French Open 2024 Preview

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Daniel Kiernan  00:09

Welcome to Episode 223, of control the controllables. And it's grand slam season as we have the French Open started today in Paris, France and then not long away is Wimbledon and then quickly followed. We then have the Olympics and also the US Open. And there's so many storylines, there's so many things that are going to happen in the coming weeks and months, who is going to be that name that you haven't heard of who is going to be the player that is setting the record. Everyone is working hard behind the scenes to give themselves the opportunity at the highest level of the game. And I want to quickly introduce my amazing panelists some names and voices that you are very familiar with. But firstly, a big welcome back to Emily Weatherly Smith. Since she was with us the last time she actually played her 1000 singles match on the WTA ITF tour, which is an incredible, incredible achievement. And we don't often talk enough about longevity in this sport. And if you want to know the secrets, then Emily is the woman to talk to for that. And then we got Freddy Nielsen, the Danish Davis Cup captain. He was with us on the live show in London a couple of weeks ago. And as someone said on that evening, they said, when Freddie speaks, I just find myself nodding. And that's exactly right. You know, a man of a much wisdom and someone who we love having on the show, and then we got Calvin Betten and a big shout out to Calvin his plein air Henry pattern as alongside Harry Harry Avara having an incredible few weeks on the ATP doubles tour. They just won in Lyon this week. So a big big shout out to Calvin and the boys. And then lastly, if you don't know him, you will know Him in an hour and a half and anyone that's listened to our reviews or previews will know this man very, very well. And that's Kieran Vorster. And Kira Vorster. s&c coach but also a tennis coach. He spent many years working at the top of the game when Ferreira, Tim Henman, Dan Evans recently Ceramica steer recently, and he's not afraid to tell us what he thinks. So listening. You can agree with some of what he said you're going to disagree with what some has said. But hopefully this will get you in the mood for two amazing weeks in pass you over to a French Open preview panelists. A big welcome to our French Open preview panel. How you doing?

 

Emily Webley-Smith  02:55

Great. Thanks. Thanks, Ben. Thanks, Dan. Oh, good, man.

 

02:59

Good, happy to be back.

 

Daniel Kiernan  03:00

That's a lot of voices that you hear there. So you're gonna have to we might have to have the hands in the air for this one. Lots of voices come in lots to get through. It's been a while. You know, we've been off doing live podcasts. It's another grand slam that's come around. And yeah, we got lots to talk about. And I want to get started actually in Varzi. A big welcome back. I want you to give us what storyline what are we going to be looking for over the next couple of weeks in Paris? And don't give me the offer the obvious, Rafael Nadal.

 

Stephen Huss  03:37

Yeah, I mean, I think it's it's quite wide, open, embarrassed. I mean, obviously, a nice storyline is Andy and Dan getting a wildcard in the doubles. They've got a wildcard have they? Yeah, they've got a wildcard so that was a big surprise. I think the first time in 22 years. From when Stephen got one with Nicolas Kiefer, was the last time non French doubles wildcard was given so can

 

Daniel Kiernan  04:00

they are they capable of winning the French short and doubles? This is interesting one.

 

Stephen Huss  04:07

Yeah, um, okay. They have the ability to in my opinion, but I think a lot will depend on Andy's health how he's doing I don't know how you know, I haven't spoken to any of his team about the ankle and how he's doing but he seems to be moving Alright, so I think I think that's just one eye on playing doubles at the Olympics because last year when I was traveling with Dan, they were going to play the whole summer and he got hurt but

 

Daniel Kiernan  04:31

if you're out there right now you're right and Leon with with the boys can Dan Evans and Andy Murray win the men's doubles at Roland Garros? No no chance give us more. Give us more.

 

Calvin Betten  04:41

I mean, there's too many good doubles plays around. I don't even know if they'll play I mean, I'd be interested to see how long they stay in it if I mean Surbiton starts the second week of the French on imagine both of them want to get on the grass pretty soon. think Andy certainly would. If you look at their results, just look at I mean Andy wooden coins, what probably five years ago maybe at out now, but if you look at it since then, not none of them have they both played a bit of doubles. And they don't have any pedigree to be going deep in major tournaments. They don't have pedigree of being good at doubles players. They played a tournament last year, I think they'd won. They won one round, and then they lost them. Oltenia Gonzalez doesn't just, I don't give them any chance to sell. I don't even think they'll make that

 

Stephen Huss  05:21

it's pretty strong. That's had some some a lot of success play. Mustafa didn't he made? I think was it semis a couple of Masters Series, they

 

Calvin Betten  05:31

made a couple of masters finals, but he hasn't been he hasn't made them per second round of a doubles tournament in 18 months before that.

 

Freddie Nielsen  05:39

Slam before I can tell you,

 

Daniel Kiernan  05:41

I mean, I don't know which I remember it well, Friday.

 

Freddie Nielsen  05:47

It's tough. It's a tough statement, because of course, I don't disagree with you, but that they're not obviously monster favorites. And they need a lot of stops to go their way. I just feel that in doubles. If you create some sort of momentum in a lot of teams can go deep, it's it's much easier to for a non favorite team in doubles to create some momentum and have a good result and go go on. And if you make quarter semis, it really doesn't matter. They're all good, then it isn't singles because it's not the difference isn't as big as it is in doubles. So I'm surprised that you're that strong in your in your statement. I also don't think they'll win. But to completely ride them off.

 

Stephen Huss  06:26

I think it's a bit harsh. Or they could do some damage, if you know where to put their minds to

 

Daniel Kiernan  06:30

court surface plays into that for me as well. I think Friday, I think I think you're caught surface like a grass is more of a level of for doubles than Claire's. Well, in my opinion,

 

Calvin Betten  06:41

is I mean the grass

 

Freddie Nielsen  06:42

no yes and no, you can play from the back. And you don't have to make as many doubles moves and be as as involved. You can you can play a little more singles, doubles. And also another point with the wildcard. I think they have enough integrity, integrity to not take a wildcard if they don't have the intention to play full all the way through, then

 

Calvin Betten  07:00

they may have the intention. But then I think that changes, doesn't it when Sandy's out in the first first round or ever was out in the first round. And they're serve it and just waiting there. And they both they're both fancying they both needed good grass court season ever does. Andy will want a good grasscourt season. The Olympics is the mitigating factor, I suppose. But I don't even know. As far as I'm aware. I don't think there's plans for them to play together at the Olympics. That's what I've heard. I haven't heard

 

Daniel Kiernan  07:27

inside give us the insight Come on.

 

Calvin Betten  07:29

I mean, I don't this is only like things I hear. It's not from either of them. But I'd heard it was gonna be Andy and Joe, who would play the Olympics when Neil Neil is not definitely in yet. Who gets the choice? How

 

Daniel Kiernan  07:40

does that rule work?

 

Calvin Betten  07:41

So you're, it's complicated, you might lose listeners, while I explained this go, any team could have a maximum of six players. So and it is the four highest if you've got four singles players who qualify then they're in which only leaves two doubles players. However, if you have a doubles players in the top 10, they are definitely in and they get to choose who they play with, from anybody inside the top 300 in the world. So Joe is basically going to be in and he will get to choose whoever he wants to play with Neil will still be there. If He's ranked outside the top 10 He won't get to choose who he plays for it. But there's also some talk that whoever you choose to play with has to be ratified by the governing body, but I don't know how they would do that.

 

Stephen Huss  08:28

So who does who does the ratification from the governing body? I

 

Calvin Betten  08:32

think it's Leon and Ian Bates. They're the

 

Emily Webley-Smith  08:34

ones related to if they played Fed Cup or Davis Cup. They have to have played

 

Daniel Kiernan  08:39

two ties. Yeah. Two ties because we've got one I've got we've got a live one with with Aaron Aaron Ratliff, she's definitely top 10. She's number three in the world right now. And she's been watching this for a few months. And there's a New Zealander, who was ranked about 500 that Aaron after she made semi finals in the Aussie Open flew to Bernie the next day to play a 75k with this girl, and actually won the 75k which is arguably a bigger effort than semis of Australian Open given given that situation.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  09:18

Same girls just won a 75 day last week she's just

 

Daniel Kiernan  09:21

wanted to I think and just broke inside 300 But while this is happening, Lulu son who represented Switzerland has changed in New Zealand played one Fed Cup Thai but a drinking cup Thai and and then now asking the ITF for eligibility. So there's all of these kinds of subplots that are happening behind the scenes. I guess it's got to be passed by the Federation's but I don't see the Federation said no to anybody. The question that before we move on from this. The question is in my head of if Neil and you're both in the top 10 Do they both get a guarantee but what happens if there's already four players So,

 

Calvin Betten  10:00

yeah, they do, but in theory they do. But they won't, because the team will already be full. The team can only have a maximum players so there'd be four players for singles guys would get in. So basically, Neil, if even if Neil is in which he will be in, but he would have to play with a one of the singles players, if he chooses to play, that's another thing that people have factored in, like we said that I still don't think it definitely ever will play the Olympics, because it's the same week as he has to defend 500 points in Washington, and it may be one of those that he looks at, do I want to go and defend my points, he doesn't have a whole lot of points at the minute, so I don't know, I don't want to speak for him, or whatever. But I don't, I don't think it's absolutely certain that he will play.

 

Daniel Kiernan  10:43

So watch out for the subplots of the Olympics. That's always always

 

Calvin Betten  10:47

there's, there's some plans all over the place like the Indian guys, I know. The Indian doubles players like there's there's obviously one spot available, but one of them to play the Olympics, number one in the world or what's not anymore, but

 

Daniel Kiernan  10:59

is buying Bob's dinner just like turning up with trays at his door with his breakfast in the hotel room.

 

Calvin Betten  11:04

But you've got about I think there's about seven or eight Indian guys who are all ranked kind of between 50 and 120. It we're all competing for that one spot, and they won't get another team because no one else will qualify. So they're all going for

 

Daniel Kiernan  11:17

Emory Bradley Smith, not easy to get a get a word in with all of these, these dominant males, I have to bring it to you in a big welcome back. It's great to have you back on. On the podcast, what we're looking for I saw, I think I saw your Instagram story of Dan Evans against Fognini, which is already a very exciting match to watch those. And then we had obviously the line call, which was exactly the same as Andy Murray, on the same court against the same player with the same umpire a year earlier. Everyone's talking now electronic line calling the line calling seems to even on a clear court, we seem to be getting it wrong. You know, what's, what's that like as a player? And where do you see that going in 2010 I

 

Emily Webley-Smith  12:03

actually actually got to watch quite a lot of room because I was home for a fair amount of time. And I was up in arms about the two hands situation when it happened after it happened. And for like days afterwards. So God knows what he must have been like,

 

Daniel Kiernan  12:17

when the game he did with the game. But it changed

 

Emily Webley-Smith  12:20

the momentum because he was still on a run at the change events and and it changed momentum. And yeah, I actually am one of the few people who actually like quite like Fognini. But in that match, I just I just couldn't, especially with the mark that everything about it and the umpire, the way he reacted was just insane. And I just think that we're not talking like one of these situations a year now we're talking like, every week, there's some drama where they get it so horrifically wrong that it changes the course of a match. And I just think with all the technology that we've now got, I just don't think there's any excuse for it whatsoever. Every single week is certainly at the level challenges and stuff that I'm playing is getting worse and worse and worse than the officiating. There's no doubt. And I just think on clay, there's just there's the littlest excuse possible for it. But I just don't know why they can't bring in the review and everything else. And also, I just think the way that the umpires are dealing with players like Fognini. I think there's so much leeway given to some people and so little to others. And we're

 

Daniel Kiernan  13:25

talking about one buyer here though. It's the

 

Emily Webley-Smith  13:30

same one. Yeah, in that situation it was. But even just like, the way he got down off the chair, and he nearly banged into Dan as he was trying to show him what had happened. And then forgive me oh my god. But it was just funny. Then the next few points the tennis karma was just funny in what happened for Dan to go on to win that game, but it definitely after that it's still it changed the whole course of it.

 

Calvin Betten  13:55

I'm told, I suppose somebody at archive earlier in the year, and I'm told that it's not close to being ready for clay for automatic culture and person. I think it's various things but getting it wrong. They are Yeah, that person told me that they are bringing it in next year for all surfaces and he said he can't see the rate is developing. He can't see it being ready to views on play next year and be accurate.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  14:20

I mean, we had 100k in Spain last year on Clay

 

Calvin Betten  14:25

Yeah, yeah, but he said like CEE they always try it Yeah. The guy spoke to was was the travels to the tournament with Hawkeye and he told me off the record that they won't be tonight ready, and it won't be doesn't think he'd be ready for next year.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  14:41

But even in that situation like with the umpire, oh, I mean, that was was the mark and everything like it was just it was so far away from where the ball bat.

 

Calvin Betten  14:51

It's funny because that same umpire is Lionni he hired Henry and Harry's finally in Marrakech, a couple of weeks before All right, and during that final Henry return they were playing it earlier and Midler and earlier hit a volley. It was on a 30 year old for our second set 30 All earlier hit a low volley that was going wide and it clearly hit needless leg completely changed direction and went for a winner through the middle. Everyone on me and Harry's couch and Henry and Harry all said at the same time that's hit him and the umpire just completely missed it didn't see it at all. And I don't

 

Emily Webley-Smith  15:26

know if it's the way they're being taught or that they're just not getting the same level of exposure because they're doing less matches because there's so much electronic cording

 

Calvin Betten  15:34

No I think with with with Muhammad Lian, he doesn't concentrate. Yeah. That's and that like it like, you know,

 

Daniel Kiernan  15:41

waving at the crowd. He's

 

Calvin Betten  15:45

He's and I'd watched it from after that even after that where you'd think he'd have booked up his concentration I looked at him during the rally and he's not following the bot. No, they don't track it.

 

Daniel Kiernan  15:54

I am I'm just gonna throw one in on this is it not just because actually we're capturing it more with social media and I was

 

Freddie Nielsen  16:00

gonna say that and there are less mistakes so the ones that are much more they were

 

Daniel Kiernan  16:05

shocked when I mean they've always been shot and you know what, like, there was always I mean, I won't mention names but you could always you could chop them as well like I used to like spend half my time off the court buying them cheese and ham toasties and then giving them a little smile and giving them something this is I'm not saying I wasn't charming the females either it was more just kind of football match fixing and wow, hey, my career is a long time gone. But you could do like a little bit like the Premier League football is like used to see Steven Gerrard do it Roy Keane Alan Shearer these personalities they give the referee a bit of a look and the referees knocked on against them. And I'm sure

 

Emily Webley-Smith  16:46

many did that he used completely in Rome.

 

Daniel Kiernan  16:50

Yeah, on that court. So I'm not convinced I think we as we get older we sometimes think that things are worse and I'm not sure I just think there's everything's magnified a lot more. And, and Freddie I have to bring you in. What what are we looking for out the box out the box? non-mainstream? What are some of the talking points that you're expecting over the next couple of weeks?

 

Freddie Nielsen  17:11

I think some of the talking points will be what what tournament and here I mean, will it be men's or women's show? We'll get the night sessions How is it even whether it right or wrong? I think there'll be some talk about that. That's the fee like there's every year other than that, I think we've pretty much covered it. I think it's it's more about obviously we you have to say Rafa, it's gonna be rough as last French Open it's gonna take off a lot of the attention and especially from the mentor. And apart from that, I think like what she said, it's it's one of the more interesting French organs because it's we're getting back to the time where you could genuinely genuinely see a random winner. I think

 

Daniel Kiernan  17:53

we're getting to it anyway. In the men's I'm not sure. The men's

 

Freddie Nielsen  17:57

I think women's is praised is much more predictable. Maybe, maybe, maybe it'll be a surprise, but it's it doesn't seem to seem like it. So apart from that, I think there's no yeah, no real outrageous storylines sticking out just before it happens. Maybe something about the Olympics and preparation and whatnot, because that's where they will play the Olympics. But yeah, I think that the who's gonna win it and and Rafa's last tournament is gonna take the cake.

 

Daniel Kiernan  18:29

What about Dominic team, 30 years old, young, 30 years old, retiring from tennis last second round qualities yesterday, didn't receive a wildcard they knew that he was retiring. Didn't give them away. But

 

Freddie Nielsen  18:43

he got a celebration on court. I mean, at that point, you just I would rather not have by with team right. What do you feel you lose second round qualities, your Grand Slam champion, they come out and say, Oh, thanks for your years of service here on second round colleagues. I mean, I feel like folding

 

Emily Webley-Smith  18:59

but fell over me I think it was I like she liked that the French like go with their French wildcards most of the time that they back their French players and they've obviously got so many of them. But I think for me team was that was actually one of the only ones that I think he really deserved a wildcard even though he came out and said that he didn't I think that that was a tough one from the French. But then everyone

 

Stephen Huss  19:21

gets caught up on wildcards is that the tournament committee's discretion. I mean, if you're not good enough to get in, you're not good enough to get it and if they want to give it to a waiter or waitress on the Schengen visa that's that's the discretion. Everyone gets up on it.

 

Freddie Nielsen  19:34

I agree with you in that one. I agree with you. I just I definitely

 

Stephen Huss  19:39

there's so much media attention around it. It's like why there's

 

Daniel Kiernan  19:43

no entitlement to get a wild card for sure. Yeah,

 

Calvin Betten  19:45

I don't think any entitlement to get a wild card. Well, I don't like with the French the Australian and us is this nonsense about exchanging Wildcats

 

Stephen Huss  19:54

that again covenant is that's that's between the two grand slams or the three grand If that have come up, come up with it. Why should I want to do it? That's what I want to do.

 

Calvin Betten  20:04

Yeah, but it's just it. It's not there for the integrity of the sport. There's no reason why an Australian and on a mat or an American should have a wildcard more so than any other country other than they happen to hold a Grand Slam.

 

Stephen Huss  20:16

You're getting caught up on the Grand Slam, it's any tournament.

 

Calvin Betten  20:21

discretion, given that the French have to give us a half to give a wildcard to an Australian player. They have to give it to an American player and they have to give it to an Asian player.

 

Stephen Huss  20:30

Yeah, but then then it's reciprocated. But then why is

 

Calvin Betten  20:33

it reciprocated? Why are those taught Why are those three tournaments are different from any other tournament? Why did they get to just

 

Stephen Huss  20:39

because because the term directors and Actonel committees have negotiated a deal between the three Wimbledon but then you wouldn't have decided not not to use it to have like Wimbledon have Wimbledon wildcards and LTA wildcards Why should Wimbledon have Lt. Why should LTF wildcards and Wimbledon wildcards

 

Calvin Betten  20:56

well the tournament is run by the Federal governing bodies run by the LTA so they know it's run by Wimbledon know that the tournament is owned by the LTA it's owned by it they could choose if they choose to or not everyone says it's I'm telling you they could if the if the if the governing body you don't get Wimbledon the club doesn't just own a slam when all the other tournaments all the other three majors are run by governing bodies.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  21:24

club so they own the that's why they make the decisions with

 

Calvin Betten  21:29

the agreement with the LTA they get to decide on the wildcards, but it's rare that they break from the LTA in fairness without

 

Stephen Huss  21:36

agreement between Gremlin and the LTS, and again, Wimbledon gives the surplus money to the LTA they have no control on the finances.

 

Calvin Betten  21:43

Why do you think they choose? Why do you think they choose to give the LTA half of their money?

 

Stephen Huss  21:47

They don't give them off.

 

Calvin Betten  21:49

They don't take

 

Stephen Huss  21:50

you know, they take out whatever, profit struction and whatever and whatever's left, they give half Yes,

 

Calvin Betten  21:57

it's 50% profit. Yeah. Why did they choose to do net profit? Now why did they choose to do that?

 

Stephen Huss  22:03

Because there's an agreement that's been put in place for years and years and years ago.

 

Calvin Betten  22:07

But then why don't they break it?

 

Stephen Huss  22:10

Because the agreements the agreements have been been in place for years and years and years.

 

Calvin Betten  22:14

But that's that's no reason. If the if the if the governing body didn't run the tournament, they could just go we're not giving you half the money. They're giving you half the money because I'm

 

Stephen Huss  22:22

telling you now the governing body does not run that tournament. If that's the case, who's on the Wimbledon, Wimbledon title committee as anyone from the alternate committee. Anyone? Anyone from the governing body on the woodland tournament committee should

 

Daniel Kiernan  22:34

even get an answer on this. You know, surely someone listening can can give us a an actual answer. I think this doesn't seem it's either one or the other. Right? It's not we're not arguing over something subjective here. It is one or the other. So

 

22:51

simple. So I don't know when to look at the woodland.

 

Daniel Kiernan  22:55

I'm too busy thinking about my dark horse. I don't know when to turn on

 

Stephen Huss  22:59

committee and tell me if there's one one person on that committee who from the Federation. That's all I need to know. You tell him to look

 

Calvin Betten  23:05

at the other way asked, Why does Why does the tournament give the LTA about 50 million quid a year?

 

Stephen Huss  23:10

No, they gave them this year was the highest amount ever sent this order like 2728 20 29

 

Calvin Betten  23:14

million that why would they just give 29 million pounds? If they don't have

 

Stephen Huss  23:20

to have this an agreement in place? That's what I'm trying to say to you? Why is there an agreement in place?

 

Calvin Betten  23:26

But why is there an agreement in place you don't just agree to give

 

Daniel Kiernan  23:28

guys guys I am. I love our discussions and love your discussions as well. But we're saying the same thing. So I'm going to I'm going to jump into an app, we're going to find something factually out on that, you know, it's we'll, we'll find out, I don't know, but somebody will reach out. And we're gonna we're gonna get an answer to that. And we're gonna move into into the dark horses. You know, I think that when we talk about storylines, you know, there's, there's always a storyline that comes out. There's the beauty of Grand Slams, and, and we spoke about this in depth on the live show that we did. A few weeks back, Fred had and what we talked about was the the entrepreneurial spirit of the sport of tennis, the hope that the sport of tennis gives us, you know, and that's the thing about a Grand Slam. Is it an official pre qualifying I don't know if every single country has that. But you have your mark as well as stories that come a tennis courts that goes and plays the pre qualities that ends up playing the qualifying that ends up winning a match and then playing Roger Federer on center court, you know, I'm put these potential new rules are taking that away by having this fixed, these fixed numbers of people that play, but let's enjoy it while we can. Well, we still got it. So there's some stories to be had. We're going to start on the on the women's side of the game. I want you to give me a couple of names, couple of names, and M I'm going to start with You know, you famously came up with a great name nos killer. And in an Ambien series we laughed at you at the time because she wasn't even in the tournament. However, she has gone to prove you right over over the last few years and I think there's a potential Grand Slam winner in the making there actually, you know, but I'm not sure that she's a dark horse anymore because we've talked

 

Emily Webley-Smith  25:21

we missed the boat she can't be a dark

 

Daniel Kiernan  25:26

your Andreeva can't be before anyone jumps on that one as well. Who give us give us a couple of names couple of people to watch out for that are gonna have have it have a have a good run fourth round potential quarterfinalist that the French Open this year?

 

Emily Webley-Smith  25:40

I think I actually think Tamara Danzig, play pretty well through the first few qualities matches former semi finalists of the French I think if she's in good enough shape, physically, I think she can I think she can definitely win a few rounds. And the free vetova sisters. I saw they won their first round. I didn't see after that from today. But I just think in general, they're pushing every single time a little further a little further. I think always at the French there's some with women's there's always some story of someone bursting onto the scene. And I have a feeling it's going to be it's going to be somebody that we haven't even thought of. That's not even that's not even on anyone's radar that kind of comes through and sneaks through before we realize it

 

Daniel Kiernan  26:26

right Freddie uncle Danish all the time. Okay. I'll get your Danish ones and mentioned if you've got to mention them for the political thing of working for the Federation. That's fine. Let's get let's get into Danish

 

Freddie Nielsen  26:39

ones you're talking in plural?

 

Daniel Kiernan  26:42

Why you all while you're gonna have one, we only have one. Caroline is Karina not playing

 

Freddie Nielsen  26:47

now. But I was actually going to go with a hometown favorite club URLs. Just because I think that she had a bit of a funky game and I think with the crowd behind her she might be able to be a real upset and she has upside in her game and decently high ranked. And I would say she would be a dangerous floater in the draw.

 

Daniel Kiernan  27:06

ballsy calm which one which one of you wants to jump in?

 

Calvin Betten  27:09

Because I don't really know much.

 

Daniel Kiernan  27:11

I'm see. I can see you furiously looking at your lists. Trying to work out who's

 

Stephen Huss  27:17

outside? I don't know outside. I think that's mean someone that's being quiet. I think you could do some damage. But Selena,

 

Emily Webley-Smith  27:24

she allowed to be a dark horse given her Oh, come

 

Stephen Huss  27:26

on EMS. Give me a break.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  27:28

Because she was the first one that came to my mind. And I was like, they're not gonna let me have that because of their rules.

 

Daniel Kiernan  27:33

The fact that he's not talking about the Wimbledon, Wimbledon and Lt. I'm just happy to know. All right,

 

Stephen Huss  27:40

I'll go Leila Fernandez.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  27:42

She's made Slam final before Yeah, she's

 

Stephen Huss  27:44

an outsider. She's right.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  27:47

Didn't we go through this?

 

Daniel Kiernan  27:48

Well, I mean, we have a couple of we always have a couple of layers but that's fine. We've got a couple of layers. Yeah, no

 

Stephen Huss  27:54

one else is really standing up for me. I mean, I'd be taking us what's up over is that alright? Well definitely okay.

 

Daniel Kiernan  28:02

We're gonna pass it through Emily she's she's absolutely

 

Stephen Huss  28:07

the Dark Horse police

 

Emily Webley-Smith  28:12

I got so much shit I'm like I'm on it now with these

 

Daniel Kiernan  28:17

people are picking ostapenko and stuff like that when it's gone wrong

 

Calvin Betten  28:24

Um, can I have a socket because I think she's outside the top 100 Anything I might

 

Stephen Huss  28:28

you know, research on this at all. You're worse than me.

 

Daniel Kiernan  28:31

Oh, soccer, actually the the, our our podcast placement student to help bring some notes together for these and a big shout out to Fergus. He does. He does a great job. He's got a soccer down. He sometimes writes a couple of them down and Osaka and I looked at that and I thought oh, soccer. We were talking about her winning 30 Grand Slams like three years ago on this podcast is Aviva. Nice. And now she's become a dark horse like waters. She has

 

Calvin Betten  29:00

had a child we will give her a bit of a pass.

 

Daniel Kiernan  29:04

Yeah, I'm not sure Claire. I mean, I just don't I know she did. She had a couple of really good wins in Rome. Whereas before she looked very uncomfortable on a clear coat. So yeah, I don't expect her to go past third round fourth round. So if she goes further than that, then I'll give you that one for sure. Just

 

Emily Webley-Smith  29:22

on a side note, did anyone see Serena's tweet?

 

Stephen Huss  29:24

I did? Did she getting hungry to play? What

 

Daniel Kiernan  29:30

about what about my your CI me? Oh, he ima.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  29:34

Yeah, she just won 300k in a row, but it's on the first ones on flow. OD and the other two are on Astro. Yeah.

 

Daniel Kiernan  29:41

I don't know how she got on today. But I'd seen that she'd won 70 matches in a row. And that she

 

Emily Webley-Smith  29:47

was Astro she's an astro specialist artificial grass. So

 

Daniel Kiernan  29:51

she can slide because I've seen the sand on those Astro courts out there. She won a first round in friendship and qualities. I don't know exactly how she's gone but that was an interesting one that jumped to my mind in terms of cost you copy and Senate for a long time I've been saying it and playing so well.

 

Freddie Nielsen  30:14

American Girl Dan

 

Daniel Kiernan  30:19

John, I've offered train I'm offer train but but cost shoot has been coming for a long time. Yeah, I saw when she was 14 I think I said it for the first day when she was 14. And she is she's the real deal. She is the real deal. My other one that about two more Diane Perry. Like how she plays French girl. Again, she's someone that I've seen, you know, for a long time and she could get again the French crowd going and then the other one I think it's quite an interesting one. So Tom Hill British coach who obviously worked with Maria secondary for a long time is now working with Peyton Stearns and I think she's quite interesting. I actually don't know what she's like on the clever. I know she got a big ol kick serve and she's got a heavy

 

Emily Webley-Smith  31:03

I watched her beat crew niche yesterday or day before and Robert because I was watching okay, because we have the same coach. And interesting, really interesting. She looks so comfortable on the day great kicker,

 

Daniel Kiernan  31:17

wreck kicker, heavy, heavy, heavy. Yeah,

 

Emily Webley-Smith  31:21

nails attitude, just absolutely on it completely on it. The

 

Daniel Kiernan  31:26

great match was Saba Lanka and Indian Wells, I think and at the match points. So yeah, she's a one that and I think Tom does a great job. You know, he's a, he's a coach who kind of lives and breathes these players and get stuck in and so those those may be a couple of names for you guys to watch out. And as where we're speaking about the women's singles players, it's kind of feels hard to see past eager. It feels like she's she's got got this clear court thing kind of on lockdown right now. Anybody anybody see it, see see eager falling, or do we think it's eagles? Yeah. Again,

 

Calvin Betten  32:03

I think that I was talking about this on another podcast last night that I think that everyone's writing off the likelihood that if she plays against rybakina, that that's far from again, me that for me is still a 5050 Rebecca has got a four to wreck head to head record against the she's beaten her in the only time they've played in a slam and she beat her the last time they played on clay, which was this year. And she does have to a degree her number. I'm not saying she would be. But I think that she's in Yeah, I think in that particular matchup if they come across each other, which they would meet in the semis because I think Rebecca for in the world. What do you think? Yeah, I think that is still a 5050 match because I think that's a nightmare for Sean tech. The only player that is really a nightmare for him.

 

Daniel Kiernan  32:51

You know, I think there's two I think there's two more I think there's well we know ostapenko Dawn four against ostapenko and then the other one that we have to mention in this one Vasi I'd love to hear your thoughts on this because she told us only three months ago that this is her last year playing tennis She told us she can't wait to get off the tour. She just can't can't stand the travel and since then she's hardly lost a match Danielle Collins and she seems to be continuing to do it even on the clear court as well so my so ballsy the change of mindset the you know what screw it last hurrah let's give it a go. doesn't often work but it seems like it's working for Danielle Collins right now.

 

Stephen Huss  33:34

She's just swinging from the hip it's got a free hit it it this year she's she's not worried. Farewell Tour for her and she's obviously playing playing really well playing with freedom and yeah she's getting the results so long might last and yeah, I think she she she would again be be a danger you know she's in the right mindset and just just playing with freedom she could she could be dangerous on any surface

 

Daniel Kiernan  33:57

semifinalist in Rome lost in three sets the CyberLink in three sets in Madrid one one Charleston 500 on clear one Miami fat 1000 You know since if we take from that period she's gone I mean crazy 713 15 matches in a row. Oh my god. I mean it's unbelievable. She's What 19 and two she's she's 20 and two and her last 22 matches

 

Emily Webley-Smith  34:24

I think it depends a bit on the conditions and Roland Garros for that I think she'd need it to be a bit quicker

 

Stephen Huss  34:30

yeah conditions conditions I agree with me there but but a mindset mindset hotset all plays a part as well and she's she's she doesn't basically doesn't care whether she obviously she cares but it's not something that have an impact on a moving forward whether she wins a match or loses a match this is last year

 

Daniel Kiernan  34:50

she beats ENIAC have a one and two to siniakova is a good player. You know, she just see it's like, this is not like, I always thought Danielle Collins Oh, She she could upset someone, but she's not going to go so far but she's Strasburg or Strasbourg as well. So she seems to be she seems to spend a lot of tennis. She's winning a lot of matches, but put it out there who you who you're going for goes,

 

Emily Webley-Smith  35:15

I want to have a link to a winner, but I think ego is going to win it. I

 

Calvin Betten  35:18

think Trump's pick the winner unless she plays Rebecca, and then she might not like

 

Daniel Kiernan  35:23

the win. I like what you did there. Carlos, you covered yourself. You give yourself two

 

Calvin Betten  35:27

knocks, I think I do think it's, I do think it's 5050 If that happens, and then if you know, I think that's that's the one reason I'd separate Rebecca from Collins and ostapenko is ostapenko just crazy. She might not even win the first round like she has to play against. She hasn't she also I'm not sure she'd be in sublangka in in the biggest on the biggest stage. I should beat her in a slam

 

Daniel Kiernan  35:50

er not sure. Yeah, um, she

 

Emily Webley-Smith  35:52

actually has a good lose to anyone beforehand.

 

Stephen Huss  35:55

So that's the thing. Interesting is if done a wreckage isn't so the link is side of the draw as well. Yeah.

 

Calvin Betten  36:01

But and then like the

 

Stephen Huss  36:05

till you see the draw. I'll start

 

Daniel Kiernan  36:09

to paint garbage be on tech in New York, US Open 23?

 

Calvin Betten  36:13

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. There's also an issue with we don't know about rybakina as health either. I know, she's had some, some illness issues that seem to be ongoing as well. So whether she's even there, and whether she plays the whole tournament is another matter as well

 

Daniel Kiernan  36:30

advise you to bring your expertise on this in, because that was in my head as well. And I was wondering if maybe that also works in her favor. So if when we talk about the way that these tournaments run, and when you zoom out, I certainly I've had this with Gabby and Aaron, we've had quite a lot of big discussions on this, you start to look for like three, four or five weeks out when a slam is coming up the amount of players that get to that second week slam, and they've been, they've been in Paris for one week training. And the weeks before that they were in Rome, and they were in Madrid and they were playing you know, the been on the road. And then all of a sudden you get to like the second week Monday and you've literally been there for 1415 days. In this what in one city? You know, you get you get to that point, whereas maybe the fact that Rebecca hasn't had that heaviness beforehand. Can that actually I guess in terms of preparation sometimes almost be better than having the matches from a confidence standpoint. You want the matches, but from a from a having your body and mind in the right place. Maybe that freshness can work? No

 

Stephen Huss  37:38

Yes or No. But I also think that you want your body to be conditioned to have been plying loads of matches. Yes. And if you haven't, I think you that that can work work against you know that if you have like a you know, a difficult first round or second round if you'd if you don't have that conditioning, you can train as much as you like, but that obviously matches matches, you can't replicate match fitness. So

 

Calvin Betten  38:06

as I understand it sublangka is an illness issue. She has an autoimmune issue that Rebecca vector, Rebecca sorry, keep getting the names mixed up. Rebecca has a autoimmune illness that is difficult to predict when it might affect her so she can be fine one day and not fit to play a match the next day. And I don't think they that as far as I know, they haven't fully got to the bottom of what's causing it.

 

Daniel Kiernan  38:32

I heard her on that same freshness thing. I heard a phrase I heard an interesting one with Holger actually, in Australia that they were trialing they were moving hotels. So he was in Melbourne for 789 days preparing. And then they were actually moving hotels a day or two before the tournament started. And that was all a fresh freshness piece of this apparently Novak does it. I wouldn't know that. But you know, it's rather than getting stuck in this one place where it becomes a bit monotonous. actually changing hotels and having this fresh feeling of a new tournament. And that was quite interesting as well.

 

Freddie Nielsen  39:11

Absolutely. And if you've worked for some players, that's fine. That sounds like a nightmare to me when I'm at a place to like settle down and not move and the thought of just having to pack my bags and go somewhere else that would be Yeah, that's not my cup of tea. But I mean, these guys are also they're competing against each other at such a high level that if they can find half a percentage somewhere they're gonna go for it. Yeah, if it works then fine. And obviously the most important thing is if they think it works, it works. Right. So I guess it's very, very personal. It

 

Daniel Kiernan  39:41

works and it doesn't work science

 

Freddie Nielsen  39:42

behind it. Yeah, and I don't think there's much science behind it. Right. Okay,

 

Daniel Kiernan  39:47

over over to the men. Dark horses. Emily, what you're thinking who's I know that you want to say Andy Murray or you want to say

 

Emily Webley-Smith  39:57

I'm actually gonna say Tommy Oh

 

Daniel Kiernan  40:02

not the number 13 in the world or 14 in the world but yeah I mean not that's that's

 

Emily Webley-Smith  40:07

a friend probably not but then in Rome I was I was really impressed with how he played on the clay and his match with Jerry was one of my favorite men's matches that I've watched this

 

Daniel Kiernan  40:15

year. Are we is the dark dark horse police gonna pass that one through know why he hasn't

 

Emily Webley-Smith  40:21

gone deep in a

 

Stephen Huss  40:22

yes, just like mom was fit Selena.

 

Daniel Kiernan  40:26

I would say Tommy Tommy Paul's at least a semifinalist in Islam before surely I believe

 

Freddie Nielsen  40:30

you lose. Quarter Final Australia. Ben Shelton, did you have anything before he was? You went deep in Indian Wells as well. Yeah,

 

Emily Webley-Smith  40:38

but isn't the criteria. He hasn't made some final before criteria is hard. That

 

Freddie Nielsen  40:44

it's somebody that's completely

 

Emily Webley-Smith  40:47

French tell me Paul.

 

Daniel Kiernan  40:49

He lost a Nicholas Yari in the second round of Paris last year. Interesting. ballsy.

 

Stephen Huss  40:56

I'm gonna go Shelton Yep. I'm gonna Yeah, I think he could. Big game that all clicks was the one Dallas

 

Daniel Kiernan  41:06

one honestly what you just I commentated one of his matches in Australia. He actually played against Mannarino every time Mannarino made him play a backhand man arena when the point every time it was unbelievable. It was like if he got his serve back and he ran and play back and and I just think unless he serves unbelievably well and also uses that which he can but not just unbelievably well but shaped as well because I actually think that's his best serve the kicks of people find the backhand and on a clear court. I just don't know where he goes from there. But let's see. Well,

 

Stephen Huss  41:42

that's your opinion. Thanks for opinion. I've still got Shelton. Yes, another

 

Freddie Nielsen  41:45

grand slam semifinalist in the dark horse we're running. We're really really pulling out tricks here.

 

Daniel Kiernan  41:51

Because nobody can actually told me

 

Stephen Huss  41:55

this one other ones are gonna go on Richard chenko as well. That's a dark horse right there.

 

Daniel Kiernan  42:02

That is most people are going isn't that a footballer at this point. So that's why why where's that come from? What Give me Give me some.

 

Stephen Huss  42:10

I've watched him play. I watched him play a lot last year. And I think his his game was growing, maturing. And he's starting to get some results. I think I think that the site that he needs to just to sharpen up on his the mental side, you can lose a little bit.

 

Daniel Kiernan  42:27

He's 13 and 17 on the just, just to challenge the results. A little bit.

 

Stephen Huss  42:34

Check it you want Dark Horse I'm giving you a dark horse you guys are going light. Not even going dark.

 

Daniel Kiernan  42:44

Very dark. It's almost a donkey even.

 

Stephen Huss  42:46

Yeah. Oh my god. Andriy Shevchenko. You're listening to this you just been called a donkey. And I'm backing you as a race. My

 

Daniel Kiernan  42:57

wife My wife.

 

Stephen Huss  42:58

My opinion Chanca my wife gonna

 

Daniel Kiernan  43:01

get that outdoor. Cow

 

Calvin Betten  43:09

I've got four. I'm not I'm not saying they're gonna go win the tournament. But I think that definitely

 

Emily Webley-Smith  43:14

the definition of the dog.

 

Calvin Betten  43:18

Well, no one there's no there's no one dark. No doubt. No darkness is gonna win the tournament in fairness. So I

 

Daniel Kiernan  43:25

nearly did in Australia. I made the file. Just to put it out. Did you choose would you choose? I never know how to pronounce the name because they kept on Zang. Yeah, okay.

 

Calvin Betten  43:41

I think I mean, one of them's not so much darker. She made the finally roll my sweet but I've thought about this last week. It's the two Chileans I think are going to be a major problem and they could go very deep to Bo and Jerry. They're serious players on this surface, both of them. A home grown player from France that I think is going to be phenomenal. is Giovanni and pesci Paragard who is six foot eight, like and built like a outhouse and I don't think I've ever seen a physical specimen like him play tennis before and be able to move like he can like

 

Freddie Nielsen  44:22

that show. He plays unbelievable. And he can seriously work it. Yeah,

 

Calvin Betten  44:26

I mean, if you watch I watched the match yesterday when he played San Diego but if you go on tennis, TV's Instagram account, they have highlights. And every highlight is basically they rally two or three shots and then Paragard just absolutely leathers a forehand winner.

 

Freddie Nielsen  44:40

Yeah, I hadn't heard about him before last year and then I scouted we were scouting some of our opponents from Brazil and Montero played him and us open mouth like who? Yeah, this guy. He has a future because he can take the ball out of any player's racket yesterday. Yeah, I

 

Calvin Betten  44:56

mean, he's only 20 He's only 26 For eight anything he's already like 120 in the world. BTW serious damage,

 

Daniel Kiernan  45:03

he beat Shevchenko last week.

 

Calvin Betten  45:10

chenko is a very talented breed, He absolutely has a tank in him. So

 

Stephen Huss  45:17

deep down as a tank in him, let's just get to the every single player out there has a tank, and it's just whether you can just ignite that fuse for the tank to happen. We've seen the dowel tank, I'm sure he's tanked once in his life.

 

Calvin Betten  45:33

And the last one again, I think could go deep. And I think you'll be a top 10 in the world player is Flavio Cabala, from Italy, who is one of the quickest players I've ever seen. And he's got weapons. He's very talented. He's very level headed as well while maintaining a level of intensity and competitiveness which the Italians historically struggled to balance. But I think he's very, very good. level

 

Emily Webley-Smith  46:03

headed Italian comes from, like the firewall.

 

Calvin Betten  46:08

The Italians are coming peak. I mean, there's every tournament I go to now there's there's always an abacus, like Henry or Luca always end up playing one of them at some stage. And I always go did you play them before? And they always say no, no, it's a different one. So there's

 

46:22

lots out there Absolutely. What Yeah,

 

Daniel Kiernan  46:25

this genuinely You won't believe who he plays tomorrow in Geneva, Shevchenko in the quarterfinals.

 

Calvin Betten  46:35

And in the last round, and in the last round. Shelton

 

Freddie Nielsen  46:42

that's a good point for me to route to. Because I was gonna go with the Italians, too, I think they have so much momentum and very good point from you, I feel that they're, they're a different breed. Now they see much more on it much more calm and collected. And they seem to be pushing each other on so so mine were going to be the three Italian star theory and Kabale as well and also naughty, who I thought actually did quite well against going in Rome, even though he lost I thought he played a decent match and beat Novak and then

 

Calvin Betten  47:12

I got Pissaro as well.

 

Freddie Nielsen  47:14

I just feel like yes, it was exactly. I feel like the Italians are really there on the top,

 

Calvin Betten  47:18

I think that helps them as well, you know is that like, everywhere I go. I've been to a few tournaments this year, they have a real backing in the crowd, because there's Italians everyone, and they do support, they do go out and support. So in Australia, in America, even in Britain, in France, they'll come out and they'll fill because they don't usually get in on the main courts. And those their fans will just fill the outside courts, and it must be so great to wherever you know, wherever you're playing, you're gonna have this support all the time.

 

Freddie Nielsen  47:48

And also, I feel like I've spent a lot of time in Italy playing tournaments and T matches and it feels like they have a very good togetherness. They all know each other. And they're so they're so they have that and they push each other. But I feel like there there's also healthy competition when all of a sudden a lot of people start doing that. And like my best friend just did that. And I can what if he can do it, I can do it or I want to be able to push on as well. So I think there's a lot of good things going on in Italy right now

 

Daniel Kiernan  48:18

Hold'em and structure, tournament structure, tournament structure,

 

Emily Webley-Smith  48:21

you literally play every weekend today, if you wanted to challenge a level

 

Daniel Kiernan  48:26

that's happened for you this is this is the byproduct of that which has been happening for 1015 years now. You know, it's starting starting to come through, you give you give competitive opportunity for people at all ages, the cream will rise to the top. You know, you can make things cheaper, lots of people can compete, lots of people can play without traveling the world coaches can watch you play, you know, you start to get a crop that come through together. It's I don't think it's I don't think it's rocket science actually. But I know it's not so easy to provide that within within certain ecosystems around the world. But when you get the tournament structure, right, like like clearly Italy have clearly spended for many years, then then the cream will rise. So I think it's a lesson check. Zaman check, you know, it's the same way I like it. I like there's lots coming out i i have a couple of my first ones a bit of a funny story. I am I was hitting hitting balls. I don't know if I would call it hitting balls, but I was trying to survive hitting balls with Harry Halle Guevara and Cincinnati last year on the off site courts. And there was this guy who can I can only describe as shanking forehands. You know he was doing he was doing a drill where someone was like feeding the ball quite close to the net and he was trying to, you know, trying to get quite thin spin on the ball and an Iraqi shanked honestly 12 in a row. I said to Harry however they managed to get on the court like this is, you know, because where the where it is at a school and I was like, shoot like you've got like Andy over there. You've got all these different players that are practicing on the courts. And actually,

 

Freddie Nielsen  50:12

they were saying the same about judo.

 

Daniel Kiernan  50:16

A lot worse and a lot worse. And Harry started laughing He said, Oh, that's that's Zang. He's a player. What? He's a player like, I could not believe what I was seeing. Half an hour later. I could see that he was a clearly a player. So So that little four pile by me in Cincinnati has led me to follow him and I think he's, he's a serious player. He's looking good. So Zang is a player that I would watch and don't always judge people when you first see them hitting tennis balls people can change pretty fast. The second one and I believe if memory serves me correct EP jurkovich Did he beat a beat someone or in the first round like a seven five or Medvedev? Maybe last year? I

 

Freddie Nielsen  51:03

will say birth? Yes, it was bad. But if it was Medvedeva death,

 

Daniel Kiernan  51:07

I saw him playing again earlier this year in India, Wales and I thought the boy could seriously play

 

Calvin Betten  51:14

say button that was not going good. Obviously rolled his ankle today. I don't even know whether it'll play it. Okay, he was walking around the he went straight to the retired rollers. And then he was walking I saw him come out of there with his ankle fully strapped with a massive limp. I guess I text a couple of the likes. I know he's in the doubles, takes a couple of the lads who I know are alternates in the doubles in the French. And I said if you've got very good chances I'd I'd be very surprised if if that that level of limp recovers in five days. Okay.

 

Daniel Kiernan  51:46

Well, he impressed me. He's someone that I've seen kind of just push, push the rank and up. It's another name that not many people have heard of. He's no Tommy Paul. He's not Ben Shelton, but he's maybe a name that we might have to look out for late later in the air. And now the winner of Ozzy it doesn't seem so easy to share, you know, in the men's. No.

 

Stephen Huss  52:10

I mean, obviously, if you're going on pleasant forms Arif, I think, I think when you if he's if he's, if he's on formula, you know, I think he was on a forum when he rolled his ankle up, and he's playing a doll that year. So you know, if he gets it right is, you know, he could win it. I can't see giacca, which winning it this year.

 

Daniel Kiernan  52:30

So what's happened? What's happened?

 

Stephen Huss  52:32

So I think, I think, I think when Novak had this, this, there's a lot of nuances that have happened. So he, he had Carlos Gomez. Herrera as his hitting partner, all of 2023, Novak had a very acrimonious divorce with his management company just after the US Open. And it all started at the US Open. And that was really ugly. And then what he did was at the end of the year, he he moved. He moved Carlos over to doing all the commercial stuff for him. So like a lot of the agents agent works for Carlos came off the court. And so that dynamic changed, and then obviously Goran had knee surgery and wasn't around for a lot of the end of the year. And I think preseason, and I think I just think that the whole dynamic has completely changed and I know Carlos had quite an influence on Novak on the court and Novak said he contributes logistically and politically and I think he did a lot more. And he used to, from what I heard was, he was the one who would, you know, know that what exactly what he saw and then, you know, wouldn't beat around the bush. And then, you know, he's, he's changed his training, it's gone back to his old trainer, that there's a lot there's a lot of moving parts that I think a lot of people haven't seen behind the scenes, which have upset the equilibrium. So yeah, I just I don't think he's in a good place, you know? And yeah, I just, He's coming. He's coming in very undercooked. But, you know, obviously, he's a class player. He came into Wimbledon very undercooked, you know, and you know, made final So, yeah, I think I just, I just can't I can't see it. I think there's, you know, for him to take a wild card the week before as well. It's quite interesting where it is he's obviously trying to, he's trying he's trying to get met, you know, match fit, you know, lots of matches in trying to try and find his game so he feels comfortable going into so I think all those moving parts have have had a massive part to play. And I don't know if he's still within it. Traveling with Nana.

 

Daniel Kiernan  54:41

So are we are we driving? When I look at the fact obviously you got a bit of a cuffing in Rome two and three. Monte Carlo he made semi finals last fall and the third to Casper Ruud, and then obviously the tournament before that he lost to Nardi and in Didn't wells, but I don't know, is it just a moment in time is? Or is this something that now we start talking about 37 year olds, obviously, they're freaks to be able to do what they're doing.

 

Stephen Huss  55:14

But I think I think I think it's, you know, he set the bar so high last year with what he achieved. And basically, it was any tournament he entered, he was pretty much going to win or come close to winning. And, you know, we've talked about Novak now going into the French he doesn't want to talk, he doesn't want to title and, you know, and we comparing the year that he had last year to the US having this year, can't see it. But you know, he's obviously he's, he's got class and he's a great player. You know, the holes are up with the slabs. So you've still got to put that into into the mix of it. Yeah, I think this, I think the invincibility that he wants out, I think players now feel that he can't be beaten.

 

Daniel Kiernan  55:55

bratty sides, five sets is different, though. It

 

Freddie Nielsen  55:59

is way different. Also, he backs himself in those kinds of situations, and you can write that off. But at the same time, he is starting to consistently show that he's more and more human. But I kind of agree with Boston that I think that of all the players going in the ones field and that who feels the best about himself must be fair, because I don't think he has any injury niggles and he's he's been winning a lot of matches and won Rome, obviously. And yeah, I think he'll be feel the best about himself. I think he has a very good chance to win, but my pick would be carless. I just think he has such a high upside. I like the way he plays. Could be could be too much for him. To five sets it obviously depends on a good draw. We have a very very dangerous floater in the draw this year. Who has historically done very well and enrolling Garis so again, we need to see the draw but I had to put my money on anybody. I would put it on Carlos I think he has great upside he's still young he's I hope he just took off Rome as a precaution to be ready for for Paris. I don't hope there's anything seriously wrong. I know there was a few issues going into Madrid. But yeah, I really liked the way his game is looking. And but but but apart from that, I think, yeah, I think it's fair and actually, Loki very good fit for the title

 

Daniel Kiernan  57:17

to me is and how quick things change in tennis. I got a few weeks ago, I think everyone would have said Yannick Silla as well, but it's is the outer franchisee playing French now

 

Stephen Huss  57:27

that also has he got a court case coming up

 

Calvin Betten  57:30

before the French now, as I'm doing it various court.

 

Stephen Huss  57:35

I don't know if that's going to affect him. I

 

Calvin Betten  57:36

don't think it will. But he doesn't have to attend it.

 

Daniel Kiernan  57:39

It's kind of interesting. Just to drop that one. It's just that can't be easier. No. doesn't give a shit. I mean, maybe he just doesn't give a shit. I mean, he comes across

 

Stephen Huss  57:54

a person who doesn't give a shit. He walks around like Yeah, yeah, he does. So,

 

Calvin Betten  57:58

I mean, I find his mentality. Fascinating and bizarre. And that is I don't know if you can say that he's mentally strong or he's mentally weak, because he has bottled a lot of Big Macs. But he bought he should have won a slam already. He was two sets of up on team at US Open and he completely choked. I've seen him choke other big matches, but at the same time, he goes out there every match and he doesn't have a great first serve. I think he probably has the best first serve in the world. And his backhand is a beautiful shot. But I think he's probably the worst volley or in the top 100 is four and is pretty gunk doesn't really do anything on it. And he's got serious mental frailties there. I'd take it and you wouldn't know every time I watch him though.

 

Daniel Kiernan  58:44

I would if you'd see me hitting on you I would take it

 

Calvin Betten  58:52

but every time because I've not watched him for a while before Rob I'm not seeing him play and and I know he's been doing well so far. I'm wondering if he started hitting his forearm on he doesn't he just kind of stands at the back and rolls it in. He doesn't do anything with it. He basically challenges people to hit through it just rolls his forehead. I don't if he is though, Emily, if it was he'll know more about that. I mean, I think he's like he was a bit spangly and because he moves well for a big lad but I don't know if you class him as a great athlete would you was he's good enough to be contextual. Yeah, contextual. I mean in terms of an elite level of tennis, but I wouldn't

 

Stephen Huss  59:21

call his forehand dunk I mean, I'd say you know it's not you know,

 

Calvin Betten  59:27

it would anyone in the top 20 swapped there for him by his it's

 

Stephen Huss  59:32

not a question of swapping it is a question of does he make it work for for the game? Yeah, this

 

Calvin Betten  59:36

is what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. We're talking about a potential Grand Slam winner here and he's I know that there's been one of those in the men's game who's four and he's just there basically just goes I'm just gonna put it in court and and what I'm so when I'm going on this is that. I think he's a second service. Obviously he's always on a knife edge. Although he has improved it. I think he's always got a double fault in him. I think he's volleys are up pretty crap. I don't rate his forehand. But he continues to remain absolutely convinced of his own magnificence in the, in the midst of all that. And that, to me is fascinating. And he has choked a lot of big matches as well. But you look at him and he seems to be fully convinced that he's the best tennis player on the planet. So I don't know. I mean, I, in a way, I think he could win it, but it wouldn't surprise me if he wins. It wouldn't surprise me if he completely choked. What one of the things he stopped doing. He's got out of his game in recent years is he stopped losing in major tournaments or big tournaments to players who he shouldn't do used to have a terrible record in slams. I think up until about three up until just before the injury I don't think he'd ever been in a Top 10 Top 20 player in a slap he's got a few of those good, but now I think you know he's, he does look finally to be better two years on from from him getting that ankle injury. He likes to finally sorted that out, but I still still can't see him getting over the line. When it really matters. All fair

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:01:03

points. I'm am I'm going to be more assertive this time because a few minutes ago, I asked a question about Yannick sinner, and you guys went and spoke about spare and for the next five minutes, so I'm gonna be I'm gonna give it another go with a little bit more OMPS this time, Yannick center a few weeks ago was was the best male tennis player on the planet something anyone can deny that and he was starting to almost become a bit boring actually how good he'd become. He's obviously had an injury. I don't want don't know what the news is. I understand he's playing and Roland Garros. You know, Freddie can can can hear we just writing him off because he's had an injury, get through a couple of rounds, finds his form again. Surely Yannick sin has got to be at the top of the list. Absolutely. But

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:01:49

you said about the injury. That's what base me has said. Because the games there he's starting to look more mature. He obviously believes now. Having already won a slam. comfortable in the clay was the groin. I think it was growing right. And he was playing and he told his box that he was hurting. And they said just play on Play on because apparently it was something that they had been going through earlier where he was

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:02:13

when he did Australia. In Australia, he was he was injured or seemed to be was that in the semi final maybe. And it looked like he was done. And the game box got behind him and he kept going.

 

Stephen Huss  1:02:26

Yeah, so I don't care what one of the big things was. That was Trump trying to toughen them up. Because I know, Dan, downplayed them in Beijing last year, and actually should have won the match but you cramping or going in or whatever it is it started the third and then just started slapping winners left, right and center. That's one of the things that Dan spoke to me about is just yeah, just trying to get them a little tougher on the court. that will that will be consistent with the messaging that you you guys had just said about the box saying Keep going, keep going.

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:02:56

So if you fit that he's obviously up there, you can roll them out. But I've kind of in my head, put him in the back burner because he's Yeah, he doesn't do

 

Stephen Huss  1:03:06

really with the physicality yet on play. It's a different animal winning winning the French on.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:03:11

We don't know what's happening behind the scenes, I guess. I don't know what works getting put into

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:03:16

it, but I think he's as capable as everybody else is. I mean, does anybody really stand out? No, I

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:03:22

think it's very, very open. And that's what amazes me is how quick but is it open enough? Emily, you love a little tug on the heartstrings a great story. 14th time Roland Garros champion the last ever time that he's going to be playing Roland Garros. Is there one last incredible story for Rafael Nadal.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:03:46

I'd like to think so. But I don't think so. I just think from a body perspective, he has had a couple of matches, but not seven, and not seven, why he's not his usual wrath of self killing people. If he even has one struggle, I think then the recovery from that and coming back from that. I don't want to rule him out. But I think from a body perspective, I think he probably be the first to say that he's not. He's not there yet. But it's just so cool to see him back on the court.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:04:18

Does he play? Yeah, I

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:04:19

think he'll play. I think if he starts the tournament, he's gonna have to think that he thinks he can win it. He's not going to play it if he doesn't think he can win it. But I think as the Roland Garros goes on, and as the matches evolve, and whatever, I just think for those guys with five sets, I just think it's so tough. And he hasn't obviously played a five set match since one a long time. I just don't think you know how your body's going to react when you've missed that much time.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:04:44

So we would offer that we don't believe in magic.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:04:49

We do believe

 

Stephen Huss  1:04:52

now that we believe in doctors.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:04:55

I don't know what you're talking about. Vasi and after you get off to let me know very good doctors. As anyone can anyone give him a chance with

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:05:02

his comment, what about rube left with his comment about the doctors in Madrid? Did you see that in his press conference afterwards? He was like I don't know what these doctors in Madrid were doing but it was some kind of magic because I've never felt so bad I've never had anyone given me the level of treatment and the kind of treatment that they were giving me throw out Madrid wasn't

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:05:19

Dr. Ferrari. Was

 

Stephen Huss  1:05:20

it very good doctors?

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:05:21

anybody any good needles. Anybody else see Rafa and your give refer a chance?

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:05:29

No, I told you on the live pod. We had been the last time I have an irrational thought that we're going to see some kind of fairytale run and get some magic going. But he obviously needs a good draw. Now

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:05:44

on the Caliph who's your pick of?

 

Calvin Betten  1:05:45

I think it's tough to pick with unless you know that sinner and Alcatraz are playing I think if they're both fit it's I think it's one of those two that I think it's very good when it all things unbalanced being that it's a if if alcohol was in the center and not fully fit, I don't think he's gonna win it but I'm gonna pick jurkovich Because I could just see him doing something like he's done before. But at the same time, I'm quite convinced that he's well past his best as well. Well past hell come on. No, no, I think I think the thing is that was with with plight with athletes and players of that age. It's it's all great until the point that it's not and I think we're past the point of it not been I think he's you can say he's not well past his best but you could argue that he's, he's a year past his best. He hasn't looked the player like he hasn't looked at his best since last year's Wimbledon. And I think that was open was that when you are so maybe it might be crap, though.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:06:48

He didn't even it was bloody good in the Americas. Because alcohol is beautiful Wimbledon and everyone was

 

Calvin Betten  1:06:57

the gods. I think that if this country I think what I'm trying to say if this continues through if he doesn't win the French and he doesn't win Wimbledon. Christ then if he wins another slot, maybe the we're in we're in the end. I think we're in the endgame. If he's not past his best, we're in the endgame now.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:07:12

So who's your pick?

 

Calvin Betten  1:07:15

I'm thinking Jovovich

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:07:16

am tena Silla. I'm picking I'm picking it names. Advair F, but you guys have kind of taken this veriff I just think it's very rare in a male slam singles for a long time that we've been able to choose outside of the obvious things. I think if I'm not going to do that this time, I didn't know when I will. So I'm not going forever. I'm going with a name that nobody's mentioned so far.

 

Calvin Betten  1:07:50

caspo. Okay, since the person Stephanus,

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:07:53

Stefanos. And let's see. I just think

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:07:59

if I was smoking pipe, what is the key no smoking on this call? If

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:08:03

city passes ever going to win one? This is this is an opportunity. I think Claire's his best surface, I think, yeah, I just, I just think there's a potential opening. I think this is a Grand Slam where we could see somebody every now and then they come along, you know, at Thomas, your Hanson slammer, you know, every now and then we have, we have those those slums that appear. And I just have a feeling that this French Open could be one at one of those ones where someone comes a little bit from the background. And city passes med to finals. Right. One final review of as well. Roopa Valley stone thing has the marbles man had is not convinced he's I mean, obviously, potentially he's got game, it could be a Rube levers. It's that it's that second or second tier. i We haven't spoke about Holger I just don't think Holger is showing enough for me. I think he's even dropped down a tear potentially. But I think it's going to come from from that. That sort of pack potentially.

 

Calvin Betten  1:09:07

I think the thing was Fitzy paths and rube love is that on me if they were going to win it and I think they could win one or this one. I think somebody else has to take care of the big names. I just couldn't see them doing it in a semi. I can't see rube love being a fully fit Alcatraz or sinner in a quarter or no

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:09:28

I say if those if if the big guys are making semis then of course they're the big Yeah. That the the thought process behind this I think right now is this potentially is the year where where they don't you know where injury catches them out or an early loss catches them out. But I think once once you've got your junk of itches and your Alcaraz or centers in the semis of you it's hard to see them beating two of them. But the thought behind all of us, I think is that this potentially is the year where that's going to happen. Well, let's say we will, we'll find out in a couple of weeks. Guys, I want to, I want to do a couple of kind of queasy, get involved type things to finish today. And my first one actually, I'm gonna, I'm just gonna read a couple of tweets out. Do you call them tweet still? Or do you call them exes? Anyway, I'm gonna come, I'm gonna, I'm gonna call a cup. I'm gonna read a couple of them out. And please jump in, give give your opinion if you have one. This one says, from Chris Goldsmith, the tennis talker. I've never seen a country of female players who would rather practice for weeks of weeks, rather than play than the Brits

 

Stephen Huss  1:10:41

is bright.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:10:42

That's when they're when I see them practicing. It's usually drinks and meals on Instagram. Emily Webley Smith, is he talking about you? What's he talking about? You said that he's right.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:10:58

No, I just think there's this whole thing about training blocks, sorry for the training blocks and long preparation periods. And I think a lot of the girls who are hurt a lot of the time don't play enough tennis and they're not caught strong. They don't bounce out week to week. And I know I'm the absolute opposite of that. But I just think that if you haven't played you can't then play do a two week trip, which ends up being a one and a half week trip, and then go home for three and a half weeks and then play you know, I know we have the argument about Singles Doubles, and you can't play both at the high level and everything but even at Challenger level, they're not playing singles and doubles week in week out. So it's like one or two matches a week and then carry on someone gets hurt and they go again. But from a from a physical training point of view, I just think you can do everything in the world that it just you can't get caught strong and you can't get matched wrong if you're not there week in week out playing

 

Stephen Huss  1:12:01

match fitness as you can't you can't replicate and even that

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:12:05

thing of going into another week playing another week from one week to the next week. It you know even the preparation and everything that that entails whatever that is with a match and it's so different than if you're there doing a three week training block with everything around you and everything perfect and your physical training and your two sessions and whatever you can do as many hours as you want but it's just not that it's just not the same as bouncing out tournament weeks. Great.

 

Calvin Betten  1:12:31

I think as well I agree with that just the number of weeks but I think also on top of that if you're choosing to not play a major tournament to train instead when you're not injured, then you're not a serious tennis player. Alright,

 

Stephen Huss  1:12:45

so So first of all, first of all, we were talking about Mr. Carnegie right? Okay, so on a blank piece of paper a 21 year old who is physically able physically fit as professional tennis player should not be missing the Grand Slam and should be playing events. You know a regular regular regular season. I'm not gonna defend Emma here but we don't know what her situation is. I don't know if she's got injuries if she's got noodles or whatever. And there's a reason why she's she's missing the French to to cheer hitting on High Court to prepare for the grass. And then the summer we don't we don't know. But if if she is 100% healthy, then it's it's criminal that she's not playing. I mean, this this the missing missing events to do training blocks is a nonsense. And

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:13:36

also just as long as if you're a tennis player you play to play the slams right. You can 100 clamps and what are you what are you doing? I remember one time I was advised by my coach not to play slam and I played some challenges in Europe instead. And I went along with it because I trusted by coach but in hindsight, I'm like, what, what am I doing?

 

Stephen Huss  1:13:51

Did you fire lamb commandos? Yeah, no, I totally agree. Fred. I'm working on that. But we don't know the nuances of if she's not personal. Yeah, we don't know. So so it would be it would be wrong for us to to have a pop at her. But if if what the point is, is that if she was if she is 100%, healthy or healthy, I think it's it's it's it's a terrible message. And I agree with what Calvin said.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:14:20

But if we're talking about we're talking about ama but this this wasn't just about ama this was about British women, female tennis players in as a general. So is that a cultural issue? I'm not that close to it. So I don't know. Is that a cultural issue that's happening? Is this the ranking level

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:14:39

and the support that they got? They don't need to play because they don't need to wear money that week. There's an element of that involved that because they're so supported. I don't think you'd see an Italian pair player who's 150 making that decision. Yeah,

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:14:54

so that's my thing is this is specific thing to British tennis. Was this

 

Calvin Betten  1:14:59

I think I think on top of that, as Emily said, it's not just support either. It's all of those players who all of the top British tennis, female tennis players are all independently wealthy as well. I don't think they don't need to play for the money. They don't really need a career. And I think, you know, they all seem to enjoy their lives, which seems to be revolving around London, and I don't think they're doing anything. That's, you know, I'm not saying that I'm living it up and that kind of thing. But don't think they're desperate to get out of London all that much. I

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:15:32

don't think it's I don't think it's necessarily that and I'd add, I don't want to jump on the bandwagon of like that. That's how they're behaving and everything else, because actually, some of them have done quite well, from a ranking perspective

 

Calvin Betten  1:15:43

they have Yeah, and I think that they, or maybe

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:15:47

that works for them, right to play less. Maybe that works for them mentally to play less, but it doesn't work for them physically, because they're injured a lot. So

 

Calvin Betten  1:15:55

I think that though, is a that is a break. That's not necessarily just a British female issue. That's there's a lot of tennis players who are based out in London, who seem to be injured more than they should be. And some questions ought to be being asked as to why that is the case. There's a hell of a lot of British tennis players, male and female who are currently injured.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:16:18

I'm gonna jump in now on the next tweet, because it kind of links to what you're talking about a little bit. But this was an Andy Roddick conversation that I that I picked up on. And somebody said, Andy, tennis is not a sport. Please stop embarrassing yourself. It's a leisure activity that rich children with successful parents participate in because they're too weak for actual sports, like ballet or ribbon dancing. To which, to which and erotic rods. Right, all those rich kids like the two best ever, that kid who grew up in the war torn Serbia, or those Williams girls from Compton, or that Agassi whose dad was from Iran and work the dot ceases for tips. I'll stop embarrassing myself.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:17:08

I can't get past defending Valley. I'm just going to start defending, like you said, the toughest athletes in the world. So if any tennis player wants to stand on the court and watch what Valley ballerinas do with that, in the level of physicality that they thought then the guy needs to go. Actually,

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:17:24

we did an exchange with the Royal Ballet in Denmark, I kind of agree with that. They were tough as nails.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:17:29

I mean,

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:17:30

hold on, hold on this guy is this guy is saying that. I believe he's saying no.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:17:37

Ribbon dancing, and ballet saying the opposite.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:17:40

You saying that the tennis is a leisure activity that rich children of successful parents participate in because they're too weak for actual sports, like ballet or ribbon dancing. I

 

Calvin Betten  1:17:54

think it's really sarcastic. Yeah, I

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:17:57

think I take that as a piece. Just I guess. I'm a ballet

 

Calvin Betten  1:18:00

and rhythm, dancing and sports. So

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:18:03

I guess the point I take from that. Fozzie, do you need money for the sport? That's what that's what I'm saying. I mean, Ronix jumping back and saying, This is not just, it's not just a rich person sport. We've got jurkovich coming from war torn Serbia, we got the

 

Stephen Huss  1:18:21

yes, a joke, which was that Nikki pillage. So you came from war torn? Yeah. Obviously, there's there's a story behind that. But and then, you know, obviously, the Williams sisters. I mean, Richard took them over to Florida, where they were they carried on working there. So at some stage, you need you need financial backing. You can't do it without money. You can't you can't, unfortunately, to sport, you know, like the the USDA did a costing on it to do it properly, was costing $144,000 a year to play on the tour. That was that was a no, that was a breakeven cost. They did this in 2012. There was a breakeven cost of 144,000. And that was with Coach fitness psychologists, they did it and that equated to being ranked 160 100 and 61st player on the planet, which at that year was Rick divorced. And that was the breakeven cost. And so because this was the argument of should you should you should you go to college or turn pro, and now saying basically, if you play pro for four years, it's going to cost you 600k versus going to college, if you're paying for it would cost you 200k. At some stage, you can start off you can start off by playing in a favela in Rio, you know, hitting against the wall or whatever, but at some stage you

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:19:37

need someone that back here that leads me on. I actually didn't have this order, but it leads me on

 

Stephen Huss  1:19:42

because Rick Macy was at Rick Macy who took the Williams sisters on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you know, he obviously invested a lot of his time and stuff into them as well. And, you know, if you follow the story that, you know, yes, you know, don't don't get me wrong. What Richard Williams did was amazing. And don't take anything away from what he did with us with Serena, Venus,

 

Calvin Betten  1:20:06

it with the possible exception of boxing though, I'm trying to think of another individual spot where you don't need financial backing from somebody else if you don't have it yourself. There are many. No,

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:20:17

but I don't think the travel is just the travel element with tennis. It's so much higher than other sports.

 

Calvin Betten  1:20:23

Yeah, but you know, in all of those sports, she if you're gonna get to a world level, you're gonna have to do that. The thing is team sports. It kind of gets covered because the teams cover it, but I don't think it's having golf particularly cheap. Not so much don't play any golf anymore, but also more expensive than tennis. Yeah, for sure. I mean, you know, we hear about Ghana don't really have an interest in Formula One but I understand that that is you need serious money to get into that.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:20:51

That isn't the 500 best golfer in the world and it's 10 times as much as the 500 the best tennis player in the world yeah call Yeah, yeah.

 

Calvin Betten  1:21:02

We're talking but then you that's when you've got that though. I think the problem with the financial burden of tennis is getting to 500 in the world and then having to do it from there at least in golf once you get there you've got a bit of money but I think in terms of I think what volleyball saying you can start off playing tennis you can start off playing tennis and it is that you know anybody can start but I do think to be fair, I mean most of the cases if there's exceptional talents, I say this all the time if there's exceptional talents, somebody will find them and somebody will back them and they'll find a way through it if I look what happened with merit Stephen is the next level middle of that if if you look at you know if you go on the futures tour and you be interested to know the actual data behind it, but I think if you look on the future sort of players who are around somewhere between 406 100 You find that most of those are from white wealthy backgrounds because they can afford to do that. I

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:22:00

I am going to finish this evening off with I think I can't think of a better person that we need to speak to to finish off this evening actually. Mr. Mr. Roland Garros Rafael Nadal and they've got a little quiz because they know that you guys love my quizzes refer on the book of refer might appear but when I say that my dogs called refer so that might be the only refer that you guys get this evening. So a little rough Elva doll quiz. All all get stuck in if you've got an answer. China to talk over each other. However, rafail the dowel, okay, has he has won 10 titles at the same event at four different events on clear. What are the event? It's

 

Stephen Huss  1:23:05

Madrid, Barcelona, say it again? Barcelona,

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:23:09

Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, French Open in Rome and Rome. The A you got a you guys are good. That's just a little out. Little warm up. What is his wind percentage that Roland Garros quickfire guys quickfire.

 

Stephen Huss  1:23:25

91% 90 Maybe

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:23:27

87%.

 

Calvin Betten  1:23:32

Say 83.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:23:34

I think I think all Fergus has got this one wrong. Because he's got it down as 97 but it can't be 9797. So isn't it 14 out of 17 is 114 or 17. is lost three times. Last 14 that Roland Garros? Fergus, this other word, Matt, come on.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:24:06

The rapper played Roland Garros, did he win it very rough. Was

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:24:10

it time seven? Right? So that's about 100. So plus three. That's it. And under seven,

 

Calvin Betten  1:24:15

he's also 1414

 

Stephen Huss  1:24:17

over 1714 times 100 divided by 17.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:24:22

It's no maps quiz. Right. But the next question, who's the last to sort of link? Yeah.

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:24:29

Which did he read a play against backness.

 

Calvin Betten  1:24:32

They didn't play didn't go on court one of the years as

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:24:36

I believe it's he's lost a job which twice and solidly? I think I believe that that's what it is. I actually don't have this down.

 

Calvin Betten  1:24:46

It's 14 out of 18 though. You say 14 out of 17. Because there was a year that you won two matches and then we drew right okay. So the last three matches, but then it didn't play. We either

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:24:56

look stupid, or we cut that out anyway, let's say The his longest ever singles winning streak on Claire. How many matches 30 560-530-5555 43? Emily, stop googling.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:25:16

I have no idea. 81 year two year so if you didn't lose him play year to year in a row from

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:25:26

April 2005 to May 2007. before losing to Roger Federer in the final of Hamburg. How many clear cut titles does he have 4040 4040

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:25:40

person?

 

Stephen Huss  1:25:42

Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna go 48 8060 6314

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:25:50

clear of second place. villas. Yeah, that's a good one. Well then frame plug that one. I like it Fletcher. How many matches has he played since the 2020 to meet or finals loss to Casper rude to anyone that thinks he's going to win the French Open?

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:26:15

A 1715. Nine.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:26:19

He's played 14 matches since then. And last one. How many players have winning records on Rafael Nadal

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:26:30

Dustin Brown.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:26:31

And who are they? Dustin Brown. Dustin Brown Correct. To win all the well,

 

Calvin Betten  1:26:38

Doc rich does.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:26:42

Jack of edge what is the what is the record with Jack of itch?

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:26:45

3332.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:26:47

It could change in Roland Garros. It's 3029 Anybody else that saw you know there's seven and you've got 201

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:26:58

Just one bias. Nope.

 

Calvin Betten  1:27:01

Now the lad with the small Belgian lad with the 100 youryour. Akina

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:27:07

Rockies. No,

 

Calvin Betten  1:27:08

no not raucous

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:27:09

Dallas. Dallas is

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:27:12

one of them beat them last Lucas.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:27:14

Lucas Rizal.

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:27:16

No it's interesting. One of them beat them last week to have a winning record will be even in general, pervy her cats. So her cats any more guesses? Are we giving up?

 

Calvin Betten  1:27:32

Our demo? No. No, I thought the menorah only played him three times this year. And it was two on one. Nikolay

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:27:38

Davydenko six and five Wow, border church three and two Dominic her batty three and one Alex collector to an off yeah, Rafa

 

1:27:52

was probably like 14,

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:27:54

very, very, very possibly guys, as always amazing to talk to you all will be well. Before we go though, I do want to what's the point in giving you guys this platform without allowing things to be discussed and, and being able to plug things that they're doing Emily, you are doing something coming up for an amazing cause. You might be able to even persuade the rest of the people in this conversation or certainly some of them to get involved. Let us know what you're doing, what the cause is and how people can get involved.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:28:35

So in May, Cancer Research UK, doing a triathlon that anybody can participate in, the PE in. And it consists of a 1.5k Swim, a 40k bike and a 10k run. But you don't have to do that all at the same time. So people across the country are doing building up their times and building up their distances. If you want to do it all at the same time you can to raise money for Cancer Research UK, and I'm doing it I was a bit behind schedule because I was ill. But I'm catching up and I've got 10 days or whatever we've got left eight days left of May. So I'm going to be doing it and I'm raising money for cancer research. Okay. Um,

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:29:21

as well. We'll have it in the show notes of Fred he is currently on maternity leave. So Friday, he has no excuse. Yeah.

 

Emily Webley-Smith  1:29:33

Triathlon yourself, except

 

Freddie Nielsen  1:29:35

having a baby in my arms all the time. But yeah, who thinks about that? You could

 

Daniel Kiernan  1:29:39

do all of it with the baby. Maybe maybe not the swim part. But the bike the bike and run, guys, thanks a lot. Hope to see you all right. See you all really soon. Where guys? Thanks, guys. Thanks for your time. Take care guys. All the best. And there we have it. Not an easy one to pick especially on men's side this year and again, I've been listening out to many experts across the board in the tennis industry. And it is one of these years and maybe we're going to be sitting in two weeks and how stupid were we to go against sinner? Or jurkovich Or Alcatraz? You know when when ultimately you know they all the best male players in the world right now but there is a little window there we will see since we spoke the amazing draw came out and you'll be watching that later on today. Rafael Nadal Against Alexander's variable of what a match and showdown that is, you know, and we're seeing or hearing that refer isn't great for you know, seven five to have up on Holger Rooney six three up on Daniel Medvedev and practice. Yes, it's practice. But when Rafa Nadal has that little glint in his eye in the press conference, I would love to see him get through that match. And if he does, who knows what happens over the next couple of weeks, if that is the storyline? I'm not sure we need another storyline than Raphael, the Dow gone for his 15 Roland Garros, and in the second round, he could play the youngster, you know, and I have to shout out Calvin, Ben and for this EP drew our attention to Giovanni Bellegarde. And we recorded the podcast earlier on this week and it was around first round day of the 250 events that were the week before Roland Garros and carbon told us about Giovanni and he said watch out is the Anthony Joshua of tennis big builds strong tall and can play some serious ball and he's he won in Lyon this weekend. He was 117 in the world and that's a proper Dark Horse for us to look out for. And I'm gonna give myself a little pat on the back as well because Peyton Stern's I picked her someone for us to be looking out for and Payton's is just got together with Tom Hill quite recently, the British coach who worked with various salary for for many, many years and Peyton from love 540 30 Down in the third set in the second round and Rabatt came back and won the title one, two and one in the final. Yesterday. Big kicks a big forehand and want to watch and there's many many stories to watch for. So I'm going to pass you over to the French Open the two weeks of coverage. We will be back at the end over gloat or hang our heads in misery at our shocking calls. But all the same who doesn't love talking tennis and who doesn't love giving some little pics as we go into these amazing events. We will be back very soon with more episodes. But until next time, I'm Dan Kiernan and we are control the controllables