Putting out there some early assessments of the state of the WTA's Top, and the unpredictability of the elite group at the Top 5, due in big part to the poor results shown in since the clay season for Sabalenka and Rybakina, and the overall ups and downs from Andreeva and Gauff.

And Swiatek's fall into underdog position.

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This episode is broken down into two parts. The women's Wimbledon review is the episode right before this one :)

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This episode is broken down into two parts. The men's Wimbledon review is the episode right after this one :)

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Muchova goes on to reach her second Grand Slam final, again saving match point, after she came back from 2-5 down in the third set vs Sabalenka at Roland Garros in 2023 - But I am sure Gauff will be back and possibly even win the title soon.

Linda Noskova quitely making herself into one of the best grass court players of this generation, winning the Berlin title, and, in terms of consistency and form, is the actual favourite for the final. She was all but too powerful for Marta Kostyuk, who displayed some of the brilliance and fight that is awarding her the best season of her career, but couldn't maintain a balance between aggressive tennis and good shot selection.

The Final promises to be a fantastic one! The first time EVER two Czech players reach the final of ANY Grand Slam tournament!

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The problem is not even in the actual sport at all: as entertainment, it does just fine, and as a recreational activity, probably the majority of amateurs play in doubles more often than singles.

Well, then, how come the ATP is killing doubles little by little? I'm afraid it's a systemic problem caused by the ATP themselves, and because of the years of neglect, it's not going to be cheap to save it.

If there's an audience for pickleball, you better believe there's an audience for dobles tennis.

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Nonetheless, it left the feeling that she really could do it. Will she try again, or was it just a one off for the good ol' days?

Plus, Novak Djokovic made comments about attention spans in younger audiences, and how maybe tennis matches need to be shortend. I really needed to push back on that notion, because people hear these stats out of context and can't place them correctly. So, I am here to explain why shorter matches won't bring new and younger audiences to tennis, and why the attention span statistic is grossly misunderstood.

We are not gold fish.

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We got the draws in front of us and go through each of the 8 sections in both women's and men's singles draws, identifying popcorn matches, and key challenges for key players.

Oh, and, for the time being, Serena Williams playing her first professional singles match in almost four years is still the more important topic. Can she beat Maya Joint? Will we get an explosive match against Filipina star Alex Eala?

To finalize, no, we don't think Djokovic will get too close to that trophy again.

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At first, the ITIA seemed to have it under control, the content they posted and their explanation made sense. But then, Vondrousova came with a response, and pointed out inconsistecies in the process and what seemed to have been a poorly executed visit by the tester.

Whether or not she has a case, the biggest loser in this situation on the long term is certainly the ITIA's brand reputation. If we can't trust the International Tennis Integrity Agency, who CAN we trust? It's time for them to really step up in their transparency and communication strategies.

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At 44 years old, she played some really good tennis with Mboko before the Canadian injured her knee at Queens. This decision to come back and even play singles at the most well-known tennis tournament in the world is intriguing: what does she want to get from this?

While it's practically impossible to see Serena winning Wimbledon, especially after her last win coming seven years ago, plus her age, I still can't complain. She will be back, she will be roaring, involved and full of energy in a way only Serena Williams can be.

I hope for at least one win. It will be EPIC.

I also talk a bit about how so many promising young women are making good progress on the grass this year, notably Berlin champion Linda Noskova, Berlin semi-finalist (l. Noskova) Alex Eala, and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu. All players with very different styles, different career trajectories, but with great potential to make the next 10-15 years at the WTA be really awesome and competitive.

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(If you want to skip the DV case discussion part, I talk exclusively about tennis from 16:32 until the end.)

But, before the tennis, there's the awkward, sad situation of the DV allegations. He was cleared via settlement, which indicates neither guilt nor innocence, but he's effectively not charged with anything and has no record (as far as I understand.) But that doesn't mean the ATP should just call it a day on that: the lack of policies, or even any sort of acknowledgement of the serious problem of domestic abuse is simply disappointing. It's not about Zverev, but about a sustainable, robust standard in place to protect victims and hold their contractors, stars and moneymakers to a level of integrity that needs to be even higher than for doping cases.

Once that's out of the way, I talk about where my attention will be directed in terms of Zverev's next matches, which I believe will give a definitive answer as to whether Roland Garros was a one-in-a-life-time chance for him, or if this win can unlock a new mentality for the German.

Spoiler alert: I don't think anything will change, and he will continue losing to Alcaraz, Sinner, and whoever else will come up in the future that will become the next big thing.

But, for better or for worse, Alexander Zverev is a Grand Slam champion.

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On the Women’s side, we recap Mirra Andreeva’s impressive title run, Maja Chwalinska’s heroics to get to the final, and discuss each of the Core 4 (Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek) and what to make of their campaigns which all ended before the semifinals. We also Look ahead to the grass.

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If the season before clay wasn't filled with her best moments, Andreeva came back with fire for the clay, winning 22 of 25 matches, and lifting her first major title. While she was pretty much expected to achieve all there is to achieve in tennis, maybe this title at Grand Slam level might have surprised even the best analysts. I personally think this came way sooner than I thought it would, even though I did pick her to win the tournament during our Draw Previews episode.

Now, at No.1 in the Race, she has a tangible chance at getting to the top of the rankings, becoming World No.1 for real. But the road ahead won't be easy.

The WTA Core Four:

Swiatek's episode: https://shows.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels/episodes/iga-swiatek-lost-at-roland-garros-there-are-positives

I have opinions on the performances of the WTA Core Four, meaning Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff. It ranges from "it's fine, it happens," to "this could trigger the end of her peak."

In particular, Sabalenka had possibly the worst result, even if she's gotten the furthest in the tournament. Losing 10 games in a row when you're serving for the match is an epic meltdown. It's the kind of historic achievement you just don't want in your resume, especially as World No.1 when all your biggest rivals are already out of the tournament.

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The details of this match you already know.

But this loss will remain in the history books, and the complete absence of a serious second best player, with Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by a wrist injury, means that whoever wins, we will always note the context of the utterly unexpected Sinner ousting, and that so early in the tournament.

It's not an asterisk, though: it's more so a triggering event to one of the most chaotic Grand Slam tournaments of all time, with records being broken on time on court and five-set matches played. The tournament, which started in sleepy fashion and with Jannik Sinner's name half written in the trophy, became a free-for-all bloodbath where anyone suddenly saw themselves as the winner.

Great entertainment all around, as Alexander Zverev lurks in the shadows, quietly and effectively making his way to a potential first major title, now without the impenetrable barrier of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinnner. It could be his last chance.

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After a solid run in Rome losing out to defending champion Elina Svitolina, some even said Swiatek might be a big favourite to win the Roland Garros title a fifth time.

She won her first two rounds, avoided a dangerous clash against Ostapenko, and then lost in two sets to Madrid champion Marta Kostyuk in the 4th round in Paris.

Now what? Is it the end for Swiatek? Are her best days already behind her? Are the only things left for her now her memories and trophies?

I don't think so. It's never clear cut, but Swiatek is only 25 years old, and it happens to basically any great player to have a slump, a bad season or two, or to deal with some difficulties during their careers. The important thing is to keep coming back, keep trying to find solutions, keep playing and fighting.

It won't be easy, but with patience and resilience, I really think Swiatek will get back to her best - and maybe lift the Roland Garros trophy again as early as next year.

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It was amazing.

I will miss them so much.

There's something weird, really sad, about watching players like these two, plus others who also played their final Roland-Garros, like David Goffin in the qualifying, and Roberto Bautista Agut, also out in the first round, saying good bye to the sport I love. It felt like I knew them, they were companions of mine. On my tv and other screens, and some lucky times live, I could count on having them around. They would do marvelous things. They would challenge the Big 3 with heart and soul. They would lose most often. They would play each other and fight till they couldn't stand.

It was awesome. But every player must leave the Tour one day. At least they were able to go out the way they wanted.

Also, wtf is up with the Roland-Garros vs French Open thing? That was probably the dumbest debate we've had in a while. Honestly, it was actually kind of fun lol plus I learned a bit about the recent history of the tournament!

Some marketing geeking out in this episode too, if that's something you into.

And here's the Christopher Clarey article on The New York Times I quoted: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/sports/tennis/a-puzzler-in-paris-french-open-or-roland-garros.html?pagewanted=all

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We are doing a full draw preview, going section by section of both the Roland Garros men's and women's draws and finally making our picks for semi-finalists, finalists, and champions of the 2026 French Open!

On the WTA side, great popcorn matches all around, with some really strong potential for upsets that could turn the draw upside down. But also trust in the seeded players, to find solutions, make it deep in the draw, and conquer their nemeses. Will Aryna Sabalenka win her first major of 2026? Will Coco Gauff defend her title with her grit through highs and lows? Can Elena Rybakina complete the Surface Slam? Is it the time that Iga Swiatek will finally overcome the Ostapenko mission impossible? Or is it someone else's time to win big in Paris?

On the ATP, the Jannik Sinner question remains unanswered: who can stop him at all? Seemingly unbeatable, it feels like acts of God are his only great challenge left without Alcaraz in the draw and an aging Novak Djokovic. If injury, terrible weather conditions with a brutally hot sun, and/or a miraculous performance by some anointed player doesn't stop him, it feels like nothing will. Though Djokovic already operated miracles during his career, including the Australian Open earlier this year, and Medvedev coming back from getting double-bageled by Berrettini in Monte Carlo to take a set off Sinner in Rome does sound like a godly act, too.

Who will prevail on the red clay?

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Elina Svitolina wins her first WTA 1000 since Rome 2018. Her third crown in the Italian capital, with hard-fought, well-earned wins over Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff. What a tournament by the Ukrainian, who sits now as the WTA Race World No.3, and No.7 in the 52-week rankings.

Will that be enough to earn her a first grand slam title at Roland Garros, starting next week??

Time will tell - but, I think that would be really difficult. Not so much because Svitolina is not a great player, in fact, she's probably the best version of herself on a tennis court in her career.

But the WTA is full of surprises, and the level is insanely high across the board. The Top 5 is playing amazing tennis, with Aryna Sabalenka being as consistent a World No.1 can be, reaching SF and Finals at almost every tournament she plays, only without the major title to show for it in 2026. Which in turn could make her even more dangerous an motivated to win her first Roland Garros trophy.

Elena Rybakina the WTA Race World No.1, World No.2 in the 52-week rankings, and Australian Open champion, would be looking to transform her Race ranking into her real ranking, climbing to World No.1 for the first time in her career with a deep run in Paris - a title would all but guarantee it. And then, who knows: a Calendar Grand Slam in the making?

Gauff, the defending champion at Roland Garros, lost to Svitolina in the Rome final in a tough three-setter. Doesn't matter how Gauff plays, it seems it's always impossible to beat her without massive effort. There are no true bad days for the American. She's coming for that title again, no matter who stands in her way - even if it's her own self.

Finally, Iga Swiatek. The four-time Roland Garros champion started the year without playing well at all. All seemed completely out of control, with her game spiraling and losses stacking up. Until Francisco Roig joined her team as her new coach, and a couple days with Rafa Nadal himself, seemingly changed the course of her year overnight. Now playing a much more confident tennis, with her strengths emphasized and game plans set on more that just hit the ball very hard, Swiatek made us all look at her again as one of the top favourites. But you can't just erase months of struggle like that, and her loss to Svitolina in Rome showed that, despite the great progress over this clay season, Swiatek might still have some internal issues to work out before fully returning to her very best. Will it happen at Roland Garros 2026?

We will have to wait and see how all this unfolds.

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It has gone pretty much as expected from him. Only surprise was losing a set to Medvedev. Other than that, it almost seems disingenuous to say there's any doubt Sinner will sweep the Clay Slam, just like Rafael Nadal did in 2010, the only player to do so.

As we close the Masters events on clay, there are some interesting stories still to follow, including Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Jodar. But these will all be left as side quests to Sinner's iron fist domination over the ATP Tour.

It seems only a miracle will stop him - and that has now extended itself until Wimbledon, now that Alcaraz has shocked the world one more time by announcing his withdrawal.

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I love the GOAT debate. How fun is it to compare stats, types of shots and game style, and have the evening extend into the late hours as we let our outrageous opinions on the table, call our friends idiots, then laugh it out and go home in peace?

But on social media...

Everything has to be different.

Fans love to throw insults at the first opportunity. Taking things we say out of context. Insulting our intelligence. Going as far as mocking our physical appearance, incessantly leaving mean comments in our replies.

Harassing players has become normal. Fans thinking they know better, that they can give priceless advice from the comfort of their homes thousands of miles away, watching tennis from a set tv angle that simply can't give you all the information you need to properly assess the game, even if you were a real professional tennis expert - which in the vast majority of cases we are not.

This podcast is not for players. They can get their information from highly trained personnel with years of experience and their inner circles of people they trust. My analysis and comments do not bring them any benefit.

This podcast is for fans. But I would truly love it if we could just be in love with this insane sport, have loads of fun, trash talk at each other respectfully, and keep a cool head over our shoulders knowing that there are millions of people around the world who are just are crazy about tennis as we are.

We can't all be friends and love each other. We have moments of anger and frustration. Sports is like that, I know it well. But we don't have to hate each other, or get aggressive online simply because someone has a different opinion than ourselves.

It's just a game, y'all. A game we love and are worse of without, but still a game. Let's love it well and respect each other and the players who give us all those great moments.

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Now what he needs is the support of his fans in the highs AND the lows. He needs people to known HOW to support him, too, both on social media and on court.

Sure, the atmosphere can be great with lively fans. But tennis has a specific kind of behaviour that is expected of fans, and it's not at all similar to a soccer match. You just have to stay silent sometimes.

In fact, trying mess with his opponents by being obnoxious is not only going to disrupt them, but also break the rhythm of the match, put pressure on Fonseca, and ultimately could hinder his performance in said match.

So, we gotta chill.

And we need to be patient also. He still needs to gain more experience, learn more about on-court tactics and decision making. He will lose tough matches. He will lose early. He probably won't win a big title this year, at least not a Grand Slam.

And that's fine.

All that hype needs to be translated into disciplined excitement, not emotional breakdowns on social media saying Fonseca is "just hype". He clearly is ridiculously talented.

Oh, and by the way, let's be gentle with how we approach the careers of Rafa Jodar, Alexandre Blockx, Martin Landaluce, and any other talented teenager that will appear. They also need to learn and play, and, more often than they'd like, lose. Even if it looks like they won't be losing much right now.

Cited Andy Roddick short: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XupeWCeY7xo

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As Jannik Sinner continues to sweep every Masters 1000 of the year virtually unchallenged, the question is beginning to get loud online: is the ATP Tour boring? Some might even start saying that Sinner himself is the problem.

Well, is he?

Short answer is no. But it's probably more complicated if you're a neutral tennis fan. Sinner just isn't the same type of player or person that Federer was, or that Djokovic is. He is introverted, he is efficient, and all that he does is his job: winning. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

But, combining Sinner's ruthless tennis, his introverted demeanor, and the fact that the entirety of the ATP minus Carlos Alcaraz simply has no idea how to even begin to win sets against him, it turns the tour into something rather uneventful.

If you are a Sinner fan, that's awesome. Your fave is winning and you're happy when you turn off the tv. If you aren't, you shouldn't blame Sinner. You should question: why the heck isn't anyone else standing up against him?

I love seeing records getting broken. But I love a good tennis match with a lot of tension and high stakes tournaments even more. I hope we get that back soon.

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Elena Rybakina is the Australian Open champion. World No.1 in the Race, an just won Stuttgart with only one tough match.

Yet, in a turn of events, it was Marta Kostyuk who rose up to the challenge and took the opportunity in the final by defeating a struggling Mirra Andreeva to win her first WTA 1000 trophy in Madrid. Sabalenka lost in the Quarter-finals, Rybakina in the 4th round.

Sadly, Kostyuk won't play in Rome next, but she remains an intriguing contender for the Roland Garros crown.

But where does all that leave us in regards to Rome?

In an exciting place where there's a crap ton at stake: dominance, Wolrd No.1 battles, and favouritism for the second major of the year.

Rome could be one of the best tournaments of the year, on both tours.

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Of course, tennis is played over many tournaments, over many months, different conditions, different surfaces, and players ride momentum, get big wins, then fall back a little and struggle with tough losses.

As such, Joao Fonseca and Rafa Jodar benefit most not of the hype trains departing the station of Tennis Twitter, with the insanely hyperbolical cries from Tennis TV social media coordinators at every winner. They benefit of the calm. The quiet. The time to think, to assess their mistakes and acknowledge the positive and negative from each match. They need our patience.

Jodar is not Alcaraz. He is really freaking good, and I really am excited to see him develop into a Top 10 player threatening to win the biggest titles. But there's a lot of road ahead for him to get disappointed, to lose from match point up, to play a terrible match in windy conditions, serve under 50% first serves in a match. He'll have that, and he'll be alright.

Fonseca has had his moment last year. He came, he played, he conquered. Now the other players know him. They work with their coaches to find strategies to exploit his weaknesses and neutralize his forehand. He is getting frustrated, probably, by not having another big win under his belt and a deep run in a big tournament. But it will come. Fonseca will work with his own team to hide his weaknesses, to improve his game, and to find a way to crack into the Top 10 and, along with Jodar, to also be a big threat to win the biggest trophies in tennis.

All in due time. All in their own timeline.

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It seems like it's never going to get easier for Sinner. He now has the chance to completely dominate the tour, win every tournament he enters, post what could probably be the best season of ALL TIME.

That is, if he can handle the now immense pressure of being the heavy favourite to win every tournament he enters. As heavy a favourite as it can possibly get.

And, a quick look into Arthur Fils, whom I believe has tremedous potential to be a huge challenge to the current Big 2 of Alcaraz and Sinner. Maybe just not this year yet, though.

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Losing to Fernandez could have thrown Rybakina's No.1 quest off course, and given Sabalenka almost free rein over Madrid and Rome, making only herself her biggest enemy. But now that Rybakina is playing amazing on clay, Madrid and Rome suddenly became the battle grounds for favouritism ahead of the clay-court major in Paris. The results from both, and possibly two mouth-watering clashes in the final of both tournaments, could be decisive factors for who will finish the clay season on top of the World.

But the battle doesn't end on just the Top 2 players, unlike what we are seeing on the ATP. The entire WTA Top 10 is very strong, and upwards to the Top 30, every player can be extremely dangerous. Gauff, the Roland Garros defending champion, is a bit of a tough prediction, since she plays at her best infrequently, but always finds ways to win matches no matter against whom she plays. Pegula is not just going to sit there and hope for the best either, letting Sabalenka and Rybakina have all the fun.

I am particularly curious about Karolina Muchova and Iga Swiatek. Muchova, former French Open finalist, is having a great season so far, and injury-free, too, which is a relief for her. Although she lost to Rybakina in the Stuttgart final convincignly, she got her first wins over Gauff (1-6) and Svitolina (1-3), both in three tough sets. Perhaps after that emotionally tiring run, she'll come out firing in the next WTA 1000 events.

Swiatek is a huge question mark. She showed positive things in Stuttgart, but remains unconvincing as a favourite to any of the next tournaments, despite her impressive clay resume. Will she find her level in time for Roland Garros, where she is a four-time champion? Who knows.

All rests on the results from Madrid and Rome.

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With the Patreon, we open up an avenue that could allow us to focus a lot more on this project.

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Your support is HIGHLY appreciated :D

Thank you!

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For her biggest rivals, this means that the sense of danger is no longer there. Gauff hasn't lost in their last five matches despite losing 11 straight, and Sabalenka probably feels like she can beat her no matter where they play, at every stage.

The new coach, plus a time at the Rafa Nadal Academy, could prove to be a pivotal moment in her career to bring her back to winning ways. Stuttgart will be the first tournament where we will see the early works of this partnership, and if the results will follow ahead of Swiatek's favourite and most successful major, Roland Garros.

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Now he unlocked new potential.

What will happen next? Will Alcaraz play Barcelona and Madrid, maybe skip one or the other? Will Sinner play Madrid?

We are bound to see the full meaning of this victory as the rest of the clay season unfolds - and this victory could be pivotal not only for Roland Garros, but also for the rest of the entire year. Perhaps even their whole careers.

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Since Alcaraz is defending his title at Monte Carlo and Sinner has not played there last year, Alcaraz needs to win the tournament to make sure he'll keep his title for at least another couple of weeks. If not, a Sinner title brings the top position back to the Italian.

But also, we just NEED them to play each other. It's been just waaaay too long! They can't be trading the No.1 ranking by simply not playing tournaments or losing early to someone else. It's got to be decided on the court, as they trade blows in front of a massive crowd cheering for every point.

On other news, João Fonseca is not in collision route against the Top 2 players this time, but he will have other challenges ahead. Maybe he can play Medvedev this time. If he makes it to the SF, he could face Zverev - who has reached the last four stage at every big tournament this season, and really only loses to Alcaraz and Sinner, though not particularly close to beating any one of them. But he's there, waiting. Anyway, Fonseca will need to get used to playing and beating any player in front of him, not just Sinner and Alcaraz, if he wants to realize the hype that's been following him for a couple years now.

Over to the WTA side, where there are 10 1000 events and only two of these are on clay, I ask: why not a third one? And I think the perfect candidate for that is a tournament now far away from its glory days where players of the caliber of Graf, Hingis, Venus Williams, Nadal, and Federer competed for its trophy.

Down to an ATP 500 tournament and a 250 event in the WTA calendar, this major city in Germany checks all the boxes to holding a 1000 event on its clay courts. And the calendar spot seems wide open, concurrent with Monte Carlo.

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Recency bias would have us believe Sinner is now the front-runner for the Year End No.1 battle. Not so fast: Alcaraz is still the champion of three of the last four majors, and clay is his best surface (maybe?)

Sabalenka on the other hand, is the dominant factor in the WTA Tour. Rybakina has come close to three big final wins in a row, with a match point at Indian Wells, but Sabalenka took that win, and saw her off in straight sets in Miami. If the current World No.1 continues to win as consistently as she does, it will be hard for Rybakina, or anyone, to dethrone her - but it might get really interesting soon.

Other players left their marks, either in a good or bad way: Fonseca, Zverev, Swiatek, Eala are all interesting players to follow during the clay court swing. And, of course, what will Novak Djokovic produce, now at almost 39 years old? Seems like we can't ever count him out - he was the World No.3 until recently, after all.

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And this might have taken a bigger toll on him that maybe he would have liked to admit - and it might be time to admit it.

Mentally, Alcaraz had to go through a very tough battle to achieve the Career Grand Slam. What if his performances at Indian Wells and, most importantly, Miami, mean that he's just lacking some motivation and energy to compete at the highest level? That, and the fact that it really does seem like he plays "Roger Federer" at every round, might be too much pressure, and he needs some time off to decompress.

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Anyway, this match will likely be AMAZING. Incredible hot shots, cat-and-mouse points, Alcaraz testing Fonseca's forehand and movement, Fonseca drawing all the energy he can from the crowd.

Wait and see, will also see if I'll make a video after all is said and done for this crazy instalment.

Tell me what you think!

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Why? She has been playing the best tennis of her life in the past few months, has probably the best serve and forehand of the tour, can play well on all surfaces, and is capable of winning against Aryna Sabalanka anywhere, any day. And that's exactly what she's done lately.

Up to World No. 2 from down to No.12 at the Canadian Open 2025, Rybakina's level has soared, and even Sabalenka has been struggling against her. The Indian Wells final may have turned against her favour, but she had a match point, and Sabalenka needed to produce some of the most clutch tennis shots she can to win that match.

That being said, it's still an uphill battle. Sabalenka is so good so often that, to have a chance, Rybakina needs to match the intensity and win matches constantly. No first or second-round losses. Only quarter-finals and up.

And she still needs to truly prove herself on clay.

Can Elena Rybakina become the new WTA World No.1? I believe so.

Tell me what you think!

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Alexander Zverev just doesn't possess a crucial trait of a Grand Slam champion - or, a trait that turns a good player into a history making player.

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But why is that? She isn't the hardest hitter. She is a great player, but still has some way before she can enter the tennis elite of the Top 10 and 5. Well, the talent is surely not lacking - but it's not just that that Eala has in abundance.

Her on-court attitude, fighting spirit, celebrations, and then great presence and insightful answers in every interview, and on top of all that, she seems like just a great, kind, genuine person.

Plus, party time with the Filipinos hits differently (and South Americans know the value of a party no matter where you are.)

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In this episode:

• The season as a narrative
• Awkward spots in the season where there's too much time between majors are great for two-week 1000 events
• Shanghai as the only other Masters that could be in two weeks
• No one can do this much tennis without getting tired. We need FOMO and build-up to care about the tournaments
• Prestige isn't about how long a tournament is

Thanks for listening!

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A quick look into the overall progression of players from last year: who seems to be even better? Who has stagnated? Who's regressed?

Alcaraz, Rybakina, Sabalenka are in my radar.

I am starting to worry a little about Swiatek and Sinner.

I personally continue to believe Zverev will never win a major title unless all the stars align - and he might even not be able to win it then.

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Tennis ONE app

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Opinions, not so much commentary on match analysis (though there will be some of that.) It's not that I don't like it, but there's plenty of people doing a great job in it, so I want to look at the season through a narrative lens. What stories are being told? What will players do next? What key moments could define the year, even sometimes a whole career? THAT's what's interesting.

And the tennis, of course. So many great matches to appreciated.

Let's go, tennis.

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We cover it all:

• The excitement of attending matches live at Arthur Ashe Stadium
• The tournament’s biggest storylines and dramatic upsets
• How champions rose to the occasion and secured their titles
• Breakthrough performances from emerging players
• The electric New York atmosphere that makes the US Open unlike any other Slam

This conversation blends personal stories from Flushing Meadows with expert analysis, giving you both the fan’s thrill and the journalist’s perspective on tennis’ final major of the year.

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Crazy things happened, including singles finals between World nos 1 and 2 in both WTA and ATP sides, a massive victory for Coco Gauff over Aryna Sabalenka, who herself dethroned three-time defending champ Iga Swiatek, the deceptively good results from 38-year-old Novak Djokovic, and what was possibly the best Grand Slam final we've seen in the men's side since 2012 Austrlian Open between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner - and a final without any of the Big 3 or 4.

Still processing the tournamet? We are too.

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Owen and Andre talk about all the players that made their mark at the Australian Open, what they expect from these athletes, and what they believe needs to change. They also mention other players who seem to be stagnant, or even regressing, and, should nothing change for them, will fall out of the lime light and slip down the rankings.

Oh, and also just how boring the men's tournament ended up being, in contrast especially with the dramatic and intense ending of the women's.

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Steve Flink, renowned tennis writer and hall-of-famer gives his time in a deep conversation with Vansh to look for answers to all these questions and more in our post-Grand Slam review!

Thanks to Flink for continuously offer his great tennis mind to our podcast for these episodes!

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Giving my thoughts on the Australian Open 2025 and what I thought was most noteworthy, like:

• Madison Keys winning her first Grand Slam and whether this will impact the rest of the season (US Open title coming?)
• Aryna Sabalenka's upset, and how she will bounce back to assert her dominance on hard courts and as World No.1
• Iga Swiatek's quest to become a bigger factor on hard courts to be on equal footing with Sabalenka and other hard hitters.
• Coco Gauff and whether she is getting too comfortable winning matches from behind.

Also some ATP notes:

• Jannik Sinner is No.1 and there's not much else to say about it
• Novak Djokovic is getting old, but he's the GOAT for a reason.
• Carlos Alcaraz: how to win when matches are boring? And he is the true second best player in the world, and will only get better.
• Daniil Medvedev's window is all but closed. Unless something major changes, he will start slipping in the rankings and will not be a factor in big tournaments anymore (sadly)
• Alexander Zverev is never going to win a Grand Slam, and is only winning because of luck.

That's it! Got opinions about my opinions? Reach out on social media!

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Rafael Nadal, the eternal Clay GOAT, but so much more.

Garbiñe Muguruza, who did all that a tennis player could dream of, and leaves tennis enjoying full health and a well deserved rest.

Angelique Kerber, an unorthodox player who probably overachieved, and will forever be one of the greatest defenders tennis has ever seen.

Andy Murray, the only one who could possibly challenge the Big 3 consistently, and carved a space where he alone stands in history.

Dominic Thiem, who had his career stolen by injuries, but reach such heights that will leave fans in awe of his on-court aggressive mindset forever.

And dang, what the heck, Andy Murray is already back on the Tour coaching Novak Djokovic. What?

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Join Vansh and hall of famer Steve Flink in a back-and-forth conversation about the top players in the world, who's risen to the occasion in 2024, who might struggle and who might dominate in 2025!

Lastly, stay for conversations on what Novak Djokovic still has in store (now with Andy Murray as his coach) and a look back on Rafael Nadal's legendary career, on clay and the other surfaces.

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Talk to us on social media :)

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Join Steve Flink and Vansh for the recap of the tournament!

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They also discuss Iga Swiatek and where her 5th major title triumph puts her in tennis history, an analysis of the Osaka-Swiatek R2 epic, thoughts on Coco Gauff, and a look ahead to the grass season for the WTA. A plethora of topics jam packed into a great tennis discussion that you don’t want to miss.

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The epic women's tournament in Madrid held the entire thing together, to be honest. The men's side was hampered with many withdrawals and injuries, including champion Andrey Rublev's illness which almost cost him the title. In what was probably the match of the year (with still a good number of great tournaments to come) Iga Swiatek was able to overcome the powerful Sabalenka, the reigning Australian Open champion and two-time defending champion in Madrid. Swiatek did not have it easy, though: three match points came and were erased by a clutch Siwatek before she finally was able to cross the finish line after three hours, 20 minutes of pure drama and tennis of the most exquisite quality. Now, Swiatek has completed her clay court set, winning the only big clay tournament that was left for her, having won Rome two times and Roland Garros three times.

For the men's while things looked a little less exciting (and downright worrying) due to injuries and withdrawals, we still got to experience some good stories, matches and drama. Firstly, Rafael Nadal, who is likely in his farewell tour, reached the fourth round with majestic wins over Aelx De Minaur and Pedro Cachin before succumbing to a flawless Jiri Lehecka. Is there still something special in the King of Clay for 2024?

Secondly, while Alcaraz was clearly hindered by some injury in his arm he still gave everything he had, beating Jan Lennard Struff in a rematch of last year's final, and pushing Rublev to three sets. maybe the effort was too much though, as he is not playing in Rome, and is still a question mark for Roland Garros.

Finally, we cannot forget the heroics of Andrey Rublev, who overcame many an adversity to win his second ATP Masters 1000 title, arguably the greatest of all coming in the final match: a quite debilitating illness, and a healthy and fresh Felix Auger Aliassime, who himself enjoyed a particularly odd way to the final with two mid-match retirements and a withdrawal (Jannik Sinner, no less). While no match of the year, at least the fans were entertained by a good fight in a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 win from Rublev.

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With Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawals due to injury, Novak Djokovic's current lack of proper form (and a title in 2024,) ths ATP side of things is looking rather intriguing ahead of Madrid, and, most of all, Rome, as it is the closest in conditions to Roland Garros. Who will emerge as the top contender? Can Rafael Nadal find yet another title on the Parisian clay?

And though Iga Swiatek lost, it's still the same: Rome will define who is truly in the best form for the French Open - although so far we feel pretty confident in the 3-time Roland Garros champion to win the title. That is, if one of Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff don't step up to dethrone the World Number 1, or even a rising star in potentially Marta Kostyuk and a finally stable Emma Raducanu.

We also have a quick look back into the achievements and career of Garbine Muguruza, who just announced her retirement from professional tennis in a press conference this past week. Happy retirement!

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Looking back at the Sunshine Double results, including the Iga Swiatek - Carlos Alcaraz double, Maria Sakkari's and Daniil Medvedev's great runs to the finals in Indian Wells, and of course, the players of the moment and Miami champions: Danielle Collins and Jannik Sinner. With one just starting the best of his career and the other bidding farewell with a dream season, the contrast in their careers right now is just a sign that anything can happen in tennis.

We also have a nice little chat with Vansh, as he talks about his experience covering tournaments on-site for the TennisOne app! Download below :)

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While her tennis truly has seen great improvement from Brisbane, and the rust is starting to fall off, what really is great to see in Osaka right now is that she seems to be enjoying the game - a great contrast from when she was suffering with depression back in 2021 and 2022. Then, she wanted to be anywhere but in front of a crowd and on a court. Now, she seems to truly be enjoying it.

But can Naomi Osaka win a big title in 2024? Can she break into the Top 30? Who knows. What truly matters, though, is that she continues to enjoy her time on court. Then, the sky is the limit.

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We also talk about the most controversial coach in modern tennis, Patrick Mouratoglou. Who is he really? A great coach? A PR genius with a way to make people talk about himself? A... clown? We don't quite believe in this last option, but the true merits of Mouratoglou as an elite tennis coach are a good topic to be explored - one that might bring about an entire episode of its own.

Touching briefly on some of the WTA matches this week, Andre recommended the Abu Dhabi semifinals, but obviously these are over by now. So if you can, go watch a replay of Rybakina vs Samsonova and Haddad Maia vs Kasatkina! Both of these were amazing. And don't forget to catch the final on Sunday!

Finally, we ended up having to chat about Saudi Arabia's involvement in tennis. What to expect? What to do as fans? How can we still enjoy good tennis, and at the same time keep in mind that Saudi Arabia is far from being a role-model of a country, being a quite brutal dictatorship with many shortcomings when it comes to human rights? Ultimately, though, money talks for the big players.

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The spotlight is on the phenomenal ascent of Italian sensation Jannik Sinner, who emerged victorious in a historic showdown against the formidable Novak Djokovic. The 10-time Australian Open champion faced his first-ever defeat in the semi-finals, leaving fans in awe of Sinner's prowess and determination as he valiantly came back from a two-sets-to-love deficit against Daniil Medvedev to win his maiden Grand Slam title. Djokovic's shocking performance also left Flink and Vansh intrigued, wondering if this will affect the rest of the season for the Serbian.

Flink and Vansh navigate the twists and turns of Daniil Medvedev's journey, exploring his resurgence and reaching the final for the third time in Australia. The duo revisits Medvedev's past challenges, including a heartbreaking loss to Rafael Nadal at this same stage in 2022, and examines the improvements that have transformed him into a more promising and formidable player. From adjustments in his net game to strategic shifts in his return position, could Medvedev's evolution bring him back to being one of the most dangerous players on tour?

As the episode unfolds, the hosts speculate on the future prospects of Sinner and Medvedev, pondering whether they will secure victories in the remaining Grand Slam events of 2024. The burning question lingers: Can either of them rise to the pinnacle and claim the coveted World No. 1 ranking?

Tune in for a riveting discussion filled with expert analysis, tennis insights, and a glimpse into the potential future of these tennis titans. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual observer, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the world of tennis. 🎙️🎾

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Owen makes a case for Aryna Sabalenka to be the true best player in the world. What are her weaknesses? If not for her own on-court frustrations and nerves kicking in, there are no real vulnerabilities to exploit in her game, no matter on which surface.

The WTA's current Top 3 plus Elena Rybakina also seems consolidated and increasingly distancing themselves from the rest of the pack. Is a new domination era starting? How many Grand Slam titles will Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina win in the next 5-10 years? Exciting battles look very possible on the horizon.

And we did not forget Qinwen Zheng, who finished runner-up at the Australian Open. How far does her potential go? Which areas can she improve on her game? After a hard fought final, though ending in a straight forward loss, Zheng now enters the Top 10, and has much material to look into as she seeks to follow on the footsteps of fellow Chinese player Li Na, the 2014 Australian Open champion.

On the ATP side, more questions than answers. How high is Janni Sinner's ceiling? Is the World No.1 ranking in the cards for this year? Another major title? And what about Medvedev - now that he is happy and motivated, can he finally add another Grand Slam title to his trophy room? It will depend on how well he can implement the changes he needs in his game, and how long he can sustain his best level, though another 2-0 lead is blown at the Australian Open. Looking into Novak Djokovic, we were left puzzled by his performance. Although, while we do not consider his decline to be so sudden as to cause his level to drop so much in just two days, it seems something was not quite right. And he sure needed a much higher level to beat Sinner.

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Plus: Rohan Boppana's inspiring ascent to the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career at 43 years old, also winning his first men's doubles major title, teaming up with Australia's Matthew Ebden! And a major run by Netherlands para-athlete Diede de Groot, who is now on a 14-title winning streak in Grand Slams, with three calendar Grand Slams won during the run - and a strong possibility of a fourth one on the way!

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We're back in 2024 for more great tennis adventures, starting at the place Andre and Owen long to go back to: Australia!

🌟 Iga Swiatek's Epic Showdown: The illustrious World No.1, Iga Swiatek, encountered a formidable challenge in the form of Danielle Collins. Seemingly down and out, Swiatek pulled off a huge comeback in the third, though possibly with some help from the American. We look back at this match, and weigh in on Swiatek's still arduous journey to the title.

🎾 Rybakina's Rollercoaster Exit: Last year's finalist, Elena Rybakina, bid adieu in a second-round spectacle against Anna Blinkova. While still tough to say whether Rybakina is still learning how to navigate extremely tough matches, this one was special: several match points on both sides, the longest tie-break ever at Grand Slam level. A disappointing end for Rybakina, but a phenomenal showdown and a properly earned upset by Blinkova.

🔥 Sabalenka's Unstoppable Run: Aryna Sabalenka, the indomitable force, continues her ruthless march through the draw. Now with Anisimova up next, we shall see where her level is truly at - but no one can say she is not consistently putting herself in position to win the biggest titles.

🌈 Coco's Winning Streak: The prodigious Coco Gauff is now surfing on a long 10-match winning streak at Grand Slams. As the second week approaches, her challenges will only grow more difficult. We're particularly excited about the prospect of a teenager battle between Gauff and 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva!

🤔 Medvedev's Moment of Reflection: Doubt surrounds the prowess of Daniil Medvedev. Can he dispel the shadows of uncertainty and assert his dominance over the elite and find the extremely high level he displayed back in 2021 and at the Australian Open in 2022?

🎾 Sinner's Five-Set Odyssey: Jannik Sinner, a virtuoso in his own right, grapples with the challenge of the best-of-five sets format. Can he ascend to the summit and silence the skeptics, or will he face a symphony of setbacks?

👑 Djokovic's Australian Reign: Novak Djokovic, the perennial monarch of the Australian Open, faces a potential usurper in the form of Carlos Alcaraz. Is Djokovic's reign unassailable, or will Alcaraz be the architect of an epoch-defining upset? Coming closer to an 11th title in Australia, Djokovic still owns Rod Laver arena, but Alcaraz has already took over the throne at Wimbledon. Could he do it also down under?

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They discuss motivation for writing the book, the challenges of putting it together, and several tangents about the great Novak Djokovic H2H Rafael Nadal matchup: what was their best match? Why is it so great? Is it really superior to the Federer vs Nadal rivalry? Contrary to popular belief, not all their matches are all that impressive. But which was the worst? And maybe the most important question of the rivalry: which match was most significant for their careers and the history of tennis overall?

Follow along as they praise the two giants of the game and chat about Owen's exciting project, and follow all chapters as they are released on substack!

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Now ranked World No. 4, Jannik Sinner got two wins in three matches against the legendary Novak Djokovic, who finished the year as the World No. 1 for a record-breaking 8th year, and won three of the four Grand Slam titles of 2023. While glory at the ATP Finals was denied by the Serb, Sinner did not throw away his opportunity to make his country proud, lifting the Davis Cup trophy with his teammates, playing alongside Matteo Arnaldi, Lorenzo Sonego, Lorenzo Musetti, and cheered on by former Top 10 Matteo Berrettini on the team bench. What a year for Italy!

Ben Lewis joins Andre in this week's podcast to talk about Canada's unlucky week at the Davis Cup, point out the silver lining of Milos Raonic's return to the team. With a tough loss in the quarter-finals to Finland, Team Canada goes back to the qualifying stage of the Davis Cup.

Ben and Andre chat about this year's shortcomings, pointing that Gabriel Diallo's match was the coin toss, but he could not produce the tennis he managed during the group stage and that allowed him to win his second title on the challenger tour in the fall. To top the less than ideal week, Vasek Pospisil's woes were back, as he could not shake off what appeared to be a shoulder injury, and Canada bowed out 2-1 to Finland, as Felix Auger-Aliassime was unfit to play, with a lower-body injury. What will then be of the Canadians in 2024? Can Felix Auger-Aliassime get back into the Top 10? How far will Milos Raonic go before he calls it a career? Can the big-serving Canadian win another title (maybe the last edition of the Hall of Fame Open in Newport on grass?) And what awaits Denis Shapovalov, who decided to call it a season after a tough Round of 16 loss to Roman Safiullin at Wimbledon?

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Leylah Annie Fernandez, the 21-year-old dynamo who's been making waves since her epic run to the 2021 US Open final, took on the role of leader of the Canadian team despite her young age, and did not disappoint. She went undefeated in 2023 in Billie Jean King Cup competition in both singles and double combined, making it a total of 8-0 for the year. After tough matches and near-misses, Fernandez fended off Ysaline Bonaventure in the Vancouver qualifiers in April after being a set and a break down to send Canada to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals stage. There, her way was no simpler, having to go down the trenches against Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain in a three-hour, two-tiebreak battle, then getting her first top 10 win against Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova of Czechia in three sets in the semi-finals. Against Italy, the title was sealed with a straight-forward win over Jasmine Paolini.

Another young star seems to be being born in Canadian tennis, as Marina Stakusic left her mark in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The 18-year-old, who has done incredibly well in the ITF World Tennis Tour, coming off of a win at the Tevlin Challenger in Toronto, lost only one match the whole week, going down against former Roland Garros champion and former World No. 2 in two sets, but winning every other match against players much higher ranked than her. Her incredible performance gave Canada the courage and belief necessary to go all the way, as Stakusic also went relatively untroubled against former Roland Garros semifinalist Martina Trevisan in the first singles against Italy.

Rounding up the team, US Open women's doubles champion Gaby Dabrowski partnered up with Fernandez in the critical match against Czechia to defeat multiple Grand Slam champions Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova to send Canada to the final.

Rebecca Marino and Genie Bouchard also left their hearts on the court, with Bouchard taking on to the court in doubles.

At the end of it all, Heidi El Tabakh also got her much awaited and deserved triumph with Team Canada as the team captain. The cheerful, but calm and focused captain's actions and critical decision making led Canada to be at its optimal state to finally lift the coveted trophy for the first time in the competition's history.

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And Iga Siwatek did all that - in style. Under the hurricane-like conditions in Cancun, Swiatek took down every opponent in straight sets, and left the best for last: losing a total of six games in the semi-finals and final combined, she put her destiny in her hands when she beat Aryna Sabalenka in the semis, and completely dominated Jessica Pegula in windy conditions in the final for a final bakery shop demonstration of the year, winning 6-1, 6-0. What will 2024 be like for the generational talent from Poland?

Andre and Vansh also chat about the incredible week in Paris on the ATP side, which saw Novak Djokovic lift and ATP Masters 1000 for the 40th time. Needless to say, a record, which he has been competing against himself in for a number of months now.

Overcoming physical difficulties which prevented the legendary Serb from playing his best tennis, Djokovic still did what he does better than anyone in history: winning from any position. Clutch in decisive moments, patient in neutral ones. making sure no match ever went fully out of his control. Taking on inspiring performances from Tallon Griekspoor and Andrey Rublev, and closing the door on an impressive and uplifting week from Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, the World No. 1 extended his records in Paris, in ATP wins, number of big titles, and is now only one win away from securing a hardly-comprehensible 400th week as the World No. 1. As a 36-year-old. We are running out of superlatives, or any descriptive words for that matter. for Novak Djokovic.

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On the ATP Tour side, a couple more weeks are still left until all is said and done for 2023. But one of the most improved players of the year, Jannik Sinner, is looking very sharp and ever-so dangerous after his second consecutive win over Daniil Medvedev in the Vienna final. An extremely physical battle, where Sinner showed his improved physical endurance as well as patience to outplay one of the fittest players on tour, and one of the best defenders to step on a hard court in Daniil Medvedev. One thing is still left for Jannik: to prove himself in the Grand Slams and maybe even get a win over all-time great Novak Djokovic.

Lastly, Andre gives a shoutout to compatriot Félix Auger-Aliassime for his inspiring run to his title defense in Basel (with some unbelievable serve stats on his side.)

Let Paris-Bercy give us its best!

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Important tournaments took place this past couple of weeks, with two WTA 1000 (Guadalajara and Beijing) and one ATP Masters 1000 (Shanghai). Iga Swiatek added much important points by winning the Beijing title, and keep herself in hot pursuit to take back the World No.1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka and finish the year in the top spot for the second consecutive season. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz is going to have to work a lot harder, trailing 2023 three-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and going into one of the toughest parts of the season for the Spaniard in the indoor hard-courts in Europe - but never count Carlitos out, and Paris is still around the corner.

Some other mentions on the WTA Elite Trophy, it's logistical difficulties and appeal, a potential WTA Next Gen, and this week's winners: Hubert Hurkacz taking his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Shanghai, Qinwen Zheng winning her biggest title at home in Zhengzhou, Jessica Pegula's emotional title in Seoul, and Leylah Annie Fernandez's first title in 19 months in Hong Kong after a difficult season.

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They talk about how the draw played out, difficulties for Novak Djokovic, who managed to win only for the fourth time at the US Open despite making 10 finals. Daniil Medvedev sneaked through his side of the draw without much talk about him until the epic semi-final against defending champion and then World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, denying a second consecutive Grand Slam final showdown between the Spaniard and Novak Djokovic after their Wimbledon epic. Flink and Vansh also go into detail about the matches, including the final, how Medvedev could have played better, and how Djokovic proved his dominance even at 36 years old.

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Now coached by Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff became a wall from the back of the court, and simply nothing went past her in the next two sets. With answers to everything Sabalenka tried, Gauff became now destined to lift the trophy at home. And lift the trophy she did. At 19 years of age, Coco Gauff`s career, now seemingly so much longer than anyone would expect for someone that young, has reached new heights at Grand Slam level. The sky is the limit for the young American!

And in the second half of the podcast, Andre and Owen just couldn't help but chat a little about tomorrow's men's final between Novak Djokovic and unexpected (though not less talented) Daniil Medvedev. What will happen in the 2021 US Open men's final rematch?

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For Owen and Andre, the ATP side is clear: after epic clashes between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, they just stand above all others as the favourites. Save somestruck of bad luck, which seems to have been haunting Novak Djokovic at the US Open, he should be there. Save the menace of Jannik Sinner, Carlitos Alcaraz should also find his way into yet another Grand Slam clash against the all-time major leader Serbian. Are we wrong? Should we worry more about a potential... party pooper?

On the WTA side, things get more complicated. With no clear favourite, five women come stand out as potential winners: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Ons Jabeur, and Coco Gauff. While the race seems to be more between Sabalenka and Swiatek, this is a game of match-ups, and in a best of three sets format, slipping into a deficit could lead to an early upset a lot quicker.And depending on who meets who at any point in the tournament, the finalists could be wildly different. It is another exciting Grand Slam on the women's side - who will lift the coveted trophy in the end of the fortnight?

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Join Steve Flink and Vansh as they break down the Wimbledon men's tournament, the epic final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, the performances and what's in store for the current big names in the ATP Tour Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and more!

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Follow Vansh and David as they go through the ENTIRE Wimbledon women's draw to break down their favourites to go deep, the potential best matches in the first round, the trickiest way to the title and predictions for every quarter until the Final!

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Going from Iga Swiatek's big run to her third Roland Garros' title and the epic matches he had to win to get there, we discussed other up and coming players as well as the newly established elite, among them: Bia Haddad Maia, the lefty Brazilian who fights until the end; Karolina Muchova, who has been ranked far below what is truly some of the best tennis in this era, but is determined to fix this; Aryna Sabalenka and her powerful game, which makes her arguably the biggest favourite for Wimbledon; Elena Rybakina, who owns what's possibly the best serve in the WTA and will come back to defend her title at Wimbledon; Ons Jabeur, the fan-favourite Tunisian who has an endless arsenal at her disposal and a wealth of talent.

The tennis and stories on the WTA Tour are simply captivating. It's a bottomless well of great sports entertainment. And we should all be paying a whole lot more attention to it (and just paying a whole lot more, really.)

Sit back and enjoy Juan's great knowledge!

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Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz has finally completed the surface set, winning his first grass court title at Queen's - and what a fantastic week that was for the World No.1. While Alcaraz does not have the experience on grass to be considered a heavy favourite for Wimbledon, he has simply amazed us with his ability to learn and make adjustments so quickly. What can't Alcaraz do??

In other news, the always mercurial Jelena Ostapenko managed to once again get her hands on a trophy by playing her best tennis - an Avatar state where she becomes virtually unbeatable, but her dips in match can be too costly. And Alexander Bublik put his mind into it and showed why he's one of the most talented players on tour - he seems to only lack the motivation to break into the Elite of the game. Though a Halle title might not be the best stepping stone for Wimbledon unless you're named Roger Federer...

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Novak Djokovic finally got ahead in the Slam race and stands alone for the first time with 23 major titles, a third French Open, and the triple career Grand Slam, a feat only surpassed by Steffi Graf, who has won all major tournaments at least four times each. But now Djokovic is the only one along Serena Williams to own 23 of the most coveted trophies in tennis, most in the Open Era and only one behind Margaret Court for all-time titles... and he is the overwhelming favourite to win Wimbledon. Regardless of what the GOAT debate means for anyone, one thing is certain: Novak Djokovic keeps pushing the limits of what is possible in tennis, and seems to be chasing nothing but his own records now. Can anyone ever be more accomplished than Novak Djokovic?

The French Open is now over, and all the champions crowned. Iga Swiatek put on a great show yet again, but was pushed the hardest on route to a Roland-Garros title, finally able to defeat "surprise" finalist Karolina Muchova in three sets in the final. Creating her own history, Muchova herself managed an incredible feat reaching the championship match, notably taking down World No.2 and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in what was probably the most epic and dramatic match of the tournament.

Listen to the recap by Steve Flink and Vansh Vermani now and let us know in our social media!

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• Pete Sampras: Greatness revisited

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Thanks for listening!

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While neither one of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were not present in the final after a remarkable 18 years, the new guard has stepped up to bring the level we all expect from one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world. Holger Rune was responsible for stopping Djokovic from reaching another final, defeating the 22-time major champion in the quarter-finals. But arguably the story of the men's event was the self-proclaimed clay-hater and hard court specialist Daniil Medvedev, who showed tremendous form on clay after never having won a single match in Rome - and finally took down Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune on rout to his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title. What will he accomplish at Roland Garros, now that he is No.1 in the Race and the World No.2?

On the women's side, Iga Swiatek started her title defense as well as she could possibly hope for, losing two games in two matches. But the ending was far from ideal from the dominant World No.1, as she was forced to retire against Elena Rybakina after two exciting sets of tennis with an injury. If her Roland Garros title defense was already looking more difficult due to the newly energized Aryna Sabalenka, champion in Madrid over the Pole herself, now that Elena Rybakina is showing great form on clay, an injury was the last thing Swiatek wanted. Is the 2023 WTA Big 3 going to give the world another series of tennis showdowns in Paris? Are we looking at the Stuttgart, Madrid, or Rome champion as the big favourite for the coveted title at Roland-Garros?

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Now what? With him in the draw, it's easy to pick him as a favourite - almost a duty. But now, with Novak Djokovic not at his best, Stefanos Tsitsipas getting back to his best, Carlos Alcaraz back at World No. 1, Daniil Medvedev playing the best tennis he's ever played on clay (which has now put him at No.1 in the ATP Tour singles Race ranking), and Holger Rune capitalizing on his immense potential, the door seems wide open. Just as it was back in 2004, when Gaston Gaudio won at Roland-Garros, coming back from two sets to love to beat none other than Guillermo Coria in the final.

And then there's the possible retirement news. We don't have much to say about this, except that we hope Nadal will be fully healthy and that he finds the joy in playing tennis again.

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While Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek blew their minds away, Vansh and Jack chat about potential threats to their quest to Roland Garros glory: is Aryna Sabalenka ready to push it to the next level on clay? Is Ons Jabeur going to get healthy for Paris? Is Paula Badosa find her best tennis again? On the men's side, we saw Holger Rune showing what he's capable of, and that he can still get even better. Does that warrant him a 2nd favourite at the French Open? Is Jannik Sinner going to be fully healthy to make a deep run in France?

And the biggest question of all: are Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic going to be ready for the biggest battle ground of this Big 3 rivalry in this decade?

Listen now and let us know what you think!

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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tennis-and-bagels.

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Talk to us on social media :)

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Andre Rolemberg @RolembergAndre

Vansh Vermani @vanshv2k

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Check out Popcorn Tennis!

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Vansh: https://x.com/vanshv2k

Owen (BlueSky Social): https://bsky.app/profile/owensports.bsky.social

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