WEBVTT - What Are We Doing Here? 0:00:14.640 --> 0:00:20.000 It's a recording and progress, ah, recording is in progress. Okay, well, everybody, 0:00:20.000 --> 0:00:22.520 welcome to the renew Subcenters podcast. And I'm joined by 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:28.240 my usual cohort, Caitlin Thompson. Because I am still in Australia. Yes, 0:00:28.280 --> 0:00:31.240 I know people are wondering have I moved back permanently? 0:00:31.560 --> 0:00:33.600 And let me tell you something. With what's going on 0:00:33.640 --> 0:00:37.600 in the United States, my passport back here is looking 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:39.760 pretty good. I'm gonna I'm not gonna lie. And it's 0:00:39.800 --> 0:00:42.320 been good to be here throughout it all. And every 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:45.519 now and again something comes up on my computer, on 0:00:45.560 --> 0:00:47.800 my phone or with the people that i'm my best 0:00:47.800 --> 0:00:50.320 friend who I'm staying with, her husband comes up and says, 0:00:50.440 --> 0:00:52.879 Jesus Christ, your ages. You see what happened today? Anyway, 0:00:53.320 --> 0:00:56.960 Joined by Caitlin Thompson. Caitlin, good day, mate, gooday. 0:00:57.160 --> 0:01:00.040 I've also been on the road a little bit and 0:00:59.880 --> 0:01:01.960 I have managed to leave the country and I thought 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:03.160 should I just stay here? 0:01:03.240 --> 0:01:06.960 And I have to say I contemplated it for a minute. 0:01:07.920 --> 0:01:12.480 I'm sure I did. Anyway, It's it's scary what's happening 0:01:12.880 --> 0:01:15.440 the fact that the president might himself the president today 0:01:15.440 --> 0:01:19.240 of the Kennedy Center just because he can. Is hilarious 0:01:19.240 --> 0:01:19.559 to make. 0:01:19.560 --> 0:01:23.280 Bud is we can uh just do whatever we want now. 0:01:23.319 --> 0:01:25.720 So you want to call it the Gulf of America, 0:01:25.920 --> 0:01:27.400 I think we should call it the Golf of Tennis. 0:01:27.560 --> 0:01:27.760 Mom. 0:01:27.920 --> 0:01:30.560 Also the president of Kennedy Center, re Nice Stubs, is 0:01:30.560 --> 0:01:31.720 now the president of Tennis. 0:01:31.760 --> 0:01:33.880 Like we can just get it. No, we do whatever 0:01:33.880 --> 0:01:34.400 we want now. 0:01:34.440 --> 0:01:37.479 Great, I'm not paying a taxes and I'm going to 0:01:37.480 --> 0:01:40.680 be the chancellor of sport. 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:44.399 Chancellor sports? What would I be? 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:47.160 Vice Chancellor of sport? 0:01:47.640 --> 0:01:49.800 What the president? 0:01:51.720 --> 0:01:53.400 Because I thought of it. We have so much to 0:01:53.440 --> 0:01:53.919 talk about. 0:01:54.680 --> 0:01:59.000 Australian Open has only been done for a few days 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:03.760 and we've already had tournaments few weeks over the last 0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:08.120 week or two. We had a tournament in Dallas. This 0:02:08.400 --> 0:02:13.760 was phenomenally entertaining. We had a tournament in two in 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:14.360 the Middle East. 0:02:14.400 --> 0:02:17.440 Going on, talk us through some of the stuff that 0:02:17.440 --> 0:02:17.960 you've been seeing. 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:21.520 Carlitos al Karaz got his first tittle of the seasons. 0:02:22.160 --> 0:02:26.560 Love came back, Beatsala does love Chapeau coming back? 0:02:26.600 --> 0:02:27.760 Man, what a great comeback. 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:29.640 Give me your thoughts on it, because I'll be honest, 0:02:29.680 --> 0:02:31.640 I didn't watch a lot of it, just because you know, 0:02:31.680 --> 0:02:34.960 while I'm Australia. While I'm here in Australia, I try 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:37.280 and like switch off from watching a lot of tennis. 0:02:37.320 --> 0:02:40.680 Even though I have the Renae Substams podcast. I'm more 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:44.880 inclined to talk about our listeners writing into us today 0:02:44.960 --> 0:02:47.880 on the old Socials. But I want your thoughts on 0:02:48.480 --> 0:02:51.920 basically what you saw from those guys, especially Carlos. I 0:02:51.919 --> 0:02:54.920 mean to do and to win that tournament indoors. He 0:02:55.000 --> 0:02:57.160 had a really tough tournament. He was able to do it. 0:02:57.520 --> 0:03:00.120 That's got to even give him a ton of common EID. 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:02.359 It's going into these big tournaments in Indian Wells. 0:03:02.120 --> 0:03:05.440 And Miami totally and you know, obviously he's on hard court. 0:03:05.480 --> 0:03:08.240 We saw him win the Surface Slams last year. 0:03:09.480 --> 0:03:10.320 Little known fact. 0:03:10.400 --> 0:03:13.560 I think Carlos's first title came indoors on hardcourt, did 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:16.200 it not. He's actually got quite a resume on indoor 0:03:16.240 --> 0:03:18.000 hard courts, and it's nice to kind of see him 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:21.160 prepping for this swing of the season that's going to 0:03:21.240 --> 0:03:24.680 be outdoors, but yes, on hard courts. It had been 0:03:24.720 --> 0:03:27.480 a minute since he won a sort of flashy title. 0:03:27.520 --> 0:03:28.960 I loved it. I have a lot of thoughts about 0:03:28.960 --> 0:03:29.680 the nose strip. 0:03:30.200 --> 0:03:32.920 I love that he's wearing a nose strip. You know, listen, 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:35.800 we're all trying to optimize. I started wearing mouth tape 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:38.120 at night, and kaspar UD's wearing a no strip and 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:40.200 he gets to the finals of Dallas. So coincidence, I 0:03:40.240 --> 0:03:42.440 don't know. But maybe we should be doing this podcast 0:03:42.440 --> 0:03:43.120 with no strips. 0:03:43.640 --> 0:03:45.520 I mean, maybe we should. I mean that's just like 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:48.440 that as an indicator for all of us that we 0:03:48.520 --> 0:03:50.360 all need to breathe a little bit better. But I mean, 0:03:50.400 --> 0:03:52.640 he came into the tournament not feeling well. So but 0:03:52.680 --> 0:03:56.480 he's done not a few times now. But for me, 0:03:56.760 --> 0:03:59.160 it's good for him because it started to be a 0:03:59.160 --> 0:04:01.040 little bit on now. He's done well on hardcot, he's 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:03.760 won the US Open, he's won indoor titles before, et cetera. 0:04:03.840 --> 0:04:05.760 But it was starting to get to the point where, 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:09.440 you know, is his game going to hold up through 0:04:09.720 --> 0:04:13.000 the next you know, ten, twelve, fifteen, hopefully twenty years 0:04:14.320 --> 0:04:17.200 playing indoors on fast courts, and he proved to everybody 0:04:17.200 --> 0:04:19.279 that he could do that. So I'm excited that he 0:04:19.320 --> 0:04:21.479 was able to get that title to give himself the 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:23.240 confidence to know that he can go in and play 0:04:23.240 --> 0:04:25.360 on hard court against it's just can he do it 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:27.360 against someone like a sinner, you know, with the big 0:04:27.400 --> 0:04:30.080 weapons that he has with the serve and the forehand, 0:04:30.120 --> 0:04:33.360 the groundies. But hey, listen, it was a good effort. 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:36.080 Totally a good effort and nice to see him. This 0:04:36.240 --> 0:04:39.719 is typically part of the year that he's not usually 0:04:39.760 --> 0:04:43.160 that healthy. You know, in years past anywhe else he's 0:04:43.160 --> 0:04:45.120 shown up with some injuries. He I remember how to 0:04:45.120 --> 0:04:46.320 pull out of the Rear Open. I think it was 0:04:46.400 --> 0:04:48.719 last year, so you know, this is kind of like 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:52.839 middle of the of the winter, late winter time period 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:54.479 is I think a little tough on his party because 0:04:54.480 --> 0:04:57.160 obviously he goes pretty hard ahead of Australia. So yeah, 0:04:57.240 --> 0:05:01.600 like good signs, playing well, moving well and not on 0:05:01.600 --> 0:05:02.479 his favorite surface. 0:05:03.640 --> 0:05:04.000 Was great. 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:05.560 The one that I was really excited about and I 0:05:05.600 --> 0:05:07.320 watched it a lot because it's in my time zone 0:05:08.360 --> 0:05:11.240 or close to it, was the Dallas Open, and you know, 0:05:11.240 --> 0:05:13.760 it was great to see Riley playing well. It was 0:05:13.800 --> 0:05:16.360 great to see Casper Rude make a final. There were 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:22.279 some fun upsets by Shapavallave who beat Tommy Paul and 0:05:22.400 --> 0:05:27.560 Taylor Fritz back to back before taking out Casperud in 0:05:27.560 --> 0:05:30.039 the final. And for me, Shapavala has always been one 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:32.680 of those exciting players. Obviously he's a shot maker. Obviously 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:35.400 he goes for it, obviously with a big lefty, you know, 0:05:35.440 --> 0:05:39.000 the one handy, flashy. This is like the kind of 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:41.479 player that is like super cat neep for me, and 0:05:41.520 --> 0:05:44.360 then like totally flames out because of all the reasons, 0:05:45.080 --> 0:05:47.080 which you know, Casperude is on the other end of 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:51.000 the spectrum, who's like really safe, really smart, doesn't take a. 0:05:50.920 --> 0:05:52.080 Lot of risk, doesn't need to. 0:05:52.360 --> 0:05:54.200 So it was like that classic matchup that I just 0:05:54.240 --> 0:05:57.200 really love, especially when the shop Maker pulls it out 0:05:57.240 --> 0:06:00.599 and you know, look, does this pretend anything for shoppavalive season? 0:06:01.160 --> 0:06:05.640 Is he like a in the conversation now? I doubt it, 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:08.159 But nonetheless it's fun to see a player that you 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:10.080 haven't had a chance to talk about or really watch 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:12.320 go deep in a long time do just that and 0:06:12.400 --> 0:06:14.479 lift a trophy over their head. Yeah. 0:06:14.600 --> 0:06:16.520 Look, he's always had the talent. We know that he's 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:18.800 had these ups and downs. He's has these emotional ups 0:06:18.800 --> 0:06:21.400 and downs as well. It's been very well documented, and 0:06:21.400 --> 0:06:23.600 he's always had that You know the talent, but as 0:06:23.600 --> 0:06:27.159 Sam Stosa said last week, like talent is one thing, right, 0:06:27.279 --> 0:06:29.880 you know, people can assume you're going to do well, 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:32.080 like a Madison Key's, like you keep talking about it, 0:06:32.400 --> 0:06:34.760 you should win a Grand Slam. Until you do it, 0:06:34.839 --> 0:06:37.000 you know, there's always going to be that speculation of, oh, oh, 0:06:37.120 --> 0:06:38.479 but you didn't do it, you know what I mean. 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:41.520 So talent can only get you so far. But I 0:06:41.760 --> 0:06:45.600 think with him, he I think he's always going to 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:48.760 have been better as he got older because he has 0:06:48.800 --> 0:06:52.640 such shot making and so many choices of shot and 0:06:52.880 --> 0:06:56.320 so flashy and so talented that it sort of takes 0:06:56.360 --> 0:07:01.200 you a little bit longer to get comfortable with what 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:02.480 you need to do under pressure. 0:07:02.960 --> 0:07:05.120 And I hope, I hope that's true. I love it. 0:07:05.160 --> 0:07:07.440 Yeah, I do believe. I think he's actually going to 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:09.920 have a very very good year. I would not be surprised, 0:07:10.000 --> 0:07:11.840 you know, if there's a potential of him getting back 0:07:11.840 --> 0:07:14.680 and you know, getting up to the top ten by 0:07:14.760 --> 0:07:16.760 this time next year. We know that he has the 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:19.960 talent to do it. No, he has the weapons. It's 0:07:19.960 --> 0:07:22.200 just a matter of him controlling his emotions. It's a 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:25.480 matter of him, you know, picking the right shot and 0:07:25.520 --> 0:07:28.360 shot selection is massive when you're that talented, and when 0:07:28.400 --> 0:07:32.840 you have sixteen shots that you can choose from, it's like, no, man, 0:07:33.160 --> 0:07:36.240 this one works. Just keep doing it, you know. And 0:07:36.360 --> 0:07:39.280 he's had sort of coaching ups and downs and hasn't 0:07:39.280 --> 0:07:41.600 really had so I just think I think we're going 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:43.320 to see a lot from Dennis this year, and I 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:46.360 think that he's it could potentially be the best US 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:47.440 had in a long long time. 0:07:47.600 --> 0:07:50.440 I would love that, And also if that were to 0:07:50.520 --> 0:07:53.600 become true, I think it would portend well to this 0:07:53.680 --> 0:07:57.720 idea that like it is worth playing the long game 0:07:57.920 --> 0:08:00.960 in tennis and having the complete repertoire, even if it 0:08:01.040 --> 0:08:06.320 means you take longer to develop, because when you are 0:08:06.360 --> 0:08:08.640 on it's it's just that it's like, okay, you know, 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:11.840 good great offense does be great defense in tatas, and 0:08:11.880 --> 0:08:15.520 I think that's I love matches that prove that thesis. 0:08:15.560 --> 0:08:18.320 Well, especially and let's face it, especially indoors, and so 0:08:18.400 --> 0:08:21.360 that definitely helps him. There's definitely a lot of players 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:23.680 that really do just respond better indoors and they play 0:08:23.680 --> 0:08:25.400 better indoors, and I would say that would be him. 0:08:25.720 --> 0:08:27.680 But I do believe that, you know, he is going 0:08:27.720 --> 0:08:30.160 to only get better as he gets older, because all 0:08:30.160 --> 0:08:33.160 the all the bullshit kind of has to be gotten 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:35.079 rid of at some point if you really want to 0:08:35.120 --> 0:08:37.800 be good. And I believe that he hopefully is getting 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:40.480 more and mature and more into him being comfortable on 0:08:40.480 --> 0:08:43.040 the court of what to do under pressure anyway. So yeah, 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:46.400 so very exciting. Was really happy to see him get 0:08:46.400 --> 0:08:50.040 that that tournament win. Just recently, Saballenka got taken out 0:08:50.040 --> 0:08:53.400 by Alexandrova. I thought that was interesting, tough, tough match. 0:08:54.080 --> 0:08:57.200 So Sablenka's kind of had two back to back losses 0:08:57.240 --> 0:08:59.400 and that's yeah, I been a rarity for her. But 0:08:59.800 --> 0:09:03.719 I like the fact that, can I just say, I 0:09:03.840 --> 0:09:07.240 like the fact that Mattie Keith decided, you know, like 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:11.240 you've got to decide on your schedules, you know, early 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:13.520 on in the year. And I think it's really great 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:16.800 that Maddie has sort of put the racket down for 0:09:16.840 --> 0:09:18.720 a little bit and decided not to go to the 0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:20.160 Middle East totally. 0:09:20.280 --> 0:09:22.800 And I think especially after the high and the emotional, 0:09:24.280 --> 0:09:29.360 you know, culmination of not just a two week tournament, 0:09:29.400 --> 0:09:34.839 but really like decade of close calls. Yeah, like give 0:09:34.840 --> 0:09:37.360 yourself some breathing room. Come back to the States. Do 0:09:37.400 --> 0:09:39.120 you know, she probably doesn't have a ton of sponsor 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:42.720 obligations there anyway, Come back, get your head sorted, spend 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:44.880 some time soaking it up with your family, you know, 0:09:44.920 --> 0:09:46.520 instead of just going straight on to the other end 0:09:46.559 --> 0:09:49.600 trying to like, you know, do you get talked about 0:09:49.600 --> 0:09:50.440 as a favorite now? 0:09:50.559 --> 0:09:52.240 Honestly, it's kind of hard to imagine. 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:54.559 But at the same time, like now everyone has a 0:09:54.559 --> 0:09:56.400 lot of questions for you when you were doing so well, 0:09:56.440 --> 0:09:58.040 just kind of flying under the radar. So yeah, I 0:09:58.040 --> 0:10:02.320 think that's really smart schedule management on her part, and 0:10:02.360 --> 0:10:05.199 also like she has so much of the year still 0:10:05.240 --> 0:10:07.719 to go. Winning the first Slam and is in a 0:10:07.720 --> 0:10:12.320 lot of ways like such a disruptive thing because you know, 0:10:12.440 --> 0:10:15.000 as we've seen Arena Sbalaca the last couple of years 0:10:15.040 --> 0:10:17.720 in Australia, like it's taken her a bit to find 0:10:17.720 --> 0:10:20.120 her footing again after starting off the year so hot 0:10:20.120 --> 0:10:22.880 in Australia, And so for me it feels like, Okay, actually, 0:10:22.880 --> 0:10:25.600 that's really smart and I love doing it. I don't 0:10:25.600 --> 0:10:26.960 know if she was at the super Bowl, but I 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:28.680 do know who was at the super Bowl. 0:10:29.120 --> 0:10:31.760 Oh my god, I died. I don't know. I mean, 0:10:31.880 --> 0:10:34.880 I think every single person watching that that's a tennis 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:35.760 fan or tennis person. 0:10:37.000 --> 0:10:39.480 I was like, that's azing, Like that's the arena. I 0:10:39.520 --> 0:10:40.439 was like, that's arena. 0:10:41.000 --> 0:10:43.520 And all of a sudden, I'm like, I'm loving Kendrick 0:10:43.679 --> 0:10:45.600 like it was great. It was such a in your 0:10:45.600 --> 0:10:50.160 face kind of like very obvious, like middle finger to 0:10:50.240 --> 0:10:52.600 certain people in America. Let's put of and and a 0:10:53.080 --> 0:10:56.679 someone in Canada, as we know, right, But the fact 0:10:56.720 --> 0:10:58.000 that all of a sudden, I'm looking at it and 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:01.720 then it's the arena is dancing. I died. I fell 0:11:01.720 --> 0:11:04.040 off the couch myself. I was like, oh my god, 0:11:04.280 --> 0:11:06.440 there was Serena and I was like what I'm like, 0:11:06.600 --> 0:11:08.280 and then they showed her again. I was like very 0:11:08.320 --> 0:11:09.880 quick and then very quick and I died. 0:11:09.960 --> 0:11:11.679 And I knew when she was here in the Crip Park. 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:15.120 I was like, there it is Center Corrida Olympics twenty twelve, shoes. 0:11:14.880 --> 0:11:17.880 Back exactly, and she looks great. 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:20.200 So I was great. 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:22.960 I was like, girl, Serena. 0:11:22.640 --> 0:11:23.880 Wins the super Bowl. 0:11:24.360 --> 0:11:27.199 Serena wins the super Bowl. It was it was frigging awesome. 0:11:28.960 --> 0:11:31.000 Tennis is the best even when it's not our sport, 0:11:31.040 --> 0:11:32.600 we still somehow managed. 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:36.559 To win before the Super Bowl obviously was played or 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:38.800 during that time. We have to talk about the fact 0:11:38.800 --> 0:11:41.640 that Belinda Benchic, she comes back after having a baby, 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:46.720 wins the tournament in Abbadubby like what like how awesome 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:48.840 is She's always played well in the Middle East, but 0:11:49.240 --> 0:11:52.760 she played great in Australia. I think the biggest, you know, 0:11:52.840 --> 0:11:55.839 issue that has always been her problem Belinda Benchitch is 0:11:55.920 --> 0:12:00.160 that her emotional you know, ups and downs. Let's let's saying, 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:01.920 a little strappy on the court and a little bit 0:12:01.960 --> 0:12:05.400 sort of drama and dramatic and blah blah blah. And 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:08.280 as you know, Caitlin, when you become a mom, things 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:10.760 change in your brain a little bit. And I think that, 0:12:11.080 --> 0:12:13.720 you know, for her, her maturity level has gone through 0:12:13.800 --> 0:12:15.679 the roof and we're seeing it on the court and 0:12:15.760 --> 0:12:18.680 just just in the way that you know, she the 0:12:18.720 --> 0:12:21.480 players that she beat, I mean, beating the Rebakina as 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:24.280 well in that tournament and then winning the tournament three 0:12:24.320 --> 0:12:26.120 cents against Ashlyn Krueger got to give her a lot 0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:28.839 of credit. Credit. This young American has really done well 0:12:28.880 --> 0:12:30.720 in the last twelve months. I give some kudos to 0:12:30.760 --> 0:12:33.960 Michael Joyce, her coach, who I know, you know, he 0:12:34.000 --> 0:12:36.280 did a great job with obviously Marie Sharapovo when she 0:12:36.400 --> 0:12:38.640 was younger, and I think he's a great coach for her. 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:42.280 But yeah, it was really really great to see Belinda 0:12:42.280 --> 0:12:44.920 Benchitch win that match in three sets and have a 0:12:45.160 --> 0:12:47.600 baby right there with her husband, Like it was just 0:12:47.640 --> 0:12:48.120 too good. 0:12:48.480 --> 0:12:53.120 It does strike me that like when your focus off 0:12:53.120 --> 0:12:57.560 the court kind of gives you a little bit of equilibrium. 0:12:57.600 --> 0:13:01.880 And also she's so young still, so yeah, it's quite 0:13:01.920 --> 0:13:05.559 easy for her to come back after maternity leave as 0:13:05.559 --> 0:13:08.640 opposed to like, you know, older moms certainly, but I think, like, yeah, 0:13:08.640 --> 0:13:10.400 you're right, it gave her a little bit of equanimity. 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:13.520 I didn't see her like, as Renee Stubbs would say, 0:13:13.600 --> 0:13:16.040 carrying on like a pork chap, which she is capable 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:20.760 of doing either at this tournament nor at the Australian Open. 0:13:20.800 --> 0:13:22.600 So yeah, it was sort of like, okay, cool mom 0:13:22.720 --> 0:13:24.199 vibes in the best way passible. 0:13:24.800 --> 0:13:27.240 I mean she beat Victoria kuda Matova. Oh no, I 0:13:27.240 --> 0:13:29.160 mean I was like what when I saw that score, 0:13:29.320 --> 0:13:34.400 I was like what. Nice also to see Vondrosepha back 0:13:34.520 --> 0:13:36.600 as well, because she had a really tough start to 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:40.480 the year. She beat Putin Saber in that tournament and 0:13:40.720 --> 0:13:43.160 beat Emma Radakanu. We're going to get to Emma in 0:13:43.200 --> 0:13:46.320 a second, but but nice to see if Ondressova back 0:13:46.320 --> 0:13:48.160 because that was a really tough start to the year. 0:13:48.200 --> 0:13:50.880 I was in Adelaide. She was playing really well. She 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:53.120 was up a set and to want to I think 0:13:53.160 --> 0:13:57.040 against Putin Saber actually who she beaten in Abu Dhabi, 0:13:57.320 --> 0:14:00.679 but she pulled up No, no, it was it was Schneider. 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:05.160 But she pulled up hurt with a hamstring sort of 0:14:05.360 --> 0:14:07.520 something going on in a leg, and I thought, no, 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:09.240 you've got to be kidding. Her first tournament back and 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:12.400 she's already injured again. But it was nice to see 0:14:12.440 --> 0:14:17.920 her back playing so quickly after, you know what what 0:14:17.960 --> 0:14:20.480 We weren't sure what was wrong with her, and so 0:14:20.800 --> 0:14:23.320 I'm just happy because Vondress of us just fun. She's 0:14:23.360 --> 0:14:25.880 just a really good time and it was smiling. 0:14:26.080 --> 0:14:28.000 She's got a cool game. She's yeah, it's like a 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:31.480 really good cool she's cool, she's got cool tattoos. It's 0:14:31.520 --> 0:14:34.400 just like there's a lot of like good vibes around her, 0:14:34.400 --> 0:14:37.240 and I feel like she's especially for one of the 0:14:37.280 --> 0:14:39.640 chech players who you know certainly there's a cohord of them. 0:14:39.920 --> 0:14:41.080 She's like kind of. 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:43.520 Loose in a way that's a little fun and a 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:45.600 little bit unexpected, in a way that I absolutely love. 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:48.600 So yeah, no, dress was great. 0:14:49.120 --> 0:14:50.720 Let's get to Ema rad Kano and then I also 0:14:50.760 --> 0:14:53.360 want to talk about the the robots. 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:55.560 Let's get to Emma d Kana when we when we 0:14:55.560 --> 0:14:57.520 do our question, so what we're going to do? I 0:14:57.720 --> 0:15:01.640 sent out a tweet or a on the socials to 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:04.800 send me send us your questions, so let's get to them. 0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:05.760 I don't know if we're going to be able to 0:15:05.800 --> 0:15:08.560 get to them all the so many, but one of 0:15:08.600 --> 0:15:10.520 the let's start with the Blue Sky, because we love 0:15:10.520 --> 0:15:14.760 Blue Sky. Mister Derek Price asked Stubbsy, what can you 0:15:14.840 --> 0:15:17.920 legally say about the allegations against Rebeckian his coach? His 0:15:18.000 --> 0:15:20.440 band has been extended, so let's get into the rebuckin 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:22.200 his story. Caitlin, what are your. 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:24.760 Thoughts good for the WTA. I said it before and 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:25.440 I'll say it again. 0:15:25.800 --> 0:15:31.280 They issued this ban provisionally ahead of the Australian Open 0:15:32.680 --> 0:15:37.120 as everyone suspected he might. He blew right through it 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:41.280 and showed up anyway and did all sorts of continuation 0:15:41.720 --> 0:15:46.240 of seemingly what he was accused of doing, and he 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:50.560 kind of put you know again. Unfortunately, Elena Rebarkin in 0:15:50.640 --> 0:15:54.080 a terrible spot. Gronie Vinisovitch leaves the camp, as we 0:15:54.360 --> 0:15:57.080 all sort of predicted he would, with this situation to 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:00.800 get worse, and it did. And then the WTA, to 0:16:00.840 --> 0:16:03.040 their great credit, said okay, well we have receipts and 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:05.440 we're going to release the information. So now we are 0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:08.480 no longer sort of actually protecting you by not releasing 0:16:08.520 --> 0:16:11.120 this stuff, but now sort of your you know, you're 0:16:11.760 --> 0:16:14.200 the details are now for public consumption. 0:16:14.600 --> 0:16:16.000 It is sad, it is terrible. 0:16:16.480 --> 0:16:18.560 Nobody deserves to be treated like this, certainly not by 0:16:18.560 --> 0:16:23.400 a coach, and it is implicated in the WTA's official 0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:26.400 findings that he is also her romantic partner. All sorts 0:16:26.400 --> 0:16:31.120 of questions arise about coercion abuse, you know, those are 0:16:31.120 --> 0:16:33.200 the right questions to ask. We don't know all the 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:35.840 answers to them. All we can say is, obviously everybody 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:38.480 is rooting for Elena Robacchina, who's a by all accounts 0:16:38.560 --> 0:16:42.680 incredibly lovely young woman, but. 0:16:42.680 --> 0:16:43.160 Good for them. 0:16:43.520 --> 0:16:46.640 This is not only creating because I have seen people 0:16:46.640 --> 0:16:48.560 say like, oh, well, who cares, Like it's her choice, 0:16:48.760 --> 0:16:50.880 and it's like, no, no, no. If this is your place 0:16:50.880 --> 0:16:53.880 of work and someone else is being abusive in your 0:16:53.920 --> 0:16:57.240 place of work, and by all accounts, this had so 0:16:57.360 --> 0:17:02.440 many witnesses, so many receipts, so many different points of view, 0:17:02.960 --> 0:17:05.680 even if they are not being abusive towards you at 0:17:05.680 --> 0:17:08.480 this exact moment, just knowing that the tour or your 0:17:08.520 --> 0:17:12.840 workplace is tolerating somebody behaving this way makes you the 0:17:12.960 --> 0:17:15.760 factor less safe. It makes other people less safe. It's 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:18.240 just the right thing to do is to nip this 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:21.719 in the bud in a environment where sports governing bodies 0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:26.200 move glacially and conservatively. The WTA seemingly did neither. 0:17:27.000 --> 0:17:30.880 Chapeau yep, I agree so well said, I don't really 0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:33.639 need to add anything more to that other than the 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:36.480 fact that, look, you know, some of us know a 0:17:36.520 --> 0:17:40.760 lot more than others. I clearly was around this toxic 0:17:40.880 --> 0:17:44.560 environment with him and her quite often. I've spoken about 0:17:44.560 --> 0:17:48.840 it on the pod many times, and you know people 0:17:48.880 --> 0:17:51.240 that say, well, it's her decision. Yes, it is her decision. 0:17:51.280 --> 0:17:54.520 But you know, there's a lot of there's a lot 0:17:54.520 --> 0:17:59.920 of coheresive control relationships that get really toxic and really bad. 0:18:00.119 --> 0:18:03.520 And do I think that she's in, you know, an 0:18:03.640 --> 0:18:06.160 environment that is not healthy for absolutely, there's no question 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:08.920 about it. You don't see, you know, her coach Goron 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:11.840 Ivanisovitch decide after this time, even though he enjoyed working 0:18:11.840 --> 0:18:14.080 with her, say I'm out of here because he clearly 0:18:14.119 --> 0:18:16.840 has seen stuff that he's not okay with too. But 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:19.480 also the fitness trainer, you know, who's been there for 0:18:19.520 --> 0:18:21.080 a long long time, you know, and. 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:24.800 Clearly if any BEDDA would know, it would be this person. 0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:28.880 Yeah, and he's gone as well. And you know, when 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:31.600 you have the information that they have, there's clearly people 0:18:31.640 --> 0:18:34.639 in her camp or around her enough to say the 0:18:34.720 --> 0:18:36.920 things that have been said about what he has said 0:18:36.960 --> 0:18:39.840 and done to her. And so in that respect, that 0:18:40.119 --> 0:18:44.840 is her work environment. As you said, saying sorry unacceptable. 0:18:44.920 --> 0:18:47.679 Banned for a year, and I think it's you know, 0:18:47.760 --> 0:18:51.320 quite quite honestly, he should be banned forever on the 0:18:51.440 --> 0:18:54.200 WTA tour. He should not be allowed to be able 0:18:54.240 --> 0:18:55.960 to come on the tour and work with any girl, 0:18:56.000 --> 0:18:59.920 because that's his tendency, particularly when you've got someone who's 0:19:00.119 --> 0:19:04.600 like lovely and as nice and as great players as Elina. 0:19:05.000 --> 0:19:06.679 So I think it's been a really good move. Now 0:19:06.720 --> 0:19:09.280 what is she going to do with the personally? Again? 0:19:09.600 --> 0:19:15.280 Now that's her decision and it's not good, so we'll see. 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:18.440 Yeah, I mean feeling for her, but yeah, well side 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:22.760 steps in all right. Greek Blu questions, kiping co Ja Rube. 0:19:22.760 --> 0:19:24.879 I'm starting to think changes in tournaments are sort of 0:19:24.920 --> 0:19:27.280 like corporate greed, like the date expansions in the US 0:19:27.359 --> 0:19:29.720