WEBVTT - Drug Suspensions, Wildcards and Breakthroughs 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:16.439 Hi everybody, and welcome to the Renee Stubs Tennis Podcast. 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:18.800 It is truly the Renee Stubs Tennis podcast this week 0:00:18.840 --> 0:00:23.320 because it's just me gallivanting around in Spain. Is Caitlin 0:00:23.600 --> 0:00:25.799 and she's having a good old time over there doing 0:00:25.840 --> 0:00:27.920 the things that she loves to do, which is play 0:00:27.960 --> 0:00:33.000 on clay play in Europe. Pretend she's Spanish and she's 0:00:33.040 --> 0:00:35.800 having a good old time over there. So happy for her. 0:00:36.040 --> 0:00:38.239 But in the meantime, we've got to do this podcast 0:00:38.280 --> 0:00:42.559 because the people expect the pod and there's a lot 0:00:42.600 --> 0:00:45.480 to talk about. Clearly, certainly on the women's side, there's 0:00:45.479 --> 0:00:46.839 a lot to talk about. But I'm going to get 0:00:46.840 --> 0:00:49.120 to that story in a minute. I'm also going to 0:00:49.120 --> 0:00:52.120 get to readers questions because I know that you guys 0:00:52.120 --> 0:00:54.640 send in a bunch of questions on the tweet out 0:00:54.640 --> 0:00:56.880 that I did last week, so I appreciate you all 0:00:57.360 --> 0:00:59.560 writing those questions, and we'll get to those at the 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:02.800 end of the But let's get into the crux of 0:01:02.960 --> 0:01:07.440 the last week in the women's and men's world of tennis. 0:01:08.040 --> 0:01:09.840 I want to start by giving a huge shout out 0:01:09.840 --> 0:01:13.679 to Francis Tfo. Great job, FO, what an amazing effort 0:01:14.240 --> 0:01:16.640 to finally get you know, that kind of a win 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:21.160 under your belt, to beat someone like Taylor Fritz in 0:01:21.160 --> 0:01:23.440 the final, who you know, through the years, you've had 0:01:23.480 --> 0:01:26.800 some tough losses against and nice to see Taylor also 0:01:26.800 --> 0:01:30.080 get to the final. You know, over the years, Taylor 0:01:30.120 --> 0:01:33.200 has sort of gotten the best of Francis in some 0:01:33.240 --> 0:01:36.399 of these bigger matches. Also, Taylor has been struggling with 0:01:36.400 --> 0:01:40.039 his own injuries of late, and I feel like, and 0:01:40.080 --> 0:01:43.160 I've been talking about this for quite some time over 0:01:43.200 --> 0:01:45.920 the last twelve well certainly the past six months, is 0:01:45.920 --> 0:01:49.440 that Taylor needs, you know, a little bit more match play. 0:01:49.480 --> 0:01:51.120 He needs to get fitter, he needs to get into 0:01:51.120 --> 0:01:53.320 that position where he feels like he can trust his knee, 0:01:53.960 --> 0:01:56.120 and it looks like that's starting to happen, which is 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:57.600 really nice to see. And I feel like it's a 0:01:57.640 --> 0:02:00.840 good build up for him coming into Wimbledon. But just 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:03.480 super happy for Francis, you know, to get the win 0:02:03.600 --> 0:02:07.960 for him his first five hundred on the tour, which 0:02:08.080 --> 0:02:12.959 was really great, and particularly after the loss that he 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:17.000 sustained in Paris when he lost to Analdi, where he 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:19.520 was you know, it looked like it was absolutely said 0:02:19.520 --> 0:02:22.080 and done, there's no chance that he was going to lose, 0:02:22.120 --> 0:02:25.600 and then unfortunately for Francis, he found a way to lose, 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:29.040 and that sort of wears on you a little bit 0:02:29.040 --> 0:02:32.480 as a player. And to bounce back this well and 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:35.400 get the job done in Hulla is just testament to 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:38.799 his you know, his work ethic, what he's done, the 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:41.320 work that he's put in to win these tournaments, and 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:44.320 you know, his new coaching team that has been around 0:02:44.400 --> 0:02:49.000 him now for a little while, and so just really 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:51.160 pleased that he was able to put the disappointment of 0:02:51.160 --> 0:02:53.280 Paris behind him and get on with it and play 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:57.600 as well as he did in Hulla. So huge props, 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:01.720 really great Hopefully he can bring that sort of momentum 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:08.520 and you know, just absolute confidence of coming into Wimbledon, 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:11.200 where I know he can do well. He can play 0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:15.200 well in grass and it's nice to see him doing well. 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:17.239 And you know, to be in another American in the 0:03:17.280 --> 0:03:20.280 final is never easy. And also for Taylor, great job 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:22.280 making the finals. Of course, a huge win in the 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:27.800 semifinals against Alex Ozverev, certainly in Germany. To do that 0:03:27.919 --> 0:03:31.120 and beating him seven, five and third, this bodes well 0:03:31.200 --> 0:03:34.359 for Taylor, because one of the things about Taylor that 0:03:34.400 --> 0:03:36.440 I've been discussing all year is just the lack of 0:03:36.560 --> 0:03:39.520 sort of fitness and his ability to hang in the 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:41.840 matches due to that knee injury that he sustained at 0:03:41.840 --> 0:03:44.080 the sort of end of last year beginning of this year. 0:03:44.760 --> 0:03:48.960 And Taylor needs to be able to sort of you know, 0:03:49.000 --> 0:03:50.920 somebody said something about him being soft a couple of 0:03:50.920 --> 0:03:53.000 weeks ago. I'm like, he is so far from soft. 0:03:53.360 --> 0:03:55.960 This guy. His locker room reputation is that he will 0:03:56.000 --> 0:03:58.440 go for days on a court, and he proved that 0:03:58.480 --> 0:04:01.000 in that semifinals, you know, almost three hour match, two 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:03.880 hours and forty minutes I think it was, and against 0:04:03.920 --> 0:04:06.360 the German crowd, against Alex vere who comes in with 0:04:06.480 --> 0:04:09.440 obviously tons of confidence after winning the French So for me, 0:04:09.600 --> 0:04:12.560 for Taylor to get that win was really fantastic. Maybe 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:14.480 he just had run out of legs in the final. 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:18.599 Francis won his semi final very comfortably against Altmeyer, and 0:04:18.680 --> 0:04:22.920 so Francis clearly goes into the final feeling really pretty fresh. 0:04:23.120 --> 0:04:26.839 Although I mean to get through the match against Felix 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:29.720 aguer Alisim in the quarters was quite the epic match. 0:04:29.720 --> 0:04:31.240 It was only two and a half hours, but the 0:04:31.279 --> 0:04:34.840 amount of match points that France has saved in that match, 0:04:34.880 --> 0:04:37.640 he has to feel like when he got through that match, 0:04:37.680 --> 0:04:41.640 and you do feel like this is a player you're like, oh, 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:43.960 I mean I'm playing with house money now. I mean 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:46.960 I should have been out of here. So, you know, 0:04:47.160 --> 0:04:51.080 just some really great wins from Taylor and and from 0:04:51.160 --> 0:04:54.200 Francis throughout the week. Taylor beating Ben Shelton seven six 0:04:54.240 --> 0:04:57.159 and the third. I mean there were some unbelievable matches 0:04:57.200 --> 0:05:00.640 in Hlla, Altmeyer beating Medvede have six to four in 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:02.720 the third. It was just it was just great match 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:06.000 after great match after great match. So super happy for 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:09.840 Francis to you know, get that five hundred title under 0:05:09.839 --> 0:05:12.680 his belt and he is to come into Wimbledon feeling 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:15.599 really really good about himself and that is only a 0:05:15.600 --> 0:05:18.120 good thing for tennis in general, because we know how 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:21.680 exciting Francis is to watch play. So huge Bratz, big Fox, 0:05:21.960 --> 0:05:25.239 really happy for your mate. That's just an excellent, excellent 0:05:25.279 --> 0:05:28.120 week for you and your team. So well done. Of course, 0:05:28.160 --> 0:05:31.240 on the wimmerside, what in the hell is going on? 0:05:31.920 --> 0:05:35.000 I mean again the Hunger Games, well you could say 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:36.400 the men's was a bit of a hunger games as 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:40.320 well and Halla, but you know, again noscover biggest win 0:05:40.400 --> 0:05:43.159 of a career. Congratulations to her. She's now inside the 0:05:43.200 --> 0:05:47.040 top ten the WTA. She takes out Jess Pergola in 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:51.719 the final. What an effort from her, especially after you 0:05:51.720 --> 0:05:54.520 know Jess Pagoula has, you know, finally gets that win 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:57.880 over Sablenka. You think she's going to go in the 0:05:57.920 --> 0:06:00.600 final with all this confidence and she's gonna win the tournament, 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:03.520 and she's won so many tournaments in her career comparative 0:06:03.560 --> 0:06:06.760 to Noskova, But Noscova just gets the job done. I mean, 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:12.400 what an effort. Just big ball striker, huge serve when 0:06:12.440 --> 0:06:15.360 it's on. And let me tell you something, no one's 0:06:15.360 --> 0:06:17.640 going to want to play her at Wimbledon because of 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:20.880 the way she plays. These chech players. They know how 0:06:20.960 --> 0:06:23.040 to move forward, they know how to hit a flat ball, 0:06:23.080 --> 0:06:24.839 they know how to hit a big ball and grass, 0:06:25.279 --> 0:06:28.360 and she proved it by winning this tournament. What an 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:32.760 awesome week for her. Great for Jess. She's one of 0:06:32.760 --> 0:06:35.359 my favorites at Wimbledon, and I talked about that prior 0:06:35.480 --> 0:06:37.400 to this when she lost early at the French Open. 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:40.200 I was like, it's kind of a blessing in disguise sometimes, 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:44.120 especially as someone who doesn't really love the clay, to 0:06:44.320 --> 0:06:47.000 get sort of an early start on the grass, and 0:06:47.520 --> 0:06:50.760 Jess certainly took advantage of that by playing as well 0:06:50.760 --> 0:06:53.800 as she did. But there is massive, massive question marks 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:56.560 on Sabolenka and Rebukin are coming into Wimbledon. These are 0:06:56.560 --> 0:07:01.280 two players that, without question are going to be betting 0:07:01.320 --> 0:07:06.760 favorites to win Wimbledon. Sabal Anca, Rebakina, Pergula. You have 0:07:06.800 --> 0:07:09.280 to put she on tech In there's defending champion. We'll 0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:11.200 see how she does in bud Hamburg this week and 0:07:11.200 --> 0:07:13.360 how she looks on the grass. But you know, grass 0:07:13.360 --> 0:07:15.480 and bud Humburg slightly different. I mean it's supposed to 0:07:15.480 --> 0:07:17.040 be the same because it was laid down by the 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:19.160 All England Club, but I just feel like there's no 0:07:19.240 --> 0:07:22.920 grass quite like Wimbledon, and no grasscourt really plays like Wimbledon. 0:07:23.160 --> 0:07:25.360 Wembledon feels a little bit more like a hard court. 0:07:25.360 --> 0:07:28.040 Certainly with the heat we're having in London this week, 0:07:28.120 --> 0:07:29.880 that's how it's going to play a little bit next week, 0:07:29.960 --> 0:07:32.480 although it's going to get very a lot cooler next 0:07:32.480 --> 0:07:35.360 week here at Wimbledon. But for the players that hit 0:07:35.400 --> 0:07:37.760 a big ball, they're going to love these conditions because 0:07:37.760 --> 0:07:41.200 it's fast and it's good. But as I said, cool 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:43.800 at temperatures will prevail next week in the first week 0:07:43.800 --> 0:07:47.200 at Wimbledon. But Noskover, I don't know what it is 0:07:47.240 --> 0:07:49.280 and what they put in the water in the Czech Republic, 0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:52.920 but or chechia whatever they're calling it now. I spoke 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:54.440 to a check player last week and they're like, I 0:07:54.440 --> 0:07:56.000 don't know why we changed it at check e ELP, 0:07:56.080 --> 0:07:59.240 so just doesn't make sense anyway, I will say they're 0:07:59.240 --> 0:08:02.600 from the Czech Republic. And so for Niskova, that was 0:08:02.680 --> 0:08:04.360 just a hell of an effort to get through the week. 0:08:04.400 --> 0:08:07.200 And you saw when she won the match how delighted 0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:11.400 she was and huge congrats to her. Okay, everyone, Well, 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:13.640 let's get to the biggest story over the last twenty 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:15.720 four hours in the tennis world, and that is, of course, 0:08:15.760 --> 0:08:18.800 the acceptance of the wild cut from Serena Williams to 0:08:19.000 --> 0:08:22.120 play in the singles draw at Wimbledon. Huge news that 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:24.800 she's chosen to accept this wild card and have an 0:08:24.840 --> 0:08:29.480 opportunity again to play on the courts at Wimbledon, the 0:08:29.560 --> 0:08:33.280 fans are going to be given a treat to be 0:08:33.320 --> 0:08:35.800 able to watch arguably the greatest female tennis player of 0:08:35.840 --> 0:08:39.439 all time come back onto the Orleans Club lawn and 0:08:40.080 --> 0:08:45.920 give them a show. And I'm excited clearly being a 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:48.920 part of her coaching team, there's no secrets here from 0:08:48.960 --> 0:08:51.280 my standpoint, and she's been working her tail off to 0:08:51.320 --> 0:08:53.920 get here. She's been doing everything she can to be 0:08:54.200 --> 0:08:56.280 as ready as possible. Clearly, she would have loved to 0:08:56.280 --> 0:08:57.920 have had a lot more matches under a belt in 0:08:57.960 --> 0:09:02.679 the doubles, but for since circumstances like sadly Vicky Ambocco's 0:09:02.920 --> 0:09:07.840 injury in Queen's and then the first round loss in Berlin, 0:09:08.040 --> 0:09:09.679 she would have loved to have had more matches under 0:09:09.679 --> 0:09:11.600 a belt. But you know, since then, she's been putting 0:09:11.600 --> 0:09:13.560 the work in on the practice court, and you know, 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:15.040 someone like her is not going to accept a wild 0:09:15.080 --> 0:09:17.520 cut if she doesn't feel like she can compete. And 0:09:17.559 --> 0:09:21.240 so I think, you know, for the fans of that 0:09:21.440 --> 0:09:24.720 have tickets to Wimbledon, I think it's an incredible opportunity 0:09:24.800 --> 0:09:27.840 to see, you know, the greatest female tennis player with 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:30.199 all of the records out there one more time playing 0:09:30.480 --> 0:09:33.520 and I'm excited for it clearly, And you know, I 0:09:33.559 --> 0:09:36.360 think that any great player that wants to come back 0:09:36.400 --> 0:09:39.120 and give their all. And you know, as I'm doing 0:09:39.120 --> 0:09:42.880 this podcast, you know, interestingly enough, her oldest sister, Venus Williams, 0:09:42.960 --> 0:09:46.160 is competing big time in bud Humburg. She hasn't played 0:09:46.160 --> 0:09:48.960 a lot of matches over the last few months, you know, 0:09:49.000 --> 0:09:51.680 has lost you know, first rounds of a few tournaments. 0:09:51.760 --> 0:09:55.400 But put her on grass and she's competing currently playing 0:09:55.960 --> 0:09:58.679 Begu at four to three in the third and by 0:09:58.720 --> 0:10:01.120 the time this pod finishes, I'll know the result of that. 0:10:01.720 --> 0:10:04.480 So you can never count a great player and a 0:10:04.480 --> 0:10:07.760 great champion down. And you certainly cannot count somebody who 0:10:07.800 --> 0:10:10.880 plays as well on grass as Venus and of course 0:10:11.000 --> 0:10:14.199 Serena on grass, and with their serves, with their ability 0:10:14.200 --> 0:10:17.120 to return the ball, their movements still at their age 0:10:17.160 --> 0:10:20.160 is pretty pretty incredible. So as far as I'm concerned, 0:10:20.160 --> 0:10:22.480 Serena's put the work in. She's doing everything she can 0:10:22.520 --> 0:10:24.600 to be prepared for her match on Monday or Tuesday, 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:28.760 whenever that day comes. And you know, I hope that 0:10:28.800 --> 0:10:33.480 the tennis world appreciates it and recognizes the amount of 0:10:34.000 --> 0:10:36.960 work that's going to be going into her being prepared 0:10:37.000 --> 0:10:39.720 for that first round. I'll give you a little insight, 0:10:39.880 --> 0:10:42.120 like being on the practice court with her and seeing 0:10:42.120 --> 0:10:43.600 her in the gym and doing all the work, and 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:47.280 she's in a really great place. She's super happy, and 0:10:48.120 --> 0:10:51.120 you know, this is a moment that she's been thinking 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:53.040 about clearly over the last few months, and so for 0:10:53.080 --> 0:10:55.800 her to make this decision, it's great. And I think 0:10:55.840 --> 0:10:57.240 the greats when they want to come back. I mean, 0:10:57.240 --> 0:10:59.880 imagine if Tiger Woods said in a year's time, after 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:01.880 everything that's happened to him in the last like four 0:11:01.920 --> 0:11:04.920 to five years, with these accidents and shit that hit 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:07.480 the fan with his life, It's like if he got 0:11:07.559 --> 0:11:10.559 himself sober and he got himself together and he decided 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:13.760 to take a wild carter an acceptance into playing the Masters. 0:11:13.840 --> 0:11:15.079 You think people are going to be like, no, he 0:11:15.080 --> 0:11:16.800 shouldn't be doing that, he shouldn't be taking it, and 0:11:16.800 --> 0:11:21.120 blah blah blah. It's like, listen, the greats don't try 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:23.880 to play unless they feel like they can compete. And 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:26.960 so as far as Serena is concerned, she's going to 0:11:27.000 --> 0:11:30.440 start walk on that court and want to compete and 0:11:30.480 --> 0:11:32.560 play her best. And I think that the tennis world 0:11:32.559 --> 0:11:34.320 and the fans of Wimbledon and the people watching on 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:37.560 TV should be beside themselves with knowing that they have 0:11:37.600 --> 0:11:39.960 an opportunity to see her play one more time on 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:42.959 the grass at Wimbledon. And as we speak, Venus Williams 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:47.080 currently up five to three and the third against Begu 0:11:47.360 --> 0:11:50.920 and so don't count out the great champions as particularly 0:11:50.960 --> 0:11:53.000 the ones that love to play on grass, as both 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:55.320 those two do, and of course they will be playing 0:11:55.360 --> 0:12:00.520 doubles as well. So I'm super happy. I think everyone's 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:03.679 excited about it and we'll see what happens. Also today 0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:08.160 in the news, tough news really from my standpoint, ma 0:12:08.240 --> 0:12:14.760 ketv Androsova band for four years from the tour, guys, 0:12:14.800 --> 0:12:17.320 I just don't know how I feel about this. You know, 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:19.040 she didn't want to do the test. There was all 0:12:19.040 --> 0:12:22.560 this circumstances around why she didn't want to do the test. 0:12:23.320 --> 0:12:26.839 But I just I just four years. I just I 0:12:26.960 --> 0:12:29.240 just don't know. I just don't know how I feel 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:33.560 about this. I mean, I know Marketta, I've been around 0:12:33.600 --> 0:12:35.960 her a lot. She just seems the last person in 0:12:36.000 --> 0:12:40.040 the world that would take anything to enhance her performance. Seriously, 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:46.240 I feel so indifferent about this. It just feels so heavy, 0:12:46.480 --> 0:12:49.760 and four years it's just it's a lot. That's a 0:12:49.800 --> 0:12:53.480 life sentence in terms of a tennis player. You know, 0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:55.560 when you think about what's happened over the last few 0:12:55.640 --> 0:12:59.400 years and you think about this girl, her reputation is 0:12:59.480 --> 0:13:04.400 just ruined because of this. Her career is essentially probably 0:13:04.480 --> 0:13:06.280 over because of this. I mean, four years is just 0:13:06.320 --> 0:13:09.080 a death sentence in a professional tennis world, you know, 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:12.360 and that on that subject, you know, I just saw 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:15.960 Max Pressell, for example, just came back after his drugs 0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:19.880 suspension and won his first doubles tournament in Japan as a 0:13:19.800 --> 0:13:22.520 smaller challenger. So I was super happy to see Max, 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:25.440 you know, win there and come back and prove that 0:13:25.480 --> 0:13:28.520 he can still play. And that's really nice to see. 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:30.760 And I'll be happy to see how he does over 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:32.680 the next couple of months. Clearly, you know, this guy 0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:35.319 has done more really well in doubles. He's won multiple 0:13:35.320 --> 0:13:41.640 Grand Slams, so hopefully hopefully he can find you know, 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:44.360 his form at the bigger tournaments. That will take time, 0:13:44.480 --> 0:13:47.200 I suspect, But at the same time, I'm just you know, 0:13:47.240 --> 0:13:50.800 super happy for him, but really hard to imagine that 0:13:51.840 --> 0:13:55.040 things could get any worse for Marketa Vandrosova after hearing 0:13:55.440 --> 0:13:58.080 that news, I'm just I'm really I'm pretty devastated for 0:13:58.120 --> 0:14:01.240 her because I just feel like it's just four years. 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.280 Is just it's just ridiculous from missing a test. I 0:14:04.440 --> 0:14:06.960 just I don't know, I don't know. I mean, I'm 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:08.839 really interested to see how you all feel about it, 0:14:08.880 --> 0:14:10.960 and I'm sure you'll let me know clearly by telling me, 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:13.720 but I just I don't know, I don't know how 0:14:13.720 --> 0:14:15.360 I feel about it. So let me know how you 0:14:15.400 --> 0:14:17.160 all feel about it, because for me, I just feel 0:14:17.160 --> 0:14:19.960 like it's just it's just too long. It's just too long. 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:22.400 I think you should be two years max. That's the 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:24.920 max it should be for something like that. That anyway, 0:14:25.200 --> 0:14:27.040 all right, guys, we're going to take a short break 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:29.160 and we're going to come back after that, and I'm 0:14:29.160 --> 0:14:32.360 going to get to your reader questions and so come 0:14:32.360 --> 0:14:49.160 back and join me after the break. Okay, Okay, hi everybody, 0:14:49.160 --> 0:14:51.960 and welcome back. Okay, it's time to get to your questions. 0:14:51.960 --> 0:14:54.400 And actually, you you asked me so many questions last 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:55.720 week that I didn't get to all of them, so 0:14:55.720 --> 0:14:57.880 I'm going to go through them all this week. So 0:14:58.000 --> 0:15:02.560 let's get to Susan Clapp. Susan, Yes, Susan, you made 0:15:02.600 --> 0:15:04.640 it in time. You did right that you were too late, 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:07.720 but this time I'm still here for you, all right, Susan. 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:11.000 How do you believe players social media accounts impact their 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:16.400 tennis positives negatives? Well, Susan, I think it affects them 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:19.200 more than you realize. I certainly know from players that 0:15:19.200 --> 0:15:21.640 have put out things on Instagram when it's certainly it 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:23.760 usually comes from people that are betting on tennis and 0:15:23.800 --> 0:15:27.840 they write some horrible, horrible comments to players on tour, 0:15:28.040 --> 0:15:30.560 and I just think that is such bullshit. I think 0:15:30.600 --> 0:15:32.720 if you're betting on tennis or a sports, if you 0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:37.560 think going after an athlete or you know, a tennis player, 0:15:37.680 --> 0:15:40.240 especially a lot of them are younger, you just need 0:15:40.280 --> 0:15:42.520 to get a life. And also, I just feel like 0:15:42.760 --> 0:15:44.760 a lot of players have so much stress on them 0:15:44.800 --> 0:15:46.720 they don't need to be looking at social media. But 0:15:46.760 --> 0:15:49.120 it's really hard, especially these young players that are on 0:15:49.520 --> 0:15:52.360 you know, Instagram and all these social media sides and 0:15:52.400 --> 0:15:54.080 TikTok and all that sort of stuff. So I do 0:15:54.120 --> 0:15:56.640 think it impacts them slightly. I mean, probably the most 0:15:56.680 --> 0:15:59.040 famous of that is when Coca Goff decided when she 0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:00.840 won the US Open to sort of saying to all 0:16:00.840 --> 0:16:03.320 the haters out there. I was like, oh boy, you know, 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:06.280 so she's clearly reading those messages as well. So I 0:16:06.320 --> 0:16:08.680 think it does affect them in some way. But you know, 0:16:08.760 --> 0:16:10.720 if I was advising any of them, I would probably 0:16:10.720 --> 0:16:16.040 say stay away from social media. Okay, Bence, what's Serena's 0:16:16.040 --> 0:16:19.120 plan for the US Open? Swing? Bence? Everything is weak 0:16:19.120 --> 0:16:21.520 to week, so I have no idea, and I'm really 0:16:21.600 --> 0:16:25.280 being honest when I answered that question, So sorry, I 0:16:25.320 --> 0:16:28.440 don't have anything more for you. Okay. L J. Goston. 0:16:28.720 --> 0:16:30.760 It seems like there are a lot of injuries during 0:16:30.760 --> 0:16:33.760 clay and grass season. What steps do the players have 0:16:33.840 --> 0:16:36.440 to take to adjust from clay to grass. Are there's 0:16:36.440 --> 0:16:39.400 specific training methods to players use or should use to 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:44.400 avoid injuries that are unique or unnecessarily unnecessary for hard courts. 0:16:45.080 --> 0:16:47.920 What a great question. First of all, yes, there is 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:53.920 so much dynamic difference to footwork and how you place 0:16:53.960 --> 0:16:57.080 your feet, how you slide on clay, how and actually 0:16:57.160 --> 0:16:59.280 a lot of players, even Janick Sinna said that he 0:16:59.360 --> 0:17:01.320 tried to sort of move on grass a certain way, 0:17:01.360 --> 0:17:03.200 and then he started realizing that, you know, I can 0:17:03.240 --> 0:17:05.600 slide on grass. So one on I slide instead of 0:17:05.640 --> 0:17:08.199 trying to plant his foot because he's so tall, he 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:10.159 finds it easier to slide on the grass. And so 0:17:10.240 --> 0:17:12.280 if you can do that, then good luck. I mean, 0:17:12.600 --> 0:17:15.360 that's not easy to do, but these players do adjust 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:17.520 a lot of things that are different about clay is 0:17:17.520 --> 0:17:19.640 that when you slide, it's a lot easier on your body, 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:21.480 which is why I like to play on clay now 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:24.720 over hardcore, because I can slide into the ball rather 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:27.440 than plant and run, and you know that's quite abrasive 0:17:27.440 --> 0:17:29.800 on your body. But on grass you have to be 0:17:29.960 --> 0:17:32.240 lighter on your feet. On clay you can slide into 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:34.800 the ball. You know, you can really run really hard 0:17:34.800 --> 0:17:36.879 to the ball and slide into the shot, whereas on 0:17:36.920 --> 0:17:39.119 clay you have to run hard, but you have to 0:17:39.160 --> 0:17:41.800 be really careful how you place your feet. You have 0:17:41.880 --> 0:17:44.280 to sort of put the foot in a different position. 0:17:44.400 --> 0:17:47.720 You have to plant it differently. Your butt is used more, 0:17:47.480 --> 0:17:50.919 your groin is used more. You're using more power, and 0:17:50.960 --> 0:17:53.480 you know in your legs a little bit differently to 0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:55.160 what you're doing on clay. You can be a little 0:17:55.160 --> 0:17:57.840 bit more upright on clay than on grass. You've got 0:17:57.880 --> 0:17:59.840 to be lower. There's so many little intricate things that 0:17:59.840 --> 0:18:01.480 you can do in the gym to make you better 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:04.159 at that, and clearly on the court also, you can 0:18:04.200 --> 0:18:06.480 do things on the court and practice it with your coaches, 0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:08.199 and in the gym you can simulate as much as 0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:10.760 you can. But in the end, you have to just 0:18:10.920 --> 0:18:15.520 be very conscious when you're on grass to not push 0:18:15.840 --> 0:18:18.080 really hard on the outside of your foot. And that's 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:20.359 what you know. We saw with Vicki Embocco for example. 0:18:20.400 --> 0:18:22.840 She was running one direction, tried to change direction and 0:18:22.920 --> 0:18:25.520 her feet went from under her. Because the little stubby 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:27.399 things on the bottom of your grasscots shoes, you have 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:29.679 to get them to grip on the grass and sometimes 0:18:29.880 --> 0:18:32.040 you just don't quite catch that, and that's where you 0:18:32.080 --> 0:18:34.880 see the slipping. And so you will see that first 0:18:34.920 --> 0:18:37.040 one unders who at Wibledon. You will see it throughout 0:18:37.640 --> 0:18:40.040 and players have to be really smart about how they 0:18:40.119 --> 0:18:43.640 move on grass compared to other surfaces. And I always say, 0:18:43.680 --> 0:18:47.399 twinkle toes, twinkle toes on grass. Okay, Nebi, what do 0:18:47.440 --> 0:18:49.080 you think of the claim that grass is not a 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:51.920 surface suited to the modern game. Are we seeing increased 0:18:51.960 --> 0:18:55.760 injury risk or grass compared to before. Absolutely not. There's 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:58.960 as much risk now as there was before. Because players 0:18:58.960 --> 0:19:01.400 are serving in bowling, they were planning their feet, they 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:04.399 were still moving on the baseline. Nothing's changed other than 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:06.240 the fact that maybe the points are a little bit 0:19:06.280 --> 0:19:09.119 more aggressive. But these players are so good now that 0:19:09.200 --> 0:19:11.119 they have to adjust. I mean, how many times did 0:19:11.160 --> 0:19:14.560 she Roger Federer fall over on grass? Not many times? Why? 0:19:14.680 --> 0:19:16.600 Because he knew how to move on grass. He was 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:19.359 light on his feet, he knew how to sort of 0:19:19.400 --> 0:19:21.479 like plant the foot. You just have to learn how 0:19:21.520 --> 0:19:23.040 to move on grass. I was a player that really 0:19:23.080 --> 0:19:24.959 felt comfortable on grass. I did not fall a lot 0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:28.720 on grass, and so you just have to adjust how 0:19:28.760 --> 0:19:31.919 you move. And no, I don't think that. I mean 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:34.880 they've changed the grass to suit players from the baseline. 0:19:34.920 --> 0:19:36.639 So no, I don't want to see any changes. And 0:19:36.680 --> 0:19:40.000 I don't think the modern game is affected by playing 0:19:40.000 --> 0:19:43.639 on grass. Okay, Nancy, Yes, what's Coco's plan back to 0:19:43.680 --> 0:19:46.320 her winning form? Honestly, I think she should travel with 0:19:46.359 --> 0:19:48.399 her mum and a physio and shut off all the 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:51.119 serve and technique stuff let her get back to playing 0:19:51.119 --> 0:19:54.680 more freely. Well, that's an interesting way of putting it, Nancy, 0:19:54.920 --> 0:19:57.639 Oh my god, Like I am. I was going to say, 0:19:57.640 --> 0:20:01.600 I'm over talking about Coco and her you so, all 0:20:01.640 --> 0:20:03.480 the things that she does well and doesn't do well, 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:05.840 because it's like it seems like every week we're sort 0:20:05.880 --> 0:20:08.439 of picking on her. I don't know the answer to that, 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:11.000 you know, I really don't. I don't know what they're 0:20:11.040 --> 0:20:13.359