Indian Wells Recap With Hall of Famer Steve Flink: Sinner and Sabalenka Emerge Victorious, Medvedev Shocks Alcaraz and More

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All right, welcome everybody to another episode of The Insight in tennis podcast. All

part of the belief network. I am your host, Mitch Michaels. And as always, this podcast is available

wherever you get your shows, app of Spotify, Amazon music, video versions available on the YouTube

channel at Mitch Michaels as well. One like at the Sunshine Devil is in the books. We have some

Indian Wells cleanup to do. Talking about the Champions Yannick Center and Arina Savalanka.

And no better person do that with me than the Hall Famer. Now reoccurring guests on the show's

second time getting the chance to talk to them. It's deemed author, historian of the game.

And now for the show Steve Foynk. Steve, welcome back to the podcast. Always excited to talk tennis

with you. Great to be back, Mitch. We got a lot to talk about, I think. We do. And I do want to

mention one thing first because the timing is everything and we got the chance to talk last year

for the first time. And then it couldn't have been more than a week, maybe a couple of days after we

had a great episode, which I encouraged people in the archives to listen. But then I saw you on the

video of Fetter's Surprise Introduction with all those Hall of Famers like yourself kind of

surprising him. So what was that experience like? I know it's going to be huge year for the Hall of Fame,

but being part of that is a lot of fun. Yeah, I was very pleased. You know, they invited all of us

who are Hall of Famers. And obviously, they didn't have time for all of us to talk to Roger.

But it was just nice to be on there listening, watching his reaction. And then to be surrounded by

all these luminaries, you know, the likes of Everett and Austin and Everett Aloba and a whole

slew of the top-end Boris Becker. And it was an all-star cast of Hall of Famers, all patting Roger

on the back. I'm not sure anybody else could have managed that. When I say managed it,

he didn't orchestrate it. I just mean the respect they had for him and being willing to show up

and come on this Zoom call, the Rod Labor as well. And to salute Roger for getting into the Hall

of Fame was a nice moment. I was glad to be a part of it. Yeah, it's going to be a great year

with Roger and Mary Carillo and the Hall of Fame. One of the things about Fetter and it was

funny. I saw it was at any walls a few days, saw the Hall of Fame set up, saw where you can leave

messages, personalized messages, the fans can't to the Hall of Fame candidates. But what strikes me

about Roger among other things and why this guy so special is the appreciation for the history

of the game. And I just hope Steve that we don't lose that with the future greats coming forward.

It is pretty refreshing to see any athlete in any sport, but let alone one of the all-time greats

saying, you know, how much he reveres the people that came before him. No, you're right. You're right.

I think it's, I don't want to say it's rubbed off. I think, I think Jokovic is really quite similar.

And I think Rapha is too. I think all three of them as they made history of the highest order

were aware, became more and more aware of their predecessors and all the great players that have

made it possible for them. So I think they're going to carry that on too. But he set a certain tone

early in his career with the reverence that he showed for great champions who preceded him. So

nice to see it. I suspect, by the way, that when you see him on Newport in August, accepting

the honor, the eyes will not be dry. I'd be very surprised if he gets through the whole speech

without not breaking down a bit because he's just very emotional that way.

Yeah, we know we love it. He's a cryer, but we love it. It's great to see. So

when you heard that problem, you probably heard that from Rosika Salz on that call that day.

She kidded him. So I know you're a cryer, so bring your, bring your Kleenex, which was very funny.

And I think he fully understood what he was getting at. He'll have a full pack of Kleenex.

It's going to be a great summer. I hope that security, you know, hope that the stands are

reinforced because a lot of passionate Fetter fans are going to be there. It's going to be great

in getting back to the topic at Hamstead, you know, Indian Walsh 2026 before getting to the champions.

I just thought, you know, I said it last week, even before the tournament concluded, but this

tournament was a slam dunk. It gave you the storylines you want. The action wasn't,

it was incredible. I think it really did kind of plant the seats for a great season. I thought

start to finish all the way up to the final. This was as good as any tournament we've seen some time.

Yeah, I'd agree. We got very timely. We kind of needed it. I think about the end of the

Australian was pretty special with a Carlos winning that harrowing five-setter against Zerev and

Jokovic beating Sinner in five, then a very good final between Jokovic and Alchoriz. And then,

of course, the women had a good final, too. So the was Sabalenko and Ravakina. So that was a

nice ending, but you're right. This one had it pretty much all the way through and it concluded

on a really high note with both both finals. And it's just what you want to see. I mean,

one of the most exciting moments for me, by far, was Fonseca, because we've been waiting for him.

He's had too many injuries. He's been held back by the injuries. Hasn't been able to do

himself justice, even though he climbed to about 35 in the world. We'd seen him make progress,

but not quite at the rate we might have thought when he made that big splash at the Australian at

the start of last year. Still won a couple of titles. But the way that he played the maturity that

he displayed against Sinner in losing a match that was actually similar in some ways to the final

then that it was a two-time break match. But it just was very special because he goes to the

opening set tie breaker, Fonseca. And he bailed himself out very nicely and break points at

three all four on the set. You know, he could have could well have lost the set six six six four.

But he he fought off a couple of break points and then that enabled him to get there. He goes up

six three in that breaker and Sinner, of course, showed his class, his composure, his

boys under pressure to win five straight points. And only one was a giveaway from Fonseca.

One was a forehand error that could have been prevented. The rest was Stellar's

Stellar Sinner, I would call it. And then but then Fonseca goes down five two in the second set.

And he could have been forgiven for losing this match six and three and just say,

well, I had a great first set. No, he didn't allow Sinner to serve out the match. He got back in.

He took it to a tie break, and here he went up four three in the tie break, but then Sinner ran

it out from there. But it was it was a really impressive performance, I thought. He went toe-to-toe

with Sinner. He blasted away with him. He looked very comfortable from the baseline with Sinner.

And it was really just came down to those big points. The big point prowess of Sinner made the

difference. So I thought to me that was yeah, that gets that's back to your point of that we had

these type of moments all the way through the term. We had learner T T N saving the couple of match

points against Davidovich Fokina. That was that was great too. So there were there were very

few times in the tournament where there are any lags. Not to mention we had joke of it's draper.

And I don't I don't think Novak I think it's sort of proven by him pulling out of Miami.

I sensed that you saw him wearing the arm sleeve. Yeah. He went three set two three

centers leading into the match with draper. And I never felt like he was serving quite up to par.

Or I don't think any part of his game was 100% but he got inspired for that match. Draper or someone

he he he he had said a couple of days ago. I think on Tennessee. You know, he wants to see if

these guys can beat him. He was funny about that kind of like. And I know exactly what he means.

It's his prove you're good enough. And obviously draper did. But that was just a spellbinding match

because Novak almost had him in straight. He won the first and then he had him. He came back from

a breakdown in the second play to surprisingly loose game with the start of the second to lose

his serve. But got the break back for three all hell for four three and almost broke again. I

do send the next game draper to his great credit really stood his ground there. And then broke

Novak and the following game saved a break point in the following game and wins the set. And then

of course we had the point in the first game. The point 26 strokes and draper drop shouting Novak

had him on a yo yo running all over the court with the most amazing part of the point was

joke of his chasing down that lob from draper was a perfect lob in did Novak's forehand corner.

He chased it down and put back a very deep lob himself as only he can. Obviously he eventually

wins it with a little bit of luck with his backhand cross could grazing the neck court. But

that's when he was down down on his back on the court while everybody in the stands was on

their feet cheering. And I thought what made that remarkable too was he managed to get through that

game. Even though he was really fatigued by that point. As he said later he was really gassed.

And then he got broke in the next time but but he bided his time. He kept he made sure

enough for two breaks down. He waited and just got his holds as quickly as he could and then

went draper serve for it. He sensed maybe that Jack might tighten up and Jack did. But then again

this is what makes tennis so fascinating joke of it gets the break holds for six five and he

has 30 all and and try to drop shot that didn't work and draper it was too good to pass. But the

point is you would have thought maybe at that point draper's draper's done right not quitting but

just two two two a distraught by not serving the match up. But he digs in he holds. Then he's

up three one of the tie break but joke of his goes up four three and then Jack finally wins at

seven five. But that that I think the crowd was so animated and it was such a highly charged

atmosphere. And I think it was one of those matches was great with the crowd. I'd say obviously

more for no back this he was now the sentimental favorite but they appreciated draper the day and

the new here's the defending champion and that was another highlight and you know that's that was

the nature of the tournament is that's around a 16 match right round is 16 and then and then draper

obviously then we have the another moment with Medvedev and the incident it was yeah there was so

much and I think to you know a lot to get to with that but you had two favorites for the women's

favorite and the men's number two but we all know top two separated themselves they win the tournament

Steve but it didn't feel like just a slow march like maybe I'll show you did where you had all this

drama before where there was some doubt there and then we saw you know obviously Alcarez lose

upsets egon the women's side so I think when you have the best of both worlds it provides the best

amount of tennis and stadium one got classic match after classic match it seemed but I'm totally

with you with fun sake but we wanted to see I think we're you know tennis fans and sports fans can

be a little impatient at times to say the least but to see him show the signs that he is on track to

push the best and the best way to understand that from my viewpoint Steve is sinner understood

this was a real threat out there he knew he had arrived in to beat him and that says all I need to

know about how the rest of the tour feels about fun sake no and sinner made a comment afterwards

about this was the first time you could tell I shouldn't I don't want to put it I don't mean

there's a negative but he wanted to get the first match over with in the sense that I want to

know what what it's like to play this kid I've seen him he looks dangerous I want to find out

once and for all for myself and he comes away with a good feeling but also knowing full well that

fun sake is not afraid of him and that fun sake is going to improve markedly in the next couple

of years so Yanke is going to have to keep raising the stakes again so that doesn't mean I mean we

know obviously Mitch that it's no no automatic that the next three times they play fun sake a

plays matches like that but it just gives him the encouragement for the long run you feel like he

can compete with sinners so I love watching it seeing draper back in the mix was great too you

hope these guys stay healthy that they're able to push the best which is why the the men's tournament

was so fascinating and I want to get into the final right now Steve because yeah but just just

a quick interjection Mitch if I may that draper you touched on saying important he's still getting

his sea legs and you can tell that physically he wasn't quite there and which is one of the reasons

why he lost to a letter perfect meant that the first six was a tough schedule to like have played

the next day it was but I think draper later in the season would be more up to it and at this stage

he wasn't quite ready although he did he could it himself much better in the second set which was

seven five and we had that awkward moment with Daniel asking for the replay and calling hindrance

and winning his argument which by the way I just want to a quick aside of that I think it was a

wrong wrong decision to meet by the umpire why are they allowed to play out the point that's my

thing like I and I'm never going to an athlete wants to seize a moment they're going to go for it's

up to the umpire say no I just don't think that should be allowed he should have to throw his hands

up like a challenge the moment he sees it and then maybe you review it that was my biggest thing

I like I like you're thinking there but let's just say we even give them the loudest we

we allow them to wait out to the end of the world I expect the umpire to review the point and say

wait a second they played that was the four shot of the rally the four shot yeah he hits a ball

that meant that if it's a for him it looks long to draper and he's got his hands up their bits

just briefly doesn't stop playing then they play it it goes to 12 strokes before you know

it's like okay wait a minute wait a minute how can how can if he'd really been distracted I think

Daniel might have stopped so I'm just saying common sense tells me that she should have looked at it

and said no that had no bearing on the point Daniel and just watch the way Daniel reacted

after after draper reacted thinking that that other shot have been like this didn't make any

sense to me that she would say you did something that wasn't normal that was different well anybody

and as draper said players do that all the time because it's a carryover from pre-electronic

lines days where you know they're looking over to the lines it how couldn't you why didn't you call

that so he's it's it's it's perfectly understands it's a reflex but he didn't prolong it if he had

you know I get it but Daniel I feel like Daniel that Daniel has many good qualities and and

your right players can go for it but I thought he with that was calculated he he was rewarded in

the end but I like the fact that he said to draper at the net I don't feel great

because I think it dawned on him yeah maybe he thought he would lose the appeal he get his

chance to appeal he thought he'd lose it and and I think he did feel bad in a sense but anyway

just wanted to I think you and I see it essentially the same way yeah I think it's fair for sure

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gambling problem called 1-800 gambler looking at the men's final Indian Wells though with Steve

Frank here on the inside in tennis podcast it was sinner over mevadev getting his first Indian

Wells title now joining the big four as members of the exclusive club winning all the hardcore titles

in the master's series it was just really phenomenal Steve to watch center get back to doing

what he does i know he didn't have to play alcharez in this run but locking in against fonseca

dominant wins over both learners he and alexander's verov and then playing an informed

in the omevadev who wasn't giving him anything on mevadev's own service games the moments of the

match for me for center were those tie breaks down four oh in the second winning the last seven

his ability to you mean he's a great player all the way around but to ramp up

when he needs to and at this point in his career Steve not throw away sets and games maybe that

might be out out of the realm of possibility for most he onic center back where he belongs at

the top of the game a dominant win for a dominant champion not all good points i agree with you look

he did something quite similar against fonseca and when he was down six three in the first set

tie break and he runs off five points in a row but that's fonseca whose younger who doesn't

have as much experience playing big matches against the leading players so you can see

how maybe he would have that sort of inner belief but to do it to medvadev first of all he was a

bit lucky i thought yannick in the first set time because Daniel let that ball go he was up

but then he made it he was in a good position to play a high four hand volley center's past was

not low i can understand there was a part of things is going along but it was a tough one right

like and i saw it in in hindsight we're all like why did you not let that why did you not play

that what he's seeing how fast that ball is going in that angle i understand in a split second how

you could get that wrong yeah you can but i think he obviously hit it was something he regretted

and it was most likely he puts that value away but regardless that would have given him double

set points so that was a big moment then you mentioned the second set tie break for zip and the

course that's when there was some concern jim currier on the air was concerned that it was

cramping from center i'd in the end i don't really think it was i don't know was yannick

ever was he ever asked about that after i didn't see no no just a celebratory yeah but there was

no sign to me after that point he looked okay little luckily it would have been a shame if he had

if cramping had cost him the time but it did surprise he he was brilliant those seven straight

points no doubt about it in turn i was a little surprised that uh Daniel uh couldn't make more of

that lead you know for guy serves as well as he does to lose that many points on your serve

because he served two starting at four one and lost those and then again from four five so he

lost four points on his serve without winning any in that span that's surprising and he played

also a brilliant tie break against Carlos the day before to beat him in the semis be that as it may

your point is well taken because regardless of where Daniel was as the british would say found

wanting and you know i was frustrating for him but he may have been a bit he was probably a little

weirier than a sinner he looked to let a bit a bit worn out himself at that stage right but it

it takes nothing away from sinner because you know he still has to be

letter perfect and and he knows deeply concentrated and right right on his game to be able to pull

off a seven's put you guys he also by the way he doesn't want to go three he doesn't like the heat

he held up better than he had looked against zero of the day before and or or obviously in australia

but neither one of those guys really wants to go three but Daniel has no choice yeah

i guess like i got to get it over with now so yes i agree with you we saw the best

side of sinner again i mean after he had lost it a heartbreaker to a great joke of it

in australia when novex saved 16 out of 18 break points in in the five center and then lost

to munchick he really wanted to jumpstart a season this this was the time this was the moment and i

think it was very important him he never won indian wells before and i think he really wanted to

get going and start feeling like himself again and the beauty the beauty of this is if he gets

Miami it's it's nice it's nice he's on a real roll but even if he doesn't win Miami he'll go to

the clay court season i think feeling as it's just as long as he plays well in Miami and goes deep

in Miami yeah he'll he'll feel very good about himself and and that he's sort of getting back

to the the very best tennis he has to offer yeah he didn't play these events last year which is

another point to know that he's getting like a proper run up to clay court season and you know

took the time it was reported that you know after after the loss to munchick he's like i want to

get to indian wells early get a proper almost training block beforehand i just think what's

you know what's under the radar what's under appreciate about yonic it's his ability after tough

losses to hit that reset button and be fine we saw that in rolling girls famously last year

it was tough mentally i'm sure losing the joke is the way he did as you mentioned having all those

chances arguably being better for the course that match but he has that ability there's a true

professional to just all right let's flush it you know what i'm glad you brought that up because

if there's several instances of it first you mentioned rolling garros i mean that's an an all-time

epic he has triple match point in the four set after winning 16 out of 17 points to get there he

looks like he's got to run out the match on a blazing and Carlos comes back and wins that match

it took tremendous resolve and uh composure and self-belief to then turn it around

against Carlos who's two-time defending champion Wimbledon and beat him in four sets there in the

final then we come to the summer and he and Cincinnati and he wasn't quite he wasn't right he

was sick when he played him that day in season but they go to the open and Carlos as this even more

decisively than Yanuk beat him in the four-setter Wimbledon Carlos beats him at the open and

Carlos again now you're starting to think he can boy this is he's really having problem this

rivalry Carlos may continuously be in his head but then in the year end championships

center beats him in turret so i think that that's to prove i'm making i'm saying this to prove your

point he does have a great ability to let these losses roll off him yes just get on with it he's

got one of the great temperaments so what would that old cliche what you see is what you get what

this the Yanuk center with all that composure and all that self-control on the court i think that's

that's how he is he reasons he's very reasonable off the court too so that he's able to get over and

that's a that's a very important quality in the champion because you're gonna take some tough

losses here and there it's gonna happen and he he dealt with it and now and now he's

now it looks like he's back in sync so i think that was about his timely triumph as he could record

well i don't want to devalue what the finalist did and that's to Neil Mevidev's run to the final

getting through jack draper beating Carl Salkarez in a match i don't think a lot of people called

they really gave him much of a chance in but for Mevidev that particular match just blitzing

Alkarez being able to not just be more aggressive but pick his spots and be timely aggressive

what i loved about that outcome steve and what i loved about Mevidev's trajectory back in the top 10

he sees kind of providing a lot of people on the outside hope that okay there is a chance he could

be a disruptor doesn't mean it's gonna happen again in a slam but what Mevidev offers to the game

is so unique and different that i love his role as a disruptor in these matches i you know we

could call him all these nicknames a mad scientist one of them steve but he came up with a game plan

that worked and Carl has said it as well in the press conference i was not expecting this or didn't

see mevidev ever played this good before but what was your reaction to what the Neil did in that

match and how he was able to overcome Alkarez yeah now those are all very interesting points

you're making i well first thing he his last win over Carlis had been at the 23 you were so

open now he didn't he didn't hit Carlis with this kind of an all out assault that day but he did

play great he was inspired he caught him off guard that day too not with the performance quite

on this magnitude but a very impressive force that win there at the open then you know obviously

hadn't gone right for him against Carlis since and he lost these finals to him and he wells it

all right so nobody really thought he had a great chance coming in but what i thought he did was

was very reminiscent of the first two sets against sinner in the 24th Australian open

and everybody talks about how it was a necessity there because he exhausted all the five

centers but my disappointment following that match was i was hoping mevidev would try to play that

way basically and you know i'm not suggesting that he had to hit every ball as hard as he can or

that it had to be just nothing but big hitting but i thought he might do that more often against

the top players following that loss of sinner that it may be set off a light bulb it's it it's

it triggered something inside him to say you know what i can play that way i can be more aggressive

and still hardly miss but even those two sets against sinner i'm not sure quite compared to

what we saw against Carlis not to mention we saw mevidev and he wasn't quite as good on serve on

Sunday despite not getting broken there was no no breaks in that finals and nobody can say he didn't

serve well he did he faced a couple of break points in the first set and i was it but i felt

like against Carlis this the serving particularly in the first set was devastating yeah that that

had been a concern for mevidev for his camp of supporters and i think he's got many you know

people kind of understand he's a different kind of character and i think people out there kind

of enjoy him and they know that when he was at his best and when he beat Joe bitch at the 21

us open and all through that span 21 22 23 into 24 the serve this part of it yeah it was a bit was

was not talked about enough the first serve was a huge weapon and he needed it because

especially the way he was playing then with not being this aggressive he needed some free points

and he got them well the serve was terrific against particularly good against Carlis very very

good against against Yanuk too and i thought that also surprised Carlis that he couldn't quite

figure out where to position himself on the second serve returns he didn't have much of an idea

where the first serve was going and Daniel was able to control it now it got tougher in the second

set because he went down the break 31 got it right back and then had some difficult service games

later including four five we saved two set points but still coming up with big serves when he

needed them and then in the tie break i loved that long break where he took extra time he stood

and took a long sip of water and yeah and and and and what walked over it changed ends of the court

and served to perfect you know perfect serve to go six went and closes out with an ace down the

tee at six three and other ace down the tee just took his time found picked his spots and hit

them on a dime so yeah the combination of the serving and the incredible power of power and control

off the ground because he used the backhand down the line so well against Carlos and then when he

had a chance to lean in and rifle that flat backhand cross court he did it and he had Carlos

on his heels and he had Carlos confused and i think Carlos his comments after were very revealing

saying he'd never seen him play like that and he didn't mean that as a putdown it was it was a

compliment it just admitting that he was he was caught off guard and that's only the third time

he's beaten him in nine career meetings and you can almost throw out the first one Carlos wasn't

really the first one yeah and then the Wimbledon win with doesn't mean much but the us open 23 was

the only one of real note and it hadn't happened since then so you're right the your notion about

him being a disruptor if he had gone out and lost badly to sinner in the final it would have

it might have taken some of the the sense of progress away almost like svera of against sinner

like that's kind of how we feel about that match yeah very it feels like it's getting like it's

slipping away like it's getting the gap is widening whereas after that performance by mevidev you

can't say that at all like there's still that's a good that's a good analogy yeah i was very

disappointed zirap had had an easy time you know you played you had one tough matching it's not

a shima but otherwise he was rolling and he you know he'd beaten fees easily i so he certainly was

rested and i and he's talked about how he wants to play well i think the problem he's got matches

that particularly if he's playing an informed yanek or obviously Carlos too but okay it's nice to

say i'm gonna be more i'm gonna be more aggressive i'm no longer gonna lose because i'm too timid

i'm gonna i'm gonna hit through that forehand i'm gonna flatten it out and if i lose i'm gonna

lose on my terms and by playing playing the way i would really like to play freed up right but i

think the problem is i honestly think that that forehand is always going to be an issue that there

be days some days where it's better than others but that when he forces himself to go for more

there are days where it breaks down and this was one of the and sinner sensed that and he exploited

it's not that it's a terrible weakness but it's not the reliable weapon that we see from a jokobitch or

or sinner or or most of the time with Carlos because Carlos did have a slightly off day on his

forehand against medvedefe but but but obviously it's a great stroke that he can almost always count on

and now Chris has a lot of tools too so it's like yeah you know you can it's a catch it's a catch

22 is there a you want you you want to play that way but sometimes you're not gonna you're not

gonna pull those shots off you're gonna miss too much and this was a very disappointed because

going in i thought it would at least be close i thought he might even take a set i wasn't thinking

he'd win but i thought it was important for him to show that he could make it hard for tight

and up for grabs and but it just wasn't and then that was with yannick suffering a bit in the

heat in both sets he had stages in both sets where he was really feet literally feeling the heat

and i think zarev could see that but so i think you're right it has to really disturb him that

perhaps the gap is widening so how what does he do you know i mean Carlos is going to keep getting

better he had his opportunity as Carlos with Carlos cramping in austria and couldn't quite get that

yeah he was he was exhausted at the end i understand but he served for the match and couldn't win

there so the question going forward is what does he do about these two guys and and i think he

knows he's got a real dilemma on his hands he can feel like he's got a good shot against anybody

else although no back if no back it's healthy again he certainly will have no easy time with him either

so yeah that was yeah that that was maybe one of the more disappointing moments in turn

taking nothing away from center i think we just all wanted a closer contest between zarev and center

and center and we did not get it but conversely Daniel in the final again if he'd lost three in three

three in two or if he just gotten clocked he would have felt like well did what he'd

yesterday really mean but i think he can come away instead and say you know what if i'd just

been a little better on those big points if i hadn't let that ball if i'd made a slightly

better judgment on that five four point in the tie break in the first if i could have just

been played a little tighter a little more solid for after four love in the tie break in the second

you know i might have won that but i i i i i i had great chances to win both sets i never lost my

serve which he's got to be very pleased about by the way to do that against center is very

difficult so i there's so many positive the positives that he takes with him i suspect he'll be

he'll do very well in Miami and with a good Miami you might even have a decent not necessarily

great claycourt circuit because he never enjoys the clay as much as he does on hard but it's put him

on it's put him on a good path it's it's it's it's it's sort of it's sort of reminded him of how

good or even great he can be and he's and after what it happened you know you figure there was a

two-year span there 23 to 25 doesn't even win a tournament and now you know he almost got a third

title of the season here i know and and uh so he's all of that he's got a few good about it i

i think that this tournament was a big step in the right direction for metadata certainly was

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dot fandall dot com gambling problem called 1-800 gambler as we move along here on the inside

in tennis podcasts with all fame writers deflank looking at the women's title epic final one of the

best women's matches you'll ever see sable ain't good taking on rebok and and sable ain't

gets revenge beats rebok in a first indian wells title saves a match point wins in the third set

tie break and gets that exclusive elusive indian wells title i thought this match had everything

it was i think marginally better if not more than they're australian open final the quality was good

both players were playing their best at times were feeling the pressure others but in the end

steve sable ain't good dug deep when she needed to found the winner on match point when both points

on rebok in a serve and then close that out it was a much needed win for a player who essentially

has it all but had a rebok in a problem was able to overcome it on this sunday yeah you know she

done that once before against her actually from quadruple match point down she can be awfully tough

in the crunch sable ain't good you're right the timing of this the timing was was crucial because

wta finals is she's closing a year where she's clearly the number one player loses the first set

they go to a tie break and she gets absolutely destroyed in that tie break and loses in straight

sets then they go to australian she's up three loving the third sable ain't good is and rebok

in a comes back turns the tables on her there so if she were to lose a third straight very significant

final uh it would have could really wait on her mind i think i think this was a real testament to

sable link is ability and to stay calm she had a few moments where she emoted a bit and got a

little frustrated but they were really minor and uh infrequent very infrequent and so

i mean look she she was in real trouble having lost the first end badly outplayed in the first

end rebok and it was totally unsolving in the first set she was magnificent timing off her

forehand was was perfect she served well she moved the server out sable link i didn't really have a

clue how to stop her there and then immediately goes down that break in the second but then got

that break back and won a series of hard fought close games that second set could have gone the other

way but good effort from sable link to sort of shift the momentum there win that set and then

to go up the early break in the third after after rebok and i had a 40 love leave and and so

serving for the match you had to like her chances but rebok and i you could see that in the preceding

games match that like those service games leading up to sable link a serving for the match

on rebok and a serve she started to hold easily she's got she that helped because now she's

thinking okay okay you're got one more chance you've got to take it play break and close her on

the break too the right before she had chances and didn't can write them so oh yeah she did but then

then she just another quick hold and she says okay i can still do this and she got almost every

return back didn't try to do too much with her turns kept them deep she really pin

sable link a back and and earn that break and then but then had to fight up all those break points

the five break points in the next game very gutsy hold from rebok and but once more

we see it might be a bit of draper when he was at five six and the third against jokabits and

things look like they had turned and here's here sable linka i'd not been able to serve it out at

five four you know she's now serving to stay in it she played a very good game to get to the

breaker and then we you know then we had rebok and up five three in the breaker and sable link

a fights back to five all only to have rebok and i hit that great back him down the line that's

what i thought it was over but once again sable linka what amazement was she made a great on the

match point she made a great back in return rebok and it didn't do a bad job of answering with a

cross court back end of her own but then sable linka just completely went for broke and hit it

cleanly and hit it well it was nothing lucky about it was bold and was brave and she pulled off the

back in cross court winner and i think as they changed ends mix that was fascinating because now

they're both thinking about that point particularly rebok and thinking oh my god and she got a short

return from sable linka on the next point and approached on the forehand and sable linka

obviously didn't think she had the angle to pass her clean so she just hit it hard and there

was a kind of a wobbly volley from rebok and that went long and then sable linka closes it out

true i think for the sake of the ryebrem i'm glad it happened i want to see those two go back

and forth i suspect they will but as you said at the outset of this segment it would this was one

this was one that sable linka needed this she needed it more than rebokana rebokana would love

to have done it again but did this will make sable linka realize okay these matches may often go

down to the wire but i've got to be willing to do that i can't allow myself to get frustrated and

show all this angst so i just thought she won the match mentally as much as anything else because

i thought on technical technical terms i think they both played a great match your initial comment

again was it better than australia was it just a little better or a lot better i'd say

decidedly better which is a compliment to them because there was nothing wrong with the tennis

they played in australia but this one was was that much better to me the caliber particularly the

i'd say in the last set and a half and the third set was the best tennis of the match in a lot of

with you so i i think it was great for women's tennis and sable linka restores her faith in terms

of the rivalry but rebokana doesn't leave that court saying oh my god how how could i lose no i

think she she's philosophical enough to say it didn't go my way but i'm i'm right in there whether

she she you know i i had my chance yeah with all due respect to and obviously all time respect

to boring macro this is like a new like iteration of fire and ice because you have such dynamic

different personalities where rebokana just ice cold out there and even then defeat even

defeat she's handling it well onto the next one she's not going to get down on herself she's ready

for the next opportunity to compete and i look at sable linka and i just this is this is another

example steve she's so consistent she's been the most consistent player by far on the wta for the

last several seasons but she thrives in when there's stakes on the line when there's some chaos when

there's a little adversity now you're seeing sable echo who for those of us that followed the game

long enough knew that this was kind of an insane thing to think about a couple years ago but it's true

that when there's stakes and when there's pressure now she's handling the moment as well as ever so

i think in a weird way having lost a few matches to rebokana kind of put her in a better position

she was ready for this opportunity and she took advantage of it yeah well i said i think she knows that

also admits that she can't afford to waste that emotional energy energy against somebody this good

you know maybe in the early rounds and she's that angry at herself she can emote and it could

be negative emotions and then just move past it but here she can't she has to have every

ounce of emotional energy left she's got to be she's and so i think she went out there determined

not to explode i think that was part of her strategy i can't let things bother me today i know it

has not helped me in the past it didn't help me in australia not that she imploded in australia

but she was more emotional than she was yesterday so i think there was a lesson learned and you're

right there's a contrast in personalities but when it again to get to go back to borne and mackerel

when borne played mackerel in the center court john learned that he he felt like he was going to

put himself in the worst possible position if he had one of his tantrums so he's often was on his

very best behavior not every time he played board but often and in those in the center court

finals of 80 and 81 when he lost the epic and 80 and beat borne and 81 he behaved remarkably well

for john and and i think that that's something that you know i that there's another parallel because

i think sabalanka go ahead and go ahead and let loose when you're playing others or lesser

opponents for people you know you're better than but she realizes that rabakan is right rabakan

is right up there on her on the same level as her so these matches are often going to come down

to just a very few points and and and the calmness i mean the fact that she had the she had the

composure to go for that back in cross court it was nothing reckless about it she hit it so perfectly

and that was again a tribute to her demeanor yeah want to shout out again some of my finalists

tour leader match wins alina's fidelina another great run indian wall is pushing her back and in that

tie break linda noscow who's a teenager who's not a teen anymore but it's someone that's

getting printably overshadowed is into the top 15 she makes a semi finals but it was rabakan and

sabalanka steve and just the final note on this final in this tournament it appears from my view point

that there is a little bit of distance now that these are the top two players at the moment we'll see

but at the moment these are clearly the top two players in the woman's game yeah i agree i agree

far and away that i do i will only i will only add that i think koko will reemerge soon we know how

she has this ability she goes through low she goes through slumps but she will strike somewhere

sometime soon enough and pagula started the year off so bravely now i know she has an issue with

both sabalanka and rabakana they tend to be the overpowering the rest of the tortoise too but yeah

she she at the top but just is dealing with everybody else is my point yeah so and i think she's

got a great attitude and on the year she's been the third best player so but you're right that doesn't

mean that there still isn't a gap between the two of them and her there is and and pagula

would be the first to admit it but i do think the two americans are going to still be in the

forefront challenging these two it's just that to beat them i mean as if sabalanka and rabakana

stay healthy look i don't know about the french because would clay be the best surface for either one

of them know although sabalanka of the two i think is more comfortable on the clay than rabakana

but they i could see them playing the wimble in final i could see them playing the us open final very

wouldn't shock me at all if they ended up having a ended the season having played three

tidal round contests at the majors it's going to be tough but you know these challenges are

why we watch the sport to see who can step up we've got some young talent coming up as well and

there's some veterans that don't want to go so do you know what Mitch if you're sorry to i don't

want to interrupt you just don't don't want to lose this thought i think i think women's this is

good for women's tennis we've seen a lot of fluctuating form and play and some musical chairs

and players getting hot and winning one major and disappearing the idea that a major rival that

rivalry like this could develop where we might see it then meet often on the big occasions and keep

keep pushing each other to the hill i think that's a great thing for women's tennis i do as well

i think we have rivalries it's great in sport yeah there could be fatigue if it's just the same too

i don't think with the depth of the top ten it's always going to be the case in women's tennis

right now but i think we're in a great spot where these two have separated themselves and if we

see it in a big match it seems to deliver more often than not so i'm thrilled that what we got in

this match up and it was a great week all round want to go and put a bow on the show by talking

about how you know we have Miami coming up the second leg of the sunshine double Steve i know

the reins comments hopefully we get some dry days in Miami and they could play but the interesting

time in the tennis calendar right we go to Miami for this mini hard court swing before it's clases

and and yet these two tournaments as you all know couldn't be much different much more different

than they are given the conditions and given the courts themselves yeah absolutely

slower in Indian wells although not as slow as usual this year which i think mevdev appreciate

about it as you know how in the past he was not enamored of those courts despite a couple of

great uh you know showings there in the past uh yeah Miami obviously totally different some player

also it's a tough turnaround even with the days off i still i mean it's not it's not Canada

Cincinnati but it is still difficult uh because you got to you got to go from the west coast to

Florida and now you got this humidity that you didn't have in the desert yeah i don't i don't know

what to expect except that i do think mevdev will got this boost and i expect him to really i think

both mevdev and sinner are both i'd be really shocked if they didn't both make the semis

yeah in that's that is one prediction i expect to see them in the semis i don't know what to

expect from Carlos because it's not that this is going to be a devastating loss for him as his

first loss of the year but a part of Carlos has to be thinking about conserving his certainly i

think he wants to get through the clay court season unlike some of these seasons gone by a little

more unscathed i don't think he wants to be dealing with an injury in the clay court season again

and having to pick and choose and and and having to maybe pull out of a tournament or two

so part of that might depend i think he's going to be tempted as we speak he's still in Miami but

a part of him might be tempted to skip it in order to you know to sort of prioritize the clay

so i'm not right so i don't eat and then if he does go i don't know is he going to be that hungry

will he be fully motivated as opposed to obviously in the back of his mind the next major is

rolling garros and he wants to he wants to do really well on the clay leading up to that so i'm

not i'm less certain about what to expect from him in Miami that i am from sinner and medvedev

yeah just at the time of this recording we don't know what the what the draw is medvedevs

into the top 10 hopefully he's not in the center section yeah yeah that's true that's true you

right no i'm obviously my my prediction hinges on that but it as long as they're not colliding

sooner i like them both getting getting to the pedal to mid-row it's a great point about alcharez

though when last year loses on the semi same spot i know it's one match we're not going to over

react he's got bigger things on the agenda right but but you look at it last year right he loses

the goal fun fun in his first match right didn't seem very motivated didn't play a clean match

obviously and then goes the clay and it's you know wins money caro and then we're off to the races

right right it's it's interesting and he remembers that you can bet that if we remember he does too

and and i think he'd rather not put a go find loss on his ledger uh you know he's got a lot of pride

and he's become that much more consistent over the last year but above all i just think he wants

to be sure that he paces himself through the clay court season wins at least a title or hopefully

two titles in his mind and then goes the role in garris feeling like he's the clear favorite and ready

to try to to do it again there after two great years in a row on the Parisian clay it's going to be so

fun to see what happens next the tour just keeps turning my amy's up next and we'll see what happens

if it's chalk or we have some renewed rivalries or some upset the players making a statement i can't

wait to see what all shakes out but Steve flink the Hall of Famer always generous with your time

last thing before i let you go though i understand that in a couple months uh we'll have a new book

from you coming out yeah i'm excited about it's called the Immortals of American tennis and it

will be out in early august and i go back to uh to the bill childrens and helenwells moody's all

the way up to the present day you know i wrote basically three thousand word accounts on each of

these great stars and and tried to to uh focus on what made them a mortals you know not simply

their achievements their impact on the game in a larger sense it was a lot of fun to write it

because it was a bit different than my match my book on the greatest tennis matches of all time

or my peach samples biography different kind of flavor so and different challenge so i i hope

people enjoy it we started the podcast we ended with the same thing having that appreciation for

the legends and the titans the sport especially if you're of a certain age or basically

anyone alive for some of the people you're profiling that didn't get a chance to see them so

i think it'd be good to learn something about some people that were legends in their own right

before any of us were around absolutely that was my goal and and i think i'm i'm hopeful that

there will be some young readers out there uh that will say you know i need to learn more about

more about howling was more more in connolly don budge jack kramer i mean in addition to hearing

reading about stan smith arthorash john mackano jimmy conno's christopher tracy austin et cetera so

it was a fun book to to put together can't wait to check it out myself steve flink member of the tennis

hall fame always welcome on this show thanks so much for joining the inside in tennis podcast really

thank you mitch you enjoyed it that was steve flink this was the inside in tennis podcast or

a minor that were available on all your podcast platforms so go to apple spotify i heart him as

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a pop right up you can subscribe and leave a nice rating in the review if you're so kind but when

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the video episodes on the youtube channel at mitch michael's as well with steve flink and all

abroad statement guests so on behalf of steve flink my name is mitch michael's this was the

inside in tennis podcast thank you for listening we'll talk to you soon enjoy the tennis at my

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