THE 2024 US OPEN DRAW BREAKDOWN

Welcome to Served [Music] all right welcome to another episode of served I am Andy rodic as always with us John wor time Producer Mike techie sha in the house uh social Sophie had a just a busy day in in New York so she is out not in the studio uh she's like she's like Twitter famous guys I mean people are stoked to see her at the live show it was fun uh shows that she is doing a Live show & Fan Week Recap uh a great job as well as the rest of the team uh just kind of figuring it out as we go um my favorite thing about this is that I don't have to understand any of the camera setups or anything else or volume controls or when it's just he just I'm like I just wind me up and let me go uh best part about it but uh team was awesome so thank thank you uh to you guys you guys were great um listen we had a fun trip in uh in New York um we did a live show uh live at the chase Lounge uh we had a great time uh I spilled ollipop all over my crotch Le's great footwork and scampers around the court Emar whoa oh party Foul Tech Shan shook it up Tech Shawn smoked me um just shook up the soda and then just let let it riptor chip right there uh on a live show um so I played this thing on after we filmed the so we filmed the live show to I don't know like 61 15ish something like that that and then I had to play uh like I when Buck text me he's like oh we have we're doing this like little fan week thing you know you're going to play mixed doubles with you know my partner changed three times and but against like delpo and satini I'm like oh that's awesome like that's great and I've done these before where like I played James Blake out on like Court 17 and so I did like listen I was happy to do it Eric uh came on the show you know bingo bango and so I get on site and I still don't know we it it was on Arthur Ash and it was like almost sold out it was a lot of people and for someone who doesn't play tennis that is frightening like that that court is massive uh all a surprise to me didn't know um that was my first time in there I know tell me about tell me about your experience cuz like you you John I'm telling you they literally don't like this is not like the tennis crowd like we we have a bunch of like just we we've just mixed together a bunch of Misfits to do show uh but tell me uh tell me your thoughts and techy Sean I don't know if there's a microphone over there or not but um guys give me your thoughts on like kind of US Open you had been up there to scout uh the chase Lounge for all the production stuff but it's not the same when there's no one there like it's a you know uh talk me through your thoughts uh US Open of things and remember that we were still 5 days before the tournament actually starts yeah I mean I I think I saw Eric at your event yeah yeah he he came in and said hi and I told him I was like we were just at the Cincinnati open and and I grew up going to the Cincinnati open and but their Fan Experience was completely different than what I grew up with you know a decade ago and I was like man this is really impressive this is really cool and then you go to the US Open you're like oh I can see where they got the idea from because literally the US Open is a 10x of that and it's just everything going on Coco Go's over here with Billy Jean King you know TFO is just walking through like the Center Square like he's coming down to watch Agy and everyone play and then when the crowd gets going in that space and it it was pretty full I mean people were in the upper deck you just feel like everyone's on top of you and like the noise level is is insane I I can't imagine what it's like playing in Center Court having to be dead quiet where a pin could drop and then an epic Point happens and that place just like er ups and like it it it gave me chills watching exhibition matches it was pretty it was pretty awesome Andre put it really well one time um he said like the greatest show of respect with a New York crowd is when there when you can actually get a New York crowd completely silent let cool and it was it actually made it makes a ton of sense it was fun for me to be back there like yeah I don't you never think you retire you don't you don't think you're going to hit there in front of people again like I've done some you know some some corporate hits and like but that's like you're you're hitting at like 6:30 in the morning before they actually open anything up like the lights are barely on uh it was fun it it was a it was a good time uh one thing though I will say that techy Sean and I were those guys with the honey Deuce glasses in our pockets that you made of see it's it's it's here I have it did but I okay I'll give you some grace even though that's against my nature um it there's a difference between having one at night and then like taking it home I've seen people clink cling cling to those things like they're bars of gold for for 14 hour days like and for what you pay for them it's pretty damn close uh Hey JW what do you think of of of kind of fan week and how it's come together it seems like it's become a thing quickly like I don't remember they used to have Arthur rash kids day and it was basically like one day and they had some cool pop packs and but I I I just say props like like good you know people are coming for free watching qualties matches low ticket prices to see alcaraz jokovic Agassi mackenro all in the same court just props it's it's what it's the type of things that tennis needs it's a friendly hug a friendly handshake to start the tournament first hit is free you get people in you get them to watch tennis I'm sure the USDA you know the concessions aren't free the merch isn't free but you get people into the grounds they walk around they see what the big deal is they get a sense of the vibe I was going to tell Mike and sea I was prepared to say listen uh you know welcome to the national tennis center you guys should come back once the tournament starts and see how crazy it gets there must have been 20,000 people on the grounds I mean you couldn't get a burrito with less than half an hour wait I mean it was absolutely jumping yesterday and it's a great way to kick off the tournament I think it's it's like baseball springing training right I mean I think it's uh fans are realizing it's a great way to see their their favorite players up close and in person and quality matches still are great drama with great players and you can't beat the price I say like everybody goes home happy right I mean the the tennis is minting new fans you get up and running this is uh it's not like the first Monday comes and we have to make sure that the court is surfaced okay you get the feeling this is also a great dress rehearsal for the event but there was a lot of energy and a lot of character and a lot of vibe and Aura and atmosphere at the national tennis test yesterday and I was thinking wait we're five days away from this tournament starting and you'd never know it if you walked around the grounds yeah and I'll tell you so talk about Aura and so it's a different thing like you don't view the people you played with kind of the same they're like your contemporaries and it's just it's just different I'll tell you I had a hard time putting four words together around sabatini around G satini like I was I was stunned by her and she was so nice and for sure uh she she thinks like I I I had I had like a sixc delay on every thought when I was I was in front of her she was just like stunning and fitter than I'll ever be again in my entire life and just just phenomenal so sweet and nice and I was lucky I got to play with uh Caroline Waki who's just like the listen if you get paired with someone sometimes like it's easy sometimes it's you know it's it's always easy but like Caroline's the best like she's just so easy to to to get along with uh had kind of a deep dive conversation before we we went on um just about traveling with kids how stuff's different now versus you know before she retired the first time um she was she was great I I I hope I would love to have her on the podcast because I think that's a very unique uh perspective in the locker room before we go on uh had like we were just in in like a little grouping and it was me alcaraz macenroe Novak uh TFO was there and we're just kind of we're just kind of shooting the [ __ ] and then that splined off it was it was great and then I ended up having like a 20-minute conversation with uh Novak and Mack and we we got it was a it was a debate about uh the goat but not the conversation you would think that we would be having it wasn't about Novak it was about LeBron and Jordan for like 20 minutes and like the wide we ended up giving G other stick you know Mack was choosing every player from the 80s uh Novak wasn't fighting for Kobe no he he was a Jordan guy yeah seriously where did Novak come down he he was a Jordan guy the question that I posed to them and it was great like everyone was laughing it was light it was it was it was nice it was nice to be kind of back in the locker room and remember kind of the spirit of uh of the locker room but um my question was basically and it it then built itself into like a longer conversation it's like any conversation that any sports nerds would have at any sports bar anywhere anytime uh you know probably going on at sa Brewery in Cincinnati right now um but uh yeah I said you know he's like Jordan's the best of all time I like okay we can argue X's and O's I said if you could draft one NBA player to start a franchise around who would that player be different conversation better conversation one player in the entire history of the league yeah does doesn't that depend on what your asset you know if you need a set or take Bill Russell depend on what your great great point but that's the entire point you draft LeBron because you can play five positions and you can build around that it's like if the next best name off the board is a center then that's great you're always picking best available that yeah I mean he he sets you up you know one through four maybe or two at least two through four minimum anyway so that's the con conversation we had it was a it was a great time I got to sneak out and watch um the alcaraz Agy Novak Mac we were on right after them so I snuck out and watched like 10 minutes and it was my favorite part I think of the entire night was it doesn't even make sense that you could kind of hit Inside Out Back ends that cleanly because it's not something you actually do in singles right you you hit a crosscar you hit a Down the Line you rarely run around a forehand and to hit a back in inside out it just doesn't happen uh Andre and Novac get into this like inset out backhand rally where they go 20 deep and I'm going I mean how often do you get to see the two that are the best at that shot at the two-hander just ripping it for entertainment like it was I you know I was a fan all over again anyways my experience was was great the live show was awesome uh you know we had to talk about uh the the center stuff so we we had to kind of throw a little bit of a wet blanket over over the live show but also uh listen if if we're like an actual show we have to talk about stuff even if it's not fun and even if it's polarizing so uh net net uh great time had by all I was back out on inside at 7:00 a.m. to do something this morning got on a flight we landed uh uh techy sea Producer Mike straight into the studio and little draw special a drum roll there that's quite a drum roll there it's one of our favorite Traditions make the host look stupid all right for those of you who have not listened to our draw shows before we wait till the draw comes out obviously and then a lot of the experts and pretty much all the experts probably do the responsible thing and actually digest the draw and look at it uh before commenting uh that's not what I do uh so joh John waram have you you've seen the draw yeah do do we want to tell him about sabil Lanka or should we hold off on that stop it don't even [ __ ] with me that's she still in she's still in that's [ __ ] up all right that's an inside baseball joke because the last time we did this I chose uh Sabal Linka to win Wimbledon and then she pulled out of the draw like four hours later yeah let's hope let's not put that energy in the and we had this conversation like I I guess we have to I guess we have to put the show on there because it's edited and we whatever um anyway so that's it uh so are we doing real quick you had called me and John that we wanted to open this up for for conversation do we want to only pick to the quarterfinals and leave semis and so here's my here's Here's my thought like I I understand like I have this insecurity about like picking wrong when I'm not supposed to but also there is value in watching players for like 10 or 11 days so question is and feel free to comment once you listen to this we're I don't know what decision we're going to make as we're talking through it in real time um but if you have a preference please write to us uh follow us wherever um do we pick all the way through or do we pick to like the semis and then actually have 10 days and five matches of performances to make a better choice for the winner or are we all about entertainment and we're just going to throw [ __ ] against the wall and hope it sticks I can I'm happy I'll do what we said about uh remember remember what we said about replay if you have the tools available to optimize performance why wouldn't you use those yeah I know but that's that's also not like I I wouldn't say that us getting our draw show predictions right is the same as the consequence as like trying to win Master 1000 but yeah okay I get it after we take a blowtorch uh after we blowtorch our I'm I'm I'm all in favor of a redo but you you guys make the call live blowtorching show uh okay so I I'm fine with whatever just what like I vote through but we don't have to spend a lot of time analyzing quarters to the championship I I vote get it through but knowing that we're going to do a redraw so we're running through the Finish Line on this show I I because we do get a lot of comments of people wanting a little bit more detail on the first couple rounds you know uh so I think I think ultimately I think it'd be better to blow through like quarters to Championship but maybe spend a little bit more time on the earlies so what basically okay what do you think JW yeah let's do it let's go a good idea all right so blowtorch special next week um great uh but what I will say is that let we're going to do it like we're going to be very conscious like this is fun seeing the matchups for the first time inevitably when we've done these there's like oh no what ver of Nadal um so there will be some of those it will be fun but I do want to reserve the right to actually talk about it seriously from like Quarters on uh once we get there next week and so I guess what we're doing is just adding workload to all of us and as long as we're fine with that I need I need to have that like thing where I can actually get through the quarters we I mean we we got to give the internet their material to roast you when you pick sabinka to win that's fair okay I like that that's fair but I also I just want to make sure that no one's going to be oh [ __ ] we have to go and do a show the qus like when have we ever done that one okay that's fair apparently you've done it before cuz I had a voice for it um okay what are we what are we doing first women's or best's Draw uh let's go let's go women's women's okay so yeah I have I'll show you uh we're shooting this Thursday this is so this draw has been out for a couple hours uh women's draw we're going Women's Draw to go with that first I have not seen the men's draw it is face down in front of me I will not look at it all right women's draw I know the top name before looking is obviously going to be igos fatek oh she plays Debbie qualifier pain yep I thought she got Donna qualifier actually Donna qualifier got it um okay so just looking through quickly I don't like one of the things is like you have to have uh a combination of weapons and form right to to to beat fotc fotch rarely loses to someone who just puts a lot of balls in the court right she rarely loses to someone where she can get into extended rally she rarely loses to someone um if she can get kind of that front foot forward and kind of smother you uh with aggression and uh first seed pav aenova really good player um but I don't see uh I don't see a problem for uh EA through to uh round four so I'm going to go shatek through to the round of 16 no no no no sorry sorry to to to the third round excuse me yeah cuz uh okay so I see this is a big one uh first aha is Mir Andrea and I talked about her a couple days ago or actually yesterday on her show love her game uh just took fian deep at Cincinnati and the thing I liked about Andrea was going in this fiach match she's like I have all the respect in the world for her and also she's a human with emotions and off days and uh she's not immune to everything that we deal with as tennis players which uh you know at 17 18 years old uh I thought was pretty wise um she's inform she has played well uh ooro Ashley Krueger uh Busa Sim sonova um I like Andrea through to round three and I think we have our first like uh Friday or Saturday night match maybe maybe Friday night special depending on when they draw out but uh Andrea and chanch feels like a night match in the third round uh to me uh sorry they are they in the fourth fourth round excuse me sorry sorry guys I'll uh I've read a draw exactly four times before apparently um uh round four sorry excuse me um do you have a pen mine's reason I can't keep it is because it keeps going out thank you all right Andrea I'm not gonna pick that match yet because I actually want to think about it for a second uh moving on Danielle Collins it hasn't been talked about enough this story line that this is actually her last grand slam and she's been you know one of the best hardcore players uh on Earth this year Caroline dolehide a very good player uh ball flight's a little a little loopier a little heavier I just feel like Daniel Collins is going to be able to get inside of the Court uh bka uh Sarah arani who by the way is like still around still playing main draw singles and winning doubles tournaments uh pretty impressive gold medals gold medals exactly oo this is a good one and Schneider third round that's a tough one you know schneid look at Schneider he a top 20 player she was like Schneider and and and North Carolina State tennis 18 months ago I know and she's she's got the Lefty like she can play different styles um that's a that's not that's a hard one I need to think about that one too I'm stuck at Collins and Schneider we'll come back to it uh ktie Bolter qualifier uh Bolter has had a great year um maybe has has been playing as well uh of late oh Ru Sophia Kennan oh couple of major winners Battle of major winners who you just don't know what you're gonna get Rono like we don't know I loved what she was building through Washington and then she decided that you know she wasn't going to play qualies in any of the tournaments which is even stranger when you see someone like Naomi Osaka uh you know put Pride on the side and go play qualies uh in Cincinnati I think uh those of us questioning that decision um maybe felt validated once we see someone like an Osaka go play uh qualifying so we don't know I loved what I loved what robu was building at Wimbledon I love the continuation of that into Washington I think I'm G to go ranu um oh but I don't feel confident in any of it oh rakano Pula second round look who uh yeah look who looms look who Looms in the next match isn't it weird that radak was now so averse to playing qualifiers and the one breakthrough Tournament of her career came when she got all that momentum after having qualified yeah that is weird yeah like I'd want to go I I I I I I say this and we'll never know the we'll never know the truth you can only trust um what I'm telling you which apparently is questionable on on Twitter sometimes but um I I don't know that I would have ever had an ego about going and playing qualies if I had to if anything I would have welcomed the chance to get some reps in where I didn't have to be near perfect to to to win and um I don't know but that's so a song for another day it's it's also interesting that uh you're looking at this first second round section two major winners to play uh the highest seated person in that bracket second round who hasn't been past a grand slam quarterfinal um Raku p news and bad news yeah so I'm gonna go I'm gonna go Pula um she's just been playing great obviously winning in Canada finally in Cincinnati uh I'm going to get over my Wimbledon Scar Tissue pick where I picked her to go really far and it didn't quite work out the way that I wanted it to um I have I'm gonna have Pula in round four over Bolter over well yeah over Bolter I I think I don't think that section is like really strong I don't know who the qualifier is but sure you want some random trivia sure Jessica buus Monero has the all-time greatest tattoo in tennis it's basically sh HHH on her index finger so when she gets heckled she can just go like this are you serious that's actually pretty dope and they Tri man all right and they say this show is for tennis nerds yeah exactly um that's pretty good I like that I like that a lot and it's also like you kind of know your brand like I'm I'm Hey listen I'm the I'm the person that gets booed um anyways that's that's that's a nice little fun fact uh rabaka Caroline Garcia all right I know what I'm doing who do we wait wait wait who do you like in the the Caroline Caroline match maybe yep that's what I'm going Waki she uh she carried me to a loss on Arthur as Stadium this week um I'm going to go I'm going Waki rebaka on the third round and then uh yeah y I'm doing that um okay so the next one's interesting um Hadad Maya AV venison who just in Cleveland today who just she's good that that Armenian now have you know yeah she just she just switch yeah she just switched citizenships from Russia to Armenia cerez TMO Noel all right I like I like Hadad Maya going through but who knows so this is an interesting one like the Ken skaya of things without turning this into like a gossip rag seriously like but and I would I wouldn't mention it unless it like actually there was like an effect to it but like if you're if you're dating someone and you're significant other who you care about and you know are with goes through the biggest like press debacle so Colin skaya is dating yanic sinner that does that have any effect on you a little wait wait wait all right first of all first I'm not sure if going down the gossip Rabbit Hole I think there's some diverging opinions about whether this is still an active relationship but I don't know right and I don't care uh but wait but wait didn't we have this exact conversation at wiblin and I vaguely recall being laughed out of the cubicle for making a Sim I'm sorry wait I think something here I think to something here did sinner did siner announce that he tested positive twice before Wimbledon to did I miss that storyline we had a premise that the offc court fate of your significant other whether it's injury or illness might affect the other player I don't like listen if no wait we literally had this conversation context it it matters what the thing is if it's like the number one story on Earth all right the the premise was that the the offc court prevails of your significant other and the scheduling may affect you all right the scheduling versus is a doping controversy I mean I I see both sides right but but but but I think I think being asked about your significant other you know potentially committing doping issues and then also dealing with the other players analyzing it I think is bigger than than what we were talking about in St out I stay out of the I try to stay out of the gossip Lane but just let's can we google this are we sure there's still a couple I'm not sure that I don't know let me uh let me send let me send te Tech Sean's on let me let me send a quick note to our research Department techy Sean can you look up if K and skaya and CER are still dating he he's he's like 25 he knows where to find the answer okay is he on Tik Tok right now yeah yeah right exactly that's actually what he does you can't see the curtain he just does to dances the whole time all right Ken skaya so I don't like there's a big story listen we won't go I'm taking Ken Sky to round four and Racha is the first one I'm going straight through the quarters I'm going Rob robak quarters objections robak has turned into such a mystery who can either win tournaments and you know your WTA I think she's the eighth leader in all of tennis male and female is that right and she can ride that serve but yeah she also I mean she you know she lost to Lila Fernandez she has these mid tournament injuries and illnesses she's really become quite a mysterious player so if fully healthy I like their pick but she also could you know lose to uh your your sleeper Mertens and it wouldn't be surprising who do you want to pick against the least in this quarter seriously no when people show you who they are believe them when people show you who they are believe them here it comes Mira Andre Mira Andrea man wait a minute you're you're going Andrea over shatek what do you how do we get back to Andrea you said player in this quarter no no sorry uh the Rob oh my bad my bad my b um yeah I think you're right no I think Rob Rob I think you're right so he basically disagreed my pick and then chos it all right all right oh gosh the next the wrong quarter all right AAP Peno oaka you got there we go it's not it's not not quite rough as Vera but that's about as good as it gets huh ye that that Ball's going to get hit I'll tell you that there's not going to be a lot of subtlety in that one we're not going to get the we're not going to get the flowing slices in the Angles and the the change of pace that's not if you if you're if your team Nuance stylistically this one ain't for you um listen I Osaka obviously is the the name value and she's won this tournament uh you know has W four majors and also I tend to put a premium on you know form coming in and I feel like Osaka and she said this much and Cincinnati is kind of searching for it and she kind of made reference to I enjoy that process more than than I used to and there's a certain Beauty in it all that being said I I I think I'm going AAP Peno um in that one what do you what do you think JW why am I wrong uh you're wrong because Naomi is naom no I I I wish I could argue this more forcely I I have so much respect for Naomi Osaka what she's gone through I mean clearly this is not how she would have scripted things but she's playing a lot of tennis she's confronting her her shortcomings and you know I I I can't get that match at R garos out of my head when she lit I mean that was just beautiful tennis for about an hour and came within a point of beating EA and you said oh my gosh if she's coming this close on Clay just wait till hardcourts roll around it just has happened but I still feel like it's going to maybe not even this year but she's just too good a ball Striker and has too much history to just sort of be in this range of sort of 40 to 60 for much longer I if I had to bet which I don't bet uh but if I had to pick I'd probably agree with you AA Peno but I just part of this is colored by how much I respect what Naomi Osaka is going through and how she's confronting it but I just I'm just the results just haven't been there and some players snap their fingers and Presto other players need to build up and I just you know it's it's strange to bet against a two-time champion who's only in her mid 20s in the first round of a major but um I I think I'm with you on AA Penco yeah I I I you know listen I I think it would be more exciting for the tournament if Osaka all of a sudden you know gets all the all the dust off of The Comeback and makes a run to the finals it would be amazing it wouldn't shot me I've you know been on record saying I think she will win and win big again um also I don't think she's favored in in in this particular matchup I wouldn't be surprised if she won I don't think anyone would be um but you got to you got to choose and um you know that is what it is uh I'm going Lila Fernandez AAP Peno third round and then I'm going upset special I'm uh I'm going Lela to around four you going you going go to round four for round four no but I would I would say muha who keep in mind remember when the fan glued themselves to their seats last year when Koko played in the semi-finals yes her opponent in that match parently mova who's had terrible luck with injuries but she's so athletic and such a nice player I wouldn't Overlook her no I think I think Lila is a player to watch and if she honestly if Lea Fernandez who's already beaten um roacha that was last week in Cincinnati already beaten her on Hardcore that's the highest seat in her quadrant I think Leila Fernandez who bear in mind came within two sets of winning this tournament three years ago I think Lila Fernandez could realistically go all the way to the semis oh wow big call um I I don't I I've I kind of expected on the tayl and Lila had some good results at the end of last year um I like that she's kind of reestablished herself in this kind of top 30 role working back towards you know maybe makes it run the top 15 uh by the end of the year and I know we don't get super excited about anything until someone's you know top 10 or top five but credit to her and her team for kind of plugging away and and and getting back I like her in the fourth round uh next session uh next section easy for me to say uh I like Putin saber right now um po o there's some popcorn matches oh how about that there are some popcorn matches you want a crazy one on that palini you want a crazy one so po what we're looking what we're referring to when making the noises is uh andrescu and Pini pow uh first round on the bottom uh bottom line of the top half for the third straight major they played at roll garos went three sets and they played at Wimbledon and palini W in two sets but uh not often you find two players playing each other in three consecutive Majors yeah I don't think I had that one I played I don't think I had that one um okay uh who do you like in that section JW um I got two crazy picks but in this section uh I I kind of am on the Lela for Putin SAA we should point out has beaten both EA and Coco goth this summer yeah that's uh that bodes pretty well but I I I like Lela Fernandez I don't quite trust raka and I've so I'm not sure what AAP Peno Osaka whoever wins that is still it's pretty exhausting first rounder I I don't know I've I'm got some Lea for you know for the the 5 foot 6 inch Lefty um is not necessarily I've got Lea Fernandez into the semis call me crazy okay uh but can you just because we were just talking about it can you tell me about andrescu and palini who do you like moving on I'm assuming whoever you take there is going to be in the third round against Putin SAA I yeah I agree sorry um I gotta go with current form I mean obviously and Rescue five five years ago walked away with a title but she's just had such it's it's a little like Osaka you admire the persistence but the results just haven't been there again I mean they they played these two played at rollos at Wimbledon and now they're meeting for a third time at the third straight major and I'm not sure the result is going to be any different uh okay so you got palini and then Putin SAA palini you have palini or Putin SAA um I think actually Putin sa I think actually Putin SA okay so Putin sa losing to Lila Lila beating raka Lila into the semi-final he just jumped he just jumped ahead uh I'm gonna come back to that but Pini is just like I'm I I gotta kind man okay um all right we we'll come back and I will work my way to the semis on that top half on the bottom half uh Kika against Debbie qualifier uh Bosa interesting of uh oh Taylor Townsen is in there too she's playing great she was another one that I said you don't want to see in the first couple of rounds um okay kikiva BK into round three uh Bosa Bosa Taylor Townsen John wortheim um I think that's heart overhead I think PA Paula Bosa maybe wasn't the second best player in the world when she was ranked number two but she's also way better than her ranking has suggested recently and she's she has the title in DC uh it's a tough draw for Taylor Townson because I think she could do a lot of damage but I I'm not sure I would think I gotta go with Bosa to get through that one that's a tough tough second round match this is probably bad I just value current form so much um especially with players who have had an extended runup which are uh few and far between uh with the Olympics being the summer I'm going BEDA in round four and I have like this weird thing where I need to apologize to CRI OFA because I need to give the proper respect for what she's just accomplished and the player that she is um I am going to go Bosa into round four uh next section Azarenka uh do you like uh Kika Bosa uh I think I gotta go with Kika on that one I just think the winner of the previous major got to come with some weight yeah I don't disagree with you I don't I don't even like my own picks um okay uh Azarenka in the section with Saker and do it 15c Applause for Victoria zarena who is still a top 20 seed closer to age 40 than she is to age 30 ABD she's so good she's just she's three time finalist she's so tough she's just so tough she just gets into every match uh we're going to have two former champions in the second round God there are a lot of good matchups on the women's side aren't there like one of the good things about like uh a tour being super deep as far as ability is is you get these popcorn matches I mean Azarenka and Steven second round like that feels like a night match Lou Armstrong is something I mean that's a that's a big matchup who do you like who do you like there JW I think asanka um I'm a big fan of SLO personally but I mean she's she's not even the top 50 anymore I mean just the wheels have kind of come off the tennis a little bit Yeah and Clara Burell um beat Jess Pula in Australia and that's who Sloan plays first round in um at the USA open so that's something to watch out for as well I like Azarenka into round three look at this next section sakur is sakur getting to round three uh that's that's asking a lot um I'm going to play the percentages and say no I'm going to go with since they're okay this is easy for me this is obvious JW this is so obvious so obvious what do you got I have Wong in round three against Azarenka okay and the only and that makes total sense because uh there are two Wongs at line 78 and 79 so I've double the chance if I just write Wong in so I have Wong losing to Azarenka and Azarenka going to round four I have Bosa Azarenka I'm gonna go bedossa I just have like a weird I think she just found form it's kind of all upside there's something about like a comeback Trail where like the wind's behind you she's not dealing with like expectation set that she did when she was two in the world I have Bosa in the quarters I'm guessing you're going to go Ozarka to the quarters oh no you had Kika yeah yeah yeah all right Kika JW all right uh next section Emma novaro uh blinkova not easy Bon and K I like kti too uh I'm going ovaro in through to round four any objections to that John wor time um Marta kuk we have a soft spot for all the Ukrainian players but I don't think she beats em Navaro I think uh I'm with you I think you're right look back toback ukrainians but uh no em Naro moves on you're right gosh it's weird when you play these out and you do like you don't just pick semi-finalist and finalist but you actually go through match by match and then you're stunned by what you've done right it's it's insane okay so this next one I I I don't I don't like doing it um you know all cards on the table I have a bias towards Coco um but I still have to try to be um objective uh I like fidelina to round three I like Coco to round three I think I like SPID Alina to round four really oh man I was gonna say I think yeah we we all know Koko's had her struggles lately but you sure can't complain about that draw no I mean that's yeah and then it's like Navar I mean I I don't concerned with the Wimbledon rematch I'd love to be wrong I just again I value current form and I think coko is searching she would probably tell you she's searching I'm sure I haven't talked to Brad in you know a month um but I got to think they know that um I I don't know that I can put Koko through to the quarters um yeah when we were when sea and I were walking around we saw Koko and Billy Jean like up on stage and I know I know a little bit of it's a canned answer but I was shocked at like kind of the answer she gave about going into this feeling like you know what I just want to be like happy and satisfied like you know I I won last year and I want to just enjoy myself and like you know that's not really something you like hear from um I just thought it was a interesting answer but maybe it's a reset right maybe it's a mental reset yeah I don't know I I what I do know is that it was easy to choose her last year because when WIS were behind her she was playing grade she she just hasn't found it she's she's and it's all when I say this it's the great players which I consider Co a great player okay she is in that category where she can play like she's Pro she would probably tell you she's had an average year and she's seated three at the US Open right like she's that caliber Talent player etc etc and also you know great players they go through stages where they're searching for it and you know when she is searching for it specifically um the the how you approach going after her game is pretty straightforward if she's not you know on um so I don't think she's gonna make the quarters I'm going Navaro through in that quarter uh John wor time you have Coco through that quarter um I do Navaro uh I have a lot of we you know been a it's been a great year she's won a lot of matches she's never won a match at the US Open and I mean it is interesting that's you know we remember the Navaro Coco match from Wimbledon we make it a re we might well get a rematch of that if if seeds hold but uh this is an interesting quarter huh it it is um okay so BOS we'll go back to that oh my gosh there are so many big matches first queen W and Sova God there are a lot of good matches on the women's side man it's like you couldn't put the uh that's the big that's that's that's opening night on ash by the way I'm just telling you that right now Queen W and Anna Sova that has to be it has to be the first women's night match where or second one depending on if they play Monday Tuesday Wednesday whatever it is that's a massive match what who are you choosing there my audio is not so good here so uh my my audio is not so good but is that the upset alarm I'm hearing I don't I don't know yet I was hoping upset bells ringing I was hoping you were gonna sell tell us about someone's random tattoos so I could buy time to think about it I'm gonna say I'm picking upset here you're going an Sova now in the top 50 the Mojo's back uh I like G MOA to win this match guys she well I mean okay so I'm looking through the rest of that section if you're taking her to win that match then you're taking her through to the fourth round since you put it that way yes right I mean I'm just I'm just looking like I don't know who I don't know who I'm gonna choose with Queen W and Anna Sova but I know whoever I do choose I'm going to put in round four I'll tell you that yeah those are the two best those are the two best players in that pocket so whoever wins that match it's a brutal first rounder but whoever wins it is uh got some nice nice Runway Anna Sova was my number one sleeper pick and not really sleeper because she's been in form but uh I think I'm going to go uh I'm going Queen W through to round four you go back on your sleeper pick huh no it's just but like listen I could have I could have match up and well no it's not even mat match up it's just like I my sleeper on I haven't looked at the men's draw yet my sleeper in the men's side is bartini but I'm not going to pick him over Novak just because he's my my sleeper pick so sorry like I you know I I know what I said but I'm not going to like I just if they play this match 10 times I like I think I like Queen WI six of them can't wait for you see the men's draw then oh really yeah exactly are there are there some good ones are there some good ones yes I love it I love tennis all right uh great um okay veic oo veic kid Kina all right I'm I'm looking through veic qualifier in in frh uh pton Sterns I love pton Sterns um Christi uh veic is round four for me yep you like that same okay yeah we uh yep it's been a nice summer for Donna vage um okay oh Maddie Keys got a rough draw too she was one of oh she's a pick too syaka Keys first round that's rough huh that's a tough one and Maddy got hurt at Wimbledon she she has she played since she hasn't played since has she there Head to Head let's let me I don't know let's let's call the research Department let's see their head-to head man this one no head tohe head for Madison that doesn't really tell us much I mean I know what I'm doing right now I'm I'm just five years ago it's amazing when you haven't filled out even the matchups and you already have your semi-finalist from that that half or that quarter I've literally had the first one I wrote in was that that quarter um okay yeah mdy MADD Keys played uh one match and didn't get through it in Canada I love Maddie also that injury was like rough at Wimbledon yeah um she is someone who plays well when she has matches behind her um to be dangerous I'm I don't like doing it because I love Maddie but here we are um sakova I mean I think I'm I think I'm GNA put sakova into the fourth round just because like I'm pretty sure she's going to be able to walk by week two or serve I I I don't know what to do with this section it's this is a this is this is not a good one and and and I don't think it's going to matter um was going to say because my Uber favorite for the tournament um probably like my most confident I'll say this but hopefully she doesn't pull out three hours after we film this uh I I have sabalenka through to the final um we can go through that section but I'm not going to I'm going sabalenka uh sabalenka over I have sabalenka over Navaro in the semis on the the bottom half uh of the draw um I have Queen W or veic that's a tough one um ah I'll go Veet just because I'm gonna hedge that bet on Ana simova in case Ana simova loses then I have hedged it with a vage call to the quarters does that make sense um okay so I this is a uh this is an Olympic just just to be clear this is the Olympic gold medal match being replayed and you think there's a different winner yes but not because so this is like a weird thing and I know this is a little bit of word salad but I think it has some value uh I don't I I'm like Queen W has the toughest first round draw I think in the entire tournament um I'm choosing her to go to the fourth round but I'm choosing Vex to go to the quarters in case I get that first one wrong I still have hope uh I have like a hedge fund kind of yeah this is like this is this is what we do this is why no other analysts do a live show because you end up doing stupid [ __ ] like I just did uh I like saena threw on the bottom half let's let's go and fill in the top half um I'm not I I love Andrea I want to make this call and I think you slipped and told us your pick earlier I'm going EGA through to the quarters I think you're ready are you do I hear the alarm hear the alarm that sound like a that sound like a backing up like like a dump truck yeah right you clearly been spend some time in New York we need to let me make a note we need Hy Anda is not Andrea is charging forward are you piing Andrea to the quarters I am I am I don't I like that I like that you did that because I wanted to but I didn't so here we are all right so we need Colin Schneider all right well I'm gonna make this I'm gonna do my hedge again I'm going old hedgy M I'm going to pick Collins cuz um I want her to come on the show more often when she's retired agreed great uh the good reason the good reason to pick someone through in a draw all right yeah here we are uh Pula her she's got blisters and her arms falling off are you taking are you taking and she's a good guest are you taking Andrea over oh sorry are you taking Pula to the quarters or are you taking Colin Schneider to the quarters can't believe I'm saying this I'm I'm picking uh no Pula to the quarters okay and I think he meets her fade at the hands of teenager you have in drava through to the semis he's really good I know I know smart she it's a bigger ball and people think I know I I'm not I'm not mad at you I'm I'm like jealous that you actually have the Satchel to do this level of Courage all right I and also I'm kind of digging in on what I messed up at Wimbledon like have you noticed that I'm gonna put Pula through to the semis and I also have sabalenka still in the draw I think Pula for you it's been like a major you've picked her she dropped out early you picked against her she went yeah I she this this is going to be the rubber I just know like in I just know I was with you know I talked with her a bunch when you know at the beginning of the year she was trying to figure out some coaching stuff and you know sweet and I just really believe in her I I think she's going to make a run past the quarters of a slam she's too good of a player not to so maybe this is heart over brain but the brain is also telling me that she uh had the best post Wimbledon hardcore run of anyone on Earth um men or women by the way um so uh Pula threw to the semi-finals uh for me so neither one of us took the number one player in the world the seminal first one good on the women's side I have I just you look at look at her form off play look at look at what she has done we're talking about EA obviously look look at what EA's done yeah whether it was back on the clay of the Olympics whether it was at wimon whether it was losing handily I mean that match against sabala was deceptively close and it was 636 it could have been a lot worse um she is not coming in here playing and swaggering like a number one player yeah I agree with you okay so you have this is amazing John wor time what you've done you've got yourself in knots right now Anda what I I was gonna say what am I very so this is honestly like we this is a fun thing you should sit around with your friends and go through a draw match by match because then the results are completely different than me going ah you know I don't know like raka sabalenka which sounds fine on its surface right but then you kind of get yourself into a little bit of a spot and so John wor are you taking Andrea or Leila Fernandez to the finals because those that's what you have left what have I done with myself I feel like my new bow here what what have I uh I feel like inside joke what have I done here oh no oh no oh no should I tell I can't tell that too damn it guys you have to give permission they're holding me back from telling you the funniest story that you've ever heard right now can't we can't have HR called twice in one episode too twice in one episode okay uh and you don't know CU we edited no you didn't you what do you mean it's gonna be the longest show ever because I'm just going to keep saying it how much can you edit all right Andrea Lea Fernandez John woron what are you doing I have mea Andrea into the final of the 2024 US Open I this is going to be this is going to be so cool if you're right um I have Pula I have Pula all right Pula over raka into the final and then I can't do it there I am so I think this was my final at Wimbledon maybe uh sabalenka hopefully one of the two makes it past the second round because I had one between my two finalists at wimon I had them win one match between them um obviously saena wasn't in the tournament are you taking Andrea to win the tournament John no no come on oh that would crazy only six rounds I only have winning 12 sets not 14 I think who can do abs in six minutes exactly all right so you have you have sabalenka over mea and draa in the final sabalenka winner so we haven't agreed on much but we both agree on sabalenka winning this tournament I have her over Jess Pula that is a rap on the women's draw I hope there's not as much Carnage as there was for us at Wimbledon cuz that was bad that was really bad it's going to be great I Men's Draw don't know if it will be like when when 30 women can win the tournament it's really hard to choose two like it just it just is this is exciting this is okay men's draw let's go to break first let's go to break first we'll be right back on served Producer Mike I am telling you our live shows have been a blast can't wait for the next one but I'm seriously missing my Brook linen per kale sheets man I mean you know that feeling when you get to crash after a long day those sheets are just like sliding into your favorite crisp button down cool comfy oh they're just they're just perfect I mean guys he seriously has not stopped talking about these sheets why would I stop talking about them seriously it's it's not just the sheets like the kind of it's like the whole setup like the hardcore bundle comes with everything like a fitted sheet a flat sheet a duvet cover four pillowcases it's like they know I'm a pillow hog I'm just saying it's like Brooklyn and designed this bundle just for me so do you do you wants to cancel our US Open plans in New York you want to cancel all the New York plans that's not realistic as tempting as that is let's stick it out but Chuckers I'm telling you Brook linen is dialed they've got 20 plus colors and patterns so you can mix and match to your heart's content wait is it is that what you're were doing on your phone earlier I thought you were looking at scores were you no no no never never never just lining up another hardcore bundle and you should too Mike either visit in store online at brooklyn.com that's b r o o k l i nen.com and get 15% off your first order today do it welcome back to sered presented by Chase uh just went through the women's draw quick recap John wortheim has sabalenka over Mera Andrea she will play Grand Slam finals is this the moment where she plays her first Grand Slam final we shall see I have sabalenka over Jess Pula I am trying to win back my tortured Wimbledon predictions on the women's side uh with that final uh we will see let's get onto the men's side so I am flipping it over for the first [Music] time yanx Center man we haven't heard much about him going into this tournament have we yeah what's he been up to this week under the radar right didn't didn't I get one Cincinnati yeah what was he up to before that Qui quite well lost in the quarters to rublev in Canada but okay he lost to but he but he played twice in one day all right let's so let's do this uh Center uh Mackey love Mackey I think Center's gonna win uh Alex mikkelson I also like Alex Mickelson Center's gonna win um okay I have Center uh through to the fourth round any objections to that I Stan while rinka uh Wild Card Champion but like yeah I mean Center through to the fourth are we any objections do we think the weight of the week is going to weigh on him heavily enough to not have him in the fourth round no but it will be a bigger story than his tennis do we agree with that yeah I don't think it's gonna knock him out of the tournament but I think it will Define his week one yeah well what I think it does is like I mean that's a good point but what I think it does is I think there's a buildup of everything right like if you stay on the court and you have two five Setters in the first week you pay that bill at some point like you need to get off the court in straight sets at some point to give yourself that recovery time all of the questions asked so you will see this after siner has given his press conference I think I think he's scheduled for Friday so uh we will see what he says but just having to answer and whatever questions he answers on Friday sure as [ __ ] as soon as he comes off the court after his first match he's going to be asked all those questions again it's going to be as if no one heard his answer the first time um and and rightfully so I mean these are these this is this is a big story mistakes were made um so you got to kind of have have to live with with your reality and and kind of sit in it uh you know for him I I I thought you know I I I I don't know that I would have been offended by a small suspension um even even if you know the story is corroborated and at least makes sense as far as I understand uh what I've been told I'm obviously not an expert in uh the complete testing process now uh Andor uh the drug and how it can kind of stick around and all all of those things but I do think there is a buildup effect for CER I just don't think it's going to affect him uh before round four research can we just just 30 30 second riff here yeah um we're gonna hear a lot about oh he's you mark my words on the commentary they're gonna say oh now he's gonna test Battle of the day he's gotta con you know he's got to confront the media Corps oh the Press is gonna Badger him would wouldn't it be weird if there were press conference and he wasn't asked about it I mean isn't it kind of appropriate and kind of expected that he would have to answer some questions it doesn't mean he's going to be given unfair questions it doesn't mean her but wait till you see the buildup it's going to say oh now he goes into the Press Room and the Jackal are gonna try to I mean it would be really odd if a player had this set of circumstances and the questions were about his break points converted like you kind of want him to oh sure have this sure I'm I'm I mean you guys are listen to show I'm like I I can't shake like my Pro Player bias most of the time right like that's that's where I live okay just you know I think John and I it's it's it's like we we kind of you know I'm fascinated by his side I think you know we're on different sides of the coin but we find a lot of Middle Ground often right but absolutely like there's no there there's no issue with him having to deal with the reality of the situation he didn't get suspended so that anything past that is a win like very very frankly like that's a that's a huge win right um he's still number one in the world they didn't take like if they would taken the points away and retroactively Novak would have had another week at number one there's there there's a lot of layers to this whole whole thing if you tell Center that okay you're not suspended you pay a fine maybe some points and then you know you have to deal with the Fallout publicly he's going great no suspension okay best case scenario so I yeah you have to listen I'm I'm like Pro Player I'm on the player side it's my lived reality and also if I was in that press conference and no one asked it I think I would have to ask it like I'll never you'll never see me ask a question in a press conference in the entirety of Earth but like yeah I mean we we do have to deal with reality regardless of what our opinion is on the side if you're a you know I don't think it's a two-year thing like some people have said I think that's you know wacky um but you know if it was a three-month thing I I would feel kind of the same like I'm like I I get it like I understand that NOP like I get it you know it sucks for him I don't know that there was an intent behind it I'll never know for sure but that's just my feeling feeling um but also like he has to there mistakes were made by his team he's the CEO of his team he's going to have to deal with it like he has to he has to deal with it anyways uh long way of saying CER in round four uh Arthur Fe and learner T that's that's fun uh tian's been playing well Young American uh Lefty lost to Francis TFO has played in this main draw before I think he won kamazo last year and so he got direct entry and then had to play Francis um I'm not going to pick him over fees give me something you want a trivia question what player has won the most tournaments in uh what what male player has won the most Pro tournaments this year what male player Carlos alar has but no lner teen has won five I mean these are not this guy I mean all right so all right but this guy's won a lot saying who's leading baseball and homers and then like picking someone from the Birmingham uh out my point is he's he's won he's won a lot of matches he's a fun player to watch he's not a big kid a lefty he's a teenager still he's actually younger than his opponent who is seated Arthur Fe I don't think he's going to win that match but uh props toer our team that's that's my roundabout way of saying let's let's give this kid some credit for winning a lot of matches in a lot of tournaments this year he's earned his way keep an eye on him he's earned his way some wild cards you look at and it's like me that was okay that's a gift he I think he listen you don't really earn a wild card because like the only way you earn direct entry is to be top 104 and get in but um as far as earning wild cards go uh you can can make the argument for him very very easily has done a great job uh in the last year going from someone who you felt like it was a complete reach winning Juniors and then you felt like he was playing over his level um when he got in the US Open last year I don't think that's the case uh now I don't think he's going to beat Arthur fe uh and then as we go through Max Purcell vukich uh Sono Tommy Paul I have Tommy Paul in the fourth round against Center Center chicken dinner how do we feel about that me me too okay me too next section looks like sitap and FAA uh sspas I like through to the third round cocono is where is Coria um meni FAA is a is it wa wait what I think you got that you doesn't sitas plays konakis yeah that's what I'm saying I'm just reading like the I'm just reading the names through out loud I think sitas gets through to the third round got um and then I think I'm going to take FAA I'm taking FAA to round four assuming no opponent Shanks of vol into the ground to win a match exactly but we have replay right by the way that yesterday sure as [ __ ] guess who I walked past right in the locker room this morning at like 7:15 a.m. after I had said he definitely just buried a shank right into the ground all week Young Jack Draper Draper couldn't have been nicer he's like hey man how are you I'm like oh that's nice okay the show wasn't released yet yeah right so I automatically go he was like oh hi how are you I'm like oh definitely not a listener exactly nothing against he did nothing wrong he did not cheat he did not do anything wrong and also uh I would suspect he knew that he drilled it into the ground which that's not his call to make it's not his job that's not his job he has enough to do so anyways moving on uh uh do you have FAA or sit AAS in round four if I'm not taking liberties with those two I'm I'm uh I have FAA but I'm I'm thinking konakis may win this match sitas is very up and down does not necessarily play well at the US Open he doesn't um I I kind of like the other guy with the Greek surname um to win that first round match okay I don't um but you can be I guess it doesn't matter because we both have fa going to round four um I I I like sits boss getting through just because um I just think he's more reliable and consistent but we'll see I mean I I don't hate the call I think on any fast surface I think he's risk if someone has weapons and konaka certainly uh has weapons um okay next section 31 in the world uh Duckworth Bergs kod off marosan Lovich okay you know how I said I was concerned I was really like concerned about meddev in his form coming in he had lost three hardcore matches in a row for God knows how long you want me to sh you want me to tell you how concerned I am about that yeah yeah I'm winning the tournament he's I'm putting him through to the quarters um D is there anything you would like to talk about in that section of meev or I I think he's just too good and I think I I think when someone is that good and that consistent three out of five sets does them a favor like I'm I I'm not worried about him figuring out a way to get through a couple matches and then I think it's normal for him um but I don't know we'll see I just I just I just think he's such a great player y the finalist last year who beat alcarez the semis and of course and of course won this event three years ago um yeah I mean it's it's been a it's been a rough summer for him the serve stats I mean his serve is like a work in regress his his serve is like gets worse month to month but uh I like your point about best of five too I I think he's just he's he's too good off the ground and uh yeah I have him through to the quarters who do you have Center Tommy Paul in round four Center who do you have who do you have Center me again CER to the semis you have I have meev to the semis this is where we talk about like the buildup I think it's going to be a stressful 10 11 days and then you go up against meev who if he gets to the quarters right meev is gonna be different in the quarters than he will be in round one when he's trying to find something he will play his way into this event if he gets to the quarters he's going to be fine like it's it's like riding a bike for him he finds that gear it's comfortable um I don't know I just think there's going to be buildup with Center at some point I think Mev is is fresh um but for a different reason you know he hasn't won any matches which is rare to say about him on any service but especially hardcore I have meev in the semis all right next section alcaraz qualifier shapovalov then Isen diak Costa and the aforementioned uh Jack Draper who's tall man walk past him today he's he's 6'4 he feels like he I mean he's a tall 6'4 he's a he's an imposing figure big big dude um but big dude who I think's going to lose in the third round to chuckster um any reason why Carlos alarz isn't in round four John wor time do you want to shock the world right now well uh he's not playing a 37 year old so that's a good sign because he's lost his last two matches to uh to those guys and keep in mind uh Draper has beaten Carlos alarz this Summer that was on grass no I I think our uh I think our 2022 Champion is going to be just fine for the first week yeah and I all joking aside because I I think this rules thing with Draper and FAA was like you know whatever it was a huge story but I didn't I'm not mad at anyone like I mad at the rule and the lack of Common Sense from the rules committee but I I I generally like J Jack draber I'm I'm a fan of his game I think he can do a lot to bother a lot of people you know that Lefty serve he's pretty athletic I think he's you know where he was he's also quietly gone from someone who was 50 60 in the world who all we talked about was potential to now I'm solidly in the top 30 I'm there a lot of weeks I'm winning matches consistently I think he's done a really nice job I also think the extended format um he has been prone to to cramping in in longer formats so um for those reasons I think it's a tough matchup I think there are a lot of guys that Carlos alcarez would much rather play on a fast surface um but I'm not going to bet against caros alcaraz three out of five sets in this matchup so I had the chuckster through uh to the fourth round uh going down to the next O next section is fun uh tabilo Goan chich manarino uh that's a that could be a draw from like 2014 minus too fog Nini I saw fog Nini yesterday he has like bleach blonde white hair walking just walking around still just like not in a hurry to get anywhere like I was behind him in the hallway I'm like [ __ ] I felt like I went in a Time Warp where I just wanted him to walk faster cuz I was behind him so it could have been like 200 anyways I had a good chat with Fabio I've always I've always gotten along with him uh foni mahat M Corda m is going to make that first round match against an American an absolute circus I'll just tell you that right now but also Corda when he can has time and can hit returns he's going to square up a lot of returns I had uh dinner before we went on uh sing with that one of my best friends and old coaches Dean goldine um is kind of helping he's kind of helped uh Seb for for a while now if pops can't go Dean hangs on so he's going to you know be with them but had a sat down and you know had a a meal with Peter and Sebastian and Dean and uh he's just so qu is so laidback he was on at like 7 and at like 6:46 we're just sitting there talking he like oh okay well I'm gonna go down I'm I'm on here I'm like well you're playing the thing tonight he's like yeah like I don't know I just like him I think he's I like it he's he's kind of like he's just cool um I like Corda through um to round four no disres respect to Dilo I just think on this surface um it'll be very interesting what do you what do you thinking John war time I'm off the Chileans man um yeah exactly um to feel is good though I think yeah no I have Al I'm looking at my draw I have uh there's some sort of tricky matches in here manoro is really struggled he he's barely what matches but um I think uh I have alcarez I have alcarez Corda in the round of 16 same who do you like in that matchup I mean it's the one where like it wouldn't shock you quarter plays great against the top players beating meddev at the Aussie open but also it's like you can't you can think he's in with a shot and really like his it wouldn't shock but like are you going to choose him straight up against alcaraz at a major like not at this point right right yeah but I love sebie C also he he whatever uh you know you know we always say about Francis there's sort of this transference of energy and he's feeding off the crowd and they're feeding off him and that is not Court of Vibes so I can see people say well it's an American this could be a big match on you know Sunday Labor Day at the US Open Sebastian corter does not strike me as the kind of player who's really going to get amped playing in front of 25,000 American fans um so I I would take that variable out of the equation I just think honestly I I just think alcar is too good I mean cord's got a lot of game and a lot of athleticism and there flashes where he looks like this guy could win Majors but I just best of five against the chuckster I um I gotta go chalk here yeah he uh but chuckster hasn't really played well this summer though he's kind of struggled to Majors you know hasn't really figured it out um oh yeah yeah hasn't hasn't played great it struggled at roling gals when he was winning he's overhyped don't you know he's he's overhyped yeah played a play a played a average match against Novak to beat him two2 and six in the finals of wimon right um okay so Carlos through the quarters uh next section I have demon and the herk locker um in the fourth round uh any objections to that apologies to arnaldi who I think actually that's an interesting one that deserves a conversation arnaldi her arnaldi is done a great job by the way he was one I remember watching him last year in Rome and he was one of those guys who got a wild card who was 100 um he wins matches all the time like he wins a lot of tennis matches he's good um who do you like through in the to the quarters in the demon herot section hatching off still sneaky in there as well he's been to the semis of the US Open before I have I have a bad feeling about demon I mean that that injury at Wimbledon and he has not played a singles match since that that injury at wimon was no joke and his reaction suggested this was really serious I just best of five against Gro who will make you hit a lot of balls I I have a bad feeling about that I I like Marcus Goman this is more a function of uh the demon is at all compromise this is his first singles match since wimon I I think he played doubles at the Olympics but didn't barely could walk I mean bad bad vibes here I gotta say um and then uh yeah her don't you feel like uh herot read about Novak's doctor healing that knee and and sort of herot's doctor said hold my what polish beer what so I actually this guy wrenched his knee and had the meniscus thing so you're you're literally saying the same things that uh Novak didn't take credit for it but I I told I talked to Novak about uh his knee yesterday uh in the locker room and I I was just like like man I'm telling you like I I was stunned um about the recovery and he's like well you know and he he was like very you know pragmatic he just said you know I I I it's been done he said Fritz did it he goes more recently herot came back a lot quicker from uh a similar uh operation um and he's like I you know for me it was like fit it's kind of what we talked about like the fitness won't be there and you know he was like I'm he he was less impressed with himself than maybe we are um I and you know credit to him but he was he was very pragmatic about it talked about it and he mentioned her cutch as well uh coming back from the same injury and actually playing pretty well um in Canada but he said the knee is the knee is great um you know he's still cautious about it but um not something he thinks about on on every movement but um you know he he he kind of underplayed it a little bit to me um but anyways I like uh I like herot through quarters I like the chuckster through uh to the semis uh meddev and alcarez you go first uh I've got C alcaras Sim sorry I have me alarz uh you have CER alcarez go yeah uh no I have I have alcarez beating Center I won't I won't spoil it but yeah no I have alcarez winning this half of the draw I do too I have alcarez over meev uh in the semis it's it's funny it's like a lot less upsets on the men's side uh or or I sorry yeah a lot less upsides on the men's side I feel like they're I don't know it's it feels like the the like dissecting women's draw right now is like the wild west and on the men's side I feel like they're just a more like consistently predictable players well let's get to the back half after this break right and let's get to the back half after this break thanks for listening to served presented by Chase you chase the perfect match wherever you are in The Game of Life Chase is here to support your goals just like they have supported the US Open for 43 years and counting find out how you can make more of your Us open at chase.com usopen welcome back to serve presented by Chase uh top half of the draw uh we both have alarz in the final I have him beating meddev uh wortheim has him beating cner so we both have the chuckster in the final we're really going out on a limb there choosing the guy who's won two majors this this guy hasn't won I so I passed I pass alcaraz in the hallway and by the way he like the nicest like his energy is like it's this big friendly energy all the time and it was just so much fun like all these Legends are in the same room and it's just fun to like see how they all interact and um some know each other well some don't and so alarz walks away and he says something another thing I'm like and he said something to Caroline like oh don't you know don't double follow something just you know General heckling before you got in play an X I said Caroline don't listen to him he doesn't want to he doesn't want to in weeks and he looked back he looked back he started laughing I talked to uh I talked to J I had a nice little conversation with ju Carlos also who basically was just like this has been the most amazing summer like I don't even know how to qualify it like he's just like you know but then in C like so typical of f real he's like but now we have to focus again like okay so great go that's a super ego he let himself laugh for about 4 seconds and then he was like but now we have to focus again I was like it was funny he was more interested in talking about golf than winning two majors um anyways all right wait wait let me ask a quick question quick question real quick did did you what what did you notice physically about Carlos when you saw him I'm just curious you had the same reaction that so many of us has yeah he's he's jacked he's like big I mean he's he's like significantly big but do you think what were you gonna say like he's I think he's taller than he gets represented he gets presented as like a small dude but like he's he's not tall but I think he's like kind of physical oh wait I I was going to say the I was going to say the opposite you see him on TV and you think he's like this even like he's not your size I mean Novak's got you watch them when they shake hands with the net I mean Novak has four inches on this guy and he hits a huge ball and he's a great athlete you think oh it's another one of these like Mar sappin like no no I mean I don't think he's six feet tall well what I think he is well either way we're arguing over like an inch or half an inch but what what I will say an what I will say is that like he is physically like I thought he's like he's imposing he doesn't feel tiny you know I think I think I think in in 2002 you wouldn't even mention the fact that he's not tall because the the just the tours have grown so much since then and everyone's 6' s like 6' s was like like Mark Ros who had a bomb serve and and couldn't move two steps in either direction hashtag no offense um you know so but like he's just I don't know I I think he I think he is built um but yeah he's not he's not yeah I mean he that's not an opinion what you just said you know Novak is 6'4 and Alor is borderline 6 feet but I I think he's right when you can run the way that that solves for a lot of issues and create that racket speed that's I think it's good it speaks well of tennis I just think um this this is not some hulking monster anyway let's let's move on shall we he he's kind of like the antidote to the general trend of like like super long string beans being bendy and being able to play defense right he's this like Dynamo compact guy that just creates all the speed you know what I have a good trivia question for you that we're going to use at the SE Port when we do it and so so an inside listener if they if they remember this trivia question okay who is the last player to win the US Open on the men's side under six feet I mean my mine went to Agy but I don't know if there's oh no no no no no agy99 is probably Leon hwit John let me let me think yeah hu or was it alcarez is he listed under six feet no it's Leon huitt [ __ ] yeah cuz alcar is listed at 6 feet right yeah yeah it was H I lost to him that year inside knowledge lost him in five sets that year in the quarters okay let's get to the bottom half of the draw uh we'll get you more info on the the live show next week in New York at South Street seport oh sorry no oh sorry it's the Rooftop at Pi rooftop definitely not it's definitely not the same thing as South Street seport it's not it's definitely not what Pier 17 used to be named what is it now yeah it's the Rooftop at Pier 17 presented by our friends at Chase Rooftop at Pier 17 uh presented by Chase and special guest we haven't had any non-tennis people on seal it's G be great he's the best and I guarantee you he's listening he is like super fan I me it's he's the coolest he's like my energy Mentor definitely slow dance to kiss from a rose oh God you remember that like just trying to make out to kiss from Rose trying so hard so hard to make out oh still trying he's you guys are going to be stunned he's like the nicest person ever anyways um okay so seal will be with us at uh rooftop 7even Pier seven Rooftop at Pier 17 that's it it's the one tickets are available chase.com UHS Sapphire experiences bam check it out there we go what would I do without you uh okay uh let's get to the bottom half of this draw um because I haven't seen my kids in two days so let's let's do this real quick uh Casper Roode qualifier bublick um I don't know I can't trust bck like he can upset anyone but he can also I mean I'm going to go rude just based on like consistency to round four do we have any objections to that Gail m round two maybe maybe yeah little Gail M choose are you GNA choose M over Roode right now I mean he could win but are you gonna choose him yeah no I mean former finalist Casper rude but has not uh set the world on fire lately but yeah I think he's through to the middle weekend oh this next one's tough okay um Umar is the seed in this section Taylor Fritz is the seed in this section and friend of the show Matteo bartini so bartini Fritz second round is Fritz um this is so stupid what I'm about to do God this is stupid Fritz is want a match by the way in Canada and Cincy like post Olympics hasn't won match on hard courts um this is so stupid it's literally this is what I'm talking about like this is you make you choose a sleeper and then you feel like you have to make something happen with that sleeper I hate what I'm about to do I love it I know you do all right so coming on our podcast will get you all sorts of Praise PR much Daniel Daniel Collins rais the trophy now this is what I'm about to do is so dumb so stupid and I think did didn't rude did rude beat bartini when he made final yes in the semis I think I think he did yeah I think bar bar betinis made the semis here twice if I if I if I'm remembering correctly okay um [ __ ] all right bartini threw to round four oh all right what do you what do you what do you like JW you like Fritz in that one you know I'm kind of I'm a little bit down on Fritz and Majors there just been I mean he's coming off a a nice run at Wimbledon where he beats ver but they kind of didn't really have it against the MTI I I think that pick is not as crazy as you're cracking it up to be and you're right uh you're right Casper did beat yeah bartini in straight sets in in 2022 but um yeah I I I don't know best of five might be a factor in this I I don't think that's the craziest pick though I mean I don't you don't need to apologize for that one great uh are you but you didn't you didn't make your I'm not making it but I but I'm applauding your courage and I don't think it's crazy so you like I think I think Fritz probably gets I like Fritz to the quarters Fritz to the you like Fritz to the quarters okay FR I'm struggling with this bartini rude matchup um it's so weird because we never give rude enough credit ever and then all of a sudden he makes deep runs and slams like all the time um I'm going he he lost he lost three in one in ciny rude yeah yeah he's always played he's played he's always played pretty terribly there um I'm going uh [ __ ] it uh I'll go bartini quarters my God what am I good man um okay uh hogar Runa this is a tough one this another sleeper pick Runa and Nakashima Nakashima was one of my little float Meo um I I don't think I can do it on like a I can't pick I can't pick him against Runa who just played and Runa I kind of go with momentum he played pretty well in Cincy like he beat our guy bartini there um if Runa had been on one of Cu he's he's pretty hot and cold he's pretty streaky like when he wins he wins in bunches and when he loses he loses in bunches at least to this point in his career uh I'm going Runa in that one but that's not a draw that he probably wants to see um o MTI opela that's not one that is comfortable for MTI um who do you like in this section Runa and MTI section yeah I'm I'm I'm with you that that Nakashima Runa looks tasty on paper but I think uh Runa had a nice Cincinnati I mean yeah you he's had a crazy year and a lot of churn but he's also guy's won more than 30 matches and I think his for is pretty good I I don't like opela best of five I like him a lot more best of three given his given his durability these days um who do you have in round four there but yeah what this is this is a weird little pocket uh I guess I guess Huna by process of elimination we said he's had a nice summer bronze medal at the Olympics as well but uh different surface yeah I agree I I have Runa in round four and it feels like a it yeah I have Runa in round four um yeah okay uh cundo of section oh that's a that's a that's this is a good sleeper one uh pericard and eer um I I like yeah I okay I'm going um in this section I'm going ET a very into the third round Producer Mike apparently doesn't agree um I'm as I'm ver through to the fourth round in this section objections and have you ever seen a player who conducts himself with more self-confidence and then sort of retreats in pressure moments it's such a strange dichotomy with ver of this guy loses close matches like as a matter of I mean yeah there's always a weird there's always a weird thing with that though like I asked is weird I I got approached by a journalist one time and they're like well in big matches your ex and then your ex I'm like okay so you count when I lose in the round of 16 as a big match but you don't count any match I win in the round of 16 is a big match and it he was basically like yeah I'm like well well of course you're going to get the [ __ ] stat you want like like you're making up your own rules as to what a big match is I I hear you I just don't think it's as drastic as everyone else makes it out to be I think if you get to a final and you're a set away then I think the cobwebs and kind of the scar tissue starts coming in um I I have verev through to the semis I think he's going to win big matches in the round of 16 and the quarters who do you like um you you have more you have more faith in Fidelity than I do I don't know I mean this this guy did get to a major and was a set away he did have a two STS to love lead over tale frit wimon and he did have his hometown event in Hummer yeah I don't disagree with you I just think it's a little overplayed and you know I I don't think you're wrong I I think a lot of its matchups I do think he has some some mental Scar Tissue I just think people cherry-pick that narrative and they're looking for it in every single match s to like him double faulting as soon as he double faults once now everyone's like oh here it comes and it's been pretty solid for like the better part of two years now right but like the narrative hasn't died right um who do you like getting through to the semis Fair Point my things right it's it's Taylor Fritz in the semis do I have that right you tell me man man all right Taylor Taylor Taylor Fritz to uh reach his first major semi you remember when we started and you said I just have like some question marks about Taylor Fritz and Majors yeah I know I know but I'm playing this out and then it sort of becomes uh who wait who do you have fair enough um all right fair enough you okay rublev and leka um I love the way Eubanks is playing this week in Winston Salem um been texting with him a little bit I thought he pulled out a tough one winning some tough matches he's he's like super positive he's like I I'm playing I'm GNA work my way through it like he's pretty he's like the king of self best he's like he's like the king of self talk um rublev but also I'm going rublev rubles to the fourth round sorry Banks you're a rational person you won't so leka yeah you want to hear you want to hear yeah we all read for Chris Chris euex is one of those you're allowed to violate the no rooting in the Press Box rule for Chris Eubank but uh Le heska who beat uh who who leesa beat I think didn't he beat medev he beat medev in Cincinnati this guy is seated he did not play match between Madrid and Cincinnati yeah where he's still a top 32 player yeah he was playing great in Madrid too um on his way to a final there and it beat Rafa actually in Madrid and then anyways so he beats big players um you what do what do you want to do with him I like leesa to the fourth round to the fourth round wow I like it I just need a little yeah I mean he did beat meev he he he likes that match up by the way like meev doesn't like guys that can serve big and kind of come forward on him consistently like it's a very specific matchup um okay so you have leka there uh I like dimitro I'm going dimitro quarters nice what are you doing I'm picking Sebastian bios to lose in the first round uh that I saw that Darter I you pronounce it I saw him a little bit and he's a nice player and what do you know it's about time Italy furnished us with an up and cominging Tennis tal um I like uh I had Le heska beating grigor in round four you have le heska yeah I don't know you're you're probably right you're probably right leka beating so you have le no that's I I like the you're you're taking swings I like it um okay leka you have leka in the quarters I'm a big fan of leka game I think he's gonna be a top 10 player at some point um I just I don't know it's it's tough like rubles I don't know he I can't figure him out like every time I think he's going to slump his way out of like the top 10 or 15 he like makes the final of a Master 1000 then he loses I don't know um anyways I'm a big fan of his he's in like I love people who emote it's more entertaining um anyways oh Ben Shelton Dominic team um name value is a big match up next session Dominic yeah maybe uh yeah I guess I just don't know how Dominic team's going to break him enough and I think Ben is going to get enough looks at his serve domic team isn't isn't playing regularly now this is I I I I think it's a well-placed wild card um for Dominic team who won the the pandemic version of the US Open um in in in 20120 in that match against verev um where's verev um to your point to put it gently he wants that he wants moments of that match back um I like Ben Shelton and TV and Francis in the third round that which would be rematch of the quarters from last year uh any any reason not to write them into the third round John wor time no I didn't I love this this so Dominic team gets a wild card I think this is good on the USA honor the former Champion I don't think he's beating Ben Shelton I don't think he's coming close to beating Ben Shelton but he'll get a nice big Court he'll get a nice sendoff mission accomplished and I God I mean I I gotta think yeah I have Francis Shelton as well and I'm curious to hear your read on that because I think we get a different result in 2023 I think so too um was with Fran a bunch yesterday he was he was it almost I talked to him I was like really you kind of dug your way out of some form and he was like he wasn't trying to sell his first half of the year as anything less than bad um but he played well in Cincinnati he loves fast courts like he has the short takeback on the backend side he makes the serve a little bit better he doesn't return any worse uh if anything maybe he returns a little bit better better can get away with a little chippy meu on his forehand um I I like I like Francis also um uh I like Novak uh through to the final um I like Novak to win the tournament oh good so you uh you hit fast forward there uh yeah I mean I I I have had look I I've had it written in with it just he was he's going through uh I like Novak over Z I like I'm going to choose Novak over the chuckster uh who do you like getting through to the final from the bottom of half and who is your your winner is leka winning is it leka and draa your winners yeah exactly with um with Lea Fernandez coming in a close start uh no I you know I I I said wow when you picked Novak and then I look at my draw I'm like oh yeah I have him going to the final too you just have alcarez winning I mean I I I do I do I have a wibbled rematch I have alcarez winning I think Novak is just extraordinary and I think that he he hasn't played since the Olympics you know what we don't worry about him finding form he's also I mean that the draw helps him as always and uh we didn't mention papin who win yeah I was was but I don't think I got excited I don't want to ignore the accomplishments of poin winning in Canada um earning his seed also stru in any major uh I like him that's not a matchup that Novak will love um and also it's one that he can handle and has handled uh many times uh in in his career here um Can can I pose a question to you guys yeah cuz we had a we had that kid ask us the question about how much longer he thinks Novak's going to play for I mean you think if he wins this now that he has the gold I'm not doing the thing where I try to pretend like I know what someone's GNA do um and no I think his personality is like I am going to run up the [ __ ] scoreboard as long as I can I love that I'm going to La 2028 I love that my my uh my my default answer what I've gotten out lately is La 2028 I feel like that that buys us all some time yeah he said that he did say like I want to play the Olympics in 2028 did that buys him a lot of time with that question it doesn't mean he has to play every every tournament or anything right he just stay tuned up Novak was telling us it was Mack me and him sitting there and I he was telling us like Mack mentioned like God that square in Serbia where have I don't know if you've seen the footage but like 120 130,000 people gather and it just goes crazy and he was talking about after you know Paris I saw Jason Tatum out one night we had fun and I said yeah I'll get in trouble with with with your fans for this but I I made the comment that I think I've seen footage of you out more post Olympics than I've seen footage of you out in the last two decades right and he he he had a pretty good laugh about that he thought that was right one I think he he didn't say it was inaccurate um but anyways he was in good spirits I I I think I I just think momentum is is a is a big driver um he's no longer trying to find something angsty you know I I just think he's free and easy and I think the he's going to be downhill uh this event I I like Novak to win uh we're really going out on the limb with this alcaraz Novak final aren't we John wor time you know what when you've got two guys that are at this level I mean I just I just still Marvel I mean you're you say no about jovic this is not because oh it's sentimental and erotic and oh it's just seeing this 37y old maybe he'll have a Jimmy Connor type this is solely based on his tennis he's 37 years old he's coming off an Olympic gold medal and we're not mentioning any sentimentality this is strictly about ex's the nose and matchups in the draw and I have him going to the finals you have't winning the tournament and it doesn't seem particularly daring or absurd and yet you keep in mind that uh you know this this guy's 30 months from turning 40 and it's just extraordinary what he continues to achieve it's absurd um what's also absurd is the taste of a cream soda hey techy Sean I'm happy this one didn't explode all over me I'm happy this ollipop didn't just I'm happy I'm not wearing it now T Sean ruined me at the live show well guys we did it we made it through we did it last draw special of the of the year that's it here we are who knows if we'll who knows if we'll ever do another one I I have no idea wait wait the last draw special of the year I thought we're uh HR gets a if HR gets a hold of The Cutting Room floor [ __ ] yeah I'll tell you uh I'll tell you this I'm I'm kind of like I'm becoming less stunned but I'm quasi stunned every time that we get to do another show yeah right oh great definitely starting to singe my eyebrows flying close to the Sun sometimes yeah I I was sorry I know I'm like I had a great afternoon of the courts where I saw a bunch of people I haven't seen a long time and there's this actor who's a friend and guy named Boris Cojo who's been in a bunch of stuff but like a legit probably the best celebrity tennis player I've ever seen was a really high ranked Junior like but played on ash last night after us like legit a good player and he he was talking about the podcast like man this is great it's like doing you know well and I and I I didn't even it was like a it was like a slip I said yeah man it was uh it it was it was fun he's like what do you mean was fun I'm like oh [ __ ] I'll be stunned if we're on next week I don't know I have no idea but anyways draw special any parting thoughts uh before we see everyone next week uh when the US Open is in full flow uh give us the details for uh our live show at rooftop 17 Pier 17 rooftop the Rooftop at Pier 17 rooftop Pier 17 on the 28th get your tickets chase.com Sapphire experiences uh we will be on at 7 o' uh there'll be some cool swag awesome guest and seal what's swag I I don't know what SWAG is is swag your rooftop told they said swag I don't know maybe some wison stuff Swag yeah let's get some swag swag swag swag swag why are you saying it with a CH swag I said swag are you trying SW swag am I say from Ohio from Ohio bro I feel like you're having a seizure every time you say it a wag oh my God are you being serious right now is this a bit a bit oh my God you like lav yeah yeah yeah maybe some lav maybe some lava cup t-shirts swag okay anyways we've wasted the last three minutes of your time uh JW anything we need to look forward to or should we just hit him with the good stuff next week you know we uh we mock ourselves for the show going off the rails but we are never going to survive unless we get a little crazy nice one well done CA you're never gonna Sur and also I'll be damned if I don't watch the scene in super bad when they get the fake when mcloven gets the fake ID do you know what I'm talking about and he goes one name what mcloven one name what do you seal anyways this has been serve brought to you by Chase we'll see you next week [Applause]