The Rennae Stubbs Tennis PodcastYes, Rennae talks about the New York Liberty again, but it's the last week (for the next year, anyway, let's hope). We shout out the great Ningbo final moments, the weird Six Kings event, as well as tackle... you guessed it, reader questions.
Rene before we start, because I know you're gonna have lots of cool celebrity stories.
Oh yeah, okay, about.
What you've done for the last couple of days. I want to tell you that I just had just mirror moments ago walking from the subway to this studio to record this podcast episode with you. A massive star sighting. Oh massive, F Murray Abraham. Who F Murray Abraham?
Huge stuff people huge?
Oh my god, I don't know who it is. Did you ever see Ama Dais? Uh? Yeah, like one hundred years he played Saliary. He was in Homeland. He's amazing.
Maybe in Homeland.
He was in Homeland. He was he was in Homeland. He was the the double agent for like three seasons. He was like the fixer. That photo you'd not recognize. I know straight away he's got kind of a famous friar. Anyway, he's cool. I took it everything I had not to announce F Mary Abraham and then just put my hand up for a high five. Look he's right behind you. American actor. Oh there he is stage and screen.
Yeah, he's got the guy with the really bad.
Like he's got an Academy Award, he's got a Tony he's probably gone, you got mm hmmm, he probably got it.
I'm gonna have to google that to see.
Well, Amadis is a great movie if you want to.
I saw it, But it was like in the eighties, mate, yeah, but.
It's I grew up in a music of classical I was a child musicians, so watching the biography of Mozart was important.
Anyways, get off the dude.
Well, now I know we're going to be talking to you.
So people know this is a common occurrence in New York City. You just walking on the street and just random light walk by Claire Danes one time in the East Village and the West Village that one. You know, it's it's multiple multiple.
But Murray Abraham is very quid. Okay, all right, all right.
So all right here we go. Hi everybody, and welcome to the Renee Stubs Tennis Podcast. It is not you know, e News Network. Okay, I want to turn it into.
That f Maury Abraham or podcast.
Or the WNBA. But let me start ladies and gentlemen, people in between and all of those on the earth. You know how big a fan I am of the New York Liberty. You know how much of a fan. I am now of the WNBA so much so that I went to Vegas to watch the Liberty play when they played against the Aces. I went to minni Appolis, Minnesota to watch them play the Links. I saw that shot from Sabrina Unescue go in the basket because I was behind the basket down the other end, so I saw that thing go in with five seconds to go. Thought I was going to have a heart attack. Literally could feel my heart, you know when it beats so hard in your chest, you can feel it. You're like, this is it going to stay in there?
It did.
And then the heartbreak of losing that game in Minneapolis, and you know, the whole team. As you guys know, I am very good friends with Sandy Brondelo, who's the coach the team. She's an Aussie. We've known each other since we were teenagers. So this is why I have such a connection to the team. And then we all flew back on I came back on the charter playing with the team.
Cool, did you Yeah?
Well when we lost, So it wasn't a very cheerful flight.
Were they're good snacks on the flame.
Good snacks, good food. The flight back from Vegas was a lot more fun, sure, although it was very tiring. We got back at two thirty in the morning. Let me just say something about the WNBA. The amount of games these players have played this year, including the Olympics, has been out rageous. They get paid pittons. When I say pittons, I'm saying pittons, like the top paid player in the league is two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, which is a lot of money to you know, the regular folks. But for what they do and the amount of fans they're playing in front of right now, it's crazy. And they have opted out of their collective bargaining agreement early, so hopefully they can get some stuff, you know, a little bit more money in their pockets. But the amount of games they play, the aggressiveness of basketball is just unbelievable. And Caitlin, you have been transformed because your wife, Claire, I gave my extra ticket to to the one of my tickets to the game, and she has been a Liberty fan forever, and she may she got you so into it that you actually watched the whole game.
I watched the whole game, and I'll tell you why, because you were there Claire was there, most of my friend group was there, Queen. I don't know every celebrity was there. It was an important cultural moment. I don't like basketball, It's not my thing, but I felt like I needed to be a part of this large Also, I'm on like eight text chains of people commenting and I can't get off of it. So I thought, you know what I'm gonna if I'm gonna watch one, And keep in mind, I've been to a Liberty game. I just didn't watch any basketball at that game. I just chattered to whoever was in the seat next to me nightmare. Sure, yeah, same. And when I'm watching tennis or a good thing, I also hate when people talk through it.
But why don't you be considerate to people that want to watch basketball instead of sitting there on your phone chatting.
Nobody who was sitting next to me was minding chatting, but I did notice it was a rotating cast of characters, so nobody wanted to chatter where the whole game like I did. And then I was like, hey, that was fun. Did we win? And Claire was like, you are kidding me. You didn't even watch any and I said, you're right, but this one I watched. I watched it from the couch Peter and I watched the first quarter. It looked bad.
Oh god, it wasn't bad.
It was it was pretty. It was foefal and I feel like the feet was on their side.
But you know why, and this is you know, I have to say wonder Sykes was sitting behind me talk about name dropping, and she kept yelling at me in my ear. She was like, night the w NBA has to suck it up. When ESPN wants it or when the NBA want it, that's when it goes. But used to recover. Okay, So they played five games of the most unbelievably physical basketball. They're traveling back and forth. They literally played a game on was it Friday night? Friday night in Minute Minnesota. They get on a plane Saturday, they played on Sunday. That's fucking unbelievably ridiculous. You know why it was? They only scored like fifty points each because they're all dying. It's like literally playing four tournament tennis tournaments in a row and expecting a player to be at their best on the fifth time. It's just not happening. Like Breonna Stewart had no legs. Literally, At one point, John Qwell Jones looked at the bench was like, don't don't make me the center of this particular point, because I am done. All these players are dead. You know how many I think they scored between the two of them. I know we're on a ramp with the WNBA, but this is just my point about women's sports getting screwed over, and they wonder why. They're like, oh, fuck, they can't even score. But they can't score because none of them have legs. It's like literally trying to play tennis without your legs. It's impossible.
That actually is very unsafe for that. Because I was wondering. I even texted Claire. I was like, is this an epic defensive battle that I just don't understand that they played nobody to score.
You can play a defense without your legs because you were just like you down low, you're using your hands, you're like being physical. But to shoot the basketball is a whole different situation. That's you've got to use your legs, You've got to be in the shot. So when we started talking about it, and I'm talking about it with experts like Sue Bird, Rebecca lober All, these people that are my friends afterwards and they're like, what do you expect. They don't have legs left, they can't make shots. I mean, Brown and Stewart's three point shot looked like it was a like a straight shot to the basket. It's like, I think it's supposed to be like an arc into the thing. And Sabrina Andescue made one three point of the whole game. It's like those two teams are the two best three point shooters in the league. They had I think five or six the entire game. That is ridiculous.
And I read that the next finals will be.
Best of seven seven. Well you better, Cathy Engbert, you better space those seven games out like you do with the men. It's a joke.
Well, we should come back to this when we get to the subject of this podcast, which is Tannis Yep, because the scheduling parallels do seem pretty obvious. Right by the end of the season, by the end of the year, which it is for both of the BNBA, congratulations to the Liberty, but also the end of the season, or at least nearing the end for tennis, this is a time when everybody's hurt, everybody's pulling out everybody's got and.
Look how many pullouts we had in tennis last weight.
Everybody's decided to shut down their season early, you know, and look, I don't blame them either. Like I'm seeing on Instagram, like Osterburs it's some cool resort in Tunisia, Caroline Garcia is, you know, hiking in the in some island off the African coast.
It's like, get them.
Off the court and into nature and do one of those Japanese nature baths and healed and restored so that we can come back and watch good tennis next year, because right now it's rough. It's kind of just like who's the last man standing? You know, And I feel like, for me, the lesson of this fall is, Yes, it's cool to see Sablanca do really well in Asia. Yes, it's cool because Chinwen Jung finally gets a home crowd. Yes, it's cool. You know that we've got a few last big moments, you know, including the Billy Jean and Davis Cup. We're going to have our big RAFA send off next month in Malaga. You'll be there for at least part of it. But yeah, like, what what's what are we? What are we trading off it seems like years of these players' lives, if not like debilitating lifelong injuries. I mean, it's not a new topic. We talked about it every year, but it's just a reminder that it's not only tennis, I guess, but also you know, if you want the product to be really good, invest in the product, pay them better, and make sure that they're healthy.
Well, I mean, if you know, we go back to the w for example, you know the investment that the team of this Joe and Clarisa I put into Brooklyn, bring them back from west Chester, playing them in Barclays eighteen thousand people's record crowds. It's like when you're collecting that money now that has to go to the players. Just like in tennis, you know, the Grand Slams are making so much money and there's not a fifty to fifty split like it is in the NBA, which is why they're so happy in the NBA. And so so you know, hopefully we'll see what happens.
Well they really should have and you know, look, we have given the PTPA a lot of grief through the years because it's been unclear what that they were setting out to do. I have seen some strides made, and I'm keeping an open mind because I know some of the people who work there, and I would love to see them, Like what's the downside of just saying like, yeah, we're a union, We're going to basically go on strike until we get bargaining power and split fifty to fifty with the leagues or the tournaments, and then you know, maybe look, they could force some change and get the tournaments and the governing bodies to sit down and have a little bit more unity if they're negotiating against one unified player base. Like that works. Collective action works, and I think if we see how happy some of the players are in other leagues, not only about money, rules, length of season. You know, if you want to have a domestic violence policy, if you want to have a parental leave policy, these are things that could be advocated for that I know players on the player councils are doing. But just go on through see what happens anything. It kind of is and I would love to see that happen. So PTPA have seen these guys make more and more in Boulder and Boulder moves, which is great. Why not make twenty twenty five of the year, like, nobody's showing up down Under unless they have a collective bargaining agreement making hold on. I mean, you can use one of the sacrificial slams and nobody cares about like the Australian kidd jazz.
Kidding just Australia, do not at me, just kidding, But.
I'm just saying, new year, new plan, new collective bargaining agreement.
Why not now, Caitlin, I did throw out the tweet today this morning.
My favorite part of the day.
I have to say that I am I think possibly still hungover. It's been two days of celebration.
I'm shocked here but here.
I didn't make yesterday. We normally do our pot on Monday, but I literally woke up at I think eleven thirty.
I did have a moneting to bed at four this morning with somebody and I said, I don't think Renee, there's any chance Rene's joining us. I think she's still hung up from now. We're still sleeping the friday, the first celebration on Sunday. But I didn't realize you want out with the team again.
Last night, Yeah, last night, it was a more demure one last night in the Soho House in Dumbo. We were just all taking photos with the trophy with the backdrop of the most amazing city in the world, and I.
Thought you weren't supposed to take photos at the Soho House. I guess they make an acception. It's the winning WNBA team with the trope. When you got the WNB Trophy, you can do whatever you want.
You can, Yeah, you can. There's certain spots of your life I see. So I did send out a tweet. So we've got a lot of questions to get to on this. I do want to throw out before we get to the questions, congratulations to Arena Sablenka, who's gone back up to number one in the world. There are reasons I don't want to talk about it because there is a question in the questions about that and blah blah blah. So there's a lot of stuff that I wanted to talk about, but actually a lot of people have written the questions and so we are going to get to that. I do want to say that six Kings thing. I mean to watch Rafa finish that match. It was great to see him play another match against and all that sort of stuff, but it just felt weird. I mean, listen, I'm going to tell you I didn't watch a lot of tennis over the last week because I was so caught up in my liberty, because they are my liberty. So I did catch a little bit of tennis, but not a lot of it because I just felt I don't know that six kings thing, Like who cares? I mean, Sinner won six million dollars, Like, I mean he beat Outcraz in the final. He's a better player on a bit of a faster court. Okay, I could get into the reasons why, but do I really care? No, I don't. I really don't care.
Did you ts also have their thing?
Yeah? I think they did. Obviously the women were playing a tournament. So I do want to shout out to our friend of the pod and just great human being, Daria Cassagina had an incredible win over Mirror Andreva, and it was a beautiful moment at the trophy presentation when Andreva, who's still very young, is like losing and crying her eyes out and so upset that she lost the match, and Daria came over and gave her a big hug, and it was a nice little moment on the stand and Conchita Martinez is coaching Andreva, and I feel so good for them. It's just like, it was such a nice, great final and two really really nice girls.
Yeah, and Andreva's game is great. She's so fun to watch. I watched that match. I watched a little bit of that tournament, and I caught some highlights here the men. But like all exhibitions, I just can't care that much. I'll look at the highlight.
It's not an exhibition that was a five hundred ningo.
No, no, no, sorry, I'm talking about the men. Like all exhibitions, I can't care that.
Much about them because it doesn't matter.
I don't care about the Labor Cup. I don't care about exhibitions all that much. You know, go get the bag, Sure, I get it. Get your money.
But it was a suitcase.
It's a suitcase of money. But I was more focused on the fact that Andreva looks like she's going to be the real deal. And her match with Kasakina was a great one. It's great to see Kasaka lifting a trophy. She didn't have the best season this year, but obviously she's capable of, you know, great things, and so yeah, for me, it was more just I'll watch tennis, it's real, and I'll pay attention occasionally to highlights. Although it was fun seeing that Carlos Alcarez forehand cross court laser beam, everyone thought like Nick curious was the only one who could hit those. Carlos Alcarez can hit them and win tennis matches. So and he likes tennis, although.
Nick claims that you know he's coming back to win a growing sae.
Sure, okay, good luck, I'm all ready for that.
Okay, So let's get to some of the questions to run as sous flex who always writes to us Caitlin.
I know someone who wants to get in top shape for a tournament of Thanksgiving. Spoiler, it's me. What would you recommend they do between now and then Thanksgiving is essentially four weeks away? Yeah, what's a training block for four weeks for a tournament look like?
For you? Well, I think the most important thing is, honestly, it's just go and do some sprints, you know, try and get yourself in sort of aerobic shape so you know you can last out there for a long time, which is really important in tennis. But also, I love bandwork, Like if you have a like a body band, like a big one that you can even if you have a friend who, like, even if you don't have you can actually tie it to the net post. Or you can sort of work on your quick explosive moves with your legs. That's really important. And the old honestly, the old line runs like you know, we used to do these sort of like.
Oh, the drills where you touch every line on the court.
Touch every line on the court, like there's just nothing like old school running around like that. Or if you have a friend who and you have a bucket of balls, like honestly, have them just move you from side to side and then after fifteen a short ball come up, hit it mid court. So you're getting used to playing a long point and then being able to put the ball away when you're tie it. That's why top players it looks so easy because they do it a billion times in.
Practice, so they're fit.
You know, if you can't go to the gym and all that sort of stuff, there is ways of getting in shape without having to go to the gym.
My answer is going to be meldonium. I think it's a perfect time to dose on some sort of legal over the counter. You can get them on Amazon.
Hurt Can you not please?
It's not illegal.
I no, it's not illegal, but it's a heart drug, so you know we.
I'm not doing it's not FDA approved.
I'm doing a disclosure of I am not taking any responsibility if anyone takes meldonium and you have.
A heart attack. It's called a disclaimer. All right, do you to steal? You're welcome. How did tennis players know when to have food if they're waiting a tennis match before them to finish in order of play, as they can't predict when the match before will go on maximum sets, especially as the tournament goes on. That is a good question because if you're waiting for a match to go wrap up and they just split and it's an hour later plus than you thought originally, it's a nightmare.
I have to say, you know, back to my liberty again. On Sunday, I woke up a couple of times in the middle of the night and just having mild panic attacks, like what if they lose at home again? Oh my god, this is going to be terrible, Like I can't I had the feeling of how I felt when I played.
Oh wow, you felt like you were going out there.
I felt, and I think it was worse because I didn't have any control, Like, at least as a player, you have some control of this situation. But I woke up in the morning and I could barely eat breakfast. Wow, And I thought, oh my fucking god, I'm back to actually feeling like I did when I played.
Claire is also nervous, and I had rooted against the Liberty for the game before because I really wanted her and you to be able to see it at home.
She's like, nobody actually wants that. Don't nobody wants to You can get the win, you take it.
Yeah, I want the most narrative.
Away from losing. But I felt the same way. So to answer your question, it's really hard on days of matches because you are really physically don't feel good in your stomach. And I don't know if anyone out there can relate to this, but it's like if you have a big test, or you have a big job interview, or you know you've got to speak publicly and you're nervous about it. Like, imagine how you feel and try and fit food into your mouth. It's so hard.
Is this why everyone's eating you know, like faster's yew, low intensity banana kind of foods, because also you can eat one every hour and that'd be too heavy.
But well, that's why you can eat a banana on the court because it just digests so easily. So, I mean most of the time you try and have a really good breakfast if you're playing late in the evening, or you have a really good lunch. You know, it just depends on when you play, and then you have to do consider all the match in front of me is now taken. Forever you try and get a snack inside you. You see players with the bars or with the sport gels and things like that. So it's just constantly trying to keep your your system feeling good. And there's nothing worse than being on the court and feeling a little bit hungry, because what happens is then that your blood sugar's dropping and you get more nervous. You don't your muscles aren't firing the same, So that's why you see players doing those little gel roles on the court.
Well, the segues perfectly into the next question from Dnaaltes Judith stealing the analyts essentially had the same question, which is what do you eat? And obviously when doer you get it? We addressed the when, but what easy to digest that.
I'll give you a funny. I did see Carlos Alcaraz just pound down a cheeseburger at the French Open a couple of years ago. And it was not before a match, but it was like maybe the day after or the day of practice, and I thought, oh man, what it wouldn't be to be nineteen years of age again and just one of them down, like.
No big deal, burning ten thousand calories.
Well, I do think it's the year he started cramping against Novak, so he probably needs to changes interesting his eating habits. But most of the time players will eat pasta very plain maybe a little bit of tomato sauce, not very much. They'll have it with butter, salt and pepper and rice with you know, chicken, or it's very plain. You know, Carbohydrates is very important, particularly the night before.
It seems like the sushi is always popular.
It's rice, it's carbs in the rice.
When I've been into the player dining in some of these tournaments, the sushi is like always a fast cutter and Also, people are drinking a lot of smoothies.
It's yeah, I mean, but the most important thing really is carbohydrates, long, long day, night before day of just something you can put in your stomach, because honestly, it's really hard to eat when you're that nervous. I mean, just everybody knows what that feels like when you're really nervous and it's hard to eat. So simple speaking stomach, I'm hungry.
It's going to make it into the read the next one.
I can't.
Okay, I'll read it. Maggie says, please share your thoughts about pumping money into events like six Kings Slam. Two of those invited were not kings. By the way, I guess we're talking about Runa and Medvedev. I feel like Medvedev is a king. He has a slam nole whore of.
Much we paid attention.
Yeah, and the potential fifth Slam in South Arabia. I can't get excited by Exos and I just didn't sit right the last three of the Big Four. Their match was played in Riod. I mean, listen, I don't like Exos either, so I get why you don't care that much. Obviously, we can't be bothered to know who played out of it. But I also, you know, I get why players are traveling around the world to get money and play tournaments in front of people who want to pay them to watch matches. I think for I'm sort of ignoring the Saudi part of the question because I clearly I don't I don't know what I think about it, honestly. But I also think that there should be more Slams. I think more as we have four, that's enough. I don't agree, and I in fact think that either the Slams should take a less vaunted position on the calendar, or we should promote other tournaments. But I think we should have.
No you have to have the special tournaments. It's the same in golf.
Well, you're not letting me finish my point. I think if you make a schedule where there are ten tournaments, they're all equally important, everyone has to play, they're all dual, that's a better schedule. It's better, it's a better season. It doesn't take anyway anything from any particular tournament. Look at the the way f one does. It's it's you know, uh, it's there's newer events where it's.
In price every week one, correct.
I'm not one match. No, I'm not saying I don't know why I think I would say that. I think I want ten tournaments total, all equally important, so that there's not a too long of a schedule, and so that it's also an important And I will point you to the fact that for a long time the Australian Open was not considered a Grand Slam, and it got promoted, and so for me, okay, the Italian Open, the Canadian Open.
The Central Asian Open was always a major, sure.
But also so was the Canadian Open, and so was the Italian Open.
Which was why Margaret Court has like more right than.
Serena correct, and she shouldn't because that was a tournament that wasn't up on the level. So for me, it's more about parody.
Well, it was just people didn't go to it, So technically they could have gone to it. They just chose not to because they were playing like World Team Tennis, because it was paying them ten times more money.
That's why, which is actually sort of relevant to this question, which is xos versus schedule. I think if you fix the schedule, you'll still have players doing exhibitions, but actually there'll be a lot healthier, happier, and less likely to want to go grab the bag in a meaningless exhibition if their schedule made sense and if people were guaranteed to watch it and be involved in it. So I actually think the whole schedule should have an overhaul.
I think the schedule needs an overhaul. We've talked about that, and I agree with you. But the importance of those for majors makes tennis, makes those events so important to players, Like I can just tell you right now, I want to win. I wanted to win every tournament I played, but the importance and the and the specialness of winning a major is just it's second to none.
But I also think that's generationally different. Like I think if you were to ask Martina to radelover who has the most tournament wins of anybody, if the majors were more important than the tournaments, I don't know, Maybe she said yes, Maybe she's she wouldn't. Maybe she say I was actually focused on winning every single tournament I entered, which is why I have the winningest record in all tournaments.
I can tell you Martina will say, no, I'll choose all my majors over all my tournaments.
I think there should be ten majors, and I think that they should be spread out geographically.
No, Okay, let's agree to disagree, because that is just absolutely stupid.
Well, it's also just like things. I don't you you, I mean you.
Your issue is that you have a big you have a pushback on the slams.
No, it's not that. Actually, I like to say.
On their control of the two are a little bit.
I think that there's some administrative things that get lessened if you loosen the power of you deconcentrate the power in a few hands. But also, I'm not somebody who thinks history is prologue. Like I've said this to you many times. When you were like, they can't move the French open to October, It's like, well they did, anybody correct? But my point is anybody can do anything. It doesn't matter anything. Chaos is a ladder. You can remake things as you want to. And up until one hundred and fifty years ago, we lived on a flat earth that was controlled by divine blood. Right, we can do whatever we want, and the tours should and can adapt to the to the audience demands. Yes, history matters, and yes.
The it all the time. The Grand Slams of now moving to correct.
But I would love for there to be a Grand Slam in Asia. I would love for them to be a Grand Slam in South America. I would love for there to be a Grand Slam. It's gonna happen, probably in our lifetimes in the Middle East. Like geographic diversity matters, there.
Is a Grand Slam as it's called Oceania Australia.
Sure, okay, all right, let's move on.
You're going to get some blowback from every Asian person who resents ocean fame.
Sure, that's why we anyway, can't move on. Sometimes we've got to agree to disagree, which is normal for US. Jordan asks, if Andy Murray pivots to coaching, who do you think would be a good fit for him? What elements, mate, thanks, make for a good coach player dynamic?
I love this question.
All right, I'll answer this one a little bit, Andy Murray, he would be great coaching anyone. This guy knows tennis like the back of his hand. He knows emotion, and I think it's really good. He's just pulling me a glass of water in the middle of this.
It's not to pour somebody else, firsity, hell nice, anyway, You're welcome.
Professional. He would be great coaching anyone female or male because he just has a great tennis mind. He also is a very was a very emotional player, and I think that you know, he would be very empathetic to a player's you know dis you know, tough times out on the tennis schad. So I think he would help anybody on tour. I don't have a particular player that I think would be the biggest or best one because that would just be weird. But I think anyone, and I think that the what a good element is, and I've talked about this before, is that a good coach when you come in as a person with a certain personality, Like I have a certain personality which is disagreeable with Caitlin. I. I always know what my player's personality is, so I don't want to change their personality at all. If they're quiet, I understand that about them. If they're a little bit nuts or a little bit like over the top, I get that. Like my favorite saying to a player is I don't take anything personally. So if I say something to you and you snap back at me because you know whatever, it's like, I don't want to hear that right now. I don't take any of that personally. I say, I don't take anything personally until you make it personal. So someone says to me something that's personally attacking me, yeah, we have a problem.
Fair.
So anything outside of that, it's understanding your player, understand their strengths and weaknesses, but also understanding their personalities, which is really important because you, if you want to get the best out of something, eagerty on take is very different to sabal Anka. You got to talk to sabal Anca very differently to how you talk to Eger and vice versa. In the men's game. You know, Sinner is a very quiet guy. He needs guys like that around him. If he has people that are too up, it's like probably a little bit too much for him. So you've got to understand that. That's very important.
For What was also interesting for me knowing you as you coached Plishkova a little bit with Bouchard obviously Serena coaching Sam You really, I'm sure your fundamentals and what they all needed to work on was you know, individualized to the person. But you know you're you're not giving a tremendously different set of advice about moving forward or taking balls. It's more how you're adjusting your vibe. I will answer the question to say, I think Andy has a lot of wisdom. I would love to see his call, the way he learned to channel his emotions and be calm, and especially during that year that he won the ATP Finals, he won the Wimbledon. I'm thinking what twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen together, keep his shit together. I would love to see him get ons a Wimbledon.
Ooh ooh, good call.
I want he win.
About my stomach growling one.
There's some granola persons. Why don't you drink the water? Just PORTRAYO what a nice person I am. Next, Guert right, that was a great answer for both of us. I have to say, Okay, Steve Leonard, who runs operates sets up the line calling system, would be different people at each tournament. Hawkeye. It is an outsourced technology soon to be replacing all human beings. Angela Fetchner, what do you expect from the new partnership? Oh glad, I'm glad. Somebody asked about Schmuantech and wim faceet Belgian coach to the Stars a new coach player pairing, thank you Angela for giving us an excuse to talk about whim and ego. What do you make of that? Because that is news since we last recorded and we even did a who will whim coach next?
Yeah? I mean are we surprised by this?
This is this makes perfect sense.
And again, this is not a slight on wim fa set Okay, I want to get that straight. This is not a slight on Patrick More.
Did anybody think that?
But the fact that these men just file up it just makes me laugh.
Wait, but okay, I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'm.
Not saying fail like you failed. But we're getting fired and then they get picked up in one week to work with somebody else. It makes me laugh so much.
Do you think it has to? I mean both of them can say that they've coached Grant Slam winning, so maybe, yeah, failing maybe it's not their word. But it is interesting because when fired up, fired upwards, yes, fired up there promoted despite uh of a excuse them with the former player. One thing I think is really maybe plays into this is people don't think of it as a firing because everyone's so nice about it on social media like Renee. Renee and Caitlin have decided to end their coaching partnership. Renee, You've been a part of my the best parts of my life. You've just been an incredible person in my ear. And and secretly it's like, hey, we fucking hate each other. I don't know, just like it didn't work.
So everyone knows only for a certain amount of time in the day. Do I hate Caitlin?
Thank you, thank you for clarifying all the certain times. But I do think like part of it is the performance of how jovial and collegial these breakups are. It's actually, no, you're getting.
Fired, yeah, and we don't like I don't like you anymore.
So your point is, how do these it's always the same guys, and they always end up getting really great agents.
They contact the agents, the agents contact their agents.
It's like it might be well, maybe I'll put that on the player and say, why aren't the players looking more creatively outside of the same.
Because these coaches have agents, and as soon as they're about to get fired, and they know they're getting fired, they're onto every other agent.
Did Serena's agent come to you? No, she came to you, no, because she was creative and she was like, oh I need some molse.
Well, actually, how it happened was I sent her a text and said sorry about the match last night. I was there. She's like yeah, and I was like, I have some thoughts. This is what I wrote, and she said, great, can you come to my practice tomorrow? And that's how it started. But also I've had a twenty five year relationship with serena longer actually, and I've always spoken to her about a tennis The amount of text messages that I sent her throughout her career before even worked with her before the US Open is numerous, you know, even little game plan she would ask me, you know, what do you think about this? Or you know, I would send her a text about stuff and you know, about her attitude or the way she was acting or something, you know, because I knew her so well, so we had a built in relationship. But yeah, some of these coaches, I mean, listen, what do I think about how it's going to go? I think it'll go great because when will come in with new ideas and new fresh he's a little bit and not a little bit, he's a lot more upbeat and a lot more positive than Thomas. I felt Thomas was very dour, like oh my god, Like you would walk into a room with him and it was just like, oh, and I'm like, dude, you gotta like make life better. I mean, you gotta find some joy on the tennis court or working with Ego or something, because Eager clearly when she's out on the court, she gets very stressed and all the things you see and you have to be able to monitor that and be able. And that's where I think women coaches can be better in those situations, like Martinez working with Mira Andrea. But you can see Miraa Andreva. She's very demonstrative on the court at times, she's young, all these things, but you can see how much more confidence she's getting. Can she controls, you know, not controls her, like understands what she's seeing and can talk to her about it because she played. So it's just like, I don't know, we'll see. I think Eagle will probably do great and women will look like a legend and there you go.
I do think it's anyone who worked with Ego was gonna it was gonna. Yeah, I mean, Ego's already incredibly good. I do think it would be nice to see her smiling more on the court, and I hope that the positive box change will be for the better. Yep, Boris asks if Rafford does well at Davis Cup famously he's retiring at David's Cup and is healthy, what is the possibility he plays, ao Boris.
Zero point zero zero zero zero zero percent. Yeah, no, I mean no, he's not playing. I mean he's barely gonna make it. Yeah, I mean the only reason, thank god, it's going to be his last match is going to be in Spain. I just was like, Oh, this is the this is the last match you're gonna play against Novak here getting paid all this money, and I just felt so So I'm glad he's doing it in Spain. At least he'll get the send off, he'll be crying, it'll all be. There was no tears in rear and you're just like, he's like, give me my money and I'm out of here. So I'm glad he's doing in Spain. But you will not see him at the strain.
Hard to imagine, all right, J Trepaner, but by I suppose had your name right. As the year ends, in the new Doubles Partnership's form. Can you talk a little bit about how that process works to players to chat amongst themselves to find new partners, Do agents get involved? Do you sign up for a full year together or a few months trial period? Thanks? Before you answer, I'm going to say when I was in Junior's, one of my favorite things is you just put your name next to the draw. You'd say I was looking for a doubles looking, yeah, looking basically.
Actually, Caitlin, that still happened.
But I love playing doubles so much that I played all the time and I ended up being better at doubles. And it was because I played doubles every single tournament. I would make a lot of new friends.
Just so you know, that actually happens on the tour.
That's funny.
Real people do write down on a sheet in the WTA office X name ranking looking, So that actually does happen still on the tour. Usually most of those players are writing aren't as successful because it's very ready to be looking, you know, if you're a good doubles player. So I will tell you all of that question is all of the above. There is like backchatter, there's friendships, there's like agents maybe talking to that. There's coaches that are talking to other coaches, and my players not doing well with this plan, I think, you know, So there's a lot of stuff. It's basically like dating. It's like who's going to be honest, who's going to be truthful, who's going to be faithful? Who is going to blame their partner?
Wow?
Who is going to jump out of that partnership for first? Who thinks that they're better than their partner and thinks that they could do better with somebody else.
Because all these things are all happen.
Things are happening, all of them, and if you're not having success week in and week out, you are always constantly looking of blaming your partner.
I can tell you what I think makes a successful marriage, but I'm not sure what makes us successful doubles partner same same thing, but it's probably the same thing, right, Like communication, honesty, transparency, expectations, you know that kind of stuff.
I mean, I remember, like Lisa Raymond and I before we won our first Wimbledon, we didn't have a coach with us at the time, and Lisa often had coaches because she was doing so well on singles, but it's very expensive to have a coach, so I had coaches on and off. And we sat down with each other before the tournament, and of course we didn't have a coach, and we said to each other, what do we need to work on? What do I need to work on, and what do you need to work on? And we were really honest with one Obviously, we were incredibly close personally, so it was easier for oh, sometimes easier or harder to have those conversations. But she said to me, you got to be better with your second shot. So I hit a good return and then they'd get the ball back and then maybe I'd miss that next shot. And Lisa was so much better at that than I was, and so she's like, you need to work on that. So I did like that whole week preparation for Wimblin. That was my goal. My goal was not missed my second shot or set my partner up, and with her it was X and Y, and so I would tell her and then we were really we kept each other accountable and practice and we didn't want lose a set that wimblelin when we want it. So it clearly worked. But you've got to be really honest, but honestly. In doubles, it's about personality. It's about what side you play on. I was a backhand court player. Least it was a fourhand court player. It worked well with us. So it's a lot of things. But yeah, it's about being faithful and being truthful.
It's also amazing that everyone's kind of having very different ranking. Doubles drama is really fun.
Oh my, you have no idea. I could tell you so many stories. Maybe one podcast will have of doubles story podcast, just like blind Items, and I can tell you my own stories in that. And I fucked up one time. You know, stop playing with Kara Black. It's a long story. Kara and knows his story. But I'll get into them. Maybe maybe I'll get into it when Lisa comes on the pot.
Maybe we should do like a bonus episode behind a pywall line has to like behind a scene. Oh yeah, all right, this next one is for you because they say you're a huge they're a huge fan. Next level, right, it's hire a name, huge fan.
Oh is that how they said it?
Huge fan? Yeah? Can you share your thoughts?
Is that your sexy voice?
If this tour should combine and have a commissioner Big four American Sports. Also, who would make a Greek commissioner if you think there should be one.
Sophie Goldschmidt.
Yeah, Sophie got would be a good We're having dinner with her to it.
We are having dinner with tonight. Sophie is the CEO of World of the US.
Ski team was Ski and Snowboards, the Ski and Snowboard previously World Surf League YEP.
Previously worked for the WTA Rugby. Like all kinds of things, Sophie Goldschmid is my I would dream to have Sophie as the commissioner. And she listens to our podcast, so she's smiling and laughing right now and also saying, fuck, don't pull my nan out.
I am busier, but you are right.
We do need a full commissioner. We need the tourist to join, and that's how we get collective bargaining and how we get more money out of the slams.
Yeah, that's it, that's it. You just need somebody competent. Jay Rudd, what do you think about Sabby getting number one without her or Eager playing a match? How does that fit historically in the sport? It fits historically in the sport all the time, people's rankings move all the time, whether or not they lose. Sometimes they lose and they still get promoted to number one. It has more to do with how the weekly ranking system works. That also is another way of saying congratulations to Arena Sbalanca forgetting to number one, which she is right now.
It's a twelvemonth rotation, right, So if I won a tournament this week and I didn't play it, those points drop off, and my opponent may have lost first round of that tournament, and then that drops off because it's basically just a twelve month rotation.
An accumulation of points over twelve months that fluctuates. And so for me, how do I feel about it? I feel great because there is no doubt in my mind that at there's a moment right now, Arena Sublink is the best player in the world.
Yeah.
Absolutely, Sometimes it is weird being like, eh, is that correct? But it also has to do with to your point, who's defending what points?
Yeah, we had Ego won the WT finals last year, which is I believe two thousand points I think to win. So you just had there's a great website. It's live tennis scores. It lies tennis rankings, and you can see where the points are dropping off, why they can move, where they can move to where they're at in a certain tournament, what that means to them. So there's lots of good little information.
Do you care about the rankings?
No, I mean when you've been number one in the world already, it's great to get back there. Arena is happy to be back there, but it doesn't mean the same as what it did when you What is important is end of year world ranking for your bonuses.
That's right, contract you're commercial. So yeah. From Peter, the lovely Peter, who we know, an actual tennis question, how do you and Kaitland see the current state of the tour? What players are obviously amazing and the depth has improved greatly, but what would you like to see as an improved and added to make the product even stronger. Well, one thing that has happened which I'm thrilled about, which some people are mad about, is that there will be on court coaching for both men and women next year.
Okay, can we just laugh about that though the amount of just vitriol and stuff. I mean, even John Mellman, who I love Johnny. He was like, it sucks. I'm like, dude, we've had it for like two years already, get over it, like we And okay, here's my thing with coaching, and that one thing is that it's tough for the lower ranked players if you don't have a coach, So that does hurt you. But if you've got a friend, they can help you out as well and go and watch you play. So there is an imbalance there. But you know what it's always get You know, if we were a top player, you get the practice call, it's up for two hours, and a player ranked sixty gets it for an hour. It just sucks. You know. You get to hit on Arthur ash Stadium every time you play, and so that when you go out and play a match, it's like no big deal for you. Or if you never practice on that court, you're like, oh fuck, this court is big. It's like if you're successful and you're good, everything happens for you. You get it's just easier. You get more balls, you get more practice time, you get the private car, it's all of it. You probably get a private jet sent for you. So with this on court coaching, it's like I have played, and I have coached, and believe me when I tell you, even when it wasn't allowed, everybody is coaching. Yeap, okay, I can do a little tap of my write ear means serve to the forehand. I'm like, you can do across your arm. So they're hitting the ball cross court like. There are so many ways to get around on court coaching that's not allowed. And also there is only so much that you can tell a player in twenty seconds, okay, And there's a scene called paralysis by analysis, and so the more information you're giving your players say look at you, like shut what. So it's a very fine balance. I think it's fine because it was happening anyway, so now we don't have to worry about the stupid warnings. And also when Sam was playing with the Chinese player, I would tell her coach they need to do X and Y, and he would yell it out.
In Chinese and not be busted, of course.
Not because the umpire doesn't understand what he's.
Saying, unless you're in China, in which case you weren't getting busted for coaching, that's.
Right, Well, no, because the umpire is English speaking usually yeah, so I would say, hey, Robert, say watch the down the line and you go, you know, blah blah blah in Chinese, and I'm like, yeah, thanks, great, and the umpire was sort of looking and I was like, oh what he said.
My answer has always been more on court coaching. It makes the product better. And I also love when they make it up so players at home can understand what is happening. The way that we can get inside into football or inset into basketball by hearing what the coaching is, what should they be doing, what aren't they doing, and how can they improve and then you can watch it. It's amazing.
And to all commentators out there, no matter how good your point of view is, when you're saying something on the court, if the coach suddenly starts talking to the player, shut up.
That's agreed.
I need to hear what they're saying. You're what you're saying is nowhere near. It will never be as important as what the coach is saying to the player or the player is saying.
To the coach, even if it's something dumb, that's more insightful sometimes to be like, oh, well this guy has nothing to say, right, Yeah, anyway, agreed, And then we've already talked about consolidating the tours, making the schedule shorter ten Grand Slams, which we both agree on. So is that question Peter Oh, Peter trylock Karki says, can you please cover this switch on WADA position number one due to penalty on missing mandatory five hundred events. It sounds like he's making the point or she's making the point that where they're making the point that Arena Sabla like ascended to number one because somebody missed a mandatory five hundred. I don't care.
It's the way it is.
It's just the way it is. This is the schedule and it's about defending points. Also, I don't think it's that big of a deal to be candid.
Neither Eagle or Arena care.
I don't think they care about who's number one at the end of the year, and they'll care about who lists the trophies at the end of the week more than this. BG. Do you think players who make it deeper in to one tour should be allowed to buy in round one? I'm not sure exactly what that means, but what's your take on top ten players not allowed to compete in more than one, two, two fifties. Okay, so this question is about something called vulturing, where players who are highly ranked are prevented from playing too many smaller tournaments to a crew points, which seems like, on the face of it, a good rule. EMM Navarro got some flak because she was entering tournaments prior to when she ascended to the heights she is ranked currently and accused of vulturing points. I think she was entered into Hong Kong, which happens in a week or two, and the idea was she was sort of praying on players ranked much lower than her to just accrue points. I don't know if that's true. I don't think it's true. But again, there's so much to nitpick about here. If you had ten tournaments and they were all worth the same, it wouldn't matter. But what do you think about that?
Do you think it's bad or I mean, I have various different thoughts on this. You know, it's nice when you have a smaller tournament in a small city, you know that doesn't get a lot of high powered tennis players going. Then you get someone that is huge to grow the sport a small town, so you know, a small town in Brazil or wherever in China or in Europe, if you've got a two fifty in Luxembourg or somewhere like that, or you know, and you get these kids that going to watch it and they get to see a huge superstar. I think it's great for the growth of the game. There is the other side of the tournament putting a ton of money in. They want the best players there. So there's you know, there's that juxtaposition of you know, supporting the tour, supporting the tournaments, supporting the cities. I don't know.
I kind of think the tournaments should get the best players they can.
Yeah.
And if a player wants to play a tournament in their hometown, you know, like Eager wants to play in Poland, let her play. Fuck who cares? Yeah.
Also, like maybe I'm Menaviarral really loves dim sum like Hong Kong's awesome. I don't know why, and I wouldn't anyone wouldn't want to go there.
Who's Telescope and soup dumpling tonight?
I's sir about that? Cha Loongbao? All right? Telescop asks the same question about Ega and wim Faz that we already cover that lorettas Caamura Faturos.
Would you use because you were just in Italy.
You just nailed that, Thank you? Would you explain more clearly the twenty twenty five coaching rule. This is online coaching and how it differs from what we're currently experiencing. Doesn't this past season, it doesn't.
It doesn't, So everyone losing their mind it it's been happening.
This is definitely a renee question unless you want to hear about the very competitive NCAA doubles that I experienced, which is highly doubtful. Although I did once lose to Alexander Stephens in I believe it was in like thirty five minutes at national doubles. She was six ' five. She was enormous and served like hundred fifty miles like six well to me who's five to five. She felt like a titan like John Kwell exactly. I wasn't getting anything past her at the net either, Steph As Stephen Kennedy says, who is the best player slash team that you ever played in singles and doubles and you've played against the Williams sisters, is that the answer?
Yeah? Probably them at their best just because they serve you off the court. But I was pretty competitive against them, but they I beat them one time. Every other time I did not win. But and they were also at their peak powers in singles, you know when I was playing them. And that's why I get annoyed when people are like, you know, these players are pulling out in doubles, and I'm like, shut up. None of the top players play doubles anymore. You guys should be happy playing doubles only. But I would say the Williams sisters, Jiji Fernandez and Natasha's are Aba were two great doubles team. You know, my Tina Navrilova and anyone. My Tina Hingus and Anyone were probably the four or five or six doubles players that I played against. It were always so fun and competitive. And I would say in singles, I mean, I had the great pleasure of playing stephie Graff on grass and I almost beat her, did you yeah, because six four in the third grass shitty grass in Birmingham, So it was a nightmare for her to pass me. I was, And plus I always hit with her and she was my friend, so I was comfortable, like it wasn't like I was against Steffi graff this, you know, m I was like, she's my friend, right, and you practice so you serve in my doubles with a you know, you know, I was coming in on a back end like a banshe and she couldn't pass me, so it was likely. But I did still lose because she had a fuehand past me on matt point.
Cool.
So yeah, I played her in singles. That's that's my greatest.
That's a good answer, Yeah, AJP says. And we've touched on this a little bit. Assuming Sadi Arabia is here to stay, could they or should they make a positive difference to the ATPWTA through proper investment rather than just throwing millions away at exhibitions. What things could they do? I'll take this because I have been loath to sort of talk about the Saudia stuff because, like I said, I'm still sort of thinking about what I think about it. Yes, they're throwing exhibitions, as do many places around the world, but also they are investing at the Satday Townel Federation in young kids, especially young women, to try to get parody among the genders. In twenty thirty five, among tennis playing recreationally. So I don't think it's just what you see, which is which is the six King Slam. I think it's a lot of grassroots stuff because I'm at least historic, not just Houdi Arabia, but the Emirates have spent a ton of money on exhibitions and tournaments and they don't have a local, homegrown star, so they're trying to address that. The other thing I would say is, yeah, uh, there's a lot of things that they could do, and I would love to see, as Billy Jean King says about Sadi Arabia specifically, let's see what engagement does.
Yep.
I'm gonna leave it at that, Okay, yep. Stephen Kennedy, do pro players swing as fast on the second serve as the first, just with more spin or is it a myth thanks Renee like I think head racket speed.
That's a great question. It's very different. So on a first serve you're really snapping the wrist to get that real flat pronation or speed on the serf, and then the second one, I don't know. That's a really great question to ask if it's the same speed like quickness because you're brushing the side of it more on a second serve. So the first serve you're really snapping it, going fast flat, and on the second serve you're hitting it more. From like seven pm. I always talk about things on a clock, So seven pm over to like five pm, you know what I mean. Like, so you're like, it's like a smile, whereas the first serves like a real straight line with the racketthead speed. But that's a really great question. I'd say the speed is pretty similar in a lot of way. It's just more you hit and you cut the ball differently.
Good answer, speed round because we only have a few minutes left, Tim Kidd. Very similar to the commissioner question, why can't someone like Roger become the president or CEO of tennis or someone start to working on that role. Tennis needs the leader for loads of different reasons, not people pulling in different ways. Agree with you, Tim Kid, I'm not sure where Roger wants the job, but certainly somebody who knows how to negotiate commercial contracts and get a bunch of people with opposing viewpoints in a room, like someone we mentioned earlier. We won't say her name again, but rewind it if you want to hear it, Uneven Steven will share a pova get your Hall of Fame vote Well, I don't have vote me neither, but would she.
She gets me Listen. I got a lot of flak for this years and years ago from her agent, Max Eisenbud, and he has barely said two words to me since. And I made this comment, and it's the reason why we have a podcast, actually, because I did the podcast with John Moore time and he asked me the question, you know she's a Lock Hall of Fame, and I went, well, I go, here's the bottom line. She is the first player to be a Lock Hall of Famer that has been credibly found guilty of taking a performance enhancing drug. So I said, how the it? A sorry? How are the Hall of Fame going to handle that? How are they going to handle that? How are they going to handle Simona Hallep who is also a Lock for the Hall of Fame. Yep, they both had a suspension of multiple years. How do you I mean, if I had to vote her, I'd probably vote her in because what she did was incredible in her career. But at the same time, it's like, what's the precedent you're setting a press in it now of putting. They didn't put what's his name into the Baseball Hall of Fame, p Rose, McGuire, McGuire, A Rod, all these guys that were, you know, lock Hall of Famous in the Baseball and you know, for betting on sports and all that sort of stuff. And so I don't know, you know, what's the precedent you're setting if you're saying, if you're gonna put Maria Sharup over in that, you've gotta put Halip. Yeah, you gotta put everyone else that comes behind that.
Yeah, Yannick Center, But he didn't. He didn't have a suspension, that's true. He hasn't been suspended.
So if you've been suspended, yeah, I mean Martina Hingers is in there, but hers was for cocaine. Remember that, I do.
I can't forget that, I know, but it's so cool nobody can.
But technically it's not a performance and it ends I'd like to see someone playing on cocaine, but it's like, so would I vote for her? Probably? But the question is the the the Hall of Fame are going to have to answer that question. Okay, So anyone that's been done for pds can still be eligible for the Hall of Fame. That's precedent.
That's a good Is that a good off ramp? I think it is no, But we have two more questions. There's a theme that I'm going to kind of allow us to sort of end on because a lot of people want to know about off guard coaching. A lot of people want to know about EGA and whim Fast, A lot of people wanted to know why don't more WTTA players. This is from mish higher female coaches. We don't know, but we wish they would.
My number is eight one three.
Will hold Garuna figure out his game in twenty twenty five? I certainly hope so. I love him now, I would coach him, and I think he would be a very credible Grand Slam winner, and I hope he gets there, not next year. Give give Renee a call, Holger, She's we're all ready for this.
Eight one three.
What is the hardest skill to learn in tennis? Says Stalin Lobo.
Oh, that's a well, it's a good question, but it's really very subjective. Some people can hit back ends really easily too hands, and some people can't hit a slice to save their lives. You know, the surf can be a little difficult for people. I think the fourhands probably the easiest because that's where around's stronger. Volleys can be very difficult. What I'm trying to tell you, my friends, is that tennis is really hard.
Tennis is really hard, really good at Do you think it's between the years?
No, it's technical, it's physical, it's everything, it's mental. Tennis is the hardest sport in the world.
It is the hardest place. It's so hard.
But I will say this, Superbird thinks that she could be a really good tennis player, a lot quicker than I could be a really good basketball player. She's round, and I was like, but but half the time I think she's just just just push.
But she's totally wrong. That's not even I mean, respectfully, super Bird, why watching basketball like that's?
Aa?
I have so much respectful I do too, but it's not anywhere near so physical.
They wake up the next day.
I don't care about basketball. But I am going to last end with the last question. What do the liberty celebrations look like? You already alluded to this. You talked about the night I'll tell you her last night with the SOHO husband, tell me how the actual Nate ended. Well, then we will wrap it up and not talk about the Liberty at least for the rest of the year. Deal.
Oh yeah, okay. So it was a big celebration on the court, obviously, with the streamers and everything, and then we all went into this great room in the Barclay Center that the size have kept open for the w and bear. She said, we treat the VIP he's the same for the Liberty as we do with the nets. And they have a great beautiful room called the Crown Room, which your wife has gone on to with me many times.
She's into it.
They serve carbone food in there. It's very special and it's beautiful. And so they had everyone could go back in there, and it was a big party. And then at midnight they threw everyone out that wasn't supposed that wasn't connected with the team somehow or family. You had to have a certain other little wrist bander be in there, and like Wonda Sykes didn't have one, and we got a one, and you know, it was just it was just a debauchery. I was just drinking and celebrating in there, and the team came in Eventually I got a hug from Sabrina. You nask you, and I hugged her, and I didn't realize that she had all the champagne and be all over herself, so when I hugged it, that then was on me. So it was gross, but it was just it was just a lot of fun. I got home at three thirty ish in the morning. Credit to the team who went to Good Morning America.
That's going to say, didn't they have another learning.
JJ John call Jones, who won the MVP of the game of the series. She didn't sleep. She was in the same outfit she was in prior to the game starting. I was like, didn't you wear that before the game? She goes yep, and I didn't go to sleep. So they all went off. Sandy Brondelo, who is my very good friend, didn't make it to GMA because she claims that she was still drunk and spinning. So it was I credit all the players were going there and doing that for GMA. Robin Roberts was at the game and is a huge fan. Of course played basketball herself in college. Hum so it was it was a great fun and we were all very hung over the next day. But it was all worth it, and it was a great season, and I do thank you all. I know you were tennis fans and that's why you listen to this podcast, but you also hopefully like me a little bit.
I think it's the Keaitland fans actually that's keeping us afloat, but it's.
Probably But I know that you guys love us, and we appreciate you listening to me waffle on about the WNBA, and I hope in the end we can all support women's sports, including tennis, including basketball, and those players, all of them get what they deserve.
All right, Well, thank you so much for your questions. They are appreciated. They're fun. We didn't get to every single one of them.
Well the ones that I didn't get to I will write you on Twitter.
Or or they were repetitive. But we appreciate it. Keep rating and we'll see you next week.
We'll appreciate you, guys. It's getting to the end of the season. We didn't even talk about who made the wt finals, but we'll get.
To that next week. Oh, that's a great topic for next week.
All right, see you then, bye, guys.
Bill, you better pregnant eat something. Brock thick,
