Guests include Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jessica Pegula, Marketa Vondrousova, Ons Jabeur, and Aryna Sabalenka. The podcast discusses excitement about Swiatek and Gauff being in the same quarter, a dream draw for Djokovic, a tough draw for Tsitsipas, and speculation about other players' performances in the upcoming US Open.
The US Open draws revealed an intriguing quarter featuring Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, while Novak Djokovic received a dream draw.
John Isner's retirement marks the end of an era for American men's tennis and his influential role in implementing deciding set tiebreaks in Grand Slam matches.
Deep dives
The Uncertainty of the Future of the Cincinnati Tournament
Coco Gough alluded to uncertainty over the future of the Cincinnati tournament during her on-court speech, implying a possible location change. The billionaire Ben Navarro, owner of the Charleston event, purchased the rights to the Western and Southern Open and plans to build a tennis and pickleball complex in Charlotte, North Carolina. While no official announcement has been made, there are speculations that the tournament may eventually move to Charlotte. The decision on the long-term home of the tournament is expected to be made later this summer.
John Isner's Impending Retirement
John Isner, the longtime American tennis player, announced that this will be his last tournament before retiring. Isner has been a prominent figure in the sport and has had a significant impact, including influencing the implementation of deciding set tiebreaks in Grand Slam matches. As the number one player in America for a long time, Isner's retirement marks the end of an era for American men's tennis.
The Next Gen ATP Finals in Saudi Arabia
The Next Gen ATP Finals, originally a men's event, will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from November 8th to December 2nd. Plans for a combined men's and women's event were scrapped after the WTA withdrew due to concerns about equal prize money and other aspects of equality. Additionally, there are indications that Saudi Arabia has bid to host the WTA Finals this year, along with potential bids from Prague and Washington DC. The final decision will be made after a board vote next week.
Saudi Arabia's Increasing Role in Tennis
The increased involvement of Saudi Arabia in tennis has raised concerns and sparked discussions. The decision to hold the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah and the potential bid for the WTA Finals in the country have drawn criticism and questions surrounding the ethics and values of hosting major tennis events in a country with a controversial human rights record. The tennis community and fans continue to follow the developments closely and express their opinions on this topic.
Catherine, David and Matt are all in New York to discuss the US Open draws which were revealed - disappointingly - on Thursday. There's lots of excitement about Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff being in the same quarter, as well as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, plus chat about a dream draw for Novak Djokovic, a tough one for Stefanos Tsitsipas, and speculation about how the likes of Jessica Pegula, Marketa Vondrousova, Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka might get on.
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