Australian Open 2026 Review

Episode 276: Australian Open 2026 Review

 

DISCLAIMER: Please note we use a transcription service, so there may be some errors in the following transcript for the episode. If you can, refer to the audio for the exact quotations.

 

Dan Kiernan (00:01)

Welcome to episode 276 of Control the Controllables. And it's that time of year, it's Australian Open is done. It's now time to get the panelists to see how did we get on with our predictions beforehand, talk through all of the storylines and what storylines we have. know, young Carlos Alcaraz, age 22, seven time major winner.

 

You know, career Grand Slam and just so much that went in to that over the last two or three weeks. And then also in Rybakina, you know, we we didn't talk so much about her beforehand. We should now is a real candidate to be pushing on to be that world number one. Someone who Sabalenka doesn't like to play seems to have her number a little bit.

 

and obviously played in a fantastic final as well. That and so much more. I'm joined by Freddie Nielsen and Kieron Vorster and we have a fantastic conversation over the last two weeks in Melbourne. Hope you enjoy. I'm going to pass you over to our Australian panelists.

 

Dan Kiernan (01:11)

So Australian Open  Review Panelists, a big welcome. How you doing?

 

Freddie Nielsen  (01:17)

Great. 

 

Kieron Vorster (01:17)

Great, very good.

 

Dan Kiernan (01:19)

And there's only three of us, which maybe is a good thing, because when there's the five of us, there's the battle to see who can take over the screen and the microphone. And we've got Kieron Volster, we've got Freddie Nielsen, and we've got lots to talk about. But I want to jump in, Vozzi, to start with. I don't know what superlatives to use, really, because there's so many for for Carlos Alcaraz. But I want to start with Carlos Alcaraz.

 

In a position where it looked like he was cramping in big, big, big trouble against Alexander From my point of view, someone who sees tennis through the eyes of a normal human being, you're cramping, you're in that position, you're down and out. I gave no chance, I was on the flight, I lost Wi-Fi, I fully expected to find out…

 

that he'd gone out of the Australian Open and I found out that somehow he'd won 7-5 in the fifth set. How did Carlos Alcaraz do that?

 

Kieron Vorster (02:23)

I mean obviously great champions know how to dig deep they know how to find that that that just extra bit that us mere mortals don't have. 

 

Yeah, I mean, obviously he turned it around, but yeah, it was a superhuman, gigantic effort by him, obviously being in that situation. And I think pickle juice may have helped him along the way.

 

Dan Kiernan (02:48)

But if you're cramping, if you're cramping like that, do you not need time to recover? Is that something that you can recover on the job? Does this pickle juice that magic?

 

Kieron Vorster (02:59)

I'm not so bad magic coming mean obviously this the there would have been adrenaline flying. probably got him over the over the line eventually you know that obviously he would have been hurting on Saturday he never practice Saturday he never even came to the site. And then so you know nothing that did the same thing and so they just hit on on Sunday as a warm up so what you would have done is you'd have you'd have used…

 

the maximum amount up to the last second to recover to get in the best shape possible for the It was an incredible effort by him and obviously his support team to, I always say the ability to perform is dictated by the ability to recover. the whole recovery strategy would have been in full effect.

 

What's match? But obviously in the match you've got so many different things, emotions, You  just dig deep, you would found a way, you would have found a way just to get that extra bit of energy. He'll probably look back and go, how did I pull through that? But he and the rest is history, as they say.

 

Dan Kiernan (04:09)

Did Zverev help him, Freddie? You know, we talked a lot on this show about Zverev, know, can he win a Grand Slam? You know, it feels like that was his moment, right? Serving for the match in the fifth set. You know, we've known from time to time he's not being able to go through the door when that door's open. Is this gonna be a one that he's gonna be hurting from? I know he put a brave face on. Obviously it was a gigantic effort by him as well.

 

But is this also part that Alcaraz was lucky to come up against Zverev who's not quite ready to go through the door in those key matches?

 

Freddie Nielsen  (04:46)

That's not how I saw it. think obviously a big thing for Carlos was that he was up two sets of love when he started to feel the effects and when the match came to the conclusion, he had had enough time to kind of survive and fatigue Zverev. And for me, in my point of view, it was all physical. At the end, Zverev was gassed. He was not getting pop on the serve. He was not moving—

 

Kieron Vorster (04:55)

Okay.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (05:15)

—particularly well after the first ball and making some easy mistakes that he usually doesn't make. He didn't really have, he wasn't very animated physically and the way I saw it, I just thought he was physically gassed. You can say he helped him, but I actually felt like he was in a good frame of mind. I thought the hold to 5-3 in the fifth was fantastic and I thought, okay, got it over the line there. Carlos had a few break points, came up with a huge forehand during the game. I actually felt like he was mentally in a good frame of mind.

 

Kieron Vorster (05:29)

Okay. Okay.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (05:45)

And maybe that's why it wasn't, it might not hurt him as much this time because he was, I think he was just dead, like…

 

physically toast. And when it comes to that, you know, that racket speed Carlos has is a little more natural, whereas Sveiros is a little more, you know, big swings, heavy heaviness and might not be as easy to generate that kind of whip on the ball that Carlos does. And I think that kind of made the difference at the end. had some...

 

fantastic shots and obviously when you've been on the court for that long you just need a a bolt of energy and Carlos was really really feeding off the crowd as well I think he did well there was maybe a bit much at the end kind of celebrating like he won a he scored a golden football every time he won a game but I don't think it was too bad but I think he did a good job for himself feeding off that energy and using whatever he can he could to to to generate whatever adrenaline…

 

mentality that he needed to win that match and obviously also when you're that tired it can be tough to see the end of the tunnel when you have to win a whole set and the third and the fourth were obviously very close sets but he had a cushion somehow because he had the first two sets but the fifth set 5-3 is kind of now and never…

 

and there's no way back and I think it was a whole combination of things and I don't actually think that Swerve had much to blame in this situation. think he actually, I was impressed by him.

 

Dan Kiernan (07:18)

And Vosy, another, I guess, medical question, obviously, Alexander Zverev is, I believe, 28 years old. You know, he's been around for a long time. It feels like this is the most we've heard about his diabetes that in any time, you know, obviously, he's been dealing with that for a long time. But it feels like it's come to the forefront and that's something.

 

Kieron Vorster (07:33)

Hmm.

 

Uh-uh.

 

Dan Kiernan (07:43)

you know, maybe he's bringing it out so that we can respect him a little bit more, rightly so. You know, I know, you know, how big of an impact is that on Zverev, you think, in a match five hours, 27 minutes?

 

Kieron Vorster (07:55)

Huge,

 

yeah, huge, huge, huge, huge. Obviously, you know, he'll have sugar spikes, sugar lows. And so, you know, he's got to, you know, we've seen him take the pen out in matches and inject himself. So, yeah, it definitely affects him. But ultimately, what I say, it affects him as a, you know, making it to the top of the game or winning slams, no. But obviously, he's...

 

very experienced and knows how to manage it in matches. I think he plays it down a bit, really. I think even in this last one, he was like, ⁓ I don't want to talk about the injury timeout that Carlos took, thinking he was clearly cramping but said he had an injury. It's very ambiguous, the rule and how players can manipulate it. He didn't want to talk about that. He said, look, was an epic match. It was great match.

 

And he didn't want to take any of the limelight away from that. And I think it's the same with his diabetes. mean, it's obviously something that's very manageable, but yeah, he's got to be careful. It's not do or die for him on the court, but yeah, he's just got to be aware of it.

 

Dan Kiernan (09:11)

I think you came across well at the end. I agree. Yeah, because he doesn't always, he often carries a bit of an edge, but I do, think he really did. He did.

 

Kieron Vorster (09:14)

That was one of the best interviews he's done.

 

Correct. He handled the question really well. Chris obviously was talking to the supervisor in German. And he basically summed it up. said, basically, think it's bullshit. It was his summary. It's not an interest cramp. But he said, I don't want to talk about it. Let's not tarnish a great match, which it was.

 

Dan Kiernan (09:46)

No, was. was and it felt like day 13 was needed, you know, after the first 12 days, you know, we were we were building towards that. But Freddie, want to before obviously there's lots to kind of unpack. Obviously, we started on the men's side and I think we have to we obviously have Djokovic we're going to have to move to. We're going to have to move to Sinner. There's there's some different storylines, but just on Alcaraz, you know, the the youngest ever career Grand Slam.

 

Kieron Vorster (09:49)

Yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (10:13)

You know we before our eyes um you know before a little quiz for you guys before age 23 Alcaraz has already won seven majors how many's know about Djokovic won at that age. 

 

Kieron Vorster (10:29)

Was it three, four?

 

Freddie Nielsen  (10:31)

Yeah, something like that. I was gonna say maybe even two, two or three.

 

Dan Kiernan (10:36)

One Roger Roger Federer

 

Freddie Nielsen  (10:40)

2 1

 

Kieron Vorster (10:41)

I'm going three. No, also one yay one Wimbledon, didn't he?

 

Dan Kiernan (10:42)

also won.

 

Beyond Bog.

 

Kieron Vorster (10:47)

Zero.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (10:48)

He quit at 26, didn't he, with 11 and he hit 5-5.

 

Four.

 

Dan Kiernan (10:54)

Six. And Rafael, I tell you, you guys on-flying with this quiz. I'm going to give you the Nadal, the Nadal six as well. We also know that so Carlos Alcaraz is 29 and 0 when leading two sets to one. He has beaten Novak Djokovic and Sinner en route to every Grand Slam he's ever won.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (10:55)

I thought you put that was a great question. 

 

Dan Kiernan (11:20)

He's seven and one in Grand Slam finals and three and all against Novak. He's also on his way. I think this is interesting to having the most ATP points at one time of all time. You know, he's in a position where he could be absolutely kind of slamming the records left, right and center. You know, we talked about it before the event, know,Juan Carlos Ferrero, what effect is this going to be? We talked about it in 2025. Can this guy focus? You know, is this guy able to turn up week after week?

 

Kieron Vorster (11:31)

Thank you.

 

Dan Kiernan (11:50)

He just seems to do it all. Mean, I mean, what what what else can we say about and he does it all with a smile on his face. He does it. He does it with absolute joy. He does it whilst holding doors open and giving fist pumps to the security guards as he's walking through the corridors. You know, he just seems like this is this is someone who is getting life right. What what what what what can you say about Carlos Alcaraz, Freddy?

 

Freddie Nielsen  (11:50)

Yeah, was just gonna say let's just hope he'll start focusing soon, huh? Let's start he'll get his head right and focus on the task ahead.

 

Well, what I can say is that what you just mentioned there is so important to me because my impression with the youngsters out there and the players coming through is that it's almost illegal to have fun while playing tennis when you're young. It has to be serious.

 

You have to want to be a world champion and all this and that. And I just think this proves that there's a way to get the most out of it. And I think it's also very healthy. I think he's going to be, you know, whenever…

 

whenever this life ends, think he's gonna be fine in his post-tennis life because he seems like he's very sound, he's got his friends and family, it makes it, I think so nice to see in a tennis world that's become pretty sterile and PR manufactured to see a little bit of life, a little bit of...

 

of joy for the profession and go out and say that he needs to party with his friends and all this. I'm all for it. I'm a big fan of it and I think the world needs a little more joy, especially the world of tennis. I want to see more joy. I want to see people enjoy their tennis more. I don't want to see 13 year olds being in such agony because it's such torment for them to play tennis and watch matches and feel the pressure of their parents and surroundings and whatnot. I prefer to see this.

 

This is inspiring to me. This is a role model. can say, look at Carlos. can say to your kid, well, the world's best player does it. He smiles. He enjoys it. He works as hard as anybody, but he enjoys it on the way. So I'm all for it. Love it.

 

Dan Kiernan (13:42)

Yep. Few words Vozzy, Carlos Alcaraz.

 

Kieron Vorster (13:59)

Yeah, mean, I mean as long as he keeps perspective, right? You know, you're a long time retired. We know what happened to Bjorn Borg.

 

At a very early age as long as you got the right advisors be around him and you know the right The right circle around him that he can continue to enjoy what he does but but have the right balance the balance is the most important thing and so I don't I don't want to see another sad story where you know, we don't see much of him after the age of 26 for whatever the reasons so, you know, that's a that's a combination of What's happening outside of tennis managing his his tennis load and volume?

 

Managing the team around him. I the team, I I saw it's massive. It's huge. mean, I didn't realize, yeah, so I think there's 11, 12 people there. I mean, it was like a football team, know, gone are the days where it's just the coach and the player or coach, player, trainer. I couldn't believe how many people were there. So yeah, it's just managing that and managing, which I'm sure, you know, they're gonna have the right people there to make sure that they haven't got hangers on, et cetera, et cetera, or people there for the wrong reasons.

 

Dan Kiernan (14:44)

Huge.Yeah.

 

Do you know what though that hits me because I've just got back from There is a big team, but I often see them without them. So I often see him, like sometimes you'll see players and they're walking around and they've got their entourage constantly walking with them…

 

or they're bringing food for them or they're, you know, they're almost kind of doing everything for him. Whereas he, I'll share a really quick little story that I think for me is everything about what I love about Carlos Alcaraz.

 

There's a couple of guys, actually one that trains at the Academy, my Academy, Tom Lindley and then Adam Jones, who, you know, who's also going to be coming onto the pod. We might even get him on later, actually, in this episode for 10 minutes, because he was warming up Carlos Alcaraz and Rybakina for the whole two weeks. And I was actually it was before the semi-final that Gaby and Luisa were playing I was getting an espresso for Gaby…

 

was getting a taping and all of those things. So I was up at the coffee bar and Jonesy and Tom were there. And as they were there, Alcaraz walked with his plate of food. Sorry to spoil your nutrition, Carlos, but he had a massive plate of chips. He had like a steak and like big French fries. This would be the day…

 

before his semi-final, it wasn't the day of. And as he then walked past, he came up to Tom and Jonesy, because he'd been, he'd been hitting with them. And he just fully came over, came over, said hello to me, but he was literally just bantering like they're all the same age, 22 years old. And there was all of this banter flying around basically about the practices, about…

 

You how it's been, how he's handling the spin that Jones, he's put on his forehand and how he's doing this. And it was, it was just such like light hearted. You could have been, he…

 

could have just been one of the hidden partners. There was no, there was no difference. There was no like feeling of anything of like the humility, the just every, everything about it. And not one of his team was in sight. And then off he goes, he has his food, you know, and I think that-—

 

Kieron Vorster (17:12)

Hmm.

 

Dan Kiernan (17:28)

—normalization is what we see with Carlos Alcaraz that we just don't see by many. So I do think he's in good hands. I do think he's he's also got his head screwed on. obviously, lots of things can happen in this world. But I certainly don't see this story going downhill from a mental health or welfare perspective. Injuries can happen and things can happen and, you know, touch wood that they won't. So if let's say he does stay fit and healthy.

 

Kieron Vorster (17:31)

Mm. Yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (17:57)

Over the next 10 years, is it, we start talking about him, that 24 number not feeling so far away?

 

Kieron Vorster (18:06)

It's too early man, it's way too I think the next...

 

I would say the next 4-5 years we'll have a big say in where he'll end up with slam count. In my opinion, a lot can happen.

 

Dan Kiernan (18:23)

But if we say...

 

Freddie Nielsen  (18:24)

 There's also lot of wear and tear in a very young age, know, physically.

 

Kieron Vorster (18:29)

It's way too early to talk. You've been a typical media mogul, you are just throwing it out there. I'm not having that. I'm not having that, know.

 

Dan Kiernan (18:29)

we wouldn't...

 

And we're now at nine majors in a row, one between Sinner and Alcaraz. You know, the most consecutive slams ever won by two players, same two players was Roger and Rafa, 11. We talked about pre-event, is anyone gonna get close? I don't think they are, you know, it feels like the next few are gonna go.

 

Kieron Vorster (18:44)

Mm.

 

Dan Kiernan (19:01)

Again to Sinner and Alcaraz. But what we didn't see coming was the old boy, the old man. You know, we talked about it, Vozi. We made you an Instagram superstar with your little clip of talking about Novak and what you said, rightly so, before the event is, you know, you don't believe that he's able to win those matches when you have so much tennis in your legs already.

 

Kieron Vorster (19:13)

Thank you.

 

Okay.

 

Dan Kiernan (19:30)

Well, the last set that he won was in round three before he then found himself in the semi-finals playing against Jannik Sinner. And we saw what he was then able to do against Jannik Sinner and get over the line in five sets.

 

Kieron Vorster (19:39)

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

 

Yeah, I still stand by what I said. Mean, obviously, round of 16, walkover and he was down two sets to love against Musetti. So I think all of those put him physically in good stead going into the semi-finals. I think it would have been a completely different ball game if he had played five sets or four sets in round of 16 and taken Musetti to five in the quarters. He would have had too many miles on his legs. And then I think that…

 

just playing that one five setter against Sinner, which by the way was an unbelievable match and it was like winding back the clock, but then Novak couldn't recover quick enough and be the same player again playing Sinner against Alcaraz, but then also having said that, I think Alcaraz has too much variation on ball flight and ball pace that...

 

Basically messes up his rhythm versus say somebody with center who's hitting it flat or you know through through the end then Novak, Novak, Novak's backhand line was was a key shot through that whole match.  But yeah, no, no Not no disrespects. But yeah, I mean he he's 38 and these guys are in the early 20s.  You know these guys by just nature for forget forget going in Hypoxic chambers and and…

 

and doing all the oxygen tests or whatever, but just by age they're going to recover a lot quicker than a 38 year old. Novak finished at 2 in the morning, so 2 in the morning on Saturday morning. So it's recovery time and he didn't look physically as honest as he was in the semis. He played the semis just…

 

Freddie Nielsen  (21:28)

And also when you finish the two right, Vasi, what time do you go to bed then? Probably around seven.

 

Kieron Vorster (21:32)

So, yeah, mean Wayne Ferreira played Richard Krajicek when I was working with Wayne and he by midnight he was down two sets to love and Wayne won in five.  And so we finished at half past two then we did a cool down jog in the underground car park at Rod Laver Arena. Then he did press we got back to hotel five and then he did a full body massage which so I was in bed at six.

 

And then so and then on that Saturday afternoon, so he played on the Friday third round that Saturday afternoon he him and Dave Adams played doubles.  And then on and then on Sunday he was playing kucera, you know that the miloslav mature cat. And he just he was gassed he lost in straights You know Wayne lost in straights then so to answer your question back there back then the recovery modalities and…

 

and science use was nowhere near what it is now, know, 20, 26, 27 years on. We tried our best within that, but yeah, you you go into bed at that time, you're behind the eight ball straight away. And Novak, Novak probably didn't get to sleep till a similar time, maybe, you know, five, six o'clock once you... All of that, all of that.

 

Dan Kiernan (22:44)

But also the adrenaline and the thinking of points. It's hard, it's one thing going to bed, it's another thing sleeping.

 

Kieron Vorster (22:51)

Yeah, and then there's nothing sleeping, nothing having good And then all you're doing that whole day on Saturday is firefighting, completely firefighting to get ready. And yeah, he gave it a great shot, yeah, in my opinion, he was a different player in the final, but just based on that.

 

Dan Kiernan (23:09)

He started very well though, Freddie, and it seemed in the final, it seemed very, very clear, right? He was going after Alcaraz's forehand, you know, a very, very clear strategy. It was working for a while, right? And you could even, know, Alcaraz was talking to his box, you know, what do I do on my forehand? I'm struggling on my forehand, my forehand, you know, his comments to his box were very forehand dominant.

 

I did like the adaptation that Alcaraz made. I think he shortened the swing a little bit on the forehand. I think he was swinging a little bit big at first and he was getting caught. But it was interesting the way Djokovic started that match and maybe he's given other people a little bit of a of a bit of a print there on the way to try and play Carlos Alcaraz.

 

Kieron Vorster (23:46)

And check the…

 

Freddie Nielsen  (23:55)

Well, he's always been a very smart tactical player that understands how to hurt his opponent in the best way. And he still does that. he beat Carlos last year, He did a lot of good stuff there. We saw him in French Open last year, hitting the ball bigger than he has in a long time because he knows what's needed of him. And he'll come in and do exactly that. But like Vaz, he says, it's just too much to ask to recover. mean, Carlos was done with his match.

 

Kieron Vorster (24:08)

Yeah.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (24:24)

Five, six hours before while having the age advantage is a huge advantage for him in that final going in. And yeah, he started off great, but he knows, Carlos knows, they both know that there's a long way to best the five. And it just shows that it is a difficult task, but yeah, exactly. And exactly. And he gets down a break early in the second and then the immediate, I mean…

 

Dan Kiernan (24:30)

Yep.

 

Kieron Vorster (24:38)

Yeah. Novak at best has to win that in three sets.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (24:51)

After the first set for about two minutes, I'm like, hmm, maybe. I mean, after, I didn't expect him to beat Sinner, but I always say, you know, the big ones of the sports, the Jordans, the Rodgers, the Novaks, the Messis, the Ronaldo's never ever ruled them out as long as they're going on to the court or the pitch or whatever they play on. And I feel the same with Novak and he's just proven that, but it still shows that it only goes so far because—

 

Dan Kiernan (25:12)

Yep.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (25:20)

—he did probably do the best he could and he still came up short.

 

Kieron Vorster (25:20)

Like I said.

 

Dan Kiernan (25:25)

Have the break point.

 

Kieron Vorster (25:25)

Like I said, if that turn was best of three, Novak’s got a shot. But I even go down that road of the accumulative effect of best of three. But he's got a better shot at best of three. But best of five, I think, is…

 

Dan Kiernan (25:36)

Of course.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (25:38)

I think he even has a better chance if his semi-final against Sinner was the first of the day and Alcaraz plays the second. I think that even plays a part.

 

Kieron Vorster (25:45)

Correct.

 

Yeah, but not.

 

Dan Kiernan (25:48)

But he did have the break point at the end of the fourth. He had the break point. ⁓ And no, no, but there is, but he wins that break point and it was a bad forehand miss. You was a pretty run of the mill forehand that he missed. You're now serving for the set. Well, of course, and I know it's, it's...

 

Freddie Nielsen  (25:51)

You did have the breakpoint, but there's still a long way to go.

 

Kieron Vorster (26:02)

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (26:04)

But, but, why, why did he miss that?

 

Dan Kiernan (26:10)

I guess it's the beauty, what I love about our scoring system. And one of the things I did here was Jannik Sinner won 52 % of the points against Novak Djokovic in the semi-final, but Novak Djokovic won the match in five. And Carlos Alcaraz won 52.5 % of the points in the final, but won in a relatively comfortable four set match. You know, and this is, guess the beauty of our sport, right, is it's winning those key points.

 

And I think Djokovic obviously did win the key points. I believe he saved 14 or 16 of 18 out break points against Jannik Sinner. You know, he found a way of winning those key, key, key points in that match. He didn't quite manage to do that against Alcaraz, but it still felt to me watching if he did. And I know it's an order percentage chart. The chances are against you if you're not the one that's building the pressure, you know, but if he did win a couple of those key moments.

 

Kieron Vorster (26:43)

Okay. Okay.

 

Dan Kiernan (27:08)

I think that would have been a very interesting fifth set. I really do. And I think he was, he was a little bit closer than maybe I think a lot of people gave him credit for actually, because when you, was, he was hanging on in that four set, but he did hang on. 

 

And then he put, he, he was one shot, one point. Okay. You know, and to, to win tennis matches, you normally need more. But I thought before we move on, cause I want to, I want to jump into Jannik Sinner as well, is…

 

His interview, I thought, at the end was very, very interesting. One, I thought he was very endearing, actually, which I think he's getting better at. Think, you know, clearly one of his one of his life ambitions is to be loved in the sport. And I think, you know, he was obviously made up with the kind of adulation that he's receiving from the crowd. But was he saying goodbye? You know, was that was that Novak Djokovic finally, finally admitting that maybe, maybe the time is coming to the end.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (28:10)

I mean, just to your point about being endearing, sorry, Vos, I like this chip on his shoulder that he's coming out with more. He's much more, I like it much more. He kind of gave a bit of a pushback to a question and oppressor as well about being chased and he's showing much more his natural side. And I like it because he's got versatility, you know, he's got so many good sides. He's got a little bit of an angry sides.

 

Kieron Vorster (28:10)

I think it was just.

 

Dan Kiernan (28:21)

He did.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (28:34)

He's got the whole thing and I like that. I like that. I feel like he's really come into a more to a way of being natural more. And I actually think that instead of, you know, wanting to have people like him and trying to make that happen, people are liking him more because he's just more genuine and the genuine side of him. I mean, the downside is not as big as the upside because he has so many good things like you genuinely, you know, for a fact that if somebody needs something in the world, like if there's a…

 

if it is a charity race in Australia, if there's a whatever, or if people need help or whatever, I feel like he's the one that's most likely to help out. So it doesn't bother me that much when he gives a little bit of a spiky answer or have pops here and there because that's part of it. I like that side of it. And I think it's definitely helped his legacy. Yeah, was he saying goodbye? I don't know.

 

Kieron Vorster (29:18)

Yeah.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (29:32)

Too much interpretation into these interviews. don't give too much. I actually don't like the post-match interviews. I always turn away. I find them cringe-worthy, to be honest.

 

Kieron Vorster (29:40)

For me that was just theatre. Just creating emotional drama at the end. Don't think Novak's going to say at end of one tournment, right, I'm done, I'm not playing anymore. I think there's going to be an announcement of I'm finishing at this event in this year or whatever.

 

Dan Kiernan (29:59)

If he'd won, would he have quit on the spot?

 

Freddie Nielsen  (30:02)

I said that I said that to my wife, watch him watch him do a mic drop here and just say that's it. See you later.

 

Kieron Vorster (30:02)

That's a really good question.

 

On that, that would be the Novak way, I think. I think that would be Novak to a T if he had won. And I think, look, I genuinely think the best slam for him to win would be Wimbledon.

 

Dan Kiernan (30:23)

Yes, the issue that he's got is the same issue that we talked about before. He's not going to get given two matches. You know, that was massive for him. I mean, he won in straight sets first three matches. Then he got the walk over. Then he was done. He was cooked against Musetti. He was done. He wasn't even running for balls. He was finished. He was mind made up out of that.

 

Kieron Vorster (30:29)

Physical. No.

 

Dan Kiernan (30:51)

You know, that was like just like from the gods. sent him that. So I don't even think physically he used that much against Mussetti because he actually wasn't even running for balls in the second set. You know, so to be given those two matches is unlikely. 

 

I know it happened to Jannik Sinner a couple of times. You know, it happened to Sinner against Dimitrov. Wimbledon had happened to Sinner last year with the net against Holger Rune in Australia. And then obviously this year he looked like he was done, you know, early, early rounds. And I think that brings the questions on Jannik  Sinner as well from a physical standpoint as well, Vozzi, because he's yet to win a match ever over three hours, 50 minutes.

 

Know,  every time the match has gone over three hours, 50 minutes, he's lost. Every time the heat is up, and I know he's fair skinned and it's difficult, but it seems like that is a real kryptonite of Jannik Sinner as well.

 

Kieron Vorster (31:27)

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So for me, the whole the whole thing about playing playing playing Grand Slam is to play in the adverse conditions, have night match schedules, have midday or mid afternoon schedules. You know, these these these top players are protected or 100 % are protected with with their scheduling. I do question I do question his physicality that…

 

when it's hot, now whether that's a physical thing or whether it's a tension thing, but I do question how physically strong is he? he seems to bounce back pretty quick.

 

 mean, I've watched him in Beijing, one set all, one all against Dan Evans, going into full leg cramp, full leg cramp, and managed somehow to turn around and win 6-3 in the…

 

But I do question, I also just question his pain threshold as well. And I remember Darren Cahill talking to me in Vienna Indoor saying that's one thing that they're trying to improve with Jannik is physical visuals that he shows to the opponent. And how bad is it? is it necessary to be like that. But I think he could. But you know, he's a wiry physique. But I think he could obviously get fitter and stronger…

 

Dan Kiernan (33:27)

These because you can get like things like you can get IVs if you get a TUE, which yeah, you have to be careful, if you get a TUE from WADA and from the tournament to say, okay, this is needed. Do you think in that situation where Alcaraz, well, let's.

 

Kieron Vorster (33:34)

Mm-hmm. Yeah, you have to be careful then.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (33:39)

That's it.

 

Kieron Vorster (33:47)

Hmm. This is needed for what?

 

Dan Kiernan (33:55)

Well, let's say Alcaraz and Sinna, the cramping episodes. Do you think that they would have been given IVs after that?

 

Kieron Vorster (34:04)

Ooh,

 

They would have to have to clinically be signed off for the reason for that that it potentially a for health scare if they mean, I'm not too sure also I would be worried about what they're putting back in their yeah. 

 

Dan Kiernan (34:28)

Well, often they're just kind of these saline drips, right?

 

Kieron Vorster (34:31)

The saline drips here. But you'd

 

want to put in like the... I mean, look, they've all got these, they've all had their blood analyzed, their sweat analyzed, so they'll have mix of electrolytes specific to their specific bodies that they need to take in. And they would have had the sweat swabs.

 

But you know, obviously, you know, I remember Rafter, they used to cramp a lot, but you know, he had sweatswaps done and stuff, but they never really came conclusive on the reason why. You just had to manage it, you know, and look after it. But yeah, I mean, look, it wouldn't surprise me if it came out or came out that they had IV drips.

 

Dan Kiernan (35:15)

The reason

 

I asked the question so Gaby, Gaby Dabrowski, so Gaby got a stomach virus halfway through the tournament in Melbourne and was in quite a bad way, you know diarrhea vomiting and in the quarterfinal match

 

Kieron Vorster (35:22)

Mm.

 

Dan Kiernan (35:33)

they when she finished the match, they won 6-1 7-6. If it had gone to three sets, she was done. She couldn't, she was done. She could barely stand up. We then they were playing the semi-finals the next day. she wasn't keeping any food down. She'd been, and when we went to speak to the doctor to see what could be done, you know, basically we were told nothing, but.

 

Kieron Vorster (35:40)

Mm-hmm. Mm.

 

Dan Kiernan (36:00)

They would like to maybe put an IV in to help replenish. However, it's going to take three or four days to get a TUE come through from water. And in my head, if you've clinically decided or can see that the player very, very valid reasons needs...

 

Kieron Vorster (36:11)

Hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (36:24)

That and it's very legal and

 

I would imagine if that was Alcaraz, Sinner they wouldn't be waiting three or four days for that to come through.

 

Kieron Vorster (36:29)

Yeah, yeah, so I was just about to say why is it taking three or four days when we've got, you know, electronic communication and phone calls and WhatsApp, etc.

 

Dan Kiernan (36:38)

 

And the reality is Gaby's a warrior and she went out the next day in the semi-final under, you know, still in it. And then she at three, went up in the third set, started cramping and was, you know, that wouldn't be normal in doubles, but she just had nothing in her system was just, was basically running on empty, right? You know, and just, you know, a little bit of support maybe in that. Now, again, if it's not—

 

Kieron Vorster (36:44)

Yeah. 

 

Dan Kiernan (37:06)

—if it doesn't get passed, then obviously you don't do it. But I just it's just one of those things where it still feels like where we are dealing with these situations where the there is this specialist treatment. I understand specialist treatment on practice court timings and, you know, things like that, because I understand that these these guys have got all the big media that they've got to do. But when it when it comes to medical treatment or the Sinner Spizzirri match.

 

Freddie Nielsen (37:26)

Thank.

 

Dan Kiernan (37:34)

I was led to believe that that match was called five to ten minutes before the outside were called. Which is with the heat rule, when it goes to number five, then it's an objective thing that all of the matches are called. My understanding, and I might be wrong on this, but what I was told is that the Sinners match was called five or 10 minutes before the outside courts. 

 

And again, that's this kind of uneven treatment that I think that obviously the players seem to struggle with.

 

Kieron Vorster (37:46)

Thanks. Mm.

 

Yeah, mean, if that's the case, it's a disgrace, right? But I've always said that, you know, if there's no hiding it, they do get preferential treatment. There's no hiding it. And I'm not saying they don't deserve it, but don't deny it. You know, just don't deny it. If those are the kings of the sport and we need to protect them to get them as far in the sport as possible, then fine.

 

But if you make a rule, you make a rule. And when you make that rule, call it, no matter what court you're on, you call it at the same time. If what you're saying, allegedly, is what you're saying.

 

Dan Kiernan (38:41)

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And Fred, the next crop, we've talked about them lots and there's a couple that I'd like to mention. Ben Shelton, know, one that I certainly believe is a one I love. What Ben does, I love his. We talked about the umpire match, you know, that was going to be a tricky potential first round tie. He took care of it. He took care of it with a real kind of assertiveness in his game. But ultimately his last four exits from majors…

 

Have come against Alcaraz, Sinnner without winning a set. He doesn't seem like he's getting any closer. And the one that I want you to start and give your thoughts on was the match. So Alex De Minaur who I was so impressed with him during Australian Open. I really feel like he'd taken it up a little notch. I loved the way he was talking. You know, he was talking with confidence, assertiveness.

 

Kieron Vorster (39:21)

Okay.

 

Dan Kiernan (39:40)

He put in I thought was what was one of the best sets of tennis that I've that I saw throughout the open was against Carlos Alcaraz but he ultimately still got played his best possible tennis still lost the set seven five and he's now lost in all four of the last slams quarterfinals and he's owned six against Alcaraz and he's owned 13 against Sinner. That is can't make any dent on these guys. 

 

Kieron Vorster (39:47)

Okay.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (40:04)

He's a great player, but like you say, he's just one of the best of the second ones and he's going to beat a lot of the guys that he's supposed to beat. But he just lacks a little bit of quality to threaten those guys. And I find it also, I found it really interesting the way Carlos was talking about him after the match, basically saying how they always, yeah, it was weird.

 

Dan Kiernan (40:26)

He was patronising.

 

Yeah.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (40:30)

It was very weird, like, yeah, we see these patterns and we were quite confident, like, okay. But, but, but I mean, obviously he lacks a little bit of ability to just win a point quickly. He works his points, he grinds down his opponents. He doesn't just step up and take three points on a serve.

 

Dan Kiernan (40:35)

Yeah.

 

Kieron Vorster (40:51)

So.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (40:53)

His forehand is a little bit old school in the sense he needs a little bit of pace to work with he's got is more of a setup forehand to move forward and I feel like you can kind of see that sometimes and that he knows that he can't play his usual counter-attacking quite solid and then he starts going for a little bit too much at a strange time and he's just I think that…

 

he might have a run when when when it was one point the draw opens up for him or something that but a lot of the other guys if they hit their day there they just have more ability than him from a purely tennis point of view and to a certain degree the tenacity he has the movement that the ability to win matches can really compete with sheer tennis quality you know what mean and

 

And think it's a little bit the same with Shelton here. Obviously he has a little more easy power, but he also needs the big ones to kind of go his way so that he doesn't have to beat them as it looks right now. Very impressed by him. But it just feels like they both lack a little bit of that final quality that will really threaten Sinner and Alcaraz. But if something were to happen, one of them has a shotgun, loses a match early, the other one is injured and the draw opens up, I think they have as good a run as many of the other guys, to be honest.

 

Kieron Vorster (42:19)

Shelton has lost 22 sets in a row to Sinner.

 

Dan Kiernan (42:22)

Yeah.

 

Kieron Vorster (42:24)

But if you watch him play, he seems to go for too much. He's forcing himself to overplay. Yeah, he's overplaying, yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (42:33)

Not comfortable is he with the ball and what?

 

Freddie Nielsen  (42:36)

But he gets to the match against Sinner a lot though.

 

Kieron Vorster (42:38)

Yeah, he gets to that match and he must just think 22, 22, 22. He must just think 22.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (42:40)

which is the event tournaments.

 

Yeah, hey, it's tough. What are you gonna say? It's his bogey player, but he's still young.

 

Dan Kiernan (42:49)

There was an interaction in Cincinnati last year that I had the pleasure of seeing and it was between Ben's dad, Brian and  the coach of Sinners'  not Darren Cahill, yeah, Vagnozzi. And Ben had just won the week before in Toronto. Yeah, and...

 

Freddie Nielsen  (43:04)

Vagnozzi.

 

Kieron Vorster (43:10)

Toronto, that's right.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (43:11)

Canada.

 

Dan Kiernan (43:14)

And he came up to to Brian. I was actually speaking to Brian at the time when he came up and he said, hey, massive congrats. Amazing. Brian kind of in his very humble manner said, yeah, but it's not not the ones that you guys are winning, you know, like in the big congrats of Wimbledon. And, know, there was kind of a really nice he turned around to Brian, said you look back, wasn't so long ago that that Jannik was struggling to win those those events, you know, stick at it, Ben, Ben's on the right path. 

 

And I thought it was was a really nice little interaction, you know, but it feel that there's there's quite a big distance. But I just want to bring it quickly back to De Minaur because it's something that it's more of a maybe a bit of a coaching message, really, if there's if there's players listening to. But it probably might be one of my big takeaways…

 

or one of my big, we have confirmation bias when we start thinking of something and unconditional effort is something that I am big on, but it's like Alex De Minaur, that's the biggest thing I love about him. He's, think he's one of the only players on tour. There's also Marcelo Arevalo on the doubles tour who has this, and I was lucky to sit in his box because he was playing mixed doubles with Luisa, where it is completely unconditional. 

 

And so many of the players, even then I'm watching an Australian Open, there is a condition to their attitude. There is a condition to their effort. There is a condition to what they're doing, you know?

 

And then you go down to the juniors and it is so conditional. I do this when I'm playing well. I do this when the score's going right. I do this when I feel 100%. And I just think Alex de Minaur is absolutely a player…

 

that we should be singing about from the rooftops because he is just the ultimate that I'm seeing on the singles tour right now in terms of what he is bringing to every single day. And there's gonna be no stone unturned. He's gonna keep working, he's gonna keep working. And I would absolutely love it if one of those draws open one day and we could see Alex De Minaur lifting one of those big trophies.

 

Kieron Vorster (45:32)

I mean I totally agree with you. I use A &E, attitude and unconditional effort. And what I mean by that is attitude positive at all times and effort should be no less than 100%.

 

And if you have a player in any sport that gives you that, you can't ask any questions of him or her. They may not have executed the plan, but if they execute that A &E, then as a coach, what can you do? There's nothing more you can do.

 

Yeah, and think Sinner's first master series was in Canada and he beat De Minaur in the final 4-1. I think that was the first one  that he ever won. So yeah, it's just ironic. yeah, look, it's unfortunate because I think there is a gap. In general, I think the gap is very big between Sinner and Alcaraz and the rest.

 

Dan Kiernan (46:16)

Okay. There is.

 

Kieron Vorster (46:35)

But there are days when you play good, you can get close to them. I mean, look at Zverev as an example, and Novak had his day in the sun in the semi. But I think as a general rule, they are just better than everybody else. And everybody else needs to look at why they're better and what they need to do to bridge that gap. And they're just having that dominance like previous generation had before, when players are going up and they're already a set and a break up before they've even served. People just don't believe they're going to win.

 

Dan Kiernan (47:13)

There's a little anecdote on the unconditional effort. With Arevalo, so before the event, not many people knew about this, but obviously we saw the one point slam, which think everyone loved. You know, that was a big hit. But they also had a mixed double showdown, which wasn't highly advertised, but it was, you know, 30,000 US Aussie dollars for the winning team.

 

Kieron Vorster (47:16)

Ahem.

 

Dan Kiernan (47:38)

There was only six teams that got in. So Arevalo was playing with Luisa Stefani, Gaby's partner. they had to, it was 10 minute matches and they had to draw their last match to make it through to the final. And there were 13-6 up with 10 seconds to go. And Peers, John Peers is serving against Arevalo, Well…

 

majority of tennis players would play that point, but they've won, right? They're seven points ahead. They can't win seven or eight points against them in 10 seconds. So Peers hits this kind of sliding serve down the tee.

 

And Arevalo kind of stretches with his forehand, like full grub, fully locked in, like it was like your last point he's ever gonna play. He makes it and then Gadecki is at the net and knocks the volley past Luisa. But Arevalo keeps on running and he keeps on running and he's like, dives for this ball.

 

And he misses the forehand, gets to it, misses the forehand in the net. And I looked at him and he's like, annoyed that he's missed. You know, he's in that moment. And then the umpire was like, time, 13-7, Stefani, Arevalo. And then he walked up and he shook hands. And for me, was like, that was it. That was the moment that...

 

You just do not see in our sport. did not matter to him that it was a mixed double showdown. He was on a court, so he was going to give his absolute best. as they, so he became my hero basically. I've coached against Arevalo, but being like on his side. So in their first round, I'm sat in the box and I'm like, I want to get one of these vamoses that he gives to his box. You know, I really, I need to feel this, you know, you're like, so.

 

So every point I'm like, and the first four games he didn't look at me once. And I'm like, geez, right. I need to change my tact here. So I started calling them cello. I'm going to go with what most people call them. So then I'm like, come on, cello, cello, cello, cello. Two games doesn't look at me. And then they go five, two up and he turns at me, looks me in the eyes and he just gets his fist and he goes, Vamos, top of his voice. And I was, I was made up.

 

You know, I was completely made up. then the rest of the tournament, we were going after how many we could get. We were getting 20, 25 in a match. He was fist pumping, he was chest roaring. it was nice to just feel that sort of energy from a player. But anyone that wants to know what unconditional effort looks like, Alex De Minaur, Marcello Arevalo .

 

You know, go and watch them and model yourself on those guys. They deserve every bit of success that comes. Yeah. You'll empty it.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (50:52)

 

Arevalo’s fantastic. We played him in Davis Cup a few years ago in El Salvador, and he put himself in the hospital. Just absolutely destroying himself. And he played, so he played  singles on the first day. The next day he start off doubles 3 sets, then he played the singles. He was down and out and he won in three sets. It was very humid, very warm. And he was destroyed after the match, I mean destroyed.

 

 And he still  wanted to come out and support his guy at 2-1, know, so they put him on a plastic garden chair and four people carried him out so that he could come out and support his guy. And after a few minutes he had to give in. He like, I can't do this. And he was, I mean, the poor guy the rest of the day, but that's, I know exactly what you mean. Fantastic guy. Fantastic guy. Absolutely. But we were just like, okay, he...

 

Dan Kiernan (51:13)

He's a guy you want to go to war with, that's for sure.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (51:19)

Yeah, this guy was... Yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (51:22)

Amazing. And as we before we won't move into the into the women's event Vozzie, we're talking about Arevalo and the doubles and obviously on the men's side, we have another British winner. Seems like it happens pretty much every event, know, Neil Skupski now moved up to world number one. Christian Harrison, you a new partnership this year.

 

I must admit that was a partnership I saw and thought, well, they're going to be really dangerous. I think they were the best team throughout the event. And now as of today, I believe it's Neil Skupski 1, Lloyd Glasspool 2, Julian Cash 3. The Brits just continue to smash and completely dominate men's doubles vozzy.

 

Kieron Vorster (52:02)

Yeah, I mean, it's obviously great for British tennis, it's great for the LTA and the support staff that they use at the LTA, probably more the unsung heroes outside of Louis Cayer, the people we don't hear of.

 

Yeah, I mean, mean, it's great. It's a shame for Joe Salisbury. So, for every, for every action, there's a reaction, right? So it's going to be interesting to see what he does when he picks up a rack and starts playing and he can hustle. But I very doubt that Neil will be available.

 

Dan Kiernan (52:25)

Yeah. Yep. You'll have lots of options, but not Neil, I don't think. Won't be an option.

 

Kieron Vorster (52:43)

No, I'd say that ship's left and sailing pretty well. Yeah, but a bit on the hull, it's great.

 

Dan Kiernan (52:50)

And a shout out to Luke Johnson as well, Freddie. And obviously we talked about it our group and obviously Calvin as well, who's normally on the show as well. What a great job he's done with Henry and Luke. But Luke Johnson is just, I mean, honestly incredible. mean, Evan Hoyt, when I was coaching Evan Hoyt, that was 2017. 

 

They got a wild card into Wimbledon and Luke was way off the level that was in 2017 and someone who is what an amazing story. Someone we're to get on the podcast to tell that story because again, that is the sort of story we need out there. 

 

You know, people need to know that there's there's always a chance and you know, he's playing phenomenal tennis, a semi-final Australian Open, put himself in a a winning position in the third set. But a massive I don't know how much you've seen of Luke, Freddie, but an incredible story and something that seems to someone who seems to keep getting better and better as well.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (53:52)

Absolutely, great guy, fantastic attitude. I had the same impression you had. I played him twice or at least twice in 2018 and I did not see this coming. I got to be honest with you. I got to be honest with you, but he stuck to it, worked well, credit to Cal. He's a fantastic coach, you can't argue that. And these guys, just have solid heads on their shoulders. They work very well. They buy into the system. Obviously, you can really…

 

I think in doubles more than singles you can surrender a bit to a system and a way of playing where there's a little less room kind tactical flexibility or natural skill as there is in singles. So if you really boggle down and you buy into it and you focus on executing it you're going to get results. I think that's one of the things the Brits have really bought into really buy the scouting, they buy the tactical, they buy all the fundamentals that especially Louis has been a big proponent of.

 

And you can just see it. And I think looking to reports or see what's going on, you would go to Brits because they know, understand completely what's going on. I think they're very also—

 

Kieron Vorster (55:02)

Okay.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (55:10)

—on the forefront of how the game develops and how it can be played. Louis has always been big on changing. It's actually, now this is kind of what we focus on now, this and this and that. And you can see Luke, he's not maybe the... 

 

That's also one of the things that there's room for both. I would say Luke and Neil are both not your typical British doubles players in the sense that they maybe play a little bit more from the back. They're a little more flurry, but still there's room for it.

 

Dan Kiernan (55:28)

Yep.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (55:38)

Yeah, exactly, exactly, exactly. But there's ways to implement those principles. And I like it. they're great guys. They're great representatives of their country and where they're from in the region and their families because they're great guys and easy to root for.

 

Dan Kiernan (55:38)

Within the principles, they're still within the principles, but more from the back, yeah. Amen to that. And Vozi, Rybakina is the one, I wouldn't say that we didn't discuss it or she's not one that we haven't seen.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (56:07)

You think she stopped celebrating by now? Will somebody just tell her to calm down? mean, what was that? Yeah, exactly.

 

Dan Kiernan (56:11)

It's like Lloyd Glasspool in Wimbledon, But… 

 

Kieron Vorster (56:12)

Okay.

 

Dan Kiernan (56:16)

She

 

Kieron Vorster (56:16)

Okay.

 

Dan Kiernan (56:16)

She's a she's now had ten consecutive wins against top ten opponents You know, like she's obviously She WTA finals winner. There's, there's an argument that I know she's moved up to world number three.  But there's a there's a pretty strong argument that she's almost becoming the one to beat going into the rest of 2026.

 

Kieron Vorster (56:42)

Yeah, I'll definitely say that. think, you know, started at the back end of last year,  at the end of your finals. I had her or Anisimova as the one to win. Chose Anisimova. But I think I've always said that if she's healthy… 

 

and she's on point. She is the best player in the world because she's got the firepower. She's got the big serve. She's tough to play.  And I stand by that. But the physical issues are…

And I hope she's fine. I hope she's okay with all of that. she's back with her coach. He was never gone, but he's now okay to go back on the tour. And they're back winning. So, well done to her. Well done to her team.

 

I'd probably say she was the best player in that event and deserved to win. Of course she was because she won it, but just in terms of there was no luck along the way.

 

Dan Kiernan (57:36)

There seems to be a lot of technical work that happens, Freddie, which again, we kind of get told, we get told these different stories, right? If you haven't got your technique by the time that you're 12 or 13, you're, you're da-da-da-da-da. And, you know, but we did, but before matches or even in matches, eat, I like that we can hear coaches talking, but there seems to be a lot of kind of quite basic technical work.

 

That's done, but very detailed, but basic work done in the pre-match, but also there seems to be a lot of technical cues on the court. that something that actually just helps some people? And maybe for too long, we've kind of gone down this road of saying you shouldn't ever be focusing on technique. It should all be about, you know, tactical or just playing the game. What's your take on that?

 

Freddie Nielsen (58:30)

I think it's very individual situational based what the situation calls for 100 % there's a room, a time and space for it if it's needed I mean if you have a tactical plan but your technique doesn't allow for that you gotta adjust the technique so that the tactical plan can come to fruition it is true that even at the top level people tweak all the time

 

There was a story, this is Australian Open, about how Carlos' serve looks like Novak now. That doesn't just happen, that he doesn't just woke up. He tried to implement something in the serve. We've seen how Sinner has changed his serve. We saw how Rafa was changing a lot throughout his career. Even in other, exactly, even in other sports we have Tiger Woods changing his swing after winning multiple majors.

 

Dan Kiernan (59:09)

Alcaraz changed his backhand last year. 

 

Freddie Nielsen  (59:21)

I think this is the mindframe of a champion. They always have this attitude of improving to maintain their quality and I think its natural. So in the heat of the moment in the match, it obviously depends on what the coach is seeing, what’s important, whats playing out, is the technique sounds, do we need some tactics. I would always say, rule of thumb, I mean, don't work too much on the technique, but sometimes you got to buckle down and get something right. 

 

Like you said, Carlos shortens his swing. If you want to implement a tactic and he's just taking two big cuts in the swing, you got to get that right before you implement something else because otherwise you won't have the ability to do that.

 

 So I think that's where the quality of the coaching and the eye of the coaching and the understanding of the player comes in as to…

 

what can you say to this particular player in this particular moment? And that's where it's, you know, it's, it, that's difficult. That's where you, you earn your money, right? As a coach where you've, you know, like maybe you've coached several players, you can't say the same thing to all the players and have the same outcome. 

 

I know that with all my players here, the, in the Danish Federation, like a lot of them are as different, as different as possible. And there's not even a chance that I can go even ballpark and say the same things and get the same results. So I think that's the beauty of the sport sometimes as well.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:00:49)

And on technique, Vozzi, Emma Radacanu, I was actually working for BBC. I was doing a few shifts for Five Live on the day that she lost. But not only the day that she lost, the day that she kind of threw her coach under in the press conference, you know, one from a one from a technical standpoint, you know, and I was asked that question on air you know, about the forehand swings got much bigger. She basically said she didn't like it, you know, in the press conference after her loss. 

 

And she also said she didn't like the way that she's been told to play. You know, it wasn't a surprise that then that relationship ended in the next few days after. What’s your take on the Emma Radacanu situation?

 

Kieron Vorster (1:01:36)

My take on it is obviously Francesco Roige was Nadal's right hand man for a long period of time. Any technical stuff that Nadal wanted he would turn to him.  I know him a little bit so I also think it's the patience of and I'm not just talking of Emma but the patience of a player in terms of but in terms of this is not going to happen overnight, you know, you were you where your game is going to be in, you know, two years time or years time, these are the changes that need to be made in order for you to make that jump. 

 

You know, Emma just wants to swing from the hip and hope for the best. So I don't agree with the sacking, but then but then I don't I don't know enough about it from from behind the scenes. But based on just on face value of what she it appears to me that a bad workman blames his tools rather than just going, know, I'm working with basically, cut a long story short, she lost the match and then said she's not buying into it. 

 

That's basically what's happened. and, and, and, but before the match, she was buying into it or before, you know, whilst she was with it, with this process with Francesca, she was buying into it. She, she had, she had two or three months off at the end of last year to buy into his ethos.

 

And so if she wasn't buying into it, then you finish it there and then and say, no, no, I don't see my game that way. I see my game like this. You hire a coach for one reason, one reason only, to make you better, to improve your game. And you hire the best coaches for that reason. I think it's a poison chalice working with Emma. 

 

She's very young girl and she's had 10 coaches in her career already. Looking for her 10th coach in her career is just ridiculous. At least she has the backing. saw Louis Cayer was on court with her last week at the NTC. She's got backing of the LTA support as and when she needs it. She can always jump back in and get the help as and when.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:03:47)

Well, I experienced my first trolls. I did call them trolls when you start getting a bit of abuse online because I...

 

Kieron Vorster (1:03:54)

Yeah, yeah.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:03:56)

Yeah, because your comments made the the papers as well.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:03:59)

So my comments seem to get into lots of places. And obviously they take little tidbits that you say that are put out. Know, they did, in fairness to the BBC, they put it out in a podcast as well, hopefully the context came through. I was getting a little bit of abuse online, which is completely fine.

 

The point I was really trying to make is, this whole thing about the best coach or the good coach or who, the best coach for any given person at any given time is different, know, however, the point I was making on Emma, feels to me like she doesn't know herself well enough to know what that is because she's not being given the space to be able to do that…

 

you know, and I don't know the ins and outs of why, know, whether that's parental or agents, or I don't know what it is. But I do know from the outside, the two coaches she's probably had the most success with was one, Andrew Richardson, who she had a connection with, which for me, it's everything is about connection, right? And it's, know, connection, connection as a person, connection as a purpose, connection as...

 

as an identity connection of how you like to work, how you like to express yourself. And, you know, she was obviously able to express herself under Andrew, maybe from the relationship she had as a junior. And then the other one is Mark Petchy, who she's had some success with Petch. And I think that is also a long term relationship where she maybe feels comfortable. I know there is a strong connection like Petch is a little bit of her kind of tennis father, you know, who she looks up to. But…

 

it's it seemed I what I was actually saying is I was being asked the question about a forehand and I was being asked the question about what she should do coach wise and and I actually made the point. I don't know if people agree with this or what you guys think, but I said, I actually think maybe not having a coach for a little while wouldn't be the worst thing actually for her, you know, to to actually just I know she's traveling with Alexis Canter. I would imagine that's more of a hit and partner situation. You know, this this week.

 

But something along those lines for a little while, make your mistakes. And I was trying to connect it to like, let's say Alcaraz, we've seen Alcaraz grow up, but Alcaraz is very comfortable in his own skin and Alcaraz has made some errors. We saw it last summer. Alcaraz had like, there was the Cincinnati breaking the rackets. He wasn't really talking to his team at US Open that year when he lost to Van de Zandschulp. 

 

Kieron Vorster (1:06:28)

Okay.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:06:43)

He was maybe going out a bit too much. He was maybe getting that wrong. But you've kind of got to do that when you're young to maybe understand yourself. And it just feels to me that Emma Radacanu hasn't had the space to actually be able to make those mistakes and understand herself. Because then once you understand yourself, then you can put the best team in place for you.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:06:50)

Okay. Thank

 

Dan Kiernan (1:07:10)

But if you don't understand yourself, and then the other example I use is then at Aryna Sabalenka, know, had you ever heard of Aryna Sabalenka's coach before she started working with him? You know, like, but Sabalenka knows herself very well. And then she's then being able to build the team around her because she's very comfortable in her skin. 

 

yeah, it feels to me like still Emma's got a long way to go, but until she...

 

Kieron Vorster (1:07:19)

Okay.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:07:37)

She's all I think looking for a coach to solve the issue is not the right way about it I think she needs to solve some of her issues and problems and understand herself and grow up. I don't know but but what I do but but if you but what it what it does seem very clear is this if you're still changing in quite a dramatic way the type of tennis you're trying to play. 

 

Kieron Vorster (1:07:48)

But what are issues and problems? 

 

Dan Kiernan (1:08:04)

You know, how does Emma Radacanu want to play tennis? How does she want to express herself on the tennis court? That needs to be aligned with the coach she's working with. How does Emma Radacanu like to learn? How does she like to receive information? How does she like to, you know, these are things at this stage of her career, you'd like to think she knows. Now, she should only be aligning herself with coaches that work in that type of way.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:08:19)

Yes.

 

Yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:08:32)

You know, Roych, I'm sure, is a fantastic, amazing coach, but is he the right coach for a 23-year-old British girl who maybe doesn't know herself so well? That's very different to Rafael Nadal, who's, you know, one of the greatest male players of all time and the Spanish mentality. And I don't know, it just feels there's no, there's no space. She's not going to any space in her world. And that's, she has to obviously take responsibility for that.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:08:32)

Yet. Yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:09:00)

And that was the point that I was making. The second point I was making is that she does come across quite soft, you know, and that is, but that is for a reason. There's obviously a bit of a cry for help somewhere. Something's not quite right. You know, there's a lot of validation excuses and things like that. We could probably copy and paste that conversation into lots of tennis players, right? It's not just probably Emma Raducanu that's dealing with those issues.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:09:02)

Okay. Okay.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:09:22)

Good.

 

But also as an extension to that, she professionally, she should also be aware of the fact that, okay, she's an attractive job from a coach and she'll probably always be that to a lot of coaches. But the more this continues, some coaches will just not even want to give it a go because they'll be saying, well, why would I want to do this? 

 

So it's going to limit the pool of coaches that she can choose from if this keeps going so professionally. She also needs to buckle down and make sure that the coaches that she wants to work with want to work with her.  Because it's been a very popular job and everybody would probably want to have that job all the big coaches in the world.  

 

But it's getting to the point where it's getting maybe less and less attractive for coaches and maybe some of the coaches that could be good for her they don't want to be part of that so she also has to be mindful of that in my opinion.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:10:19)

Is it not the same as that, like, we all had, there was always that guy at school who all the girls all wanted to have a go going out with that guy because they felt that they'd be the one to change him. You know, and it's like, but actually nobody could change him.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:10:30)

Yeah, absolutely.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:10:36)

He would have to change himself first, right? Before he's then ready to be with the girl, whoever that is. And that's the bit for me that it feels. That's the point I'm trying to make here. It's like, I think it's the wrong way around. And I think too many people do this. 

 

They look for their, they're taking shots in the dark, hoping they're gonna just get this coach that's gonna come along like the knight in shining armor and everything's gonna just be amazing. Whereas a coach's job is not that. A coach's job, in my opinion, is to add. It's not to create. It's to...

 

Kieron Vorster (1:11:05)

So.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:11:12)

No, and to go even further than that, coaching is overrated.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:11:16)

Yeah for sure.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:11:17)

Coaching is massively overrated. I say that as a coach coaching is overrated, but that you can't you can work with players that don't want to be worked with or you can move players that don't want to be moved. I mean, it's all about like you say add to what the player brings to the table. Like if you, if you, if you go out and like you say, if Emma Rodecono plays without a coach, she'll probably do all right. But it's, it's, the coach is there to help with those small things. 

 

Dan Kiernan (1:11:20)

Yeah. Of course,

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:11:43)

And it has to come from the player. A coach can only do so much, but if a coach is not allowed to coach, you can't do anything. That's why think it's very important to remember that coaching is overrated.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:11:48)

Yeah or it's overrated in terms of being magic. I think it's sometimes underrated and understated when done well with the right player at the right time. then you, an example I would actually give, Andrew Bettles with Svitolina. You know, we saw Svitolina beating Coco Goff, you Svitolina and a big shout out to Svitolina and also Benčić. Now there's two mums in the top10 in the world as of today.

 

Which is which is which is incredible, but Andrew Bettles you would look from the outside go what?

 

Kieron Vorster (1:12:31)

.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:12:36)

Osaka is also not far off top 10, sorry.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:12:39)

Yeah, but you go young, young British guy, maybe going in and hitting some balls with her, but actually they've got a lovely relationship and he is adding to her tennis experience. He's fully aware that she would probably be 15 in the world without him, but he's helped…

 

speed up that process a little bit or just add some of those missing bits to just maybe get her up another two, three, four spots. And I think that's the kind of, that's the natural connection…

 

Player coach relationship that I love seeing. You know, I don't like seeing this like someone appoints someone and I often ask that question on the podcast as well. How did you appoint that person? And they're like, oh, well, my agent said that they were quite good. And I gave them a three month contract to trial. And it's like, what? Like, no, they should, that should be like a massive job, in my opinion, to be finding the right person to connect with that is going to enhance and.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:13:37)

Have you ever heard of a tennis coach giving a job interview.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:13:39)

and add forward. That's crazy.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:13:42)

But it's very important for me to point out, I said overrated, I didn't say unimportant. I just mean that it's overrated, it's certainly important, but it's not like you say, you can't just put in a new coach and then all of a sudden, you can't just take Carlos' coach and then you get Carlos' results, You can't just put Juan Carlos Ferrero to some other player in the top 10 and then you're gonna see, here we go.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:13:48)

Yes.No. The rumor is out, Vozit, have you seen the rumor the last couple of Juan Carlos Ferrero in negotiations to be a part of Jannik Sinner's team.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:14:13)

What was that? with Sinner.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:14:21)

But I heard today somebody in our team said that he was coaching a golfer. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. I hadn't seen that. That was pretty weird.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:14:21)

Yeah. You are on the mental side.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:14:25)

Yes, yes. Yeah.

 

So it was.

 

In terms of that last last couple of little points I want to make little topics and Iga Swiatek is not liking the amount of cameras at the Grand Slams, especially the Australian open we're like animals in a zoo is what she said. And Coco Gauff bless her and I don't think it's a big deal really but Coco Gauff…

 

was kind of walking along the corridors, up, where's the camera? It was like someone who was about to rob a bank looking up, is the camera on me? And then it tried to hide behind somewhere where she thought there wasn't a camera just to then absolutely demolish her racket as we all watched it live on TV, which is kind of a bit of a strange one that they have at Australian Open that you're kind of watching live backstage. What do we think of that?

 

Kieron Vorster (1:15:24)

Yeah,

 

Dan Kiernan (1:15:25)

Is it over talked about? Do we just need to chill out?

 

Kieron Vorster (1:15:25)

yeah, I mean, I don't think it's right. I don't think it's right. think I think there's times like it happened with Sabalanka a few years ago at the US Open when she she she yeah, and she did it. She did it in that in where the where the racket stringer think this there's certain areas that need to remain private and not be aired to the world in terms of know, if they're breaking down showing emotion, whether that's crying, whether that's you know, smashing rackets. I don't agree that that needs to go out.

 

 And I don't know what the consent is of the players.  know, can tornos just put cameras everywhere without the consent?  I mean, I'm sure they draw the line of putting them in the locker rooms for obvious reasons, but you can't. I think that needs to be... Well, this is where the PTP, if they're a strong voice, should really be, you know these are the things that they pretty much stand up for.

 

So yeah, mean, but they, you know, those are the things that when they put in their the bargaining agreements at tournaments, certain things and criteria or whatever that that collective bargaining agreement that need to be remain private. Don't, don't agree with it.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:16:38)

Wrong with, what's wrong and does the sport lose out or where does the player lose out that we've seen Coco Gauff smash a racket? Does anyone think any of that?

 

Kieron Vorster (1:16:47)

Because she probably, she may not want the world to see it. And she's done it in pure emotion and she's done it because she's upset that she's lost and she wants it to remain private. I mean, it's no different like, know, mean, Tim against Richard Krajicek at the US Open last went in the locker room and smashed glass, a full, 

 

full from roof to bottom glass mirror and you know walk in and he's lost a match and he's sweeping it up but at least the cameras didn't see it.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:17:23)

But I maybe would like Tim Henman more as a player if that was the case. Because he's more human. We all fell in love with Andy Murray when he cried after losing the 2012 Wimbledon final against Roger Federer. And that was the day that everyone went, oh my God, this guy's human. That vulnerability. I love Coco.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:17:33)

Yeah. Yeah. He's human. He's human, yeah. Yeah, there's different, yeah, there's different, that's, think that's a completely different analogy. I mean, if Andy was on, my point, if that was on Center Court and he got all eight rackets out and just smashed them on Center Court, that wouldn't have been a good look. The crowd would have gone, you know, why are you doing that on Center Court?

 

 And so if you want that quiet moment to mangle rackets and put them in the bin, I don't think the public should see that. There's certain things that the public can see for,for getting the emotion, the crying and I'm trying so hard to win. That's completely different, but people have different opinions on racket smashing.

 

 I just think it should be, that's something that should be behind closed doors. That's my opinion. Yeah, we're talking about it because this is your story.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:18:36)

I agree with Vati, I don't think necessary for a tennis tournament. I personally quite like to see what people do in the gym. 

 

Kieron Vorster (1:18:45)

That's perfect like like like the warm-ups cooldowns, you know how they warm up, know how they're interacting with the team.  You know, you can you know, then you know, like for example, it was great that you know Novak went up to to Alcaraz when you know when he won. 

 

You know on the bike against Zverev and you know had a chat this that you know, you can see that you can see those interactions because you know, like the normal the normal person doesn't see what…

 

goes into the preparation, just see these people on the court and they don't know what's happening behind closed doors. So getting a little bit of snippet of that, which there are just snippets, for them it's like, my God, they do this, they do that, this is how they warm up, blah, blah.

 

The players are now starting to do the day in the life of Jannik or the day in the life of so and so, they're starting to do more and more stuff where they're showing stuff just to give a snippet to the fans. I'm with that.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:19:35)

But in those situations, you can turn it on and off as you want. I was actively thinking about it this time around that there are cameras everywhere.first of all, there's so much pressure on a lot of these players. Second of all, there's so much attention and everybody wants the results. So if they have to go around and be actively conscious of what they're doing when they're off the court, it's gonna drain. It takes energy. It might sound heavy.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:19:39)

 

And they will stop being themselves.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:20:03)

exactly. They'll stop being themselves. It's going to get more boring. It's not going to sell the tennis experience. They're going to sell the big brother, clicks, the sensationalism of it. don't think it... I don't find it funny. I don't find it interesting. I don't think it's nice to see. And I don't think it's completely...

Dan Kiernan (1:20:23)

Are you are you are you to the and by the way, I don't necessarily agree with it either But I am playing devil's advocate because I think you know It's it's important. We look at all sides. Are you to the market for that? I don't think you are? 

 

You're on the inside of this what you two are on the inside of the sport But but let's say let's say someone who's flicking through the channels and you know someone who's got options of watching different things and You know that type of story might—

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:20:37)

No, 100 % you're right, but...

 

Kieron Vorster (1:20:48)

Yes.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:20:52)

—might attract them a bit more to the sport. might open up. I don't know. I'll go Cocoa Gauff. Let me go and look a little bit of Coco Gauff’s Instagram. Let me do this. Maybe it leads. I don't know. I like I said, I'm playing devil's advocate on that, that's different.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:21:04)

I think you're right. I think you're right. And it will attract somebody and it's going with the time. But my point of it is you can be above that. mean, you're not trying tennis is doing great without it. I mean, you don't need that. You don't need to sensationalize it. You don't need those extra YouTube clips and all this. You can sell a different product. And if shit hits the fan and tennis is starting to struggle, we can have a conversation about it. But it's not struggling right now. I mean,

 

Kieron Vorster (1:21:34)

Yeah.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:21:37)

I'm sure that it was the most visited Australian open of all time. I didn't see the figures. I'm sure there's enough figures on TV. There's enough traction. There's enough social media content with what's happening on court. mean, and then it's up to people themselves to create a narrative that does create something like that. For example, Osaka's entrance I thought was ridiculous.

 

But then she can control the narrative and it creates a story. But it has to... And these video blogs, or vlogs, whatever Vasi is talking about, it's something that they can control. They need to be able to have a moment where they have to worry about what's going on here, what's going on there, what if the people see me in this and that way.

 

 think it's too much. It's too much, Big Brother. I mean, it's a sporting event. And I think if you keep it at the sports, like I said,

 

Let's see what's going on in the gym. That's quite interesting how people work, whatever. But the other stuff, it's too much. I think it's too much.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:22:40)

I agree. Yeah, totally agree.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:22:41)

I don't disagree.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:22:44)

Yeah, I agree. But it is lucky that...

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:22:44)

Good. But I also don't disagree with you that there's a market for people that want to see this, you can obviously control the narrative yourself by controlling what you want to send out.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:22:56)

But the bottom line is TV dictates everything and if that's what they want, that's what they get. I'm afraid they pay the big money and the players don't have a say.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:23:02)

Yeah. exactly. But the tournaments can, they can save, but we're going to draw the line here. We want some privacy with the players.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:23:10)

Yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:23:13)

Last couple of shout outs because it's important. Elise Mertens and Xue Zhang, the winner of the women's doubles, big well done to them. Elise Mertens also moves up to world number one. I believe that's a sixth or seventh major with four or five different partners. Fantastic doubles player.

 

We also had John Peers and Livia Gadecki winning their second mixed doubles in a row, you know, 2025 and 2026. Hell of an effort for the Aussies. And the wheelchair tennis, didn't quite have the Brits didn't come to show so much this year, but the the Rafa of the wheelchair tennis, Tokito Oda  the singles crown. He's the age 19. He's the young…

 

youngest man that can currently hold all four Grand Slams titles across any format of professional tennis at age 19. Incredible.  Anyone gets a chance to watch him and then in the women's wheelchair tennis Li celebrated a maiden Grand Slam title defeating de Groot in the final as well.  

 

Before I let you guys go 2026 is obviously started with a bang We talked about a little bit earlier 12 days where I was thinking we were going to be talking about the three love sets the two love sets. 

 

You know, we kind of had a record breaking, I remember it was French Open last year or the year before. We had a record breaking five set matches that happened. That wasn't happening at all, but luckily the tournament very much came alive on the singles court. think doubles matches were fantastic throughout, but on the singles court, came alive on semi-finals and finals weekend. And it whets our appetite going into the rest of 2026. Give us, give us a little...

 

Storyline to look out for over over the next few months before we come together Getting ready for Roland Garros preview in May guys. 

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:25:13)

I think what's going to happen outside the court, have some Carlos, is he going to stick with his current coach? I don't think he's confirmed him to be the permanent coach yet. As of now, I think makeshift. What's going to happen with some other key coaching decisions? Can Novak  keep up this disruption of the top two? I think that's what to look for on the men's side.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:25:25)

Okay.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:25:39)

And yeah, on the women's side, I think very open. There's a lot of storylines to be won. I think the biggest one we're talking about now, everybody's talking about is if, but more clearly, when is Serena gonna come back?

 

Because you don't enter the anti-doping system unless you intend to play. Nobody in their right mind would do that just because, maybe, or whatever. That is a pain. So...

 

Kieron Vorster (1:25:56)

So Serena, think we'll either come back on the grass or through the US Open Swing. Think, yeah, that will be my call. 

 

Dan Kiernan (1:26:15)

Wow. That will be a story.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:26:19)

And then obviously we didn't talk about Sorana Cirstea handshake with Naomi Osaka in the second round.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:26:27)

Hehehehe, yes.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:26:28)

That was little icy. Think Jack Draper's comeback could be a sensational story. I'm hoping he's playing this week in Oslo, Davis Cup. I think he will have a very good grass-court season. He hasn't gone past round two at Wimbledon yet. I think this is the year we'll make the breakthrough.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:26:29)

It's not just week to week with some of these players.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:26:57)

I hear he's doing some really good stuff with Jamie Delgado and his team. So yeah, I think that will be a good story, but not for not not till later in the year. I think Ben Shelton could be one that comes through. I think you'll learn a lot from Australian trip.

 

In terms of what he's doing right, what he's doing wrong, and I think if he just plays within himself, he probably will get closer to these players than he actually thinks.  He's definitely got the firepower to do so. So he's just got to play with little bit more maturity. 

 

And I think De Minaur just needs a whole world of luck. Otherwise, he's always going to be that one who's in a top eight finisher, which is still good. But he's a good guy. He's got a good team. There is a difference between him and the rest.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:27:49)

Well, I've got three quick ones to finish us off. I think we're going to have the most consecutive slams won by the same two players overtaking Rafa and Roger at the end of this year. I think we will see Alcaraz and Sinner move that to 12 by the end of this year have a new record. 

 

Think finally on Control the Controllables at some point on one of these panels, we're going to get some we're going to get some some decisions right, you know, we're actually going to we're going to showcase a little bit of knowledge.

 

We didn't mention that Mboko was a pretty good shout and also Jovic. So we have some credit. Yeah, we're to maybe get a few more things right as the air goes on. And I think for me, the women's tour, I think it's going to be very much condition related, because I think what we have is we have three big, tall, long leavered ball strikers in Sabalenka, Rybakina 

and Anisimova against the movers of Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva. 

 

And I think that's going to be the storylines that we're going to see depending on court surface, court condition. Indian Wells obviously maybe favors the movers a little bit more. The clay court might favor the movers a little bit more, whereas our quicker surfaces in the hard courts, I think are going to favor those long-leavered big hitters. So I think that's...

 

That's going to be interesting. I actually saw an interview of Emma Radacanu today and she was in Romania and she was asked the question, if you could ask Simona Halep one question, what would it be? 

 

And she said, I'd like to ask Simona Halep, how did you deal with the big ball strikers being someone who was a little bit smaller and couldn't probably live with that kind of strike? And I think these are some of the problems—

 

Kieron Vorster (1:29:28)

Yeah.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:29:41)

—that a lot of the women out there have got to solve with the women that are at the top of the game right now because they're just out hitting people in certain conditions. But I think we've got lots of excitement to come.

 

 I thank you both again for giving your time up. It really, really is appreciated. And you almost come across that you got a little bit of intelligence at…

 

Kieron Vorster (1:30:11)

Thanks guys, pretty good luck mate.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:30:04)

Big, big thank you to you both and Freddie. All the best with the Davis Cup tie with Croatia this week as well.

 

Freddie Nielsen  (1:30:11)

Thank you very much.

 

Thanks, Wazir. Have a good one.

 

Kieron Vorster (1:30:15)

Cheers guys.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:30:15)

Thanks guys.

 

Dan Kiernan (1:30:18)

And there we have it guys, another Grand Slam panel over some of my absolute favorite podcasts to record, just to talk tennis, like-minded people. And hope you guys enjoyed that as much as I did having that conversation with Kieron and Freddie. Once again, I don't ever want to take for granted the time that these guys give up to come and share their knowledge, their insights.

 

And if you want to get any messages to the panel as well, please do send them through. You will see in the show notes the way that you can get in touch with us. Please do get in touch and let us know what you want to hear from us in 2026. I think we ended up with an amazing major. many, so many talking points and so many, so many storylines that continue developing our incredible sport.

 

I will be back in the next week or two with some brilliant guests. I mentioned Adam Jones, who has been the hitting partner for Carlos Alcaraz and also for Rybakina throughout the fortnight. Anyone that has been following Adam Jones on Instagram, forehands and flat white, we're going to have a funny conversation, but also an emotional conversation with Adam and many more people that are looking, we're looking to bring on over the next few weeks.

 

So, so look out for that, until next time I'm Dan Kiernan and we are Control the Controllables.