10 Minutes of Tennis: Indian Wells Recap and Thoughts on Jack Draper and Mirra Andreeva

<h2>Episode #26 Season 25: Shaun Boyce &amp; Justin Yeo</h2><p><strong style="background-color: transparent">Podcast</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">: GoTennis! Podcast</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent">Host</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">: Shaun Boyce</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent">Guest</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">: Justin Yeo</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent">Powered by</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">: Signature Tennis</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent">Duration</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">: 13 minutes</span></p><h2><span style="background-color: transparent">🎾 </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">What This Episode Is Really About</strong></h2><p><span style="background-color: transparent">In this action-packed episode of the </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">GoTennis! Podcast</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">, host </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Shaun Boyce </strong><span style="background-color: transparent">sits down with tennis coach and Australian tennis expert, </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Justin Yeo</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">, for a breakdown of the </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">2025 Indian Wells tournament</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">. They dive into the highlights of the event, analyzing standout moments from the men's and women's draws, and discuss the emergence of new, younger talent in the sport.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent">With the tennis world transitioning away from the dominance of the </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Big Three</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">, Justin sheds light on how the landscape of tennis is changing and what it means for both aspiring pros and social players. From the importance of tactical diversity to the need for maturity on and off the court, this episode offers a wealth of insights that can elevate any player’s game.</span></p><h2><span style="background-color: transparent">💬 </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Topics Covered</strong></h2><ul><li><span style="background-color: transparent">A deep dive into the Indian Wells finals and standout performances</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent">The rising stars of tennis and how the absence of the Big Three opens up new opportunities</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent">Why younger players need to develop multiple game plans (Plan A, B, and C)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent">The maturity factor: How experience and match-play can shape a player's mental toughness</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent">Key lessons for junior players and amateurs from the world’s top tennis professionals</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent">Why variety in playing style—through different grips, spins, and movement—is more important than ever</span></li></ul><h2><span style="background-color: transparent">🧠 </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Key Insights</strong></h2><p><span style="background-color: transparent">This episode is packed with actionable advice and expert commentary:</span></p><ul><li><span style="background-color: transparent">Developing tactical awareness in all three dimensions of the court (up/down, side to side, forward/back) is crucial for success.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent">Players must embrace versatility by mastering a variety of grips and techniques to excel at the highest levels.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent">Maturity in tennis isn’t just about age—it’s about learning to adapt, analyze, and evolve after every match.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent">The sport of tennis is entering a new era, and players who can master both strategy and adaptability will rise to the top.</span></li></ul><h2><span style="background-color: transparent">🗣️ </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Standout Moment</strong></h2><p><span style="background-color: transparent">“We’ve got to start thinking tactically when we play tennis. It’s not just about hitting the ball. It’s about knowing what’s really hurting your opponent and using the court to your advantage.” — Justin Yeo.</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent">Get ready for a podcast episode that will challenge you to rethink how you approach tennis.</strong><span style="background-color: transparent"> Whether you're a social player or a future pro, there’s something in this conversation for everyone.</span></p><h2><span style="background-color: transparent">📌 </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Episode Credits</strong></h2><p><span style="background-color: transparent">&nbsp;</span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Studio Support</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">: Regeovenate.com</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent"> </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Podcast Sponsor</strong><span style="background-color: transparent">: Signature Tennis</span></p><h2><span style="background-color: transparent">📬 </span><strong style="background-color: transparent">Want to Connect?</strong></h2><p><span style="background-color: transparent">Got questions or ideas for future episodes? We want to hear from you! </span><a href="https://letsgotennis.com/mystory/" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent"><strong>Share your thoughts</strong></a><span style="background-color: transparent"> and help shape the next GoTennis! Podcast.</span></p><p>For more 10 Minutes of Tennis episodes: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKLIP3Zrp28TLg1nCs4E-2PzkRcjyePEM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKLIP3Zrp28TLg1nCs4E-2PzkRcjyePEM</a></p><p><a href="https://youtube.com/live/BgVfO5gDegc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube Replay</a></p><p>Shaun Boyce USPTA: <a href="mailto:shaun@tennisforchildren.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shaun@tennisforchildren.com</a></p><p><a href="https://tennisforchildren.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://tennisforchildren.com/</a> </p><p>Justin Yeo: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/yeocoach/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/yeocoach/</a></p><p>Bobby Schindler USPTA: <a href="mailto:schindlerb@comcast.net" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">schindlerb@comcast.net</a></p><p><a href="https://windermerecommunity.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://windermerecommunity.net/</a> </p><p>Geovanna Boyce: <a href="mailto:geovy@regeovinate.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">geovy@regeovinate.com</a></p><p><a href="https://regeovinate.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://regeovinate.com/</a> </p><p>This podcast is powered by GoTennis! 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Transcript
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Hey, hey, this is Shaun with the GoTennis! Podcast powered by Signature Tennis.

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add them to our schedule.

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With that said, let's get started with 10 minutes of tennis.

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Hey, hey, this is Shaun with the GoTennis! Podcast powered by

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Signature Tennis.

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Check out our calendar of tennis events at LetsGoTennis.com.

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And today is 10 minutes of tennis with World Rennown tennis coach Australian in Puerto Rico

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Justin Yeo and we want to do an Indian Wells recap.

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Talk about the finals.

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Talk about the new wave because we can connect what's happened here back to Justin's theory

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of new and younger players.

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We're going to be doing some availability to win a few tournaments now that the big three

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are gone.

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Sorry, Novak, you know what I mean.

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So Justin, Indian Wells, where do you want to start?

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Wow, a water tournament though.

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You know, it definitely saw some great matches and some great tennis.

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And the tournament always seems to bring a lot of good spectators, good everything.

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There were some really cool things that they brought in as well at the start with

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just doing some exhibition stuff with the players.

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So I think probably the new wave is a great way to talk.

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And there's so many elements and break downs of the new wave that we can talk about with

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player development and as well as the average Joe, what he can learn about it.

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I can say every Joe, I'll call him Amateur, who has that.

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There you go.

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We say the social play.

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Our social community player.

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So yeah, they're so much together from the tournament.

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I think probably one of the biggest things that both amateur player and

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juniors can start to watch is the, I keep talking to players all the time about three

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dimensions and about tactics.

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And we're really starting to identify the tactics if people can see the data that they're

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showing on the matches.

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And we're also seeing so much variety in the game with the different areas, the different

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speeds, the different spins, the different pieces of the serve.

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We're seeing so much difference everywhere that I think the each player now, if we're watching,

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you can be identifying things that you can improve your game on or make sure you're starting

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to include it if you're a junior looking for the next 10 years to be pro.

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So are you gonna elaborate in any of those areas you're gonna elaborate?

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Well, I like the, one of the things you mentioned besides variation, which we'll talk about

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the plan A, plan B, plan C, which is good.

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And I think that's one of the reasons why we see some of these players take so many years

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to really get to the top or get to their own peak.

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We'll call it that.

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Maybe the top isn't it.

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But the variation is important because even the social player, especially the social player,

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needs a plan B. We saw Runa with no plan P against Jack Draper recently.

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But you also talked about maturity in a conversation you and I had previously because Runa's got some

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maturing to do.

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Is there a maturity in having a plan B or those two things connected?

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No, I'd probably say more maturing when we talk about maturing, it's actually playing

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enough tennis and being in this spotlight that he was in in the final of being there enough

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that will then start to feed him how to adjust when he needs to adjust and also work on the

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way.

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He has to go back to the drawing board but he's going to be able to re-analyze that whole

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match and start to identify the things he's going to need because Draper is not going anywhere

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now so he's going to probably see him in more tournaments regularly.

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He's going to have to find a way to beat him.

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Well, it could be just he was left handed.

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A lot of players, when they come up against Rafael Nadal, we go into junior tournaments and

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we play everybody and then we'll sound we play it left-handed and we're like, "What

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are you standing in the weakness and now it's the strength?"

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It could be just something as simple as that as well.

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I'm not with these team but I would say they're just going to allise the match and now figure

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out some of the things that he needs to improve which will mature his game.

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I'll bet there are a lot of weekend tennis players, social tennis players that have that

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same concern with lefties.

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Now at the highest level, I'm glad to see the potential that maybe Runa lost that match

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because Draper is a lefty.

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It could be that simple.

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I've always thought that all things being equal lefty wins.

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So I think it's an inherent advantage.

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My opinion doesn't matter to anybody else, it's just me but let's say those two are equal.

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They're both six foot four with two handed back hands and have similar experience.

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Now actually Runa had a bit more experience in finals and in semi-finals than Draper does

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but Draper's got that killer mentality.

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Do we think Runa has that?

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Is that a difference as well?

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Now I mean in coaching we always teach that the lefty is a lefty and the righty is a

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righty.

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You just have to use the core correctly.

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I don't think there's any real advantage and I'm sure Runa to this point has played a lot

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of lefties.

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So it's not like you couldn't face a lefty but there's just the way tactically things could

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be broken down because of a lefty but you can do the same thing to him as he's doing to

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you.

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So I don't think there's any major advantage of being a lefty except that lefties tend

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to have a little more feel and more touch than the righties.

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We've heard that for years but on the other hand your question was I mean I think he could

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have just adjusted a few things like Alka has adjusted against Draper and come a little further

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back then movies weigh in and then work on his way of you know developing the point more

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and but overall they're going to analyse their mansion.

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He'll come back blazing again and as far as maturity goes to his maturity when you hear him

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talk you can't relate the two.

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I'm talking about match maturity versus yeah, the maturity personality wise because personality

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wise here is an incredible mature attitude for his age and very dedicated and very strong

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wide mindset.

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I like his mindset.

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I think he needs to go out and look forward to everybody like he says.

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I think that's fantastic.

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I agree.

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What about the women?

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Juniors hear that too because that's what they really need.

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You need a level arrogance to make it in this sport as far as I'm concerned.

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Yeah, a little bit of arrogance people sometimes don't appreciate it.

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That killer mentality we see but sometimes it's necessary.

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So what about the women?

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On a women's side, well that was amazing.

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We saw someone gridded out and work away through the game and just keep the balls in

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play.

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Yeah, you can see Savilek here is a very aggressive player used to powering people off the court.

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So what she did is her ever just stayed with her.

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But what people aren't picking up on and even on Draver didn't say much about it either.

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She said, "I just hung in there because Savilek is so much power.

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She powers me off the court."

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And she said she should have hung in there but she didn't just hang in there.

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Every time Savilek didn't give the ball on Draver, it made her eat it.

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That's where I think was the big turnaround in that match because she literally would take

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the foot off, try to keep it alive and be defensive.

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But then soon she went on offense and she gave a right back out of her with a big winner.

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I think that was the switch in that match.

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She hung in there until she needed it and then she would switch gears, green light would

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come on and she'd take it.

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So in some place, when they're in that Savilek mode, I call it Amber.

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They're just hanging in there and hanging in there waiting for the error.

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She wasn't doing that.

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She was waiting for her opportunity to take advantage.

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And when she did, she took it well.

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So I thought it was credible match to watch.

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Not yet.

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I don't watch a lot of women's matches but it's been fun seeing the variety, seeing that.

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I think you heard me say yesterday, the change of guard.

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We're going to see a lot of that, I think, in the next two to three years between the men's

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and the women's now, which makes tennis very exciting because you just don't have these

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one, two dominant players that are just wiping the field.

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So we're going to see a lot of variety.

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And the variety of players, fun because there've been some complaints on the interwebs of

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people saying, are all the experts picked all their own people?

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Okay, well, we can't just pick no back anymore.

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We can't just pick Roger.

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I'm going to pick the number one seed and assume that's going to play out in that way.

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In that case, we've got a little bit of a blip on the radar because the men's tournament

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was played without the number one seed.

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I think most people probably would have picked center had he been available.

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I think he was somebody made a comment the other day, "Well, he was playing Brooksby and

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Brooksby has had a little bit of a break from tennis."

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I'm like, oh, that's a nice way to put it.

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But in this case, we've got a guy that wasn't there.

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So we've got a little bit of an asterisk in that conversation because maybe he is the dominant

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one.

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We're not sure at this point because we can't.

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But then we've got a 17 year old who came out and beat the number two and the number one

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players in the world on the female side, consecutively NSME and a final.

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That's a big deal.

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Yep.

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And she won it.

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She played to win and won it.

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Sometimes you see some of the matches they don't give enough or they send a layoff or they're

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just too tied by it.

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She actually finished won it, which was impressive.

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I don't even remember Coco Gough won the same way.

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She just hung in there, hung in there, waited for opportunity.

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So there's definitely something in that.

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I definitely, if I'm going to play a developer, players, juniors, anyone listening to parents,

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I would say you have to be able to hit every grip, every style of technique.

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You have to learn everything these days to be from junior to a professional later on,

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just to let you know.

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Was it Hinges?

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Mother or somebody said every shot from every spot with every spin is necessary.

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Yeah, yeah.

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I mean, we saw Alcharez hit a complete opposite forehand grip on the pickups on defense

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that we're just out of.

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So you have to learn as a junior, and I've been doing this in my academies in Australia,

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you have to learn every grip, you have to learn all the different functions and everything

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if you're going to really have all the shot-making later on.

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So I highly recommend mixing it up.

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Don't just stick to, you know, forehand's back ends off the baseline.

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And then if you're a community player right now, start thinking about how you can vary

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your game.

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And I'll say the three dimensions, up and down, side to side forehand back.

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A lot of people don't use them enough, and I truly believe if I'm hopefully lifting

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almost an American audience or listening, all your sports are tactically driven.

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So start thinking more tactically when you're playing tennis.

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You know, not just hitting balls, have a look at what's really hurting your player.

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And I guarantee you just by using the three dimensions should be enough.

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There's your guarantee for the day.

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Justin, this has been 10 minutes of tennis.

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Thank you so much.

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I appreciate your time.

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Thank you, sir.

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We'll see you next week.

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Well, there you have it.

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See you next time.

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