WEBVTT - The French Connection: Mary Carillo 0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:02.120 Is there a part of you as a player on 0:00:02.160 --> 0:00:05.720 the ATP Tour going into the French Open, going, you 0:00:05.760 --> 0:00:07.880 know what, this might be the year that I don't 0:00:07.880 --> 0:00:10.200 mind playing him because can you imagine. 0:00:09.720 --> 0:00:12.800 That you're the person that puts him into retirement. 0:00:13.000 --> 0:00:14.680 At I don't want to be that guy. 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:17.439 I remember the one time I overlapped with Andrea Agassi 0:00:17.440 --> 0:00:19.960 in the tournament was the two thousand and six US Open, 0:00:20.239 --> 0:00:23.720 his last tournament, my first tournament, and I just remember thinking, 0:00:23.760 --> 0:00:24.600 I don't want to play him. 0:00:24.640 --> 0:00:26.560 I don't want to be the jerk that sends him 0:00:26.600 --> 0:00:28.840 off to the retirement. Maybe that's a that's a. 0:00:28.800 --> 0:00:30.800 Bad mindset, but I just I never wanted to be 0:00:30.840 --> 0:00:33.560 that guy. So other people might have a different thought 0:00:33.600 --> 0:00:36.000 process and want to be the guy that, Hey, I 0:00:36.040 --> 0:00:38.879 finally beat rombay on the doll on clay, But for me, 0:00:39.080 --> 0:00:40.720 it was like I just didn't want that field. I 0:00:40.720 --> 0:00:42.040 felt like everyone was gonna hate. 0:00:41.840 --> 0:00:44.199 Me, like, oh, that's the guy that beat him in 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:45.440 his last match, that's jerk. 0:00:45.840 --> 0:00:49.320 Welcome everyone to the first episode of The French Connection, 0:00:49.680 --> 0:00:53.120 brought to you by NBC Sports and Racket. We are 0:00:53.159 --> 0:00:55.760 going to be covering everything from the French Open right 0:00:55.800 --> 0:00:59.639 through to the Olympics back at the same side at Rolling. 0:00:59.440 --> 0:01:02.680 Garowskin Paris weekend. Wait, we're going to be there throughout 0:01:02.720 --> 0:01:03.400 the whole thing. 0:01:03.520 --> 0:01:06.080 And I am joined, of course by the one and 0:01:06.160 --> 0:01:08.480 only Sam Query. Before we get to you, Sam, I 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:10.960 am an a stub six times Grand Slam champion, and 0:01:11.000 --> 0:01:13.360 I am alongside the wonderful I got to go this 0:01:13.400 --> 0:01:16.840 way Sam Query, of course, former world number eleven in 0:01:17.000 --> 0:01:20.800 singles on the ATP Tour, winner of ten singles titles 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:23.600 on the ATP. We were just bantering back and forth 0:01:23.720 --> 0:01:28.280 that apparently one ATP title is worth ten doubles titles, 0:01:28.280 --> 0:01:30.880 so technically you have one hundred and five titles and 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:32.640 I have sixty, so we're doing pretty well. 0:01:32.640 --> 0:01:34.760 Sam. Welcome Sam, thanks for having me. 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:35.280 And I got that. 0:01:35.680 --> 0:01:38.679 I got that reference from the Brian brother maybe the 0:01:38.720 --> 0:01:42.520 greatest doubles team of all time, so it feels valid. 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:44.720 You know, one singles title, we're ten doubles pats. 0:01:45.200 --> 0:01:46.679 I did want to go into the fact that you're 0:01:46.680 --> 0:01:49.840 also a professional pickle ball player now, Sam, and so 0:01:50.040 --> 0:01:52.240 you know you are that, but you were a former 0:01:52.280 --> 0:01:54.320 tennis player, so I'm going to you know, still think 0:01:54.360 --> 0:01:56.560 that you are an expert in the in the field 0:01:56.680 --> 0:01:58.800 of the sport. Where are going to talk about through 0:01:58.920 --> 0:02:01.120 of course the French Open right to the Olympics. 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:02.760 I just you know we're going. 0:02:02.760 --> 0:02:04.640 To have later on the show, we're going to talk 0:02:04.640 --> 0:02:06.840 to the one and only Mary Carillo, who of course 0:02:06.840 --> 0:02:08.480 has been to more Olympics than you and I can 0:02:08.520 --> 0:02:12.600 bind by tenfold. But Sam, just real quick, let's get 0:02:12.639 --> 0:02:14.760 to the burning questions of the French Open and what's 0:02:14.800 --> 0:02:18.040 coming up, et cetera. Rafael Nadal, We've got to talk 0:02:18.080 --> 0:02:23.800 about Raffah fourteen time champion at Roland Garross. It's insanity 0:02:23.840 --> 0:02:26.639 to even say those numbers. But just you know, your 0:02:26.680 --> 0:02:28.680 thoughts on him going. 0:02:28.400 --> 0:02:31.160 To the tournament, playing the tournament. 0:02:30.760 --> 0:02:33.680 The decisions are possibly not all to play the French 0:02:34.080 --> 0:02:35.200 Just give me thoughts on him. 0:02:35.720 --> 0:02:38.359 Yeah, that is the storyline at the French Open this year. 0:02:38.520 --> 0:02:41.079 You know, will Rafa play? Will if he plays, will 0:02:41.080 --> 0:02:44.359 it be his last event? And we're just kind of waiting. 0:02:44.400 --> 0:02:46.440 You know, the tournament starts in about a week and 0:02:46.520 --> 0:02:50.240 six days next Sunday, and everyone wants Raffa to play. 0:02:50.360 --> 0:02:52.359 I think you know, everyone wants to see him play 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:53.919 at Roland Garrels one last time. 0:02:54.360 --> 0:02:56.360 We hope that he goes out there and plays well. 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:57.240 We know he's gonna fight. 0:02:57.400 --> 0:03:00.400 He's the he's got great he's got what it takes 0:03:00.400 --> 0:03:02.680 to go out there. He's going to fight for every point. 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:06.480 But you know, myself, along with the rest of the world, 0:03:06.560 --> 0:03:08.080 wants him to go out there one more time. So 0:03:08.840 --> 0:03:09.600 I hope he does. 0:03:10.440 --> 0:03:13.920 You played him, you know, you've actually had, you know, 0:03:14.400 --> 0:03:16.760 an unbelievable singles career in your own right. But just 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:19.080 give me your thoughts on Rafa in general, just for 0:03:19.120 --> 0:03:22.040 the people at home that didn't get to experience having 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:24.079 to play him. And did you play him on clay, 0:03:24.160 --> 0:03:25.919 because that's torture if you did. 0:03:26.160 --> 0:03:26.440 I did. 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:29.760 I played him twice on clay shockingly lost both of those. 0:03:31.000 --> 0:03:32.800 But you know, right from the get go, you've seen it. 0:03:32.800 --> 0:03:34.760 When you're flipping the coin and you're up at the 0:03:34.760 --> 0:03:36.880 net with the referee, he's bouncing up and down, he's 0:03:36.920 --> 0:03:39.560 looking at you. You're intimidated right off the bat. You 0:03:39.600 --> 0:03:41.320 know that when you're up forty love, he's going to 0:03:41.400 --> 0:03:43.040 make you earn that next point to win the game, 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:44.880 and you're going to go out there and you're going 0:03:44.920 --> 0:03:48.560 to battle for three four five hours and that's what 0:03:49.400 --> 0:03:52.800 made him win fourteen French Open titles. And even though 0:03:52.840 --> 0:03:55.520 this is his last event most likely and he's not 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:58.280 playing great as an opponent, you don't want to play 0:03:58.320 --> 0:03:59.160 him with the French Open. 0:03:59.280 --> 0:04:00.000 I don't know you feel. 0:04:00.120 --> 0:04:01.960 But if I'm one of the other one hundred and 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:04.400 twenty seven guys in the draw, the one person I 0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:05.760 don't want to see is Rothay on. 0:04:05.720 --> 0:04:09.560 The doll am I except for this year? Maybe? I mean? 0:04:10.240 --> 0:04:12.600 Is there is there if you were still playing on 0:04:12.680 --> 0:04:14.760 tour and you saw that he look, he's not playing 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:17.120 great going into the French That's why the doubt is 0:04:17.120 --> 0:04:19.280 is he going to play? But is there a part 0:04:19.320 --> 0:04:21.840 of you as a player on the ATP Tour going 0:04:21.880 --> 0:04:22.560 into the French. 0:04:22.400 --> 0:04:25.479 Show Open going you know what? This might be the 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:27.479 year that I don't mind playing him because can you 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:30.600 imagine that you're the person that puts him into retirement 0:04:31.360 --> 0:04:32.640 at the French I don't want to. 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:33.040 Be that guy. 0:04:33.080 --> 0:04:35.799 I remember the one time I overlapped with Andrea Agassi 0:04:35.800 --> 0:04:38.320 in the tournament was the two thousand and six US Open, 0:04:38.560 --> 0:04:42.080 his last tournament, my first tournament, and I just remember thinking, 0:04:42.120 --> 0:04:43.520 I don't want to play him. I don't want to 0:04:43.520 --> 0:04:45.799 be the jerk that sends him off to the retirement. 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:48.240 Maybe that's a that's a bad mindset, but I just 0:04:48.320 --> 0:04:50.600 I never wanted to be that guy. So other people 0:04:50.680 --> 0:04:52.960 might have a different thought process and want to be 0:04:53.000 --> 0:04:55.440 the guy that, Hey, I finally beat Rothay on the 0:04:55.480 --> 0:04:58.000 doll on clay. But for me, it was like I 0:04:58.040 --> 0:04:58.760 just didn't want. 0:04:58.640 --> 0:04:58.960 That, you know. 0:04:59.000 --> 0:05:00.880 I felt like everyone was going to like, Oh, that's 0:05:00.920 --> 0:05:03.760 the guy that beat him in his last match, that jerk. 0:05:04.480 --> 0:05:05.360 Yeah, it's interesting. 0:05:05.400 --> 0:05:07.719 That just proves that you're actually an empathetic, nice guy, 0:05:07.800 --> 0:05:09.680 because I think there are some guys in the locker 0:05:09.760 --> 0:05:11.679 room they'd be like, yeah, there would be nothing better 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:13.800 than to say I beat him in Paris at the 0:05:13.839 --> 0:05:16.200 French Open on his best surface, and I'm the one 0:05:16.240 --> 0:05:17.520 that put him into retirement there. 0:05:17.640 --> 0:05:18.080 I don't know. 0:05:18.120 --> 0:05:20.640 I think there's some I think there's some psychotic players 0:05:20.640 --> 0:05:21.800 out there that wouldn't mind doing that. 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:25.039 Now, you're absolutely right, most of the players actually probably 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:27.240 have that mindset. Give me, Rafa, this is the time. 0:05:27.360 --> 0:05:29.000 I haven't been able to beat him for the last 0:05:29.040 --> 0:05:32.120 fifteen sixteen years. This is my one opportunity. Let me 0:05:32.160 --> 0:05:32.480 get it. 0:05:32.920 --> 0:05:35.080 You don't think, you know, these guys in twenty thirty 0:05:35.160 --> 0:05:36.440 years time are going to be like, yeah, I. 0:05:36.360 --> 0:05:38.479 Beat Raffa in Paris, what's the big deal? 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:38.760 Right? 0:05:39.120 --> 0:05:40.719 So he was honest with people have done it. You're 0:05:40.720 --> 0:05:42.479 going to be a group of four that has beat 0:05:42.520 --> 0:05:43.400 Rafa in Paris. 0:05:43.720 --> 0:05:47.159 I mean that number is absolute insanity. One hundred and 0:05:47.320 --> 0:05:51.840 twelve and three losses in the French Open. I mean, 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:55.279 can you just explain to people at home how absolutely 0:05:55.600 --> 0:05:58.960 bonkers that is. I mean, Chris Ebbott had an incredible, 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:02.440 incredible career. Her numbers, arguably as far as win percentage, 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:05.479 are actually better than Raffers, but she also didn't play 0:06:05.520 --> 0:06:07.560 as many as he did. In the end, this is 0:06:07.640 --> 0:06:09.200 insanity what he has done here. 0:06:09.520 --> 0:06:11.080 Oh. I mean, you know how hard it is to 0:06:11.120 --> 0:06:12.760 win one match on the need to tour. 0:06:13.400 --> 0:06:15.400 I mean he's won one hundred and twelve matches at 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:18.120 the French Open alone. There's a lot of very good 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:20.600 players that haven't won one hundred and twelve matches on 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:22.760 the tour of their career, and he's done it at 0:06:22.800 --> 0:06:23.640 one tournament. 0:06:25.080 --> 0:06:27.520 It's just incredible. It's one of the greatest feats in sports. 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:30.880 And you know, I don't think we'll ever see that 0:06:30.960 --> 0:06:34.000 again in our lifetime. The dominance that one player has had, 0:06:34.800 --> 0:06:37.400 not only at one tennis tournament, but possibly in all 0:06:37.400 --> 0:06:39.920 of sports. It's it's truly impress like just one of 0:06:39.960 --> 0:06:41.320 the most impressive things I've ever seen. 0:06:41.560 --> 0:06:44.680 Yeah, for me, it's arguably the greatest feat in sports. 0:06:45.360 --> 0:06:47.680 I don't think anyone's ever going to do what he 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:50.120 has done because not only are you having to beat 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:52.360 the best players in the world over five sets, but 0:06:52.480 --> 0:06:54.840 also let's not forget about the fact that it's really 0:06:54.880 --> 0:06:57.240 hard to go injury free for that amount of time 0:06:57.320 --> 0:07:00.000 and be able to get away with like being healthy 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:02.880 every year and was seeing Sadly, for him, that's the 0:07:02.960 --> 0:07:05.160 thing that's more than likely going to stop him from 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:05.920 winning fifteen. 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:07.880 Would you have given him a seed. 0:07:07.680 --> 0:07:09.520 At the French Open, because that's been a little bit 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:13.800 of a controversial or topic, I guess would you have 0:07:13.800 --> 0:07:14.600 given him a seed? 0:07:15.120 --> 0:07:16.840 I would not have given him a seed even if 0:07:16.880 --> 0:07:18.960 he was ranked you know, they see the top thirty 0:07:18.960 --> 0:07:21.080 two at the French Open. Even if he was ranked 0:07:21.080 --> 0:07:23.000 thirty three right now, which he's not, he's ranked in 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:25.119 the hundreds. I still wouldn't have given him a seed. 0:07:25.320 --> 0:07:27.119 I think if you're top thirty two in the world, 0:07:27.160 --> 0:07:29.200 you've done the work, you deserve a seed. 0:07:29.640 --> 0:07:31.600 Now, having said that, I am a fan of. 0:07:31.560 --> 0:07:33.440 What Wimbledon used to do, where they would take the 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:36.400 top thirty two seeds and then they would shuffle him 0:07:36.400 --> 0:07:38.480 around based on a formula on their. 0:07:38.360 --> 0:07:40.960 Grass court results and seed based on that. 0:07:42.000 --> 0:07:45.400 But no, right now, in Rotha's current situation and the 0:07:45.400 --> 0:07:47.480 way he's playing, I don't think he deserves a seed. 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:49.960 And the guys in the top thirty two have put 0:07:50.000 --> 0:07:53.040 in the work and they're there for a reason, and 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:54.080 I would about that. 0:07:54.440 --> 0:07:57.360 I would arguably say that Rafa wouldn't have wanted a 0:07:57.400 --> 0:07:59.560 seat either, because I think he's very aware of the 0:07:59.560 --> 0:08:01.880 fact that he's going into this tournament that he's dominated, 0:08:02.040 --> 0:08:04.160 not playing good tennis, and not being one hundred percent. 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:06.040 So I think you would probably agree with you. 0:08:06.240 --> 0:08:09.160 Part of him would want to because we could potentially 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:10.920 have him playing Novak in. 0:08:10.840 --> 0:08:11.600 The first round. 0:08:11.600 --> 0:08:14.240 That's what people don't understand about the importance of having 0:08:14.240 --> 0:08:17.480 a seed in general, is that you don't play someone 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:21.080 like Novak or sits a Pass or Zev or Sinner 0:08:21.160 --> 0:08:23.840 in the first round. So let's just hope he doesn't 0:08:23.840 --> 0:08:27.240 play somebody like that in the first round. We'll wait 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:29.880 and see for the draw to come out. But speaking 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:32.600 of the draw, what about the fact that Novak Djokovic, 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:34.480 who was the most dominant player on the A Top 0:08:34.559 --> 0:08:38.480 Tour last year, has not won a tournament this year. 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:42.120 I mean that, I don't know what's more out well, 0:08:42.200 --> 0:08:44.959 not outstanding weird is the fact that he's not won 0:08:44.960 --> 0:08:47.320 a tournament or rough as one fourteen. I mean, that's 0:08:47.400 --> 0:08:48.960 crazy going into the French Open. 0:08:49.240 --> 0:08:52.320 Exactly, they're both crazy and Rafa or sorry Novak not 0:08:52.400 --> 0:08:55.480 winning the VET and not even playing great all year. 0:08:55.520 --> 0:08:57.760 It's not like he's losing in semis and finals. He's 0:08:57.800 --> 0:09:01.800 going out early in event after event. So he's coming 0:09:01.840 --> 0:09:03.920 to the French Open with probably the least amount of 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:07.160 confidence he's had in his entire career. The I guess 0:09:07.200 --> 0:09:11.079 silver lining that he has going for him is Rafa's 0:09:11.120 --> 0:09:13.400 not playing great, he doesn't have Roger Betder to deal with. 0:09:13.760 --> 0:09:16.080 Alcaraz and Center seem to have some injuries. We've got 0:09:16.080 --> 0:09:18.200 a different winner every week on the men's side for 0:09:18.200 --> 0:09:21.640 every clay court tournament, so there's really not one favorite 0:09:21.679 --> 0:09:24.360 that's going in there. Kind of with all the momentum 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:26.960 behind him, Rafa or Novak has just as much of 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:29.400 a chance to win the French Open as as ten 0:09:29.440 --> 0:09:32.400 to fifteen other guys, and so that's what's probably still 0:09:32.400 --> 0:09:34.400 giving him a little bit of a belief of saying, 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:36.440 all right, I haven't had a great year, but no 0:09:36.480 --> 0:09:38.920 one else has and I can still go win this tournament. 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:42.200 Yeah, you know, obviously we'll get into it a little 0:09:42.200 --> 0:09:44.200 bit more when the draw comes out, etc. Who we 0:09:44.240 --> 0:09:46.559 think is going to probably be the favorite, But right 0:09:46.600 --> 0:09:48.960 now there is no favorite. I mean, Alcaraz is the 0:09:49.280 --> 0:09:51.840 odds on favorite, but you know his injury issues and 0:09:52.080 --> 0:09:54.360 Janick Sinner has had an amazing year, but also he 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:55.880 has a bit of a question mark. But as we said, 0:09:55.920 --> 0:09:58.319 once a draw comes out, we'll have a slightly better idea. 0:09:58.320 --> 0:10:00.559 But also Sam, as you know, best of five sets, 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:03.200 you can work your way into a tournament, and if 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:07.000 Novak's in the second week, then he goes in as 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:09.760 favorite to win the French Open in my opinion. Now, 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:12.640 flip it around because the women's is a whole different story, 0:10:13.240 --> 0:10:16.120 because we have someone going into the French Open that 0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:18.520 is by far the overwhelming favorite. 0:10:18.640 --> 0:10:20.400 She's so good on the red clay. 0:10:20.600 --> 0:10:23.040 Clearly, she's already proven that by winning the two biggest 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:26.120 lead up tournaments in Madrid and Rome, beating you know, 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:30.320 obviously her biggest rival and Sabrilanca, but Eager she untagged. Wow, 0:10:30.480 --> 0:10:32.920 she has just been so dominating on this red surface. 0:10:33.040 --> 0:10:35.560 Just your thoughts on her and the women's side. 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:37.520 Oh, Siontec's incredible right now. 0:10:37.559 --> 0:10:40.199 I mean, winning Madrid and that incredible final over sabrill 0:10:40.200 --> 0:10:44.000 Anca and then winning Rome relatively easy kind. 0:10:43.880 --> 0:10:44.560 Of along the way. 0:10:44.960 --> 0:10:47.200 She's won the French Open before. She's going into it 0:10:47.200 --> 0:10:50.520 as the heavy favorite. Like you said, her movement not 0:10:50.559 --> 0:10:52.480 only the clay, she moves well all the time, but 0:10:52.559 --> 0:10:55.720 her movement is incredible. I mean she's and she's not 0:10:55.760 --> 0:10:58.240 someone who's five foot five, she's you know, more of me, 0:10:58.320 --> 0:11:01.560 she's maybe five to ten five. Yeah, I mean she's 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:05.200 an incredible mover. She's in perfect position for every ball 0:11:05.200 --> 0:11:07.840 that she hits, and that's what I think is the 0:11:07.920 --> 0:11:10.800 key to her success on the clay. And you know, 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:14.120 if I was a betting person, which I'm not, it's 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:17.040 it's tech versus the field right now, and I would 0:11:17.080 --> 0:11:18.520 take her going to the French. 0:11:18.320 --> 0:11:21.680 Open even though she's dominating, is in your opinion, the 0:11:21.880 --> 0:11:23.160 women's sort of. 0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:25.840 Game right now a little bit more interesting through the. 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:29.480 Last six months than the men, just because we've gotten 0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:33.080 these great rivals playing against each other more like Sabalanca 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:35.920 and Eager Chiante going into the French they've now played 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:39.440 each other a bunch of Rebakina. Look, she's also played 0:11:39.480 --> 0:11:42.920 really well to this year, but this match in Madrid 0:11:43.040 --> 0:11:45.960 was just arguably the best match of the year. And 0:11:46.000 --> 0:11:49.360 then in the finals of Rome, Eager dominated. And there's 0:11:49.400 --> 0:11:52.079 a little difference because there's no altitude in Rome, and 0:11:52.120 --> 0:11:54.400 I think the condition suited Sheiontech a little more, which 0:11:54.400 --> 0:11:56.360 is why we had the blowout. But just this match 0:11:56.360 --> 0:11:58.320 in Madrid and just over all the women, do you 0:11:58.320 --> 0:12:00.000 think that they're a little bit more interesting this year 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:01.040 going into the French Open. 0:12:01.520 --> 0:12:01.720 Yeah. 0:12:01.800 --> 0:12:03.880 As a as a sports fan, I like when there's 0:12:03.960 --> 0:12:07.040 dominance in sports by one or two individuals or one 0:12:07.120 --> 0:12:09.839 or two teams. I think that is an interesting kind 0:12:09.880 --> 0:12:12.800 of outlook on what's going on. When the Patriots were 0:12:12.840 --> 0:12:15.719 dominating football, you either love the Patriots or you hated them, 0:12:15.720 --> 0:12:17.040 but you were going to watch and see what was 0:12:17.080 --> 0:12:20.000 going to happen. So I like that IgA and Sabalanca 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:22.600 are creating and and Rabakina as well. The three of 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:25.400 them are kind of separating themselves from the field and 0:12:25.440 --> 0:12:28.400 it's making it's making for great rivalries. It's making for 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:31.880 some mu must watch matches and finals in these events, 0:12:31.880 --> 0:12:32.520 which is great. 0:12:32.880 --> 0:12:35.120 Where the men's side, you're going into these tournaments and 0:12:35.160 --> 0:12:35.760 it's a little. 0:12:35.600 --> 0:12:36.760 Bit of a free thro all. I have no idea 0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:38.440 who's going to be in the semis and the finals. 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:41.959 Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it's not. But the women, I 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:44.199 feel like you're going into these tournaments now knowing you're 0:12:44.200 --> 0:12:47.160 going to get a really good semi final or final 0:12:47.240 --> 0:12:49.200 at the end of the event, which makes for kind 0:12:49.240 --> 0:12:51.200 of an exciting kind of culmination of the week. 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:55.240 Gee, you know, outside of Rebakina, because we know how 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:58.079 well she can play in any tournament, I think when 0:12:58.080 --> 0:13:01.040 she's at her very very best, I think there's I 0:13:01.080 --> 0:13:04.559 would put her equally to Eager, equally to saball Aanca 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:06.600 just because she has it. But unfortunately for her, she 0:13:06.720 --> 0:13:09.120 just gets these random illnesses and injuries. 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:10.680 I mean, it's part of the game. 0:13:10.720 --> 0:13:13.080 It's why the dominance of someone like Nadal at the 0:13:13.120 --> 0:13:16.400 French Open, or just even Novak and Rafa in general. 0:13:16.120 --> 0:13:18.200 Their ability to be able to the longevity of not 0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:21.400 getting you know, sick and injuries and things. 0:13:21.440 --> 0:13:23.720 I mean, but Rebakina, you have to put her in 0:13:23.760 --> 0:13:26.640 that category. But what about is there any other contenders 0:13:26.640 --> 0:13:29.160 out there in the women's that also sort of you know, 0:13:29.200 --> 0:13:31.760 we have to talk about Coco, like, throw throw a 0:13:31.760 --> 0:13:33.559 few more people out there that you think are interesting 0:13:33.600 --> 0:13:34.959 to watch going into the French. 0:13:35.120 --> 0:13:37.360 Right interesting to watch it could and could win it, 0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:39.640 or could make a run to the final if weird 0:13:39.640 --> 0:13:43.560 things happened. But yes, Coco obviously has won the US Open. 0:13:43.640 --> 0:13:45.640 She's a Grand Slam champion. She's got a big game. 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:49.880 She can make a run. Danielle Collins right now, winning Miami, 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:55.200 winning Charleston, semi finally in Rome last week. She's a fighter, 0:13:55.280 --> 0:13:58.600 she's exciting to watch. Those two particular girls I think 0:13:58.640 --> 0:14:01.560 are the the two to keep your eyes. But what 0:14:01.559 --> 0:14:04.120 about I mean, you have a better understanding of one 0:14:04.200 --> 0:14:06.080 game than I do. Who else is on that list? 0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:06.280 With that? 0:14:06.679 --> 0:14:07.640 I agree? I agree. 0:14:07.760 --> 0:14:10.320 I think Maria Sakari certainly has had a little bit 0:14:10.320 --> 0:14:12.720 of a better year. I mean, we've got former champions 0:14:12.760 --> 0:14:16.040 in the draw as well, so you know, the women's 0:14:16.160 --> 0:14:19.120 game for me, as you said, because of the rivalries 0:14:19.160 --> 0:14:20.880 and the interest, and we've had so many Grand Slam 0:14:20.920 --> 0:14:21.520 winners over. 0:14:21.360 --> 0:14:23.520 The last couple of years. There's some big names in 0:14:23.560 --> 0:14:24.160 the draw. 0:14:24.000 --> 0:14:27.080 That we haven't even spoken about, so we cannot wait. 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:28.880 Of course, then they're going to all flip around and 0:14:28.880 --> 0:14:32.160 play the Olympics not soon long after that at the 0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:33.240 same place, so. 0:14:33.200 --> 0:14:35.200 It's going to be really interesting. It's very different when 0:14:35.240 --> 0:14:36.280 you represent your country. 0:14:36.320 --> 0:14:38.960 The nerves are different, but individually they're all going to 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:42.680 be there in Paris and we cannot wait to continue 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:45.240 to bring them all to you. Of course, the French 0:14:45.280 --> 0:14:47.880 Open is going to be on. It's starting on Sunday 0:14:48.280 --> 0:14:50.600 on Peacock. The coverage is going to be amazing opening 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:54.440 night action from Rolling Garos beginning noon Eastern. Then one 0:14:54.840 --> 0:14:58.200 continues in full swing Monday the twenty seventh on NBC 0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:02.200 and Peacock eleven easton. I cannot wait. The French Open 0:15:02.280 --> 0:15:04.280 is literally my favorite. I love getting up early in 0:15:04.280 --> 0:15:07.440 the morning and watching it. And we have someone that's 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:09.920 going to talk about how important it is to cover 0:15:10.040 --> 0:15:12.680 the French Open, and of course the Olympics with the 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:15.920 one and only, of course NBC's own Mary Carillo. 0:15:16.960 --> 0:15:18.640 After we take a little short break. 0:15:20.520 --> 0:15:24.160 As promised, the one the only Mary Carillo. Of course, 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:26.920 thank you for coming on the French Connection. Mary, of 0:15:26.960 --> 0:15:30.960 course joining me and of course Sam nineteen seventy seven 0:15:31.640 --> 0:15:34.720 French Open mixed doubles champion with John McEnroe. Let's just 0:15:34.760 --> 0:15:37.120 put that out there. First of all, Mary, thank you 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:38.840 so much for joining us today. We're going to talk 0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:41.520 all things French Open leading into the Olympics. But my friend, 0:15:41.920 --> 0:15:43.120 thank you for joining us today. 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:45.240 It's nice for your and Sam. 0:15:45.280 --> 0:15:49.120 You may not know this, but the seventy seven French 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:53.400 Open mixed levels was John McEnroe's first major title. It 0:15:53.480 --> 0:15:55.760 was my last. But let's not go into that. Yeah, 0:15:55.760 --> 0:15:56.920 how do you like that, my friend? 0:15:57.480 --> 0:16:01.840 That's impesome. That's an amazing little forever there. He kind 0:16:01.840 --> 0:16:05.320 of took Off's career. Without that win, there's no John McEnroe. 0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:08.040 That's that's what I'm saying. All right, what do you 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:08.920 want to talk about? 0:16:09.160 --> 0:16:11.160 I want to know first of all, Mary, I just 0:16:11.200 --> 0:16:12.640 put this in the background. I don't know if you 0:16:12.640 --> 0:16:14.440 can see that. This is my mixed. 0:16:14.120 --> 0:16:17.680 Doubles runner up at the French Open. So you have 0:16:17.840 --> 0:16:21.240 that over me, my friend. I was a loser there 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:24.360 and you were a winner. But let's get tell me. 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:26.960 Tell me your favorite memories on and off the court, 0:16:27.040 --> 0:16:29.080 basically in Paris. 0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:30.800 I mean on the court. 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:35.040 Obviously, the only thing I've ever done was standing next 0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:38.280 to John McEnroe when he won the French Roup mixles 0:16:38.800 --> 0:16:40.840 and I just, you know, tried not to gag all 0:16:40.880 --> 0:16:41.440 over the court. 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:43.320