33 Burst results for "WTA"
The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"So there is some discomfort there and that again is probably the bigger worry heading up to the masters events to come and the French Open. And just going back to you mentioned Andy Murray Joel, that loss to Alex de menor. Murray described it as an awful and demoralizing defeat, a 6 one 6 three. Begs the question, should Andy Murray play a clay court season this year or should he just focus on the grass and being at home and excelling on the grass courts of southwest London. We'll see you in is what I say. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Yeah, it's a really, it's a really tough one, isn't it? I think this was definitely a reality check. I mean, we've seen some great wins from him over the start of the season. Even when he's dropped that first set, we were always kind of like, oh yeah, don't worry, he'll win in three, but domino just kind of ran away with it and yeah, it's tough to know. I think once he got onto the court and realized actually you need time to adjust and to adapt and he has had none of that and whether he can do that period of adjustment over just three weeks having been in the cold for years. Let's be honest, I think that's going to be even though he's a great champion. I think that's going to be a very big mountain to climb and one that's arguably not worth it. Yeah, and I mean, some players do have ambivalent attitudes towards clay. Don't they, as a surface, some players have ambivalent attitudes towards clay in particular locations because we had Stefano sits a pass, kind of doing a bit of trash talk on the camera this week as well, having a crack at clay courts in the U.S.. He wrote on a camera. Clay caught in the U.S. is like a unicorn on a skateboard, a very poetic has always from zitz bass. And then we had Taylor Fritz responding on his own camera, which I'm not quite sure what he means exactly, but he just wrote USA clay and then three question marks. It's a bit of beef going on between Fritz and its past via the camera. I mean, are you down with this? You like a bit of trash talk? I think it was jovial beef. It was jovial beef. I think it was not necessarily understand. It wasn't like a hard critique on U.S. clay courts, I think. It sits past having a go at the U.S. players on clay or just the courts out there being terrible. So is he saying that it's too slippy if it's a skateboard? Do we think? Or is it just, it shouldn't exist? You shouldn't find it. I'm not sure what he's saying. To be honest, I'm not sure half the time, what's this surpassing? I think did you see after the final he said that Rublev is a good kid and he's actually younger than Rublev. So I think maybe we take this one with a pinch of salt. I am enjoying though having not just signing the camera, but actually having little messes. I know we've had more serious messages like from Rublev saying no war please. But I do like these little interactions. Who knows? Maybe this will evolve and we'll see more interactions. Maybe Fritz will come back and say no more wild cards, petros, please or something. I think we're rooting a point where they're kind of almost penning their first novels. And I think maybe they should get a ghostwriter for that because these were not particularly clear. Well, one event we didn't really have any trash talking. I don't believe anyway, there might have been some that we're not aware of. What's the Billie Jean King cup qualifies, which I think went fairly swimmingly. We had a number of qualifiers taking place and I think 9 in total, so we have a whole set of finalists now decided barring wildcards and we've also got some playoff participants decided for November as well. Of course, we've covered the GB versus France tye, listeners you can go back and listen to our last two episodes. For details of that tie. But what else went on over the weekend? We had what we had wins for Kazakhstan. They went through quite comfortably. The United States obviously, France, with Rebecca and a pergola and Garcia were winning two matches to really lead their teams across the finish line. Also, sometimes it went down to the wire though, a Canada Belgium, and Italy, Slovakia that went down to the doubles tie. I do believe and Slovenia Romania as well. The slovenians coming down from two no down to to beat Romania, which I think doesn't happen very often that a country comes from genial down to win. So Chris, what's been your tie of the weekend? Obviously, we've been in Coventry. We haven't been able to follow and watch a lot of the other action because we've been so focused on Coventry, but following Martina trevisan. So a particular tie that caught your eye. Wow, I have been, you're right, Joel. I've been watching Slovakia in Italy. I've been trying to figure out piece together what went down there because for Camilla Georgie was there. We all saw that. I was very surprised I'm not sure she often makes for a heartbeat. She played a singles and I think she might have gone off to an ex tournament, but terrific on Georgia by hitting that one up, and they did go to nil up and then they lost to in the next day. But they feel too weaker players. They feel did the lower paolini and so that seemed like an odd choice from tuna up to then kind
The Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis Podcast
"Brilliantly for a set hang tar hanged off hanged off, served to stay in it and Djokovic ops his level just that little bit goes into lockdown mode. You start feeling the pressure, boom, sets over. Then he comes back, comes back, stays with it with stands a rain delay. I thought the musetti challenge was over with that rain delay. And I don't know, maybe I need to revise my fang assessment of Lorenzo musetti. A little bit. I don't know, David's making it a David called this one quite early doors in the match. Just before David left us with a mic drop moment, he said, I've got to go and board the plane now. This was in the early stages of the second set. David said, I've got to go board the plane now. I'm back in miss etti to come back and win. And then you made the point, David, that Djokovic does lose matches like this in Monte Carlo. And it doesn't, it's like his sort of getting gremlins out of the clay court system event or certainly that's what it's become towards the latter stages of his career, but I don't know, they look to be issues with the elbow going on. It was very grouchy Novak Djokovic. But it was also a very, very, very brilliant and dare I say. Thank you. Lorenzo musetti. Listen, I'll have to defer to you and Matt's for what actually happened because I watched barely a point of it, it was just I was following what you would say about it and I was just thinking back to matches I've seen him play Monte Carlo losing to around a hundred of which Burkina, Dan Evans, David Goffin. Versailles. And thinking back well, yeah, and what are the common features of that? They're him looking grouchy, the hymn looking not a 100% fit, because frankly he's not much fit yet. He's and especially in the last two or three years where he hasn't played Miami and Indian Wells, he comes in completely undercooked and he's trying to get up to speed and he's not there yet, and it also doesn't matter that much. Relatively speaking to Roland Garros, which is the endgame to all this. And yeah, I mean he's I do think I do think it's a factor that he's the age he is in this probably a few more creeks when he's trying to get back up to speed from a standing start and I would imagine actually that this elbow is probably that, although the fact that he's had a serious problem in the past it must make you at least keep an eye on that. I think for the future, but this felt very standard to me. This is, this is the best day of Lorenzo Mercedes career. And it's just another day for Novak Djokovic to deal with on his way to bigger things, really. Matt. Yeah. Is it the best day of Lorenzo mase career or was the best Lorenzo moss career the day before when he beat? His teenage countryman, Luke and nadi, 6 love 6 love, and celebrated like he'd won 7 6 in the third over Nadal. That was the moment where I was like, who is this guy? He let out this guttural roar, like you've beaten a child. Loving love. A child from your own country. Love and love and wails. That was a delight. That was a sea Katherine Whittaker. I do have fangs. Love and love over. My countryman. Fangs, it was like dead eyed Susan. Vibes. I'm very bizarre. Yeah, I quite enjoyed that. I saw him get quite a lot of criticism, but I mean you always get criticism on Twitter for whatever it seems. But yeah, I quite enjoyed seeing that side of him. And that followed up a 6 love set that he'd put on. In the round before as well. So he won three sets in a row of 6 love in this tournament and then came into this match against Djokovic. Look, I think generally I agree with David that this doesn't mean that much for Djokovic in terms of his bigger goals, certainly the next one being well on Garros. In fact, probably his two most surprising losses in Monte Carlo came the two years he won Roland Garros vesti in 2016 and Dan Evans in 2021. He always needs time to adapt on the clay, but he looked bad and his and his forehand, which we had Daniel mever on the podcast over Indian Wells, really sort of praising and saying has become one of the most dangerous shots in tennis was sort of all over the place yesterday and the elbow I think does give a bit more cause for concern. They're normal. There was some, there were some backstage images of Novak Djokovic Monte Carlo, Australian open with their cameras everywhere backstage and during The Rain delay, you could see Djokovic sort of throwing a sort of weighted ball back and forth to his team and really grimacing while he was doing that. So I guess that's something something to walk throughout this clay court season. I do hope we're not going to have our careers and Djokovic keep avoiding each other through various injuries. You know, I hope that hope that this isn't too serious and we see Djokovic at all the major events. So if it doesn't mean that much for Djokovic, I still think it's a big deal for mazzetti, as you said, that, that rain delay, he had time to think about trying to finish that match off and all the scar tissue that he built up against Djokovic from not winning from two sets up at Roland Garros in the past. You know, there was a lot that could have sort of malfunctioned then in that latter stage. And I was so impressed by how well he came out playing after that rain delay. He has the two things, I think you really need, especially on clay, but generally to her top players, and that's variety. And it's acceleration on his shots. He can suddenly just inject pace. He's really bulked up in the last year and his forehand is a big, big weapon, especially when he's got time on the ball on clay. So look, I love watching Lorenzo musetti play tennis. There's something, you know, we sort of talk about it without careers. It's amazing to watch someone have so many shots at his disposal and know how to use them. I think mazzetti is more normal in that he's got so many shots and we're and we're learning with him as he figures out how to use them all and he doesn't always get it right, but it's always great to watch and he'd had such a terrible year so far. Barely winning matches. Let alone doing something like this and you know, tennis can sometimes just work like that and no, he's now got an all Italian quarterfinal against sinner and the atmosphere for that should be electric because there's always so many so many Italians in Monte Carlo. And I think that sort of helped him a little bit yesterday against against Djokovic as well. Yeah, I'm wary of making this comparison because I'm worried it's sort of lazy. They've both got a single handed backhand. But that it's Dominic team like to me that sort of ability to hit big from deep enclave being the sort of the
The Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis Podcast
"That was naive. I mean, he was, he was unequivocal, though, in his words. He was emphatic. And I believed him. Many months on and I think looking at it now, I find it pretty depressing, really, to hear the manner in which he's just walked back on that yesterday. Just accepted that they can't carry on like this and, you know, that they're not prepared to continue the position that they establish for themselves. Um, and you know, if I were him, right now, having made this decision or whether he's made it or whether the board has made it and he's had to go along with it. I would walk away if I were him. I don't, I think that's the only way you can walk away with the sort of credit that you established in the first place. By making this stand and I think it's a really sad day. Matt. Well, I think David said it extremely well. I don't have too much to add to that. There's the sort of part of me that really thinks they did something that WTA and that is better than nothing, which is certainly what the ATP did. But like David, I probably put too much faith in them and their word last year. And this is, this is a climb down. He Steve Simon said on this podcast last year to you, Catherine, we will continue to suspend our events until we get a resolution. And he's talking there a resolution in terms of Peng shuai and there hasn't been one. There's this sort of thing in my mind about the fact that, yes, I know they paid a heavy price for the stand that they took financially. But it was also a time when they couldn't play in China. You know, it was the easiest time for them to take that stand. And now suddenly the opportunity is there to play again. And they've taken that opportunity. So yeah, I guess, I guess those are my thoughts. I'm pretty deflated by the news. And I think David's laid out perfectly why we're all sort of feeling like that, I suppose. Yeah, same deflated gutted really, I feel absolutely gutted by it. I think I feel slightly differently in terms of reflecting on how I felt at the time that the WTA took an announce this stance in that it never really occurred to me that the resolution would be the Chinese state backing down in any meaningful way. I mean, the WTA in terms of impact they can have on the Chinese state and how they operate is, I mean, they're not even a minnow in the pond. The fact of which made their stance all the more impressive, I thought that, you know, as much as a negotiating positions, Steve Simon had to say, we won't we won't return to China until there's a resolution. I thought the subtext to that was we are prepared to never return to China. We realized that that is the likely scenario, because that's how I felt about it, that I just didn't see any world in which the Chinese state are going to go, oh, the WTA aren't playing events in tennis events in Shenzhen. We must change our approach to human and women's rights. Just know that that was that was never a plausible scenario. So I thought the WTA had thought experimented it through and been prepared to never return to China and maybe had costed that out. Now I'm sure there were practical consequences that they weren't able to factor in. I think they've been let down tremendously by the ATP not. Standing with them and that goes to tennis fractured governance, which is somewhat of a recurring theme on this podcast that we don't need to go into, but as always, it makes any kind of stance harder and it is a tremendous it is and was a tremendous disappointment that the ATP didn't stand with them and I feel with them on that, but this was never going to be easy. It was always going to incur significant financial costs significant political cost. I thought that they were aware of all of that and prepared to take the stance anyway. Now I know, I know that the WTA are in dire financial straits. The deal they've done with CVC, that's not the ideal scenario for them. That's out of necessity. This has an is costing them. I know it has legal implications because they are under contract with in particular Shenzhen that ten year contract is extremely binding. And of course, legal challenges come with their own financial costs, but a moral stance isn't a moral stance if you, if you bend to any of those factors and there'll be a lot of what about the WTA plays in the Middle East, it plays in Texas, it plays in plenty of other places with questionable women's rights records. Yes. Everybody has to make their calls about which hills they die on. You know, we do it on this podcast. The hill that we die on is taking money from gambling sponsorships. We don't do it. That is a red line for us elsewhere. We go on a case by case basis. The WTA chose Steve Simon chose his hill to die on, and I respected that that was the hill. And
The Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis Podcast
"Folks. It enables us to bring you a bumper tennis podcast today. There is lots to cover. We might have had to spend 20 minutes on Casper Ruud winning a clay court two 50, had we recorded on Monday. We will be covering that folks. Don't worry. It just might have its airtime squeezed ever so slightly by other events and the other reason that this is a bumper pod is because bonus, David lore. Oh, I'm a bonus. Oh, I'm very, very delighted to hear it. Well, your space to be in gracious, running around on a beach, aren't you? But by the magic of delaying the podcast by four days, you're here. Yes. And aeroplanes, which got me here into my soli hall windowless room. But yes, no, very happy to be back. And very happy most of all to see Matt looking well again, and hopefully that's the end of any health related drama. Absolutely. Being the medics that we are, we've identified that this was a hashtag athlete related illness for Matt. He's just adjusting to athlete life. Yeah, I didn't have, I didn't have blacking out on my Easter bingo card. Your hulk arena, you just need to figure out your hydration, have the pickle juice. On standby. Who was it during Miami? Out Carlos alcaraz. Even the famous Carlos alcaraz. Struggles to hydrate appropriately. He's loving it. Anyway, right. There you go, Matt. A gift from me to you. No Carlos sauerkraut, of course this week in Monte Carlo, we will be touching a little bit seeing as things we have had 5 days of Monte Carlo under our belts at the time of recording, we'll touch a little bit on what we've seen and by that I mean we'll talk about clay court Medvedev because it is the gift that keeps on giving will of course wrap up what we were supposed to on Monday, look back on last week's events, but before all of that, a big breaking news story in the tennis world that needs to be covered front and center, this from Russell fuller's article on BBC sport. The WTA has lifted its suspension of events in China and is returning this September. They have accepted that an investigation into the sexual assault allegations made by former player Peng shuai will not be carried out by the Chinese government and are returning to China this year with a very similar pre-pandemic calendar of events, including the continuation of the WTA finals in Shenzhen through 2031, Steve Simon told the BBC, we've been in this for 16 months, and we are convinced that at this point our requests will not be met to continue with the same strategy doesn't make sense and a different approach is needed. Hopefully by returning more progress can be made. The decision means that the final two months of the WTC is more once again be dominated by China, Simon said the schedule will be very similar to the pre-pandemic year of 2019 when 8 Chinese tournaments were staged in 8 weeks from early September and crucially the season ending WTA finals will resume its ten year deal with the city of Shenzhen, prize money this year, as it was in the first year of the contract in 2019, will be 11.2 million pounds. Simon says the great majority of players are in support of return to China. And despite promising a hardline stance, with the Chinese government in which there would be no room for compromise, he says he is not considered resigning. No, I would never do that to an organization. It's about leading an organization and listening to its members. We have athletes that come from over 80 nations, so there's plenty of different opinions. The majority of athletes were very supportive of a return back to the region. We certainly have some that were not, but the majority, the great majority were in support and are in support of going back. There was strong support across the members. The play council and the board. Simon says that this change of heart was not forced upon them by commercial realities, but accepts members would have sacrificed a great deal had the WTA Tour withdrawn from China for good. The WTA's boycott lasted just over 16 months, although no tournaments could have taken place in the country during that period anyway because of the COVID pandemic. We've achieved some assurances from people that are close to Pong that she's safe and living with her family in Beijing. Simon said when asked whether the WTA achieved anything, he says he is not yet been able to speak personally with pung. We do also have some assurances that there won't be any issues with our players and staff what they are competing in China. And hopefully we have received some respect for the stance we took. The ATP committed itself to 2023 events in Chengdu, zhuhai, Shanghai, and Beijing once China's COVID regulations eased, and the ITF said this month it is looking forward to bringing the world tennis tour back to China. Thoughts, feelings, reactions, David. Well, I've spent a lot of time thinking about this since this announcement was made. And I've spent a couple of hours this morning reading and listening to what was said at the time, of punctuates disappearance and also at the time that Steve Simon announced that tournaments would be suspended in all business suspended in China from the WTA side. And I'll just read you a few of the things that I heard from Steve on CNN. You just heard what he said to Russell fuller from the BBC, but this is what he was saying to CNN back in December in 2021. 16 months ago, or just under. He said there's too many times in this world when we get into issues like this when we let business, politics and money dictate what's right and wrong. When you have a young person prepared to step up and make these allegations knowing full well what the results of that are going to be for us to not support that and demand justice as we go through it, what we have to start making decisions that are based on right and wrong. Period. We can't compromise that. We are definitely prepared to pull our business and deal with the complications that come with it, because this is bigger than the business. He later said, we said that if the Chinese authorities weren't prepared to treat these allegations seriously, and we weren't able to have direct contact with Peng, we were prepared to pull all our business. We're going to suspend our events until such a time that they do the right thing. This is about the principles we stand for, the principles of women and that trumps everything else. This is something we can't walk away from. If we walk away from this, we're basically telling the world that not addressing sexual assault with the seriousness it deserves and requires is okay because it's difficult to do. That's simply something we can't allow to happen and it's not something we stand for as an organization. That's what he said to CNN back in, well, between November and December in 2021. Here we are in April 2023. Now resolution has been reached. Now, success has really been had in achieving what he was saying that they were making the stand in order to achieve. It was a stand, but it was a temporary stand. In the end, Steve sion and the WTA did walk away because it was difficult. They have not suspended their events until China do the right thing. They've returned their return because they weren't getting anywhere and it was frankly costing them too much. And there was too much pressure for them to go back and their words praise alone isn't enough to bring about change is what he said yesterday. I'm my conclusion is that to some degree I'm glad they took a stand. I suspect shine in the light on things the way they did and creating the noise that they did at the time may have improved things for punk at least temporarily, but I think they were naive. I think they were naive. He was naive, demanding as much as they did. And I having listened to what I said back at the time on the podcast Wednesday announced their measures, I feel naive because I believed what I was hearing. I thought I didn't think that China would acquiesce and that Steven, the WTA would get them to do everything that he said that they needed to do in order for them to return to business in China, but I believed that they would stand their ground anyway. That was naive. I mean, he was, he was unequivocal, though, in his words. He was emphatic. And I believed him.
The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"And another key thing is that in the U.S. open final he had a 55% record on his second serve, but it was 70% in the final here. So I don't know how he spends to do this despite being injured, but he's superhuman. He's very much improved his survey, or his mentality when it comes to backing up that serve because it's clear that he is winning many more service points as well as causing a big problem in return. Yeah, and also I think what's interesting is that both of these two, they didn't actually play each other last year, so they've only played once before, which was back in Wimbledon in 2021, which is, you know, in terms of our crazes progression, up the rankings. That's actually quite a long time in terms of his improvement in his performance and where he is now compared to where he was then. So kind of different alcaraz really, isn't it? And I was surprised to see that he hadn't played. Since then. That is a strange one because they're both burned obviously very highly ranked to making the latter stages of tournaments. But I guess Medvedev did have that wobble in the middle of last year where he didn't necessarily progress that far. And obviously he didn't have much of a grass court season, but I've just actually got some starts up from that match you mentioned in Wimbledon. It was 32% of points one in a second server just 62 on his first serve. So it's clear that the server is definitely maturing as he's kind of getting more physically strong, potentially. And actually Medvedev was 7 of 15 break points in that match, and that was pretty straightforward, a 6 four 6 one 6 two. So it looks like and scarily he is getting better, which is a scary prospect, doesn't it Kim? He's already the world number one and he's still got a lot of improvement, but he's getting better and better. I mean, do you think our cross is just going to stop traditional next gen players from picking up not just grand slams, but also these sorts of masters titles. We saw the likes of Yannick sinner, he got to the semifinals, but lost in straight sets to alcaraz. And sinner similar age group next gen champion, but alcaraz could just very well stop them all. But it also beat Felix auger seam en route to the title. If is there playing this well, are the others really going to get a look in. I mean, they might only pick up one master's tied to at best if our grass is going to be super dominant. This is potentially, yeah, just we're going to are we going to go from one dominating force or three dominating forces to a new era of a different person dominating. Who knows? Am I just getting carried away with myself, Chris? Well I don't think you're getting carried away because I do think that when you have a performance like this, obviously it can change in a week by week basis and the conditions being a bit slower, a bit more similar to maybe a clay court might have favored him a little bit. In terms of that and we do know that obviously Medvedev does have this toxic relationship with the court service there, despite making the final. But when you look at the fact that even since he's made his comeback, you know, he obviously picked up a title in his return tournament, made a final. Was a bit injured in that final. And then now he's hasn't even played a match on hardcourt before coming up and picking up another master's title. So it is scary in terms of what he's able to do physically and how he's been able to get so quickly back to the top of the game and kind of reassert his position a kind of answer all questions about coming off that U.S. open win. If he can back it up because clearly he can, he has been producing the tennis that I would argue his level in Indian Wells is better than it was the U.S. open. I think it really was. So when you say this, I think it's a case where sinner can is great to watch, but he doesn't get it done. It gets those top players as you said. And I think we saw a start this week that it was only three wins in 20 matches against top 5 players. And that's kind of the polar opposite for an alcaraz. And you do think that someone like alcaraz will sort of knit people like, well, I guess some of the midterm from getting some of those titles. And if Djokovic is playing with alcaraz is playing, we'll have the dial back soon, hopefully. I think the combination of the next next gen or whatever we're calling. He's very much the present gen though. Playing against the older guard, I mean, it's going to be slim pickings. You just said next gen and then you say, oh, you said mid journey and the next next gen and now I don't know what Jen is, what? Yes, I don't know what journalists. I think we are gen why. Yeah, okay, confused between general. We don't know. I don't know. I don't know what I am. And I do I want to reveal my age to everyone. I'm not sure. But yes, it was a fantastic week on the tour for Carlos alcaraz. We'll see if he is going to make it to titles out of two at the sun. He could do the complete sunshine double in one year couldn't if he wins Miami, but we will, it remains to be seen whether he will do that. But he'll take good form with him into Miami. Let's take a very quick break now, but we will be back in the second half, where we'll be looking at all of the action to come in Miami as well as some other talking points from the tour, so do not go anywhere. Welcome back to tennis weekly sponsored by download
The Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis Podcast
"Apathy about this and frankly I think ignorance about the landscape and the issues at play and I think part of it is lack of education. I do, I mean Billie Jean King says there should be a rookie school, there should be a rookie school. They should learn their history. I also think a big part of it is perhaps the defensiveness and a protectiveness of the WTA, because I know that the WCA largely responsible for the prize money that they offer, but I don't hold the WTA responsible for not being able to offer more prize money. That's such a narrow way of looking at it. Obviously, the WTA want to be able to offer more prize money and equal prize money. They are not in a position to do that because of the patriarchy because we do not value women's tennis as a whole as a society, the way that we've only men's tennis and we blooming well ought to. And there needs to be an intervention basically in order to equalize things from the men's side. You'd have to say the way Andrea gaudenzi has spoken over the last year is encouraging in that regard in that he has stated a desire for men's and women's tennis to stick together. And if they are, the more they do, certainly, the more often we see equal prize money between the two. I mean, I do think that it's also at a time where the WTO announced this venture capitalism venture capital firm investing in the sport. Yeah, a story that's been rumored and rumbling on behind the scenes for a little while now became official yesterday private equity fund CVC Capital Partners will be the women's tennis association's commercial partner and they will invest in the sport taking a minor stake in the WTA financial details not revealed officially but Sky News reporting that CVC would own a 20% stake in the WTA for a $150 million worth of investment with the firms to establish a new company to oversee broadcasting and
The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"I think for me, it's just a real shame that once again, without Djokovic, and Nadal, at one of the biggest tournaments, and. Very different reasons. I think with Djokovic, I can understand people's frustrations that mean the rules and next month, but at the same time, why should Djokovic be entitled to an exemption for that? So I understand it from both sides, but it does feel like this is a bit of a hangover of COVID rather than something that is very much pertinent to health and safety right now in the U.S.. So I do think I can understand both sides of that. I think this is the perfect opportunity without Nadal, obviously last year's finalist or Djokovic, the form player of this year without them in the draw for one of those players like Taylor threats to pick up a title. They otherwise might not have gone all the way. And one last year, so I think it's a big shame that we're still in this situation, but I do think the positives of that is that maybe we'll see some of the younger generation start to back up wins they've had previously or finally get a master's title. Well, Taylor Fritz is the defending champion and I would not be surprised if we have another new another new champion, especially because Carlos alcaraz. He is the top seed, but he is coming back from some sort of injury niggle. Stephanos sisa pass as well. He there's a little bit of an injury cloud over him because he dropped out of his event last week. I remember which one it was. But I could probably is a couple. I forget. Anyway, I mean, where do you look at with this drawer? Because Daniel Medvedev is the 5th seed. To me, and I feel like for every other tennis fan, is he is he the favorite going into the competition? I think he probably does have to be. I'd not sure how bad he's played that previously. I don't think he's necessarily paid his best tennis. Over in California, I do think there are some other players who could be emptying to see how they will kind of put it together. And I think it's more of a drawer looking at what former people in it, there's some questions about form when it comes to players like Casper, the number three seed, set to pass, hasn't really played much since Australian open final, we've had some early losses. That lost to jannik sinner. And so we've got kind of the question of can nori bring his form through, you know, he's obviously played very well here before. And in this when he's had some great results. So I think for me, it's kind of who will take the chance. Is it someone like her character is playing really well at the moment? Can he back up that Miami win by picking up an Indian Wells title can send a push on. So for me, I think it's the question of who's going to take this opportunity because with the gaping hole of Djokovic not being in there in Nadal, I think it really does offer a chance for someone to prove their worth. And what would be kind of 6 matches in a row to take a title, which is the ultimate preparation for Islam. And on the women's side, again, before we get into looking at the draw very, very quickly, news today, the WTA have done a deal with some private equity company called CVC Capital Partners. Now, this is a private equity firm. They basically, from what I understand, they just put loads of money into various different sports. You know, they've worked with 6 nations rugby and Spain's La Liga. Now they have given over in some way or another a 125 million pounds to the WTA, which sounds great. To me, I'm reading this like, you know, this is the void left by plugging the China China. So I'm glad that they've got some sort of money coming in from somewhere. They've obviously gone down the private equity route. However, I am a little bit nervous because I'm looking at cosmos, for example, coming in and like doing all these things to Davis Cup and then swiftly exiting. So although I'm sort of buoyed by this and excited by this and this sort of massive, stable investment, I still think there's a few little tales from the past that need to be that people should be aware of so that we don't fall into any kind of pitfalls again, like cosmos, who came in, did what they want for two years and then left. That is definitely a very real risk. Wouldn't it be easier if Jessica and her family just put this money? Oh my God. What a great show. She's gonna stick more to the WTA and be much closer to that than a private equity situation. But again, I do think it's great that there is this funding going into women's tennis and they could have obviously invested in men's telescope invested in women's tennis in this instance. And I think it does allow the WTA to have that freedom to avoid China in these situations and it was a big stance they made there. And I think this is sort of the funny they need to be able to continue to have the resolve that they did and what were difficult circumstances. So positive to get some more influx of cash. And very quickly looking at the draw Chris, iglesia and tech top seed, is this like Daniel Medvedev to the menstrual? Is this eager to lose or where are you, where are you looking at as your frontrunners for the Indian Wells on the women's side? I have to say, I do think that eager is going to put in a really good showing here. It doesn't have a very good draw. She is due to play Saba lenka in the round of 16, I believe. And that match, I mean, there was a bagel and sublink his favor there. And I think potentially the conditions do favor sabalenka. So could you give her in the mix? There's a few other players like bench. I think is in the mix again. She's obviously been playing. I think with I'm just glad I'm erratic car news in the drawer. Who beat her at the Australian open when we had all those blisters come up on radio Connie's hand? Covenant has been in some rank form recently. I think she lost the Heather Watson had a very good win actually last week against her. So I think braddy Carney. You'll be watching Sloane Stephens versus Sophia cannon. Grand champion versus Grand Slam champion in the first round. I think you might be very shocked, but maybe slightly shocked, but I think not necessarily surprised I'd say when it comes to what I've got to say. I mean, we are already running on overtime. So let's get to some. Let's get to some predictions. I want you to just go through your quarterfinals, semifinals, finals, and champion. Firstly, I'd like to say just before I go that we did get some Intel from a Kim that she is going to Medvedev and Sri Lanka, just to caveat.
The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"I think it's really hard, I think, to look too far forward with someone like Donna vekic, but given that I think she's got a very good all round game. I think she might do very well the grass court season, you know, she's got certainly got kind of, I think, prowess, they're giving her power base game. So I think top ten is not out of the question. Do I expect to see her at the WTA Tour finals at the end of the season? Probably not, but I maybe put her in that kind of 9 to 16. Yeah, if that tournament in, I can't remember where it was. It was still too high. Yes, the night. Everyone just dropped out because they could be asked. If that was still around, I could see Donna vekic in that. I can't believe they should say that because that was his happy hunting ground. She defended that title. Well, I know that. I feel like that says it all, but got her a top ten finish, Joel. We're going to take a quick break now, but join us in the second half where we will be discussing the news that Rafa Nadal will jump out of the top ten for the first time since 2005 after Indian Wells. A look at the men and ladies singles drawers out in tennis Paradise and the first are asked of pairs and dance for the newly vamped Hopman Cup. So do not go anywhere. Welcome back to the tennis weekly podcast sponsored by download tennis dot com and now we are going to move on to a cheeky little path for the courts and I'm looking forward to this because I'm not actually the quizmaster this week because this is going to be Chris to me well it's going to be a solo edition, isn't it? It is a solo edition so you're playing for your pride Joel. So you've had some good results. Regardless, I feel like I'm always paying for my pride and it never really goes well. Well, I think you own a winning streak if I remember correctly. So let's see how we do here. There is a theme and we are sticking to Indian Wells. And we're also sticking to something that allows one of my favorite players to be mentioned. So that is a spoiler, but we are looking at players who have won, Indian Wells, more than once. So that is what we are looking at and I can tell you they're a 17 names across the male and female editions of the tournament. And I'm going to set par I think you've got to get 7. Oh, this is tough. This is tough. So more than more than once and is that male and female in male and female. I'm studying part 7 a, I'll give you a special 8 you can get rid of the slam spoon a shame. That's kind of work it. Okay. Okay, right. I'm going to start with someone obvious. Someone not there. This year, Novak Djokovic. That is
The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
"I think it's probably quite positive as a reminder that these tensions and what's going on is still very much real over a year into the war. So I actually think it was very well handled and not so much like a drama headline, but I actually do think it's quite a pertinent and impactful way of expressing it because they still competed. No one was denied the ability to compete, but there were boundaries that were drawn and attention was raised in a positive way. And another final we had, which I think was very well competed very well contested. Donna vekic versus Caroline Garcia, I thought they'd both brought very high levels of tennis to the court, big serving from both sides, but Dona vekic coming through 7 5 in the third set in Monterey against Garcia. Garcia is now from two in finals this season. Hasn't necessarily set the world alight like she did, I think, at the back end of last season, but it's still doing very well, but it's hard not to feel really happy for someone like Donna vekic, given the injuries that she's been through, you know, where she was seeing her ranking, unfortunately kind of tumble down. And then, yeah, this season, well, to be honest, since the back end of last season, it's all really changed for her with Pam shriver coming on board, Australian open, quarterfinal, and it's just great to see her get back. Well, personally, for me, get back to where she belongs. Yeah, she's, I mean, such a talented player and she's someone who has had some really incredible results, especially from a very, very young age. The first final she made was, I think it was in Uzbekistan in 2012. So this is 11 years into her career and she still, I think she's 26. So it just shows how much how much ability to and it feels like she's been around for a very long time. And some of the best matches I've seen actually have featured, I think, the match against Johanna konta. Nottingham, and then the Wimbledon match. I think it was both of those contests were kind of some of the finest examples of women's tennis and grass court tennis and I'm getting goosebumps, just thinking about specifically that Conte vetch match at Wimbledon, because yeah, that was a very, very, very good match where all competitors brought it. Yeah, and it was what a great example of women's tennis. And the match in Nottingham that preceded that where she took the title, that was another great one, but and then I think what's great about Beckett is that even when she has been going through some pretty tough times to meet she picked up a title in Italy in 2021 as well. So she's even when she's struggling, she's still able to kind of put the results together. So to have them so consistent at the start of this year, I think is great because she's someone who can really cause some damage and when you look at the game that she has and while she plays off both wings, how strong the serve could be, especially in those Wimbledon matches. She's someone who has all the attributes that you would want from a top player and it's something that this was also interesting because if one of the results earlier in the tournament forehead gone a little bit differently I mean she was not necessarily doing that well in her first round match and we talked about this with Rublev who obviously made the final she was actually a set a set down when she went through because of her retirement from sirens. So it just shows you that all some of these top players need is just that in and then they're able to do something pretty great. I would say job a question I have for you on Garcia so what's the difference this year from when she was picking up the titles last year? And I think she might argue playing better this year, but she isn't getting it done. Has everyone else put a target on her back if they raise their game or actually has she let her level drop a little bit? I think for me, there's an expectation now from what to expect from Caroline Garcia given her rise up the rankings and how well she was playing at the end of last year. So I wonder if that pressure is maybe affecting her a little bit because we've seen the two finals she has made here and in Leon I don't think she's she obviously hasn't got the victory. And I think she's she's gone in as the favorite each time. So I do wonder if there's a little bit of extra pressure that she's sort of getting new suit. I don't think it's like the wheels have come off completely. I still think she's playing a very good level of tennis and I genuinely think that final was one of the better finals we've seen so far on the WTA Tour this season. But it's just coming to those clutch moments that aren't necessarily kind of falling her way. Well, having said that Joe though, there was in this one, I thought Beckett did play very, very well. And it was almost very impressive how Garcia was able to stay with her in that third set. I think she was love 40 down on serve and got the hold. So in those moments previous I guess, if you look at Garcia from maybe two or three years ago, she wouldn't, she would have been broken, you know? She wouldn't have got the hold or have the mental resolve in those situations. So I'm glad you're not counting her out yet because Kim might be listening. I was just channeling what I genuinely when you ask me that question, I was just actually channeling what would Kim say? What would Kim say from the rooftop and Palmer? Hugo in hand, exactly. Yes. But I do think, yeah, I mean vekic is very good, I think just not being again like that Belinda bench type mentality of not getting flustered and playing under pressure and not being intimidated and maybe some of the opponents at Caroline Garcia comes up against they just don't feel they've got to do well I think to not be intimidated by that big serve aces that might just kind of fly past them. But yeah, I think it's still coming together. I just think just a few tweaks, I think that she'll need to address in her game to get her back to firing from the end of last season. Where do you think vecchio will be ranked by the end of the year if you had to say Joel? That is a good that is a very good question.
The Tennis.com Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis.com Podcast
"So I had a little cushion, not a lot, but I still was able to do, you know, my commentary, whenever I was asked to do, it probably did, you know, did some WTA finals and the French Open and I wasn't able to do the U.S. open while I was in tenure because I had a job to do elsewhere. But, you know, I did clinics. I did a lot of different things that helped support me financially to keep it going. And you know, the really, at the end of the day, the expenses that I had were just my living expenses, because I was on the road all the time. I mean, I was literally that spokesperson for the organization for four years. You know, domestically and internationally. And so I was able to manage, I had people supporting me. Also, and that made a difference as well. So people got behind me and knowing the sacrifice, as you say, was there in realizing that I had bigger and better things to do in this role. And that, you know, on the back end, I would make up for it. And so I've been very fortunate. Well, then let me describe the sacrifice. So when I first got there on tour, I didn't play on tour, right? I wasn't with no Grand Slam been playing the Grand Slam didn't play in the 25, right? So it's like, oh, you sit down at a bar with some of the other colors from Germany from chat from whatever, or even people from America, right? Who have this lineage? And then they challenge you, right? And always used to be like, Katrina is my big sis. Oh, do you know Katrina? Yeah, we ate Thanksgiving dinner together a week ago. You know what I mean? And I was able to get people off me, right? So I think when I think about three people in the sport, that sort of made my transition almost say smooth, but gave me a layer of protection.
The Tennis.com Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis.com Podcast
"And then yes, I think there is that aspect of being able to capitalize on the local market more. But also at the same time, not only having live matches that people but how do you create highlights that are being able to distribute it through different streaming services to TV and get that exposure more and more because I think as you said and that's one of the hardest things because it's individual. So you're cheering for that one player that might not be playing every single torn, right? So I think there's all these different challenges, but again at the same time, there's beautiful opportunities is just there are multiple ways that I'm sure you know being involved in tennis, you have been exposed to 50 different ideas on how the structure of tournaments and level tiers players and so on can be. Because there needs to be, I guess, a concrete way for me as a fan to watch and I'll get confused. Sometimes it's hard to see there's three tournaments going on. And then top 20 players are planning different parts of the region and you're like, for me, if I'm not a huge fan of tennis, but I like to watch, I will be confused, right? Yeah, and I think one of the things, you know, like I've got, you know, I was in tennis, and obviously they had friends and supporters when I'm coaching, they like to keep up and watch. But one of the things I think we start to do better is to be able to tell the story of a match in 15 minutes. So like if I'm scouting like, you know, my players next opponent, I'm gonna go on YouTube and I'm not pride not gonna watch, like the kiss of death is when I pull up a YouTube video and the only video is two hours and 21 minutes. I'm like, I'm not gonna watch all two hours, right? But I think the tour they gotten better on trying to tell the story of the match within 15 minutes of video, right? And I think there is a fan base. Let's say, you know, if I got like four of my best friends playing the NBA, right? They're not gonna watch what happened in Beijing, right? But they will watch the story of the match. I'd be like, you know, I talked to him like, oh man, how'd it go? Why I saw what happened in that 5 four. I'm like, oh, okay, you know, so they kind of can get into the match if it's told right. Mister Wright's story. And if it's told concisely, conversely, as a coach, the person that's choosing eclipse, if I'm using that clip for scouting, that could be the wrong clip I want to see. That could be like, yeah, long story of the match. And it's been a few times with a full match wasn't available. And I'm watching the highlights. This is not happening in a way that, you know what? That's what I'm tricky, but I understand what you're saying in terms of this thing on TV for one second.
The Tennis.com Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis.com Podcast
"But my transition was that I worked on the operations department, which it takes a lot of the entries withdrawals, all the rooms, the Dow was very, again, on the back end, where you see all the players entering the tournament that withdrawing, why not getting the quotes from the agents, getting calls from the coaches, how much are they going to get find and all those fun stuff? Which continue to intrigue me, okay, you know, hopefully the next step will be to actually be at the tournaments, facing those people which actually growing up, you see and you want to either be there or be a part of it. And I think I had a great chance where did it say allowed me to start as a player relations, which basically you were there to be the player's voice within the tour. So you travel a lot to the tournament, be there for just talking to players about new rules, coming in, your businesses coming into the getting their feedback and portraying back to the management of the WCA to hear, okay, what are the players thinking? And then after that, which was my final two years and a half headed a route, I went on to be a tourist supervisor, which then, you know, it's more on the aspect of doing this schedules. Making sure that the tournaments are up to a standard dealing with players, coaches, agents, which has definitely brought me a lot of learning life and great networks such as yourself. Well, let me ask you this because when I view college tennis players, right? I think all of us, we all go out and we try to play a few tournaments. And then that doesn't work out for us. And then we try to find a job in tennis. And for me, it was like, how do I delay entry into the real world? Like, how do I not move to New York? Go for Goldman Sachs. Work 18 hours a day. Go to sleep, do it all over again. How can I kind of like
The Tennis.com Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis.com Podcast
"When I was sort of a fresh out of fish out of water and kind of green and looking for somebody to talk to, trying to find somebody at the bar to, you know, decompress with, he spent 9 years on tour. As a WGA supervisor, and we'll get into how that happened because that's sort of improbable. And then now works for a company, you know, which we'll talk about as well. So the technology company that just diving in tennis. His name is Yannick yoshizawa, Yannick, welcome to the show. Hi, Kamal. Thank you. Thanks for the nice introduction. I like that thing to say. So appreciate you having me here. Well, you had to be a friendly face. Because you were WTA player relations for a long time. So, you know, the players walking your office with a list of complaints, you know, you got to kind of take it up with a smile, right? And so the response or communicate that up to up the food chain, but tell me how you got into this sport because I think, you know, when I think of WTA Tour, I think it's, you know, naturally for dominantly run by a lot of users are run by women, right? And I mean, obviously we got Steve Simon as the CEO. What do you think of tourist supervisor play relations? The media, it's primarily women. So how did you get into this? Tell us about your background in tennis and highlight into this. Yeah. No, well, I think for me, I grew up playing times from Brazil originally. Site ten is my whole life as a junior, went on to come to the United States to play college tennis in our South Florida without really knowing what was going to happen after. And as he came in on my fourth year playing for the school and starting to figure it out, okay, oh my gosh, you know, what's next? You know, I played a couple of pro events during summers, but I knew that one, I didn't have the level, I guess. But my preference is starting to change. And I think a little bit of luck, a little bit of connections, I graduated from South Florida that is in tempo. The doublets, which I didn't really know, it wasn't the same creators were the headquarters in two way graduated. And I granted with finance and management degree. And they had a finance internship open. Unpaid, and as basically, as an international student, I guess I got lucky because it was something that I wanted to do. But I also didn't really care at that point. So it started as a financing time. Therefore, three months, and then luckily, as an international student, you know, we have one year to work, and then you better get quote unquote a job that is sponsored, you allow it to stay in the U.S. or you got to go home. So it was very fortunate that after my three month internship did I would say offer me a job and allowed me to stay for another 9 years within a confidence. So it was a long ride after those three months. Now let me ask you this because you're like the second or third person I've heard about getting their start playing college tennis and getting their start in like an unpaid internship, which I think in today's world is phenomenal because these kids today will not do that, right? They want to get paid right away.
The Tennis.com Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis.com Podcast
"And even in the council meetings, a player in dermot counsel meetings this week, you know, I really committed myself to listening to the players and Sloan did a great job. And Vika did a great job of expressing what we need to do as a tour, because you know what a lot of people don't. I read message boards all the time. I shouldn't, but I do. And the message boards, you know, they talk about the WTA, right? I don't think anyone realizes that as the WTA. That's the body that basically works for the tour. Which is owned by the players, and by the tournaments. All right? We are the players on the tour. We own the tour. And we have to work together to get better. It's not easy. But our job is to listen to each other and hopefully get to better places. And a lot of what frustrates me is when I read things, they don't understand that. The general fan doesn't understand that players and tournaments are equal partners on the WTA Tour. Well, I think that that goes back to what you were talking about because when you asked me the questions, who owns the tool, I set the players, right? Right? You know what I mean? What I do think from just a pure business model standpoint, it is very mythical on who who runs ten who's pulling a strings, right? Who has sort of the power per se. And I live in Chicago. And so this is the windy city, right? And this is the city where you want to decide what you want to be the politician that you want to be the man behind the politician, right? And I think that from a tour standpoint, it is really hard to unpack who's really in control. But that's neither here nor there..
The Tennis.com Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis.com Podcast
"It's far for them to come into the tennis gardens and Indian Wells and wrench mirage. So, you know, I'm working with the high schools and trying to have their tennis team put together clinics free clinics. We have them giving free clinics one hour every week. And if we could step it up to twice a week, we will. So I've got 5 or 6 involved in that and realize been great in assisting somewhat with sponsoring. And so, you know, we feel that if we could keep it in their community and fortunately, the tennis courts are available when the team's not playing, but they're willing to do this and we give them grants for their equipment or a transportation and travel and whatever they may need. And, you know, we think they're serving their community and I also work with the boys and girls club and we go in there and to the little gems and we help the kids learn how to play tennis and so how we could spread the word because I've got to say tennis has been great to me and I can not even imagine what my life could have been or would have been had I not hit that white at the time. Tennis ball. Now we've got a yellow ball and so it's amazing how much the game has grown but on the other hand when we look at other sports and especially team sports, we are still way behind that. Yeah. So you talk about working with the high school kids. One of the things, like now when you think about high school athletes, right? They say they graduate high school, they can go and start playing professional tennis and within two or three years with some level of success. You will make a post graduate salary. But back in the 70s, and in the 60s, it wasn't so clear cut. So college was still a good option because it wasn't like you were going to make a million bucks in the next two years playing tennis. So how did you decide? Well, not to go pro. I mean, that's a go to college and the GoPro. That was an easy decision. I hate at school. That was never my favorite thing. I really, I mean, I couldn't wait to get out of school. So when I finally graduated and I was 17 and Billie Jean had asked me to vote to Wimbledon play with her, I couldn't believe it. So, you know, getting an education, I think it's important for many of them, because not everybody can make a transition and to becoming a pro and going into other WTA or ATP. So things are changing now. I mean, the opportunity for us was really very limited. There was no professional tennis..
The Tennis.com Podcast
"wta" Discussed on The Tennis.com Podcast
"Because we really learned the ins and outs and we learned other perspective, you know, okay, and Joan, you know, had a great slice. Great touch and forehand and if she could kill you 6 love 6 11 didn't matter how long it would take, but she'd kill you 6 laps 6, you know? And why she felt the way she felt and why she played the witch. I mean, we all shared things, and we were all helpful to one another. But because you have a different obviously perspective and you different dynamics here with players really having their own team, you know, they don't share at all. And I'm not saying all of them, there may be some that do, but we're not that privy to it because we're not really that close to the players. You know, that I kind of always complain about this to the WTA that as the original 9 as the founders of the tour, we should be able to go everywhere and anywhere, just like the NFL players can step put in the locker room or on the field and feel that they're a part of it. They've been a part of it. We don't feel that way. Certainly, let me speak for myself. I do not. And we know that, hey, locker room sacred. Would I go in there if somebody of today's are in there? No. Would I go in there later on when everybody's gone? Yes. You know, because we felt the same way. We've been there. So these kind of restrictions I hate. You can only do this. You can we should be able to go anywhere everywhere anytime, anywhere. Period. Well, let me ask you this, because you see a lot of girls on tour now struggling, whether it be emotionally, struggling with the balance on maybe they got married, and a baby, whatever, having to come back. Do you feel like there is this sort of gap, right? So we've got the original 9 and I'll let you all did for the game, right? If you think about now, somebody has 18 years old on tour. Who was born in 2004. You may not have may not be as connected to what you all did in 1977. Because it's been 30 years, they've won 30 years later. Because some of the same struggles with the player council with equal prize money with the coal gender tournaments and how sometimes the girls get a lower level hotel than the guys in Europe, right?.
Bloomberg Radio New York
"wta" Discussed on Bloomberg Radio New York
"Time for a check of sports from around the world Here's Dan Schwartzman Thanks Brian Tod suffered a big loss as defender Christian Romero could be out until February after injuring a hamstring while playing for Argentina last month The €47 million transfer from Atlanta last summer is expected to definitely be out the rest of 2021 The spurs are currently 7th in the league table 11 points behind Chelsea The WTA has taken the unprecedented step of suspending all tournaments in China due to the concern for the safety of Grand Slam doubles champion Peng shuai The tennis star last month accused the high ranking government leader of sexual assault only to disappear before reemerging recently The chairman of the WTA Steve Simon is called for a quote full and transparent investigation without censorship into Peng's allegations The New York Giants contrary to reports have not ruled out quarterback Daniel Jones from Sunday's game against the dolphins with the neck injury The 30 year pro is expected to practice the rest of the week before a decision is made Major League Baseball is facing a lockout as the current collective bargaining agreement will expire tonight at 1159 p.m. Eastern Time There is tox spring training could be moved back as both sides are thought to be far apart on a new deal although with three months remaining till the start of the regular season there is time to work out a new agreement Finally the Boston Red Sox and lefty James Paxton agreed to a one year $10 million deal with two club options The avenger 33 year old is coming off Tommy John surgery I'm Dan Schwartzman that your Bloomberg world sports update Markets headlines and breaking news 24 hours a day at Bloomberg dot com The Bloomberg business app and at Bloomberg quick take This is a Bloomberg business flash.
The Tennis Podcast
Novak Djokovic Is Sensitive, Even When the Crowd’s Not Against Him
"Just a wet on last night because when we came off air last night we were watching that novak djokovic against holger ruin match and then Banker rescue started shortly after we finish recording festival. Jock vicini ended up winning. Straightforwardly did lose that second set. But thereafter he dominated and runes body. Just completely betrayed me. He started that suffer from cramp and Jakovich forced him into that. Didn't he the way he moves around. And all that sort of thing but the but it was a bit uncomfortable. Some of it wasn't it because the the crowd will really go in for rune. They liked him day young eighteen year old going for his winners and all the rest of it and it sounded like there was booing going on which later on was explained that the crowd was chanting rune. But it didn't really sound time. It sounded like boo so anyway. That was the explanation given was. She's chanting his name djokovic. Pretty put out buydell. He thought they were booing him. And i mean at the very least. It wasn't the wasn't the warmest atmosphere out there for him to be honest and and i think that that took him took him aback in one or two other people are back here. He is going for this incredible achievement of the calendar grand slam and he's not exactly getting the woman's reception in the world
Beyond The Baseline
WTA Year End Awards for 2020
"Everyone john worth. I'm hearing sports. Illustrated tennis podcast. Jamie joins me for a grab bag topics. We are midway through the final so hard to make any definitive conclusions there but we can talk about the the back of played so far. We'll talk about twenty twenty one tennis and what the picture is looking like. It's slowly coming into focus but still considerably Blurry and uncertain. We'll talk w. t. awards. There are no more women's tennis events on the calendar. But we can start distributing some honors and just sort of a catchall of tennis topics as we want to say to the finish. But we're not exactly sprinting. Either a stranger that is Finishing under strained conditions and we talk about sort of where the sport is here in mid november twenty twenty so jamie welcome. it's it's been a while. how are you. i'm good. i agree with you. It's a weird year. And i feel like we've been talking a lot about the atp and obviously the atp finals are happening. So i am happy to start by out talking about the wpa and some of these awards all right. let's go. let's let's that. I that's a good idea let's go to That'd be the w. t. a. Does not unlike the wto does not have a finals or twenty twenty. Unfortunately that's An offshoot of having events in china where international sporting events were cancelled months ago. So the vendor playing as we speak in london and there is no there is no comparable women's event. So let's say yeah let's do that. Let's start with the women season over. Why don't we hand out some awards. We genda pivot to london. Mvp award is always a bit strange. But if we're going to give player of the year honors. I feel like the player has to have won a major. Do you agree with that. Yes definitely agree with that. But this year of course We had one less. And i think that i would also classify the majors in two creek corona and post corona. I would almost give a little bit more weight or just feel like there's more discussion for all the majors. That are not the train open you know. Of course that was when all was normal and before all this happened But i know you. You went to your pace in your mailbox but are you. Who's your pick. i think it. It sounds sounds a little. I think you've got to say that the so you can is your twenty twenty. Mvp she won a major and got to the final of another If we play this game sometime if your life depended on a player Would she be your pick and the answer is is probably not and do i think in a head to head match. There are players who are superior. If if she and i o miyasaka played ten times i would think naomi osaka with the majority of those matches. But yeah in this straight year. But i think you're right. There was no wimbledon. There there was a us open but it did not feature you know six top ten players including ash barty the number one player including simona halep included the defending champion and that was That was one sock than we had. The french open which also did not feature ash party. Who is the defending champion. It did not feature. Naomi osaka the australian open before corona had the most flush field. So you can in one that and she reached the final of the french open so she is the only player to have won a major and got into the final of another and in this stranger. It's probably appropriate. We have a strange choice but sonya sofia kenyon is my Twenty twenty mvp will by you. I hear you on that. And i think those are all good points. I in you know so that we aren't agreeing here on all of these under some Interest to this conversation. I'm going to take a different pic. i'm gonna go with naomi osaka and i think that In speaking about mvp sort of in the Like a of a lot of awards that are giving out at this time of the year including essays own award sportsperson of the year. It's not just about what's happening on the court. It's just not about results per se about other things that This player has done. So i think that For me. I think niamey osaka. Of course like you said kennan if you're just talking about reaching a final winning final In a major. She's done that but osaka has not only one. But also use her platform and she's spoken up and she's gone beyond the court and i think that you know if we're talking if you're looking at that list of choices here And you check the box with a major win in for me. You check the box with all the other outside stuff off the court that she's done so that's my pick.
Beyond The Baseline
Former Player and Agent Donald Dell
"Everyone John Wartime here is this week's sports illustrated? Tennis podcast is also the first week of Wimbledon. He says wistfully our guest this week. Is Donald Dell? Donald is a former player a promoter broadcaster at agent. He's worn many hats, not unlike Bartholomew Cubans. He is also worn many at once. Donald is still force in tennis. He wrote an op Ed recently in the Washington Post, about the prospect of combining the men's and women's tours, so we talk about that. We talked about where tennis is right now, and as a bonus, Donald signed Michael Jordan out of North Carolina and especially after last dance. We talk about Michael Jordan so some non tennis bonus coverage on Michael Jordan and a lot of good tennis. Talk here's Donald Dell. Appreciate you doing. How are you doing? I'm doing fine We've been lucky I've been home since about March fifteenth, but my two daughters, their husbands, and our two grandchildren, five and seven are about thirty yards from where we are, and it's like one hundred twenty day thanksgiving. It doesn't sound bad. Yeah, let's I I. Don't know but I got a couple of things to bring up. I. Did want to talk about the the op-ed you wrote. Wrote thought you'd be a good person to talk about with the the tour merger, which has been eclipsed lately by a Co bit in the US Open, but this was sort of a hot topic, and everyone says the same thing which is great idea. The devils in the details, so let's let's advance that. How do we exercise those those devils details? How do we push through? So this becomes more than. In abstract idea that we need to negotiate what what are we doing to make this happen? Well I I think I think more than that. The Devil Devil's in the the leadership in other words I think it's GonNa take strong leaders it both part, both groups to get done, and I think Steve. Simon, and Mickey Lawler. Are Really, veterans, and and well respected, and well like Gatanzi the new chairman of the ATP I'm told his very smart very capable. And I. Think if the if they wanted to really do it, they get together. And then it takes a lot of support. You Know Billie, Jean and Roger, and some of the leaders in the game. All got behind it, then you. It's sort of like all the protests out there today you gotTa. You gotta move the ships and it's a big alphabet soup that everybody sort of fights for their turf. The ATP tour. Has Really established itself, but it's not part of the grand. Slams not far the idea. And not that that they want to be I don't Miss Other Sami, but I just think. Recently in the last six or eight years, the ATP tour has not worked very effectively in some senses because they've been voting in blocks the three tournament directors vote together. The three player reps vote together, and then the chairman's left. There was hanging vote and literally one vote because he always makes one side unhappy in the last two chairman. If you review John have been fired. Because one group didn't like how voted, and they need a super majority of forty two to extend. His contract so his contract ran out. In the last two cases now I'm told by people that very close to respect the Gal Gal Danzi is quite a different. Person needs a very strong leader, very smart and media and he really gets it. I just think for the sport It would be really helpful to have the two groups. Merged on a on a simple basis, and the when you talk about the details, you're right but I think the simplicity is what matters keep it simple stupid when you want to merge the to start with you don't have to have exactly the same boards, the same voting members, but come in and merge it, and have you know five or six basic principles and truthfully. We, found out in Washington with the city open that Iran for fifty years literally for the WTI ESPN Tennis Foundation. That We. We had a men's only event for forty two years, and then city came along our title sponsor, and rightfully said look fifty one percent of our clients. Bankers are women, so we're not gonNA. Unless you'll bring a women's tournament into it and we did, but it was a problem because there's a bigger women's event at Sanford for seven hundred thousand, we were only allowed by the rules for two fifty, but guess what. The ATP the minority of the ATP ten percent fought it tooth and nail. They didn't want it integrated tournament. And I to go before the board three different times, and swear up and down that we give him favorability on the scheduling of the Center Court. Scheduling, transportation scheduling practice courts. And it just didn't. It's working okay. And the women, the best women like to play Washington but now under the new WTA rules. We can only sign one of the top twenty in the world in order to protect the other event. That's raising more prize money by seven hundred or more, so those kind of problems out to be worked out and the ATP tour really needs to get a stronger with this membership the the the vocal minority, which is really only about ten or twelve percent, and it's always the complainers on the tour. The to aboard knows who they are, and they're always ranked between one hundred, fifty and three hundred,
The Functional Tennis Podcast
Interview with Coach of WTA Top 20 Maria Sakkari
"Welcome to a milestone episode fifty of the Functional Tennis podcast. I'm Fabio Molly your host and this week we are speaking to one of the youngest coaches. The youngest coach on the professional tour Tom Hale. Tom Is the current coach of the Greek Maria, Sakari who is currently twenty in the world. Tom Tells all about his early days of tennis with his family relocated to IMG in Florida from the UK about training at IMG, and then onto his college scholarship pepperdine on eventually moving into the coach. Coach and world and how he got into coaching world. It's a fascinating fun story, and it's great to get inside the head of pro. Tour coaches before we get started especial thanks to our PODCAST, sponsors head who make our favorite rackets here at functional tennis okay. Here we go. Let's hear Tom. Story Hi Tom. Welcome to the functional tennis podcast. Thank you for having me. Great Avenue Board couch to speak to learn a bit of orbit. You have your such a young coach working with some. Some great players so tell before we get started. How has locked and being for you? Do you work with Maria carry has stopped being the communication on what she's working on. And all that side tanks. Yes, so I've honestly lost track of the days of what exactly I actually went into lockdown. As soon as I flew back from Indian wealth. That was a little bit before the official down in the UK. so I've been in lockdown for a while from Maria I think Greece. Greece Osa went into lockdown at around the same time as the UK it was only around two weeks ago where she actually started practicing again so I'd say kind of the way I was. It was more just kind of motivation for the last eight weeks and I know everyone's kind of going through the same Maria like. Let's just kind of take it one day at a time. We don't know when the toll is GONNA be returning Trans Focus on fitness home workouts. Do some sort of. The strategic videos things like that, but it's also. It's very difficult. I think at the same time mostly. Just having rest is good. I think players can get burnt out in the season so I honestly feel like the rest is perfectly fine. Marie actually started training again a couple of weeks ago. So now I'm not able to more of a tennis coach. You know planning the practices. In the UK I get out degrees to to help the. We have a hitting. You just kind of running through the program that I'm setting hone I. Think the a soon as she's been able to get back on court. Motivation is obviously increasing. It's still difficult because I. Don't think anybody has any idea of when tournaments are going to return. It's a tough tough times. Everyone the I think the fact that she's on call is is definitely helping as the, neither it's I've just been doing some homework outs some fitness trying to work on like a few little side projects that to be honest. I'm enjoying the timing because. Because my family because I'm on the road last last year on the road for forty two weeks in the year, so just to be able to spend more than two weeks in a row. My family I'm really trying to like make the most of that. Twelve forty two weeks is a lot and plus we're going to just talk a bit about your younger days. How you got into tennis moves to states. You've been away from your family for a long time. Now he has an factually I was I went to Orange Jakarta me when I was ten Ashleigh my family moved out with me, so I was within to. My family sacrificed lots in a even, though has kind of been all around the world. They have been with me. Notice the time. It's only really kind of skin since university when I went to tech when I kind of been a little bit more on my own. So the kind of it's kind of been kind the last I'd say seven years when I kind of maybe had a week with my parents here two weeks task three weeks like three weeks is like Tracy's, and that's like. The off season period. That's the most I get. That I'd say when I was like a junior and playing. I was lucky that my parents sacrificed law and Wherever I was training they. Relocated stop plays the that of makes it a lot easier when you relocate halfway across the world. What was it like moved? ten-year-old of IMG was like you just like I just WanNa be a pro tennis player and I need to be here. Was that decision you made? You told your parents I need to get over there or was that something that they came to you with the kind of good question. Because I remember when I was younger, I was always debating between a full tennis, I was very good. And I I remember having a fight with my my code because I like to play up front score. The goals kind of be like you know the one everybody loves. To strike exactly, and and then he we had some some problem in defense and I had play one game as a defender. Although it's a crew school position in football. US to to a ten year old. I'm just kind of just the back. Just waging I had I was playing on a very good team so I actually didn't have to do too much and I wanted to be kind of Indiaction, so that kind of slowly lost my. With the football, the sport I was playing at the time was also tennis and. I remember I would have problems of my school. They wouldn't allow me enough time to to go out to school to practice my tennis play football and I got kind of a stage I was dying to take. My parents actually really enjoy tennis I. I would love to try and become a professional, and I think my parents they. I, mean they. They battled with the schools to try and see if they could get me an extra hour alto, instead of doing he at school I could go, and do you know get some tennis lessons and it just? It proved to be too difficult. At the club that I was training at. K., Salahuddin at the time I'd actually been on a few camps to I N G Academy in Florida with the Celada and kind of junior program about ten fifteen years ago, there was some you know great. Junior junior players in the Birmingham area and I I just kind of under that kind of saints. My parents would be amazing if I could go train. IMG tennis would be so much better. and you know my parents took massive sacrifice, and and you know they let me. They gave me an opportunity to go and do it, and honestly it was the best decision. I made some tennis around that age at ten years old.
The Tennis Podcast
Federer: WTA/ATP Should Merge - our reaction; John Millman nearly retired, then beat Federer - our interview
"Hello everybody another tennis. Podcast for you won't we weren't planning to bring you a couple of days ago but you know we just can't get enough of this and the so much going on and yes okay. There's no tennis but the stuff to talk about and we've got an interview with Joe Millman for you so we'll have that later but Catherine is here. Catherine David Selamat had David and the reason. We're convening altogether now. Not just having the Joe Millman interview which had been the original plan until about four hours ago is about twelve twenty eight pm today. Russia Federa- tweeted and what he tweeted was just wondering am I. The only one thinking that now is the time for men and women's tennis to be united and come together as one at which point Catherine and I wanted whether this was a teaser to a bit of content that might be coming out between the two tours because they've been producing causes loss of that and then I thought it can't be that cooked because I mean we've had instagram and lives law but moments later he said I'm picturing a merger between the WTO and the ATP I'm not talking about merging competition underscores but merging the two governing bodies the. Wta that oversee the men's and women's professional tours it's too confusing for the fans when there are different ranking systems different logos different websites. Different tournament categories. It probably should have happened a long time ago. But maybe now is really the time these tough times in every sport and we can come out of this to weaken bodies or one stronger body. Now when you hear that when you read that out loud that is pretty strong stuff catherine and and have to. I mean okay. We've been moving towards that in terms of little bits of Combined content under brand of tennis united. And we've had a heard an interview that has been put our way by the of their new seat in the new chairman and drag at NC Talkin about more and more collaboration. But for Roger Federer to come out apparently unsolicited and just say it's time to merge the tolls that was bombshell stuff ready wasn't it behold this novel an exciting idea. Yeah it was pretty bombshell stuff. I mean obviously. It's a good idea. Obviously Reid you. The way you read out these tweets. That sounds entirely sensible great. Let's do it. I'm trying not to be Aussie and SNIFFY ABOUT CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE STORY. And the way it's developing and being told that is happening on twitter. I'm trying to be a bit. Socially distanced from tennis twitter. I say that with heavy equities because it makes me shudder a little bit But it can be a bit of a toxic place and I'm trying to not be embroiled in it but this whole story has dropped exclusively on tennis twitter sort of had to be reeled back in the sort of arms race to claim claimed territory and claim claim that. This was their ideal. This is the first time anyone had this idea. The facts that you know of one suddenly sitting up and taking native destroy quality when a man shouts about it. All of those things I there is a part of me that wants to be about the the. Oc posted me often wins. But I'M GONNA try and be utilitarian about it and think. Look if if this is how the right thing ends up happening then then fine you know and I'm I'm going to echo do some shadowing echoing into something that you're going to say in relation to a different issue Later in the POD. He's talking about the distribution of wealth and prize money among top level players which is now suddenly a a a burning topic or among plays in general and he says look. I can't believe it's taken a pandemic for for this to be taken seriously and for the real powers that be to consider addressing it. Will I feel exactly that way about the the unification of The governing bodies but hey it took countless examples. They were able to for the. Nhs happened say if the ends justify the means then great. I'm going to suppress for once my RC side. I slightly wants to be able to read that. Billie. Jean King's response on twitter to Roger Federer in the in the sort of tone of voice that you began that that line yourself because what she actually says is I agree and have been saying. So since the early nineteen seventies she. I reckon she didn't say it like that. I kind of wish you had. And then she goes on say one voice women and men together has long been my vision for tennis the WTI on its own was always planned. Be I'm glad we're on the same page. Let's make it happen Hashtag. One voice is what Billie Jean King replied with Samana. Halla Patrick Evita Gubbay. Meru all tweeted support for what Roger Federer had to say and then I found the Dow tweeted. Hey Roger Federa- as you know per hour discussions. I completely agree that it would be great to get out of this world crisis with the Union of men's and women's tennis in only one organization which yeah suddenly makes all of this same quite premeditated between the two of them will maybe more than two of them. We haven't had anything I should say on this subject from Novak. Chuck rich the president of the council at this point. But it doesn't feel like this is just some using that Roger. Federer has just done while he's bored in lockdown as such A. It sounds as though it's been given quite a bit of thought he's had this chat so we've been reminded of this press conference. The rough on the Dow was involved in in two thousand nine hundred Australian Open when he responded to questions about whether he thought that should be a combined organization between the deputy. Atp with just telling us a misunderstanding. So he doesn't didn't understand really why that would be a good idea why we should talk about that. Why why that should be on the agenda And so this is a very very different tone now. Obviously we weren't in the middle of a global pandemic at that point. The world looked very different. It may it may well be that people who had previously never given a second thought to a combined organization of Sydney. Actually th. That's the way out of this. That's a good idea and got to be ready for that. But it's it's pretty stark. Isn't it the difference in town? Yeah I mean elements of needles. Tweet genuinely made me laugh out loud. First of all any suggestion that Is Great is his. English is Spanish as a first language adult composed. Hey at Roger Federer as per discussions. I mean absolutely no way. Is That tweet composed by Rafael Nadal? Himself as per I've ever seen his tweets to Anna Ravenna. Vish venevision join twitter. He said I look forward to our discussions on this means of communication when it was back in the early days of twitter. It was really sort of formal. And it's like a tweet anyway. It kind of reminded me of that one. Yeah so I mean yeah I mean that's not anything. Groundbreaking is that. He didn't necessarily compose himself. And if I was tweeting in a second language I would probably ask for some assistance as well. We've got to eat so I'm not having a pulp about that. But it the the sort of the attempt to say this. This was my idea too. I this came from a discussion that we both had. I was in on this too. That made me laugh because yeah I mean he. He kind of gets a slightly on it from me included because I think I kind of write him off of somebody. That's just not not hugely engaged with the with the wider. She's in Tennessee. And he kind of mice to the time brushes off interrogation about them as sort of. Oh you'll have to ask other people that are that are better informed and have have moose stake in it than than me. I'm not the best person to speak to you. That that clip. That's going around on twitter from the loss. Jesus straighten open is a good example of that. But the fact is he. He hasn't been supportive of equality in In Women's Tennessee's very much market forces based approach T. V. Prize money in the tools etc. So yeah this is. It's a bombshell.
AP News Radio
Virus forces Wimbledon cancellation for 1st time since WWII
"Wimbledon was canceled on Wednesday because of the corona virus pandemic the first time since World War two that the oldest grand slam tennis tournament will be played Britain imposed a nationwide locked down just over a week ago in the all England club announced after a two day emergency meeting at the event is being scrapped for two thousand twenty that had not happened since nineteen forty five Wimbledon was scheduled to be played from June twenty ninth through July twelfth also Wednesday the ATP and WTA announced that the men's and women's pro towards would be suspended until at least July thirteenth bringing the number of elite tennis tournaments affected by the corona virus to more than thirty I'm Josh Rowntree
The Passing Shot Tennis Podcast
Tennis adapting to the new normal: French Open 'unilateral' September Switch; 'Flushing-Garros' slams back-to-back?; Laver Cup & ATP/WTA responses analysed; 'Excusez-moi?' Players find out on social media; Tips for fans to cope with no tennis
"Everyone and welcome to the passing Shaw. The tennis poke caused by fans four fans with your host Jolan Kim. Today on the show. We're going to be bringing you up to speed on all the latest developments of the corona virus hit tennis season including the French controversial date change the ATP and WBZ's movement to a collective approach decision making and how players are keeping on their training routines in home. Kim I find this all very surreal. It could have been Indian Wells. Men's Fund will stay. We could have been previewing the AP we could have been. Who knows. Maybe looking forward to Andy Murray in back onto a tennis court but unfortunately sadly all that is on hold seemingly indefinitely a you you in high spirits. Nassir to Joe. I mean I've just it just keeps getting from bad worse doesn't There is just as old ask for control. We company do anything we have to sort of hate for the best and I mean there are things we can do. We can follow advice and stay inside of course but yeah. I would give anything right now just to have. Tennis is a poker it like whoever it is I will. I will accept the crappiest final in Tennessee straight. Means we have lives for again right. I find it quite funny. Actually because even though we no life tennis to kind of talk over there still seems to be actually more tennis news to actually To actually catch up because you know we still had a lot of information. Come at us from the tennis world. some some more surprising than others. And obviously we'll get onto that. Let's just give our listeners on ourselves. Actually a pair of the of the lay of the landscape at the moment the Toys R. Off Indefinitely Think. Officially at the moment they've been suspended to the seventh of June which is basically ruled out. Oh Clay Court tennis. So we've had all the tournaments in Madrid Rome Strasbourg Rats Munich astro Geneva Leon who whites from the calendar ranking points have been frozen as well so yeah we've got no. I got life headed to come to full with T. But when this was kind of announced I think the big the big talker boy it just the state the announcement was the that the ATP at W. Ta said now is the time to act unilaterally. Kim But in unison. Yeah so I mean they overeat out what they said. And I'll see if our listeners can notice what's missing so auden all decisions related to the impact of the creative. Irs Require Consultation and review with the stakeholders in the game view that is shared by ATP WPA the ANC tennis Australia and the USDA. So Joe. What's missing from US announcement. I think that I think maybe the French tennis federation a missing. I I have no idea why that is the case. They could have been because they went compete. Ray who can just reschedule tournament at the top of a heart without telling anyone our consulting anyone involved in which is going to be a might have something to do with it. I think I've eaten. What bold move. I mean understand that they obviously won't let on to happen at some point and is obviously wasn't going to really happen you know saying it's the it's the next. Grand Slam in the calendar but the decision they took was just so so rash and they've moved to the most awkward position arguably in the calendar. You know just all for the USA. But I think there's about six days in between the end of the US Open. Stop the French Open. This is all hypothetical oversee. None of this may happen and from what I've read from some circles. It's unlikely that we'll probably have any tennis the rest of the year. I don't know I mean. I'm hoping that's not the case. Obviously but all of the kind of ramifications. Ooh Who's GonNa play what what's going to happen like might be null and void because they might white everything a. Let's let's say hypothetically that it does. Let's say the French will go ahead in September? I think the dates they have said at the moment it will take place is September twentieth to the Fourth of October. First of all clay-court Teddy's at that time. That's not going to be fun is it? Yeah it's going to be very cold. I mean even wrote on Garza's on end of May beginning of genie's they can have some terrible weather and to be fed they do have the reef but also there wouldn't be any legal tournaments in in-involved say people would be coming in like fresh off the hard courts Without any practice unless they choose to focus just on the clay and took themselves off to some challenger events or futures the because I think those things they could probably arrange you know in advance kind of place at the time to kind of set them out for like practice. I think they're easier to kind of just put on a shorter natives. But it's just yeah. I mean what you do for example if you're if you're a rapper. He's defending the US. Open defending the French shape in this year. Does he just play both and hope he can defend both? Does he pick one over the other. It's just the strangest decision and we've never seen this happened before but it's is just I mean. Would that be the most remarkable achievement if someone one base of as black tobacco? We've talked about someone winning the French Open and Wimbledon boxy. There's still a gap of several weeks between those two but and that's obviously not being done an awful lot so this would be some fate if it was a chief. Yeah I mean certainly. I think it's still by the the PA. The calendar is obese. Like a back to back grand slams. We've got the sunshine double. It did well by. Abby is you've got the I coined it on twitter at the the flushing guerrillas days It's certainly that that would be a challenge for I mean for a lot of players especially for someone like Nidal. He is the defending champion in both of them. Both events would be taken enormous toll on the body. And you know we've seen you know the big three that approach to the season to take kind of a stripped back approach pick and choose events and it does it does bring up the question of you know if that does go ahead and you have back to back Grand Slams. Is it possible to debate for which you have to watch? You have to be really refocused and just say I'm going to do one or the other and you think that potentially from the Dow I would just focus on on the French Open as it would pay me to say given defended the US Open champion. Ba Yeah it feels like just focus on on one. I mean he would be the history again at the friendship going. Thirteen to add. It would be great if he could win at different times of the year when the conditions that may be different because that would just I guess ultimately proved that Hey I am totally trae anytime of the year. I will be there at the top so you'd have to think he would go for the French over the US. But I mean another thing. Is that depending on. When or if the season comes back like players will have had a long spell of time. You know in competition say they might be much fresher healthier and injury free so it might not matter too much in terms of the toll on their bodies as if this is happening at the end of animals is not that we would see this kind of contrast normally it might be the impact might be lessened somewhat because of that. But I mean who say. We haven't mentioned that it will say clashes with the Labor cop which is technically an exhibition right. It's not like a proper event but basically all the top names you know have signed up and committed to playing and all the tickets have been sold. Yeah sold out. It's being held in Boston. Which is I guess. A logical place to for them to get off the Apron said exhibition senior team world. Lovely what will I mean tires on surely going to pick that over the friendship? And but it's
Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia
Tennis tours stop until June for COVID-19; rankings frozen
"Tennis canceling more events here absolute prime both the WTA and the ATP jointly announcing their suspension of play will continue now to at least June seventh which means the entire clay season in Europe will not be played full tours also be freezing world rankings until further
The Tennis Podcast
WTA Tour Suspended Until May 2nd
"We had this six weeks suspension announced that means no Miami no Charleston on the W. T. side this was an issue of the ATP announced on their own unilaterally. Canceling MIAMI MONTE-CARLO IS GONNA go and everything. Bassi up until the end of of April and bit by bit. The WTI came pretty much to the same conclusion but they tried to do it one at a time rather than just doing a complete block of canceling everything. That's where we stand. At the moment we have had another update today a WTI saying because of the ongoing Global Corona Virus outbreak the WTO tournaments in stood guard Istanbul and Prague in April Arcane to be cancelled as well and so everything is suspended on. Wgn Tore now until may the second they say we will make a decision in the week ahead regarding the remaining Wti a European play caught tournaments are monitoring the situation closely so it may not be the end of of the constellations even even now so here we are amid March. We know we're not GONNA get any tennis on the women's side until may the second so let's talk to a couple of the players who are out in India wells who were affected by this situation starting with the British number. One on the men's side Down Evans World Number Twenty eight career high ranking of twenty eight. I had a little chat with him before he went to Indian wells initially when he was still in Dubai and I sensed then he was pretty anxious about the whole situation the fact that he was going to go back to the UK just for a couple of days then flats California he he. He really didn't know what to expect when he got there so I asked him first of all what it was like when he got to think like nothing was was any different at the Stop I actually went to San Diego for two is a few members at the club. She said to me all year. We're not going down to endure wells issue because of the corona virus and I mean always on our. I guess you know they were. They were older members to in. This guys says always decided that Mr Tikey precautions and we go down there and as I'm sure you're not a tennis player not the most You know pretty isolated in their own world and no already set much until I think it was. It was pretty much the die before qualifying stay there was there was is that it was GONNA get cooled off. Alan. Yes big big room Sula started unethical cooled off for the the die before Listen to the Health Minister of I think it was California or cut Coachella Valley and he said that he might have statement about into wells. I would be the guy who would be calling off sedan Sort of happened. It was all very vivid surprise really but then at that I. It wasn't so much surprise if she knows all the severity of Then not long after the Miami consolation when it was a pandemic what was the week. What's a week been like since then because they were they were letting everybody stay? Weren't they in use Indian Wells for an stay in the the accommodation? What did you? What was it like being around the other players at that time? Yeah well I mean we started like there is a few few different people two different things so that was advised to not leave the country because remodel belt guest in back in and then does seem like he was defeating the jets. If people could have committed that would have been Miami really and then it was all pretty strange. You know I didn't make didn't like practicing one was we? Were supposed to be playing. It seemed you know pretty no atmosphere. There was no saying it was terrible so applies to be to be honest and I find it pretty hard too noisy to be motivated but everyone was brought to which was destroyed thing. I've always prided everyone was eating together. So it was all this. It was all surreal India wiles. And then as said when we heard W hite sugarcoated upon Devon. Everybody was booking flights that I think you know the wrong. Who was on the Wolf for Miami? And obviously they've called on the ADP side. They pretty much immediately called a six week. Holt to the toll now. That's that's a pretty far reaching impact for so many people I mean in even in our little ecosystem of tennis. Yeah you've had a good a good start to the good last year so you'll have built up some some finance that you can. You can weather a period like that. But not everybody's in that both I would imagine no I guess not a not much anyone can really do is right now. It's it's a terrible situation for everybody you know thankfully no one just yet tested positive Well not as far as I know. That's my thing is to keep everybody healthy. I think that's the reason why the tournaments have been I think consoled in on the six week pulls to the Tool the tournament it's You know obviously a difficult time for everybody involved like just said you know even dancer. People Work Torments Aichi sponsored of player? Who is a my fly? And he wasn't sure she was getting paid or not. You know which is the end of the day. That's what everybody wants to have it as they go to to work to get paid. Because I have stuff to pay for the livelihood. Juno Dot Com. Mr Bill could fail in for for anyone. Don't know if you're going to get paid in the NFC can't for everybody. Ron and in Great Britain and the world. Yeah I mean you. You obviously had a period of time out the game. We we know the reasons for I remember you talking about the time that you found it quite hard sort of just not having the purpose in a way is it. Is that something that you feel may might help you in a way that you've at least had experience of that. If if we're able to to practice I don't see I. If I were to practices stuff adultery the six weeks been been that much of an issue for me personally You know we. We can't change if we went tool could go onto Daylight Spain I think. The chargers for For everybody really literally doing nothing because it is a that will be. I will be pretty tough I as you know one guy who's in Madrid and he died on lockdown. I called leave and he said his you know not not good whole so. I'm hoping that doesn't happen but if it does then you know the Be Interesting to see how that works. I for for the tennis
The $100 MBA Show
How To Minimize Stress When Traveling For Business
"Let's jump right it into and make sure we minimize all your stress when it comes to traveling for business the first step is you guessed. Planning this is critical critical. And you want to do this as early as possible. I always say it's good to plan a minimum one month before the day of travel if you could do it earlier. That's even better but what you wanted to hear as you want to make sure everything is taken care of and planned out well before you travel plannings things going to reduce the most amount of stress for you now if you don't have an ea or a va to help you out. That's okay you can do all this by yourself. But of course if you do so have an assistant or virtual cert- executive assistant of some sort. They can help you. Do a lot of this legwork so the first thing is very obvious you WanNa book everything. You need to book to do this trip so you want to book. All your Mir flights or tickets you're accommodations an any ground transport. The you may need. It's not going to be easy some cities. There's no uber meaning to book an airport shuttle things like that and all your transport accommodation needs to be taken care of well in advance. Why because because things sell out things really get stressful when you have no options especially when the conference that you're going to for example has a group rate often? If you go to a conference they have some sort of code that you can use the hotel that it's being hosted at that group rate is only for a certain number of rooms and he can sell l. out and you're going to have to pay the higher rate of the hotel if you wanna stay there or look at other options again the earlier the better Bookham in advance the other thing is that you're gonNA save a lot of money when you book early with your flights your accommodations everything in between now once you have all your flights near accommodations booked. So you WANNA put them in one place. So they're easy to find when you're traveling when you're on the day of travel when you're moving around when you want to reduce stress now the old fashioned finally and it still works is to drank all these email confirmations these itenerary in a folder in your g mail so you can open your phone. You can just open that folder. They're all in one place. I guess the real fashioned way. I mean the real fascists to print them off right but in this day and age. You don't need to print off. You can just use your phone. So that's one option. The other option is use an APP called trip case. I've used case many times and it's really really cool and basically you do trip case. Is You forward. Forward your itineraries your bookings to a specific email. You have like this unique trip case e mail that you send to you for these Itineraries Timorese to them and the apple bring in all these itineraries and put it on the APP in your profile so that you can just open up the APP and see everything in order actually uh all the flights and accommodation the cities are going to. It's pretty cool another tip when it comes to your flights. Make sure that you do everything. You Kim You know you buy any actual luggage. You need to buy you reserve your see too. So you know exactly where you're sitting and you have no stress when it comes to that if you have some special communication need need to do with the accommodation like you have a special requirement like the number of pillows you need or The type of betting you on or maybe it's an AIRBNB and if some special instructions you need to get into the place get that all sorted well advanced before you actually take off once your flights in your accommodation. It's time to lock in in your calendar. This is critical and this is the step most people forget or they don't do and it actually makes your life so much easier and you travel and this is to book your whole trip. Not just the places you're going but the book everything you're doing every day in your calendar this allows you to kind of clear or your mind and you just follow your calendar. You don't have to worry about what's next or where you're supposed to be doing or trying to figure things out on the fly so literally my calendar will say eh the dinners. I'm going to the people I'm meeting up with everything in between so that means all has organized. If I'm going to meet up with some local friends friends in a city them Have a conference that I'm going to go ahead. And make sure I get that all range and reserved and a table book and everything well in advance. What you I WANNA do? Is You want to reduce all thinking all decision-making when you're traveling by booking every portion of the day in your calendar you know exactly what you're doing. There is no decision making. There's no hiccups. And of course people might cancel. And that's just free time for you. Great no problem. I'm a big big fan of this because I hit the ground and I know everything is done and planned for and I don't have to make any decisions fantastic is like going on a guided tour right now. I don't recommend this generally when when you're going on vacation for holiday it's good to have some flexibility and just kind of get lost a little bit but when you're traveling for business you want to reduce stress and be as efficient efficient as possible next dough. Forget to put your autoresponder your vacation mode on your email. Let people know that you'll be slow to respond. Hey a lot all of us when we travel for business were on a plane for ten fifteen sometimes even longer twenty hours being connections. That's day so even if you plan to hit the ground running an answer all your email when you're there you're going to be out of commission for few hours or a whole day sometimes on that flight. Give yourself a little bit WTA leeway forty-eight hours when you're going away hours when you cling back because when you come back from a trip from business you might WanNa take some notes kind of share your information with your team whatever it is an ally yourself a little time to
Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia
Barty upset by alternate Bertens at WTA Finals
"Up one of the strange incidents occurring at the WTA finals in Shenzhen China as the world's number three right now me also withdraws after winning her first match the shoulder injury now that leads to her alternate Kiki burns then up setting the world's number one ranked actually party in three sets even with the loss Barty the will and the year ranked number one the first Australian woman to
The Stephen A. Smith Show
Tennis officials shaken by lack of support for chair umpire Carlos Ramos
"Umpire and other officials in the world of tennis are shaken by what they perceive as a lack of official support for cheer on pyre Kalos Ramose given that his actions against arena Williams during Saturday's US open. Women's final were well within the rules. Quote, the unpire fraternity is thoroughly disturbed being abandoned by the WTA Richard Inge in I n g s that's how you spell that name. A retired elite gold badge umpire told ESPN dot com. On Tuesday, they are all fearful that they could be the. Next Ramose they feel that no one has their back when they have to make unpopular calls for those of you living under a rock Ramos, sided Williams, three times Saturday during her six, two, six, four laws against Naomi Osaka forgetting coaching signals for breaking Haracic which caused her appoint a Calling Ramos thief, which cost her game. The incident has sparked heated reactions from former and current players to celebrities to the officials themselves. The times of London reported Tuesday quote, there was a growing consensus that I'm Pires were not supported by the US on several occasions, and their Ramose was thrown to the wolves for simply doing his job and was not willing to be abused for
BBC World Service
WTA backs Serena Williams' sexism claim in aftermath of US Open final
"Meanwhile the body in charge of the women's game w._t._i. is released a statement seemingly backing up serena williams is claim of sexism against her chair umpire in the u._s. open final on saturday williams losing that to naomi a soccer of japan the chief executive of the w._t._i. says the same standards of officiating should be applied to men and women and this wasn't the case in flushing
BBC World Service
7 injured in Paris stabbing attack; suspect taken into custody
"Seven people had been injured four seriously in an attack by a man armed with a knife and an i n by in the french capital paris the man said to be an afghan national was arrested paris correspondent lucy williamson reports a police source told french media that the attack it began by stubbings three people outside a cinema overlooking the canal one witness who was playing the traditional french game of petanque on the key tried to stop him by throwing one of the heavy bulls the attacker fled but later targeted to british tourists in the same area an inquiry into attempted murder has been opened a source close to the inquiry is quoted as saying nothing at this stage suggests
BBC World Service
Serena Williams' U.S. Open loss may be the grossest example of sports sexism yet
"Seven people had been injured four seriously in an attack by a man armed with a knife and an i n by in the french capital paris the man said to be an afghan national was arrested paris correspondent lucy williamson reports a police source told french media that the attack it began by stubbings three people outside a cinema overlooking the canal one witness who was playing the traditional french game of petanque on the key tried to stop him by throwing one of the heavy bulls the attacker fled but later targeted to british tourists in the same area an inquiry into attempted murder has been opened a source close to the inquiry is quoted as saying nothing at this stage suggests
Midday on WNYC
Australia, Marin and Novak Djokovic discussed on Midday on WNYC
"The last sixteen after hurricanes hattrick helped england to there biggest ever world cup win as they beat panama six one today the final round of group games get underway hosts russia play uruguay to see who wins group a both won their opening two matches a draw would see russia top on goal difference egypt and saudi arabia are playing for pride having both been eliminated and in group the well the situation is a lot more complicated but a draw against already eliminated morocco will be enough for spain to qualify for the last sixteen iran need to beat portugal in the other game otherwise it's cristiano renaldo side who will advance elsewhere and away from football and tennis roger federer's twenty match winning streak on grass has been ended with a shock defeat in the final of the halla event in germany that to the unseeded born a church that result also means that rafael nadal has again become the world number one elsewhere novak djokovic lost in three sets to marin chillers at queen's club the patrick has won the grass court warm up event in birmingham for third year in a row the twotime wimbledon champion has now won five wta titles in twenty eight hundred more than anyone else wimbledon remember begins a week today england beat australia by.