Fire and Ice

00:00:15
Speaker 1: I've had the exact right amount of coffee two cups. Well, you see me, I got three cups. You run the other way.

00:00:22
Speaker 2: You've had two cups, have you.

00:00:24
Speaker 1: That's what I need to get to get going on a Monday morning when it's still cold outside, despite the fact that it is almost spring. It's your birthday week. And we were last week in Tennis Paradise in the desert, and then we returned to winter in New York. It's US. It's Indian Wells Recap podcast. Welcome to the show, the Renee Stubs Podcast. It's going to contain some complaining about weather, but mostly it's going to contain some joyous reviews of what we just watched for two weeks in the desert, which was, to my mind, incredible, unbelievable.

00:00:57
Speaker 3: It was a very memorable tournament for so many what reasons, like, I don't know, It's just I know that your obsession with for writing and getting upset about the top three and the.

00:01:09
Speaker 2: Top four and I'm so over these guys and you know, the Rogers RAFs and I mean, I listen, I get your point, but you know, the vitriol that you say it with is not appreciated by US tennis pearists.

00:01:25
Speaker 1: I let me take a moment to explain myself, because you're referring to a tweet that I sent last night in response to our friend, fellow tennis commentator and fellow tennis journalist L. John Wortheim, who was looking ahead from Indian Wells to the draw in Miami and noting that Raff and a Doll is not going to be there, and Curious is not going to be there, Novak Djokovic is not going to be there, a number of people we have two out of the big three who are still playing not going to be there as among other absences, and it just sort of made me angry. I'll be honest angry because I'm sitting here thinking, oh, my god, We've just had this two week tournament where the at least on the men's side, obviously both on the women's side, but on the men's side, we've had so many incredible storylines, so many credible narratives, so much incredible play, and we're already getting upset about Miami not having the same guys who we didn't have in Indian Wells and thinking, oh, this tournament's not going to be that great. To me, it's just like, what are we doing here, guys, We're shooting ourselves in the foot. Those are great players. Obviously, the Big Three was great, the Big Four was great. Novak is still great. Nadal is now out of the top ten for the first time in fifteen some years. You know, he's still great. I still a threat to win Roland Garros. All I'm saying is I am so ready to talk about these other players. And these other players are doing their part, they're winning, they're playing great, and so for me, it's not about who's not there. It's about who is there, and let's talk about them.

00:02:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I get you. I get you, buddy, I get you. I always preface by saying it would be great to have them here, but they're not. And so we got this which was as top shelf of tennis as we've seen in a long time for all players. So so let's get going on the week, you know, the week and a half. In general. You and I popped out there for the weekend, as people know, which was great. But for me, the crowds out there were crazy good. First of all, I know, people were sort of like, well, I see a lot of empty you know, seats in the stands and blah blah. Well, because the stadiums are also big, you know what I mean. But we saw the crowds out there. I mean they were lining up.

00:03:40
Speaker 1: To get out the record crowds. They haven't had crowds this big in years.

00:03:44
Speaker 2: And also they're lining up to get onto the outside courts as well. Some people don't necessarily want to watch the stars and kind of prove your point a little bit, you know, people people also want to be around the grounds just getting in watching Actually they were watching a lot of doubles. They were trying to get into random singles matches. So look, the health of the sport, clearly after spending the week and a half, you know, watching the crowds out there, is the sport is healthy, very healthy without as you said, without the top you know, big names like Roger, Ratha Novak and Serena not being at that tournament anyway. So the women, let's start with the women. Well, I mean, we thought Eager was just going to walk away with this scene. The way she was playing, she was like breadsticking and bageling everyone. Still, she was looking unbelievable, but then she just runs into this buzzer of Rebakin. But I have to say I know that she was a little bit hurt. She apparently had this pains in her rib that she sustained. She said she felt it apparently in the match before against Christaia. So you know, if you're not healthy, you're not going to beat Rebeking. The way she's playing right now, I mean she is just hitting the ball so well. The forehand is not making the errors. It was under pressure before. We saw that pretty obviously in both the semi and final. I mean it's beating the number one and number two, ply it back to back. That's fantastic. I know she beat your girl, Sabulenka, but but that was that wasn't a She's just so.

00:05:09
Speaker 1: Cool these two. It's really fire and ice that matchup. You know, it's like you've got Sabolnka who's demonstrativeness, her fire, her theory, her silliness. I love it to me. She's like has components of players I've loved deeply in the past, like Yolena Yankovich in terms of her like drama and shortmanship, but she also has like the raw power and sort of fury that Sharapova had sometimes with like Serena's shot making. I mean, I'm not you know, it's it's I don't want to make comparisons because she's your own person, but I love watching her so much because she feels like she's pure id. And then you have her Baccana, who's just like as cool as a cucumber hitting lasers, but just you know, totally totally stoic, which is also amazing. And truly I could watch these two face off in finals for years to come because there's such a contrast. And obviously, you know, I think when you have a really good final like we did in Australia between the two of them, you sort of hope, like, Okay, well, this is a rivalry we can watch kind of like you know, Alcaraz and Sinner when we watched them in the US Open last year, and then seeing them again this year in the semifinals of the men's. I know we're wanting to focus on the women's right now, but just I love when the rivalries continue to kind of deliver. Obviously, the second set was a little bit lopsided in that final. The tiebreak could not have been closer. I think it was thirteen eleven or so, but like, oh yeah, I was just really thrilled with the contrast and the fact that they combined again for another kind of blockbuster showdown.

00:06:39
Speaker 2: Yeah, they certainly played their best at times and their worst at times. I mean, yeah, all of a sudden, the double faults came back to haunt sable Anca. I mean, I think I think she has to learn from this a little bit. I mean in Australia she double folded a bunch of the start, but then she sort of got it together and she got the rhythm back. But I think what she has to recognizes it when she loses the rhythm like that, especially on big points, and it's really hard for a big server to do this. But she was getting you know, cleaned up on the second serve and or she's double folding. She had to take a little bit of pace off the serve on some set, like the set point when she double faulted, Like, she has to understand when the rhythm goes off a little bit and she kind of gets into that funk again of losing the power slash control balance where she's like, oh okay, and she did it in the second set, so she can do it she can take the pace off. I think on some really big points, she has to learn a little bit of a lesson of not necessarily going for the big bombo every time, you know. So, you know, and she paid the prices. Double faults really killed her. I mean, the irony was when Sablenka double folded. I loved it though, because Sabalanka was double folding and getting herself in trouble and Rebakina finally gets a set point on her own serf and double files and she's file. It was the first double fault she hit the whole set, and she hit it on set point. It was kind of but I like that she kind of got a little brit on her face.

00:08:06
Speaker 1: Sure well, also just sort of some emotional resilience there, you know, like the not to skip ahead to the end of the match, but watching the trophy ceremony and you know, Ribacchina is giving her opponent, you know, because it's not just about the final. Obviously, these two women had phenomenal, phenomenal tournaments, and I'd love to talk a little bit about some of their road to getting to the finals, just because so many of those matches were great, you know. Obviously, Rabachina went through egistriantek Sebolenka had a pretty entertaining match against Maria Socker, who I was very happy to see at the end stages of a tournament again after having you know, had some success at Indian Wells getting to the final prior. But like to me, the fact that Sablenka kind of stuck at her tongue and sort of jokingly interrupted rabacchina speech saying, you know, yeah, you finally beat me, but next time, you know, I have to make sure that's not the that's the last time. You know, there's some like playful ribbing. Obviously these two have like a nice sort of report, but also I think it speaks to the fact that, you know, there's a little bit of a lightheartedness to their play, which I think is fun and show and shows like I like the fact that there's you know, it's not just like this corporate you know, I want to thank my four hundred list of sponsors and my agent. It's like, no, we're kind of we're jocular, We're we're mixing it up. We're you know, let's see each other in another final and see what happens. And I feel like that kind of summarized for me a lot of the you know, this final didn't feel painful or fraught the way that sometimes you know, matchups can feel, and so for me, I just feel like it was such a good experience watching the two of them kind of tear their way to the jaws and meet the finals.

00:09:38
Speaker 2: Well, I mean there was a period there where you thought Kyjikova might take out Sabalanca again. It was like the it felt like the same match. You know, Sabalanki comes out smoking, wins the first set, and then Chikova fights back and then it goes right down to the y. So that that's a really nice matchup as well. Kajikova, obviously he's fully back as far as her singles is concerned. She's you know, she's found the confidence again and when she's on she's so good. So she can take and withstand the power of a Sabalankar or a Rebeckina and sort of redirect the ball because she likes the pace coming at her. So it'll be interesting to see how she keeps playing through the season. We know how good she is on clay after winning the French Open, and so she's back in the mix. And I like that she won another, you know, another doubles title with sinew Kova. I mean those two are just so dominant doubles, so so her confidence is up, So that's good. I would say that Rebackina, now think what she go to seven in the world. She should be three in the world at this point after winning Wimbledon finals, this stray and Open, winning it this Master's you know, WTA one thousand, but you know her points weren't counted for Wimbledon. But it also just shows to you how someone like a Jaspergoula, who was still ranked ahead of her, how consistent she's been for twelve months herself winning a w TAO one down thousand as well. But she's been super consistent in the Grand Slam.

00:10:59
Speaker 4: So well, you know when miss Tammis is unbelievably healthy right now with all these I mean, everybody thinks Ega is going to win everything, and then all of a sudden, she just she plays one average match against a really big hitter, and everyone lets so know that, Hey.

00:11:13
Speaker 2: Listen, she's not the only one that's going to win these matches easily. So it's really healthy at the top of this, Yeah, lay a full players that are doing unbelievably consistently well. Waken and wake out.

00:11:23
Speaker 1: Now, I agree with you completely. And I think the fact that we had so many prior Slam winners so deep in the tournament, we had so much variety of styles deep in the tournament, and you know, it's hard to it's hard to not go with Ego just given her ability to withstand. I think a lot of things that people throw at her. That said, when she plays a big hitter like a Rabacchiina or satel Aanca, like the match is not necessarily on her racket, You know, No, I think that's that's sort of I don't know. I love that. I like that there's a contrast in style, and as you said, Kadjikova, who's part of that incredible. They know this is a little bit of a day of a left turn, but just the checks announced their BJK, their Billaging King Cup lineup this morning. It's berber KaiA, Katerina sin Nakova, Linden Oskova, Mukhova, and our Kidjevandroskova. Like they should just let let those ladies play Davis Cup and Fed Cup because they're gonna just tear through the draw, Like that's so crazy, given the singles and the doubles, the depth of that check team, Like I feel like we should just send them into space and have them fight aliens on bad Earth, Like, is anybody gonna with Santa Chance out there, you know against the I.

00:12:31
Speaker 2: Mean they've they've dominated for so long. I mean they're not even and two people not even in.

00:12:36
Speaker 1: The Petrick Kvita is not even in the lineup, Like.

00:12:39
Speaker 2: Petro Kvitiva and Carolina Polishkov are not even in the team. So I mean it's like and the least could go on. So yeah, they've always been the most incredible.

00:12:47
Speaker 1: Yeah, we should just like put them in the you know, Marvel universe and have them like fighting any bad guys that come our way, like anyway, just to take us out of it. But the true Kajikova is obviously kind of leading that squad and its school this year back and doing so well.

00:13:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I sort of disagree with you a little bit on Sakary. I think that I just think she's like keeps I feel like she's hit her head on the ceiling. You know, It's like she gets through these, you know, she got through the match with Kavittiv, for example, down a set and four two, I think, you know, with akmviit of a serving, so you know, Kavetiv really should have won that match in straight tests. But then she went and did such a Petra Covitiva thing, which is like miss twenty balls in a row and couldn't find the court, you know, And then Sakary found her way in and started serving better because she said horrifically in the first set. So so, but I just I keep waiting for her like breakthrough and win one of these tournaments, and it's like it's such a mental block for me with her, it's not the game. I think she could. I think she could change up her game somewhat. I think she could use definitely, definitely slice her back end more. I think it would set up her game a lot more. I think she tries to hit flat through that back end way too much and it settles into these girl is hitting zone too much, and you know, I think she could bury her service speeds from time to time. I just think there's little things that she could do to get breakthrough against these sid of players, for their athleticism is off the charts. One thing I will say about Sabolenka, sorry, not Sabalanka. Rebakina is her new fitness trainer, Zula. He used to work with Plishkova, and I know him from my days of working with Carolina. Great guy. I think he's improved her movement so much out of the corners of the court. You know, We've had a chat about it and something that he said that they've worked really hard on and you can see it. I mean, the movement aspect of her tennis for me, has improved so much in a year, and I think he's done a really good job with that. He's a track guy. He worked with Birdick. Before that, he worked with Carolina, so he's worked with players that are really.

00:14:51
Speaker 1: Tall and lean. I was gonna say, she's so tall and lean, and it's hard to describe because on TV the camera shrinks them and kind of makes them look wider. When you see these guys in person, they're like they're like trees. And I think some people who don't have a ton of muscle definition, like like a Karly and Pushkova, maybe like a verdict like a certainly like a Rebekna. Yeah, that movement they can feel a little stiff, sometimes moving, and I feel like that is definitely a notable change because she wasn't getting on the defense the way that you know Sabolenka had her on the run. That's a very very interesting point for sure.

00:15:23
Speaker 2: I just even yesterday, like she might not hit a great shot off it, but she got you would get there and she would you know, pop it in the air and get it back in the court.

00:15:31
Speaker 1: And that just builds.

00:15:32
Speaker 2: Anxiety for your opponent is particularly someone like a Sablenka who you feel her anxiety coming through like every shot because she's just like, you know, screaming through everything. So I think getting one or two balls back in the court, even though they might not have anything on them, that builds, as I said, the pressure and anxiety that you have to hit a better shot. And so her getting out to those balls is a testament to her. Crew are getting her into that physical shape, and it's credit to her because if she's leaving better look out.

00:16:03
Speaker 1: Well yeah, I mean this is like probably one of her worst surfaces because she really prefers a faster court. I mean, you know, we've made a lot has been made about the speed of the Indian Worl's court, it's for hard court about as slow as it can get. And for me, Rebakkin is so dangerous on faster courts that once she figures out how to move and defend, as you say, on slower courts like good night, you know, how many times do you have put the ball away against her before she can do the same to you. So I feel like that's it's exciting to watch players level up, and I kind of and I do agree with you. I think the point about Maria Socker is a good one, which is for me it was sort of a relief just that she made it to the semifinals. And I feel like that sort of speaks to diminished expectations, which I shouldn't have because she's such a great athlete and she has such a great, you know, amount of potential, And I think, you know, maybe it's the low expectations on my end that's actually sort of the problem, right, And maybe that's kind of she's internalized that too, like maybe it's like, oh, well, I got the semis, that's good enough, and it's like, well, she should really be I think personally that Maria Sakary should have two slams right now, and well.

00:17:05
Speaker 2: She definitely should have. Well, I won't say she should have one, because I think she should have definitely definitely as we know, been in the finals of the French playing against Public Chinkova.

00:17:16
Speaker 1: She had a match point against Barbara Kujigova in that semi and I would argue the year that Rata Kanu won. As much as I like Rata Kanu and I am happy to talk about her because I was really happy to see her back and playing well and getting some really quality wins, but Sakari should have been at least been in that final and I think probably have won it. So yeah, I think maybe I have some lowered expectations for Sakari, which is kind of made a bad sign.

00:17:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, well we'll see, you know obviously. Look, I just I think a lot of hers is like just mental at some point, Like you know, when she won her second round I think it was or and she was so excited and it was a tough three set match, I get it, but I just remember thinking, wow, if she shouldn't be that emotional winning that match, Like that's where you've got to manage your emotions, you know, You've got to manage your expectation and think, okay, yes, this was a dramatic match, but like she was almost in tears, and I thought, oh, that is just that is a combination and a culmination of pressure and I don't know, lack of confidence. I don't know what it is, but that to me was a little surprising. I mean, be happy, but but but the but the but the way she celebrated that match, I was very surprised. Yeah, so, I mean she did. It wasn't like that when she beat committed. I think it's because she was winning so comfortably in the end, but also probably felt like she got out of jail on a little bit. But you know, it's an ongoing process and I hope she breaks.

00:18:42
Speaker 1: Through because she's such a nice kid, say next, great kid rooting for her, and the game is fun to watch. Shall we talk a little bit about the men?

00:18:50
Speaker 2: Sure?

00:18:50
Speaker 1: Wow?

00:18:52
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:18:59
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00:20:07
Speaker 2: I mean, how excited that would be about this kid? Like literally, I know that you you know, here we go, you don't want to have that person. They're like, we're hang our hats on one or two people, you know, But I'm sorry, Caitlin, you gotta love and hang your hat on this kid because he is so fricking exciting and he's gonna make everybody just like Rafa, just like Roger and Novak. He's gonna make everyone better because he made he made Medvedev. He made Medvedev look terrible yesterday. And by that I mean Medvedev has not lost a match in three tournaments. Okay, comes in here not looking like he can lose to anybody, right, not making.

00:20:49
Speaker 1: He's gonna win the tournament. To be honest, that had this tournament back in the back.

00:20:53
Speaker 2: Now I think this court suited Alchorize better. That's what you know, we'd clear alone. We're all very aware of how Medvedev felt about the court, which.

00:21:01
Speaker 1: I hate you, but maybe I secretly love you.

00:21:04
Speaker 2: Yeah. I loved his speech where he's like, okay, so now I want to thank the court. I was like, oh, I got here, we go. I just think he's hilarious. I mean, I know him on it not I wouldn't say I know him on a deep personal level, but I certainly have had my interactions with him enough to know that I just I love the guy. He's like, he's so honest, he's so funny. There are times where I wish he'd stop bitching about the court, but it's kind of like it's gotten to a point where it was funny, and then he always brings it up in press or in these postmatch interviews or in the trophy presentation.

00:21:35
Speaker 1: He's just he's a classic.

00:21:37
Speaker 2: He's just being honest about how he feels. He said, you know, it hurt my ankle, hurt my finger, but it's okay. I want to be back here again next year. But he back to Alparez. He literally made Medvedev look terrible yesterday. He was over powering Danil Mavedev like there were there were some rallies and this is the thing that I really noticed about ol Charaz yesterday. Even throughout all the tournament, he'll give you one bad game right where you're just like, oh god. That was the nineteen year old coming out in force, right, not making like just missing balls where you're just like, oh dude, like he'd lose. He served like to love after breaking, and you just know that's the nineteen year old part of him still right, the immaturity. But yesterday he would be happy to rally and not really go for it, you know, and hit one backhand, two backhands, and then he would crush one backhand and it would literally push Medvedev backwards where he couldn't control the ball. And I was like, oh my god, like he's literally overpowering Daniel Medvedev, which never happens. That just shows you how great he is at changing the pace of the ball, I mean, and how hard he hits the ball, and how athletic he is to make you allow you to thinking he's going to hit a certain shot in then bob or he goes, you know, to hit a big forehand drop shot, and he's like what the fuck. Like his variety is off the charts. He is like a combination of the Big three. Literally, he has characteristics of all three, Yes, the characteristics of all three. He comes forward and plays and wants to come into the net and finish points off like Roger. He has the spin on the forehand and you know, the flatness of the backhand, and the variety of you know of, and the flexibility and the speed around the court like Novak, And he has the tenacity and that sort of drive and desire and friendly looks like happiness like Nadule.

00:23:45
Speaker 1: It's just he's unbelievable.

00:23:47
Speaker 2: I mean, you heard the speech when Medvedev said, I want to thank you, congratulate you. You're like the nicest guy. You say a load to every one hundred and thirty people a day. It's so true. The guy is so nice. He says a load to everyone. He's like, you know, good morning, how are you like. I can tell you from my own personal experiences with him, he is the nicest kid in the world. And the fact that Daniel Mevedev's like, yeah, man, you know, like you're literally the nicest guy in the world. I was like, oh, everyone notices it. So I'm just I'm so excited because this kid could not be nicer and could not be better.

00:24:20
Speaker 1: It's for me. The point that he played against Theanix Centner where Sinner hit, he hit a good serve, Center, gets it back, gets in a position on the run where he hits just like a laser cross court. You think, oh, that's a flat out winner. Ou Chres gets it back, comes into the net, hits a leaping backhand overhead, and then moving backwards hits a feathery lob And I feel like, in that one point you saw literally every type of shot deployed, and I was just thinking, if you're Annick Cinner and you hit maybe three or four different winners in that point, drop shots, laser four hands, great returns, You're thinking, what do I have to do to beat to get this guy out of position? What do I have to do to win a point against him? What do I have to do to get the better of him? And I think, for me, what's so exciting? And I totally totally do not want to focus on one player saving us from a generation of players that priorly where I not is saving us. But because what you said that got me so excited is he's going to make everyone better. And I think for me, Medevedev goes back and says, Okay, I had an incredible tournament. I played a variety of people. I hated the surface and yet got to the finals and won some great matches. Now how do I solve this guy? Or Cinner is like, okay, now we've had a couple of incredible battles in a row. Now how do I get my game to the next level? And I feel like for me, it's the cohort. We shouldn't leave out Big Fox. I didn't give him much of a chance against Menvedev, but he put out an incredible fight. That kid has so much heart. I just want to call out to Francis Tiafo being as our Twitter leader for the tournament, aj Echoes called out a raspberry cream puff dressed. Big Fo just was so exciting and I'm so thrilled to see him again in the back half making very deep runs at a tournament, and he put up a very good fight against Medvedev. To me, the fact that the cohort of men not only Alcaaz, who is so undeniably exciting and incredible and gets the heart racing in that way, but also just like this, this clutch of guys at the top now that's coming up, that's in Medvedev's case backing it up, is just super super super exciting. Shout out to Big Fo for being part of that group. And you know, for me, I just look at it and think, oh, I'm so ready. It's we sort of skipped next gen and now we're at next next gen. And that's just fine with me, because if these guys want to play this kind of tennis for years to come, I will gladly tune into it.

00:26:47
Speaker 2: Well, that's the thing. Like when I think about Janick Sinna, for example, I thought he I mean, after watching Sinna Alcaraz, it was Sinna is It almost felt like he was a level above Medvedev the way he played Alcaraz where he really toad a toad with him, particularly in that first set. Alcaraz is Sinner's speed around the court is just it's undeniable, how well he moves for someone as tall as he is, and he looks he doesn't look like explosive, but he's so quick around the court. But his power on the forehand and his backhand like he's big serving. He's the one that's for me going to push Alcarez. And I think he's pushed Alcarez already to be better. But I think Alcaraz will force Sinner to be better because he has to to beat him, even though he's beaten him a couple of times. But I just think about, as you said, Medvedev and even someone like Francis Tiafo, Francis has to go away and just put in the tape of Alcaraz beating Medvedev the way he did and say what am I not doing? That he's doing right, And there's no question that Francis also has what Alcaraz has. He likes to come into the net, he likes to finish points off there he can hit the drop shot. He obviously has the power on both beforehand in the back and much like Alchiz, But what is Alcaraz doing that Francis is not.

00:28:08
Speaker 1: Doing against Medvedev?

00:28:10
Speaker 2: So that was that match that they played, yes, So that's a perfect opportunity for every guy to take that tape and go, Okay, what is he doing against Medvedev to make him look this bad? And honestly, it was the variety of the pace of ball and the drop shot and being able to hit that. You've got to be able to hit that against Medvedev because he's twenty feet behind the baseline, and the explosive serve and volley from time to time, all the things that he did. What did he do to beat Medvedev that easily? And devives every coach and every player. I'd be like, all right, let's study this and get this down pat because players like Francis can play very similar. But what is the next level for them to reach? And they saw it, they saw it yesterday. Alcaraz just made him look like you know, chump change really was it was impressive. I'm going to also say, Taylor Fritz, you know that match was incredible and he and Sinner it's just as you said that young guns like nineteen twenty, twenty one, twenty two, they're just they're going to make this sport even better. I literally talk to Jim Coreer and Darren Cahill throughout the last couple of days watching these matches, because of course Jim was commentating and Darren was with Yanick Sinner, and I just would text imagines just be like, this is just outrageous how well these guys are playing. And I said to Jim, how does it get better than this? And he goes, I don't know. You know, this is a former world number one, very dominant player when he was playing himself, going I don't know how it gets better than this. I mean, honestly, there's the only way that Alcarez can get better is if you had John isn't a serf.

00:29:43
Speaker 1: I mean everything else is so good, so like four fit, yeah.

00:29:48
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean so, I don't know how it gets much better than this. But I want to see Yanick Sinner and Alcarez play for at least a decade and a half. And I hope that Sinner wins one of those matches eventually, and when he does, it'll break through men for him. But oh, I love that kid so much. I mean, his demeanor on the court is exceptional. Ouphorizes a little bit fiery and still kind of complains once or twice about a few things, which is fine. I love that because that shows his natural inclination. But Sin is just like an ice cube out there. He's amazing fire and ice on the men's side, you know, firon ice.

00:30:21
Speaker 1: Nobody's nobody's upset about fire and ice. I just want to give a shout out because I give Tennis Channel so much shit, most of it deserving, and I usually watch the World Feed just because the main broadcast can be a little tough. But truly, truly, Lindsay Davenport and Jim Career kind of anchoring a lot of the Indian Well's coverage. They are a cut above and it was a pleasure to hear them call the big matches because they're understanding of the you know, tactics and analysis and also their just ability to communicate. It was was appreciated. And you know, credit where credits do because they don't. We don't always get them on the Tennis Channel, but when we do, it's you can hear the step up can Yeah for quality of commentating.

00:31:02
Speaker 2: I agree one hundred percent. You know how I feel. I often have to mute the TV.

00:31:09
Speaker 1: Do you find yourself commentating along and being like, ah, I should be doing this. I going to be doing it so much better.

00:31:15
Speaker 2: No. Sometimes I just feel myself going, God, why can't you see X? You know, well, why can't you see why right? Or why can't you explain that better? And I make the people at home understand what is happening emotionally tactfully. I don't want to hear that was a great fullhand down the line, or why she's really putting some pressure on there, No, like, explain what's happening, like give me a three D version of it. And that's what lindsay as you said, and Jim do. Is why they're like literally two of the only analysts that I do not mute the television for because I can actually I listened to them and I go, yeah, that makes sense.

00:31:58
Speaker 1: Oh that's a good point, and I think, oh, yeah, that is what I'm seeing that. Thank you for explaining it. Our friend andre A Pekovich on the Tennis Channel did a fantastic job and said some things, not only humorous things, funny things, interesting things is because we know she's hilarious and smart, but also just like some interesting things about like, oh, you really have to take away the depth against this person. So watch her play these short angles. And sure enough there was short angles and I was like, oh, this just explained a dimensionality. And also she did this thing that I just wish more commentators would do, which is not talk during the point. Don't talking the poll. I want to hear the sound of the point.

00:32:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, there was early on I actually mentioned the only thing I gave her some advice on was whatever you do, don't talk over the points. You know, even if you have a thought and you halfway through your thought, just stop when the point starts and then finish it up after that, because everyone hates when you talk over a plot.

00:32:45
Speaker 1: We're still going to be sitting here. We can wait until the point's over, but I want to watch the point like for me that that okay. So one more thing that I want to bring up, just because I it was sort of spicy and controversial. Do we gave a shout out to the who took home the trophy on the women's double side. Shout out to Matti Ebden and Rohan Bopana, who becomes the oldest uh and certainly Rohan the oldest one thousand champions. I know Matt has played with your fellow Ausians, played with Sam Stoser, great guys, nice guys. There were. One thing that makes Indian World so amazing is how many players played doubles. I love doubles. Doubles is what most players who play at my level, which is now recreational. I love to see the singles players playing doubles. I just want to bring this up for a couple of reasons, which is, you know, there was some spicy takes from our friend Briiley Opelka, who takes who likes to take spicy, which I don't mind saying that, you know, between the walkovers and some of the crowds, like he doesn't not really understand why doubles gets the salary, the attention, the space and the sport. And I just want to bring that up with you being a six time Grand Slam doubles champion, between doubles and mixed, like, I get why you want to make sure everybody feels like they're pulling their weight, But to me, doubles is an incredible product and I would love to see it get the shine and the attention and the you know, frankly participation of some of the bigger names in the sport on the on a regular basis. And I one of the reasons I hate all this Big three stuff is because it puts so much emphasis on chasing Slam titles, which were important but just one aspect of the game's importance. And I think they did it because and I think they did it at the expensive doubles when you used to have John mcner playing doubles, not just playing singles, when you used to have you know, uh more of a I think varied field in terms of what you played.

00:34:51
Speaker 2: You know.

00:34:51
Speaker 1: Obviously the best example is Martine and Bretlova, who would enter all three draws. And I think for me, I want to see a healthy sport where people feel like they can participate in all ass facts are that.

00:35:01
Speaker 2: Well, you know, look, I've had conversations with the Riley and through the you know, the thing with like Riley is he, look, this is an economics thing for him, right, whereas he feels like in certain tournaments, you know, doubles players are you have you know, the tournament has to pay for them. To be there. It's you know, they have to give them a pay for their hotels, perdems, et cetera, like paying for their food and blah blah blah. Right, and he feels like it's taking the economics away from the singles players that are there in particularly in smaller tournaments. Look, he has a point in some respects. Is like, look, you can say that doubles players don't sell tickets, well, neither do a lot of singles players. You know, unfortunately his start are the ones that sell it. But those players that don't get a lot of publicity have to play against the highest singles ranking, so without them, you can't have a tournament. All of that is true to a certain expects. I would like to see if they're going to do anything. I think that they should make the doubles draws smaller.

00:35:59
Speaker 1: If they're I think.

00:36:01
Speaker 2: Economics wires that makes sense. I think you're we do in the Wimmen's Tour, where you're allowed to enter the tournament on your singles ranking to play doubles. I don't know if they do that on the men's but if they don't, they should. Wembledon has now this year announced that it will not be best of five sets from the first round on in the men's doubles, which I think is a great idea. Finally, because there was nothing worse than having to play after a men's doubles match, because they would go for fucking five hours at Wimbledon sometimes you know, and you know, you're like sitting there, going, are we seriously sitting here watching at twelve eleven in the fifth doubles match, which guess what happens all the time, particularly with the irving. So I like that they're doing best of five. I think the only mistake I would like to make the men's best the final best of five, and it's probably weird that you play a tournament maybe semi san finals, they should make best of five just because well, then at that point it doesn't matter because no one's waiting for them to play. But if they're doing best of three across the board, I think it's a good idea, and you might you might get actually singles plays playing doubles now because of that, and that's one of the reasons why they don't play, because who wants to go out and play a five hour doubles match and then play singles?

00:37:08
Speaker 1: The next day, no way.

00:37:09
Speaker 2: So I think that's a positive, but I would like to see maybe the jaw is smaller. I've always said this, and I'm going to get a lot of shit for.

00:37:16
Speaker 1: Samos, but.

00:37:21
Speaker 2: I think if you're ranked fifty in the world playing doubles only, you're not very good. Sorry, I mean, I just think if you're playing doubles only every week, you are concentrating on doubles, doubles, doubles, and you're fifty in the world.

00:37:35
Speaker 1: You know, do it? You feel you probably you should?

00:37:38
Speaker 2: You probably should find another job, right honestly, because you're not going to be making money. You definitely, you know, you're just out there sort of taking a check and doing something for a living. And if you're fifty in the world at twenty and then you're fifty in the world at thirty and you're still fifty in the world at thirty five, I don't know if it's the correct thing. I think if you're playing double zone should be at least top twenty at least, I mean, because it's.

00:38:02
Speaker 1: What you specialize in.

00:38:04
Speaker 2: So we have those arguments, and if that's the case, make the draw smaller, get singles players playing, because we see how popular it is out in any weels because a lot of the top players play, but get it on television, and that's they promised us they would do that when they made it best of three sets, a two sets with a ten point tie break, we're going to put you more on center cord. You guys were going, we know you're going to finish up like maximum two hours, so we'll be able to put you on television. Bullshit, None of that thing happened. None of it happened. So if you're going to change the scoring to do that, do that, don't pay or put us on an outside court and playing best of three because doubles players, I mean, the no ad and ten point tie break, it's like it's the worst. So anyway, that's what I think. I'd make the draws a little bit smaller. Rather than a thirty two doubles draw, make it a sixteen doubles draw or even in some cases an eight doubles draw, and you know you might get some really top players playing a little bit more doubles, which we would love to see because, as you said, most fans love watching doubles.

00:39:05
Speaker 1: Yeah, we love watching doubles. A lot of us play doubles and we want to see it at the highest levels. And also, like you know, again, tennis has this unique thing that no other sport has, no other sport hard to imagine will ever have, which is mixed doubles, which is a man and a woman competing on the same court, on the same field of play, at the same level. Show me a more emotionally like out of their mind's crowd than when Andy Murray and Serena Williams walked on to center court at Wimbledon together to play mixed doubles. I was basically weeping just because I got to see something so cool, right, And I think that is such a unique aspect of our sport that we could be celebrating and leaning into way way more. And you know, for me, I would love to. I would love to figure out how to just make the product better, which is what I think you're sort of getting at, which is making you know, a little bit of wheat from the chaff, because I think the product itself, tennis, the game itself, is so awesome. So yeah, before we part from our B and P Indian Wells tournament recap, I just want to shout out to BNP Pariba, they hosted us, they let us reimagine one of their spaces. We got to talk to a few amazing, amazing personalities, players thinkers. Will be continuing to roll out those podcasts in the next couple of days and weeks. So just incredible. Thanks to the team for having us. Johnny and Fillion, Rob Madden Andie Span just incredible team to work with and we're looking forward to the next couple because that could not have been better for in my mind, between the tennis and the experience, and frankly the weather which here in New York continues to be in the MIDI absolutely sucky.

00:40:41
Speaker 2: I want to give out to the MVP of the two weeks of the tournament, starting with a little charity event before the tournament was Pink Okay. It was like rotten Sana there for every match in the finals, like love and life. Every time that showed her on the screen, she was like getting into it and obviously play her music. But you know, I've heard from everyone out there that was at the event. Chris mckendrey was out there, and a couple of other friends of mine who met her, They just said she was the friggin coolest and so nice and down to earth. So we love when, you know, we get superstars like that, like just loving the sport and getting involved. And she was absolutely on fire this weekend, So Pink, we love that you're a fan of the sport. Thumbs up.

00:41:25
Speaker 1: All right, Well, Renee, I'm going to get this out before too long, so before it gets stale. I will see you on your show later today, The Power Hour with Renee Stubbs on Amazon Prime Video every day from five to six Eastern. We're going to be paying attention to what happens in Miami. But then for me, the next, big, big, big, big exciting thing is We're doing a huge thing in Charleston. I'm so excited about it. It's a tournament. You've been to a ton You love the guys down there, they love you. Our friend Andrea Petkovich is going to be hosting a daily show down there called Happy Hour that we are producing. We're gonna do some doc We made a guide check it out on the internet. Charleston is where it's all going down for me, the food, the hospitality, beside the city. They put the tournament in the middle of the city, which is something you can't say of Miami, so you can actually go and experience the city while experiencing the tennis at the same time instead of two separate tracks. So for me, I'm just so so so excited to be down there for a couple of days with our friend Andrea Pakovich. Maybe we can lure you down for a weekend. It's not too hard.

00:42:21
Speaker 2: Maybe we'll see. You know how much I love Charleston. It's like literally one of my favorite places in the US to go to. I love you know, Bob Moran down there, who's the tournament director of course eleanor who takes care of all the players every single time. They're just the best tournament. It's the best tournament on the women's tour. It is by far the best tournament to go and visit. The city is amazing, The tennis will be great. The hospitality of course second none in Charleston.

00:42:49
Speaker 1: It's gonna be amazing. Is playing Kazakin, is playing, Elena's Fitdelina is making her comeback at this tournament like it's gonna be lit down there, And I could not say enough amazing things about both the field but also how much these the owner, Ben Navarro and the tournament stuff that you said. They care deeply and it shows because they are putting on a world class event.

00:43:11
Speaker 2: They are They are the best, and I'm sending my love to them because I know Eleanor also listens to our podcast. So I love you and have a great time down there. But in the meantime, it's Miami. We'll get set for Miami at some point and give you a little thoughts on that, but we know that tell friend Craig Shapiro is already down in Miami. There's no harder worker than Greig. He's bringing the heat, well, as he would say, bringing the heat, He's bring the heat. But everybody, thanks for everything over the last couple of weeks. Obviously your New Wolves was amazing. Shout out to everyone that appeared on the pod. While they're out there, Tommy Haass, we're going to get him out on the on the pod as well. He did a great interview with us, so you're going to put that one out to you, Caitlin the.

00:43:49
Speaker 1: Next couple of days, just gonna just gonna get my ducks in a row to see you later today. Thank you for listening, and we'll be back soon with more incredible reading service.

00:43:58
Speaker 2: Tames podcast, Bye bye