Djokovic OUT! | Zheng GOLDEN Girl | Zverev's Time? | US Open 2024 | GTL Tennis Podcast

another day at the US Open has been and gone and today is the day Novak jokovic was eliminated losing to Alexi Popin we had Casper Roode coming back against Shang sabalenka she was looking quite strong Zev playing into the early hours and of course the gold Olympic champion king Wing xen stay tuned for our [Music] Roundup that's right d five in the books and it was Novak jovic the big headline on day five going out of the tournament at the earliest stage in so many years he's the reigning defending champion and it looks like he's got a bit of the Carlos alcaraz Olympic burnout and something I wanted to say to you JG timings are everything in life and sometimes there's a comedy timing to things Novak jovic goes out of the US Open and typically today this got delivered from my post box the jovic good night t-shirt which is you can't make it up I mean I would have liked to have had it for the start of the tournament but it got delivered upon his exit I'm a bit I've got like mixed emotions I was like do I even wear it I'm a bit down in the dumps about joic going out but well I've I'm put it on for the podcast but jovic gone there yeah we'll have to get some new ones sent out saying goodbye instead because he's saying goodbye to the US Open um or maybe you can just put a bit of tipex on the last word and just have by jovic is out we're not going to speak too much about on this episode if you want to see a full Roundup we spoke for about 25 30 minutes earlier on me and Ben speaking all about Noak jovic pop Bri the one thing I will say about it is how it does feel like we are moving into a new era of tennis completely I've already said I don't think jovic will win another slam again and it's the end of an unbelievable streak 2024 marks the first year since 2002 The Big Three have not won a grand slam between them it's been an amazing time for everyone I mean us doing a podcast I think we've been privileged to catch the end of these frees career it's a shame we didn't start a little bit sooner because we could have seen some of the real great battles between them uh but it's been great as a spectator and uh I don't know if we're ever going to see anything like it again I think it's been probably the greatest sports rivalry amongst the three of them uh in any sport I can't think of a better one yeah it's yeah a privilege like you say these three not winning a slam in a year it is a turning of the tide it's a time for other players to now step up and we entering the new generation of tennis obviously Carlos alas has a few slams under his belt yanx sin has grabbed one now Daniel medvedev's on the board are we open to a new potential US Open Champion a new grand slam champion this year that could be a possibility and some of the names that are left in I mean I I would love to see somebody like crazy win it imagine like someone like a Nakashima or someone came through and really stamped his Authority and was able to win it before the likes of aasha Zev I mean this is zev's big opportunity right now to win he's been to the final before he was like that close to winning the US Open got pipped by Dominic team but you got a feeling that there's just something in the air at the US Open this year and I think something crazy might happen yeah agreed completely uh we got Scott who sums up what you were saying quite nicely um a bit of comedy in there too he's saying the goat losing early the world number one dealing with the doping allegations the reigning Wimbledon of French Open Champion suffering from burnout all of this and more has set the stage perfectly for Alexander Sev to embarrass himself in front of the world yet again clearly not a big fan of spev and um it is set perfectly on paper he's got such a good shot now to win this US Open the thing with him is whenever he's got an opport opportunity like that year he got to the final uh playing against Dominic team he had Buster and the semis he had that match pretty wrapped up as well in the final was unable to beat Dominic team when you give him really good opportunities he always seems to falter there's been times when he's been so close to getting world number one needs to win a few more matches and he struggles he just doesn't handle the pressure too well is this a new sash verev he's been one of the best players this year for sure uh not as good as the siners AL karaz is but still maybe third in the pecking order um so he's got great opportunity but will he embarrass himself again that's the big question would you even say it's embarrassing if he doesn't win from here um I think at this point it's becoming if he gets to the final you need to see a bigger performance from him obviously it depends who he plays in the final how good a form they're in but I feel that right now there's no better opportunity I know we say that all the time for certain players he should clean up that bottom half of the draw now essentially based upon form this year based upon past Grand Slam experienes he should get to the final that is the reality of how good Sasha verev is at and especially on this surface jovic not serving well you see what happens sash verev probably one of the best if not the best servers on tour so if he serves well he has every chance it's just that mental side of the game can he overcome it he got to the final of r on garos he was close there as well is it Third Time Lucky for sashes verev can he get to the final and do it this year another player who will be fancying his chances who you may not expect I'm going to say is Francis TFO he had maybe one of the the matches of the tournament so far against uh Ben Shelton they played this time last year as well the US Open and Shelton beat TFO Shelton was the favorite going in we both thought he was going to Edge it but what a match we got to see I mean really high quality it was a long match I think was it over four hours in the end I think it was speak about it yeah just over and it was a five set thriller so close nothing really between them I thought the way the fifth set started Shelton was looking better um didn't take them breakpoint opportunities and then got punished T4 looking great and the highlights are incredible they could have had 20 minute highlights just for this because it was so many magical special moments they bring out the best of each other's game um TFO was saying afterwards uh that he believed he was going to win and he would have had to have died out there on the court so he put everything into it and Shelton was So Graceful in defeat um there is a really long quote from him and I thought this one's quite good uh this one from Nick curios who's understanding what ultimate respect is as well and he loves what he's seeing from Ben Shelton he said uh well played I hope you have every success in the world humble in defeat this quote you have to be smart enough to know when it's your time be humble enough to know when it's someone else's and how excited he was for Francis TFO at the end of a match bear in mind you just played four hours uh and you're in a grand slam and this is a this is your career essentially and he was pumped for TFO he came up to the net he was smiling like hugging him like patting him on the back and it's great to see obviously great friends and they give each other a bit of stick but lovely to see that like team mentality a bit from the US guys I think it's really nice they've all got a really good relationship you can throw Chris Eubanks in the mix as well he was there all suited and booted giving questions and I remember watching a podcast between the three of them uh during UTS period I think Stu was in there as well was like I don't know why he there but uh it was still a really good episode and um recommend watching it and you do see how close they are speaking about some of their matches and experiences against some of the top players Ben Shelton will do some really big things at the US Open maybe this year was too soon when you're sering 143 mph serves there's not much you can do and TFO was really um he had a lot of praise for him but he said yeah obviously I thought he played lights out today that was one of the things you've got to be happy for a guy and congratulate especially a guy like him when he's playing the way he's playing I think that is important to show it sometimes that you know you can be happy for a guy when they beat you obviously there are some things I want to do better I'm a competitor I always want to win and some of the things he could have done better from watching the match is there was too many times where he just sort of went into the net or went long unforced errors on second serves or moments where he's not being pressed and I think he just needs to con control his emotions and some of his shot making at times to not go so big in certain moments because he just misses some shots where where you just need to sometimes just keep the rally going and that's what I feel is is the problem with him he said you know I've taken a few things from him in the past and I thought that he's always handled it well you know maybe not like a big Embrace but when we're on the court uh but soon or right after it's like things are back to normal but one of those cool environments in matches to be part of it didn't feel right to just go up with a negative look on my face shake his hand and walk off court because he played some great ball today most definitely I mean France is TFO he shows up at the US Open doesn't he and very very nice words and a nice approach really something you don't get to see very often in tennis uh the ultimate respect like you said about the way he plays though the winners are there they're definitely they hit 63 winners against TFO but 58 unforced errors so quite a high number of both France is with 44 winners only 27 unforced errors 23 Aces pretty uh good number of them as well that just goes to show how well France's TFR was playing and that's why he's giving him that respect he was playing a high level Ben Shelton and I think he does play up to the crowd a little bit too much TFO has been guilty of that in the past and I think that's why he plays a lot better now is because he's rained that in a little bit in his own game he's not just the showman anymore he is now a really really top tennis player who can go deep in Grand Slam especially the US Open so I'm I'm very happy that these two met again and I think that this is like a really good rivalry I really like it because I'm never sure who's going to win this matchup they both really complement each other's game styles really well hard hitting and doing it with a smile on their faces the passion there but there's not there's no like bad bad blood between them ever so really great to see and excit about not knowing who's going to sorry Ben talking about who not who's not going you're not sure who's going to win if you think about this next match it's not going to be jovic now it's going to be TFO pop rint and the book makers have that one 1.9 1.9 they cannot call it at all I can I cannot call it I think it is a 5050 matchup more than I've ever seen in recent years I I just don't know which way that's going to go at all that's a really difficult match up to call I me they've never played before as well if that's of interest to anybody so this is the first time they will meet and it'll be in the fourth round of a slam and coming into the tournament I think they've both been in really good form Cincinnati TFO got didn't get to the final and we've had Montreal a winner from poin so both of these players it couldn't be set up for a better matchup really between the two very excited to see how both of these play I think I'd give TFO maybe the slight Edge just based upon being at home in the US but only slim really Slim yeah I couldn't even give anyone The Edge I think it's going to be a really good one and one I'm looking forward too I'm sure TFO will be pleased it's not jovic and he's got poin um because I don't think TFO does very well against him yeah exactly I know we missed out this one just was as we were speaking about Z earlier but I thought this is one you wanted to have a chat about which is the late matches well it's not really about him it's just scheduling in in general I mean yeah 231 finish ET ofar verev it's just too late isn't it I think we just there needs to be some kind of changes in what's going on because it's not fair to have players playing at such a late hour um the record is alarz when he beat cner that was in 2022 we all remember that one big quarterfinals but this one not too far off only 20 minutes or so away why do we have matches what go on so late there is um another tweet I've got about it and this one is let me find it from David Kane saying tennis has spent the last decade making Court SL and start times later and we wonder why every night ends at 2: a.m. it must just be a money decision right I mean I don't know what other reasons are behind it it seems very crazy I know that they like a late thing and it's their thing the city that never sleeps New York all this and they have that is their night session is their sort of thing that they have at that grand slam but You' got to think about the players as well I mean did they not come into to this at all like they have to try and St well play their best tennis at 3:00 a.m. in the morning I mean and then they have to try and recover ready for their next match and then what's the scheduling going to be of their next match you this is the problem and then it is it fair that the players who play super late into the evening when's their next scheduling of their next match because you never know it could be put at a time which is close to the morning then their opponent got more time to rest this type of thing it has to be something to do with money most things are these days I don't like it I feel like players if you started the tennis a bit earlier in the day you wouldn't have to finish at this time would you y yeah exactly so yeah that's enough about that one more uh well two more guys we're going to speak about um I think Nakashima has to be one that we have to talk about because it's somebody we were speaking about a lot on the podcast when we first started it and that was 4 years ago and I thought he was going to break on the scene then it didn't happen he sort of took a real slow burn but now he's starting to look very very like dangerous he took out MTI in four sets and he is a real real threat I think like he's got to play Sasha Zev and I think Zev this could be the banana skin before the final that he really doesn't need to be honest like Nakashima is serving as well as anybody in the whole tournament if not the best so it's going to be tough it's going to be quite a serve heavy matchup between him and and Zev who has the better shot making Zev won't have any of the crowd on his side that's another thing to take into this equation as well how do you see Nakashima getting on against Sasha he's got chances for sure and that could be a banana skin for Zev uh but it's great that he's back to where he was because as Daman says he's rebuilt his his career beautifully since that Challenger Patch October 23 Feb 24 I feel like there was a period before that even as well maybe a few years ago where we was looking at him and thinking okay this is the new breed the new player who can do some really good stuff especially on them hardc courts in America and then he fell off quite a bit and just wasn't able to compete and I feel like was around sort of 50 to 100 in the world of a player when he when he is good though he's sort of a top 20 for sure and if he plays verev in round four which we know he will be will do now uh would be a bit of a full circle moment because that was his opponent in round two when Brandon was the US Prosper everyone wanted to check out and he held up very well then he is a lot more of a mature player now but Zev I think is better too so let's just wait and see what happens I think it's a tight one to call but I would put Zev as the favorite yeah definitely the favorite but yeah interested to see the progression of Brandon last up for the men's we'll just touch on it briefly but an incredible comeback Victory from Casper Roode down two sets to love and then well just turned on like a top 10 player would against a slightly lower ranked opponent and obliterated him essentially in the last three sets impressive stuff am I shocked that he did that I'm not that shocked the way that casparo has been playing I'm I'm more shocked that he was down two sets I'm not shocked that he was able to do those last three sets well if you would have watched the match because I watched quite a bit of this one you wouldn't have been that shock that he was down two sets because Shang is one of the best shot makers I've seen honestly incredible incred he is so deep sometimes and he can find from he can be pushed from side to side he finds winners from really tight angles and positions he rarely misses return and and he's extreme he's an extremely explosive tennis player he's someone who can find winners from all over the coure and he's dangerous and rude couldn't quite handle him unfortunately he tired he was unable to maintain it and then caspero just took control uh but he was the boy singles runner runner up in uh New York in 2021 and he was brilliant that year I think he lost to ringcon in the final so we know he likes these conditions and courts he's a a lot better player than what he was then and a future one to watch for sure because if he can physically maintain the level he produced in them first two sets for a duration of a slam I would go as far to say he he's going to be a contender to win Grand Slams in future that's how explosive and good he is the shot making is incredible I think he is a contender for slams in the future he's 19 years old at the moment you got to remember that I think the base for him and his in his game I don't think it's quite at Grand Slam like topnotch level yet like you said obviously the fatigue get going deep in a match is not what he's used to in a five Setter yet I think it's going to take a few years I think we may see him start to Peak around about 22 years old maybe 20 late 21 and then we might see a d like a dramatic Improvement uh I think it would take more like a cner route than and alalas alalas blew on the scene too too fast really and took it the worldwide storm early I feel like he's going to be a slightly slower burner but definitely so much talent and to do this to Casper rud and be two sets up is impressive in itself especially this is Caspar been playing very like very very well in this tournament it's not like a oh it's caspari's a clay quarter no this is topnotch Casper rude right now yeah moving on to the women sabalenka won in three set uh beating alexandraa and this is bit of a wild score line really she lost the first set 62 then went on to win 61 62 and was playing the the prime sabalenka level I'm not sure if the little girl was there with a tattoo I've not seen any images of that bit late it finished a bit late so I didn't get to see it live but I'll have a look on social media see if I find anything but the one big takeaway is really the power of sabalenka we've spoken about it time and time again but her Top Spin forehand speed is just incredible I mean when you've got a faster top Top Spin forehand than alad and jovic then I think everyone needs to be super worried on the women's tour she is one of the most fierce powerful tennis players I've ever seen um for me she's she's a lot more powerful than Serena Williams even but you can argue yourself about that um there's no like getting around the fact why she's been picked by pretty much everybody I know that we looked at the sky sports panel as well for the men's I think the it's a clean sweep on the women's I think maybe one person picked eager everybody going he I mean Lopez had doovic and eager well I mean he might not be on next year's coverage who knows uh for me I don't think I don't see Eagle winning it I think Sabal Lena this just suits game down to the ground she she lost last year just about it was in the final this year I think she's got the bit between her teeth and it's going to take a very very bad performance from her I think to go out I don't think that people are going to be able to knock her out other than her knocking herself out of this tournament yeah someone who knocked themsel out of the tournament was Madison Keys um she certainly did knocking herself out because at least Martins just did a Martins performance and it was enough to beat keys let me see if I can find some stats so stats wise Madison Keys 39 winners 69 unforced errors I mean M I mean merens wasn't amazing 23 winners to 43 on fourth so it wasn't a very good match and I don't know what Madison ke is doing really she just can't seem to find the cour and you'd think she'd be so good here she a great Wimbledon until she got injured and then since then maybe the injuries causing problems but it was a an abysmal showing and Elise merens I think this is the play these are the ones who are playing the winner of well sabalenka right next let me just pretty sure it is saena I'm pretty sure I think Elise m is going to get absolutely bullied and handed it to it's probably going to be a bagel and a one both players played terrible but went through I mean as bad as it could get really I mean she's probably thinking when she came off court she had a a bad day at the office for like an osta Peno really it's like one of those stats um what do you what happens after one of those matches that's what I want to know what when they sit down with their coaches do they review the video do they sit down and go let's watch all 70 of those onfor review it it's just it's one of them days tennis can be like that she's had a bad in the office and it can happen you never know next week she could play play amazing and I'm sure part of this must be to do with the injury she's just suffered because great a lot there's a lot of mistakes yeah far too many mistakes um Sabal Lena playing merens next they played last at the Australian Open last year was straight set sabba then at the US Open in 2021 before that straight set sabba I expect the same straight set sabba against merens don't think it's going to change uh somebody who's very very interesting in this women's draw we've talking about the burnout and it doesn't seem to be burning out on the women's side does it because we've got three players who are still in and the gold medalist especially she had a quite a nice one in the last round it was a bit of struggle moving up to this round but she got through quite convincingly against neemar in her last match really looking really good can she go on and do the Andy maray and win the Olympic gold and then US Open afterwards that's why I want to know I like this one because NE beat kingen two years ago at the US Open uh 6476 so Tire break in the second straight sets and she's got revenge but she was a big favorite on that day um I thought that there was some chances to be fair especially with what I've seen with the men going on at the all the ones who did well at the Olympics I thought neemi had a chance to win this one but she didn't she lost 6261 and the Chinese sensation is marching on she is so popular and she said her Fame in China has gotten crazy after winning the Olympics she was at the airport till 1:00 a.m. singing uh singing signing she wasn't singing she might sing uh for all of the Chinese people I can't say no to them because they're kids I just wanted to ask you what the reception has been at home what your sense of it and how much more attention did you get after the Olympics uh I think after the Olympic Games everyone in China started to know me because after the Australian Open maybe more tennis fans they know me I remember when I came back to the street in China I have to put my cap on because if someone recognize me there'll be a lot of people come to ask for my signature and you got to understand this is because China they put so much emphasis on the Olympics they put money into it they care about it it is part of their identity as a country I think you show me the priz is what the country gives and I think uh um China just loved their athletes completely and they they will be honored as celebrities until the day they die even if they've just got one gold medal and then retire after that they'll be go they'll go down in history as Legends definitely yeah you see here she said uh when she says I can't say no to them because they're a kid I think that this is the nice side of Kim wi Jang that you like you don't get to see much of this when she's talking and stuff but you can tell that she's a real people person which I think is really nice she's not the type of person we've seen other women that are little bit colder in the press conferences colder with the fans that type of thing she isn't she's like an open book essentially she says I realize I have to behave correctly more responsibly of course it's pressure there also a chance for me to become a better player as well I'm very excited about I know that we keep on pushing her up the rankings and our predictions and all of this type of thing in the past few years and this could be the year for her the gold medal might be the thing the Catalyst finally for her to do something big at a slam I know that the Australian Open we said she had a bit of a favorable draw through and then when she finally came up against someone good she lost this one we might get to see what she's really made of she got past a really tough first round match in uh aniss MOA was that I thought she was going to lose because of the Olympic thing as well the fact she beat anisim overa who was playing really well and she battled through that I'm very impressed I'm invested right now and I can't wait to see if she can back up that Olympic gold yeah if you look at a tweet from Jos you can see the bottom half of the women's draw you've got um all seeds apart from Wang so bzo versus Wang Go versus Navaro Jen versus veic which is a repeat of that Olympic gold medal match and was it gold medal yeah I think it was right got Sil and saena merens so merens is going to get smacked up I think uh but this is not going to be easy playing veic who's playing really well tough if she comes through that I think she will be favorite for it and I think she can she's going to have that the the biggest test in tennis right now on the women's and that is to try and defeat sabalenka at the US Open definitely the toughest especially CU I don't think she's going to be put through the ringer against merens I think it's going going to be under an hour she's going to come off the court fresh as a daisy and these two are probably going to go hammer and Tong at each other Kim and Jang Donna veic and I think that'll be a three Setter I think it'll be close I think we could even see like match points for one and then saved and then the other player win it's going to be that type of match I think I think it's going to be a close one they're both playing well still after that Olympics and I can't really call that match to be honest I don't know who's going to win exactly right uh let's wrap it up there before we do we do what we've always always do on the end of every episode one more one more sorry we got to just touch on it just because I thought it was a funny one that you included and it was Coco goof who's also been playing well we not spoken about on this one she went through as well against Vina that was a hard fought three set win but it was more the postmatch interview and who she's being interviewed by uh after the match of course it's chrank mate and uh they were just laughing just it's just a weird thing to have one of your friends interviewing you on the TV but Chris saying why are you laughing right now we're live and she's like because it's just weird it's being interviewed by you and it must be weird they are like very very good friends aren't they that's right right on to the next b anyway let's on to the next game I did send that you I forgot I sent it to you and it's a funny one it was funny for sure it's your mate Chris Eubanks he probably got a lot more like Spare Time on his hands after going out I think I H quickly on Chris EU Banks then I think um he's got a long career ahead of him doing tennis commentry punditry he's a very analytical thinker and I think he comes across very well as well the way he speaks and yeah I like him I think he's great good for the sport cuos has also been good as well so hopefully we get some more refreshing commentary in later years with tennis but let's do this game Ben because at the end of every day we' doing it I don't think we've got any right have we we've not called any upsets at all I don't believe so I can't even remember who I picked and yesterday's won that no it was wrong cuz I had to take a punt on veic going out and she went through so leko lost as well so let's go again back to the drawing board uh can we call one upset in the next round I'm going to go straight in I'm going to have Krueger to beat Sam sonova 2.5 knew you were going to steal my one I knew it damn it K who's just beaten Mir and draver in straight sets the American I think she's got good chances and I like their mods go on Kruger I'm really I really like that one as well I'm a bit jealous now because I've been thrown under the bus with no hardly anyone to pick now from uh this one I'm going have a look onto the men's side see I mean there's so many heavy favorites who got the next day yeah yeah I know we've got the next day as well we got I mean there's no rude maybe I mean let me just go to the next day and see who's going over night uh diov Evans uh I think it's going to have to be from the this section here it's either going to be uh it's going to have to be oh that's the next day you can't have that day Ben oh was it is that the next day after that oh apologies sorry I'm going back to this day apologies uh you can have midnight ones I'm I'm going to go for I'm going to have to go for yakob menik then it's going to have to be him I don't I'm not that confident on it though I think Nuno Borges is playing so well it's a real that one's I feel like Borges is deserving to be the favorite but I am going for menik but great to see in the match above arnaldi still making his way through someone out put for the quarterfinals hopefully he can beat Jordan Thompson and uh we could see him in a quarterfinal soon me too I think I've got him there as well um what but one thing I would say is you got cner there Ben you could you missed a trick we've seen two big players go out chiso conell 29's is it going to be another one I don't know I did look at that this morning I just thought and the fact of the matter is with Chris o Connell versus yanic sinner Chris o connell's actually beaten yanx sinner before as well they played twice it's a one-1 head-to-head but they played earlier this year and sinner beat him in straight sets so I feel like Sinner's too strong for Chris I know he's a friend of the podcast but I would love to see him knock yanx in out I think it would be a great story and uh I drop in a little text and say Well done mate yeah let's WRA it up there thank you everyone for watching if you haven't already hit the like button subscribe if you are new and if you want to see our reaction to jovic Popin go check out the episode we did earlier on and if you want to see JG interviewing Alexi po print sign up to our Pat on as little as3 a month and you can see his thoughts on playing Novak jovic and JG posting some really tricky questions to him it's a great interview go check it out and it help support the channel too see you guys soon byebye [Music]