Served with Andy Roddick
2024 Mid French Open Update - Osaka & Iga clash Round 2, Nadal exits first round, and more w/ Jon Wertheim
Roland Garros is in full swing as we kick off the second week. Andy dives into a French Open Draw update, followed by Jon Wertheim joining the show to talk all things Roland Garros week 1: Naomi Osaka losing to Iga Swiatek, Rybakina’s controversial press conference, weather delays, and Rafael Nadal losing to Alexander Zverev in the first round.
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Roland Garros is in full swing as we kick off the second week. Andy dives into a French Open Draw update, followed by Jon Wertheim joining the show to talk all things Roland Garros week 1: Naomi Osaka losing to Iga Swiatek, Rybakina’s controversial press conference, weather delays, and Rafael Nadal losing to Alexander Zverev in the first round.
Served is sponsored by Olipop! Check out the link below and use the code: SERVED20 to get 20% off your order: drinkolipop.com/served20
Get Served by Roddick! Download Swing Vision and submit your rally's to enter: https://swing.vision/r/served
Keep up with us on socials!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/servedpodcast/
X: https://twitter.com/Served_Podcast
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@served_podcast?_t=8jZtCnzdAnX&_r=1
Watch the Episodes on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0k_--YLuTNuDvq1Dw4zHmw
All right, everybody. Welcome in to the Served Podcast. I am Andy Roddick, tech Sean producer, mike in the house Worth. I'm not in the house because he has a day job. He works all day. Hopefully he's getting smarter about his tennis picks just being over there in the mix.
Speaker 2:Real low bar.
Speaker 1:Holy tobelo, only way to go. But up holy to be low and jari, um, I guess we're doing a look back where we are checking on on roland garris. Obviously a uh kind of a weird week of tennis. I felt like everyone would just pop out, get into their indoor tennis match and then pop back in and then rain, rain, rain, rain was the action of the day, unfortunately. Kind of looking back at my draw picks from our draw preview show which is up on YouTube, you can check that out and see what I got right and what I got wrong. First of all, my apologies is what I need to get to Mike Hayden. So we do the draw show and I dismiss, you know, some people just based on form, just based on matchups out of hand, and they, they proved me wrong. They played better than I thought they would.
Speaker 1:So I said Moutet was going to go down first round and I said he was going to be an angry guy about it. He didn't. He made the fourth round. He was a latched Frenchman standing and decided to take the first set off of Yannick Sinner. So I still think there's every chance, in every match he plays, that he is going to get angry and complain about something. But also, guy played his ass off last week so I was wrong. Uh, mute was right, he had a great run. Uh, I took my kids to tennis yesterday and I kind of ducked my head into the pro shop to see what the score was. Expect, I expected center. I expect center to roll in most of his matches, like he looks good, but I pop in, it's like five Moutet serving under him, like what the fuck is actually happening? Like, of course, is the one week I analyze a first round with Moutet that he goes off, but anyway. So, men's side, moutet, I was completely wrong, he was completely right.
Speaker 1:On the women's side, the one I really dismissed and got wrong, and the reasoning is still sound. She hadn't won any matches at all and had talked about how there was some off-court stuff that had kind of been on her mind and yada, yada, yada. Uh was von droseva and I thought with, with wimbledon coming around and all those points coming off, um, you know, like the rest of earth, I had put in daniel collins to come through that quarter, um, and I would probably do it again if I had to. And Daniel Collins to come through that quarter, um, and I would probably do it again if I had to and they had to replay it again. But credit where credit's due.
Speaker 1:I kind of dismissed Vondrozova. I had her losing very early and she's played a great tournament. Uh, you know, we, we, uh, I don't know that it's going to last much longer against English Fiat tech. Um, but, uh, she, uh, I was wrong. So. So I'm gonna tell you when I'm right and I'm going to lead the show with, uh, what I got wrong. But, gosh, mike, I still. I really messed up the rest of my picks, didn't I?
Speaker 1:yeah, you know it's not looking pretty yeah, I mean, if only I would have taken uh coco and oh wait, oh, I did. Oh, you did. Uh, I got paolini wrong. I had j Zhang in there, but I still have Rabakina, andreeva, sabalenka. Sabalenka is going to move through on that and we'll see who she plays with Andreeva and Grasheva. But John was kind of upset in our draw preview show. Oh, you're just going to take the top four. Well, one, two, three, four, five. I mean the goal. See, this is what I figured out. The goal when I went in was to say who is going to win these matches and be there at the end, and that's a very like pragmatic kind of player way to look at it. Right, ball strikes, matchups, uh, who's going to end up there? And we think that, specifically for this event, what did what? What did what did John do?
Speaker 2:John was just pre-writing his dream article, that's what he was doing.
Speaker 1:He was pre-writing his dream article. He wanted to get anointed like ambassador to Chile with Tabilo and Jari. He wanted Rafa, just one last time.
Speaker 2:It was all fantasy, it was just. It was just fantasy.
Speaker 1:You, put it that way. I was like he wrote he picked the tournament based on the dream article he wanted to deal with. Working backwards. That didn't go so well. That didn't go, so got twitter fingers. Leave him alone, john. Leave john alone. He's working hard, he's doing on-court interviews. He's he's trying his, he's trying his heart out I gotta be honest, His bracket.
Speaker 2:I was like, if this is true, it's gonna be exciting.
Speaker 1:But then reality, gravity, gravity, it's working against John. There's really I mean past the past the Sviatak Coco sorry, sviatak OsakaOsaka match, which we have kind of a full rundown of my reactions after it had happened last week. Koko has looked great, has kind of kept the second serve in check. She hasn't had any of those long drawn-out three-set-fight kind of play badly to play well type situations. She's looked good. I liked her in Rome, I liked the way she was hitting the ball. It type situations. She's looked good. I liked her in Rome, I liked the way she was hitting the ball. It's just like most of these things. It's like, okay, you're playing great, but then will you get to Iga, right, and then will. I think she beats your board just because there aren't a lot of people who beat Coco, who can't take the racket out of her hand on the forehand side. Uh, your board is not going to like line up that second serve like a Sabalenka or a Rabakina or an Iga and just smother Coco. And if you can't smother Coco it becomes a very long day at the office. She can cover so much ground if you're not going through her. Uh on that second server turn, uh on that forehand side, but love seeing Jabbour back in the mix. I think she's as intense and is showing as much mental clarity as I've seen this year, and it's just more fun when she's involved. You know, second serve, drop shot, returns. I think I like watching her so much because she can do everything I couldn't Like. She has feel. She plays this weird brand of tennis. It's just so much fun to watch. I'm glad to see her back on the big stage.
Speaker 1:Paolini made it through that section. I had Zhang on there, so I was wrong there, uh, but I was right about Rabakina, right about Sabalenka. I still think that's going to be, uh, our semi on that side. I think, uh, it's going to be Coco and Iga still all four picks still alive to make it to the semis. Um, out on a limb, because I knew no one else would. I had rabakina beating sabalenko, so we'll see if that holds strong, but pretty good, as our friend larry david would say pretty good, pretty, pretty, pretty good. Did I ever tell you my story, uh, my larry david story? No, oh that's great are you?
Speaker 1:are you guys? Are you curb guys? You're a car. Yeah, did I ever tell you my story, my Larry David story? No, that's great. Are you guys? Are you curb?
Speaker 2:guys, you're a curb guy.
Speaker 1:Sean, are you a curb guy or are you too young?
Speaker 2:No, big curb guy, big curb guy Okay.
Speaker 1:This is the greatest. It has nothing to do with tennis. So just before we get to the men, I feel like we need to interject this story. A lot of the golf episodes and curbed take place at his actual, the place he belongs. He kind of takes the content from his day-to-day life. So, uh, I was at that club in Los Angeles about to tee off one time and someone introduced us before we got on the first tee and I was like this is the coolest thing ever. I'm a massive curb during these. Like I think curb is my favorite show. So I tee off, don't think about it.
Speaker 1:And at this course, the first and the second hole share, like this, like 20 yards of rough. So if you slice one on one, you're in this little like death zone of rough. And if you slice one on two, you're in this little death zone of rough kind of coming back towards each other. So I slice one on two and, sure enough, like you see Larry David pulling up in his cart and and sure enough, like you see Larry David pulling up in his cart and he's looking for his ball in the same general like 50 yard area. So I'm getting my ball and he goes. Is that your ball? And I said, yes, Larry, this is my ball. He goes don't hit that ball. And I'm like, oh, I'm in a curbed episode right now. This is amazing, this is.
Speaker 1:And I had a friend who was like I knew he was like a fan because he was freaking out that Larry David was on the first team. So I walked. So at that point I'm like playing a character I like instantly, I'm like I'm never going to see Larry David again. But this is like this story is going to live forever. So I walk up to the ball, I line up and I go I'm hitting this ball, Larry. And he goes don't hit that ball. Oh, don't you hit that ball, Andy Roddick. I'm hitting this ball, Larry. So I take my club back, I get set and I hear no Swing through it and he's literally on his knees going no. And then, in true curbed fashion, he walks six feet away and finds his ball.
Speaker 1:Greatest moment of my life Beat that.
Speaker 2:Unbelievable. It was the best.
Speaker 1:I mean life imitates that be unbelievable is the best. I mean life imitates, it's the best. Oh god, I could watch it for days, weird, tangent. But here we are. Serve podcast thanks racket rundown brought to you by wilson and larry david stories.
Speaker 1:Uh, the biggest thing on the men's side, um, past, obviously, the, the rothweiler of things, that kind of took uh the energy from a lot of other places in the first week, sinner Alcaraz. They look healthy, they look good and I'll be fucked if they didn't reestablish themselves right away back in this tournament. A lot of question marks coming in, so many question marks, uh, now, um, I like them still going through to the semis. Uh, I don't know that I'm as confident about my center over alcarez uh prediction because the old chuckster has just been running through people. He has looked fantastic and maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe there's a lesson here where he adopts that kind of play, a more skeleton schedule, right, like he's been kind of the king of. In February, after Australia, I'm going down to South America and playing two or three weeks in a row and I understand appearance fees and I understand you know all the things that call for that, but is he turning into the guy that doesn't? It feels like he doesn't need matches all the time, like a, like a Novak, right? Not, uh, like I needed matches to feel like I could play tennis, even though I've been playing my whole life. Like I just I dealt from that place of insecurity and he's looked phenomenal. Um, I don't see them them stopping before, uh, the semis. Um, I, I just, I just don't see them stopping before the semis. I just don't. I like their matchups. I like what they're bringing to the table.
Speaker 1:Alcaraz looks like he's in full flight, making a lot of first serves, getting that up and away. As the weather gets better. It only makes Alcaraz better. He's been doing this in slow, cold, gross conditions with a forearm injury. That is health. The heat if we get a little bit more, that is health. The heat if we get a little bit more, a little bit less rain that only makes Alcaraz better. Look at the places that he's had the most success Indian Wells, thin air.
Speaker 1:Ball jumps, Jumps out of the zone, similar to the Rafa of things. His forehand all of a sudden is just taking off and he doesn't lose his feel, he doesn't lose the ability to control. The ball jumps out of the zone, similar to the Rafa of things. His forehand all of a sudden is just taking off and he doesn't lose his feel. He doesn't lose the ability to control the ball. Madrid won it twice. Same thing Ball dry jumps away as this gets warmer. That only helps Alcaraz and he's already looked great bullying in kind of slow conditions. His forearm looks like a 10 out of 10. His last match he just uncorked a forehead and kind of smiled at Ferrero and Ferrero kind of smiled back like okay, we're fine, like this is coming off with a full head of steam.
Speaker 1:Sinner's just worked his way into the tournament. You know, I think it was a little dicey. You could tell he hadn't played much tennis. I think the draw was was was decent for him. Um, you know, will he have those tough matches by the time he gets to? Uh that that showdown? Um, dimitrov obviously asks a ton of questions.
Speaker 1:I missed, uh, dimitrov and herkoc.
Speaker 1:I had herkoc in that quarter. Uh, I gotta admit I didn didn't know. The head-to-head with Dimitrov and Hercotch was as lopsided as it is and I watched that match yesterday. It was like Hercotch was trying to find reasons that something was wrong out there, had 0 for 6 break points in the first set or something Kind of freaked out mid-way. Mid-tiebreaker was like three all and he missed a shot and he would kind of like like no, no dude, stay in there.
Speaker 1:Uh, but to me, chop credit to him has now made the quarters of uh, all four grand slams uh in his career, which is, you know, pretty cool. It shows a lot of uh, variety, shows that you're a complete player. And if you take these stats outside of the big three, the big four who just were good on everything, we kind of harken back to the days where, yeah, the people had a weaker surface, like Sampras never made the final of Roland Garros, like that just was a thing. Um, google, quirton didn't want to go to London. Like we've kind of forget that. There was people specialized in different uh, in different services. Now the specialty is like yeah, but Roth was only won the U S open four or five times, all right, all right, making the rest of us look stupid.
Speaker 2:Real quick before you switch off of that. Yeah, so some of the players that have lost, some of the top players that have lost, you know, with this longer format heading into, you know, the back half of the season, what are they all doing right now?
Speaker 1:What?
Speaker 2:should a longer format meaning like being as long as this is. You know what? What are all of the people that are out now? What should they be doing?
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, so that's a good question. Um, it's a lot of. It is about some people like like going back to the States if they're American, um, or back to wherever they're training. They're basically like a hard reset, and whether that's with geography, um, you know, depending on when they lose, like there's a big difference. If you lose first round and you have two and a half weeks or three weeks before you need to get on a grass court, uh versus uh. If you lose in the third or fourth round and you have that shrunken timeline of five or six days, you're probably just trying to find some satellite training area if your home isn't in Europe and close to Paris. So that's like you, let's say you lose in Roland Garros first, second round.
Speaker 1:For me it was like do I go home for a week and then come back, or am I motivated to just go? And I would go practice at Queens Club in London and get ready for the Queens tournament? Um, which you know, I well died that's, my favorite day of the year was showing up at Queens because it was like this is great. I have to make zero adjustments for my game. All I've been doing is compromising everything I do well for the last two and a half months trying to win matches on clay. Now I can just let it rip tater chip Um, but it also depends on what your ranking is right. Just let it rip tater chip Um, but it also depends on what your ranking is right.
Speaker 1:If you're 80 in the world, there's some great challengers uh, over in London, like some big money challengers. And if you're someone who plays well on grass, I don't care. If you're fatigued like you, you only get that that month on grass, so you have to make that count. Like you have to go play the Serbians and the Nottinghams and the Queens and the you, you can get a lot of Eastbourne another great event. So if you play well on on grass, you're going to go try to make the most of that that season. Then maybe take a beat after, after Wimbledon. But there is always that to your. The answer to your question there's that, post Roland Garros, we're at dinner. Are we packing up our bags? Are we moving everything? We moving a little? Are we calling to get plane flights? Are we just taking a train? Is there a place we can stop off so we don't have that fatigue, you know? So those are all. Those are all great questions and it's specific to the player. If it's someone like Casper rude who plays Taylor Fritz coming up next, which I had Fritz in the quarters, but it was by virtue of Rude's draw, we'll get into that in a second.
Speaker 1:Casper Rude's looking for a place to go sit in the sun and lay by a pool. Last year he went to like 18 Deadmau5 concerts in a row as his Wimbledon prep. But also he plays the heaviest clay court schedule of anyone on earth. Right, because he knows that I say nothing. That I did. Translated well to clay not much that he does, he's not not. One part of his game is better once he steps on grass Biden through no fault of his own spin profile, that pays his bills. The ability to kind of leak into that back end corner and hit inside out forehands, the kick sir. All of that is built from the ground up for clay and slow hard court surfaces. So uh, he's, he's chilling Casper, casper's chilling Some other people uh, might be getting to it a little bit, a little bit quicker.
Speaker 1:Um, that Fritz rude matchup. It's weird in our draw preview show. Uh, I said I don't think I would take Fritz heads up in that matchup. But I also am going to put Fritz through to the quarters, even though I've had them both at that point, just because I felt like Rude was more likely to lose along the way, just based on draw. I'm crazy about that matchup for him, especially if Kasper makes first serves and kind of keeps Fritz from getting two feet set in the same spot.
Speaker 1:Zverev has looked okay. I think one of the challenges with Zverev is like you get and he plays Holger Rune now who I did not pick. I picked Hachinov, so I was wrong about that. Um also, but it did have severe, I think, that having to be ready to go from the first point of the first match against rafa with all that hype, I think it has a little bit of a tail, especially when it's like you open with this mechanism of hype for the entire tournament and then all of a sudden, you're, it's just raining gross. Everything feels muted from then on out. Right, sudden, you're, it's just raining gross, everything feels muted from then on out. Right, the energy is it's like you play a semi before you play your second round. It's. It's a weird energy and and there was a semi-final final energy around uh, that's very nadal matchup.
Speaker 1:The lead-up was all about it. The people in pret like that's all you're hearing about. He couldn't get away from that. Um, I felt like that showed in his last match against Grigsbor, who well, I don't know if that time this comes out, but in his match against Grigsbor he just survived and Grigsbor did him a lot of favors in that fifth set. Just the moment got to him. There's no other way around it. If he says it didn't, then he's just lying to us and to himself. He was up 4-1, two breaks fell apart. I think there was three double faults in the next game and Zverev played a really good tiebreaker, to his credit. Survive advance. You're going to have a pretty average match.
Speaker 1:At some point along the way we saw Novak fight through until 3 in the morning against Musetti. Zverev fought through against Grigspor. Parts of those matches were spotty for them, but when it mattered, they stepped up, got through. They don't care how they won. Now it's just a matter of recover as fast as possible. Zverev looked like he could have played another two sets. Novak maybe less so. And listen, time is undefeated, but he's fighting it. But I don't care who you are If you finish at three in the morning I finished I I think that's about the latest I've ever finished.
Speaker 1:It was in Australia 21, 19 and the fifth and the next day is a wash. It is a waste of a day. You wait, you hope you can sleep, but like if you go to bed, I mean you're going to. If you finish at three, you're going to bed at seven, 30 in the morning, eight in the morning after treatment, like you play a five setter. You have to take care of your body. You have to get full massage, ice bath, any other injuries that he's hiding, that we don't know about where, or maybe not injuries, but like pain points, right, things that are bothering you. If you go to bed at eight and you've been going to bed at 11, you're going to sleep like three or four hours. You can't sleep till four in the afternoon and you can't get on the cadence because you might play at 3 pm the next day.
Speaker 1:It's scheduled. So it just is the worst and I'm not like it. There's so much time. This is a little bit different because of the rain and everything, but like scheduling the night match. At nine you get back up and it's just. We just run into the same issue over and over and we complain about it, and then we just wait till the next time and then we watch it and then we complain about it, like I have a crazy idea. You ready, crazy, bring it Loony fucking tunes here. Crazy we talk about. We don't want to play. Would you rather play a match, mike, at 1 am? Would you rather do anything besides drink and do a gummy at 1 am as opposed to 10 am I?
Speaker 1:mean no like why, why like? Why can't we like at the U S opens, like we always run into this bunch schedule at the end of the day? As a player would I rather start on, at least on outside courts, at 10 am. Like, let's just cheat everything an hour forward as opposed to like playing it one in the morning, create a little space before, and if you move everything forward an hour you create a little space, a little buffer. That night session right, you can start that one a half hour earlier. Instead of seven, 30, you can start at seven. People can still get there from wall street when you're at the U S open.
Speaker 2:Well, it's like. So other sports, right, like MMA, which I've covered a lot of, you know those fighters know exactly what time they will be walking, right, so they train for an entire three months for that exact time. Right, they'll train in the middle of the day. If they're fighting over in Europe, they'll train, but at the end of the day, even if the fight before them finishes early, they're still walking at that same time. And I don't understand. You know the whole. I get weather delays and pushing stuff, but I don't understand the log jams that happen and or the delays where they're like hey, you're on in five minutes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it's, it's not quite it's, I don't know that's quite that extreme. They'll. They'll give you a, not before time, throughout the day. So they'll give you a, you'll be sitting in the locker room and but, but you'll be sitting there no-transcript days. So you still kind of have to have that. Like I am kind of ready, Uh, and it just stinks, but but like you just have to create more space in the day, I would rather start. You know we have a log jam of a million doubles and mixed doubles matches right now. Like why are we not starting those at at 10 am or 9 30 am?
Speaker 2:why, like how often are there open courts going on while it's like?
Speaker 1:the second week. The longer the tournament goes, the more open courts there are.
Speaker 2:Why not just prioritize, like I don't?
Speaker 1:know like in in, it's different on stadium because, like you have the, the format where you know men's three out of five fucking it's the best, it's the best. It also ruins schedules, like if you get a long five setter, your your host, like you, then you're kind of playing off of that. But I did kind of generally just think like 10 AM is not an offensive time to start something like it's just, you get up at six but that's. I would rather do that than have to recover from 3 AM. The way that Novak, and it's not like you start at 10 AM and no one ever plays late again, but just those little minor adjustments. Can we start making some things better? Can we take out the element of luck a little bit? Everyone's like oh well, we need to do this and we need to do that. I'm like start earlier, just start earlier a little bit, just start a little bit earlier.
Speaker 1:11 am 10 am, it's not much, you know, I don't know, but it's there. There's a huge tail on on a on a 3 am finish and Novak has Sorondolo, which is traditionally a good matchup for him, because people that don't serve massive, he can keep space. Sorondolo's got a massive forehand. I also kind of missed that call. I had Tommy Paul there, but I did acknowledge that he had a sneaky bad record against Sorondolo. He's lost to him a bunch and I don't know why that matchup is tricky for him. But, mike, what are you seeing in your uh transition to tennis fandom? What stood out to you? Uh, at Roland Garris or techie Sean?
Speaker 2:Uh, I mean pretty much everything that you've, you've hit on, I mean the weather the weather delays have, thing like seeing the way that shifts the schedule, seeing it shift schedule late, and then the next day you know they have a lull in the matches so you're trying to turn something on you're like and all of a sudden I'm like wait, didn't this happen yesterday?
Speaker 1:yeah, brutal run and it's eight days in a row of rains. Not fun. Imagine if they didn't have roofs. By the way, can we give credit for all of the slams putting roofs on?
Speaker 1:yeah we would be in the second round. That's crazy. We would be in the second round. We would have nothing to talk about. I always say, like at the US Open, before the roof they would basically, if it rained all day, they would just like, oh, we get to watch Conor's Krikstein from 91 again. They would just go full rerun. But credit, because we complain when there's not a roof and we tend to like forget about that and not give credit for the investment it takes to put to retrofit roofs on the stadiums that weren't built for roofs like that's impossibly expensive and we would have had no tournament. Um, how that happened.
Speaker 1:The weather's not fun for anyone. It's not fun for a broadcaster because you have no idea what's going on. You're having to be have the same redundant conversations over and over. Hopefully they come on soon. We shut down on the outside courts.
Speaker 1:You can't great matchups, so you're stuck with whatever product is on one of the covered stadiums. You don't get those little flash moments of like so-and-so, maybe not stars. So-and-so is at four, all in the fifth. Let's flash out there for 10 minutes. So it is harder for players, for coaches, food service when the hell does Novak eat when he's done? Someone's sticking around for that. So props to everyone that helps works at the Roland Garros.
Speaker 1:Uh, it's been a pain in the shitter for everyone uh on site, uh this week, but, um, a lot to look forward to. I still like. Uh, I took top four on both, both sides and everyone was making sarcastic remarks, and so I will check back in uh with all of you in about two days and you will get a reaction If we get top four on both sides. This has been racket rundown. I appreciate JW. Uh, our, our guy, john Wertheim, uh, calling in from Paris, has been busy working for tennis channel on Channel on site, doing his best Don Johnson impersonation, just leaning back. You really, you kind of have a vibe right now, jw.
Speaker 3:Remember Tim Meadows when he did Ladies' man? I've got my Corvazier off to the side. This is a combination. You know what Combination. You know what you got European hotel room, shitty Wi-Fi and I got to put this camera on vertical and it looks like a 1970s dating app version. Good to see you guys.
Speaker 1:Good to see you.
Speaker 3:So since we're on T2, I think it's fine for me to say they most likely put you up at the JorSong because they spare no expense for their journalists at tennis channel. Am I correct? Yeah, I have the uh, the prince suite.
Speaker 3:Other dignitaries that have stayed here have included uh messy, uh, a few popes, and I think serena williams was once here uh no free croissants, pretty good, so I got that going for me, a little little free breakfast, but uh, yeah, no complaints, we're in paris, but um, you know, hotel. Uh Well, let's continue. Let's not disparage the people paying our bills.
Speaker 1:No, it wasn't disparaging. I'm just honestly shocked that you're not at the shore. From the sounds of it, I guess everything is there Talk about. It's kind of been this weird stop-start this week, especially the first three or four days, with weather From where you sit, what you're hearing obviously spoils go to the people that can play under a roof. The schedule becomes predictable, uh, but there are matches, uh, that have gone on and off the court over the course of two days, five, six, seven times. Uh, what's that been like on the ground?
Speaker 3:If we were going to do this podcast in keeping with the rhythms of this tournament, we would. We would stop, we'd roll out tarps, the fans would say boo, we'd look for rainbows, and then we'd come back in three hours and maybe start it up again. No, it's hard, you know, when the players have a hard time getting rhythm. The tournament sort of does too. We had, you know, obviously, the Rafa playing in probably the most anticipated first round match in major history. I'm not sure what we learned. I mean, it was sort of all just build up. He obviously didn't win, but I'm not sure there was anything definitive. If he came out and he lost to, you know, oscar Sascarelli, he says it's time to, you know, maybe it's time to give it up. And if he beats Vera, the most informed player, well, that tells us something too. Instead, it was sort of like well, I didn't get a set, but I was competitive and I feel like I'm making progress. I think he genuinely this is not someone who's putting his cards close to the vest. I think he just genuinely doesn't know.
Speaker 3:But no, the other big story you hit on it, which is we talk about how tennis is a meritocracy you win and your ranking goes up, you lose and it goes down. But there are these little hacks and there are these built-in advantages for the stars and it's a huge advantage if you know you're one of the. Uh, you're one of the top seeds, you're playing on the big court, there's a roof, you know when you're going to go on. Not only that, you know the dimensions of the court, you don't have to worry about uh, you know the crazy fans behind the baseline because you know exactly who's sitting behind the baseline. So the stars have had a great few. You know arita sabka gets through. She knows when she's playing. By 1 o'clock she's eating lunch For everybody else. For 95% of the rest of the field it's been a real frustration. A lot of people checking their weather apps. When the top seed in your court has a roof over it, you don't have to worry about your weather app.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and just to kind of reset that scenario, the players on the outside courts this even extends to practice courts, so nobody's getting two hours alone, like nobody is actually playing real points, or they're playing two points. Then the other two people in their court are playing some singles points. That's for five minutes at the end of your half hour, of which you're sharing the court with four other people, and that's like best case scenario. There are very, very few indoor clay courts on site in Paris. Some of the top players, can you know? Obviously you would love to have, you know, rafa or Carlos Alcaraz come to your club in Paris and grant them access for the day. You can't do that for 128 people. So you know it spoils go to the people that. I don't even think it's like a uh, you know, it's like an earned advantage, right? If you're the one who has been successful and you are creating revenue and you are the one that can fill the stadium with 15,000 people, uh, you know you, you get treated as such. Um, you know, so it stinks, it is unfair on the day, um, but it is not something that happens day one of your career, right? It is not something that happens where you show up and because you're a hyped teenager or something of the sort, you automatically get the spoils. They're largely earned. Or, uh, you're playing against one of the top players. And uh, you know you're playing against one of the top players and you know, for that privilege of getting worked on a big court you might get some practice time.
Speaker 1:But you know the locker room, just like on a rainy, rainy day, to slam the locker room is a train station. It is people going in and out, all people not knowing what to do with themselves. It's just like people playing angry birds. It's the worst. It's a crowded space. You're sitting on a stool in the corner because there's nowhere to actually relax. Every person you like and every person you hate are all in the same area, so it's all very confusing and it's an absolute mess. And all the while you have to be prepared for the best version of the weather report, right? So if you're, if there's rain for two hours, if it's 80% 90% chance of rain all day, but in 30 minutes there could be a pocket where you could get on for 45 minutes, you're getting warm, you're getting mentally prepared. So it's not as if it just happens when you're on the court for an hour and then you get taken off. You live in this state of stress and preparedness and it's not as if it just happens when you're on the court for an hour and then you get taken off. You live in this state of stress and preparedness and it's almost better if you're third or fourth on, because they'll cancel you earlier and you can at least negotiate the day a little bit easier.
Speaker 1:Worst is second on. Second on is like the work, because the first one might never get through. You have to wait because if someone goes on first, it's not as if, oh well, someone's going to go on first. I have at least two or three hours. Someone goes on first and they roll their ankle. You're up time to let it rip tater chips. So, uh, it's a, it's an absolute uh, mess, uh, from a player perspective, when it rains like that, Can I ask you guys a quick question?
Speaker 2:Can you kind of explain? Explain for the, for the novice like myself you know, the novice, not novice lover, novice and lover explain, like the indoor, outdoor and like what makes this unique about a setup compared to like other slams, right, like the fact that they have a retractable roof well, just explain it.
Speaker 3:They kind of all do now, and it stinks, um no, no, but it's because it's also I mean you, you take it, andy but it's also conditions, right? I mean, some of these guys go out there and they're slipping around like the grape-stopping lady, and when there's a roof up, you know what the conditions are going to be, and if there's no roof, you're fine.
Speaker 1:If there is a roof, it. I think that's actually a really good point. It's another built-in advantage for the guys that don't have to go and do the stop, start, stop, start, yeah, and the roof changes everything. People talk about surfaces as if it's as easy as hard court, medium grass court, fast clay court, slow, rinse, repeat, air matters, temperature matters, et cetera, et cetera. Australia I remember I lost to Baghdadis one year when he made final, but he was 60 in the world and I loved Australia when it was hot and the ball jumps. You're getting 40% more. Jump off the court right With a kick serve. It's going over someone's head. When it's closed and the air isn't free, the ball doesn't move. You pack thousands, tens of thousands of people into a small area. It becomes very humid, it's like a sweat box. The ball bounces lower, it gets heavier, it gets fluffier, it gets slower. Right, it's not like an indoor court where, uh, they build it surface specific, where it's faster and you lay it down and it's quick through the court. Just because you take a hard court and, uh, just because you take a hard court and put the roof on, it doesn't mean it maintains the same deal. Right, wimbledon's the same thing. It becomes slower.
Speaker 1:Arthur Astadium used to be the windiest court on earth, even when, you know, obviously they didn't have a roof. But the wind would cycle down and by the time it got to the bottom of Arthur Astadium, the flag up top, whatever way it was blowing. By the time it got to the bottom of Arthur S stadium, the flag up top, whatever way it was blowing, by the time it cycled down, it would be blowing the opposite direction completely. So, roof versus no roof, it's not as if we think, okay, the roof comes on, it's faster. Not always the case.
Speaker 1:When you pack tens of thousands in bodies uh into a place, it normally the ball bounces is a little bit more muted. Um, it favors people who are great ball strikers. Uh, like Rafa would not have liked to have played uh out, uh indoors as much, because it's fair, it has a consistent balance, can get it through the court, the wind it doesn't wobble as much. Um, you know so it it does make a massive difference, um, and, and I think it probably, you know, I don't think the top players would want it as much. It's a little bit more of an equalizer. Saying anything is in trouble for saying something uh combative with the press. The fans are fucking losing their minds, booing people talking about their mothers. David gofa, who again is like one of the quietest people on tour, is pissed everyone's pissed, john. What the hell is going on over there?
Speaker 3:the uh, the fans are very enthusiastic, they're on top of the action and David Gauffin is from neighboring Belgium, uh, and had the misfortune. Yeah, exactly or something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly stupid.
Speaker 3:Belgians. Um no, I you know, I think, you know, I think, with, with a lot of these issues, right, I mean what?
Speaker 3:sorry what are we going to do here? Right, we want tennis to be fan friendly. Right, we want fans to be engaged. We don't want people sitting on their hands, we don't want golf claps and boring people in luxury suites with their back to the action. But we have some very rambunctious fans and the response has been rather interesting. We can talk about that.
Speaker 3:I'm not sure an alcohol ban in the seats is necessarily the way to address this. I mean personally, look, I don't want to see anyone in physical danger. But what do we love about college tennis? The fans are on top of the action, they're partisan, they're yelling, they're booing, they're saying things about your mother, I don't know. I mean, it's easy for me to say I'm not the sometimes, but not often, I'm not the object of this hostility. If there's a physical issue, it's a totally different conversation. But if fans are cheering and saying mean things, I'm not sure. I kind of like that atmosphere. Easy to go too far. But I think tennis has some choices to make, right? I mean, if this is all everybody's golf claps and etiquette, I'm not sure that's great for the sport either. Where do you come down?
Speaker 1:Well, I'll tell you one thing alcohol ban goes into effect and you can't take a drink inside the stadiums anymore. So, one, you're not gonna like that bottom line. Two, it's gonna be harder sell for sponsors. Three, that just means I would have to drink way more before I went in. Like it's a pretty easy thing to. There's a pretty simple workaround just get loaded before you go in and then go boo everyone. I mean I, I'm telling you I could get booed in France Like I could do nothing and get booed in France Like I.
Speaker 1:I remember playing in Leon and I think I, I I may have said heads and it came down tails. Uh, before the match started and I think I think I match started, I think I just got smoked Slight exaggeration, but only slight. The whistles we talked about, the passive-aggressive whistling in full flight, the booing all the time. I'll tell you this as a fan you pay your money, you can go, you can boo if you'd like. There's never been a time where I've tuned in as a fan and seen a hyper-partisan crowd and been like that takes something away from the atmosphere. Not a single time. I've been on the wrong side of it a million times, especially in France. Number one for me, you're going to get booed was France. Also, fans yelling during the points and upset that they can't walk around and do this between points. So two things Boo us, that's fine. We boo in every sport. Right? You say something horrible, like over the line there should be a talking to and you should maybe get kicked out. That's pretty simple. It's pretty straightforward. I think we all agree with that. Here's the deal. I get asked a lot. Well, you know, we can move around during baseball games and we can yell during the play and we can do all this. Yes, you can't hear a pitcher throw a baseball. You can't hear a pitcher throw a baseball.
Speaker 1:Our first tell as tennis players is the sound off of the other person's racket. If they firm it up, if it's off center, if it's a slice, you can hear it's a thud as opposed to a smack. We need to be able to hear the ball off the racket when someone unleashes a serve. We have less than half a second to react and cover six feet both ways. We need every single tell. We need to be able to track the ball that's like that big and we need to be able to hear how it comes off the racket. We have built in this instinct over the course of our lives and over the course of hours and hours and hours of playing.
Speaker 1:They put a big green wall in every baseball stadium up to a certain height. Why is that? So that they can track this little ball against the contrast. We have to have that contrast. We can't have people moving and Aunt Sue in her bright yellow fucking sweater behind us tossing the ball into it and we can't see anything. But she got it out, it was for sale and it looks great. We can't have that. We have to be able to hear it. We have to be able to see it. Boo away. What am I missing away?
Speaker 3:what am I missing? You know, I I think that's the compromise right. When the ball's in play, it's a precise sport, for exactly the reason you just said the ball's in play, you gotta, you gotta keep it down, then then we've crossed the line. But otherwise, if the fans are out there, I just just, maybe 90 minutes ago, I walked. It was sebastian the intro, sebastian match, sebastian baez and sebastian after, and there were austrians and there were fans from Argentina and they were both yelling at each other and they were cheering and doing soccer chants and they had scarves. It was fantastic. It was a great sporting event, great atmosphere, especially at this event, which is also by far and away the smallest in terms of physical size. So the fans are really on top of the court. It's awesome.
Speaker 3:When the ball's in play, you're absolutely right. To me, that's like in the same category as physical harm the ball's in play, you can't mess with it Then we've crossed a line. But otherwise, if fans are yelling at you and they're saying things about your mom and they're doing soccer chants on the changeovers, I'm all for it. And I think you know, the sport on the one hand says we need X, and then it's like stepping on a balloon? Right, we need more engagement, we need to get younger, we need fans to get into it. We don't like these boring crowds and these empty seats. And then you go to a match where there's a soccer game atmosphere and players complain that it's too raucous and rowdy. I think it's pretty simple, right, don't know, no physical violence, right? I mean, that's, that's a non-starter. When the ball's in play, you got to shut up for the reasons you just said and otherwise, like you know, within the bounds of civility, let it, let it rip.
Speaker 3:And the alcohol? You're right, yeah, the alcohol is just goofy. So you know what are you going to do. They're walking around. There are guys that literally have three different kinds of beers and a keg on their backpack. So you could, literally, you know you could do the Barney Gumbel. You know you could put your mouth up to the keg and then walk up the stairs into your seat. That's okay, but you can't. I think that was just sort of a nod to the players in the tournament says, listen, we hear you and we're making this accommodation, but it's, it's a window, you know, it's liquid window dressing yeah, it's like.
Speaker 1:It's like trying to put out a fire with a pillowcase.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, don't you feel like like the sports over have kind of become fans, have become more raucous? I feel like every day you're seeing more from other sports, more fans getting into altercations inside of big football events and baseball events and all those things. And like tennis, I think the reaction is like tennis is like thinks they're on the cusp of like turning into that and it's it's like not right.
Speaker 1:Is it more, or do we just have every altercation documented because we all have video cameras in our pockets? Is it more like, do we not think? Like a Yankees Red Sox game in 1987? Do you think that was more civil or do you think we just didn't see it?
Speaker 2:Probably didn't see it.
Speaker 1:We all have video cameras in our pockets. We literally people just walk. As soon as anything starts, you see 12 knuckleheads not doing anything to help. They're just going to like. It's just a different. It's just a different. It's just a different time. Like and then look at dude, fucking fight man, and then they post it morons, but like the ban, it's like like is it more of like a scolding?
Speaker 2:Like, hey, you guys aren't being responsible, I'm going to take away your alcohol.
Speaker 1:The other thing that's going to be. It's going to come to a point Like it feels like we're kind of. This becomes a thing and I actually loved what Iga said. I'm starting to really like everything that Iga says, like she's really kind of. She said listen. She addressed the crowd after and just said listen, not between first and second serves, not while we're playing. Like we asked that of you and she put it. She framed it where it was, like we're trying to put the best product out there for you. Chef's kiss Perfect way to say it. Not you don't know how to behave or you can't do this, it's we're trying to put the best product out there for you. This is our life's work. We want to be the best for your viewing pleasure. Help us out.
Speaker 3:Yeah, great, and otherwise go nuts right and otherwise, yeah, pleasure, help us out, yeah, and otherwise go nuts right, and otherwise she I mean fantastic.
Speaker 1:and the the other part, that's gonna, that's, that's, that's. This is like the frustrating battle that I'm always back and forth with when we, as players, complain is, like you know, ban alcohol, yeah. More prize money, yeah. Make it tougher for the sponsors to say yes, well, no, we still want more money from them. We just don't give a shit about their activations. Like that doesn't work either. Like you're going to shut down this alcohol silo and piss off a bunch of sponsors and then you want different ideas to increase revenue because it will eventually go into your pocket. Like we like the ideas but we don't get outside of ourselves very often and think, like what, uh, what next steps uh could be? So I guess my takeaways are, I don't know, like maybe not long cong tails, maybe just order shots, maybe that always fixes the problem.
Speaker 3:They're legalizing weed in a lot of Western Europe. You mentioned Rabacca. Isn't this kind of a nice segue to that? I mean, it's kind of the same issue, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, talk to me about that, because my bingo card did not have rabaka getting into it with the press well, it was kind of unilateral, to be honest.
Speaker 3:I mean, uh, I, you know I'm I'm really torn here, right, I mean this is, uh, this is an age-old problem and the sport has a lot of diversity and what's a good question to player x is a terrible question to player Y. And I would address a 16-year-old much differently than I would address Dovahkiin Rabakina, not known for exactly a cork-popping personality, she's kind of close to the vest for whatever reason. Whatever, some of us are more extroverted than others. That's cool, but man read that transcript or go watch the clip. And she was just nasty. I mean, I have a lot of sympathy for players. They get asked a lot of silly questions. They get them asked week in, week out. I'm not sure there's a better. You know it's like it's like Winston Churchill on democracy. It's like a terrible system, but I'm not sure what the better one, except for all the others. These press conferences. You don't have to tell jokes, you don't have to be Yelena Yankovic and turn it into open mic night. But don't be nasty, don't be discourteous to people just trying to do their job.
Speaker 3:Press conference format where there's a transcription that everyone reads. I would try and pull you aside. So these press conference tend to get how are you playing? What was the surface like? What's your schedule? They're sort of very pro forma and Rabakina goes in there and just absolutely you know you could read the transcript yourself.
Speaker 3:I think one of them was sort of simple questions, get simple answers and she's looking over at her agent. I'm not sure agents belong in press conferences. But she's looking at her agent like can you believe these jackasses? And it was really uncomfortable. And this is the same player who says you know, the WTA needs to promote us more. The WTA isn't doing their jobs. It's a little hard to find much sympathy for a lack of promotion when you're a major winner and one of the four top players in the draw and you can't get through a simple press conference without sort of being discourteous. I mean, I've actually had very nice interactions with her, but I just thought this was it was a pretty shabby. It was a pretty shabby interval, but as someone who's actually been on the other side.
Speaker 1:What do you think it was nasty? Um, but like john, you have to understand. Like simultaneously I'm hearing you say players deal with it. Someone talking about your mother, like, but then you don't want people to be discourteous to someone at their job yeah, is that?
Speaker 3:is that that's?
Speaker 1:inconsistent, isn't it? That is very inconsistent. It feels like you want people to be courteous to you while you're doing your job.
Speaker 3:Well, I would say there was a difference between a fan interaction who's paid money and who has a rooting interest, and someone in the media who's, you know, in theory, just another stakeholder in the sport. Yeah, I mean, there's something adversarial about competition. There's nothing adversarial there shouldn't be anyway, about a press conference. Oh it's. I mean, I see what you're saying. I just think you know you kind of their guardrails and their rules and their bounds, and not every player is as comfortable in front of the media as others. Totally understood, just sidebar, just five-second digression.
Speaker 3:Naomi Osaka, who had this issue three years ago, was lights, just dynamite, I mean cool and thoughtful and lights out, and I think it's such a nice, apart from her tennis, one really nice story Three years ago she had this issue over press conferences and now here she is at the exact same venue and just was charming and I can't say enough about how cool she was. Anyway, yeah, I don't know it's imperfect. It must be annoying for players. I can't. If I had a dollar for every time you must have been asked about the state of American tennis. Or you know, roger Rafa Novak, the same old questions week in, week out. You know we'd be at the George Sank. But the flip side is I don't know. You see these people. They're on the other side of the table, they're asking you questions. I don't think that's the same as Austrian fans yelling at a player from another country. And yeah, I mean.
Speaker 1:I only asked the question just to to give you know both sides ism um, I agree with you. It's like a professional setting. We're both working in the same industry. I do think there, I do think there is a difference, um, but it's like I have a weird thing. There's press conferences at large and then there's the Rabakina of it and weirdly, we're talking about promoting the WTA. Like Iga, who is like delightfully a little awkward when she's doing press, and I kind of like it now and the substance of what she says is great. The more I hear her talk, the more I want to hear her talk. Sabalenka is like this crazy tornado of personality which is like unpredictable, phenomenal. Coco is like this you know, she's this crossover star who is thoughtful, who is comfortable in that role but not thirsty in that role. This is Rabakina's lane, if she wants to, if she wants to stand out from a marketing perspective. Like. I don't think it's, I don't, I don't think it's on purpose, but like this kind of thing, like she's gotten more name recognition this week.
Speaker 3:She's she, this is the heel I don't know, I don't get this is, this is like I mean I don't know either wait just thought exercises with me. So she. She basically said you know your questions are stupid, your questions are boring, your questions are simple. And I'm thinking, if you went in there and you said you know what? Uh, you know israel and gaza. Where do you come down? Or you know she was bored in russia.
Speaker 1:Now ask her a question about putin, or ask her about I think she did answer a bunch of those when she got into wimbledon that one year and then won it yeah, she hated.
Speaker 3:She had, you know not not wrongly hated that question. I mean, it's sort of like go, what would, what would you have me ask you? That would be not boring, but still appropriate.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm different. Like I could, I could chat about anything. I just wanted to give it back to you. Like the most annoying parts for me, like in in in press, were one when someone asked like three or four questions throughout the course of it and you knew the article they were trying to write and all they needed was your answers to get there. Like I remember specifically one year I snapped on, uh, an umpire at the U S open, which for me is like okay. You snapped on an umpire again like full of ugly moments with my behavior, fully admit it. Uh, it was a foot fault, but they said it was my back foot. Now, never once in my life have I brought my back foot up. So that is an actual impossibility. And so I lost it. Right, I'm like back foot. Like are you back foot? My back? My right foot went over the baseline. That is what you're telling me right now. Yes, fuck off. Like no chance.
Speaker 1:And so I get into press and there's one question asked by this journalist, there's another question asked by this journalist, another question asked by this journalist, this journalist, another question asked by this journalist, and it was apparent to me that because the umpire who made the mistake was a female. The angle was trying to get me to you exploded on her and didn't give her respect because you are sexist? No, absolutely not. And I basically called the journalist out for it. I said said I know what you're trying to do. You have your story written, you just need me to participate in your narrative. And I'm not going to do it because there is a decade of proof that says, like you can go out tomorrow and write I'm an asshole and I can't really argue with you. But you can't argue. I was an asshole because a woman made that call. That's insane, right. So there's the leading questions. And then so that I was an asshole because a woman made that call, that's insane, right. So there's the leading questions. So that would be one part that would really make me upset, where it's like you have your story written before I actually have input, right, normally you have input, and then there's a story written based off input.
Speaker 1:The other thing is when someone just comes in totally unresearched, drives me bananas, and I'm sure it drives you bananas as like a credible tennis journalist. Also, when the Cincinnati inquirer sends some guy talking about all the long volleys, I'm like the long volleys, so like hitting a, like hitting a volley, like really that actually never happens. Like it actually never happens. Like it actually never happens. Like you're talking, you're trying to say rallies, but yet you value your opinion as much as me, which is fucking insane. Like it's absolutely. And I have to, like, I have to pretend like I'm going to entertain you and give you the respect that you don't deserve. What? What am I missing? Respect that you don't deserve.
Speaker 3:What am I missing? I see where the annoyance is. I might say in defense of the long volleys. Maybe you hit some volleys that went beyond the baseline.
Speaker 1:No, seriously, I missed it. Wait, wait seriously. Lots of lot. I did a lot, so there were lots of them. I came to net to shake hands. That was it no.
Speaker 3:I mean honestly. What happens is there's some guy who's covering the Cincinnati Bengals and these are tough times in media and people have to double up and the editor says go to the tennis.
Speaker 1:I don't know anything about tennis. I understand it, but I'm allowed to be fucking annoyed by that I don't know.
Speaker 3:No, I get it and I also. The other thing we haven't even talked about is at least you're doing this in Cincinnati and we can have spar back and forth with the, with the question is trying to.
Speaker 3:At least it's your native tongue. I mean, imagine if you were doing this in here in France. So no, I mean it's look, it's an imperfect system, right? And I think the other thing you're too is right. I mean, I always say, like Chris Clary is sitting there in the room and he can't get a question, who wants to ask Serena about whether she'll play an exhibition in Hershey next month?
Speaker 1:Whether the Groundhog is going to come out this year.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly, yeah, I mean to that thought process.
Speaker 2:To that thought process, one of the questions she got upset about was somebody asking her about her outfit. And if she decided to, you know the colors, if she chose them, what's the process of choosing your outfit right? Complete softball.
Speaker 3:Easy solution outfit right.
Speaker 2:Complete softball easy solution. Great opportunity for her to lean into her brand sponsor, yonex. And she's like these colors. These colors I didn't choose, it was the brand chose for me some other questions and like for me it's like isn't that an easy softball and a good like? How's the brand react to something like that, when she's even doing that Right?
Speaker 1:Well, I don't know if they react positively or negatively, but listen, listen, normally I just I maybe I'm crazy I normally like to take money and put it in my pocket. I don't like to reach into my pocket and take money out, like that's. And so she by, by them going what is your clothing, what? How do you like it be like? Yonex makes great apparel. That's fantastic, like it's not that hard. I personally prefer Wilson, but hey, that's just me. But like, see what I did there, john, you see it's not that hard.
Speaker 3:It's almost like money might go into your pocket as a result of that little sleight of hand.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, like that. I'm not mad about her response on a personal level, it's just like listen, you, you have the ability to make it 90 of the time, one-way traffic into your pocket and not out of your pocket. And and and frankly, like the other thing that's short-sighted about this, for rabakina, even though I think like there's a lane for the heel and I think she should, just if I'm her agent, I just have to double down, double down completely. Uh, but like, if journalists know and especially not the Chris Clary's, not the John Wertheim's that actually know the players, know their tendencies. But when she gets to England as a former Wimbledon champion and there's a reputation where if you ask dumb question, you can get an agitated response Guess what the sun's going to do, guess what the Daily Mail is going to do you are adding volume to the dumb questions that you don't want to answer. You are feeding the flame at that point.
Speaker 3:And vice versa. And the credible journalist says I don't need this, I don't need to get my head bitten off and have a transcript of it, I'm just not going to go to that press conference. I mean, the other thing too is like you know, a transcript of it, I'm just going to. I'm not going to go to that press conference. I mean, the other thing too is like you know, if you talk to Serena Williams and said that point at, you know, at that three, four break point, her eyes glaze over. If you say, tell me about what you're wearing and who designed it, she blazes to life and it's, you know, it's, it's great, that's her personality.
Speaker 3:But you know, again, some of this is just reading the room. Some of this is a question to player A gets a great answer, and the exact same question to player B gets a blank stare. I just think we all need to give each other some grace. And if people are a little shy and not so comfortable at a press conference, great. And if questions are stupid, there's a way to deflect them without trying to humiliate the person. I just think we all need to kind of give ourselves some.
Speaker 1:Uh, everyone needs to give latitude here so do I need to have courtesy when they say there's a bunch of long volleys and I come off like a prick because I say rallies, that'd be like. That'd be like going to literally the equivalent because I know I'm harping on it it's the equivalent of going into like an mba press conference and being like man, you guys had, you guys were, you guys had some touchdowns the?
Speaker 3:uh. My favorite one of those is I think some of this is language, some of this is cultural, but you know better played in china once and the question to him was every time you play rafa, he beats you. What you say? And uh, roger had to gracefully deflect your. Your rival always beats you. What do you say about that? Uh, that's, I think that's even worse than long volleys, but your your point so was I was, was I over the line?
Speaker 1:because this reminded me of a question I got in shanghai one time, but it was, it wasn't. The language barrier wasn't as evident as the example you gave where I had lost. I lost to kevin anderson uh, wasn't playing great and someone said I had once said like listen, if I drop out of the top 15, I'll retire. And I was pretty honest to my word. By the way, I had been out of the side of the top 15 for like six weeks. And then I was like, well, I better make good on it. But the journalist goes well, you know, you're you're, you're borderline, you know I think you should retire. And I said I fucking think you should retire. You suck too. Was that out of line?
Speaker 3:you're a journalist too much I mean. I always think it's lame when people write that or say that as opinion. Someone said that to your face yeah, they were like.
Speaker 1:well, you said once and 10 years ago that if you were out to the top 15 you would think about retiring, and I was like it, like I don't know, it was getting awkward it was like 11 or 12.
Speaker 3:Maybe it's so many long volleys, maybe.
Speaker 1:I should have done long volleys and added to that. So I said, do you think you should retire? And I said I think you should retire.
Speaker 3:That's fair.
Speaker 1:I'm better at my job than you are at yours.
Speaker 2:You know what I think you should do?
Speaker 1:Go to break.
Speaker 2:Get an lollipop before break. I can do that.
Speaker 1:What did I have last week? I'm going classic root beer this time. They have Olipop over there at JW.
Speaker 3:You can send me some of these so I can participate in this clever product placement.
Speaker 2:All mine, I have a case for you.
Speaker 1:Only if you enjoy low sugar and prebiotics. So one thing I do want to talk about are a couple things that I want to get to real quick. One thing I do want to talk about are a couple of things that I want to get to uh real quick. Um, you did talk about and I have learned behavior. Circled right here off of off of kind of the press conference, which I love that conversation and I'm curious please, please, send us uh at serves, serve podcast, social uh at me personally, all of it. Um, I want to hear your opinions on what we're getting right, what your opinion is as someone who doesn't march into the press conference battle on opposite sides like John and I. We want to hear your feedback. You talked about learned behavior, about Naomi Osaka match of the first week.
Speaker 1:Like, how lucky is the WTA tour for having had this epic match, second round, the two leading slam totals in the draw, second round. I think simultaneously the three best players in the world are your girl, rabakina, sabalenka and Sviantek, and I think the two biggest stars with crossover appeal are probably Koko Goff and Naomi Osaka. I think that is an absolute recipe for success. There are so many storylines. I think we have more than a handful of women who can carry a night session at Arthur Ash Stadium right now, which is a big, big, big, big deal. I do not say that lightly. I think the WT is in a great spot, and what a time for this epic between Iga and Naomi.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you felt like they did something a little different this year and they played the final in the second round. That match had everything. It had a great contrast, as you say, never mind the history. And these are the two players, each with four majors. I mean I was right there courtside. I'll tell you a funny thing. I was supposed to do an interview with Naomi if she won, but EGA, someone jumped the line and I couldn't do her. So I had all these questions for Naomi and I'd get down there one point away and then I never did get my audience. But boy, I mean. So I was right on the court.
Speaker 3:She was so good for about an hour and so athletic, and this is her least choice surface against a two-time defending champion. I'm sure that match point or that loose game she played at 5-3, I think it was. I'm sure she's thinking about that, but big picture, that was just a sensational match, a great battle. I'm not sure she even knew she was capable of that level of tennis. I mean she was saying just a few weeks ago she was saying to her team guys, be honest with me, am I ever going to get back to where I was? She'll get back to where her was. If she can do that on clay, she'll be just fine. It was, and I like your point too.
Speaker 3:Look, some people are cut out to be stars and some people are from sexy countries. You know, sorry, facts are facts. Belarus not the sexiest market. Iga has spoken openly about how relatively uncomfortable she is with this cloak of stardom. Coco and Naomi much more, I think we have. Bianca Andreescu, as we speak, is still a resurgence and is still not even 25 years old. I mean there are a lot of. I mean, you know, I mean it's, it's easy to sort of say we're Serena's not here and we're a long way away from Kornikova and Monica. Wta will be just fine. Um, I, I agree with you. And if you have three extraordinary players and then the very next year has two absolutely global crossover stars, um, I'm, I'm investing in that business.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and and listen, listen, all the pieces were there. I watched Naomi in Miami and I said repeatedly that week on TC Live I don't know that I can bet on her for four matches right now. Right, and we still don't. We still don't know if the extended People are. I did a podcast and it was Well, she's automatically one of the US Open favorites. The cadence has to work and I'm not mad. Maybe top five, maybe fine in theory, but like co-favorite I'm like that's a lot. That's a lot for an hour of like lights out Osaka tennis. But after watching her in Miami I absolutely said on air then that I think she will win a slam again. I love the progression. I love how heavily she's scheduling.
Speaker 1:Before she stopped the tour, before she became a mother and took that time away, it felt angsty when she was on court. It's like you wanted to pull enthusiasm out of her. You could tell that the mental fatigue was there. You could tell that that manifested in physical fatigue. You could tell that the day-to-day was wearing on her. The positivity and how excited she was during that match was magic to watch.
Speaker 1:For me as a Naomi fan. It's like she turned back. It looked like she was 17 again. Right, it is a much easier emotion to deal with when you feel like you're building towards something or gaining on something or hunting something as opposed to protecting something and being hunted Like those are, one is more fun. You feel like she's in that arc of gaining again and her mannerisms, how positive she is on the court, how excited she is. Instantly reflect that excited she is, instantly reflect that.
Speaker 1:And then to take that loss and then to go into press, which was your kryptonite for a moment in time, and just do it. She is an absolute adult in the room right now. She will win again. And oh, by the way, sviatek, oh my gosh, how to problem solve, how to get through that match? Uh, naomi is going to be a force when her feet hit cement at her job, uh, absolutely, uh, amazing to watch. Um. And then there's the man, the myth, the legend, uh, all of our hero, uh, rafa Nadal, who, from four days before the tournament, hijacked the entire conversation, and rightfully so, when you have to walk past your own statue to get to the food line.
Speaker 3:Pretty good sign you've done something right.
Speaker 1:Pretty good sign you've done something right. And also the part that he said was normal. I don't think it's normal when people are still in the tournament, the fact that he's playing his match and you look up in the stands and Iga's there, having just played, not down, getting treatment because Rafa is her idol, your main rival from your career, that you've played the most times, they've played the most times of anyone ever. On the male side and this side of Chrissy and Martina Novak, who has a match the next day and question mark surrounding himself Like this isn't Novak, that's on autopilot. This is Novak whose strategy is to find something the first week, to be Novak in the second week. That's where he is when he's watching this match against Rafa.
Speaker 1:And then your already legendary countryman, carlos Alcaraz, who's still in the tournament and still trying to find something, and all of those things basically is the combination of idol and question marks and tournament and talent, all there taking time out as a show of respect to see you again. Half respect, half fandom, love seeing it. All of this adulation is not wasted on Rafa nadal. It is not wasted, it is earned, it is deserved. I said this once about roger uh on air and I'll say it again I want my children to grow up and act like rafa nadal has act, since I've seen him in locker rooms and I think that's the nicest thing you can say as a parent. Uh, about someone else?
Speaker 3:I love that. Um, I I mean you're right. I mean, how much does it say that? Uh, when novak is sitting there, not like, oh, I'll make an appearance, I mean novak sitting there like a fan, not talking to people, not on his phone he's. I mean, I'm sure he's reflecting some of his own sort of tennis mortality here. Your your biggest rival with a match the next day. I think you raise a good point with his, his own sort of tennis mortality here. Your biggest rival, with a match the next day. I think you raise a good point with his own question mark shrouding him is sitting there watching you play. That says a lot. I also don't know where Rafa goes from here. Did you ever see Neil Brennan's new special, the comedian?
Speaker 1:With Chappelle. He's brilliant. The creator of Chappelle's show. Tell me about it, though, and how does it relate to Rafa?
Speaker 3:Here's a bit about how all athletes are crazy, basically, and what it you know. The premise is sort of you know whether it's Jordan or whether it's Tiger, athletes are a little bit off, and I'm thinking about Nadal, and at some level you say this is nuts. Dude, you're going to turn 38 years old, your son's adorable, your wife is there. You've won 22 of these things. You're probably worth a bit. What do you do? It's been a great ride. Go fishing, you earned it. What are you still doing? Putting yourself through this mentally and physically? And then you also say you don't win 22 majors by thinking the way I do. You win 22 majors with a certain level of uh, you know, supreme confidence and delusion, and I I just sort of.
Speaker 3:When he walked off the court, I wonder if he isn't saying you know shit, I just pushed this guy more than a decade. My junior and I had no form coming in. He just had all the form in the world. What am I running away from this thing for? Um, I did not get the vibe, even like his facial expressions. I mean the press conference. I did not get the vibe.
Speaker 3:This was a guy sort of doing this, this valedictory. You know, it's been real folks and I'm curious what happened. I mean, I don't hope I'm not giving too much. There's a documentary team trailing him here and I suspect they came and they thought, oh, we've got our story arc. He's going back to Roland Garros and he has this one last hurrah and I think they're like we may still be here I don't know if we're going to be here in 2025, but I don't get the feeling this was a guy who necessarily said I don't have the magic anymore. When can I pull Ripcord? I get the feeling Rafa sort of was kind of awoken by that that match and not uh.
Speaker 1:I I mean, we're speculating I hate, uh, I hate to. I hate to kind of pour cold water on the magic trick. But I think the issue with rafa is I think he really, really questions whether he can have an impact on a surface outside of clay at this point in his career. And also, I think there's a question of can you ramp up for two months a year, right? Is he going to go through the paces to kill his body on hard courts which he said says kills his body If his body's not ready to? He was pretty down on this prospects of playing Wimbledon. Can you be a two month a year player and expect your body to react the right way? I think that's. I think that's the question. Not at the French, when I feel good, which is not a given, just because it was a given, you know, earlier, earlier in the week, um, I think a lot more goes into it. I just don't think he's going to be the guy and he never has been that needs 14 curtain calls. That's just not who he is. That's not the way he's built. There's going to be plenty of time for it and, by the way, congrats to the French Open for giving the guy a statue while he's still active.
Speaker 1:What are we doing? Tiger Woods is an active golfer and I had this conversation last week as part of a committee for the tennis hall. I'm like Tiger Woods should be in the Hall of Fame now. Like, why are we waiting? Why are we waiting? I don't understand it. Is Roger Federer not a Hall of Famer right now? Like, what are we doing? Like, what are we doing? Like, what are we doing? Like, what are we doing? You know, and so I you know. But with Rafa, I don't think he needs that curtain call, which is like why I like him even more. He's not thirsty for that moment. He just wants to go to work, do his thing, be respected, show respect, and then he's going to stop. And he doesn't know when. He doesn't know when. Maybe it's the Olympics. I, he, he signed up for Lover Cup Mike.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I heard it's pretty great. You know a lot about Lover Cup, big fan of it.
Speaker 1:Big fan of the Lover Cup. Yeah, big fan, big hires for the Lover Cup. Captain, I know how to say it it's Lover Cup. Save your Twitter fingers.
Speaker 3:Unless it's for Mike, because he didn't know I was gonna say, you guys could drag mike as much as you want, yeah I like to get educated, thanks yeah, I, I do appreciate.
Speaker 1:I like that he was healthy. The last thing that we would have wanted to see is no rafa. Everyone's like, oh it sucks that he that he had to play his very first round. I'm going well, shit. Like three months ago we didn't think he was going to play in it, like, so we we need to kind of reset each time and take him at his word that he just doesn't know. He's always been pretty honest with us, so he just doesn't know. Let's enjoy the moments we have. They say don't meet your heroes. It's okay, if your hero is Rafa, you can meet him. You won't be disappointed. He'll be exactly as advertised. John, enjoy Paris when we come back after the break.
Speaker 1:We got some Swing Vision videos. I love them. Take care, john Wertheim. One of my favorite segments that we do has quickly become get served hashtag get served by Roddick. So the way it works is our friends at Swing Vision have been accepting videos of basically people filming themselves on the Swing Vision app and then they send them in knowing that they might get crushed or maybe even get some praise from yours truly. So, mike, who do we have this week?
Speaker 2:We got a Brian Estill.
Speaker 1:Hopefully I'm not butchering his last name Swing Vision, get served, where we analyze your game and butcher your name started playing tennis in high school.
Speaker 2:Four, four, four, point five player now recently switched to a one-handed backhand and Wilson guy he's a Wilson guy.
Speaker 1:Well, we'd like that.
Speaker 2:I like that a lot more than the late switch to a one-hander and also, you know, let's watch this video and I'll tell you a little bit more about him afterwards.
Speaker 3:All right.
Speaker 1:What just happened? Okay, little chipper magoo, did he hit someone? Did he beat him? Did he beat him? Did he beat him? Two points and dingles.
Speaker 2:Yes, oh, look it literally showed the hit on swing vision on his body.
Speaker 1:Oh yes.
Speaker 1:Look at the body blow on swing vision. Okay, I didn't know what happened the first time, but I know the sound of ball hitting flesh. Watch this Bang. Oh, that sound One more time. I bang One more time. I need to hear that he just he just schooled him he looks like a parking cone with that shirt, but I digress smoked him and then that guy almost tore his ACL trying to do whatever he did at the end. One more time. Listen, that's flesh. See that power from that Wilson racket. Brian, a steel, a steel, a steel, best deal, best deal, best deal, best deal. Brian, thanks for sending in your submission.
Speaker 2:Real, real quick. We're not done with him yet. He also is a prolific painter. Lovey loves painting, pro tennis players he does.
Speaker 1:So we did some digging on his IG oh, no, loves painting pro tennis players.
Speaker 2:He does, so we did some digging on his IG and this is this is what we dug up.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:That's a Mr Andy Roddick. That's a good one, and that was from 2020 and the caption was about how much he misses you on the court. That was from 2020.
Speaker 1:Well, I listen, brian. I appreciate you. The only thing that might be better than your beautiful art is the the ballpark that you left on your friend. I guess that's art in its own way. I hammered my friend Tim Kolek the other week. We put it on our served social media account. Check that out if you can, brian. Thanks for sending in. Thank you all for participating in Swing Vision. Thank you for watching and listening to the Served podcast. Mike has some details, some directions. If you want to send in your video to be analyzed by us, only a couple more weeks left of the Swing Vision, get Served by Andy Roddick. Mike, give him the details. Thanks for listening.
Speaker 2:All right guys. Here's a reminder. Scan the QR code here on screen if you're watching, or go to swingvision slash served. The link is also in the bio. Sign up for Swing Vision, submit your best serve or rally to X or Instagram using the hashtag get served by Roddick and tag at Swing Vision app. We'll be picking a video each week for the next four weeks for Andy to give his constructive thoughts. We look forward to seeing what you got. All you chuckers out there, as Andy likes to call you. See you next week.