WEBVTT - Pam Shriver on US Open Week 2 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:13.840 Welcome everybody to the Renee Stubs Tennis podcast. This is 0:00:13.880 --> 0:00:16.840 an unusual one. I'm doing it from the grounds of 0:00:16.920 --> 0:00:19.840 the Usta Billy Jan King National Tennis Center because well, 0:00:20.000 --> 0:00:23.160 I never leave here, so I've decided to pull in 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:25.919 the person that I know who's also hasn't left the 0:00:25.920 --> 0:00:28.080 grounds and it's pretty much had left sleep than me, 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:30.520 and that's Pam Shiverer. Pam, thanks for joining me today. 0:00:30.680 --> 0:00:32.839 We're going to recap the first week as best as 0:00:32.840 --> 0:00:33.240 we can. 0:00:33.479 --> 0:00:33.720 Yeah. 0:00:33.960 --> 0:00:36.360 No, it's certainly a short night sleep last night, but 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:39.360 we both were looking forward to the Muhova Paolini match, 0:00:39.400 --> 0:00:41.919 which we just called, and you were smoked to get 0:00:41.960 --> 0:00:43.400 me while my energy is still up. 0:00:43.600 --> 0:00:44.320 Yeah yeah. 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:46.559 So anyway, let's get a little bit of recap. I mean, 0:00:46.640 --> 0:00:49.240 this first week of the US Open has been pretty tremendous. 0:00:49.680 --> 0:00:52.280 We had so many big upsets on the men's side. 0:00:52.320 --> 0:00:55.240 Something we didn't expect to see is both Novak Djokovic 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:58.720 and Alcaraz out of the tournament with two huge upsets, 0:00:58.760 --> 0:01:02.000 one of course from vander down Sloop. That was probably 0:01:02.000 --> 0:01:04.640 more of a surprise for me just the way it 0:01:04.680 --> 0:01:09.400 happened against Alcarez, and obviously Alexi Popper and what he 0:01:09.440 --> 0:01:12.160 was able to do against Novak Chokovich was impressive, but 0:01:12.200 --> 0:01:15.360 Novac certainly didn't look his best. How much do you think, Pam, 0:01:15.400 --> 0:01:18.080 that was a little bit also of the Olympic fatigue 0:01:18.160 --> 0:01:20.320 factive for the guys playing best of five here is 0:01:20.360 --> 0:01:22.679 a little different from the women coming backing up from 0:01:22.720 --> 0:01:24.480 the Olympics playing best of three. Yeah. 0:01:24.520 --> 0:01:27.160 I think obviously it had an effect. We knew this 0:01:27.280 --> 0:01:30.360 summer for the players playing, and really, what is the 0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:34.680 fifth major every Olympic four years, It was going to 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:38.760 be a lot because of the surface transition, clay grass, 0:01:39.160 --> 0:01:42.800 clay hardcourt. To do all that in Mike, a seven 0:01:42.840 --> 0:01:46.959 eight week span is a lot to ask physically, mentally, emotionally. 0:01:47.000 --> 0:01:49.480 And I think you're right. The main difference is because 0:01:49.480 --> 0:01:53.960 the women medalists from the singles really played great tennis. 0:01:53.960 --> 0:01:55.680 At the oment, two of the three are still in 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:59.360 it with Siontek and Jang, and I think the three 0:01:59.360 --> 0:02:02.320 out of five set format is the reason why. 0:02:02.560 --> 0:02:05.080 Yeah, I do. I think that. Look Also, Alchiis was 0:02:05.120 --> 0:02:07.800 losing his shit in Cincinnati, so you knew that his 0:02:08.480 --> 0:02:10.320 I don't know, just his capacity to deal with the 0:02:10.320 --> 0:02:12.120 stress and the pressure of the US Open was going 0:02:12.160 --> 0:02:14.600 to be tough, and I think that loss really stung him. 0:02:14.639 --> 0:02:17.520 At the Olympics in his wonder Pam how much like Djokovic, 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:20.839 his energy levels were as well, because that was, as 0:02:20.840 --> 0:02:23.480 he said, the greatest moment of his tennis career winning 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:26.280 the gold medal, which is pretty remarkable considering what he's 0:02:26.320 --> 0:02:29.880 done in his tennis career. It's unbelievable. But also kudos 0:02:29.919 --> 0:02:31.959 to the guys that got the wins, because you still 0:02:32.000 --> 0:02:34.959 have to win the match. Something that's a real positive, 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:37.200 you know, in this tournament so far, is just the 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:41.320 success of the Americans, particularly the American men. Were used 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:43.880 to the American women still being latent tournaments like the 0:02:44.000 --> 0:02:46.440 likes of Cocoa Goth and Jess Bagool or etc. But 0:02:46.960 --> 0:02:50.919 to see what Taylor and Tommy and Francis are doing 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:54.800 in this tournament and Brandon Nakashima who lost yesterday, but gee, 0:02:54.840 --> 0:02:57.320 you've got to be if you're Americans tennis, got to 0:02:57.320 --> 0:02:58.720 be pretty pumped about what you're seeing. 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:03.560 Now we've I've seen them this summer be ranked all 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:06.360 in a bunch right in the sort of the bottom 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:08.680 end end of the top ten, and the first few 0:03:08.720 --> 0:03:12.160 spots of like eleven, twelve, thirteen, they're pushing each other. 0:03:12.200 --> 0:03:15.520 They have that sort of friendly rivalry where they're sort 0:03:15.560 --> 0:03:18.600 of using the energy of the group to push forward. 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:20.760 I think they're sick and tired, the men of hearing 0:03:21.240 --> 0:03:24.400 how many years it's been since Andy Roddick won a 0:03:24.480 --> 0:03:27.600 major on the US male side. That's two thousand and 0:03:27.680 --> 0:03:31.360 three US Open. And I think all the men that 0:03:31.400 --> 0:03:33.240 are still in it from the US I mean, Paul 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:35.800 has the toughest assignment, needless say, because by the time, 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:38.720 you know, he played center tonight. But I think Tiafo 0:03:38.840 --> 0:03:41.280 and Taylor Fritz who knows, we could see an all 0:03:41.320 --> 0:03:42.840 American semi final. 0:03:42.920 --> 0:03:44.839 Yeah, I actually said that the other day. I looked 0:03:44.840 --> 0:03:47.160 at the draw and I thought, oh my god, like, 0:03:47.200 --> 0:03:49.920 we really could have two American men in the semifinals. 0:03:49.920 --> 0:03:52.600 And can you remember the last time that happened, Well, 0:03:52.640 --> 0:03:53.240 probably in the. 0:03:53.200 --> 0:03:57.600 Era of the sampras Agasy courier chang, you know, certainly 0:03:57.640 --> 0:04:00.800 it happened a lot in the Connors back and row. 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:04.400 I'm trying to think over the other type. 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:07.040 Mars out of Europe, and we haven't slept enough to 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:09.000 worry about that. But yeah, I mean, this is an 0:04:09.000 --> 0:04:11.800 amazing opportunity for these guys, and I don't know, you 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:13.960 just think, you know, the changing in the guard of 0:04:14.000 --> 0:04:16.240 Novak's still around. He's not going anywhere for now, but 0:04:17.160 --> 0:04:19.520 you know, father time catches up with everyone, and you 0:04:19.600 --> 0:04:22.279 just think he didn't look fresh, and we know what 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:25.000 he's been that through. But he's only made two finals 0:04:25.000 --> 0:04:26.680 this year, Pam. I mean one he won at the 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:29.320 Olympics and the other one was Wimbledon. But for him 0:04:29.360 --> 0:04:32.440 not to win a major in the year is you 0:04:32.560 --> 0:04:34.680 just start to think how much more does he have 0:04:34.839 --> 0:04:38.200 mentally and physically in his body. And these guys are 0:04:38.240 --> 0:04:40.600 so good and so young and so hungry, and now 0:04:40.640 --> 0:04:43.160 they actually believe they can beat him, and that's, as 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:44.440 you know, is half the battle. 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.720 Yeah, Novak certainly seems to have lost a little bit 0:04:47.760 --> 0:04:50.040 of that giant aura that he had that would sort 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:51.880 of make him start with a two love lead in 0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:54.640 each set. But you know, obviously the French Open, the 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:59.040 injury to the knee, the surgery, the surgery on the meniscus. 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:01.680 But when you think about how he was you just 0:05:01.760 --> 0:05:04.960 mentioned just one tournament went on the year, and that 0:05:05.080 --> 0:05:06.800 was the Olympics. Yeah, well, I mean there was not 0:05:06.880 --> 0:05:09.000 an ATV Tour tournament win. He got the finals of 0:05:09.040 --> 0:05:11.880 the semi finals of the Australian Open. That was probably 0:05:11.960 --> 0:05:15.640 foreshadowing his year when he couldn't fire at the caliber 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:18.560 that he usually does in a semi final of major, 0:05:18.640 --> 0:05:21.920 losing the center and you know, the injury, and then 0:05:22.080 --> 0:05:24.920 obviously he just put all in to do the one 0:05:24.960 --> 0:05:26.880 thing the sport he had not done, which is an 0:05:26.880 --> 0:05:29.400 Olympic gold medal. And I don't think there was enough 0:05:29.440 --> 0:05:32.320 time for even him to reset. He didn't play Canada 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:35.000 or Cincinnati, didn't play a warm up tournament, but I 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:37.279 don't think he's been able to reset and establish his 0:05:37.400 --> 0:05:39.360 next big goal. Is it to get to twenty five 0:05:39.440 --> 0:05:42.040 singles majors? Is it to you know, he's got to 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:43.680 have something I think to push him. 0:05:43.839 --> 0:05:46.680 Yeah, I agree, And you just wonder how much because really, 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:49.000 the only thing that he has on his resume that 0:05:49.080 --> 0:05:52.040 he you know, to just arguably say greatest player of 0:05:52.080 --> 0:05:54.320 all time, not just man a woman, but greatest players 0:05:54.360 --> 0:05:56.200 to get twenty five Grand slams. If he does that, 0:05:56.279 --> 0:05:59.360 then forget about it. But I don't know, at some point, 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:02.400 it's it just gets tiring to have to wake up 0:06:02.480 --> 0:06:04.599 every day and be great and win every match, and 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:06.840 his kids are growing up, and you just wonder how 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:08.640 much he's got left in the tank. But we'll certainly 0:06:08.680 --> 0:06:10.520 know because if he does it, he's going to probably 0:06:10.560 --> 0:06:13.039 do it in Australia because that's where his best results 0:06:13.040 --> 0:06:15.280 have come. And I'm glad that truck that takes all 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:17.800 the poop and stuff away from the US Open has 0:06:17.800 --> 0:06:22.119 finally stopped happening in the background outside our beautiful ESPN 0:06:22.160 --> 0:06:25.159 bus here on site. But anyway, but I want to 0:06:25.200 --> 0:06:27.440 just touch upon Francis Tiafo what he was able to 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:30.400 do the other day against reversing the lost to Ben Shelton. 0:06:30.960 --> 0:06:34.359 I think you could see in his face, Pam that 0:06:34.480 --> 0:06:37.240 it was kind of like he was not giving in 0:06:37.240 --> 0:06:39.400 in that match, and I think that boy that could 0:06:39.440 --> 0:06:42.080 turn around his career again. We know how well he 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:45.320 played in Cincinnati, so that certainly got his confidence up. 0:06:45.640 --> 0:06:47.680 But what he did last night, even against Popera, and 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:51.800 he just didn't panic. He played great. You got to think, 0:06:51.839 --> 0:06:53.320 I mean, does he have it in him to win 0:06:53.360 --> 0:06:53.920 this tournament? 0:06:54.720 --> 0:06:55.479 Yeah? I think he does. 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:58.800 Plays Demitrof next to play the winner of Fritz Zverev. 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:02.640 I think tis learned so much from a semi final 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:06.040 run of two years ago and he became even more 0:07:06.080 --> 0:07:09.520 of a star. And I think he probably knows that 0:07:09.680 --> 0:07:11.920 sometimes he needs to say no and kind of keep 0:07:12.120 --> 0:07:15.440 into his lane and notice sponsorship and things like that. Yeah, 0:07:15.560 --> 0:07:17.880 stay in his hula hoop a little bit more because 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:23.000 he's yeah, like stay within the hula a little expression. 0:07:23.040 --> 0:07:26.040 But anyway, I think, you know, we know guys mature 0:07:26.360 --> 0:07:28.720 tend to mature a little bit later. But I do 0:07:28.760 --> 0:07:31.560 think you mentioned that Shelton match that was huge because 0:07:31.880 --> 0:07:34.360 he lost in the quarters that was last year to Shelton. 0:07:34.400 --> 0:07:36.720 That was very painful loss. That's when Shelton kind of 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:38.280 did the hang up the phone game and. 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:40.200 He wasn't really the same player after that loss. 0:07:40.320 --> 0:07:41.040 No, he wasn't. 0:07:41.040 --> 0:07:43.440 But I think Cincinnati was huge. I think the decision 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:46.840 for Francis not to play the Olympics. Obviously, Washington, d C. 0:07:47.000 --> 0:07:49.520 Which is where he grew up, that was an important 0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:52.560 tour stop. I think Francis getting on the hard courts, 0:07:52.600 --> 0:07:56.080 getting his teeth sunk into this segment of the circuit 0:07:56.160 --> 0:07:59.560 is why he has a chance to win this US Open. 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:03.480 From two SATs to one down against Shulton, we saw 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:04.280 the best of Francis. 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:06.720 Yeah, that's true. But you got to give credit then 0:08:06.720 --> 0:08:10.240 to Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz because they both played 0:08:10.240 --> 0:08:12.680 the Olympics right deep to the end. They've got a 0:08:12.680 --> 0:08:15.200 silver medal in the doubles there, so what they've been 0:08:15.240 --> 0:08:18.080 able to do has been impressive. Of Course, we've already 0:08:18.080 --> 0:08:20.040 mentioned the guys that won medals at the Olympics have 0:08:20.120 --> 0:08:23.680 not done well in the singles medals, So all credit 0:08:23.760 --> 0:08:26.840 to Taylor and to Tommy Paul forgetting to where they've 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:28.840 gotten to at the US Open with that short bit 0:08:28.880 --> 0:08:31.560 of rest as well. So it's just been an impressive 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:33.640 tournament from the American guys. And you have to think, 0:08:33.960 --> 0:08:36.800 I don't know, with the losses to al Karaz and 0:08:37.040 --> 0:08:40.920 to Djokovic, does it give that impotence to the guys 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:42.600 that have been knocking on the door a little bit 0:08:42.640 --> 0:08:45.160 to say why not me? And could this be the time? 0:08:45.280 --> 0:08:48.200 Clearly we know Sinner's the one to beat in this 0:08:48.280 --> 0:08:51.439 tournament now, and it's been pretty remarkable considering what he's 0:08:51.480 --> 0:08:53.520 gone through emotionally over the last couple of weeks that 0:08:53.559 --> 0:08:55.160 he's playing as well. As ears, but he will be 0:08:55.200 --> 0:08:57.199 tested tonight against Tommy Paul for sure. 0:08:57.320 --> 0:08:59.719 Yeah, as we're talking now and recording this part, it 0:08:59.840 --> 0:09:03.560 was almost two weeks since the news just spread so 0:09:03.679 --> 0:09:07.240 quickly about what happened to Janick Center in March, when 0:09:07.720 --> 0:09:11.360 two tests came up positive for a banned substance, and 0:09:11.440 --> 0:09:14.640 he immediately went into the process of challenging it. 0:09:14.720 --> 0:09:16.240 He could immediately. 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:19.640 Explain how it got into a system in three different 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:24.319 groups confirmed that that was most likely the case. Lost 0:09:24.360 --> 0:09:26.760 his first set at this tournament, and he looked. 0:09:26.600 --> 0:09:28.160 Like a ghost. He looked like he'd seen a ghist 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:29.959 in that fast set, like he was not himself. 0:09:30.080 --> 0:09:31.400 Yeah, to Mackenzie McDonald. 0:09:31.480 --> 0:09:33.959 But then since then his sets have been six two 0:09:34.160 --> 0:09:37.040 six one six two sixty four six love six two 0:09:37.160 --> 0:09:39.400 six one six four six two. So you think he's 0:09:39.440 --> 0:09:41.560 playing well, Yeah, I think he is now, and I think, 0:09:42.240 --> 0:09:45.560 you know, there must be an unbelievable relief. I mean, 0:09:45.640 --> 0:09:47.760 he had known he had been dealing with this since 0:09:47.760 --> 0:09:50.880 a month early April. Yeah, we just found out when 0:09:50.880 --> 0:09:53.640 the news broke two weeks agost. We were all stunned. 0:09:53.640 --> 0:09:56.079 But I do think he's starting to show the relief 0:09:56.440 --> 0:09:58.800 that the worst is over for him on this process. 0:09:58.920 --> 0:10:01.520 Yeah, yeah, exactly. Anyway, let's get a little bit to 0:10:01.559 --> 0:10:03.760 the women before we wrap this little pot up and 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:05.959 get back to work here at the US Open. And 0:10:06.000 --> 0:10:11.000 Pam has a nap, but Coco's lost yesterday. Let's just 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:13.240 dive into that one because it's fresh in our minds. 0:10:14.320 --> 0:10:16.400 I just want to give so much credit to Emminavarro 0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:18.679 because that was a really, really first It was an 0:10:18.679 --> 0:10:22.079 incredibly entertaining match, but it was a great match with 0:10:22.440 --> 0:10:25.960 Emma Navarro considering up a set and four to three, 0:10:27.200 --> 0:10:29.480 was it thirty love or forty love? Thirty love for 0:10:29.559 --> 0:10:31.720 sure on her serve, and then the wheels fell off 0:10:31.760 --> 0:10:34.760 a little bit and Coco played great to win that 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:37.439 second set, and you thought, okay, train's back on the track, 0:10:38.800 --> 0:10:43.199 definitely playing better golf. But the unfortunately for Coco, nineteen 0:10:43.400 --> 0:10:46.679 double faults. Pam, you and I were both consider our 0:10:46.720 --> 0:10:50.240 serves to be one of our strengths. I cannot imagine 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:53.520 double faulting nineteen times and feeling good about where my 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:56.600 serve was at and the anxiety I think that that 0:10:56.720 --> 0:10:59.719 gives her on all aspects of her game. It has 0:10:59.800 --> 0:11:02.040 to affecting her what is happening. 0:11:03.080 --> 0:11:05.560 Well, I think two shots are causing a lot of anxiety. 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:08.240 It's both the serve and the forehand and when you 0:11:08.320 --> 0:11:12.320 have two such important shots that can break down, and 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:15.520 everybody in the locker room, every coach, everybody knows it. 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:18.079 And there you obviously can't target the serve, but you 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:20.760 can certainly target the forehand side. And you can sort 0:11:20.760 --> 0:11:23.240 of see by some of the stress this summer that 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:26.080 Coco's displayed, whether he's at Wimbledon, when she also lost 0:11:26.080 --> 0:11:29.520 to Novarro at the Olympics, when Donna Veketch got the 0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:33.000 better of Cocoa Golf, and really she was defending all 0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:35.520 these points this summer on the hard courts, didn't look 0:11:35.520 --> 0:11:38.160 herself and had the pressure of trying to defend this title, 0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:40.160 but she didn't have the game to do it. However, 0:11:40.480 --> 0:11:42.600 we know Coco Golf has won a lot of tough 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:45.080 matches not with her a game, and it looked like 0:11:45.160 --> 0:11:47.000 maybe that was going to be the case yesterday, but 0:11:47.040 --> 0:11:49.760 then Navarro was able to capitalize on the mistakes and 0:11:50.080 --> 0:11:51.720 be the better of the two. 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:54.000 Yeah, I just feel like, you know, if you're going 0:11:54.040 --> 0:11:56.760 to teach demeanor and composure on the tennis goll It. 0:11:56.800 --> 0:11:59.200 We thought Coco was one of the best of that. 0:11:59.200 --> 0:12:01.160 That's being challenged little bit over the last couple of 0:12:01.160 --> 0:12:03.480 months with some of the demonstrative behavior we've seen sort 0:12:03.480 --> 0:12:06.000 of at her coaching box and things, And that's what 0:12:06.040 --> 0:12:07.679 happens when you're in a bit of stress. You sort 0:12:07.679 --> 0:12:09.800 of look to help and you're not quite got the 0:12:09.840 --> 0:12:12.920 answers yourself. But Emma Navarro, on the other hand, I mean, 0:12:12.960 --> 0:12:14.840 she just like, if I want someone to play poker 0:12:14.840 --> 0:12:18.880 for me, you're in girl. Like her attitude, her composure, 0:12:19.280 --> 0:12:21.280 her willingness to look at things like I feel like 0:12:21.280 --> 0:12:24.679 with a glass half full or rose colored glasses all 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:27.840 the time, is so bloody impressive on the tennis court, 0:12:28.200 --> 0:12:30.200 and she stepped up in the end and won that match. 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:35.880 You know, I really have enjoyed watching Navarro's rise. Donaveca's 0:12:35.880 --> 0:12:38.200 the player of Coach Ramas two years, actually played Navarro 0:12:38.240 --> 0:12:40.400 in the second round of Mono Ray March a year 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:43.120 and a half ago, and Navarro was just beginning to 0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:46.840 make her move. Dona beaterr fairly comfortably scorelne wise, but 0:12:46.920 --> 0:12:49.320 during the match, I'm like, oh my goodness, I knew 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:51.640 the backhand was really good the forehand was getting stronger, 0:12:51.679 --> 0:12:55.520 the movement, the athleticism, and she's just become a great 0:12:55.800 --> 0:12:58.880 hard worker. I think her coach Peter and Emma are 0:12:58.920 --> 0:13:01.440 one of the best coach player tandems out there. I 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:03.840 love the fact they made a two year contract with 0:13:03.880 --> 0:13:05.640 each other that was up just a little while ago, 0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:08.800 and it was like, we're renewing because this is going 0:13:09.000 --> 0:13:12.320 really well. On Navarro, who knows what her ceiling is 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:15.880 because she is proving a little bit like Pagoula. Maybe 0:13:15.920 --> 0:13:18.199 you don't see it necessarily in the juniors that she's 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:20.319 going to be like a top tenor, but I think 0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:23.360 Navarro is definitely has a chance to win a major 0:13:23.480 --> 0:13:26.080 and be a consistent member of the top ten. 0:13:26.240 --> 0:13:28.880 Yeah, well, consistent member of the top ten foreshore. I mean, 0:13:28.960 --> 0:13:31.400 you know, just like we just called the Pegoula, sorry, 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:34.960 the Pawelini Mukhova match, and both of those players that 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:37.720 have been in the top ten. Paolini is there now. 0:13:38.000 --> 0:13:40.320 I suspect that Macova will probably move back in there 0:13:40.360 --> 0:13:43.000 at some point if she stays injury free. But Emma 0:13:43.040 --> 0:13:45.080 Navarro is a very similar player. You know, all court 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:48.400 player can come forward, you know, great top spin on 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:50.800 the forehand, and then you've got that beautiful backhand that 0:13:50.840 --> 0:13:53.080 can go anywhere, cross caught down the line so easily. 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.840 She can slice very good serve, so not a lot 0:13:55.840 --> 0:13:58.360 of weaknesses, and that's really the key. And I think 0:13:58.400 --> 0:14:00.199 that's what happened in the end yesterday with Coca, is 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:04.120 that Coco's weaknesses you can see, Emma's you don't really see. 0:14:04.760 --> 0:14:07.360 So you know, there's a little bit of work for 0:14:07.480 --> 0:14:09.800 Coco to do in the not the off season, because 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:12.560 she's still got to play in the fall. But certainly, look, 0:14:12.600 --> 0:14:15.360 she's twenty years of age. The improvement is still possible. 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:19.400 But little Paula Medosa's really come back. Pam playing some 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:21.960 great tennis and she won Washington d C which Coco 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:24.360 did last year. And one of the things she said 0:14:24.400 --> 0:14:26.040 after she won, and we mentioned it last week on 0:14:26.080 --> 0:14:29.480 the podcast with Peco, she said, I finally figured out 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:31.720 how to be an athlete again. And when you think 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:34.800 about her back injury and all of that stuff, boy, 0:14:34.960 --> 0:14:37.600 oh boy, does she look bloody good now and she's 0:14:37.680 --> 0:14:39.840 hitting the ball really well. 0:14:40.040 --> 0:14:43.560 Yeah, you always like to see a comeback. She was 0:14:43.840 --> 0:14:46.960 number two in the world for a while, but it 0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:49.520 wasn't because of great results in majors. She'd only been 0:14:49.560 --> 0:14:51.680 to one quarter final of a major before, never a 0:14:51.720 --> 0:14:55.800 Sammy or a final, and she's looked great here now. 0:14:55.960 --> 0:14:58.040 She did have a match point against her when she 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:00.920 was playing Rusa in the third round. And we know 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:03.720 through the years how many times you kind of feel 0:15:03.720 --> 0:15:06.880 this sense of relief and you know, what do you 0:15:06.920 --> 0:15:09.640 call it? Like a second life and you play with 0:15:09.680 --> 0:15:12.080 great freedom, And I thought Bidosa did that in her 0:15:12.160 --> 0:15:15.440 fourth round match against one. Next up against Navarro, it's 0:15:15.440 --> 0:15:17.680 not a match that we've I don't even know if 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:18.320 they've played. 0:15:18.320 --> 0:15:19.720 I don't recall them playing. 0:15:20.800 --> 0:15:23.400 I think Bidoza's forehand is one of the biggest weapons 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:25.840 in women's tennis right now now that she's healthy again. 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:28.960 The serve is the big question because that second serve 0:15:29.000 --> 0:15:31.960 and the toss can really go off when Bidosa's under stress. 0:15:32.000 --> 0:15:35.000 And let's face it, Navarro knows how to exploit when 0:15:35.040 --> 0:15:37.240 somebody had some vulnerability on the surf. 0:15:37.320 --> 0:15:39.360 Yeah, having said that, as you said, the first serve 0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:42.160 is beak, So it's a matter of confidence. I don't know. 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:45.280 I maybe give a slight edge to Emma just because 0:15:45.320 --> 0:15:47.560 of what she's done over the last twelve months and 0:15:47.640 --> 0:15:49.480 the crowd is going to be a huge factor for her, 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:51.200 so you just have to give her a slight edge. 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:54.040 But if Badosa plays at her best, we know what 0:15:54.120 --> 0:15:57.560 she's capable of, So looking forward to that matchup. Unfortunately 0:15:57.560 --> 0:16:00.960 for you, Pammy was here till two fifteen am for 0:16:01.040 --> 0:16:05.640 Donna Vekch losing to Chinwan Jiung. Great match. It was 0:16:05.680 --> 0:16:08.000 such a shame it was on so late because I 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:11.000 would say that that was possibly the best match I've 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:14.720 seen on the women's side this year this tournament. Great 0:16:14.840 --> 0:16:17.440 hitting of the ball. You know, both were hitting more 0:16:17.480 --> 0:16:20.080 winners than unforced errors, and they were clocking the ball, 0:16:20.320 --> 0:16:22.880 so it's like they were hitting winner after winner after winner. Yes, 0:16:22.920 --> 0:16:24.840 there was some unforced errors, but in the end it 0:16:24.880 --> 0:16:27.440 was Jiang who got the edge in the three sets. 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:28.880 I just think Donna ran out a bit of a 0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:32.600 gas in the third set, but Jang to play Zapalannka, now. 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:34.720 Well, you know what was fun about this match is 0:16:34.760 --> 0:16:37.160 to have within a month a rematch of the gold 0:16:37.200 --> 0:16:40.240 medal match from Paris, which was a much more routine 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:42.720 win for Juang, and to have such high quality. I 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:46.640 mean the first set you had twelve straight holds. They 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:49.720 only faced a couple of break points. The quality the 0:16:49.880 --> 0:16:52.400 serving and Donna was serving second, so the pressure on 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:54.920 her late in that set was immense. I was really 0:16:55.000 --> 0:16:57.240 proud that Donna got at the tie break. Unfortunately, that 0:16:57.280 --> 0:16:59.520 was one of the moments of the match, was that 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:02.520 Janga played a much better quality tie break. And it 0:17:02.560 --> 0:17:06.680 turns out winning the first set usually matters in most matches. 0:17:07.240 --> 0:17:10.160 But still did Donna come back and win the second set. 0:17:10.240 --> 0:17:12.600 And to see Donna here at the US Open sort 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:15.840 of back up her results earlier in the summer when 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:17.960 she got the finals of the Olympics Semis of Women 0:17:17.960 --> 0:17:20.440 and came within two points of the final, losing to Pallini. 0:17:21.040 --> 0:17:23.840 You know Donna's match point, She didn't get to match point, 0:17:23.920 --> 0:17:26.080 did not She was up eight to seven in the 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:29.920 match tiebreak. But for Donna at this point, at twenty eight, 0:17:29.960 --> 0:17:32.439 we know the primes of careers. You can mature, you 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:35.160 can learn new skills as far as mindset and how 0:17:35.200 --> 0:17:38.240 to just be mentally a little more resilient. And Donna's 0:17:38.240 --> 0:17:41.119 been open to learning some new skills to manage the 0:17:41.160 --> 0:17:43.320 mental side. Still she's always going to be emotional, but 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:45.239 she's learned how to reset a lot better and not 0:17:45.320 --> 0:17:48.520 let the previous point affect the next point. So I 0:17:48.560 --> 0:17:51.000 see Donna's upside. Kind of one of the reasons why 0:17:51.040 --> 0:17:52.800 I was willing to join the team two years ago. 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:54.679 I think her best years are ahead. 0:17:54.880 --> 0:17:57.200 Yeah, absolutely, And it's just nice to see her back 0:17:57.200 --> 0:17:59.120 in a terrible knee injury a couple of years ago 0:17:59.240 --> 0:18:02.439 with surgery, and just you know, a couple of years ago, 0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:03.919 I had a conversation with her and said, what do 0:18:03.960 --> 0:18:05.480 you feel like you need to do? Because she was 0:18:05.480 --> 0:18:07.679 still hitting the ball so well. I coached against her 0:18:07.720 --> 0:18:10.080 a couple of times in doubles, and she said, stubbsy, 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:12.680 I gotta lose weight. And you know, that was just 0:18:12.680 --> 0:18:16.120 such a frank and honest answer for Donna to give. 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:18.800 You can cough, Pam, It's okay, you know, we can 0:18:18.920 --> 0:18:21.000 edit that out, but you know, it was just a 0:18:21.080 --> 0:18:22.800 nice thing for her to realize. Look, I just got 0:18:22.800 --> 0:18:24.359 to get fitter and faster and stronger. And I have 0:18:24.480 --> 0:18:27.440 to say, Pam, Wow, James Blake and I were both 0:18:28.040 --> 0:18:31.240 just so impressed with how well Donna was moving around 0:18:31.280 --> 0:18:34.720