Miami Open Men's QF (pt 2) + Women's SF Recap

Our Cracked Rackets team is proud to partner with our friends at the Laurel Springs School.

Imagine a school day that doesn't start with the ringing of a bell, but instead the rhythmic

bounces of a tennis ball and the crisp pop of a perfect serve.

That's the sort of opportunity offered by the Laurel Springs School.

Laurel Springs, they understand how difficult it can be for any aspiring athlete to balance

their daily training, weekend travel, competitions, and their academics.

That is why they offer a 100% flexible online private education that molds to fit any and

every athlete's lifestyle and aspirations.

Enrolling at Laurel Springs means every new sunrise is a chance for your child to thrive

both academically and on the court by enrolling at Laurel Springs.

You're not only empowering your child with a premium, personalized education, you're

also enabling them to thrive.

In both their academic and athletic pursuits, start the school year off right and visit

Laurel Springs.com today to learn more.

You can join them for an upcoming virtual open house and learn more about every program.

Every resource they offer, again, go to Laurel Springs.com to start your school year off

right.

Laurel Springs, a proud partner of Crack Crackles.

Welcome to many more of your day from high school for being a big story on your son's

encounters from the next world.

Both in 2006 was a very straightforward day of results.

After 2026 Miami Open, all four of our singles matches decided in straight sets of them

ever really tightly contested either and so today, not only do I want to break down all

four of our singles results, I want to contextualize where each of our four winners currently

sits as we look at the broader context of their success this week in Miami.

Of course, the reason I can do that day in day out on this podcast is because of the

support we get from all of you tennis fans.

You hear it every day, so I'm going to be brief.

Great shout podcast feed, Crack interviews podcast feed, our Crack Crackles YouTube channel,

our Crack Crackles Instagram.

We tried to let you know what's happening across levels each and every day in the tennis

world.

There are so many twists, so many turns.

If you have any other obligations in your life, it's going to be impossible to follow everything.

We'll do that for you.

It's the least we can do after all the support you have offered us over the years, of course.

If you aren't already, make sure you subscribe to each of those platforms so you don't miss out

on anything.

Of course, if you could also go leave a little five star rating review on Apple Podcast.

Now let's know what you want to hear more of.

Always appreciative of that.

Of course, at AL Gruskin, if you want to reach out to me directly, at Crack Crackles Twitter,

Instagram, Facebook, if you want to reach out to our team more broadly, appreciate the

support we get from all of you again, make sure you are tuning into all of our content

so you don't miss out on anything across levels happening in the tennis world.

Of course, the reason we can provide daily updates here on this podcast is because of the

support we get from our friends at the Laurel Springs School and to learn more about why

they continue to rank amongst the top private online schooling options in the country.

Visit LaurelSprings.com today.

Laurel Springs, a proud partner of the mini-break podcast feed, again, four straight set

results.

Even Sabelink is four and three victory over a pocket and never really in doubt for the

world number one.

So as opposed to dwelling upon the matches specifically, although, of course, I do want to talk

a little bit about what went well for each player here today, I want to talk more broadly

about where each of them sit and in particular, it starts with Arena Sabelink because she is

on a two and a half year heater that as often as I try to allude to it on this podcast,

it's just worth further examination today, particularly on a slower day in the pro tennis

world.

Let's just start with the overall record.

And for me, I go since her 2024 Cincinnati title run because that really set off world

number one, Arena Sabelink.

It was that in between period where, yeah, Sabelink, excuse me, Shiontech was fresh off

winning the treble in 2024 on the clay, Roman, Madrid, Roland Garros.

But certainly, you felt like on the hard courts, Arena Sabelink asserted herself as the best

hard court player in the world that fall as she wins Cincinnati Beach Fiontech there,

wins the US Open, ends the run of a red hot Jessica Pagula, of course, in that final goes

on to win Wuhan.

And there again, has just been often running ever since you look for her during the stretch

of time now.

She's 107 and 16 overall since Cincinnati 2024.

So that's two and a half years, 107 and 16 overall again.

That's an 87% win percentage.

It's not Navratelova, Everett, Graff, Hinges, Serena, of course, their peaks of the powers,

they go over 90% for multiple seasons consecutively, and that's why they're the Pantheon.

That's why that's the Mount Rushmore, the unimpeachable top five in my mind that everyone

else is chasing.

But outside of that group, again, for Arena Sabelink and now for two and a half years,

107 and 16.

It's an 87% win percentage.

She's played 25 total events, according to Tennis Abstract.

During that stretch, she has now reached a 16th final, let me say that again, a 16th final

in 25 total events, she'll be playing for a 10th title during this stretch.

And again, it's where those titles have come.

Two of them, of course, at the majors.

By the way, five of the 16 finals she's made have been at the majors.

And there have been six majors during this stretch.

She's made five finals, one semi-final, of course, two titles within those finals as well.

She's 36 and four.

Do the math.

36 divided by six.

She's averaging six wins a major over the six major stretch.

What does that get you?

If you win six matches at a major, you're in the final.

Yeah, she's been in the final or winning.

Five of the last six majors.

27 and eight.

A 77% win percentage against top 10 opponents.

Top 10 opponents.

That number 41 and 11, 79% win percentage against the top 20.

And yes, I believe that over this stretch of time does now lead,

egosch, fiontech, leads, Elena Rabakata leads all players on the WTA tour during this two

and a half year stretch.

Again, I'll get to the mechanics of her four and three victory in a second.

But obviously, now she's going to get the chance to play for the Sunshine Swing.

And you look for Rina Sabalanka.

Second player to reach both finals in the Sunshine Double consecutive years.

The only other player to do that, Maria Sharapova, 2012, 2013.

That's not where the accolades end.

You look for Sabalanka.

Fourth player to reach the final at her first four events of a season.

After Hinges, 01 and late 90s, early 2000s, Hinges is one of the all-time three to five

of your stretches, Serena 03, Azarenka, 2012.

Come on, now, Sabalanka.

Third player to, since both tournaments were on the calendar in 1981-09,

to win their first five semi-finals at the Sunshine Double.

It's her, it's Celis, it's Serena.

Celis, Serena, Sharapova, Hinges, Azarenka.

And it's every tournament.

We keep dropping stats like that courtesy of our friends at Opta Ace, best in the business.

Again, let's contextualize it.

Is it the Pantheon?

No, especially because of the slam titles they picked up during these stretches,

although certainly more broadly, she's doing as well as they did.

But again, Serena, Navratilova, Everett, Graph, Celis.

Those are the peak five whom I'll do respect.

I still think she's chasing.

However, after that group, and I didn't bring Sharapova in this, maybe we'll talk more about her,

but Sharapova's career is so different because of all the injuries,

and yet there was still longevity.

But let's talk about the next tier, in my mind, of the modern day.

And Hinges belongs in this tier as well, but Enin, Venus, and Clistars.

Just pick the best two and a half years stretch for each of these players.

Tough to pick, that two and a half years stretch is at 0304 for Enin.

You probably go 0607, where she finished world number one back-to-back seasons.

Yeah, that's where you have to go.

She played 27 total events during that stretch.

16 titles, 21 finals, and 27 events.

Again, right now, Sebelink is playing for our 10th title in 25.

She could finish a second consecutive season as world number one,

and for what it's worth in each of those two years.

And in one, the two are finals.

She won three major titles and made six total major finals during that stretch.

Again, that was over seven majors right now, over six majors.

It's two titles, five finals.

So if she wins another title, you're talking about the same at the majors.

She won gold medal in 04 as well.

Look again, for Justine Enin and that two stretch,

she went and combined 123 and 12.

Again, right now, Sebelink isn't 123 and 12, but she's 106 and 16.

Like, she's on that pay.

So maybe it's not quite Enin yet, although I don't know,

across surfaces the way Sebelink can dominate.

I would put her on that tier.

Venus is a tough one because, boy, from 2000 to 2003,

you talk about the peak of what Venus was and over that stretch of time.

Again, she, especially 2000 to 2002 where she had a 35 match win streak

and winning about 90% of her matches during that three year run.

She played a total of 38 tournaments.

She made 23 different finals.

She won 19 titles and 38 tournaments.

So 50% win percentage.

And again, Sebelink is not quite there,

but you look at it at the majors during that stretch.

It will go 0102 for the two best years.

She played 28 tournaments, 13 titles, 17 finals.

Sebelink could still get there.

During that stretch, she, well, that's actually tough

because she didn't win any majors, but she made five different finals.

She won four majors 2000 to 2001, 22 events, 12 titles, 13 finals.

I mean, again, Sebel, by the way, top 10 wins during that stretch,

we could go through it.

If you want to do that, you look at the top 10 wins and shout out to

how available these things are, whether it's tennis abstract or honestly,

a lot of good Wikipedia charts.

You can turn two during the stretch.

Top 10 wins.

She had 30 top 10 wins between 01 and 02.

You look for NNN, again, those prime two seasons in terms of top 10 victories,

those two years, adjusting NNN and again, I like these stats.

So I want to turn to it here.

I don't want to be incorrect.

Do I have her organized by years right now?

I do not.

It's also worth noting 0708, she had a 32 match win streak.

That's pretty damn good.

We haven't seen Sebelanka rip one of those all yet.

What about Clistars?

For the Clistars stretch, her best two years 0506,

those two years she played 31 events, 12 titles, 14 total finals.

Again, this is the range Arena Sebelanka now finds herself.

I know that was a lot of math and a lot of numbers.

And it probably could have been more cohesive.

I've just gone bullet point, bullet point, bullet point.

But talking through it, I think it gives you time to absorb those numbers.

And again, Sebelanka is on path, maybe a hair behind that group.

But it certainly feels that dominant, doesn't it?

And to see her make again, I know she didn't win the Australian open.

But if she sweeps the sunshine double in response,

first to do it since Ega 22.

And again, now we're talking about she would have won

what Sebelanka's record right now here.

She's 22 and 1, she would have won 23 of her first 24 matches.

And what has dropped a total of two, three sets so far?

Three total sets, she's dropped in 23 matches.

It's not a 35 match win streak.

It's as close as you can get.

She's a 6-4 in the third, a loss in the Australian open final from being 23 and 0.

And now we're talking about it, maybe that much more easily.

I'm not going to knock her for a third set loss to the world number two.

Like, we're in that stretch for Ega, Sebelanka.

And I've said this reckless take before, but I will say it again.

She is the closest I have seen to anyone beating opponents tennis-wise,

the way Serena beat opponents.

Where it's just racquet is taken out of the hand.

Now it's not at the level that Serena was

because there was a mental edge Serena had over everyone.

And Sebelanka does have a mental edge.

And you saw that in the way she definitively hit her way

through Rabakana today, the backhand for Sebelanka today was just immaculate.

And she's just more dynamic.

She could do more things in the corners.

She could play more comfortable sniping ballies away,

play more slice, play more drop shots.

She could just had more options available to her.

And she served well enough.

Again, it was broken twice, not only two break point chances,

but she was up 3-1 in that opening set.

And then the boomerang break, where Rabakana grabbed it right back,

but she still got to play from ahead from there.

She go was up 5-2 in that deciding set, in that second set.

Like, yes, Rabakana held after fighting off a match point,

but never in doubt for Serena, Sebelanka.

And she just overpowered her peer, the other person

who exists with her in Serena Williams power tennis country club.

The two brightest lights, the active properties

in the country club right now.

That's who all the action runs through.

And just again, for two and a half years,

it all runs through Serena, Sebelanka.

16th final in her last 25 events, playing for her 10th title.

It's just always worth contextualizing what we're seeing.

And right now, again, after an era where it felt like we were short,

it was certainly from 2018 to the start of 2022.

Yes, we had Bardi.

You had the Osaka peaks.

You had some really good play from Hal up in Wozniakki.

Snacks, her one slam.

These are all really good players.

But I think this stretch for Serena,

puts her in the top 10.

And I think it's closer to 5 than 10,

in terms of what I have seen.

Now again, what do we do with hangus?

And in, well, actually, is it closer to 10 or 5 than 10?

Maybe not because Venus and in clusters, all these players,

they want a cup of coffee in the conversation.

But this is the room where Arena,

Sebelanka hangs out in now.

And look again, there's a lead table,

where the lead 5 Serena, an average Lova,

an average Loas graph, all sit.

But then there's the second table, where it's like, OK,

but you guys at least knew what it was like to be this dominant.

You just didn't do it as long as us lead 5 did.

And Arena, Sebelanka is at that table, by the way,

because inevitably, this comes up in this conversation

and I try to have it in the most mature way possible.

Ega is already has a seat.

Ega has already had a seat at that table.

She's like, oh, Arena, what's up?

Isn't this cool?

I think Rabakina is knocking on the door.

She's the next one out where it's like, hey, she's just sniffing around.

Like, what's going on in here?

And they're like, is that Elena?

And then they're like, we like Elena.

Should we do it?

She's on the path.

Obviously, Coco gets to hang out there.

And they're like, you're still a little young Coco, 22 years old.

But you're going to probably have a seat for you at some point.

But that's where Arena Sebelanka sits right now.

Again, against her greatest peer,

the one player who can match her, shot for shot,

serve for serve, couldn't do so today.

Brilliant in that five, four return game

to end the opening set.

And then again, just closes things out definitively.

And you could tell, there was just an edge she played with.

She was swinging, and there was no hesitation.

It was just like, OK, we've played enough.

It's time for me to own this.

And it's two consecutive victories.

Now again, Rabakina got her in the big one in the Australian Open Final.

So you're not writing off Rabakina.

And even with this loss, she is number two in the world.

Coming out of these first three months of the 2026 season.

But Arena Sebelanka is the world number one.

And some of you are faster to that than I have been.

But there's just no argument against at this point.

And it's a two and a half year stretch

that I think is in the top 10, two and a half year

stretches we have seen in perhaps the history of this sport.

And if you're only allowed one, two and a half year stretch,

because it's not fair if you give graph.

And again, the lead five, they can throw out

multiple, two and a half year stretches.

And that's why they get their own table.

But Sebelanka is on the list now.

And if she sweeps the sunshine swing,

it's another crowning achievement for her on the hard courts,

where she is the most dominant player of her generation.

So devastating that we don't have a peak Ashley party

to just be in the mix and serve in plus one forehand

and play that sliced low on Sebelanka.

Get forward to rush her.

Like, I would have loved to see how party fit in this.

Because party's a great what if.

But again, Sebelanka is just on another level.

She's through to another final.

You heard all the updates.

That's it.

Yeah, I think she's in that end in Clisters,

Venus, tier of the conversation.

I'm going to bring David Canaan to help review the first third.

I might have to bring Ben Rothenberg online.

I floated this text to him in a group chat.

We're in peak Sebelanka or peak Venus, who would he choose?

And in terms of the dominance, what it felt like.

And it's a really good conversation.

And that's a testament to what arena Sebelanka has accomplished

already again through to the Indian Wells final where she will

have a date with someone who she is relatively struggled

against in her career.

Six six.

The career had to had between Sebelanka.

Coco Goff is Coco advances extends the record to six

and oh against Carolina Mojoba.

This one may be her most dominant yet.

She gets broken in her opening surface game.

A long opening surface game for Mojoba.

Goff gets the break back.

She races off six victory.

Six games consecutively and one in one.

She knocks off Carolina Mojoba.

Her forehand is just firing in the high and heavy nature,

getting that ball up on Carolina Mojoba.

Mojoba's backhand did no damage.

Mojoba hit herself out of the first set as well.

I mean, look, the double fault count was high for Goftesh.

Face state break points.

Fought off seven of them.

First serve, first forehand high and heavy down the line.

It was the same pattern.

She dominated Mojoba in the backhand corner.

Was able to come up with a few extra passes.

But it was just so many missed approaches

from Carolina Mojoba today.

You felt like Carolina Mojoba doing too much.

Something I can certainly relate to.

She just did too much today.

You just felt like she felt a panic knowing,

okay, well, I've never been able to out grind Coco Goft.

I have to try something different.

I have to double down on what makes me best.

And she just hit herself out of too many spots.

When it looked good, you're like,

why aren't you just playing to these safe targets?

When you get the first volley on your racket,

you can put it away.

But that's a testament to the pressure Coco Goft put upon you.

And again, who Coco Goft already is as a mover at age 22?

The fluidity in the corners.

What she can do on the slide.

She's never out of her rally.

She can change direction.

Again, she's hitting the forehand on the run now

with some sting.

Not only is that ball getting up on you,

but it's moving outside the alley

with how sharp her edge is on the outside of that ball.

When the forehand is firing like this, yes,

the serve is still somewhat of a struggle.

But again, talk about someone who,

even if the serve is only a neutral table setting weapon.

Okay, from neutral, she kills you.

From the baseline and the return of service,

come back at your feet every time,

or at a minimum service line or deeper, no easy,

plus one opportunity.

And these, that's why Moovah found so many balls drifting

long and wide at her.

It was like 28 unforcers to the first 10 games of the match.

It was tough.

It was tough.

You just felt like Carolyn Moovah was searching and pressing.

That's the word I was like, for she pressed.

And it didn't work.

And now you look for Coco Gough.

It's a first Miami final.

And for Coco Gough, through all of the struggles

over the course of this start to her 2026 season on serve,

she's now here in 2026, 16 and five.

Her results are United Cup semi-finals,

where she beat Iga, Australian Open Quarter Finals,

beat Moovah there, lost match one coach here at To Doha.

That one wasn't great,

but she got the revenge victory in Miami.

Made semi-finals do buy.

Obviously tough loss to Yala at Indien Wells,

but she had the retired term of that match with injury.

Throw that Indien Wells out.

The real results, quarter finals, Australian Open.

Semi-finals do buy.

Now finals here in Miami, where again,

she finally gets a straight set victory

after four, three set wins.

Zebalank is on a different plane right now,

and I'm fascinated to find out how her forehand holds up

in the face of that sort of consistent pace,

but it held up pretty well against Moovah

and all the forehand cross-court exchanges.

It held up damn well against Benchitch.

Anytime she was pushed with a drive line

or drive cross, whatever it may be.

Again, Zebalank is a different sort of beast.

And yet you look for her now, again, 51 and 16

over her last 52 weeks of play for Coco Gough now,

in terms of top 20 victories at two more to her less.

She's 15 and nine against the top 20 over the last 52 weeks.

The only players with more top 20 victories than her,

Rabakhina with 17, Zebalank with 23.

Shfionteck and her match, 15 each.

And her record, she's 15 and nine.

Shfionteck, 15 and 13 against the top 20 during match stretch.

Gough's 10, top 10 wins second only to Zebalank and Rabakhina

as well, though, Rabakhina now matches Zebalank,

excuse me, Zebalank and now matches Rabakhina

with a 15th top 10 victory over the last 52 weeks.

Even by final count, Zebalank is made now a ninth.

You look for Coco Gough, she's through to a fifth.

It's tied for the second most

with Rabakhina and Shfionteck through all the struggles

by every counting metric, every eye test, every result.

And yes, a lot of those finals are from a clay court season

and she's about to have to defend.

It's been a damn good age 21 season

and she just turned 22.

It was a damn good age 21 season for Coco Gough,

picked up another major title obviously in Roland Garros,

even like US Open Round of 16.

That was the worst result for,

oh, I guess the Wimbledon Round of 1 lost to you,

a strange guy threw out of my mind

because she had just won Roland Garros

and for some reason, even though the breakthrough

of her career came out the grass court,

she hasn't found it rhythm on them since.

Coco Gough's just fine, just fine,

even through all the service struggles.

It's a testament to how well she competes,

it's a testament to the variety she possesses

and just again, the underlying physicality

and ability to make that one extra ball that you can't,

be one shot better than you and every rally,

even if it requires an nasty forehand chip.

Gough's in at 7th right now in the points race.

Gough back up to 4th in the live ranking.

Excuse me, back up to 3rd in the live ranking.

She's now 15 points ahead of Ega Shvian tech.

Now, Shvian tech has pretty much nothing

to defend other than those Roland Garros semi-final points.

Gough has everything to defend over the Claycord stretch.

Gough's put herself in a position, man.

You know what, she's back up to 3 in the world.

If she can put together another massive Claycord season

and there's no reason after seeing her level

and more importantly, her forehand,

which is always elevated and improved by the extra elevation

she can get under the ball,

how much more effective her forehand is on this surface,

how much more time she has to hit it.

Her movement, of course, accentuated that much more

on a surface that puts a premium on it.

Gough has positioned herself perfectly.

The thing you always just have to forget

because she's been a part of our lives now

for the entirety of the decade is she's still just 22 years old

and she just turned 22 years old and I'm betting on her

as the competitor, as the athlete,

as the tennis mind, of course, that she possesses.

You see the creativity, the different things

she has to do to win every point.

She's gonna figure out the fucking serve.

Like, I just have no doubt about it.

When she comes over the top and isn't with rhythm with it,

she can hit the kick, she can flatten it out,

she can hit the slice.

Again, we can quibble with the technique,

but Coco Gough's right where she needs to be as again,

she is through to the finals and it's a blockbuster final.

Sabelanka, Gough, 12th career had to head matchup

between the two.

Of course, the last time they faced off Sabelanka,

six and two in the Riyadh finals.

Before that, of course, Roland Garros final,

Gough, three set victory over Sabelanka.

They have played in three finals in their careers,

two, one that had to head advantage for Gough,

who beats her, of course, US Open and Roland Garros,

Sabelanka beating Gough from a dread final last season.

In their matchups on hard courts,

your friendly reminder,

the career had to head advantage.

Five, four, Sabelanka over Gough.

Sabelanka's won three of the last four,

but they played only once last season on hard courts.

That was in Riyadh, indoor hard courts, obviously,

a little different.

I just, the problem for Gough is,

the second serve has been a struggle for her,

even outside of the double faults in Sabelanka.

We'll make her pay that much more

for any sitting kick serve in the box.

The serve just has to be perfect

when you're playing Sabelanka.

Everything else is firing at the point where Gough

should be able to more than hold her own as she always does

against Rina Sabelanka.

But the serve has to be firing.

She has to be able to win free points on it,

because if not, just Sabelanka's power will smother you.

I think Sabelanka wins the Miami Final in straight sets.

I think she sweeps the sunshine and swing it,

and then I think we can start talking about

how special this start to her season is,

and yeah, then we can start having

even more recklessly fun conversations

about where she sits in the broader pantheon.

That's your women's action.

Semifinals in the books, Blockbuster, championship match,

would have been the best sunshine swing.

It's been really good.

The first third is a resounding A+.

For me, on the WTA tour.

And now we get a fitting ending to that first third.

Of course, on the men's side, it was Blitz City.

And in the first game, you learned that Yannick Sinner

had brought his best.

And then in the second game,

he's able to pull out even more miraculous passes.

That match was over in the first six minutes

because Sinner, who had not played particularly well

against Mikkelson in the round of 16,

was not even that great against Mutei

and what was still a one in four win in the round of 32.

He was at his absolute best against Francis Tiafl.

Francis didn't play poorly.

Yannick's just on a different level, two in two,

and it was relentless.

And the pace into the forehand wing,

when Francis caught it right, he could go stroke for stroke.

And his forehand looked better.

His backhand was fine.

Sinner was just that much better.

There were times even, you could tell Francis,

he's like, what the fuck am I supposed to do?

That's what the sort of position Sinner puts you in.

You're just like, what the fuck can I even do?

And you look for Sinner now, again,

since the end of that 2023 U.S. Open

where he lost in the round of 16.

He's 168 and 16.

So that's now, that's two and a half.

I kept, for Sabelanka, I said two and a half years.

Year and a half for Sabelanka.

I was gonna correct myself eventually.

2024, Cincinnati now, that's a year and a half.

It's almost two years, but it's a year and a half.

For two and a half years now for Yonic Sinner.

129 and 10, 93% win percentage on hard courts.

16, 16 overall, 91% win percentage.

By the way, on the hard courts, he's held served now

92.4% of the time.

Again, over the course, he's played 24 events

according to the tennis abstract.

I think that counts out the two or finals.

But during that time, 24 different events,

he's in his 22nd of 24 semi-finals.

What the fuck are we even talking about?

By the way, during the stretch, he's made 19 different finals.

And he's won 15 titles as well.

Like now, again, it is, we're talking O4 to O8 Fetter.

We're talking best two and a half, three-year stretches

for Nadal for Jokevitch.

Again, it's a little thin on the slam count

given he's only got the four.

But four of eight's pretty damn good.

And you feel like he can add two it from here.

We're talking about, again, from three to five-year stretches

because it doesn't feel like it's slowing down anytime soon.

He's gonna have the counting stats.

Is he gonna end up in the 20 slam range?

Hard to say yes, just given he's got Carlos Alcarez

as his competitor, and then eventually,

someone else is gonna emerge, right?

The way Jokevitch did for Fetter and Nadal.

You have to think someone, if not winning the way he did,

someone can sneak out maybe two for the rest of the field

during this stretch of center and Alcarez.

I don't think that's, you know, even Chilich, Del Potro,

like Murray, a couple times, Waverink, a couple times.

I think the rest of this group can find five majors over,

five is a little high.

Can they find three majors over the next six years

before center turns 30?

Boy, can they find three majors over the next six years

over the next 25?

That's a fascinating question.

These are things.

Well, someone who's listening to this,

if you are equally fascinated,

will you tweet that at me so I don't forget that thought

write it down as a note, but who can win?

Let's map out the next 25 majors.

Try to find me the three.

It's a fascinating thought exercise.

Anyway, center was fucking dominant again.

Two in two was just ridiculous.

And during this stretch of time, again,

against opponents ranked outside the top 20,

Yannick center, 99 and two.

What the fuck are you even talking about?

His losses were to Bublik and the Greek sport match

he retired from.

Against the top 20, he's 69 and 14.

Against the top 10, he's 48 and 11.

It's fucking nuts.

It's worth reminding you like once every two weeks

of what those numbers are because again,

he is one during over a two and a half year stretch.

98% of the matches against non top 20 opponents.

83% against the top 20, 81% against the top 10

and filter out Carlos Alcarez

and those numbers get even more ridiculous.

Of course, his opponent's gonna be Asasha Zverev

who was dominant himself in a one and two victory

over Cerundlow.

Didn't face a break point.

The way he served in volleyed out of the 30 all spot

in his opening service game,

just a great slider wide.

Cerundlow is at the back fence.

Just an easy first volley.

All he had to do was make it.

He's hitting his forehand better than he's ever hit it.

And it is fascinating for a man who at 28 years old

has played 762 tour level matches according

into tennis abstract.

You just feel like we've seen everything.

And look, until we see Sasha Zverev

for all and later in a clinching set at a major

get over the finish line against in Alcarez

against the center.

Like until he actually does it,

it's gonna be impossible to pick him.

But he has continued to get better at the margins.

Again, for the last three years,

it's embracing moving forward to the net

coming in behind that serve

and winning the free points available to him.

Now it's okay.

The last hole in my game, my forehand, I leave it short.

It can be a liability in those big moments.

I have to trust it and trust that I can play it big.

I mean, again, he's in his fifth consecutive season

of making over 70% of that first serve.

He has continued to improve on the margins.

And he was dominant today in a one and two victory

over Serrondolone, yeah.

It's been a very easy draw for Zverev.

Dom, Chilich, Halice, Serrondolone.

He's dropped just one set along the way.

He has dropped serve just one time along the way as well.

It's 15 and five to start this season.

You throw at Acapoco and again,

what are his results?

Australian Open semi-final, Indian Well semi-final,

Miami semi-final.

It's a really good start for the 28 year old

who's sitting at three in the world,

has jumped back over Novak Jokovic.

He's fourth in the points race,

10 points behind Medvedev right now.

You come out of the first third of the season.

No one has done enough to supplant Sash's area.

And Sash's area looks like a better version of himself.

There I say, obviously the loss in the semi-finals

in the fashion that Zverev lost to Alkaraz heartbreaking.

But let's not forget, for him,

but let's not forget, like he forced that third set.

He had the momentum.

He had a cramping Alkaraz.

You felt like he was going to get over the finish line

and get to the final and face off against the Jokovic.

And maybe even have a real shot.

And he wasn't able to do it.

Part of that was Alkaraz summoning something special.

But again, like there is that early wound

and how did he respond to the early wound semi-finals

and didn't well semi-final Miami.

He has, again, Jokovic still gets to be three by default.

Zverev is four.

He just is.

Even with this Medvedev resurgence,

whatever else you want to point to that match

and losing it as he did,

maybe we know the outcome for him more.

And that's why you're willing to give someone new

a shot in that spot.

But Zverev's the fourth best player in the world.

It might even be the third best player in the world

who are not at the majors.

And we don't have a locked in Jokovic.

And the semi-finals are set.

He's gonna get another shot at Yonic Sinner

who's had his number of late Sinner 7 and 4.

Of course, in the career had to head between the two.

But Sinner's also won the last six.

Last six.

Again, the last three of all been straight sets.

Oh, and one in Paris, four and three

at the two or finals, two and four at Indian Wells.

It's the last six in a row.

Like, again, he's only one set.

Excuse me, he's won two sets in those matches.

The Yanematch, which was very good.

And then since the Nadi semi-finals 2024,

7 and 6 in the third center was able to take it.

He needs it.

Needs one of these.

Again, he's lost six in a row.

Tionic Sinner.

How many in a row has he lost to Carlos Alcarez?

He has lost four of the last five to Carlos Alcarez.

The one two or finals win in 2024, thrown in that mix.

So what, he's lost 10 of the last 11 to those two.

Needs one to go his way.

Because unfortunately for Zverev,

fortunately and unfortunately,

that's symmetric by which we judge him.

Like, he's done everything else.

The only thing left for him to do

is capture a major title.

And to do that, you have to go through one of those guys.

Again, it's not three out of five,

but you get a win here over Sinner.

You finish things out with a win in the final

over a Hatchgar fee,

so you would be a heavy favorite over.

You're on the path and you've certainly consolidated

that number three spot, maybe even with no debate.

Number four spot, excuse me, with no debate warranted.

Obviously that semi-final number one is the blockbuster,

as well as Sinner, Zverev has served this event.

Sinner was on another planet tonight.

If he plays like that or even 90% of it,

85% of it, Zverev's in trouble.

And just his watching his forehand break down

against the pace of Yannick Sinner.

It's tough, if he served lights out like in Vienna,

he's gonna be in the match,

but Sinner's the more dynamic, he just takes Sinner.

How can you pick ever against Yannick Sinner

if he's not facing Carlos Alcaraz?

For Lachecca fees, the mic is hot for fees.

By the way, neither of these men have been broken yet

on serve, neither Lachecca nor fees.

Some things got to give, right?

Feasts is more dynamic in the outer thirds.

Lachecca doesn't leave the ball short

with nearly as much frequency as Feasts will,

particularly on the forehand wing.

I think Feasts is the more dynamic value

or more explosive certainly moving forward

with his movement, I mean both of them have cannons of serves.

I'm gonna take Arthur Feasts.

I just think this is the run

where Arthur Feasts reminds all of us,

Hey, I'm still 21 years old.

Put me on any list of the guys moving forward.

I think we're gonna get a Sinner Feast final.

I would be really, I would really enjoy that battle

because obviously as Feast ascended last year,

Yannick Sinner was out during that portion of the counter

and Dean Wells, Miami, Rome, Barcelona, excuse me,

Madrid, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, et cetera.

Give me Sinner vs. Feast, Sinner who by the way

continues to extend records with his dominance.

You look for Yannick Sinner now.

Again, the numbers are just laughable,

but courtesy of our friends at Optase,

just a reminder of the company he now keeps.

First player reached four single semi-finals

and his first five main draws at the Miami Open period.

Sinner the first player to win

14 consecutive singles matches in the Sunshine Double

without conceding a set, first to do that.

Joe Kvich never did it, Federer never did it,

Nadal never did it, Yannick Sinner's done it.

Different fields of course, but still,

it's just you have an accolade those men don't have.

How few of those are there available

to the tennis world remaining?

Yeah, we got some good stuff ahead.

It's gonna be an awesome championship weekend

looking forward to being along for the ride.

I will try my best, of course,

to have daily recaps for you.

If I don't, it's because we've got broadcasts each

and every day this weekend starts tomorrow,

noon, Eastern time on ESPN plus for me,

as I've got the ACC cross court cast on both Friday

and Sunday on ESPN plus Saturday,

back on our crack, crack, a few to channel for ITA Show Day,

I believe is the official title or, no,

I definitely butchered that, but it's a big event.

ITA, of course, celebrating some of the non-power five

conference play we have that's so exceptional

across the college tennis world.

Can follow those matches alongside with me all day long

as Saturday's play continues.

Oh, and by the way, recaps each and every week

of the division one action available

on our great Sean podcast feed.

We're gonna be back alive next week for three episodes.

So go subscribe to our crackcrackers YouTube channel

so you don't miss out on anything great interview

with Martin Blackman, Laurel Springs, Jack Dempsey,

available on the crack.

Interviews podcast feed, try and grab some

of these players post sunshine swing as well,

see if we can't get.

I mean, we had some fun ones down, of course, Ethan Quinn

and all of our friends in feeding him

is down on any of those conversations.

You can go check that out.

Now, shout out by the way, as always,

it's a good time to go to the first round of the class.

It's everything across the class.

It's possible to do it in the middle of the class

because you can't get enough stuff

or just a little bit of sport in the class.

You can come in crackcrackers.

In the lead podcast, now that we're down,

it's basically the same.

And it's the break of your week.

Thanks a lot.