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Speaker 1: As you've played against Eager so many times. What makes

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Speaker 1: her a so great and be so great on play?

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Speaker 2: She plays more like a guy, to be honest, just

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Speaker 2: like heavier, heavier top spin. She doesn't necessarily hit his

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Speaker 2: flat and I think that again, her movement in her

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Speaker 2: athleticism is really good. And then her Yeah, her ability

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Speaker 2: to kind of throw up that heavy tops all kind

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Speaker 2: of it's heavy and it comes off your racket. It's

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Speaker 2: tough to kind of control it you get out of position.

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Speaker 2: And then she's just really good as well as taking

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Speaker 2: it early and stepping in. She's not afraid to step in.

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Speaker 2: We know that, especially when she's firing. She's you know,

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Speaker 2: can hit a lot of winners too. So yeah, I mean,

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Speaker 2: she's just kind of a really good play corner.

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Speaker 1: Welcome everybody to the French Connection, brought to you by

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Speaker 1: NBC Sports and Racket. We'll be covering tennis from the

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Speaker 1: French Open through to the Paris Olympics and everything in between.

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Speaker 1: I'm Renee selves and he over there is Sam Query.

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Speaker 1: All right, Sam, it is the day. There is a

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Speaker 1: day that every tennis player stresses about and waits for.

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Speaker 1: The draw is out at the French Open. Now you

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Speaker 1: and I being pundits now and not playing in the draw,

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Speaker 1: we get to PRAISEE over it with smiles and with

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Speaker 1: chuckles and everything.

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Speaker 3: So how much do you pay attention to the draw

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Speaker 3: and the seatings and everything?

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Speaker 1: And what about this draw that surprises you the most

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Speaker 1: in the men's let's start with that.

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Speaker 4: Well, it's huge. I mean I remember when I was playing.

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Speaker 4: If you were playing at two fifty of five hundred,

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Speaker 4: the draw, when the draw came out, the draw came

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Speaker 4: out at a plam, it was different. You knew that

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Speaker 4: the draw came out Thursday at four o'clock or maybe

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Speaker 4: Friday at three o'clock, so you almost were constantly looking

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Speaker 4: at your phone. Guys, draws in thirty minutes, draws in

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Speaker 4: an hour. You'd be at practice, practice, being on the changeover,

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Speaker 4: and it would be like draws out. We got to

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Speaker 4: like time out for twenty minutes. Let's look through the draw.

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Speaker 4: I know everyone's different, but that's what I was like.

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Speaker 4: And you would look through and see where you were,

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Speaker 4: who you played first round, who you possibly might play

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Speaker 4: second round. You look and see where all the I

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Speaker 4: mean maybe at like wibbled in for me at the

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Speaker 4: French open. I would mostly look at it for and

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Speaker 4: you look and see where all your friends were, all

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Speaker 4: the other Americans. So the draws at the French who

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Speaker 4: opened and the other slams were a much bigger deal.

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Speaker 4: And of course the issue We've got Rafa playing Zverev,

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Speaker 4: We've got Murray playing wile Rinka. Yourself, though, what were

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Speaker 4: you did you? Were you on my side? Were you

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Speaker 4: like a draw breakdown and so excited look at everything?

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Speaker 4: Or you just I don't care who I'm playing. I'm

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Speaker 4: going to walk on the court.

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Speaker 1: I was a player that did not want to see

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Speaker 1: any parts of the draw at a Grand Slam. I

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Speaker 1: was completely the opposite at a regular tournament. I liked

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Speaker 1: looking at the draw. I was like, oh whatever, I

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Speaker 1: didn't care. I was just like, okay, who do we

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Speaker 1: play in the first round? And maybe I looked, but

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Speaker 1: I was the type of person and I really believe

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Speaker 1: in this, and some people don't really care, you know.

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Speaker 1: To our guest on today, Jessica Bagoola, I've actually asked her,

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Speaker 1: She's like, oh no, I look at the whole drawer

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Speaker 1: where Serena? If you told her who she was playing

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Speaker 1: too early in a tournament, she would never talk to

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Speaker 1: you again, Like I made that mistake.

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Speaker 3: One time I told her who she was playing at Wimbledon.

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Speaker 3: I was like, oh, you play so and.

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Speaker 1: So And it was like maybe Thursday for the tournament.

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Speaker 1: When the draw came out, She's like, she won the match.

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Speaker 1: And then she told me and by the way, don't

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Speaker 1: ever tell me who I'm playing first round too early

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Speaker 1: before because she doesn't like to stress about it. I

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Speaker 1: was the same. I don't want to know too much.

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Speaker 1: I want to know my first round. I want to

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Speaker 1: then concentrate on that. I don't want to think about

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Speaker 1: who's in the draw because there are so many things

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Speaker 1: that can happen.

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Speaker 3: That you're not in control of.

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Speaker 1: And if you're worrying about who you want to play

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Speaker 1: in the third round, maybe they're gonna lose.

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Speaker 3: So I don't know.

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Speaker 1: I just didn't want to know anything other than when

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Speaker 1: I was playing in the first round.

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Speaker 3: But that one.

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Speaker 1: Can we just talk about Rafa and Vera first round?

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Speaker 1: That is Bonker's crazy first round.

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Speaker 4: It is crazy for everyone. Obviously, Rafa doesn't want to

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Speaker 4: see that draw, and I don't think Verav wants to

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Speaker 4: see that draws Vera's coming off for realm title. Rafa's

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Speaker 4: coming off fourteen French Open titles. He's not playing his

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Speaker 4: best right now. Hopefully, you know, he's got three four

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Speaker 4: more days to kind of fine tune his game and

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Speaker 4: see what level he can get to. But obviously Vera's

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Speaker 4: going to be a heavy favorite in that Rafa will

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Speaker 4: have ninety nine point nine percent of the crowd support

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Speaker 4: and hopefully we get a good competitive match from I

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Speaker 4: don't know if he down he believes he can win it,

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Speaker 4: but I think he would love to go out there

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Speaker 4: play really well and then anything can happen.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's just a it's a sad first

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Speaker 1: round really in so many ways, because you'd want to

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Speaker 1: see him win a couple of matches at least. But

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Speaker 1: I think it's ninety nine point nine nine percent, and

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Speaker 1: maybe the two people in the crowd is Zverev's dad

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Speaker 1: and his brother cheering for him, but that'll be about it.

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Speaker 4: A little part of them might want Rafa to win too.

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Speaker 3: Maybe, but probably not so. Sam.

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Speaker 1: What about the fact that Novak, who clearly is you

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Speaker 1: know a lot of people think al Karaz is the favorite.

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Speaker 3: His draw isn't too bad. Alcarez down the bottom half

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Speaker 3: of the draw.

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Speaker 1: It looks like he will play Sinner if they get

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Speaker 1: through to the semi finals and play one another, which

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Speaker 1: we know is arguably the best match up in tennis

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Speaker 1: these days. But Novak, what about him going to As

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Speaker 1: we look at the draw, I mean, there it is

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Speaker 1: al Karaz Djokovic the top and bottom sections of the drawer.

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Speaker 3: Djokovic will have to play Alcaraz if Alcaraz beats Sinner.

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Speaker 1: I mean, there's so many any great players, But I

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Speaker 1: want your thoughts on the fact that Novak has gone

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Speaker 1: and played a two point fifty in Geneva before the

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Speaker 1: French Open. I mean, when was the last time he

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Speaker 1: did that to prepare for the French And what is

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Speaker 1: that signal to you?

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Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, I don't know if we've ever he's

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Speaker 4: ever done that before the French But this is one

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Speaker 4: of those weird years. He's never had a year like

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Speaker 4: this coming into the French. He hasn't won a tournament.

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Speaker 4: He's had a ton of early round exits. But I've

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Speaker 4: been saying this for a while. As long as Novak

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Speaker 4: Djokovic is in the draw, I'm picking him to win

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Speaker 4: the tournament. He's just been too dominant over the last

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Speaker 4: six seven, eight years. The French Open is a different

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Speaker 4: test than the previous you know, five six tournaments he's played,

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Speaker 4: which has been two out of three set of ends.

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Speaker 4: This is three out of five. This is a true test.

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Speaker 4: He's been to the finals seven times. So with Novak

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Speaker 4: in the draw, I'm picking him to win it right now.

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Speaker 1: But look at that first round that he has to play. Arabert,

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Speaker 1: who we know is a very very good French player.

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Speaker 1: He can, you know, play unbelievable sometimes, you know, with

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Speaker 1: the French crowd, you know, Sam, there's nothing worse in

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Speaker 1: tennis than playing a French player in Paris. I mean

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Speaker 1: it's like, all of a sudden you realize, oh, they

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Speaker 1: hate me here. So I mean, just on that alone

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Speaker 1: and playing a tournament leading into the French Open, that

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Speaker 1: proves that he's not confident at all in thirty seven

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Speaker 1: years of age on Wednesday, Ah, it's not going to

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Speaker 1: get any easier for him.

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Speaker 3: I mean his draw is quite strong.

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Speaker 4: No, you're right, like you said, he's thirty seven. It's

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Speaker 4: just going to get harder and harder. But and tell,

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Speaker 4: someone can prove to me that they can beat Novak

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Speaker 4: consistently at a Slam, especially the French Open. Over a

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Speaker 4: five set match on clay. Novak is still the guy

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Speaker 4: to beat in my opinion. Having said that Al Karaz

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Speaker 4: Tinner those guys are are arguably maybe playing a little

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Speaker 4: better than him at the moment, but I think Novak

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Speaker 4: is still at the top of the mountain.

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Speaker 1: And one first round that I stood out to me obviously,

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Speaker 1: other than Rafa and Zverev was Andy Murray plays against

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Speaker 1: Stan Vavrinkov cose Stan Balbrinka truly one of the great players.

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Speaker 1: It's interesting that Andy and Stan are probably the two

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Speaker 1: best players outside of the top three you know greats

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Speaker 1: in well certainly Nobauk, Roger and.

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Speaker 3: Rafa.

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Speaker 1: So them playing against each other first round arguably could

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Speaker 1: be their last Frinch Open as well, the two of them.

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Speaker 1: Just quick thoughts on the two of those two playing

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Speaker 1: each other in the first round, right.

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Speaker 4: It could go back eight years that's a semi final,

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Speaker 4: but yeah, you know it could be their last one.

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Speaker 4: They've both been playing challengers this year. They're still they

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Speaker 4: still love the game. You know, you see them. Murray

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Speaker 4: was in Borteaux last week. You see Stan playing challengers.

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Speaker 4: There's Obviously there's some fire there still that they want

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Speaker 4: to kind of get back into the mix with the

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Speaker 4: guys in the top twenty, top thirty, but they're struggling

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Speaker 4: at the moment. But that's going to be one of

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Speaker 4: those matches. Maybe the quality isn't where it is, or

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Speaker 4: isn't where it was six seven, eight years ago, but

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Speaker 4: it's a huge matchup. It's two big names. They're going

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Speaker 4: to be on a big court. It's going to be

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Speaker 4: packed with fans, and I'm personally tited to watch it.

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Speaker 4: I don't know about you. I know they're not in

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Speaker 4: their prime, but it's still a fun matchup.

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Speaker 3: I know Andy gets the worst draws.

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Speaker 1: He really does get bad draws at the Slams no

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Speaker 1: matter what, and clearly not his favorite surface, clay, but

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Speaker 1: he played a lot on it as a kid. That's

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Speaker 1: really where he sort of crafted his tennis was in

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Speaker 1: Spain on the dirt, which is why he's kind of

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Speaker 1: a little bit defensive really as a player. But quickly

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Speaker 1: on the women's as well, Eager Sion Tech. We know

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Speaker 1: she's the favorite going to the French. We're going to

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Speaker 1: break all of this down a lot more with Jessica Bagoula,

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Speaker 1: who is our guest today. We can't wait to hear

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Speaker 1: from Josh. She is a little bit injured and pulled

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Speaker 1: out of the French Open today, so we get to

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Speaker 1: hear all about her thoughts.

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Speaker 3: Going into particularly the women's.

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Speaker 1: But your thoughts on that Danielle Collins is up her

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Speaker 1: section like up in her half of the draw. Possibly

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Speaker 1: in her fourth rounds she'll play eager Shontek Danielle. So

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Speaker 1: just your thoughts on the women's There were some interesting

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Speaker 1: first rounds Spitz to Lena playing against Plishkoba first round.

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Speaker 3: Just give me a quick thoughts on the women.

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Speaker 4: When we had Serena enterprime, it was Serena and everyone else.

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Speaker 4: That's what we've gotten right now. With the ego, especially

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Speaker 4: on the clay, she is the clay court queen, winning Madrid,

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Speaker 4: winning Rome. It's it's her tournament right now. I think

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Speaker 4: all the all the women in the event feel that

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Speaker 4: Okay is is there going to be an upset, But

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Speaker 4: ego has been so dominant. I don't see anyone beating

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Speaker 4: her as long as she plays at a relatively high level.

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Speaker 4: But yeah, that's that's kind of where I see it going.

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Speaker 3: What are your thoughts on the woman that, Yeah, when

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Speaker 3: I look at this draw, I mean Ega arguably has

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Speaker 3: a tougher draw.

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Speaker 1: I think a tougher draw, not in the first round.

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Speaker 1: Andreva is a very good young player, so that is

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Speaker 1: not going to be an easy first up match for

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Speaker 1: Saba Lenca, whereas you know, he gets to play against

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Speaker 1: the qualifier. Sometimes those qualifiers can be unbelievably good as well.

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Speaker 1: I mean Sophia Kennon took out Gough last year at

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Speaker 1: Wimbledond for example, after getting through qualifying and such a

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Speaker 1: classy player.

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Speaker 3: So it depends on who the qualifier is.

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Speaker 1: But I'd say Ega feels pretty good about that first round.

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Speaker 1: But to get through Bronzetti, Kudamatova, Alexandrova, and clearly we

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Speaker 1: know this is probably not going to be the players

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Speaker 1: that she plays because we know there's always upsets.

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Speaker 3: But Goff in the semifinals and then of course Sabalenka.

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Speaker 1: That's sort of been what we've been watching this year,

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Speaker 1: you know, her playing golf in the quarters or semi,

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Speaker 1: so her playing Sabalanka in the final, and then for Sablanka,

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Speaker 1: I think she starts off pretty tough there. Bolta had

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Speaker 1: a decent year. I think it's Mattie Key Sakari Rebarkina.

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Speaker 1: That's not easy three matches in a row, because they

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Speaker 1: both can play. They all can play very well on clay.

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Speaker 1: But once the train gets on the tracks with these two,

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Speaker 1: it's kind of hard to stop them. So I see

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Speaker 1: them being in the final against one another. But certainly

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Speaker 1: we never know. Rebarkina. Can she stay healthy, not injured,

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Speaker 1: not throwing up somewhere. I mean, she keeps getting sick.

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Speaker 1: I think she's just got to like, I don't know,

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Speaker 1: you bring a chef to cook for her or something.

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Speaker 1: I don't know what's going on, but certainly the women's

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Speaker 1: draw is uber exciting. Who knows, but it's eager against

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Speaker 1: the field for sure.

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Speaker 4: Yep, absolutely, yeah, So we are.

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Speaker 1: Really excited obviously to bring all of this to you.

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Speaker 1: We're gonna Sam and I are going to be here

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Speaker 1: throughout it, through the French Open, leading right through to

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Speaker 1: the Paris Olympics.

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Speaker 3: We can't wait.

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Speaker 1: We've got the one and only Jessica Pagoula, as we said,

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Speaker 1: who pulled out of the French today to talk about

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Speaker 1: all the men's and women's draw. Roland Garris coverage begins Sunday,

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Speaker 1: May twenty six at twelve pm Eastern, exclusively on Pickoff.

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Speaker 1: The full TV schedule is on nbcsports dot com.

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Speaker 3: All right, guys, welcome to the show.

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Speaker 1: The one and only number five currently on the WTA

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Speaker 1: ranking Jessica Pagoula, Jess, Welcome to the show. Welcome to

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Speaker 1: the French connection with myself and of course Sam Query.

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Speaker 3: Jess, First of all, what's been going on?

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Speaker 1: Can you give us an update on sort of what

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Speaker 1: your life has been like over the last couple of months.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I was, you know, playing a lot of

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Speaker 2: matches up until Charleston played Billy Jean King Cup and

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Speaker 2: then unfortunately kind of sustained a little bit of an

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Speaker 2: injury basically like the week before I was leaving for Madrid,

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Speaker 2: so unfortunately had to pull out of basically the whole

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Speaker 2: rest of the clay court season.

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Speaker 5: So upset.

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Speaker 2: I'm missing Roland Garros, but trying to play it smart

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Speaker 2: and be ready to go for full grass hard Olympics,

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Speaker 2: you know, the rest of the year awesome.

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Speaker 4: Do you have a tournament you've kind of highlighted as

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Speaker 4: your first tournament back or trying to get back to

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Speaker 4: I think.

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Speaker 2: I'm gonna play Schutagambosh in Holland. I actually haven't played that.

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Speaker 2: It was actually the first grass court tournament I ever played,

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Speaker 2: and I don't know if.

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Speaker 5: I've been back since.

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Speaker 2: So I'm excited though, because I've actually never played like

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Speaker 2: a full grass court season.

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Speaker 5: It just like I'm always a long clay court season.

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Speaker 2: Then I come back and then I go back over

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Speaker 2: so it'll be I think, actually good because you know,

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Speaker 2: I think my game's more so for the grass.

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Speaker 1: Anyways, Yeah, Jose, I mean how much did that go

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Speaker 1: into it, not playing the French, your decision to really

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Speaker 1: focus on Wimbledon. We all know obviously how close she came,

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Speaker 1: you know, to being into that Wembledon final. But what

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Speaker 1: I want to know what you learned from that. But

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Speaker 1: also is that one of the reasons why you decided, Look,

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Speaker 1: I could probably play the French, but I'm not really

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Speaker 1: prepared for How much of a decision was that for you?

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Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely.

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Speaker 2: I think looking at the perspective of like my grasscourt

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Speaker 2: game has been getting better, I think I have a

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Speaker 2: good game to do well there, and then don't not

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Speaker 2: wanting to jeopardize that, especially with the kind of slammed year.

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Speaker 5: With Olympics, it's always everything's really back to back. And

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Speaker 5: then obviously I.

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Speaker 2: Always love the hardcourt swing, so I think kind of

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Speaker 2: prioritizing that and not rushing into the French Although it's

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Speaker 2: a slam and I've done while there before and I

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Speaker 2: would trust me like love to play, it was just

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Speaker 2: a little bit too much too soon. I think if

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Speaker 2: I had a few extra days, I maybe would have

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Speaker 2: been able to go. But you know, like you said,

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Speaker 2: having good results last year, I think I'm prioritizing kind

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Speaker 2: of that part of the season.

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Speaker 4: Now we mentioned it earlier. You're right number five, You've

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Speaker 4: been top ten for basically two years, and things impressive.

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Speaker 4: Your double results are also impressive. Uh, you know, you've

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Speaker 4: won a ton of Masters series when you get back

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Speaker 4: into things in her Tokenboks, I was I wanted to

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Speaker 4: compliment you on how you pronounced that. No one knows

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Speaker 4: how to pronounce that. It's the lowercase S and then

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Speaker 4: a capital H her tognbash. Are you playing to play

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Speaker 4: singles and doubles? Like, get right back into it full

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Speaker 4: swing and kind of go both both events moving forward?

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Speaker 5: Yeah, I think so.

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Speaker 2: I definitely would love just as the first week on grass,

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Speaker 2: getting extra grass court practice is always I think a

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Speaker 2: good idea. So I would love to get right back

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Speaker 2: into kind of competing match situations. I Physically, I think

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Speaker 2: I'll be fine, So I definitely do that. I don't

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Speaker 2: know about the rest of the tournaments, you know, like

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Speaker 2: the week before if I play Eastporing leading up into Wimbledon,

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Speaker 2: while I play both events, probably not, I'm not sure yet,

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Speaker 2: but I would say for the first two weeks, definitely

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Speaker 2: want to get as much as pert purpose possible.

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Speaker 3: Just on that, Jess.

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Speaker 1: You know, Sam Sorready mentioned how long you've been inside

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Speaker 1: of the top ten. I mean, that's an incredible result

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Speaker 1: for you. A hundred consecutive weeks in the WTA top ten.

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Speaker 1: I don't think people realize how hard that is to

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Speaker 1: do on a consistent basis, because you have to stay

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Speaker 1: injury free, you have to be consistent every week.

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Speaker 3: So what does that mean to you?

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Speaker 1: Looking back, like four or five years ago on you

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Speaker 1: know where you were ranked and what you were doing.

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Speaker 1: What does it mean to you to have had that

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Speaker 1: longevity of success.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's funny because I was always hurt

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Speaker 2: all the time, and then finally I hadn't been hurt

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Speaker 2: till now really for the last like a long time,

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Speaker 2: like four years or something, so I've been.

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Speaker 5: Able to really play.

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Speaker 2: And I've always said when people ask me, like, what

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Speaker 2: have you done, I'm like, well, I've been really healthy,

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Speaker 2: and I feel like I've been able to play every

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Speaker 2: week and push myself to get better and learn and

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Speaker 2: get more experience. And now that I've been hurt the

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Speaker 2: last month, I'm like, gosh, this sucks. I haven't had

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Speaker 2: to deal with this for a long time. But at

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Speaker 2: the same time, I feel like every injury I've always

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Speaker 2: come back better, so I feel like it's just giving

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Speaker 2: me extra kind of like a fire to kind of

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Speaker 2: get back out there and.

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Speaker 5: Get back to competing.

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Speaker 2: You know, it's nice for like a week when you're

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Speaker 2: resting and everything, and then you know you're watching everyone play,

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Speaker 2: everyone's competing.

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Speaker 5: You turn on TV and you.

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Speaker 2: See it and I'm like, oh, gosh, I wish I

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Speaker 2: was there, Like, you know, you're just itching to get

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Speaker 2: back out there. But i mean health is you know,

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Speaker 2: I would say the number one priority, because you can't

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Speaker 2: do well or you have no chances, you're not healthy.

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Speaker 2: So that is definitely something I've prided myself on and

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Speaker 2: but you know, you can't say perfect forever. I feel

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Speaker 2: like every athlete goes through some sort of injury or

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Speaker 2: something that sets them back. So I'm just taking it

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Speaker 2: as a as a little break and a chance to

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Speaker 2: get back out there.

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Speaker 1: Well, we had a little we had a little injury

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Speaker 1: there because I think we lost Sam. I think he

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Speaker 1: I don't know if he's computer to fill off the table.

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Speaker 4: Was I don't know what. I just like was pushed

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Speaker 4: off the stream yar. But I'm back and ready to

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Speaker 4: go here. We're adjusting. Luckily, I'm very quick with my technology,

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Speaker 4: and I was right back on Jess like myself. I

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Speaker 4: have an achilles injury. You've been injured obviously, that gives

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Speaker 4: you a little exture time. Have you seen the Challengers

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Speaker 4: movie yet?

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Speaker 5: Is he breaking up or is it just me?

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Speaker 4: No?

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Speaker 1: I think he wanted to ask you, and I think

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Speaker 1: he did ask you. Maybe you're too embarrassed to answer

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Speaker 1: this question. But have you seen challenges yet?

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Speaker 4: Oh?

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Speaker 5: Really that was the question? No, I actually haven't. I

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Speaker 5: need to. It's kind of bad. I feel like everyone

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Speaker 5: went and saw it, but I haven't seen it yet.

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Speaker 4: I also haven't seen it. If that makes you feel

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Speaker 4: any better, we're the only two.

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Speaker 3: I have seen it. I will leave the I will.

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Speaker 3: I'm not going to tell you anything, but you.

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Speaker 1: Know, look, it's very hard for a tennis professional to

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Speaker 1: go and watch a tennis movie and not you know

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Speaker 1: what I'm trying to say, critique the absolutely being heck

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Speaker 1: out of it. Yeah, but the storyline is kind of interesting.

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Speaker 1: But anyway, I don't know what i'd give it out

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Speaker 1: of ten. I gave it a three out of ten

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Speaker 1: when I left the movies, but now that I've processed

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Speaker 1: it all, Now that I've processed it, I'd probably give

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Speaker 1: it a six and a half. But aside from the

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Speaker 1: tennis stuff, that was like a one. But Jess, I

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Speaker 1: want to know, like, you know, if if the injuries

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Speaker 1: happen to you like that, you know, and we know

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Speaker 1: about your your family's connections with the bills, you know,

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Speaker 1: all that sort of stuff, does it give you an

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Speaker 1: opportunity also to like think about the family business and

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Speaker 1: what you want to do after tennis careers over, because

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Speaker 1: you know, we don't think about what we're going to

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Speaker 1: do after because we think that's failing and what we're

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Speaker 1: doing now, what I want to know from your perspective, like, holistically,

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Speaker 1: was that kind of interesting for you as well to

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Speaker 1: sit back and think about what am I going to

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Speaker 1: do when I'm done?

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Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean I do.

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Speaker 2: I feel like that is a common theme where you

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Speaker 2: think about the next thing, and it does make you

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Speaker 2: feel like you're failing now, which is totally not true, right,

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Speaker 2: I Mean, there's multiple parts to your life, and I

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Speaker 2: think being an athlete, or being an athlete in the limelight,

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Speaker 2: you get stuck on and just I feel like the

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Speaker 2: perception too of like American sports, it's like, well, if

435
00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,720
Speaker 2: you're not winning every single tournament, you're kind of failing, right,

436
00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:13,320
Speaker 2: And that's so I don't know why we're like that.

437
00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:15,720
Speaker 2: We're so tough on our athletes like that, but it's

438
00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,159
Speaker 2: so not true. I mean, you can have an amazing

439
00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:20,600
Speaker 2: career and then have another amazing career afterwards and something

440
00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:25,120
Speaker 2: totally different. So I've always, i think taken the healthier

441
00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,399
Speaker 2: approach of looking to see what I can do after.

442
00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,440
Speaker 2: It's always helped me tennis wise, to take some pressure

443
00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,400
Speaker 2: off and kind of look towards the future. But yeah,

444
00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:36,840
Speaker 2: I mean, definitely I would love to be involved in

445
00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:38,920
Speaker 2: sports I mean ever since I was a kid, really

446
00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:42,919
Speaker 2: even before that, I always wanted to be involved. I

447
00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:45,159
Speaker 2: wanted to be like the first female GM of a

448
00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,080
Speaker 2: hockey team like that.

449
00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,240
Speaker 5: When I was like fifteen. That was like I would

450
00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,200
Speaker 5: tell my dad that. And I have zero experience.

451
00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:52,840
Speaker 2: Like knowing anything about hockey, so like, I don't know

452
00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,480
Speaker 2: how I was planning to do that, but that was

453
00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,520
Speaker 2: my goal. So I've always had wanted to be involved

454
00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:01,520
Speaker 2: in sports, and I I mean tennis too, and just

455
00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,399
Speaker 2: every sport because I feel like it's helped me so

456
00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:06,240
Speaker 2: much and it teaches you so much from a young

457
00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,440
Speaker 2: age that I don't know how people live their lives

458
00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:11,280
Speaker 2: without it. I mean, I know there's many that do,

459
00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:13,680
Speaker 2: but to me, it seems impossible. So I'd always love

460
00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:15,960
Speaker 2: to be involved in that down there, down.

461
00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,600
Speaker 3: There, well there is that PWHL. Now, you know, you

462
00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:20,240
Speaker 3: get a little ways thing up in Buffalo.

463
00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:23,520
Speaker 4: I'm just saying exactly, have you ever played tennis with

464
00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:24,800
Speaker 4: any of the Bills players.

465
00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,200
Speaker 5: I've never seen any of them play tennis. I do

466
00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:29,400
Speaker 5: with love.

467
00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,760
Speaker 2: I've told the Bills team that I would love to

468
00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:34,720
Speaker 2: do like a tennis thing with them. I think that'd

469
00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:38,040
Speaker 2: be really funny. Of course, not in season. I don't

470
00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:40,960
Speaker 2: want anyone getting hurt, but because you know.

471
00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:42,280
Speaker 5: Then that would be really bad.

472
00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:44,720
Speaker 2: But I think it would be really fun to kind

473
00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,000
Speaker 2: of do a little tennis academy, I don't know, some

474
00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:50,760
Speaker 2: sort of video with them and see who who's the best,

475
00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,159
Speaker 2: because I've seen some I think in Miami some of

476
00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:57,360
Speaker 2: the Dolphins players played with like Emma and Ben Shelton.

477
00:20:58,080 --> 00:20:59,360
Speaker 2: So I would love to see some of the Bills

478
00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:01,840
Speaker 2: players get out there and show me what they got.

479
00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,160
Speaker 3: Right, well, kill me up all we'll come and critique

480
00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:04,640
Speaker 3: them as well.

481
00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,280
Speaker 4: All right, with the French Open starting in four days

482
00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,720
Speaker 4: and you're injured obviously, although feeling better, are you gonna

483
00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,159
Speaker 4: sit home watch the French Open? You have kind of

484
00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,240
Speaker 4: fomo not watch it? What's your plan for the two

485
00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:20,800
Speaker 4: weeks of the French Open while you're not playing?

486
00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:23,000
Speaker 5: I don't know.

487
00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:26,720
Speaker 2: I've just started practice, like back to like real practicing again.

488
00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:29,680
Speaker 5: I don't know. I feel like it'll be if I

489
00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,080
Speaker 5: remember and I turn it on.

490
00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,320
Speaker 2: And then like I might like get into it. But

491
00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,680
Speaker 2: I feel like if I just kind of like decide

492
00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:39,720
Speaker 2: not to get involved, that I really won't watch much

493
00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:41,600
Speaker 2: for the next two weeks. But I feel like I

494
00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,879
Speaker 2: always watched the Slams. I'm always you know, kind of

495
00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,320
Speaker 2: dialed in, and if there's some really good matchups and

496
00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,639
Speaker 2: the time zone permits, then I definitely would want to watch.

497
00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,200
Speaker 1: Yes, what you're saying is that you're not going to

498
00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,520
Speaker 1: get up at four in the morning to stop watching it.

499
00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:58,679
Speaker 3: Okay, it's got to be in your timeline.

500
00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:00,800
Speaker 2: No, I don't even know what the time zone change

501
00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:01,840
Speaker 2: is because I've never here.

502
00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:03,560
Speaker 5: Is it is at four am?

503
00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:07,320
Speaker 1: Six hours? Jess, come on, you know you're better than this,

504
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:08,480
Speaker 1: all right, So what's.

505
00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:09,320
Speaker 4: Your West Coast with me?

506
00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:09,639
Speaker 1: It?

507
00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,440
Speaker 4: Really? It's true, that's true.

508
00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,840
Speaker 3: I'm not gonna like, listen.

509
00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,080
Speaker 1: I hate, I hate to burst both your bubbles, but

510
00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:19,919
Speaker 1: try growing up in Australia where you gotta get up

511
00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:22,439
Speaker 1: one am to watch any kind of decent tennis, so

512
00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,439
Speaker 1: it's not so great. But just what's your favorite memory

513
00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:28,960
Speaker 1: on the court and you know, off the court in Paris?

514
00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,560
Speaker 5: In Paris, I mean, I would definitely say.

515
00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:36,600
Speaker 2: I mean making the quarterfinals there, I think that was

516
00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:38,680
Speaker 2: something that was really big.

517
00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:39,960
Speaker 5: I remember the match before.

518
00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,080
Speaker 2: I'm sorry, I think it was two matches before, So

519
00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:45,960
Speaker 2: maybe I don't know, second third round, but I'd beat

520
00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,320
Speaker 2: like kind of a clay quarter and it was a

521
00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:50,480
Speaker 2: really tough match, and I remember just getting a lot

522
00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:52,280
Speaker 2: of confidence from that because it was the kind of

523
00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:55,760
Speaker 2: more of a mental battle and being able to use

524
00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:57,320
Speaker 2: that to then win the next match and you know,

525
00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,560
Speaker 2: play Egan in the quarters on shot your It was

526
00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,600
Speaker 2: was really cool, just because clay wasn't always I mean,

527
00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,960
Speaker 2: like I I like playing on clay. I've had good results,

528
00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:10,080
Speaker 2: but you know, I'm not really supposed to go super

529
00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:14,280
Speaker 2: deep there. So that was that was really I feel like, yeah,

530
00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:16,760
Speaker 2: that was really cool. And then making the finals of

531
00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:20,040
Speaker 2: the Devils with Cocoa as well, that was our you know,

532
00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:22,960
Speaker 2: a really good year for us. Starting to do really

533
00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:24,800
Speaker 2: well in singles and then having a big result in

534
00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,639
Speaker 2: doubles two was really fun. And then she played you know,

535
00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:29,720
Speaker 2: the finals there, so it was it was cool to

536
00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,560
Speaker 2: to be there for the full two weeks. But that

537
00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:33,840
Speaker 2: year was a was a good year.

538
00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:36,679
Speaker 4: I always had that that kind of same confidence. I

539
00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,080
Speaker 4: wasn't a clay quarter. Maybe like you were obviously way

540
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,040
Speaker 4: better on clay than I was, But if I ever

541
00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:44,439
Speaker 4: won matches on clay, gave me like fake confidence up

542
00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:46,880
Speaker 4: like false hope going forward. You're like, wow, like I'm

543
00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,320
Speaker 4: this tall guy that like plays well on clay, and

544
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:51,200
Speaker 4: you know I was not supposed to win these, but

545
00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:52,800
Speaker 4: I win them, and it like it helped me go

546
00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:53,920
Speaker 4: into the grass courts season.

547
00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:55,040
Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely.

548
00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,640
Speaker 2: I It's like I'm not a clay quarter, but I'm

549
00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:01,679
Speaker 2: not awful, Like I definitely still can do well. So

550
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,560
Speaker 2: I mean, I don't mind, especially if it's nice weather

551
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,639
Speaker 2: and it's a good day in Paris. Like the courts,

552
00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,359
Speaker 2: it plays pretty fast, Like I really actually like the

553
00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,000
Speaker 2: conditions if it rains all night. And remember one year

554
00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:15,679
Speaker 2: I played Sablanca and it rained all day and I

555
00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,440
Speaker 2: played on Langlan and I was just the balls were

556
00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:21,720
Speaker 2: massive and they were like wet and I lost.

557
00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:23,120
Speaker 5: Like I played her first round.

558
00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:25,679
Speaker 2: I don't I don't think she was even like seated

559
00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:27,280
Speaker 2: then this is like three four years ago.

560
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:28,320
Speaker 5: Anyways, I lost.

561
00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,040
Speaker 2: It was awful. I was like the ball wasn't going anywhere.

562
00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:33,080
Speaker 2: She was just like king off and I was like,

563
00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:35,919
Speaker 2: I hate the French. This sucks, blah blah blah. But

564
00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,520
Speaker 2: then the next year I was actually started to find

565
00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:40,600
Speaker 2: my footing on clay and I actually really enjoyed it.

566
00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,520
Speaker 1: So well, there's there's clay cortenas wrapped up in a

567
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,680
Speaker 1: great sentence because when you win, it's great when you die.

568
00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,840
Speaker 1: But also I think people at home need to understand conditions,

569
00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,760
Speaker 1: particularly the French Open, affect the plate more than any

570
00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,040
Speaker 1: A little bit on grass, for sure, when it's hot

571
00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:00,879
Speaker 1: and when it's called a damp down, some bouncy aside,

572
00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,240
Speaker 1: But on clay it's a really big difference. And I

573
00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,640
Speaker 1: think you illust right and you play it's the one

574
00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:07,480
Speaker 1: surface that you play through a little bit of rain,

575
00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:10,119
Speaker 1: so that doesn't make it easy as well. So Jess,

576
00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,399
Speaker 1: all right, while we're talking about the French Open, I

577
00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:14,000
Speaker 1: don't know if you've had a chance to look at

578
00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:18,800
Speaker 1: the French Open draws that came out today, but wow, wow, wow,

579
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:20,000
Speaker 1: let's start with the men.

580
00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,199
Speaker 3: To begin with. I don't know have you had a

581
00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:24,520
Speaker 3: chance to peruse through it.

582
00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,879
Speaker 1: Obviously we know the first round of first rounds is

583
00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:31,760
Speaker 1: where was Rafael Nadal going to fall? And he fell

584
00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:34,879
Speaker 1: right into the hands of Zverev. I mean, this is

585
00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:39,560
Speaker 1: a nightmare draw for Nadal fans playing against Zvera. But

586
00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,080
Speaker 1: your thoughts just on that first round and Rafa in general.

587
00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:45,600
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean I'm a big Rafa fan.

588
00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:48,880
Speaker 2: It's like been sad, you know, kind of the last

589
00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,080
Speaker 2: year because I just want him to be able to

590
00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:54,480
Speaker 2: finish however he wants and on his terms, like anybody, right,

591
00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,719
Speaker 2: So it's always it was like a bummer seeing him

592
00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,320
Speaker 2: actually play pretty well in Madrid and then and you know,

593
00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:02,840
Speaker 2: not be able to play as well later on and

594
00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:06,240
Speaker 2: not be super healthy. It's crazy to me how he

595
00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:09,560
Speaker 2: can still just show up and just like routine guys

596
00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:13,119
Speaker 2: on Clay and I also think his record at the

597
00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:17,320
Speaker 2: French is doesn't get enough credit as probably the toughest

598
00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,800
Speaker 2: hardest record ever in sports, being able to win the

599
00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,600
Speaker 2: French Open that many times, the most physical slam, the

600
00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:26,480
Speaker 2: most demanding.

601
00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:31,720
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's just unbelievable. So massive fan. Terrible draw for him,

602
00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:32,840
Speaker 5: but also.

603
00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,480
Speaker 2: Not an easy draw for fri Zvere coming off he

604
00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:40,680
Speaker 2: just won what Rome. Yes, Yeah, so it's like one

605
00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:42,680
Speaker 2: of those where it's like, oh, I just want a tournament,

606
00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,800
Speaker 2: but I also play Nidole at the French three at

607
00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:50,119
Speaker 2: five that's not easy. But yeah, that's just that sucks

608
00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,200
Speaker 2: because you want to kind of see Nidal maybe get

609
00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:54,080
Speaker 2: some matches you know he can work his way into

610
00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:54,760
Speaker 2: the tournament with.

611
00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:57,760
Speaker 5: So yeah, that's a bummer.

612
00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:00,800
Speaker 4: Yeah, we touched on this last week. Rafa is already

613
00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:02,879
Speaker 4: you know, he's coming to the French Open. He says

614
00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:05,359
Speaker 4: he's most likely going to play, but also as kind

615
00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,919
Speaker 4: of leaving people wondering, like, hey, if I'm not one

616
00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,240
Speaker 4: hundred percent I'm not going to play. Where do you

617
00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:13,240
Speaker 4: fall in the sense that do you want Rafa to

618
00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:15,000
Speaker 4: play the French Open no matter what? And do you

619
00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:16,960
Speaker 4: want this to be his final tournament?

620
00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:22,320
Speaker 2: That's such a tough question. I mean, yeah, like I

621
00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,800
Speaker 2: want to see him play. I don't want to see

622
00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:26,080
Speaker 2: him pull out, But then I also don't want to

623
00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,160
Speaker 2: see him play and him just be like not himself.

624
00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:31,399
Speaker 2: He's not able to like at least give himself the

625
00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:33,240
Speaker 2: best shot to win. I think that would also be

626
00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:33,840
Speaker 2: kind of sad.

627
00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:38,200
Speaker 5: But it seems kind of like this is this last year.

628
00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:40,159
Speaker 2: I mean, has he actually said it, but it seems

629
00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,960
Speaker 2: like I don't think he'll play after this, right like

630
00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:44,400
Speaker 2: after the French I.

631
00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,800
Speaker 4: Don't think though, But you're right, he kind of hasn't

632
00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,840
Speaker 4: said anything definitive. He kind of teases everyone every week.

633
00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:53,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, every week so I don't really know. Yeah, I

634
00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,280
Speaker 2: don't know, but I mean I would definitely want to.

635
00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:56,400
Speaker 5: See him healthy and play.

636
00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:58,480
Speaker 2: It would it would be kind of a bummer to

637
00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:00,720
Speaker 2: see him go out there and try and then obviously

638
00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,480
Speaker 2: playing against a guy who's playing type tennis right now

639
00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,239
Speaker 2: on clay, Like, I don't want it to be like

640
00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:10,160
Speaker 2: a sad ending, But yeah, I just hope that maybe

641
00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,040
Speaker 2: he can get healthy and at least give himself a

642
00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:12,560
Speaker 2: good chance.

643
00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,440
Speaker 1: Yeah, I have to say, when I saw the draw

644
00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,360
Speaker 1: come out, my first thought was will he play now?

645
00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,280
Speaker 1: Because seeing that draw is just like this is just

646
00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:23,280
Speaker 1: impossible for him.

647
00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:25,760
Speaker 3: He's just not playing well enough. But I don't know.

648
00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,320
Speaker 1: It's an interesting dichotomy when you think about zvere if

649
00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:29,840
Speaker 1: he was out of the game for that period of

650
00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,600
Speaker 1: time when he sprained his ankle badly against Nadala in

651
00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:35,280
Speaker 1: it which was a very competitive match, when Nadal one

652
00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:37,680
Speaker 1: maybe his fourteenth I don't know if it was his

653
00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:41,400
Speaker 1: thirteenth or fourteenth, I've lost count. But he's up in

654
00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:44,000
Speaker 1: the section obviously, he's up there with Novak.

655
00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:44,840
Speaker 3: What about Novak?

656
00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,120
Speaker 1: What are your thoughts on Novak hasn't won a tournament

657
00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:49,000
Speaker 1: this year. Yes, so just really quick on him.

658
00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:53,880
Speaker 2: It's been weird with him, right, Like it's like, well,

659
00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:55,800
Speaker 2: I mean we say this every time, right, It's like, oh,

660
00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,240
Speaker 2: it's the changing of the guard and like blah blah blah.

661
00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:00,200
Speaker 2: But then it never really seems to change because then

662
00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,360
Speaker 2: he starts playing well and he wins everything again, and

663
00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:04,960
Speaker 2: so it's been just.

664
00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,280
Speaker 5: Like, yeah, weird with him.

665
00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,800
Speaker 2: But to me him at a slam again, we don't

666
00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:13,680
Speaker 2: really talk about him as a clay quarter, but he's

667
00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,160
Speaker 2: won the French several times and three out of five

668
00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,440
Speaker 2: at a slam, I feel like he just still has

669
00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:23,680
Speaker 2: the ability to just be the greatest and switch on

670
00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:27,720
Speaker 2: this mode that nobody else can kind of challenge him.

671
00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,240
Speaker 2: And maybe a few guys now like a Sinner, maybe

672
00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,760
Speaker 2: even a Zverev or whatever. But I mean, I think

673
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:35,960
Speaker 2: he's still gonna he's still gonna do well. I don't

674
00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:38,160
Speaker 2: know if he's going to win, But I don't know

675
00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:40,720
Speaker 2: how you can really go against him, you know. I

676
00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:42,960
Speaker 2: mean I've seen him before kind of not play that

677
00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:45,520
Speaker 2: much and he pops into a slam and he's able

678
00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,320
Speaker 2: to again three out of five. Beating him three out

679
00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,200
Speaker 2: of five is a totally different, totally different than two

680
00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:54,239
Speaker 2: out of three, So I think that helps him favors him.

681
00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,040
Speaker 2: And then if he's able to get confidence, I mean,

682
00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:58,479
Speaker 2: if he's already confident, he's gonna need like one match,

683
00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,440
Speaker 2: like you know, he's gonna be like okay, like Novack's back,

684
00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:04,840
Speaker 2: you know. So I don't know how you can really

685
00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:07,480
Speaker 2: how you can go against him.

686
00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:10,480
Speaker 4: And even watching him this year, even watching him this

687
00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,360
Speaker 4: year not having the results, he seems pretty happy. Even

688
00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:16,040
Speaker 4: these tournament that he's losing early, You've still seen him

689
00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,480
Speaker 4: sign autographs as he walks off the court. He seems

690
00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,320
Speaker 4: like he's in a good mood weekend week out. So yeah,

691
00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,440
Speaker 4: he go quickly. I feel like he's doing one match

692
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:25,200
Speaker 4: the French, the confidence will be there and he can

693
00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:25,720
Speaker 4: make a run.

694
00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:29,600
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like he does he need matches. I mean

695
00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:31,520
Speaker 2: I don't really think he needs that. He needs like

696
00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:34,680
Speaker 2: one match he needs like you know, and then he's back.

697
00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:36,400
Speaker 5: But he does. He got hit in the head with.

698
00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:39,280
Speaker 2: That bottle and he was like making you know, jokes

699
00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:41,360
Speaker 2: about it the next day, So I feel like he's

700
00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:43,800
Speaker 2: still in good spirits and I think he knows that

701
00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,840
Speaker 2: he can just he can still win the tournament of course.

702
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:49,560
Speaker 1: Well, looking at those sort of possibilities and the run

703
00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,520
Speaker 1: through the tournament, if you looked at that, which which

704
00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:54,240
Speaker 1: side of the drawer do you feel is stronger? And

705
00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:56,200
Speaker 1: also you know, just on know that he is playing

706
00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:58,280
Speaker 1: at two fifty this week leading into the French Shop,

707
00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:00,840
Speaker 1: but which is crazy, which means he feels like he

708
00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,440
Speaker 1: needs as we talked about notes, but if you looked

709
00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:05,440
Speaker 1: at that section of the drawer, like Alcaraz is a

710
00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:07,840
Speaker 1: little bit of an unknown with the injury. Sinner of course,

711
00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:11,000
Speaker 1: probably the best player this year without question in my opinion,

712
00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:13,280
Speaker 1: best player on the men's too, but also he comes

713
00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:15,200
Speaker 1: into the friend So if you had to pick a

714
00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:17,160
Speaker 1: favorite or who was going to be in the finals,

715
00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:19,400
Speaker 1: I know it's hard, but if you had.

716
00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:23,000
Speaker 5: To guess, I guess I gotta go Novak.

717
00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:26,120
Speaker 1: And is there an American in there that could surprise Jess.

718
00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:29,120
Speaker 1: We haven't talked about them. Fritz obviously, Tommy, Paul.

719
00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,040
Speaker 3: Those guys, I know you're kind of loving because.

720
00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:33,720
Speaker 2: Like the French was on Clay, Like I mean, Sam,

721
00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:35,800
Speaker 2: you can attest I don't I don't know.

722
00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:37,800
Speaker 5: I don't think they have the greatest myth.

723
00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:43,560
Speaker 4: Well, you're absolutely right, but the current wave is a

724
00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,360
Speaker 4: little different. I will say, like when I was playing,

725
00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:49,160
Speaker 4: no one was making like semis the Masters series on

726
00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:53,400
Speaker 4: the clay. At least Fritz has, you know, semi finals himself.

727
00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,880
Speaker 4: Laylor Claylor, you know he's had some results, Ben Shelton

728
00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,480
Speaker 4: one Houston. At least there's like some some hints of

729
00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:04,920
Speaker 4: some clay courts success on the Americans. Would you be

730
00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:08,080
Speaker 4: surprised if if a Taylor France or a Shelton or

731
00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,600
Speaker 4: a Tifo or one of those guys make the quarterfinal

732
00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:12,320
Speaker 4: or even a semi final at the French Open.

733
00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,240
Speaker 5: I wouldn't be surprised. I think it's gonna be hard.

734
00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:18,200
Speaker 2: I think it depends on the draw and the matchups

735
00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,560
Speaker 2: and the conditions. I think there's a lot of things

736
00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:22,840
Speaker 2: that are going to have to kind of favor them,

737
00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,600
Speaker 2: because I think if you're playing a really tough play

738
00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,280
Speaker 2: quarter three out of five and the conditions are bad,

739
00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,920
Speaker 2: that's not going to be great for probably many of them.

740
00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:34,239
Speaker 2: But of course I always give them a chance. I mean,

741
00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,160
Speaker 2: I think some of them have gone pretty deep at

742
00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:39,600
Speaker 2: the French before, so I think if they're playing well

743
00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:43,640
Speaker 2: and Claylre I've been playing well and I know he

744
00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,160
Speaker 2: didn't do that great last week, but he's been playing well.

745
00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:48,120
Speaker 5: And then Tommy Paul I think also.

746
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:51,520
Speaker 2: He's just a great athlete and loves to grind into battle,

747
00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,560
Speaker 2: so I always give him a chance bend with the

748
00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:57,240
Speaker 2: big Serve Francis, you know, like I would always give

749
00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:00,400
Speaker 2: them a chance. I would just say, you know, it's

750
00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:02,400
Speaker 2: going to be hard, but that's the French.

751
00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:03,200
Speaker 5: It's always hard.

752
00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:05,440
Speaker 3: Yeah, And the boys are up the top of the drawer.

753
00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:08,080
Speaker 1: There's a possibility that Tommy will play Novak if they

754
00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,880
Speaker 1: get through to their seeds, and Taylor will play Rude

755
00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:12,240
Speaker 1: if they get to their seed.

756
00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:13,280
Speaker 3: So listen.

757
00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,480
Speaker 1: Rude not playing as well as he probably wants to

758
00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:17,960
Speaker 1: Novak knop, so listen.

759
00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,240
Speaker 3: If there's a chance for them to do it, maybe

760
00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:23,040
Speaker 3: this is the year we'll see. Certainly they've both been.

761
00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,320
Speaker 1: Playing very very well on clay comparative to maybe some

762
00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,280
Speaker 1: of their results. And just real quick, before we get

763
00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:30,040
Speaker 1: onto the women's, there's another interesting first round with Andy

764
00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:34,000
Speaker 1: Murray playing against stan Vavrika. So I mean, these guys

765
00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:36,440
Speaker 1: can't avoid each other, but it'll be a popcorn match,

766
00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:37,959
Speaker 1: all right. So I want to get to the women's

767
00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:42,120
Speaker 1: because you know a lot about those players. Look, there's

768
00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:45,400
Speaker 1: a possibility that Eager will play Naomi in the second round.

769
00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:47,520
Speaker 3: They are up that section of the draw.

770
00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:51,840
Speaker 1: But more importantly, what, as you've played against Eager so

771
00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:53,680
Speaker 1: many times, what makes.

772
00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:56,640
Speaker 3: Her a so great and be so great on Clay?

773
00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:02,160
Speaker 2: Yeah, I've played her, Yeah, clay on hard, but yeah,

774
00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:04,200
Speaker 2: I mean she's a Clay quarter. I mean, I think

775
00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:06,320
Speaker 2: that's kind of what she modeled her game after. She

776
00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:09,920
Speaker 2: modeled it after Rafa. You know that was her idol, right, so,

777
00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,960
Speaker 2: hitting that heavy top spin, her athleticism, I think her

778
00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:16,800
Speaker 2: ability to kind of turn points from defense to offense.

779
00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,600
Speaker 2: Not just defense, but her ability to get in and

780
00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:21,840
Speaker 2: out of the corner so quickly and then turn the

781
00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:23,880
Speaker 2: point and take the ball early, I think is something

782
00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,799
Speaker 2: really special. And then on Clay, she you know, it's

783
00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:29,000
Speaker 2: just has more time to do that, and it just

784
00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,320
Speaker 2: caters her game with kind of her heavy top spin,

785
00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:34,319
Speaker 2: and she plays more like a guy. To be honest, like,

786
00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,279
Speaker 2: I feel like it's a little bit more like that.

787
00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:40,600
Speaker 3: Can you explain what way Just like.

788
00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:45,920
Speaker 2: Heavier, heavier top spin, she doesn't necessarily hit his flat

789
00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:51,120
Speaker 2: and I think that again, her movement in her athleticism

790
00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:53,200
Speaker 2: is really good. And then her, Yeah, her ability to

791
00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:55,160
Speaker 2: kind of throw up that heavy tops ball. Kind of

792
00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:58,600
Speaker 2: it's heavy and it comes off your racket. It's tough

793
00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:00,400
Speaker 2: to kind of control it you get out of position.

794
00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,400
Speaker 2: And then she's just really good as well as taking

795
00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:04,440
Speaker 2: it early and stepping in.

796
00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:06,160
Speaker 5: She's not afraid to step in. We know that.

797
00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:09,320
Speaker 2: Especially when she's firing. She's you know, can hit a

798
00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:12,640
Speaker 2: lot of winners too. So yeah, I mean she's just

799
00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:16,560
Speaker 2: kind of a really good clay quarter and she's just

800
00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,720
Speaker 2: her movement I think really is kind of sets her apart.

801
00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:24,200
Speaker 4: Outside of Sablenka, who you know can beat her. Challenger

802
00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:27,000
Speaker 4: is right there with her, maybe not quite at her level.

803
00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:29,919
Speaker 4: Who else in the draw do you think can challenge

804
00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:32,320
Speaker 4: IgA this week at the French Open? Is there is

805
00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:34,239
Speaker 4: there anyone? Or is it one of those cases where

806
00:35:34,280 --> 00:35:36,120
Speaker 4: she's playing her best there's no one at her level.

807
00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:41,200
Speaker 2: I think Rebakena can definitely if she's healthy. She's I

808
00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:43,200
Speaker 2: don't think ever lost to her. Actually, I don't know

809
00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:47,640
Speaker 2: if they've played much though on clay, but I think,

810
00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:50,719
Speaker 2: you know, a girl like that can definitely beat her.

811
00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:53,680
Speaker 2: I think Cocoa is good on clay, she can, you know,

812
00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,279
Speaker 2: play well and you catch her on kind of an

813
00:35:57,280 --> 00:35:59,120
Speaker 2: off day and make her uncomfortable. It's just a little

814
00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:02,200
Speaker 2: bit harder to make her uncomfortable on clay because she's

815
00:36:02,239 --> 00:36:05,160
Speaker 2: super comfortable on clay. But I mean, I think Arena

816
00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:10,440
Speaker 2: and Elena are probably people that can beat her, like

817
00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,080
Speaker 2: the challenge of playing her. It's just on clay, you know.

818
00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,759
Speaker 2: I think she's still kind of the favorite going into

819
00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:17,360
Speaker 2: this tournament.

820
00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:21,400
Speaker 1: And what about in your opinion, like watching Danielle Collins

821
00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:24,480
Speaker 1: what she's done this year. I mean, it's just crazy.

822
00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:27,239
Speaker 1: She announces that she's quitting at the end of the year.

823
00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:30,120
Speaker 1: It's over, she's done, She's going back to Saint Pete,

824
00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:33,080
Speaker 1: living on the beach, and then she's having literally the

825
00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,160
Speaker 1: other than making the finals of the Australian Open, the

826
00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:38,600
Speaker 1: best year of her career. I mean, just give me

827
00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:42,600
Speaker 1: your thoughts on the fact that she and Vondrosova are

828
00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:44,960
Speaker 1: in sort of like you know, that quadrant of the

829
00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:47,520
Speaker 1: of the draw. I mean, just on Danielle a little bit.

830
00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:51,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm a big daniel Collins fan. I think she's great.

831
00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:54,319
Speaker 2: I think she's entertaining. I like think she's such a

832
00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:58,520
Speaker 2: great personality, especially as a woman. You know, like she's

833
00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:01,440
Speaker 2: not afraid to kind of get in your and you know,

834
00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:05,000
Speaker 2: I think that sometimes people might get offended by that,

835
00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:08,759
Speaker 2: maybe being a female, but she's not afraid to back

836
00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:11,720
Speaker 2: down from them. That's her personality, and that's I feel

837
00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:14,239
Speaker 2: like that she kind of overtakes when she steps on

838
00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:15,960
Speaker 2: the court. She's like, no, this is like I'm a

839
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,680
Speaker 2: different person now, like competing and I really want to win.

840
00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:21,080
Speaker 5: And honestly, I feel like she kind of taught me

841
00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:22,160
Speaker 5: a lot.

842
00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:24,520
Speaker 2: Like I remember playing with her like World Team Tennis

843
00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:27,520
Speaker 2: at the beginning, and she's like, you know, sometimes you

844
00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:29,759
Speaker 2: gotta throw a little extra drama in there, and like,

845
00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:31,480
Speaker 2: you know, a little extra grunt, and I was just

846
00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:33,600
Speaker 2: kind of laughing because she's just not afraid to like

847
00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:37,600
Speaker 2: completely be herself on court and give it her all

848
00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:38,560
Speaker 2: and put it all out there.

849
00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:40,000
Speaker 5: And obviously a great competitor.

850
00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:42,960
Speaker 2: So it's been really nice now that she's been pretty

851
00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:44,920
Speaker 2: healthy to kind of see the level that she can

852
00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:46,640
Speaker 2: play at, because I think we saw that, you know,

853
00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:48,600
Speaker 2: when she made finals of Australia and when she was

854
00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:51,520
Speaker 2: already a top player. It's been just nice to kind

855
00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,960
Speaker 2: of see her come back to that and maybe announcing

856
00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:57,120
Speaker 2: her retirement has helped to kind of take some of

857
00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:00,279
Speaker 2: the pressure off and play better. Who knows, but the

858
00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:02,239
Speaker 2: fact that she's been able to back up you know,

859
00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:04,360
Speaker 2: these results week to week, two week to week, it

860
00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:08,960
Speaker 2: seems it's crazy. So she's someone that's yeah, super dangerous

861
00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:12,399
Speaker 2: and also pretty good on clay. Maybe not known as

862
00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:14,400
Speaker 2: a as a clay quarter, but she's won several tournaments

863
00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:17,160
Speaker 2: on clay, and I think can do really well.

864
00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:18,520
Speaker 3: Yeah I agree.

865
00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:20,160
Speaker 1: I mean, look, she won Miami and then backed it

866
00:38:20,239 --> 00:38:22,560
Speaker 1: up and won Charleston on green clay, which is not

867
00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:24,520
Speaker 1: quite the same as red clay, but certainly we know

868
00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:26,600
Speaker 1: that she slide, she can play well on that court,

869
00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:28,319
Speaker 1: and being able to move on a clay quarter is

870
00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:30,759
Speaker 1: really half the problem for a lot of Americans because

871
00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:34,080
Speaker 1: they don't grow up on a clay. We've let's stick

872
00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:38,080
Speaker 1: with the women's a little bit obviously. Mattie Keys, you know, look,

873
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,360
Speaker 1: had had a tough start to the year with an injury,

874
00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:44,000
Speaker 1: but has come back quite well, hitting the ball really well.

875
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:45,719
Speaker 1: You know, she's done well at the French Open and

876
00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:50,920
Speaker 1: making the Semis before. So out of the Americans Coco, Danielle, Maddie.

877
00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:52,440
Speaker 3: Who do you see going the deepest?

878
00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:57,040
Speaker 1: Because all of them, quite frankly, are really good enough

879
00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:59,320
Speaker 1: to make the semis or finals of the French Open.

880
00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:02,960
Speaker 2: I mean, I honestly, that's such a toss up to me.

881
00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:05,759
Speaker 2: They're all playing really well. They can all play really

882
00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:08,960
Speaker 2: well on clay. I think Maddie is always dangerous when

883
00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,880
Speaker 2: she's starting to find her form, which it seems like

884
00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:12,680
Speaker 2: she has the last couple of weeks. She's beat some

885
00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:15,839
Speaker 2: good players, some good clay court players, has a lot

886
00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:18,040
Speaker 2: of matches under her belt and is healthy.

887
00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:19,359
Speaker 5: I think Danielle is the same.

888
00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:22,080
Speaker 2: I mean, it's hard to beat someone when she's writing

889
00:39:22,080 --> 00:39:26,040
Speaker 2: that much confidence. And then Coco has just been competing

890
00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:28,839
Speaker 2: and proving that she at a slam especially, is really

891
00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:31,000
Speaker 2: tough to be and I know that she loves playing

892
00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:34,640
Speaker 2: in Paris. I think it's her favorite tournament, winning juniors there,

893
00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:39,080
Speaker 2: making what the finals, semis, losing to Ega, I mean,

894
00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:41,200
Speaker 2: she's gonna go deep there, I think, no matter what.

895
00:39:42,360 --> 00:39:45,040
Speaker 2: So again, I think it just kind of depends on

896
00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:49,000
Speaker 2: the draws and matchups. I think matchups are huge, especially

897
00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:52,480
Speaker 2: on clay, So honestly, I have no idea. I feel

898
00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:54,360
Speaker 2: like that is a total toss up. Are they in

899
00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:55,480
Speaker 2: the same section or what?

900
00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:02,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, Danielle is up the top, Coco is, I believe,

901
00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:05,120
Speaker 1: down the bottom half of the drawer. So look there,

902
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:07,439
Speaker 1: I think Coco's at the top. I tried to print

903
00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:09,319
Speaker 1: out the drawer and it's hard for me to see

904
00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:11,000
Speaker 1: that because it's yellow.

905
00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:13,480
Speaker 4: Is in her quadrant? That could be a believe around

906
00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:15,279
Speaker 4: a sixteen matchup? Yeah?

907
00:40:15,719 --> 00:40:18,720
Speaker 5: Oh wow, early crazy?

908
00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:21,879
Speaker 2: Okay, Well, yeah, I think that'll be one to watch

909
00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:24,719
Speaker 2: because I mean, like you said, it's hard to beat

910
00:40:24,719 --> 00:40:26,840
Speaker 2: someone with that much confidence. But then you know, Coco,

911
00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:29,440
Speaker 2: I think is really confident on clay, so that'll be

912
00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:31,040
Speaker 2: a really really good match.

913
00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:34,360
Speaker 5: I think I have no idea.

914
00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:37,000
Speaker 3: Can I ask you just on Coco.

915
00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:39,799
Speaker 1: You know her so well just from playing dubs with her,

916
00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:42,160
Speaker 1: being on the court with her. What is it about

917
00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:45,359
Speaker 1: her that impresses you the most? Just about her personality

918
00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:47,880
Speaker 1: when she's in the toughest of moments. Give us a

919
00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:51,000
Speaker 1: little bit of insight into what she thinks about under pressure,

920
00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:53,080
Speaker 1: and also what do you think she needs to do

921
00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:56,120
Speaker 1: just to look she won the She's fine, She's won

922
00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:57,000
Speaker 1: a Grand Slam already.

923
00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,040
Speaker 3: At the USOPA. But what do you think she needs.

924
00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:00,880
Speaker 1: To now tweak in her game that you feel like

925
00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,240
Speaker 1: stops her from winning some of these bigger matches.

926
00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:05,520
Speaker 5: Now, I don't know.

927
00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:09,120
Speaker 2: I mean she I think obviously, you know, her serf

928
00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:12,520
Speaker 2: can kind of leave her sometimes. I know that's always something.

929
00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:14,879
Speaker 2: But she has a really good serve when she's serving well.

930
00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,040
Speaker 2: So it's kind of tough to say that because you know,

931
00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:20,360
Speaker 2: then she'll hit a one twenty bomb and I'm like,

932
00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:22,880
Speaker 2: oh my god, I wish I could do that. But

933
00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:25,680
Speaker 2: it's so I think that's something obviously she needs to

934
00:41:25,719 --> 00:41:28,320
Speaker 2: serve well. I mean, like anybody that always makes everything

935
00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:31,560
Speaker 2: else kind of fall together with your game. But no,

936
00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:33,600
Speaker 2: I mean, she's just been competing really well, and I

937
00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:36,719
Speaker 2: think she just has so much self belief. And of

938
00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:39,440
Speaker 2: course she's an incredible athlete, so I think her athleticism,

939
00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:41,560
Speaker 2: I mean, she just kind of wills her way.

940
00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:45,719
Speaker 5: And I think she's just been the last year.

941
00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:48,040
Speaker 2: I feel like I've noticed she's just been playing better

942
00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:50,360
Speaker 2: when she knows she's not playing well, and she's like,

943
00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:52,080
Speaker 2: you know what, I'm just gonna do what I know

944
00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:54,759
Speaker 2: I do really well, instead of maybe trying to be

945
00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:58,799
Speaker 2: overly aggressive, like she doesn't necessarily have to play like that,

946
00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:01,719
Speaker 2: and I think she's kind of I mean, and I

947
00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:03,520
Speaker 2: don't know for sure, she's never said this to me,

948
00:42:03,719 --> 00:42:06,080
Speaker 2: but I feel like she's just kind of playing her

949
00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:08,960
Speaker 2: game and kind of finding what her game actually is.

950
00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:10,880
Speaker 5: And when she's having a good day.

951
00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:13,320
Speaker 2: It's like, Okay, she might play super aggressive and be

952
00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:15,799
Speaker 2: hitting all these winners and stuff like that, but she's

953
00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:18,719
Speaker 2: definitely adjusting it seems like better when she's not playing great,

954
00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:21,240
Speaker 2: and she's just finding ways to win the big points

955
00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:23,640
Speaker 2: in the big moments, and that's really kind of all

956
00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:25,879
Speaker 2: it comes down to. Especially, you know, you only play

957
00:42:25,880 --> 00:42:28,239
Speaker 2: good X amount of matches a year and maybe a

958
00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:31,920
Speaker 2: handful if that, So all those other matches she's figuring

959
00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:34,439
Speaker 2: it out. And I mean, she's pretty smart on court,

960
00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:37,680
Speaker 2: like she problem solves really well, she picks up on

961
00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:41,920
Speaker 2: patterns I feel like pretty fast. And again, her self belief,

962
00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:44,080
Speaker 2: I think, is just really high. And that's, you know,

963
00:42:44,560 --> 00:42:45,839
Speaker 2: that's the biggest thing out there.

964
00:42:46,680 --> 00:42:49,240
Speaker 4: Now. It's obviously a huge bummer for yourself and everyone

965
00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:51,720
Speaker 4: that you can't play the French Open. But fast forward

966
00:42:51,719 --> 00:42:54,400
Speaker 4: two months, we've got the Olympics, it's right back in Paris.

967
00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:56,800
Speaker 4: How excit here are you for that? And do you

968
00:42:56,840 --> 00:42:59,040
Speaker 4: have a favorite Do you have a favorite Olympic memory

969
00:42:59,080 --> 00:42:59,880
Speaker 4: from over the years.

970
00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:02,920
Speaker 2: I well, I played one and it was Tokyo and

971
00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:07,480
Speaker 2: it was COVID and it kind of sucked, but it

972
00:43:07,560 --> 00:43:10,840
Speaker 2: was really We actually stayed at the hotel with the

973
00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:13,040
Speaker 2: women's soccer team and the men's basketball team, so that

974
00:43:13,080 --> 00:43:15,640
Speaker 2: was pretty cool to be able to see them around.

975
00:43:15,719 --> 00:43:17,240
Speaker 2: We saw them quite a bit because it was COVID,

976
00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:19,080
Speaker 2: so we were really like the only people in the hotel,

977
00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:22,640
Speaker 2: so that was really cool. And being able to bond

978
00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:24,920
Speaker 2: kind of with all the rest of the players was fun.

979
00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:28,560
Speaker 5: We were all really excited to be there. But yeah,

980
00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:29,200
Speaker 5: I'm excited.

981
00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:32,319
Speaker 2: I'm excited to kind of get a real Olympic experience

982
00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:36,640
Speaker 2: under my belt, obviously with singles, doubles and maybe mix.

983
00:43:36,840 --> 00:43:40,120
Speaker 2: I feel like, you know, being able to play possibly

984
00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:43,120
Speaker 2: all three is a lot different than just playing one

985
00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:45,040
Speaker 2: where you feel like, oh, only have one chance, you know,

986
00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:46,360
Speaker 2: to get a medal. I mean, now it could be

987
00:43:46,400 --> 00:43:49,200
Speaker 2: all three, which is kind of crazy. So I'm looking

988
00:43:49,239 --> 00:43:53,239
Speaker 2: forward to that aspect and just kind of yeah, I mean,

989
00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:57,360
Speaker 2: I think embracing that experience and hopefully being able to

990
00:43:57,360 --> 00:44:00,000
Speaker 2: see some other athletes some different events. You know, that's

991
00:44:00,080 --> 00:44:01,800
Speaker 2: the stuff I didn't get to quite do in Tokyo.

992
00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:04,360
Speaker 2: So I feel like it'll be more of like a

993
00:44:04,440 --> 00:44:05,960
Speaker 2: first time experience for me.

994
00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:07,279
Speaker 4: All right.

995
00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:09,399
Speaker 1: So yes, we're going to do seven volley and Jess,

996
00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:10,880
Speaker 1: we're going to do the quick Q and a's. And

997
00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:15,720
Speaker 1: that question was the first one. What is your favorite memory?

998
00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:19,120
Speaker 1: I mean that just see it in your mind in Tokyo.

999
00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:28,080
Speaker 2: My favorite memory from Tokyo, Oh my gosh. I would

1000
00:44:28,120 --> 00:44:30,840
Speaker 2: say we probably I think we sang happy birth.

1001
00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:35,120
Speaker 5: Ok as we.

1002
00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:37,919
Speaker 3: Wait, say that again, Jess, say that again.

1003
00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:40,839
Speaker 1: What's your Yes, what's your favorite That's okay because your

1004
00:44:41,239 --> 00:44:43,480
Speaker 1: your Mike went out there a little. What is your

1005
00:44:43,520 --> 00:44:47,160
Speaker 1: favorite memory from Tokyo Olympic Games?

1006
00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:48,320
Speaker 5: Yeah?

1007
00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:52,200
Speaker 2: I think maybe singing Happy Birthday to Kevin Durant in

1008
00:44:52,239 --> 00:44:54,799
Speaker 2: the tunnel as we walked out for the ceremony. That

1009
00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:58,480
Speaker 2: was pretty cool. We were walking right behind them, so

1010
00:44:59,320 --> 00:45:01,279
Speaker 2: uh like he was right in front of us, and

1011
00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:03,000
Speaker 2: I was like, oh, this is pretty cool sing Happy

1012
00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:06,359
Speaker 2: birthday to KD. So yeah, that was that was pretty sick.

1013
00:45:06,480 --> 00:45:08,200
Speaker 2: I feel like that all kind of stick in my

1014
00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:11,120
Speaker 2: head as a as a really cool memory that is.

1015
00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:15,480
Speaker 1: It's funny how the things outside of you know, playing

1016
00:45:15,480 --> 00:45:17,600
Speaker 1: matches or this sort of stuff are the things that

1017
00:45:17,640 --> 00:45:18,200
Speaker 1: you remember.

1018
00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:21,439
Speaker 3: My greatest memory at the Olympics as well.

1019
00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:23,359
Speaker 1: I mean I have you know, I've played him four

1020
00:45:23,440 --> 00:45:24,920
Speaker 1: so I had a you know, different ones, but the

1021
00:45:24,920 --> 00:45:28,080
Speaker 1: one in Sydney that I will remember was walking out

1022
00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:31,680
Speaker 1: onto the stadium very similar to that Jess, where we

1023
00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:34,359
Speaker 1: were all singing the national anthem and as we were

1024
00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:37,759
Speaker 1: walking out onto the actual stadium and it was so

1025
00:45:38,080 --> 00:45:40,680
Speaker 1: loud in the tunnel and then we got out into

1026
00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:44,160
Speaker 1: the we got out onto the the you know, the track,

1027
00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:47,839
Speaker 1: and it sounded quiet because we were so loud in

1028
00:45:47,880 --> 00:45:51,080
Speaker 1: the tunnel. And so yeah, that is a memory that's

1029
00:45:51,120 --> 00:45:54,120
Speaker 1: definitely seen into my brain as well. What about you, Sam,

1030
00:45:54,200 --> 00:45:55,600
Speaker 1: what's your favorite Olympic memory?

1031
00:45:56,239 --> 00:45:58,840
Speaker 4: Favorite Olympic memory, I've only played one. It was Bathing

1032
00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:02,480
Speaker 4: two thousand and eight and I remember walking out onto

1033
00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:05,600
Speaker 4: the opening ceremonies and it was the tennis guys and

1034
00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:08,799
Speaker 4: a lot of the NBA guys and Robbie Jeannepri accidentally

1035
00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:11,799
Speaker 4: or he was walking right next to Lebron James and

1036
00:46:11,880 --> 00:46:15,520
Speaker 4: Lebron James kind of scuffed Robbie Jeppri's shoe and we're

1037
00:46:15,560 --> 00:46:18,000
Speaker 4: all wearing like these beautiful, like white, brand new shoes.

1038
00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:20,359
Speaker 4: And then Lebron got down on the ground and kind

1039
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:22,920
Speaker 4: of like licked his fingers and then like smudge the

1040
00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:25,680
Speaker 4: you know, got the smudge mark out of Robbi Janepri's shoes,

1041
00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:27,960
Speaker 4: like I'm so sorry, bro, and like rubbed it out.

1042
00:46:27,960 --> 00:46:30,560
Speaker 4: We're all just watching Lebron James like clean Robbie's shoe

1043
00:46:30,600 --> 00:46:32,279
Speaker 4: and it was just like we still talk about it

1044
00:46:32,280 --> 00:46:33,440
Speaker 4: to this day. It was incredible.

1045
00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:34,680
Speaker 5: That's amazing.

1046
00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:37,160
Speaker 3: Did no one get that on film?

1047
00:46:37,719 --> 00:46:39,440
Speaker 4: I don't think this was two thousand and eight. I

1048
00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:41,319
Speaker 4: don't even know if the iPhone was around yet. There

1049
00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:42,960
Speaker 4: was a couple of guys with like the camp quarters.

1050
00:46:43,000 --> 00:46:44,880
Speaker 4: I remember Chris Bosh had that big camp quarter that

1051
00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:45,920
Speaker 4: he was walking around with.

1052
00:46:45,800 --> 00:46:49,480
Speaker 5: Like that, Oh yeah, that's funny, but yeah.

1053
00:46:49,320 --> 00:46:51,400
Speaker 4: No it was. It's just the word of mouth story

1054
00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:53,160
Speaker 4: that's like gotten a little better each time.

1055
00:46:53,560 --> 00:46:57,840
Speaker 3: That that is hilarious. I remember Sam Stars and I

1056
00:46:57,880 --> 00:46:58,720
Speaker 3: think it was in Beijing.

1057
00:46:58,760 --> 00:47:01,319
Speaker 1: We emptied out Aaron tied tennis bags trying to find

1058
00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:03,600
Speaker 1: a camera because again as you said, it was like,

1059
00:47:04,000 --> 00:47:05,879
Speaker 1: you know, you didn't really have your find to take

1060
00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:09,000
Speaker 1: a photo in the Olympic village with Michael Phelps. I've

1061
00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:11,719
Speaker 1: never seen Sam so aggressive with getting a photo in

1062
00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:12,240
Speaker 1: my life.

1063
00:47:12,560 --> 00:47:15,680
Speaker 3: So yeah, some great memories, Jess.

1064
00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:19,560
Speaker 1: Would you rather win a Grand Slam title or an

1065
00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:20,640
Speaker 1: Olympic medal?

1066
00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:24,960
Speaker 5: Oh?

1067
00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:29,440
Speaker 2: I think probably a Grand Slam. I would love obviously

1068
00:47:29,440 --> 00:47:31,680
Speaker 2: to win a medal too, but I feel like in tennis,

1069
00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:33,839
Speaker 2: I don't know, just the format and the way it is,

1070
00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:36,840
Speaker 2: the Grand Slam kinda would take present.

1071
00:47:36,920 --> 00:47:40,440
Speaker 5: I think over a medal. I wish tennis and the

1072
00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:41,080
Speaker 5: Olympics was.

1073
00:47:41,080 --> 00:47:43,920
Speaker 2: More of like a team kind of vibe because sometimes

1074
00:47:43,960 --> 00:47:45,839
Speaker 2: when you go there and not that again, I'm not

1075
00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:47,440
Speaker 2: trying to knock it, but it feels like it's like

1076
00:47:47,480 --> 00:47:48,000
Speaker 2: a tournament.

1077
00:47:48,560 --> 00:47:50,200
Speaker 5: Like so I remember in Tokyo, I.

1078
00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:52,399
Speaker 2: Went, I lost first round to Belinda and she won

1079
00:47:52,440 --> 00:47:53,880
Speaker 2: the gold and I was just like, okay, it was

1080
00:47:53,880 --> 00:47:55,680
Speaker 2: just another week. I lost for a round and I

1081
00:47:55,680 --> 00:47:57,960
Speaker 2: went home, like, you know, I played doubles and actually

1082
00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:00,440
Speaker 2: the best thing I did, okay, But like yeah, it's

1083
00:48:00,480 --> 00:48:03,960
Speaker 2: just kind of like okay, like next and there's so

1084
00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:05,799
Speaker 2: many other sports going on so I feel like it's

1085
00:48:05,840 --> 00:48:09,239
Speaker 2: just when people are trying to win those medals in

1086
00:48:09,239 --> 00:48:12,640
Speaker 2: those sports where it means like everything, like swimming, gymnastics

1087
00:48:12,640 --> 00:48:14,680
Speaker 2: and all this stuff. I think you kind of just

1088
00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:17,080
Speaker 2: you look at those sports as being more special in

1089
00:48:17,080 --> 00:48:20,160
Speaker 2: the Olympics. But I think for me, probably slam.

1090
00:48:20,800 --> 00:48:23,040
Speaker 4: Who going this year. Like you said, there's singles, there's

1091
00:48:23,080 --> 00:48:26,400
Speaker 4: doubles from and mixed doubles. Do you have any partners

1092
00:48:26,400 --> 00:48:28,319
Speaker 4: who are like I want to play doubles with them,

1093
00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:30,320
Speaker 4: or I want to play mixed doubles with them, or

1094
00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:32,720
Speaker 4: are you just fine with like anyone and I'm happy

1095
00:48:32,760 --> 00:48:33,440
Speaker 4: to be in the tournament.

1096
00:48:34,880 --> 00:48:35,800
Speaker 5: I mean anyone.

1097
00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:37,200
Speaker 2: I'm happy to be in the tournament because I know

1098
00:48:37,239 --> 00:48:39,520
Speaker 2: the draw is really small and it's whoever we can

1099
00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:41,560
Speaker 2: get in with and has the best chance. But I've

1100
00:48:41,560 --> 00:48:45,160
Speaker 2: played a lot with Austin, so I would love to

1101
00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:46,960
Speaker 2: you know, we've put in a lot of time together,

1102
00:48:47,040 --> 00:48:47,840
Speaker 2: so I would love to just.

1103
00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:48,319
Speaker 5: Play with him.

1104
00:48:48,320 --> 00:48:50,200
Speaker 2: And I know he plays well there he won you know,

1105
00:48:50,239 --> 00:48:55,000
Speaker 2: the French Open, so as yeah, yeah, so that would

1106
00:48:55,040 --> 00:48:56,880
Speaker 2: be fun and like we get along really well, so

1107
00:48:56,920 --> 00:48:59,160
Speaker 2: I think that would be a nice experience. I've also

1108
00:48:59,200 --> 00:49:02,279
Speaker 2: heard this rumor that I don't know if it's sure

1109
00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:04,359
Speaker 2: or not, but like you can play with each other

1110
00:49:04,400 --> 00:49:08,960
Speaker 2: and then switch partners. Oh, everyone that's competed and you

1111
00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:10,560
Speaker 2: end up meddaling, you all get a medal.

1112
00:49:10,640 --> 00:49:12,839
Speaker 5: So like I could play with obviously you have to win.

1113
00:49:12,920 --> 00:49:14,920
Speaker 2: If I played with Austin and I won, and then

1114
00:49:14,920 --> 00:49:17,600
Speaker 2: the next round, let's say I'm still in singles and

1115
00:49:17,640 --> 00:49:20,240
Speaker 2: doubles and Cocoa wants to play, she could go play

1116
00:49:20,280 --> 00:49:23,160
Speaker 2: with Austin or I think someone out like braj or

1117
00:49:23,160 --> 00:49:25,800
Speaker 2: someone and you can like switch.

1118
00:49:26,320 --> 00:49:28,680
Speaker 3: Oh that is interesting.

1119
00:49:28,840 --> 00:49:30,480
Speaker 4: We're gonna have to get to the bottom of that rumor.

1120
00:49:30,600 --> 00:49:31,760
Speaker 4: That sounds awesome.

1121
00:49:32,120 --> 00:49:34,560
Speaker 3: What it sounds like to me. What it sounds like

1122
00:49:34,600 --> 00:49:37,040
Speaker 3: to me is a little bit like the theme of Challenges,

1123
00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:38,840
Speaker 3: And when you guys see it, you're gonna know what

1124
00:49:38,880 --> 00:49:41,400
Speaker 3: I'm talking about. There's a little bit of switchy ruie

1125
00:49:41,520 --> 00:49:45,760
Speaker 3: of the partner. So you know, that's all I'm gonna say.

1126
00:49:46,239 --> 00:49:47,279
Speaker 3: But I kind of like that idea.

1127
00:49:47,320 --> 00:49:50,440
Speaker 1: I do like your idea, Jess, about the Olympics in

1128
00:49:50,520 --> 00:49:53,600
Speaker 1: tennis maybe being more of a team thing and actually

1129
00:49:53,640 --> 00:49:56,440
Speaker 1: make United States wins the gold medal. Based on what

1130
00:49:56,480 --> 00:50:01,000
Speaker 1: happens in singles, doubles and mes just me, oh am,

1131
00:50:01,040 --> 00:50:01,920
Speaker 1: I going in and out.

1132
00:50:01,960 --> 00:50:04,240
Speaker 4: Now I can hear Renee perfectly.

1133
00:50:04,719 --> 00:50:07,239
Speaker 5: What did she say? Sorry, I couldn't hear she was saying?

1134
00:50:07,239 --> 00:50:09,920
Speaker 4: Should be Would you be a fan of the in

1135
00:50:09,960 --> 00:50:12,520
Speaker 4: the Olympics having the tennis be more of a team competition?

1136
00:50:12,960 --> 00:50:14,919
Speaker 4: I mean there's only you know, four or five women,

1137
00:50:14,960 --> 00:50:16,560
Speaker 4: four or five men any way that are playing it.

1138
00:50:16,560 --> 00:50:19,000
Speaker 4: Would you prefer to be team competition and everyone gets

1139
00:50:19,000 --> 00:50:20,120
Speaker 4: a battle over an individual?

1140
00:50:20,680 --> 00:50:21,040
Speaker 5: Yeah?

1141
00:50:21,120 --> 00:50:24,040
Speaker 2: I think if it's the Olympics, I think it should

1142
00:50:24,080 --> 00:50:25,520
Speaker 2: be a team I mean that was kind of my point.

1143
00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:28,040
Speaker 2: It's like, for us, it just feels like another kind

1144
00:50:28,040 --> 00:50:31,880
Speaker 2: of event, and maybe they keep it the same and

1145
00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:34,239
Speaker 2: they add more of a team component to it, or

1146
00:50:34,239 --> 00:50:36,640
Speaker 2: they have a separate I don't know how they would

1147
00:50:36,640 --> 00:50:39,040
Speaker 2: do it, but to me, for tennis, I think it

1148
00:50:39,080 --> 00:50:40,800
Speaker 2: should be more of a team event. I mean, everything

1149
00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:43,640
Speaker 2: we do is individuals, so I would love to have

1150
00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:45,880
Speaker 2: kind of a different vibe going into that week. I

1151
00:50:45,880 --> 00:50:46,959
Speaker 2: think it'd be a lot more fun.

1152
00:50:48,640 --> 00:50:50,400
Speaker 4: Totally agree. I mean I remember when I put an

1153
00:50:50,400 --> 00:50:52,799
Speaker 4: Olympics in two thousand and eight, I lost first round

1154
00:50:52,840 --> 00:50:56,640
Speaker 4: in singles to Igor Andrea and then about two hours

1155
00:50:56,719 --> 00:50:59,359
Speaker 4: later lost them in doubles and I was done. Yeah,

1156
00:50:59,360 --> 00:51:02,279
Speaker 4: meanwhile you got James Blake medal, you're the Brian Brothers medal,

1157
00:51:02,320 --> 00:51:03,840
Speaker 4: and like you wanted to like kind of be a

1158
00:51:03,880 --> 00:51:05,759
Speaker 4: part of that with them, but yeah, it was just

1159
00:51:05,800 --> 00:51:07,600
Speaker 4: an annual event. You were done and kind of on

1160
00:51:07,640 --> 00:51:08,400
Speaker 4: the sideline.

1161
00:51:08,600 --> 00:51:09,560
Speaker 5: Yeah, exactly.

1162
00:51:09,560 --> 00:51:11,360
Speaker 2: I would love to kind of feel like it was

1163
00:51:11,400 --> 00:51:15,040
Speaker 2: more again, more of a team kind of atmosphere, something different,

1164
00:51:15,440 --> 00:51:17,439
Speaker 2: especially because it's like that when we play Davis Cup

1165
00:51:17,440 --> 00:51:19,759
Speaker 2: and we play Billy June King Cup. You know, it's

1166
00:51:19,800 --> 00:51:22,719
Speaker 2: definitely that feels more like a team. You're playing individually,

1167
00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:26,000
Speaker 2: but someone can sub in for you. You could get hurt

1168
00:51:26,040 --> 00:51:27,520
Speaker 2: and someone else could play and you still have a

1169
00:51:27,640 --> 00:51:30,600
Speaker 2: chance to actually win the match. So to me, I'm like, okay, well,

1170
00:51:30,600 --> 00:51:32,800
Speaker 2: why doesn't it feel more like that for the Olympics

1171
00:51:32,800 --> 00:51:34,680
Speaker 2: when you know that's what we play to qualify for

1172
00:51:34,719 --> 00:51:38,040
Speaker 2: the Olympics too, So I mean I love team events.

1173
00:51:38,239 --> 00:51:41,280
Speaker 2: That's always it's always really fun. So I think, yeah,

1174
00:51:41,360 --> 00:51:42,120
Speaker 2: hopefully one.

1175
00:51:42,120 --> 00:51:46,479
Speaker 1: Day, all right, Jess, All right, Jess, well, we thank

1176
00:51:46,520 --> 00:51:49,799
Speaker 1: you so much for your time this morning. We know

1177
00:51:49,920 --> 00:51:52,120
Speaker 1: that you know, getting your body back into shape, you're

1178
00:51:52,120 --> 00:51:54,640
Speaker 1: getting ready to get back on the tour. I know

1179
00:51:54,680 --> 00:51:56,680
Speaker 1: how much you're looking forward to getting back to Wimbledon,

1180
00:51:56,880 --> 00:52:00,239
Speaker 1: and you know, you know, proving to us all or

1181
00:52:00,239 --> 00:52:03,000
Speaker 1: why you've been inside the top ten for so many years.

1182
00:52:03,000 --> 00:52:05,360
Speaker 1: We're really proud of what you've been able to achieve

1183
00:52:05,360 --> 00:52:06,399
Speaker 1: over the last bunch of years.

1184
00:52:06,400 --> 00:52:08,480
Speaker 3: And you're a credit to American tennis.

1185
00:52:08,520 --> 00:52:10,680
Speaker 1: And we can't wait to see you not only through

1186
00:52:10,719 --> 00:52:12,560
Speaker 1: the rest of the season, but of course back in

1187
00:52:12,640 --> 00:52:14,520
Speaker 1: Paris so you get a chance to get back to

1188
00:52:14,600 --> 00:52:18,480
Speaker 1: Rollingdos for the Olympics, and we can't wait to see

1189
00:52:18,520 --> 00:52:19,200
Speaker 1: you competing there.

1190
00:52:19,200 --> 00:52:21,000
Speaker 3: And we just thank you so much for joining us today.

1191
00:52:21,520 --> 00:52:22,840
Speaker 5: Yeah, thanks guys. This is fun.

1192
00:52:23,520 --> 00:52:24,080
Speaker 3: Okay, guys.

1193
00:52:24,120 --> 00:52:26,360
Speaker 1: So the Olympics, we cannot wait for it. Of course,

1194
00:52:26,360 --> 00:52:30,600
Speaker 1: it begins July twenty six on the networks of NBC.

1195
00:52:34,760 --> 00:52:38,200
Speaker 1: So Sam, it is time. It is dropshot. We sent

1196
00:52:38,280 --> 00:52:40,680
Speaker 1: out a tweet or an ex or whatever you want

1197
00:52:40,680 --> 00:52:44,400
Speaker 1: to call it a question in our last show, should

1198
00:52:44,760 --> 00:52:48,360
Speaker 1: Rafael Nadal play doubles with Novak Djokovic at the Labor

1199
00:52:48,400 --> 00:52:53,720
Speaker 1: Cup to recreate his last match with Roger Federer clearly

1200
00:52:53,760 --> 00:52:57,160
Speaker 1: without the tears? Maybe, but let's get into some of

1201
00:52:57,200 --> 00:52:59,759
Speaker 1: the responses. Why don't you go ahead, Sam and read

1202
00:52:59,840 --> 00:53:00,439
Speaker 1: some of these.

1203
00:53:00,800 --> 00:53:03,760
Speaker 4: We've got Kimberly here now. Rafa should not play dubs

1204
00:53:03,760 --> 00:53:05,960
Speaker 4: with Novak at Labor Cup. There's no need to copy

1205
00:53:06,040 --> 00:53:09,360
Speaker 4: rogers last tennis match. I actually felt the same way

1206
00:53:09,520 --> 00:53:11,320
Speaker 4: again on the bottom we have Karen. It's a no

1207
00:53:11,520 --> 00:53:14,640
Speaker 4: for me. What made rogers last match with Rafa was

1208
00:53:14,640 --> 00:53:17,279
Speaker 4: so special their affection for each other. Don't think it

1209
00:53:17,280 --> 00:53:19,719
Speaker 4: could be recreated. I actually feel the same as both

1210
00:53:19,719 --> 00:53:23,520
Speaker 4: those responses. I want Raffa's last hurrah to be here

1211
00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:25,719
Speaker 4: at the French Open coming up. I think rogers moment

1212
00:53:25,760 --> 00:53:28,600
Speaker 4: was at the Labor Cup. So I am in agreement

1213
00:53:28,719 --> 00:53:31,080
Speaker 4: with Kimberly and Karen. How do you feel about this?

1214
00:53:31,440 --> 00:53:33,320
Speaker 3: I like Karen suggesting if he's going to do it,

1215
00:53:33,400 --> 00:53:36,040
Speaker 3: do it with Carlitos. So I like that as well.

1216
00:53:36,040 --> 00:53:38,479
Speaker 3: And Steve, Yes, Lefty and Ryany would be a good

1217
00:53:38,480 --> 00:53:39,719
Speaker 3: team l ol.

1218
00:53:39,920 --> 00:53:44,480
Speaker 1: Course referring to Roger and Nadal ps who would play

1219
00:53:44,920 --> 00:53:46,560
Speaker 1: with Djokovic.

1220
00:53:46,040 --> 00:53:49,600
Speaker 3: During his last match and season? Okay, so I agree.

1221
00:53:49,640 --> 00:53:51,360
Speaker 3: I don't think he should play with Novak.

1222
00:53:51,400 --> 00:53:53,920
Speaker 1: I don't think they have the friendship that clearly that

1223
00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:59,480
Speaker 1: Novak that Roger and Rafa had, so I think Rafa

1224
00:53:59,480 --> 00:54:02,239
Speaker 1: would probably be best serve, not only to finish I

1225
00:54:02,239 --> 00:54:04,520
Speaker 1: think at the Paris Olympics if he can make that,

1226
00:54:04,680 --> 00:54:07,560
Speaker 1: and clearly in Rolling Garris, because by the looks of

1227
00:54:07,560 --> 00:54:10,040
Speaker 1: the drawer, he's not gonna last very long Sam at

1228
00:54:10,080 --> 00:54:12,200
Speaker 1: the French Open, so maybe his best way to have

1229
00:54:12,239 --> 00:54:14,759
Speaker 1: the last hurrah in rolling Garris is actually.

1230
00:54:14,440 --> 00:54:16,400
Speaker 3: To have it at the Olympics. So I'd like that

1231
00:54:16,440 --> 00:54:17,439
Speaker 3: to be his last match.

1232
00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:19,480
Speaker 1: And if he is going to play labor Cup, I'd

1233
00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:21,880
Speaker 1: like to see him maybe play with someone like Carlos,

1234
00:54:21,920 --> 00:54:25,680
Speaker 1: who's looked up to him. But who would you suggest

1235
00:54:25,920 --> 00:54:27,840
Speaker 1: a Novak play play within his last match.

1236
00:54:28,400 --> 00:54:32,120
Speaker 4: Novak's a tough one, especially if Roger's gone and Rafa's gone.

1237
00:54:32,160 --> 00:54:34,839
Speaker 4: It's like Andy, whose who else is there? You could

1238
00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:38,160
Speaker 4: have Andy, you could have Waarenka. You know, when it's

1239
00:54:38,160 --> 00:54:40,400
Speaker 4: all said and done, if Novak's the guy with the

1240
00:54:40,440 --> 00:54:42,880
Speaker 4: most Grand Slams, I'd want to just see him go

1241
00:54:42,920 --> 00:54:45,000
Speaker 4: out with the parade in Serbia. It doesn't even have

1242
00:54:45,040 --> 00:54:47,040
Speaker 4: to be a tennis tournament. At that point, you know

1243
00:54:47,080 --> 00:54:49,000
Speaker 4: that the two other grades are gone. Let's just give

1244
00:54:49,040 --> 00:54:51,400
Speaker 4: Novak a parade, and that's how he can walk off

1245
00:54:51,400 --> 00:54:52,120
Speaker 4: into the sunset.

1246
00:54:52,400 --> 00:54:52,600
Speaker 3: Yeah.

1247
00:54:52,640 --> 00:54:54,520
Speaker 1: I was going to maybe suggest Gorn, but I don't

1248
00:54:54,520 --> 00:54:57,480
Speaker 1: know how much if they're on the greatest of terms

1249
00:54:57,520 --> 00:54:59,560
Speaker 1: after basically Gorn getting fired.

1250
00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:01,319
Speaker 3: So there you go.

1251
00:55:01,560 --> 00:55:03,920
Speaker 1: But yes, let's have the parade down the street in

1252
00:55:03,960 --> 00:55:04,840
Speaker 1: the streets of Serbia.

1253
00:55:04,920 --> 00:55:09,120
Speaker 3: I like that idea. Sam, You're on it all right, guys, Well,

1254
00:55:09,120 --> 00:55:09,800
Speaker 3: we have a new.

1255
00:55:09,719 --> 00:55:14,920
Speaker 1: Question we're posting on NBC Sports a Twitter or x account,

1256
00:55:15,320 --> 00:55:16,840
Speaker 1: and we're going to share it with you. Of course,

1257
00:55:16,880 --> 00:55:19,160
Speaker 1: all the responses to it in our next show. But

1258
00:55:19,280 --> 00:55:23,719
Speaker 1: here it is Serena Williams. She posted this yesterday and

1259
00:55:23,760 --> 00:55:27,080
Speaker 1: said I'm ready to hit some balls again, and you

1260
00:55:27,120 --> 00:55:30,520
Speaker 1: can imagine, Sam, I got a few text messages saying

1261
00:55:30,960 --> 00:55:35,080
Speaker 1: get in contact with her. But if Serena were to

1262
00:55:35,160 --> 00:55:38,480
Speaker 1: come back on tour, where would she be ranked?

1263
00:55:38,600 --> 00:55:40,319
Speaker 3: Here's the question for everyone out there.

1264
00:55:40,400 --> 00:55:44,680
Speaker 1: Where would she be ranked on the WTA Tour A

1265
00:55:44,800 --> 00:55:48,600
Speaker 1: rankings if she came back today? So thanks for joining

1266
00:55:48,680 --> 00:55:51,239
Speaker 1: us everyone today on the French Connection, brought to you

1267
00:55:51,320 --> 00:55:53,840
Speaker 1: by NBC Sports and Racket.

1268
00:55:53,840 --> 00:55:55,480
Speaker 3: We cannot wait for you.

1269
00:55:55,480 --> 00:55:57,879
Speaker 1: To view it and of course catch us we're going

1270
00:55:57,920 --> 00:56:02,239
Speaker 1: to drop another episode Tuesday, May twenty eighth, after the

1271
00:56:02,280 --> 00:56:05,120
Speaker 1: first round of the French Open.

1272
00:56:05,800 --> 00:56:07,160
Speaker 3: I'm going to get up. I'm going to get to

1273
00:56:07,200 --> 00:56:08,000
Speaker 3: bed early. Sam.

1274
00:56:08,040 --> 00:56:09,680
Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but we've got a lot

1275
00:56:09,719 --> 00:56:11,400
Speaker 1: of tennis to watch over the next few weeks and

1276
00:56:11,440 --> 00:56:12,279
Speaker 1: I can't wait for it.

1277
00:56:12,560 --> 00:56:14,600
Speaker 4: I'm getting to bed real early, West Coast guy. I

1278
00:56:14,680 --> 00:56:17,279
Speaker 4: got coverage thirty and I believe at two am my

1279
00:56:17,480 --> 00:56:22,279
Speaker 4: time starting this week, starting on Sunday. So I'm going

1280
00:56:22,320 --> 00:56:23,040
Speaker 4: to bed sooner.

1281
00:56:23,360 --> 00:56:25,000
Speaker 3: You know, Sam, you can, you can.

1282
00:56:25,320 --> 00:56:28,000
Speaker 1: You can record it if you really really want, and

1283
00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:30,160
Speaker 1: then wake up a little bit earlier than all of us,

1284
00:56:30,280 --> 00:56:32,680
Speaker 1: but you just can't look at the phone to see

1285
00:56:32,719 --> 00:56:33,400
Speaker 1: any results.

1286
00:56:33,640 --> 00:56:35,440
Speaker 3: But anyway, all right, guys, we're so looking.

1287
00:56:35,280 --> 00:56:37,279
Speaker 1: Forward to you joining us on our next episode. And

1288
00:56:37,320 --> 00:56:39,640
Speaker 1: thanks for joining us today, and thanks of course to

1289
00:56:39,719 --> 00:56:40,560
Speaker 1: Jessica for your