining, sir, What do you got this week?

Speaker 2 (52:33):
I wanted to shout out the game UI database. This
is just gone through its two point zero update and
it is the I'm trying to find this guy's name. Actually,
just give him a shout out. I might have to
check this later anyway. It's it's a guy's personal project.
Who Ed Coates is his name, and it basically is

(52:54):
all of the user interface for any video game out there.
I think there's like two thousand games in this in
this database. It's just had its two point over release.
It's out of a bunch of new features to it.
For someone I'm working the games industry, but games adjacent
in the creative medium. If you're ever interested in looking
at how like a huge cross section of games or
the art direction and how like it animates any of

(53:16):
that kind of thing, it is a wonderful resource. And
for a passion project and someone who's so dedicated to it,
it's a really, really wonderful resource.

Speaker 1 (53:25):
I'm going to check this out awesome. Mine will be
NBO Toronto related. I'm there again this week covering it
for our radio station, and it's also the birthday of
my dad, who, as some listeners will know, passed away
a few months ago. But I was able to catch
some tennis with my sister on my dad's birthday down

(53:46):
at the tennis And I'm also hosting a show with
rajer Legois, who is a legend at the station and
someone who's been on the years for many years. And
you someone my dad used to listen to as well
on the fan. So I feel like it was a
bit of a full circle moment this week, being able
to host shows with Roger, someone who's treated me so

(54:07):
well and so awesomely, then someone who's been through this
rodeo so many times. It's been a cool moment to
experience after trying few months. So yeah, shouts to Tennis.
I do feel like this is a bit of a
crossroads for me in some ways, but this sport in

(54:28):
a lot of ways feels like a bit of a
lighthouse in terms of keeping me from running into the rocks.
So shouts to Tennis Simon.

Speaker 2 (54:38):
Yeah, I'm really glad that you're able to have that moment,
like to have a moment of reflection. So I'm like
really happy for you in that regard. I think the
thing that I'm constantly reminded of though, is that, oh, yeah,
you're actually a professional broadcaster continue to do this show
with me, So I'm always appreciated of that. At one

(54:58):
point in my life, I was maybe twenty years ago, So.

Speaker 1 (55:02):
No, I I look forward to this more than you'll know, sir.
So yeah, no, uh is that right?

Speaker 2 (55:09):
That would that would imply that I was a procaster
fifteen which you know.

Speaker 1 (55:15):
Sitcom there by the way, there's a s Colm there.
Let's get this in production, all right. We'll leave it there.
If you are so inclined to talk more tennis with us,
join us at Patreon dot com, fort slash open Era,
join us there, get the show at free get it early,
and join us on the discord where we're chatting tennis
all the time with some lovely, lovely people. And I

(55:39):
believe that is it. For producer Dylan on the ones
and twos, and for Simon, thank you so much for talking.
Thank you so much for listening to us, and we'll
talk to you soon. Leave it in, Leave it in,
good broadcast, lads, M to