2026 US Open Day 11 Recap

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1:01You'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-gracks. This is often times a so-called podcast and, accordingly, if I'd like to celebrate a correct

2:08take, I'm left to pat myself on the back. Something I imagine many listeners don't find an attractive quality in a podcast host who does so. I try my best to do that as infrequently as possible whenever recording episodes for this show. I am going to start today's podcast beating my chest loudly because my favorite storyline of this 2026 North American Summer A storyline I'd like to think I've tried to prepare all of you podcast listeners to expect to manifest at this 2026 US Open. Well, it has played out perfectly. And of course, what am I alluding to? Well, it's as we get ready for the start of our final four, our Women's Single semi-finals here Thursday evening. We have the top four seats all still alive in the Women's singles draw. It's the first time that's happened at any Women's Major event since the 2009 Championships at Wimbleton. It's only the second time in US history.

3:09The first back in 1975 shout out to our friends at Updates that this has happened. And according to at tennis my life 68, it is the 38th occurrence all time across the four majors that this has happened in a Women's singles major event. It's exactly what I had hoped would unfold because this 2026 season has been defined by all of the ingredients required for there to be a real race for World No. 1. They have all factored in to this 2026 season. And what do I mean by that? And by the way, a tip of the cap, of course, to Elena Rabakina becomes the 30th woman ever to ascend, I believe, to the World No. 1 ranking with her victory in the semi-finals over Junction. When a match I certainly wanted to discuss here today. What you look at the course of this season, and it started, of course, with the carry-over from last year in Elena Rabakina, who semi-dc, semi-canada, semi-sensinati, yes, round

4:09of 16 US open, but then answer season on a run that takes her all the way to the two-er finals title. Will that run continue into the start of 2026 as, of course, she knocked out Arena Sappelankin of fantastic three-set semi-final? And then those two were the two best players in the world. As, of course, they competed in both Indian Wells, Miami, Sappelankin getting the better of Rabakina on both those occasions to reassert, hey, I am still the World No. 1, I may not have that Australian open title, but I just beat you twice. It's still my throne, and the rest of you all are chasing. Well, chase they did, obviously, with Mirror Andrew, but success not only at Roland Garros, but throughout the course of the Clay Court season, you had Lyndon Askeva not only winning a title on the grass courts and the lead up to Wimbledon, but winning that Wimbledon title as well. And as we saw yesterday, really pushing Arena Sappelankin in that three-set quarter-final loss, but consolidating her spot in making that quarter-finals and just proving, hey,

5:10this is real. I'm here to stay. Obviously, Jessica Pagula has not been far off the pace. Coco Gough made multiple 1,000-level finals in the build-up to this North American hard court stretch, one on clay, one on hard courts, then wins her first 1,000 in Cincinnati. And she is now back through to the semi-finals, even though she wasn't at her best. Even though a lot of those points looked similarly, the patterns goff, playing the forehand high and heavy down the line, playing cross-court, but not getting it with enough action to hit Andrew by off of her spots. And yet, again, we'll talk about that match more in a little bit, but competitively, Coco Gough just does not go away. She finds herself in another slam semi-final, then again, Jessica Pagula only lost to Costio, week one, and Elena Rabakana during the course of the first three months of hard court play. Has picked things up once again, obviously, a great run in Cincinnati now here, through to a third consecutive semi-final at the US open another date with Arena Sapelanka awaits

6:12her. She has felt like the only one on this surface again who has just clearly been better than the rest and should be threatening the top two for the top spots. And by the way, what name did I not say? Ega Shviantec still lingering out there when she wins Canada, certainly felt like things were firing up once again. I'm not going to make the case that Chin Wentz and the race for World No. 1, but it's nice to have someone who was once upon a time threatening to enter that tier back to playing at that level. And I mentioned the name Mark the Costio. Obviously, Elena's Fetalina has been really solid all these season long, Carolina. Mujavema made a slam final. The race for WT No. 1 has been exceptional because there are so many players with legitimate claims, I suppose, to the throne. And accordingly, at least two of them at every event are at a level to provide World No. 1 quality competitiveness and action to tennis fans everywhere.

7:13And so, again, I say this on the back of the reports yesterday that the WTA tours in some serious financial difficulties and what does the future of women's tennis look like financially is a massive question mark that has to be considered for the future health of our sport. No women's athletes do better than professional women's tennis players. And accordingly, they are some of the most prestigious athletes we have in the world. How do we ensure their future? How do we ensure the ability for our sport to continue to grow so that those opportunities continue to come for the next generation of champions? So in Andriva, we get to see her play out her prime for the Lutovas and everyone else riding, rising up the ranks. The Yovitches has her moment. The point being more broadly, women's tennis, the level has never been better. The quality of competition, the quality of depth, like the quality at the top, everything is exceptional right now. And again, how do we figure out what do we have to do to adjust the finances?

8:15They have things gone wrong. That's its own podcast. But part of sustaining the future of women's tennis is to ensure that we have remarkable athletes and remarkable competitors who every time they step on the court shine a light on our sport in the most magnetic way possible. Bringing in new eyeballs, bringing in fans who are willing to attend events. All the different things required, subscribe to tennis channels, things that are willing to pay more for the media rights, etc. How do we do all of those things is a different question. But is the quality of the product good enough? Yeah, it's never been better. Again, you've had all four of our quarter final battles go to deciding sets. Again, was Andriva and Gough monotonous in the sense of the points that they were playing? Sure. But the physicality on display evoked memories for me of vintage Jokovitch Murray matchups, which were some of my favorites when they were both at the peaks of their young powers in the early 2010s.

9:15Like, that's what this felt like once again is, oh my god. And these two still aren't at the peaks of their powers. What's this going to look like for the next 10 years? Sign me up right now because there are so many similarities in their game. So what's the counter? Obviously, Andriva, you feel like coming out of this one, the message is just going to be we got to be finished better and more confidently forward at the net. But again, we'll get to that match more in a moment. Of course, on the other side, like you had that match, the physicality of Navarro Padgula as well, then the other camp, the shot making, the athleticism, the explosiveness of Sapa Lincoln, Asuka and Rebaka Nanchin when you watch all four of those players just hit the absolute cover off of a tennis ball. And I'm just left sitting there watching, thinking to myself, yeah, I just, I don't know how tennis can be played more powerfully than this. Like this is what it takes. You just have to be that good to be able to play on your own terms in the face of this sort of competition. I thought Atlanta, Rebaka was moving better than I've ever seen her and was forced to in

10:17the face of the physicality of Jun Chen when he hit the pace they were both able to produce. It was just like, oh my god. And then again, Chen Wen hits this unbelievable on the run backhand pass to set up 30, 40, the break point chance at four all in the deciding set. Rebaka, what does she do? And we saw Coco Gough do this down her first match point as well. They both get forward and are the aggressors and put that sort of pressure on their opponents to come up with the shot. And obviously both Andriva, Chen Wen missing back hands on those respective passing occasions. Like, it's just everything you could want as a tennis fan. Now that didn't mean by the way, Gough and Andriva was always pretty like there were just times when you could tell Coco Gough did not want to accelerate into a forehand and almost could not from a confidence perspective do so cross-court in particular. But it doesn't matter because like, okay, we all know that. Now the rest of this match is do you have the nerve to attack that pressure point and

11:17do you have the execution to do so successfully over the course of the two and a half, three hours it's going to take to hit Coco Gough off the tennis court even watching Jessica Pagula like work her way in find something eventually that forehand cross to work against Demonivara. Sabelanka closing things out as she did on serve just unreturnable on those serve final two points of the tie break against Noscava. Like, I bring up all these individual moments to put the final bow on this opening tangent to say all of those individual moments, that's world number one quality shit. That's what the best player in the world has to do is say, here's the best of me and if you come up with something special, then congratulations. You're on the level as well. And all these players are coming up with something special in creating these monumental pressure moments for us as fans to enjoy. And I talked about this with Shelton Tiafler. I don't know if I said this on the podcast yesterday, but I said this with when I was on the phone with Jamie McDonald watching, it was the first time and I have been, sorry to talk about myself again, jaded.

12:18It's my job. Like, one hopes through the pursuit of objectivity, nerves and emotion. Well, actually, you never hope that goes away because the underlying love of this sport is why I can do what I do every day. But again, objectivity hopefully prevents things like nerves when watching in a moment and watching the ending of Algrave Shelton, I was like, I felt nervous. I was just like, oh my God, what's going to happen? Oh, no, not like this, Ben. Oh, no, not like this Carlos. And I felt that again down the home stretch of watching. We're about going to chin-wind. Certainly that second set tie break between Goff and Andrew. You're just like, no way or okay, now she's going to do it. Well, wait, goffs up a mini break. No way, Andrew, you just won two points on serve and now all of a sudden she's up 65. She's got the set point. Like, what are we doing? And that's how you can ask for as a fan of any sport is to be so thoroughly entertained by the quality of excellence that you can't help but stay up till the wee hours of the evening to watch it unfold. And that's where we're at with this 2026 US Open.

13:21And every match the rest of the way is must watch. And we learned that from the quarter finals with all four battles going three sets. Now in the semi finals again, we have the worlds number one, two, three and four players and top four in the points race in 2026 as well. And the margins between all of them thin enough that whomever emerges as champion probably walking away with the lead as we head into the home stretch to finish this season world number one. And if again, it's already certain Rebachina will be walking out of this tournament as the new world number one further can sell that she will be a first ballot hall of famer. This is why it's the story. And obviously now the financials of the WTA's future unfortunately has to become a part of that story because we want these athletes to have as many opportunities to show off their exceptional nature as possible moving forward and how do we best ensure those opportunities continue to exist. Again, that's its own podcast.

14:23But the quality of play that we have seen throughout the course of this 2026 WTA season and certainly now manifesting itself with the top four players in the world in a season where there have been a lot of top four quality players or top four quality weeks from players. We get the top four doing battle world number one, not on the line as it relates to this tournament, but very much on the line as it relates to the season player of the year, like all the things buckle up. It's going to be exceptional. And again, our quarter final battles on day 11 continue to reinforce that fact. Let's break down them in depth now. Mentioned it already on the Rebachina chinwin front, but for all break point and on the previous point to set up that break point, Jun Chen went after being pushed corner to corner by Lina Rebachina, who by the way was relentless in attacking the jungle when Jun Chen went forehand, whether it was down the center forehand body, whether it was just straight up forehand cross staying in that pattern until that inevitable short ball did come,

15:23but then would attack that line or if Chen went and went line and left it, Rebachina was plenty comfortable playing that backhand cross and taking the open space. And Jun Chen went and came up with one of those one of four women maybe on even the game capable of hitting that on the line backhand on the slide pass line, passed Rebachina to set up that break point. And that Rebachina was willing to test that pressure point one more time and said, okay, you came up with unequivocal excellence because that's what that backhand passing shot was unequivocal excellence. I dare you to do it again. And that's the question you have to ask. And if she makes that backhand pass twice, you tip your cap, you say fuck, she's really good. She earned it. That's bravo. And you say, I got a reset recuperate and try and break to extend the match for five of which by the way, not an impossibility it could have been done by Rebachina. But Rebachina held her nerve again, connects on a ball moving inside out again and just like continue to play to win.

16:26And then again, now that she gets through the hold up five four able to take some aggressive cuts and how frequently does that happen? We see where you fight off break point here. You failed to convert the break and now all the sudden you're in trouble in your service game. And Rebachina just kept attacking and ultimately again, Rebachina able to advance three six, six, one, six, four. Now, Chinwen was as good as I have ever seen her in set number one of this match. And the first serve percentage for both very, very poor, 48% for Chinwen. She made 19 of 41 serves. Rebachina made just 10 of 23. There was still only one break of serve in the course of that opening set. And the most impressive thing for me was again, the game plan was very clear for Rebachina with line drive pace and relentless depth. I'm playing into your forehand. And I don't think that big forehand backswing is going to be able to hold up. I don't think you're going to be able to create enough space forehand cross. I don't think you're going to have comfortable or the time to take that big cut and try

17:26to redirect line on me. I'm not afraid of your high and heavy line because I'm so tall and I'm plenty strong on that backhand wing. I don't want any part of that Chinwen backhand because by the way, even against Rebachina, Chinwen has that, she always has. But it was nice to be reminded that her backhand sounds like a fucking fighter jet taking off every time she makes contact. And I've made this point before. But in person, I'll never forget the first time I saw Felix Osiraliah seem practicing in Cincinnati because you heard something and you're just like, oh my God, what is that? And so you gravitated over towards his court and you realized it was just him striking forehand. And you're like, I have never heard anything. And I'd seen Fetter or I'd seen the doll. I'd never heard anything like that. And then you heard it again with sin. And then obviously you heard it again with Alcuras. And you just hear it on the Chinwen backhand as well. Like it's one of those obvious examples where you're just like, holy crap.

18:27Is it, what are you stringing at? Like how much racket speed are you generating? Like, oh my God. Meanwhile that Chinwen back swing on the forehand side is pretty darn big. And yet it held up perfectly. And it's not as though Rebachina hit herself out of the opening set. Chinwen was just on the level and would work her over into the outer thirds and would create enough space for herself to redirect or Rebachina would try and press her line and she'd find a backhand cross to the open space and just, you know, again close things out from there. Force an arrow out of Rebachina on the full stretch. Hit her spots extraordinarily well with her sliders in that opening set. And I felt like Rebachina kind of took that away and set number two by taking a step in and cutting off that angle. Jammed her body though plenty as well so that she could play the first forehand inside out and kind of be more aggressive with her footwork and her positioning. But more than anything it was just the forehand was on the level in the opening set. And Rebachina couldn't out hit her in any sort of, you know, again, there were still plenty

19:31of first serves and plus one winners because Rebachina confined winners against anyone, but it wasn't overwhelmingly so in the face of Chinwen. Her forehand held up better than I've seen in front of that pace in forever. And then we got to set number two and it just felt like Rebachina was like enough of this shit and it helped that the first serve and percentage improved but you just started stepping in and more than anything started playing big backhand line and just saying, I am taking aggressive cuts and if you manage to, you know, get your forehand back, that's great, but it's going to sit up short and it's backhand line to set up the forehand approach whether it was inside out inside in wherever it might be changing up her targets there. Again, Chinwen could not buy a first serve in that second set and Rebachina took those two steps in on the return of serve, got that ball on the feet that much more, the forehand started to misfire a little bit. But then we got to set number three and again, set number three, there was one break of serve. It came in that final service game for Chinwen and like again, Chinwen had the break

20:33point chance in the for all opportunities. She, her once again, found her rhythm on that forehand wing, started to match the plus one pace as she started to make some first serves of her own. Just like she knew the patterns, her forehand was fine. She played one bad service game, just one loose service game, final game four five, Rebachina able to again, because she had an early game step up on a couple of returns, rush that young Chinwen forehand. But it was fine margins, very fine margins between these two and again, the stats aren't going to be pretty for either Chinwen 48% for a serve percentage, Rebachina 55% to both one 80% of those first serves. Chinwen thought of 10 of the 13 break points she faced, only generated four break points for herself. Again, that only break of serve coming for her in that opening set. But these two were slugging. It was just the standard pace of the rally ball because it wasn't as though Rebachina, although I did think in set number three, she did put a little bit more air under the

21:33ball and give herself a little bit more time. But when she did that, Chinwen would then attack because she'd have that much more time to load on the forehand wing. This was a match of execution. And it was just a little bit easier for Rebachina to execute in set number three because she made more first serves than Chinwen did. It really was as simple as that down the home stretch. Chinwen was back on the level. And that's just such a great thing because now it's another player capable of playing legitimate top five tennis for three months. Consequently, we saw that at the end four months at the end of 2024, like we've seen that level from her. She has not sustained it for a full calendar year. Her body hasn't allowed her to. But again, still in her early to mid 20s, like found her rhythm once again, back inside the top 50. Now we're headed to her home stretch of events in Asia and in China specifically. Like, she was on the level. And yet, I'm telling you, Elena Rebachina's consistency and her rally tolerance in playing

22:36forehand cross with Chinwen and her discipline in doing so and down a stretch into the corners just playing big down the center. But to that forehand wing on a parade, I haven't seen her move that well since the sunshine swing. It just feels like again, you might have had a little lingering question mark given how things ended for her in Cincinnati. Those are gone. She's back in top form. And I said this a couple of days ago, I'll reiterate it again. Maybe I was just being dumb. It was overreaction prediction. And we should have just remembered what we learned the first three months, which is when they are locked in, Rebachina and Saba Lank are the class of the field on this surface. And Rebachina showed that because Chinwen played as well as you could have hoped her to have performed particularly given again. It was match number eight over a two week stretch, two and a half week stretch. Rebachina just a little too good down the home stretch found the big plus one found the big inside out forehand to get in behind force the error found a couple of first serves found

23:38herself through to another semi final. And you look for a Rebachina again ascending now to the world number one spot accordingly. You look for Rebachina and doing so against that as always courtesy of our friends at op the ace, but Atlanta, Rebachina in earning this victory, of course, now 27 years old, 89 days. And then this player ever to obtain the number one ranking for the first time younger only than Angelique Kerber. When she ascended to the world number one, spouted a little older than Halop, Capriotti, Saba Lank, respectively. Again, 30th player ever to ascend to world number one. And you look what she really has done over the last 52 weeks. There's just no doubt about it. Like she has earned this spot and given where we were at the end of last year's French Open, where again, she had won the title in Strasbourg and little did we know she was about to heat up from there. But up a set on Shiontech, things go a strain around of 16. Shiontech completely flipped that head to head. It was the only thing that went right for her first five months of 2025.

24:40But Rebachina was in jeopardy falling outside of the top 10 and given obviously all the termos surrounding her, her long-time coach Sasha Vukov, who is now back in the box, of course. You just wonder what the future might look like for Atlanta Rebachina and how did she respond to that adversity? She ascended to world fucking number one. The talent was always evident. She has manifested everything you hope that talent could achieve on a tennis court and again, back into a final four at a major, where of course next up for her a date for just the fourth time with Coco Gough. That's surprising. A fourth time or third time, excuse me, it is the third career match up between the two of them. That feels surprising, given how frequently both have lingered inside the top eight and these stages of competitions over the course of the 2020s. Again, I'm not going to say that it looked, you have to enjoy physicality, you have to enjoy the Rubik's cube that is solving things tactically within the course of the match because

25:47a lot of the points in this match looked exactly the same. And ultimately the fact that it was 25 winners for Andrea Vita Gough's 22, 42 unforestered a piece. The big difference Gough, 19 of 28 moving forward to Andrea Vita's 6 of 17. Those three statistics are exactly what you saw manifest itself throughout the course of this match. Statistics number one, of course, being, yeah, Andrea Vita had a little bit more firepower from the baseline than Gough. It did feel like Andrea Vita was able to, in the course of a baseline rally, excuse me, she was the one dictating where the ball is going and what direction we're playing. She was the one who chose, okay, now I'm going to open up the court to the backhand cross or again, I'm going to keep playing big into your forehand over and over and over again. I'm going to play that backhand high and heavy line and force you to hit another high but slow forehand that I'm going to have some time to set my feet underneath behind.

26:48Again, the physicality was outrageous. You have to imagine more than 50% of the points in this match over seven days or over eight shots where they're each striking the ball at least four times. Again, it was so immensely physical, it was so difficult for either to create any sort of easy space for themselves. The other thing, by the way, again, they would both, like the length of these rallies over and over and over and over again. It wore Andrea down and ultimately Coco Gough winning that war of attrition. The other big stat again, 19 of 28 for Gough moving forward, Andrea of a six of 17. That was the big difference. Coco Gough started even serving and balling behind her first serve. She started whenever that backhand, whenever she got a backhand inside the service box, stepping in behind it, getting forward and again was just far more comfortable knocking off Valleys. You think about some of the notable moments in this match.

27:50Four Andreava has the opportunity to fight off. I think it was 3, 4, 30, 40. Place a perfect approach. Has a forehand Valleys on top of the net and dumps it in the net. Obviously, there was the notable moment she's serving one all in that deciding set. Works Coco Gough around the court. Gough fires out up a lob Andreava half-afford bailout overhead attempt that goes into the bottom of the net. I think she had another Miss Valleys as well. I think it was on a break point chance where ultimately she missed that one in the net. Yet again, like, Miria and Andreava had two match points. Let's be clear. Obviously, on the first match point, a credit to Coco Gough plays the big first serve. Gets forward behind it. Ultimately is able to draw a passing shot error off of the racket of Miria and Andreava. Exact right play. Even was a little bit tentative with her backhand approach. And yet again, just forcing that sort of pressure onto Miria and Andreava ultimately gets the error there. Second match point, like, again, Coco Gough takes these big cuts, took Coco Gough.

28:55I was at the leaping backhand on the rise approach that she had. Leaping backhand cross-court and got in behind that drew the unforced error. Again, similar sort of situation in match point number two. Good and Andreava, I think, have moved in herself on set match point number two. Yes, I think that opportunity was more available to her. But she just wasn't comfortable whether it was hitting the overhead out of the air, whether it was just again hitting the approach on definitively enough that she felt like, okay, Gough's not going to get a clean look on the pass because Coco Gough is fricking everywhere. You just realize that every time you watch her play. Gough was able to hit that first serve, obviously, with a little bit more juice. But again, it really wasn't, it's most effective in till set number three where you just felt like the wheels came off for Miria and Andreava. Because I have three points again for two hours, Miria and Andreava was said, okay, fine, you want to play this forehand high and heavy line. I'm going to right back into your forehand corner.

29:56Okay, this forehand you're going to get cross-grade. I'm playing my forehand crossing on right back into that corner until you leave that short ball for me to come in behind unequivocally. And like Andreava had the discipline for two hours. To match Coco Gough, stroke for stroke, backhand for backhand, extended rally for extended rally again. Yes, Gough was able to break after the missed air from Gough from Andreava on the top of the net, but Andreava got that break right back, found herself a couple of holds to get to six all. And ultimately again, like had two match points, one of them on her racket on serve. She won this year's French Open and has been a top eight player now for two years consecutively. You forget Miria and Andreava is still just 19 years old because she has been in final fours of majors before because she has brought home that major title because she's brought home 1000 level titles and she's done it against the best players in the sport. And yet like that third set was your reminder of there is still such obvious room for growth

31:02for Miria and Andreava. And in particular again, with the space that she was creating for herself, with the direction that she was dictating upon Gough, how many times did she get Gough stretch far enough into the forehand wing that Gough produced a slice? Why she didn't come forward behind those and hit more swinging valleys and forced Coco to stay that excellent on the pass? Like that to me is a mystery because the day and there's just no way can cheat the Martinez one of the again has forgotten more about the sport than I'm sure I will ever know. That will be the message reinforced and by the way underlying like she can move forward, she can play the overhead, she can drive the valley, she can play with touch, she just has to be confident in doing so because you're just never going to win a war of attrition against Coco Gough. And as for Coco Gough, I mean Coco fricking Gough man there's just no one who maximizes every ounce of themself in every match better than Coco fucking Gough. Of course for Coco Gough into the semi final consecutive majors.

32:02It's the second time in her career she's done that she made three straight between US Open 2023, Roland Garros 2024. Of course you look for her now Coco Gough, seventh semi final at the majors, only Venus with 12, Serena with 10 had more before the age of 23. Come on now, I like what more do you want to say? What better epitomizes Coco Gough who in what has felt like, just like all of them, go whole home year, a whole home year for the 22 year old finals Miami finals Rome title Cincinnati semi final Toronto semi finals now both Wimbledon and the US Open oh by the way just a casual quarter final for her in Australia. Yeah, she lost tough one three set third round Roland Garros to Potapova. I will say again Potapova was one of the 10 best players in the world on the clay and just beat a Nisim over here in the hard courts. That is not a bad loss. You look for Gough overall now on this season Coco Gough 45 and 13 overall like lost to

33:04Bosis, Maneera United Cup, whatever, first week of the year lost Cochirado Dowa. That's it. Those are the Anem Badoza I guess her loss in Berlin but first match grass courts, whatever. Like she hasn't had a bad stretch for even two weeks this season. And like that this feels like the standard for Coco Gough at age 22 where she's fourth in the points race. By the way, once again, and I say fourth in the points race, she's 618 points behind Elena Rabakina. She beats Rabakina. She'll be 98 points behind her in the points race like Coco Gough 22 years old that we have her on these chase of all these exceptional statistics. Again, earlier we're comparing her to share Povans Serena with her quarter final appearances. I mean, again, I am still of the belief that EGA is going to win at least two, at least two more major titles over the course of her career. Obviously, Andriva's got her first, Naskva's 21's got her first and Sabelink and Rabakina.

34:09And honestly, 32 year old Jessica Pagula and I would throw in 31 year old Elena's for Elena. Like they all kind of still feel like they're at the peaks of their powers. Back half of the 2020s are going to be really good from a level perspective. Mira Andriva had her opportunity. She had two match points. Should have moved forward on one of those. Should have forced Coco Gough to have to hit some sort of volley winner. And for some reason, I'm blanking on the second set point right now. First set point again. Credit to Coco Gough for getting forward and forcing something exceptional off the racket of Mira Andriva on the pass. Andriva just wasn't able to come up with it. I don't know why I'm blanking on the second set point. I apologize for that on the second set point. Mira Andriva, our second match point. I keep calling it the set point. Oh, that's what it was. Coco Gough stepped into a backhand return and Andriva sent a forehand long. Didn't have an opportunity really there either. Like it's a credit to Coco Gough stepping up. Maybe you'd say, yeah, it would have been great if Mira could have landed a first serve there. Sure, that would have been great. She had two match points.

35:11Gough stepped up on each of them as the best do. Again, she went, had her break point for all in the third set. Rabakana stepped up as you'd expect the world number one contenders to do. What more could you ask for in the pressure moments and what we got out of our two women's single semi finals? And again, Rabakana Gough, Sabalanka Pagula. You're not doing anything else Thursday night clear your prime time. I know we've got our second NFL game of the year Rams, Niners, Australia. One of them's going to be on Amazon. The others on ESPN on Bacon on all of you have and more ESPN subscriptions, though, honestly, I'm sure plenty of you have Amazon subscriptions at this point as well. Still, yeah, we're in a good spot on the women's side as we come out of day number 11 and get ready for day 12's women's singles semi finals. Before we get to previewing those very quickly on what was a very standard day of men's singles action. Technically, an upset as Karen Hatchinov knocks off 28th seated Alex blocks 6275 32 blocks

36:12forced to retire down 3 to down a break in that third. So you could just see his back is a lot had locked up and excuse me. And he just could not move and threaten nor really produce the sort of pace on the first serve to win free points the way he would have need to to try and manufacture not only one more set, but the three more sets that would have been required to knock off Hatchinov. Again, a credit to Hatchinov, man, who has been so good in the best of five format throughout the course of his career, Hatchinov winning 89% of his first serves in this match, win unbroken, again, blocks could move a little bit side to side sets number one and two, but couldn't manufacture any sort of serious pace to threaten Hatchinov with out of those corners and Hatchinov, so disciplined and waiting for the right forehand to turn into and then win that forehand's there. I mean, he just takes these massive, massive cuts, man. And you look for Karrin Hatchinov again, the 30 year old who was 50 in the world, then, you know, again,

37:13prior to this five match run 16 and 18 overall on the season, you know, now he's into the semi-finals of a major for the third time in his career. Second, US Open, obviously, as he did it back in 2022, you look at the rankings, Hatchinov, up 24 spots back at the 26 in the world now, not only is he not have to worry about any sort of qualities anywhere, he's probably seated in every event that he plays once again as well. Look again, the real work for Karrin Hatchinov was that five set round of 16 victory over Learner TN. The real work was the four set victory over USA Hoppull, but still third-seated Felix O'Shear, Alia Seaman, round number two. This was the obvious one. And again, I thought Learner was going to get over the hump. That was my prediction pre-tournament, but the draw was just there for the guy who is the sure thing, even in that 16 and 18 stretch I mentioned it earlier. Third round Australian Open, third round role on Garros, third round Wimbledon. He's just different, best at five. And for what it's worth, you look for him in his career at the two or level, 332 and 243, he's 158% of his matches. At the majors, 91 and 42, he's

38:20168% of his matches. There's your stat. Best of five is the best version, and it's because physically six foot six. And by the way, seeing him standing next to a block who ain't short, you were reminded after the match like, oh man, Hatchinov's a big boy. And the big serve, the big first forehand accordingly, and drives through the backhand really well, and can move for someone that side. And that was the original next gen freaks. Not that chillich didn't set the path for them to follow for long and limber. But Zverev, Medvedev, Hatchinov, even CT passes to some extent because he ain't small. Hercotts, Baratini, it was just like, oh man, these big boys can scoot in a way. The previous generation of six sixers really couldn't. And it offered another gear to their games. The underlying physicality required that allowed them to be dynamic enough with the addition of your six foot six. Your weapons can be that much bigger accordingly to ultimately find yourself at the top of the tennis world as again, the former Masters champion.

39:26The now three time major semi-finalist, Karen Hatchinov has done bitter ending for blocks, just given again physically, was spent. But guess what? Like, that's going to be the missing piece for all of these guys. And we've said it so clearly before in the past for a Joal Fond Secke work just felt like, yeah, the weaponry is there. The recovery out of corners was not same thing still for Rafa Houdar. You know, again, obviously, the learner is a little bit different, but for his physicality it was well, can his serve get big enough? Well, he gets strong enough, and the answer has been yes, he's getting closer and closer to that. La Daluces, physicality, Sakamoto, I think it's a movement thing as well. Budakav Kiar is ready for the movement perspective. He's just got to clean up some of the the choices that he makes. But like, this is the again, Alex blocks. The comparison I've been making, I talked about this with my buddy Amar, shout out Amar Aronachalam. If you know Amar Aronachalam and you are listening to this podcast,

40:28one shout out to you, two please text Amar that I gave him a shout out because he will be so happy to hear that, but I can't text him that myself. But Amar and I were talking specifically about blocks yesterday. He's, you know, again, I was making the case that like, this is the modern Medvedev, with that sort of serve, that sort of movement, but the techniques been cleaned up so that he can go nuclear off the ground as all these next-gen players are capable of doing when they give that full cut, because again, it's start with Elkarez and Sinner, like that's what the next generation is. Blox is in a great spot. Sam Ifinals of a 1000 this year for the first time. Obviously, now he makes quarterfinals of a major for the first time. Alex Blox sitting 25th in the points race in nuclear high 27th in the live rankings. He's 27, Hodars 14, learners 13. They were all in the next gen finals last year. Folks, do I have to say it again? My other storyline coming into this season, my insistence that that next gen finals was exceptional. Terran Hatchnoth though. Through to Asem,

41:33Ifinals ate with Topseed Sasha's Verov, who too is credit. Clean things up. After again, laborious couple of opening rounds of play, Zverov into another semi-final here this season at the majors. He's four for four this time, six two seven five six one just both didn't have it on the forehand wing in particular in the face of Zverov's pace, but again, you look for Sasha's Verov in reaching this semi-final. Zverov's conceded 80 games on the route to the semi-final. It's the second most of any Topseed to reach the semi-finals in an open era only Rafa 2018 gave up 85 games. There's a fun stat for you. The real stat, Zverov's now the oldest player to reach all four grand slams at the majors in a single season. Of course, you look for him beyond that in reaching all four major semi-finals in a single season. The list of players Sasha's Verov joins who have accomplished that feat. Jokevich who's done it seven times, seven times. That's why he's going to

42:33found the Hunter Gwim Club if he can give us one more outstanding US Open. Fetter did it five times, Nadal did it twice and then the list is Lever Roach Lendel Murray Sinner Zverov. One of nine players and let me list those nine again. Jokevich, Fetter, Nadal, clear cut top three players. We don't have to do the order right now. Lever is going to be in your top 10. It's Lendel going to be in your top 10. Now we get interesting but like Lendel Murray Roach Sinner who doesn't lose unless he's injured. It feels like nowadays ends Verov. That's your list. It's a damn good list for Sasha's Verov. According to tennis abstractors, we get ready for the start of the semi-finals. 60.3% chance he wins this US Open. All the Sunhill have walked away again with two titles, a Wimbledon final and he had never made the quarter finals before and he should have beaten Alcaraz in that Australian Open semi-final. We've talked about the vacuum that's open at the top of the tennis

43:38world. Sasha's Verov has filled that space very quietly because it had, you know, again, he hasn't won the 1000s because Sinner's beaten him so prominently. He's beaten everyone else this year and in the three out of five set format, he has been the best player in the world this season and really no one can match. By the way, even in reaching, he wins this title. Well, okay, he makes the final, he'll be tied with Sinner in terms of points heading into the season. So I'm sure she wins the title. He'll be number one in the points race and then the idea is there of finishing the season number one very much again comes into play. You learned nothing new tactically from the victory. Again, a massive week for Botic, but just forehand got overwhelmed by the Romantus pace of the Sasha Zera for serve and Zerav first serve percentage back up over to 70% in this match when unbroken in it. 17 of 23 moving forward. semi-finals are set at the year's final major and again, you've got the top four women all still alive. The career head to head, Sabelanka, nine four up on Jessica Pagula, but Pagula's one,

44:41two of the last three, Bidar and Wuhan, 76 in the third last year, Bidar and Berlin, six love in the third this year, that's their only match of this season. The last four matchups have all gone three sets. Sabelanka, of course, the three set wins, Riyadh finals last year, three set wins from a set down at the US Open last year where of course she broke Pagula out of the opening service game and Pagula didn't lose another point on serve. You look for them in their careers at the majors, Sabelanka when they've played at majors three in O, two US Open wins each of the last two years and the three in one win over Pagula 2020 French Open. Sabelanka coming off of 76 in the third, but obviously Pagula coming off of a third set victory herself against Navarro. Obviously, Sabelanka's only dropped it one set this tournament. Pagula's dropped a couple. This is the matchup winner of this one's one New York the last two seasons. In other words, could say that about every opponent. Sabelanka has faced the last two years in New York, but Pagula has the confidence. She has the belief again. It wasn't Sabelanka. It was Rabakina who slowed

45:43her down in the first three months of the year. This is the matchup every day. You wake up and what am I doing to beat Arena Sabelanka this time? I just think Sabelanka is serving too well. I'll take Arena Sabelanka and I'll take Arena Sabelanka. Five in five feels about right. I don't know. If it gets third set, I just think it's too much pace. I think Sabelanka is serving too well to be stopped right now. I'll take Sabelanka. Then again, third career matchup between Rabakina and Rabakina. Of course, beat Rabakina 76 in the third Canada 2022. Rabakina returning the favor five, seven, six, two, six, two Canada this season. If Rabakina plays like she did against Andrea of Rabakina's beating curve because there's just a degree of firepower and a degree of certainty and definitiveness behind the ciciveness behind that firepower in an aggressive way. I just think Rabakina hits Coco Gough off the court. But Coco Gough will find another gear. Coco Gough will,

46:44she has to serve better. I just think Rabakina is playing too well. I think she's moving too well. I just think we're destined for Sabelanka. Rabakina, I test wise those two at their best point by point can hit a level and do things that no one else can match. And I think they are close to if not at their best right now. So I will take Rabakina to knock off Coco Gough. Although, look, any permutation can be Sabelanka Gough, Sabelanka Rabakina, Pagula Gough, Pagula Rabakina. I'm watching. I'm locked in. I just think we're destined to see these top two and the two best that we have the two best that they have finding their way to the US Open Fund. The two best that we've had in 2026, reasserting, no, no, we're the two everyone's chasing. And that will be our US Open Fund to finish the season. But guess what? Again, could very well be wrong and a more than bracing for that effect and will not beat my chest decisively to start tomorrow's podcast. If that's the case, on the men's side, Shelton, three one in the career head to head with Tiafo, it's the

47:48third time in the last four years they faced off at the US Open. Shelton, four set victory in the 2023 quarterfinals Tiafo, five set victory in the 2024 third round. First match up for them of the season. Both have had the two days off, much needed or will have had the two days off. Look, Ben serves the biggest weapon on the court. It was the biggest weapon on the court against Carlos Frickin Alcaraz. If he returned, but they're both hitting the return better than they ever have, Francis on the forehand wing, Ben just not chipping nearly as much on the backhand side. I mean, again, like Francis is so good against the lefties because he absorbs pace so well on that backhand wing. But Ben throws a lot of action on you and he's going to play that forehand high and heavy down the line and how does Francis hit the forehand off of that? They're both comfortable getting forwards and no clear cut advantage there. Comes down to the Ben serve. Ben serves the most

48:50certain thing on the court and he's serving to the Francis forehand as much as Francis has improved on that wing. I still think, technically, will just be a problem for Francis. But boy, this one's going to be fun. Looking forward to the All-American battle tomorrow night. And then, of course, Zverev 63 in the career had to head against Hatchinov closer than you'd think. Hatchinov beat him in Canada last year. Zverev returned the favor in Cincinnati. All but one of their matches have come on hard courts. Zverev five and three in those encounters. Of course, Hatchinov's biggest victory. Well, no, they play in the Tokyo Olympic finals. Zverev the three and one win there. Second match for the Manta majors. Zverev a five set win over Hatchinov. 2018 roll on Geroz round of 16. Now here they are eight years later, eight and a half, another battle in a second week at the majors. I just don't see anyone slowing Zverev down. The draw after just again, those first two matches for things to open up the way they have for him this year. I'm just happy we don't have to talk about it anymore because again, it was the most

49:56overplayed storyline of like, when will this guy win his first major? And we just don't have to discuss it anymore. Now it's crazy the draw has opened up as it has. If you're rooting against Zverev and for an American, I guess the glass half-holes, if you're going to have an American face any opponent in a major final, don't you want it to be as verif? Who we saw, like, can still get a little shaky although the Wimbledon final was so much better. And it's just different now. Again, you can play those finals without having to chase that first major title. I don't know. I just don't expect things Zverev to get through, Hatchinov. I just Hatchinov. It's one speed and I think Zverev will know how to figure it out and can match him serve for serve. As Zverev Shelton finals, Zverev's had particular success against Ben Shelton for the record against Francis Zverev is 9-1 against Shelton. Zverev is 5-0. That's tough. It's tough. You look for the head-to-head, by the way, for Shelton. He's 2-0 against Hatchinov. He looked for Tiafo, by the way. Francis, his head-to-head

51:00battles with Hatchinov. He is a win-3. Interesting. Inter-resting. Well, that's where we are. And if I were to power-rank them, Sabla and Capagula won. Because that's my favorite rivalry in the last couple of years because of what it's meant in New York particularly and that they keep running into each other. Gawph Rebachana 2. Shelton Tiafo 2, because one of them is playing for a major title, which I just have never seen in an American man do in my most closest, in my closest following, tennis life. Rebachana Gawph obviously 3. And then I'll do respect that Zverev Hatchinov 4. That's where we are. Day 11. Officially in the books. The Race for World Number 1 on the women's side officially on the race for a first slams since 03. U.S. Open still on for the American man. If that isn't going to convince you to stay locked in this weekend, nothing will. So of course, make sure you tune into all the action. And if you miss that on anything or you want to hear more

52:04about the action, make sure you tune into our daily recap, which we will continue throughout the home stretch of this 2026 U.S. Open. Of course, the reason we can do that, the title is