WEBVTT - COURTNEY TENNIS LATELY? 0:00:00.040 --> 0:00:12.160 Guess who's back. He goes back a friend. He gets no, no, no, back. 0:00:14.480 --> 0:00:15.840 I'm sorry that. 0:00:17.360 --> 0:00:21.400 He's just like, what what am I listening to? 0:00:22.640 --> 0:00:26.400 We have a very well respected tennis journalist, Courtney Walsh 0:00:26.560 --> 0:00:27.000 is here. 0:00:27.480 --> 0:00:31.160 He is questioning his choices this morning. 0:00:31.280 --> 0:00:32.400 Yeah, I like that. 0:00:32.680 --> 0:00:35.360 I'm like one of those clowns at a carnival with 0:00:35.400 --> 0:00:38.239 my mouth wide open, moving from one side to the other, 0:00:38.280 --> 0:00:39.360 going what are they going on? 0:00:39.440 --> 0:00:42.400 People? Okay, they seem quite normal when we were talking before. 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:48.159 Yeah, well I think we're more clowns at a carnival 0:00:48.240 --> 0:00:49.760 and your respected journey. 0:00:49.920 --> 0:00:54.200 Yes, it depends on who you talk Tory for about 0:00:54.200 --> 0:00:57.280 ten minutes and and there was a couple of inquisitive 0:00:57.320 --> 0:01:01.279 looks my way, what the hell are you doing here? 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:02.640 And who you want to to the site? 0:01:02.920 --> 0:01:03.600 Yeah? 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:05.480 Is this going to be another banded episode? 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:10.600 Have you ruffled any feathers in your career? Can you 0:01:10.600 --> 0:01:11.880 talk about it or. 0:01:12.040 --> 0:01:13.880 I'll going back? I mean it's not for a few years. 0:01:13.920 --> 0:01:16.080 And I think one of the pleasures of my year 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:19.759 has always been part of the AO radio team, which 0:01:20.200 --> 0:01:23.959 you know, it's a great sort of fortnite here and 0:01:24.040 --> 0:01:26.560 being able to commentate and when you're walking around and 0:01:26.600 --> 0:01:29.680 listening during the Austrain Open. But no, it's certainly at 0:01:29.680 --> 0:01:35.520 different stages. I've written some pieces that haven't necessarily gone 0:01:35.600 --> 0:01:39.600 down as well as what you might expect. But I always, 0:01:39.920 --> 0:01:41.480 you know, hold firm and I saw one of the 0:01:41.640 --> 0:01:43.319 one of the people in the in the lift. We 0:01:43.360 --> 0:01:46.119 always have a little round about it Wimbledon each year 0:01:46.120 --> 0:01:49.280 where we go over old ground and in the end 0:01:49.320 --> 0:01:50.880 shake and have a beer. And I think it's a 0:01:50.880 --> 0:01:53.880 great reason to be able to do this back and forth. 0:01:53.920 --> 0:01:54.840 That's what you're supposed to do. 0:01:55.440 --> 0:01:58.400 You're meant to have a take an opinion, right Otherwise 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:02.120 it's just dry recounting of scores, and you know that's 0:02:02.160 --> 0:02:02.560 not good. 0:02:02.640 --> 0:02:05.160 What's my mind is more, you know, you delve into 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:07.680 the I suppose some of the inner workings, you know. 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:11.160 Opinion wise, I'm not necessarily someone that's going to come 0:02:11.160 --> 0:02:14.119 and slag a player, because I think it's pretty incredible 0:02:14.120 --> 0:02:16.200 to even get to a grain slam. I think it's 0:02:16.320 --> 0:02:18.920 an astonishing thing. So I'm not going to pan a 0:02:18.960 --> 0:02:21.000 player necessarily unless you want me to. 0:02:21.160 --> 0:02:23.840 Yes, please, that's what we're all about. 0:02:23.840 --> 0:02:28.600 On most Overrated player of all time and go. 0:02:29.040 --> 0:02:35.600 Oh, boy where he start. Didn't that guy rafter like 0:02:35.680 --> 0:02:37.360 number one in the world for like a week? I 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:39.040 mean it was a week, Yeah, it was a week. 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:42.680 We asked him about it, he laughed, that's. 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:43.160 A good story. 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:47.440 I've got a bone to pick with the because I 0:02:47.480 --> 0:02:50.120 played a bit of paddle in my time, nowhere near 0:02:50.160 --> 0:02:54.040 as good as Pat. But he's stolen my pedal partner. 0:02:54.200 --> 0:02:55.920 Now Midtlely haven't played for a couple of years, but 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:59.160 he's stolen my peddle partner, his double's partner in the 0:02:59.280 --> 0:03:02.919 pedal Championship around Australia. 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:07.320 So can you just outrageous? Can you go watch like 0:03:07.400 --> 0:03:08.360 a paddle cuck? 0:03:08.960 --> 0:03:11.960 Yeah? Through the glass? 0:03:12.120 --> 0:03:14.720 Yeah, that's rough. 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:18.040 Man, it's outrageous. No, he is one of the greater 0:03:18.400 --> 0:03:21.880 many tennis as we all know. I don't really have 0:03:21.960 --> 0:03:25.200 And if I was my mate, Rob, you had the 0:03:25.240 --> 0:03:27.919 choice between a guy who is a radick and inconsistent 0:03:28.080 --> 0:03:33.280 like myself, or a Jewel Grand Slam champion Davious Cup legend, 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:35.320 world number one. I think he's made the right call. 0:03:35.400 --> 0:03:37.640 And in terms of the talent level as well, it's 0:03:38.400 --> 0:03:41.400 I'm in a flat line a little bit. Pats, even 0:03:41.520 --> 0:03:46.160 his fifties his rate of improvement just goes. Ugh. I 0:03:46.200 --> 0:03:47.560 mean that's still not happy though. 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:51.240 That's no. I mean I wouldn't be either. That's brutal stuff. 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:53.400 But I mean this is what you're seeing though. You're 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:59.200 seeing people make the pivot into whatever pickleball. Maybe Jack 0:03:59.280 --> 0:04:01.320 Soarker is doing good things, but a lot of them 0:04:01.560 --> 0:04:04.320 like go to pad l or something and it's like 0:04:04.320 --> 0:04:05.280 they're crushing. 0:04:05.400 --> 0:04:09.640 It's a bit more respectable, I think. Yeah, for sure, 0:04:09.880 --> 0:04:13.600 it was a little bit more skill involved. Yeah, it's fair. 0:04:14.080 --> 0:04:16.360 I must put down the cans and walked out when no, 0:04:16.480 --> 0:04:19.000 I'm joking people. I'm very happy to see people on 0:04:19.080 --> 0:04:21.960 the pickle court. Anyone with a racket in hand is 0:04:21.960 --> 0:04:23.520 a is a good thing for mine. 0:04:23.600 --> 0:04:24.680 But that's true. 0:04:24.920 --> 0:04:28.040 You see some you see some really really good players 0:04:28.240 --> 0:04:31.080 from tennis players who have made the transition. But it's 0:04:31.440 --> 0:04:33.640 a different sporting Thailand. It's really hard. 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:38.760 Yeah, and I think what osteo surgeons in America are 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:42.440 booming at the moment because of all people playing peckle ball, 0:04:42.560 --> 0:04:43.200 so good for them. 0:04:43.400 --> 0:04:43.599 Yeah. 0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:47.480 I jumped into Paul Kilderry, who's the head of tennis here, 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:49.160 and he said he'd been on the pedal court last 0:04:49.160 --> 0:04:53.200 week and he said he still felt sore from really 0:04:53.279 --> 0:04:55.440 hips all the way down to the tip of his 0:04:55.520 --> 0:04:56.000 big toe. 0:04:56.120 --> 0:04:58.080 So what else did Paul say? 0:04:59.080 --> 0:05:04.600 Joking, dude, it's so good to have you in Courtney. 0:05:04.839 --> 0:05:08.159 We're very jealous. You're off to the French Open this week. 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:12.240 I mean, it's your favorite favorite slam. 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:14.960 I think even wimbled and I think of that too. 0:05:15.040 --> 0:05:17.560 I mean, look, I love here, but in case, we 0:05:17.560 --> 0:05:21.360 all know when you're working here, it's it's working there long, long, 0:05:21.400 --> 0:05:24.480 long days and everything that's brilliant about the Australia Open, 0:05:24.600 --> 0:05:27.640 the tennis, but also the music in the the and 0:05:27.720 --> 0:05:29.919 the beer guarden, et cetera. Yeah, don't really get the 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:30.800 chance to enjoy that. 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:34.120 So yeah, we found with the players that come in, 0:05:34.200 --> 0:05:36.240 if we have them what their favorite slam is. It's 0:05:36.279 --> 0:05:39.640 like talking about their children. You gotta go. I love 0:05:39.680 --> 0:05:42.400 them all equally, you know, they all have different aspects 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:44.799 that I like. And it's like, just say you hate 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:47.760 the US Open. We all know your thinking. 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:51.840 Yeah, they all said that the Australian Open was their favorite. 0:05:52.040 --> 0:05:54.159 Yeah it is. I mean it's fun. It's called the 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:56.200 happiest Slam for a reason, and it checks out and 0:05:56.200 --> 0:05:58.680 it's the most party vibe one I've been to. I 0:05:58.680 --> 0:06:02.479 haven't been to the French. Yeah, good energy, great grounds. 0:06:02.480 --> 0:06:06.360 But like going to the French, what do you love 0:06:06.400 --> 0:06:09.279 about it there? Because it is totally different than the 0:06:09.320 --> 0:06:09.680 other three. 0:06:09.760 --> 0:06:12.880 Yeah, it really is. And it goes from I mean, 0:06:12.880 --> 0:06:15.760 look that the focus is really on the tennis. So 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:19.080 qualifying week will be you know, start Monday. There's no 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:22.520 one point Slam like there was here. There's no mixed 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:25.440 doubles extravaganza like there was in New York last year 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:28.200 with all those stars. It is a real focus on 0:06:28.279 --> 0:06:32.080 the tennis. Tennis and they love the tennis. But you go, 0:06:32.640 --> 0:06:35.560 you walk into the grounds and and look at the 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:39.640 stadiums themselves. The Philip Chetrier, which is the main stadium, 0:06:39.640 --> 0:06:42.279 I mean it's it's named after the administrator, a famous 0:06:42.279 --> 0:06:45.120 tennis administrator. You know, it's a that's a different thing 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:48.680 to start with, and it's this beautiful art deco sort 0:06:48.720 --> 0:06:52.000 of design initially tennis administrator. 0:06:52.120 --> 0:06:54.799 So like, who would who's the equivalent for the AO 0:06:54.920 --> 0:06:56.640 that if they named a stadium. 0:06:56.200 --> 0:06:59.799 After Craig Craig Tiler, Yeah. 0:07:00.600 --> 0:07:04.800 Stadium, I guess yeah, it works, it works. Yeah, it's 0:07:04.839 --> 0:07:07.520 so shatter. It was the same level of tournament director 0:07:07.640 --> 0:07:08.040 type thing. 0:07:08.200 --> 0:07:11.280 Yeah yeah, and very influential globally as well. So yeah, 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:14.480 well respected. And you know they had like we we've 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:17.840 got all their golden generation. They had the Musketeers and 0:07:17.880 --> 0:07:20.120 there's statues and the Musketees. When you walk in this 0:07:21.040 --> 0:07:24.360 this is great sort of big statue of raffa large 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:25.680 and then life. I still think it's one of the 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:28.400 most amazing things. To go to a tournament and Raff 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:31.160 is still in the drawer plane and there's this gigantic 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:34.320 statue of him swinging this wild whipping forehands. 0:07:34.000 --> 0:07:39.080 Right, and it's like that kind of silver like shards. Yeah, yeah, 0:07:39.400 --> 0:07:43.120 it looks fantastic. It's not like the who's the soccer 0:07:43.160 --> 0:07:46.480 player they made the bust of and it like looks Ronaldo. 0:07:47.080 --> 0:07:48.800 That one is atrocious. 0:07:50.000 --> 0:07:53.239 Oh this is huge. 0:07:53.320 --> 0:07:55.480 It is it's ten foot. 0:07:55.320 --> 0:07:58.760 Yeah, which is amazing. And then there's this new court. 0:07:58.880 --> 0:08:02.360 Well not so now, but it was built for the 0:08:02.400 --> 0:08:07.240 Olympics initially. Simone Mathews is the court. Susan long long 0:08:07.280 --> 0:08:10.080 than it's a iconic champion in the twenties and the 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:13.760 thirties over there, who was just a magnificent player, Simone Mathew. 0:08:13.840 --> 0:08:16.440 Is this third stadium court so I especially the equivalent 0:08:16.480 --> 0:08:19.960 of our John Kaine Arena. But you walk in there 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:24.480 and it's got it's basically a glasshouse. There's plants all 0:08:24.520 --> 0:08:26.880 the way around. It's been designed specifically because it's in 0:08:26.880 --> 0:08:30.160 a botanical garden that just before you get to the site. 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:34.360 So it's this magnificent, beautiful, very different court to what 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:37.440 you would normally experience. So those elements and even to 0:08:37.480 --> 0:08:40.280 the extent of seri chic, the you know, the staff 0:08:40.280 --> 0:08:42.480 as you know in Australia we have, although in australia's 0:08:42.480 --> 0:08:44.880 improved a lot. In the US, for example, you might 0:08:44.960 --> 0:08:51.040 have the plain blue polo and the black pants Paris Wimbledon, 0:08:51.840 --> 0:08:55.240 pretty stylish. All the staffers, the young staffers are very 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:59.200 stylish there. They're wearing there, you know, their hats there, 0:08:59.600 --> 0:09:03.640 they're they're very stylish trousers. So it's it's there's a 0:09:03.640 --> 0:09:06.400 lot difference about it, very difine. 0:09:06.160 --> 0:09:09.280 Very cool because everyone in the crowd too is wearing 0:09:09.320 --> 0:09:12.160 the Panama hat. Is that something you get on arrival? 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:15.080 You have to do they just hand them out. What's 0:09:15.080 --> 0:09:15.480 going on. 0:09:15.600 --> 0:09:19.800 There's good reason that I in particularly needed very handy 0:09:19.800 --> 0:09:23.720 for my hairline. You do see them though, And I 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:26.720 was just flicking through a magazine yesterday which is soon 0:09:26.720 --> 0:09:29.600 to be launched a different sort of brand, and they 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:31.679 had some of the shots from you know that make 0:09:32.360 --> 0:09:35.679 rolling gross what rolling Garros is, and the Panama hat 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:37.880 is one of them. And it's this great photo and 0:09:39.000 --> 0:09:42.040 just all around the court of people wearing the Panama hats. 0:09:42.080 --> 0:09:44.760 Shot from above. You know you've got the bag, like 0:09:44.800 --> 0:09:46.839 if you've played in Melbourne on Oti car courts well 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:50.719 Clay is very you know, it's similarities, but you know, 0:09:50.880 --> 0:09:54.920 finer surface. But photos of the people bagging you get 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:59.400 the dust sort of kicking up. It's and the crowd, 0:09:59.520 --> 0:10:02.480 you know, it's not so much the Oi oi, which 0:10:02.480 --> 0:10:04.200 I've got to say, thank god. 0:10:04.840 --> 0:10:05.320 It's. 0:10:06.679 --> 0:10:07.160 What's the. 0:10:10.080 --> 0:10:13.280 Absolutely and if a French player is in action, it 0:10:13.400 --> 0:10:17.479 is deafening, oh man, insane, Like the crowd goes blistic 0:10:22.600 --> 0:10:23.079 right into it. 0:10:23.160 --> 0:10:27.720 Taylor Fritz Render Kanesh match from last year two years 0:10:27.760 --> 0:10:32.560 ago amazing, like the craziest atmosphere and Taylor's were eventually 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:35.199 coming out on top and then just like was he 0:10:35.240 --> 0:10:38.079 blowing kisses to the crowd and they were puting the 0:10:38.120 --> 0:10:41.959 hell out of him and it was amazing. Yeah, just 0:10:42.040 --> 0:10:43.520 like the French crowd goes nuts. 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:46.000 It's and and that adds to it, like I love 0:10:46.200 --> 0:10:48.439 the partisan In fact, you see it all the way 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:50.920 through the clay swing. We know there's been some complaints 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:55.520 sort of like in Rome where young wolf On Sekah 0:10:55.640 --> 0:10:58.319 was was sort of up in. The Brazilians were right 0:10:58.360 --> 0:11:01.559 into him with me Jenivick and Vick you see those 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:04.480 sort of things. But in France it really is for 0:11:04.520 --> 0:11:06.760 the French. One of the things about Rafa who were 0:11:06.760 --> 0:11:09.840 talking about is that he was booed at different stages 0:11:09.840 --> 0:11:11.720 in the infancy of his career. It's not until he 0:11:11.760 --> 0:11:13.959 won fourteen of them, but he really well ten or 0:11:14.000 --> 0:11:15.560 so he started to really win them over and they 0:11:15.600 --> 0:11:17.800 loved him after that. But it took him a while 0:11:17.840 --> 0:11:20.600 because he was Spanish and you know, to win over 0:11:20.679 --> 0:11:21.920 that crowd. I'm just trying to. 0:11:21.920 --> 0:11:24.480 Think which French players Rafa would have been playing in 0:11:24.520 --> 0:11:28.400 the infancy of his career. Who was the big Was. 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:32.120 It gas Guay with the magnificent one handed back end 0:11:32.280 --> 0:11:35.360 and they both you know this, they basically came through 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:37.480 at the same stage and gas Gay was the great 0:11:37.480 --> 0:11:40.400 hope because Yannick Noah was the last french Man to 0:11:40.480 --> 0:11:42.200 win at rollingdo I saw all the way back at 0:11:42.200 --> 0:11:47.079 the tournaments. I think he debuted at fifteen and he 0:11:47.720 --> 0:11:50.480 got to world number seven. He made semi finals, a 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:52.679 couple of three Grand Slam semi finals. So he had 0:11:52.679 --> 0:11:55.480 a really really good career and only retired, you know, 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:58.320 last year, the last year. But you know, gas Gay 0:11:58.480 --> 0:12:00.720 was his came along with him, so did on Fees, 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:05.200 you know, another unbelievable talent and he's still going and 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:09.319 this is his farewell tour and Joe Joe Wilfrid's song, 0:12:09.360 --> 0:12:11.120 it was another one that came through and Jill Simon. 0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:15.120 So Franz had some great players, really good players, Rafa. 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:18.040 He just blunted the blunted the hopes every year of 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:19.199 them and everyone else. 0:12:19.240 --> 0:12:21.600 Well, when you start dominating like he did, I mean 0:12:21.640 --> 0:12:24.079 it's hard not to just get behind him. And then 0:12:24.120 --> 0:12:27.160 obviously he's you know, has the statue there do they 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:31.199 have statues of French players the musketees? Okay, going back 0:12:31.240 --> 0:12:34.240 to back to the nineteen twenties. Yeah, so there's no 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:35.479 Gui fourger. 0:12:38.440 --> 0:12:40.640 Always it always used to trick me, you know, guy 0:12:40.760 --> 0:12:47.680 Forget when I didn't this guy Forget a great player 0:12:47.720 --> 0:12:50.240 and tournament director. Yeah, well it could have been the 0:12:50.400 --> 0:12:51.200 Fourget stadium. 0:12:51.440 --> 0:12:53.600 Wow, yeah they should. The French should have just gone 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:56.400 with like French people everyone knows, like the Gerard des 0:12:56.440 --> 0:13:05.760 bardous Dady, Yeah, the peppy. Well, we should say for 0:13:06.200 --> 0:13:09.400 our listeners that as of recording, we're at the quarterfinals 0:13:09.440 --> 0:13:14.520 of the REALM Italian Open, and so that are obviously 0:13:14.559 --> 0:13:17.040 knowledge of what happens in the tournament will be limited, 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:20.360 but as it stands right now, we did the Ego 0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:23.920 Shavontek song at the start because she looks like she's 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:27.120 informed and she looks scary going into the French Like 0:13:27.240 --> 0:13:30.840 we'll start with the women's side of things. Who do 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:32.760 you like, who do you think is going to be 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:36.440 a contender? Who do you think is maybe having a 0:13:36.600 --> 0:13:41.319 rough season? Sebolonca and uh or not? Well? Indian wells 0:13:41.360 --> 0:13:43.920 in the AO obviously huge, but then she's losing a 0:13:43.960 --> 0:13:45.960 bunch of matches in the lead up, Like. 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:49.160 It's if you could have a small dartboard with a 0:13:49.200 --> 0:13:51.320 few names on it. Yeah, so I think it's a 0:13:51.320 --> 0:13:54.160 small group that can win it. Yeah, but I could 0:13:54.160 --> 0:13:57.280 not pick with any certainty who that is, and that 0:13:57.360 --> 0:14:02.160 includes I think she's been so inconsistent. I don't think 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:04.439 she I know we're saying she might be back. I 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:06.880 don't think she's back yet. But she's an infancy of 0:14:06.920 --> 0:14:13.480 a new coaching sort of partnership. He snapped his achilles 0:14:13.520 --> 0:14:17.640 tendon last week playing yes, leading in front Roy, which 0:14:17.679 --> 0:14:20.760 is not a great thing to do, but he so. 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:22.680 But whether that affects her on the court, I don't 0:14:22.720 --> 0:14:24.880 don't necessarily think so. Still, the strategy sort of part 0:14:24.880 --> 0:14:25.040 of it. 0:14:25.120 --> 0:14:29.480 She stamped Osa the other absolutely did the vision of 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:33.280 her hitting with Rafa at the Academy. I mean, there's things, 0:14:33.480 --> 0:14:37.360 and she her you know, past forum on clay obviously 0:14:37.440 --> 0:14:38.720 has to be a huge factor. 0:14:38.880 --> 0:14:40.520 So you would still have her as I think you 0:14:40.520 --> 0:14:42.520 would have her as a favorite. But that what troubles 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:45.240 me is that she hasn't won a clay court tournament 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:48.920 through the through the summer, and so she's winning matches absolutely, 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:50.960 but she's not as dominant. She's not the dominant player 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:54.840 she was post sash Barti's retirement. Without without I think 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:57.920 that's indisputable. She's just not the not the same dominance. 0:14:57.920 --> 0:15:01.040 Now that's probably because other players have continued to rise, 0:15:01.040 --> 0:15:03.600 and the sable Anka, you know, finding her consistency extra 0:15:03.440 --> 0:15:06.480 trying to take that next step on clay for Sablenka 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:09.040 is the big things. She was very close last year 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:12.120 in that final. I really liked the way Coco Goff 0:15:12.520 --> 0:15:14.960 is going about it. You know, she won. I mean 0:15:15.280 --> 0:15:17.240 people were saying that was a bad final last year. 0:15:17.320 --> 0:15:20.960 I loved it because she played ugly and won. Like 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:24.440 she You're up against someone who's powerful as and it's 0:15:24.560 --> 0:15:27.520 awesome and as formidable as what arounda Sablenka is, and 0:15:27.560 --> 0:15:31.840 it was really difficult condition. So Coco adjusted. She she 0:15:31.920 --> 0:15:35.680 played ugly, but she hid enough balls, back, drew enough 0:15:35.760 --> 0:15:38.400 errors and had the fortitude at the end to win 0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:39.840 the second Grand Slam. And she had a good win 0:15:39.920 --> 0:15:44.720 in Rome overnight as well against Dreva, who I think 0:15:44.720 --> 0:15:47.680 her form. I think it will come for her. You know, 0:15:47.760 --> 0:15:51.960 last year she left in tears and despair after losing 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:55.280 to the local favorite Boisson, who we haven't seen basically 0:15:55.320 --> 0:15:58.800 since after that amazing run to the semifinals. But I 0:15:58.880 --> 0:16:02.120 think mirror is certainly right there and Coco, I think 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:03.040 Arena mirrors. 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:06.680 People forget she's only ninety so she's a. 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:09.760 Big emotional swings, but I kind of love that. Yeah, 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:11.600 they show the passion. 0:16:11.520 --> 0:16:14.680 Exactly, like and that's fine, like you're a young players 0:16:15.560 --> 0:16:18.280 and in the other and with Coco, it's it's amazing. 0:16:18.280 --> 0:16:20.840 The other day she went up against an American who 0:16:20.920 --> 0:16:22.960 he saw here, Shoviku was so good and made it 0:16:23.000 --> 0:16:25.320 through to the I think the quarter finals here in January, 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:30.120 Coco was the grand old lady. It's twenty two, yeah, crazy, yeah, 0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:33.440 and Jo got a match point yeah, and then yeah, 0:16:33.720 --> 0:16:34.240 just Coco. 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.400 A lot of comeback wins for Coco, right, and for golf, 0:16:37.440 --> 0:16:40.040 it all comes down to how she's serving on any 0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:44.240 given day, right, that's her biggest achilles. Oh no, you don't, 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:46.480 you don't. I can't believe. 0:16:46.520 --> 0:16:49.640 That's just I'm so sorry. 0:16:49.120 --> 0:16:50.960 And so like if I don't know, I know she's 0:16:50.960 --> 0:16:52.720 got a new serving coach, is that right there? 0:16:52.760 --> 0:16:56.800 I think they're working on the biomechanics. It's amazing that 0:16:56.880 --> 0:16:59.520 she's already got two Grand Slams. I think she sets 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:02.600 a record. Nipo been the first for the youngest of 0:17:02.680 --> 0:17:06.840 fifteen quarterfinals at this at the lastest level. Just as 0:17:06.840 --> 0:17:08.520 and you're evers at one the other days the youngest 0:17:08.520 --> 0:17:11.439 to ten sort of quarter finals, so it might be 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:14.600 fifteen semi finals at that level. But yeah, they are 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:17.840 record breaking plays in some regards. And that's the time 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:20.800 when you have got a Spiontic, you have got a Sablenka. 0:17:20.960 --> 0:17:24.600 Jess Bagoula is playing well. I love just glancing through results. 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:27.160 She's playing with Storm Hunter this week and they're through 0:17:27.160 --> 0:17:30.800 to the quarters in Roman. Really, I love watching like 0:17:30.920 --> 0:17:34.199 Jess play and Storm and Storms a ripper, such a 0:17:34.440 --> 0:17:37.960 such a great Aussie talent. So yeah, I love watching 0:17:37.960 --> 0:17:39.720 the women's tennis, I think, and I think the fact 0:17:39.720 --> 0:17:44.560 that you can't identify the winner with any certainty makes 0:17:44.560 --> 0:17:45.800 it really interesting. 0:17:46.600 --> 0:17:49.560 We haven't even mentioned so I mean another huge contender 0:17:49.680 --> 0:17:51.600 for the title. I mean I'd love to see we 0:17:51.680 --> 0:17:52.520 love the mooch here. 0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:54.400 The move. 0:17:57.600 --> 0:18:00.680 Just her style of player is awesome to watch. And yeah, 0:18:00.880 --> 0:18:04.320 I mean Coco obviously moves on the clay. I think better, well, 0:18:04.880 --> 0:18:09.240 Ego's movement. It's her Coco for like, best movers on 0:18:09.280 --> 0:18:12.240 the dirt. I think. So Eddie dark horses on the 0:18:12.240 --> 0:18:13.760 women's side, do you think. 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:15.960 Uh, well, let's go to the mook because she did 0:18:16.000 --> 0:18:19.320 make the what the final two years ago? Yeah, was 0:18:19.320 --> 0:18:20.720 it two years ago? Three years ago? 0:18:20.880 --> 0:18:21.120 Yeah? 0:18:21.400 --> 0:18:26.800 The semi I mean she's such a sublime player, dark horses. 0:18:27.240 --> 0:18:38.040 What about that Sertsi Certsy Christia Cristaia. Yeah, like is 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:43.400 it Sertsy? I mean it's a tricky yeah. 0:18:42.400 --> 0:18:46.800 Yeah, she Well, I mean it's an amazing career resurgence 0:18:46.840 --> 0:18:49.080 and her last year on the tour. She's thirty six, 0:18:49.200 --> 0:18:53.800 and here she's into a semi final of a of 0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:57.800 the Italian Open. Her career high, I think is twenty one. 0:18:58.240 --> 0:19:00.600 I think that if she wins, she gets twenty one 0:19:01.440 --> 0:19:03.720 no points to defend. Sort of through the grass season, 0:19:04.920 --> 0:19:06.840 she s announce it's going to be a retiring year, 0:19:06.840 --> 0:19:08.680 and here she's playing the best tennis of her life. 0:19:09.040 --> 0:19:11.680 It often makes me wonder, do you go back to 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:14.040 the well again? Or is this is that the reason 0:19:14.200 --> 0:19:16.520 I'm playing well? Because well, I've got nothing to losing. 0:19:16.640 --> 0:19:18.639 Saying goodbye to each of these big, great cities of 0:19:18.680 --> 0:19:19.000 the world. 0:19:19.160 --> 0:19:21.200 I think. So, I mean, hasn't she said if she 0:19:21.280 --> 0:19:24.440 wins Roalm the Serana Christia, that she's going to stay 0:19:24.480 --> 0:19:27.119 on tour for another year or two years whatever. So, 0:19:27.440 --> 0:19:31.240 I mean that would be an awesome storyline, but Rome 0:19:31.240 --> 0:19:34.280 will be interesting. I mean some huge quarter. They're through 0:19:34.320 --> 0:19:36.400 to the Semis now in is that right? 0:19:36.480 --> 0:19:39.760 Or Semis and the women's well, sorry, two semi finalists 0:19:39.800 --> 0:19:43.720 are through. You know these weird Fortnite Masters where the 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:45.600 draw gets all out of wax. I think we've still 0:19:45.600 --> 0:19:47.480 got the where we're recording at the time where the 0:19:47.560 --> 0:19:50.760 four men's courters are to be played. There's still a 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:53.399 couple of women's quarters to be played, but we're basically 0:19:54.280 --> 0:19:58.080 from tomorrow will hit the hit the regular sort of 0:19:59.440 --> 0:20:01.960 where it's a little easy to comprehend what's going on 0:20:02.040 --> 0:20:04.960 into yeah, to try and take note of who's dount 0:20:05.000 --> 0:20:05.520 what and where. 0:20:05.720 --> 0:20:08.520 Yeah, well, I mean it's fascinating. Like you said, the 0:20:08.560 --> 0:20:11.680 women's draw, it's like a handful of players that could 0:20:11.680 --> 0:20:14.040 all take it out, or someone could just have a 0:20:14.119 --> 0:20:18.040 crazy tournament and you know, all of a sudden, Barbara Chikova, 0:20:18.200 --> 0:20:21.439 we're all pronouncing it wrong today except for the pro 0:20:25.000 --> 0:20:27.080 or you said jo Dar before and I've only heard 0:20:27.160 --> 0:20:32.119 Hoda Hoda. Are you Are you an Alcoraz or an 0:20:32.119 --> 0:20:33.160 alcareth man? 0:20:33.480 --> 0:20:34.919 It depends on who I'm talking to him. 0:20:38.600 --> 0:20:42.640