Wimbledon Preview + Olympic Tennis Update | The French Connection | NBC Sports (FULL EPISODE)

Rennae Stubbs & Sam Querrey break down the Wimbledon draw & preview the tournament. Plus a conversation around the US Olympic tennis team & Rafa playing doubles in Paris. #NBCSports #Wimbledon #Olympics

Chapters:
(0:00) Intro
(1:39) Takeaways from Roger Federer documentary
(6:12) Novak Djokovic officially in Wimbledon draw
(9:35) Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz could meet in semifinals
(14:38) Andy Murray officially playing Wimbledon singles and doubles
(16:55) Analyzing Herbert Hurkacz, Alex De Minaur, and the bottom half of the men’s draw
(20:41) Iga Swiatek’s difficult path to the final
(30:54) Aryna Sabalenka and the bottom half of the women’s draw
(35:39) Coco Gauff’s tough first round matchup
(36:50) Outlook for Jessica Pegula, Taylor Fritz, and the rest of the Americans at Wimbledon
(38:17) The USA tennis team at the Olympic Games
(40:35) Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will play doubles in Paris at the Olympics
(47:53) Dropshot: Build your perfect tennis player

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Wimbledon Preview + Olympic Tennis Update | The French Connection | NBC Sports (FULL EPISODE)
https://www.youtube.com/nbcsports

I’m going to I’m going to make a prediction here I think Rafa is going to surprise you at the Olympics best of three sets at Rand gas him losing the way he did it to serif in the first round where he played very well I think he feels like that guy got to the final and I played him tough don’t be surprised if he’s playing for a medal that’s all I’m saying hi everyone and welcome to the French Connection of course I am Rene stars and that guy over there is Sam cury we’re bringing you this of course by NBC Sports and Racket we’re going to cover all the tennis as we’ve done and have done of course from the French Open right through of course the Olympics in Paris and everything in between and of course what’s in between well we know it’s Wimbledon of course and I’m here in Wimbledon Village in my little beautiful house here that I have and of course Sam you’re back in California but Sam before we get to Wimbledon it’s nice to see you my friend how you going I’m good I’ve got extreme fomo that I’m not in Wimbledon I was be playing the Legends this year which you’re playing and now that we’re like three days out and like all my I see all my friends there I see like the draws out I’m just like oh like I wish I wish I could hobble around on a torn Achilles right now because I I would if I could now friend you know what I’m gonna say to that is that that’s what happens when you play pickle ball right you could have been here on the hall Lawns of Wimbledon instead you chose to bust your Achilles playing pickle ball but anyway I don’t want to get into that what I’m gonna get into okay good I’ll I’ll let them know that you’re coming back um Sam because I know you love the grass my friend so we’re going to get into that but before we do let’s talk about the Roger federa documentary 12 days what did you think about it um I’m going to give you my thoughts there was a lot of tears I have to say I admit it I cried a lot um but what did you think about it I liked it I didn’t love it I mean look I’m a I’m a huge Roger fan just like the rest of the world I probably watch a documentary of him sleeping but it’s almost like I wanted I wanted a documentary about his whole life almost and like going into these Wimbledon finals and things like that having said that it was it was really cool to watch I love the behind the scenes kind of footage in the locker room um but yeah it was like an emotional roller coaster for 90 minutes everyone’s he’s crying Rafa’s crying noak’s crying Mira’s crying um but it was a fun watch was crying yeah you were crying but I wanted I want another documentary about like the the the 20 years of Rogers life on on tour yeah it’s interesting isn’t it because you have to think that they you know thought about this at the last minute like okay we know you’re going to retire let’s maybe start documenting it so many great documentaries over the last couple of years that that nothing was better in in my opinion obviously than the Michael Jordan one I mean because I don’t know who thought about carrying a a camcorder around back in the day but they captured so much of that so yeah hopefully down the track we’re going to see a more in-depth um history of his career and life because as you said I mean you wanted to live through so many of those moments we got to see some glimpses of of his like past and all the things but um one of the things that I felt so interested in hearing was his discussion about Novak and how he didn’t really respect him early on his career and one of the things that I thought was really interesting was he talked about technically he wasn’t a great player and you played him back young you know when he was a young guy how much has he improved his technique um along the years and and I love that Roger said that because it was true right no you’re right it was true like especially I feel like on the serve Novak’s kind of always gone through like different serve motions different tactics you’ve seen him bounce the ball anywhere from one time to 20 times um but yeah like I I want to say from 200 like six seven eight nine 10 Novak was great there was some some hitches in his in his game with The Strokes um but Roger kind of hit the nail on the head The Strokes are are are so clean now especially on the backand um and that just kind of propelled him into what he is today but it was fun to see Roger kind of give a an honest raw take on on Novak one of his greatest Rivals yeah and also I love the conversation about matchups and we don’t talk about it enough in tennis and hopefully we’ll we’ll do that a little bit more and get into the weeds of why matchups are so important like I’m sure you had somebody that was just a complete pigeon you you beat them all the time but then that person would beat a guy that you could never beat and right just you know we don’t talk about the matchups and why they are so important on grass so it was on on different surfaces and all the things like you know everyone says that the reason why no uh Roger backhand got so much better is because Rafa played it so much with the Lefty um and it made it so much better and so through the years and I love that he talked about Novak’s backend how everyone talks about how great Novak’s back end is but he was like even his back end wasn’t real smooth it was a little dodgy and how to me it also showed you the reason why Novak joov has become the greatest player of all time it arguably because he improved every single year every little thing about his game and it was really nice to hear that and that’s the thing about that we love about Roger he’s always been really honest but he knows how to sort of massage it I love the story where he put his pants on the wrong way when he beat Andy so there’s so many great like Roger stories but like you’re saying I think all three of those guys they improve their games to beat the other ones you know you hear in other sports oh you know the Boston Celtics are going to draft this player because they know they need to beat like the Philadelphia 76ers the other good teams or the Mavericks need to do something to to counteract the Denver Nuggets because they were the good teams those Roger RAF and Ro and um Roger Rafa and Novak weren’t working he wasn’t working on his backhand to beat guys ranked 50 to 100 he knows he needs to work on that backhand to beat Rafa in major finals yeah and you know obviously now with this next generation of C alarz they’re going to be sort of the Roger and Rafa of this period of time and what do they have to do to beat each other because they know given a most every day that’s who they’re going to have to play and speaking of the draws we’re going to get to Wimbledon but but but um I guess the biggest Story coming in here and you and I talked about it that remember when I said well Novak will be here and you’re like oh he’s not going to play he’s in the draw I canot believe I’ve had two miniscus surgeries and I can tell you 6 weeks was the minimum that I when I came back and I still think that that was too early for me and I cannot imagine having surgery on my knee and the first tournament I play is slippery grass because you know the first day you know Sam you you take one wrong step and bang your knee goes down we’ve seen it over and over and over we saw it with v dress last week like it’s a dangerous surface to play on early on because it’s so slick so I cannot believe that he’s actually in the draw your thoughts same I mean like you said Wimbledon slipped and Noak relies a lot on his movement he’s an aggressive mover he slides on the grass but you like I haven’t had a meniscus surgery but I I’ve had other little surgeries and like you said usually with the miniscus it’s six weeks minimum and it’s going to be will be four weeks for him kind of basically by the time he takes the court um we’ll see I’m sure he’s had an incredible doctor a great surgery he’s doing I’m sure he’s spent every day the last four weeks rehabbing it and he might look at things because he’s so good and and you know he might look at the first week of the draw and say look I think my I think at 80% I can maybe get by some of these players and and hopefully the knee kind of heals and and then I’m and then I’m into week five but to your point five not week five no I’m saying after the first week okay okay he plays through first week 80% and then he’s then he’s kind of into the week five but um I’m just as shocked as you are and look we we’ll see what happen he’s in the draw now we’ll see if he plays I it seems like he’s practicing seen you’re there in wimbl have you seen him on the courts hitting yet I have seen him he’s been on the courts every day he hit with yanika I believe yesterday he hit again today um I mean look he plays capriva I gotta say it’s a perfect great draw for him a guy that will probably go out there absolutely you know you know whatting his pants uh playing arguably the second greatest player at Wimbledon behind Roger I mean Novak not nobody’s won more titles are than Roger Federer on grass so at Wimbledon so for me it’s just crazy I can’t believe it he’s wearing the sleeve on his knee every practice he looks pretty good running for the ball but it’s more and as you know Sam it’s not about practice you are still in control even if you’re practicing a practice set or playing points you’re still in control of I don’t need to run for that where if you want to win you have to run for that in a match so and in best of five I mean physically is he going to be able to get through it I it’s it’s mind-blowing to me Taylor Fritz had a similar surgery I believe and came back fairly quickly as well a couple of years ago at Wimbledon um and so I don’t know this is this is clearly the story of the early part of the men’s tournament though right and and I think maybe he might take he’s gonna play the first round and like you said he can control it in practice he can’t control it when the tournament starts play the first round and then see how he feels after if after that it’s like oh my gosh my knee is sore hey maybe I’m going to call it but hey it feels pretty good let’s keep going and see what I can do yeah and of course uh the number one player in the world Yanik sin he was out practicing today as I said he hit with Novak yesterday and today he was on court 18 because the famous court that John Isner made famous with a a match that went for felt like five years um and he was out there today hitting with Stan V Rinker and they were going at it and of course they’re in the same section again semifinals it will be alcarez and C and the semis of course if they make it there we know that a lot of things could happen in the meantime but what a bummer again that they’re in the same uh half hopefully you know through the years it’s going to change um as we know once Novak retires but um but just you know him coming in here he’s got to feel really good winning holler knowing he’s playing great on grass very similar to what alcarez did last year by winning queens and uh you know let’s take a look at this draw I’ve got to put these on now Sam because I can’t see this without what you thoughts on both of these guys and look they’re still young like CER you know obviously Al one wibbled in CER doesn’t have quite the experience on the grass but he just wanton Holly like you said he’s coming into this Wimbledon feeling good he beat good Grass Court players along the way beat hu herx in the final who’s a Wimbledon he beat him in the final of Hall and herx is a a Wimbledon semi-finalist in the past so Center’s coming in with confidence and look he’s he’s kind of the him and outra the the two men to beat right now and so I um you know I like where siners kind of I like how Sinner’s playing right now a little more than alcarez I know that alcarez lost in Queens early it’s just it’s a small sample size but um look when you win a tournament going into a slam the week before like your confidence is high and you’re feeling good and that’s where that’s where center is right now I have to say when we look at this draw in total um I think they both have pretty good drawers like there’s nobody in those sections of the draw where you like oh that could be dangers on grass right so if you look at sin’s draw clearly we know Matteo bartini has a potential to beat anyone on grass he made the finals here A bunch of years ago but he hasn’t had the success over the last couple of years due to injury Greek score he can definitely um push you on a Grass Court um Dennis shapovalov is in that section playing Jerry uh we know that that you know Dennis can play really well on grass but again the confidence isn’t really there um somebody that I like to see is um Harris through qualifying and he is dangerous on grass and he clearly against an American who plays very well on grass himself in Mickelson but Ben Shelton is he the section of that bit that can he get through and you know really push cner we had a lot of expectation for him last year at Wimbledon he didn’t have the success but again he’s playing a beluchi who made got through quales and as you know Sam guys that come through quales are playing really really good tennis on grass so no given that Ben will get through but I think for sinner that’s looks really good one player we know he can play well on grass he’s been playing great this year it’s probably one of his best years and I think he’s the guy that will probably get through that section if cner gets through and I see them playing against each other in the I would say the quarterfinals right yeah so so that’s my two guest yeah I I I like Sinner’s path a little more than alcaraz’s I feel like Carlos has a a few more like maybe dangerous names in there he’s got Tommy Paul in his section there who’s just fresh off a queen’s title um H H bear sometimes tricky Lefty yeah who’s beat H bear won Hol himself a few years ago who can be tricky um you know I know Francis TFO is not playing great but Francis is a guy that can kind of like you know feed off a crowd and get hot and he’s a showman and like he he’s gonna get up for a match like that so um Carlos has you know he’s got some guys in there that are that are going to be tough but I I definitely uh if I had to pick one that I really think is going to go further at center right now yeah I I I agree um if I were to pick over the draw certainly alcaraz’s draw I think one player in that section um that’s sort of I know he’s an Aussie so maybe I’m being a little bit um biased but I think uh Jordan Thompson he’s had a little bit of a tough year with injuries but he played very well uh last week he can play really well on grass and as we know Aussies sort of know how to make their way around a grasscourt so I think I think that Jordan Thompson might be a bit of a sneaky one getting through there um to play alcarez I think that’s my guess and and analdi is tough and he will play tifo really really well um but I think Tommy Paul I think Tommy Paul believe it or not I think he can listen he’s beaten alarz before we know how well he can play on grass winning as you as you did uh winning Queens he comes in with tons of confidence and that could be a real threat for alcarez um if he is not to get through um to play against C but look some great story lines there overall uh indeed can’t wait oh my God I get I get so excited when the draw comes out one guy we need to talk about Andy excuse me sir Andy Murray he’s in the tournament he’s decided to play we’re excited about this he’s gonna play doubles with his brother Jamie and he’s in the singles and the doubles um just your thoughts in total about you know hoping that Andy takes the court who who’s more likely to not take the court Novak or Andy I just gonna say it’s like it’s almost like it’s a it’s a Novak jok B part two here with Andy you know he heard himself at Queens I guess if I had to guess I think Andy’s maybe more likely to take the court just because I truly feel like this is gonna be Andy’s last Wimbledon you know obviously being being from the UK uh you know it’s a it’s a huge deal and I think he’s gonna want to take that Court one more time uh it’s really cool to see him play doubles with his brother which I think that could be just like Venus and Serena were playing on Center Court at the US serenas last year I could see uh you know Murray Murray as a double team I could see them throwing that on Center Court but I just hope Andy’s um was it his ankle that was bugging him in Queens yeah there’s so many it’s a back I like that Judy Murray I love that Judy Murray went to town on uh you know releasing his medical forms and yada yada you know Gotta Love Judy she’s gonna support her sons no like to the end um but he had yeah he had like little on his final I hope he can get whatever injection they they release that yeah I agreed I hope he can get whatever he needs to take the court one more time because he actually has like somewhat of a decent draw um at Wimbledon this year but I hope he can go out there and and fight and I expect him to take the court yeah marar is a good player he played very well at the French um and he pushed uh he you know so so but I think he’s more a clayt player so I think it’s possible but he’s definitely a very good player so not certainly not easy look the guy draw is stacked as we said I mean I wrote down some Classics I think one player to watch also is Jack Draper the there’s always a Brit there’s always a Brit that gets through somewhere they get so much support here at Wimbledon which is I got to tell you it’s as you know it’s so fun when the Brit Brits are still going and you know the crowds are behind them and and all the things I mean very what’s he gonna do I got to put these back on because I can’t see it without it but you know when we look at this draw Herby herot is certainly a player that is to be absolutely watched there’s no question that he is a player that can get through he’s made the semis before he was clearly the last we know what he did to Roger his last match as we saw um on the documentary he’s the one that took out Roger six love uh in the fourth set but look I mean I think that herach is probably the player to get through in that section one player down there Alex demor look out for Alex I was thinking the same thing I was going to give your aie your Aussie credit yep I mean I keep picking the Aussies but look Alex De play on every surface we know he can play well on grass he’s one of the best movers in the game and let’s not forget of course how well can Chris Eubanks do this year we know what he did last year right comes in playing a little bit better on the grass and and and Sam you know you know what it’s like when you don’t have a lot of confidence but you get onto the grass you win a few matches which he did in holla and he had a great win there can he get through this section of the draw Runa we we’re a little bit unn how how’s he gonna do on grass he’s been a bit up and down this year and I think that Chris Yanks can get through that hainov is a very good player I get it and can play on every surface but can Chris break through again in this tournament he absolutely can we saw it last year and like you said like for me personally I pretty much SP my entire career playing like garbage on the clay courts got to the grasscourt season w a match or two and boom your confidence is back and and Eubanks kind of has that right now he just he he quarterfinal in Hol he beat bck along the way who’s a great Grass Court player um so you know if he comes into wimon here and he plays uh he plays Halls holl I’m not sure if I’m pronouncing the name right the qualifier that’s that’s tough but I like Eubanks there and you get a win under your belt then you’re feeling you’re feeling confident and if he gets the serve going and he he’s one of those guys that kind of can he can still serve and volley he’s got great volleys he can he hits the ball low hard and flat if if things are working in his favor you know he can beat kotov and then you know would love to play hogar run in the in the third round of Wimbledon that’s that’s a a matchup that he can win so um if things a line for Eubanks I think you can do well but going back to demow he’s a guy that I like a lot as well and and the matchup if it’s him and herco like that’s a coin flip to me deminar is Crafty on the grass he won yeah her toen Bosch um you know two weeks ago and he just knows what he’s doing out there he’s a great mover so I’ve for me in this section it’s like it’s deminar herx herx and it’s like a 5050 on who gets through that yeah I agree I think I probably Edge a little bit it depends her D but he’s a little emotional too you know he doesn’t look it but that that is going to be a toss up obviously FAA Felix a Ali Zim who’s done very well here in the past struggled last year lost early on plays Aras first round not an easy first round at all um but for just you know flipping over there jovic it’s a pretty section of the draw for Novak so he’d be looking at that going if I can get through if I can manage the weight and you know the the knee this he could not have got a better draw than what he has there’s no qu I mean he’s got two qualifiers and a wild card to get to the third round so that in and of itself I would put my house on even with a bad knee um let’s slip over though um rublev it’s been a wild year for him just emotionally and all the stuff I think that’s a really good section though I think he can get through can he make a quarter you know can he get break through a quarterfinal what he like and in quarterfinals or something right is yeah but he’s in a not a bad if he’s gonna do it it might be this one certainly with Novak not re if you if normally you’d say no because you know he’s not breaking through against a lot of these players but Zev is a bit of an unknown um at Wimbledon he he has never really done well here uh he’s in a pretty good section but Jack Draper in that section is the player that I’m suggesting will get through there and I I’ve already talked about it and up the top Taylor Fritz you think okay it’s a pretty good draw right not so another russie oconnell plays very well on grass he comes into the net and for Taylor this is not an easy first round because as you know you don’t want to play people that are good on grass in the first round um and Taylor plays very well on grass but this is not an easy first round for him it’s not but you know he’s still playing an eastor I believe he’s got his semi-final later today I like Taylor to get through that even though you’re like you’re saying okell’s tough but that whole section you’re it’s like you know you got you’ve got Fritz Draper Zev like all three of those guys I don’t I don’t know who’s coming out of that section they’re all they’re all playing well they all have big games they all play pretty well on grass none of NE you know no one’s like phenomenal on it but um I don’t I don’t know who I’ve got coming through that section but on on the other side like you’re saying I do like rubv to get through that little that little part of the draw I’m just going to add a little sebie quarter this is not an easy first round yeah um but you know deav forina is usually a little bit better on Clay but not easy first round and K Nisha Cori nice to see him in the draw but I think that sebie cter gets through there I think he can beat CPUs um situs a little bit unknown you never know on he’s plays well on grass but much more comfortable on a hardcore orang certainly on clay so I don’t know sebie cter could sneak through there as well so we’ve got a couple of Americans in that that half but um we can’t wait it’s starting real soon and we’re going to figure it all out as it goes but let’s flip to the ladies and when you look at the draw the first two names you see eager Shante playing against Sophia Kennan now we cannot forget about the fact that Sophia Kennan took out Coco goof in the first round at Wimbledon so she likes doing this she did it last year she came through quales so she was playing really good tennis coming into Wimbledon she took her Coco Golf and now she has the um luck of playing the number one seed and I’m telling you right now if there’s an upset it could be this one and I know eager has beaten her both times that they’ve played and they only play at Grand Slams which is ridiculous they’ve played twice and eag’s won both matches in straight sets Okay but on grass this is a nightmare for ego Shion Tech first round because she hasn’t done she has played no matches coming in here on grass and to play on a really fast slow like the ball is gonna stay low Sophia Cannon is a nightmare first round for her give me your thoughts on that first round it’s like the playing oaka early on of the French Open part you know the the sequel look yeah like you said Kenan look she’s a grand slam Champion She’s Crafty and that’s you know when you’re playing people on grass that are crafty it’s difficult kenan’s going to hit going to hit 30 30 drop shot she’s going to bring EA in where she’s not overly comfortable EA’s as as great as she is grass isn’t her best surface and to play Someone like this right out of the Shute when you’re you know you don’t have your bearings you don’t know how the courts playing it’s gonna be difficult and I’m I’m with you like I’m not shocked if there’s an upset here I think it’s going to be it’s a juicy first round that everyone’s goingon to be glued to it’s a nightmare for her first round I can tell you that um because that court is going to play perfectly for Sophia Kennan to as you said hit the Drop shots hit the ball hard through the court with the forehand like just nail it so it’s not going to be easy for eer and I’m telling you going into that she’s GNA be very very nervous okay in I mean it is a rough draw for eer I got to tell you for her to even possibly get to the semi-final she’s got to go through a lot of people we I really need the glasses on this because the WTA this is the draw for the women’s and in this section of the draw up the first half for her even if she gets through into the fourth round is her biggest Nemesis in Alona osta Peno who beats eager all the time and is a great grass cot player the one caveat is that she plays Isa tomlanovich who’s coming back from an injury but has played pretty well since coming back from the injury and has played well and plays well on grass has made the quarters here um I believe last year made the quarters again here so this is a nightmare for aeno first round and if you remember do you remember this the argument Sam that they had on the court a couple of years ago it was I don’t remember the specific argument but I remember them arguing it was not pretty Tom Lovich accused ostap Peno of faking her injuries and called her out on the court they had the trainer on the court it was viral if you haven’t seen it check it out but that first round is one of those matches where you go take your popcorn because that will be a tough first round but if osta pener gets through there and E is going no not again not this girl because this is a nightmare the one section of the draw I think the one player we need to highlight is Danielle Collins look she’s had an amazing year she hasn’t had a couple of great results of late but if she can find her form on the grass early not a bad section of the draw for her talson is a very good player um and can be dangerous and hits The Living Daylights out of the ball so it’s not an easy first round but hadaj Meers is in that section but that this this section of the draw for eager is really hard I agree and look I don’t I don’t know the women’s draw as well as you do um but like you’re saying Collins is a good player AA Peno Tom jonovich uh you’ve got that I see Kerber was in there as a wild card um yeah you know that’s always tricky that’s always tricky as well if EA gets through her first round um there’s a girl her last name is Jones a wild card from from Great Britain people the players the men and women from Great Britain know how to play on grass so there yeah and I will say actually actually I will say I think martic wins that match and Marti aren they just a great for player yeah like they’re all that’s a tough section there’s hurdles everywhere in that section for EA yeah I mean potina who is in that section to play kerba which is a nightmare for kerba just won a tournament on grass beating tomlanovich so you know these are players that know how to play on grass they’re effective on the surface and and we talk about it all the time match Huts are important but grass and surfaces are huge and eaga is not comfortable on grass at all particularly early on when the court plays a little bit different in the first week than it does in the second week and also just adding down the bottom half of the draw my pick to win the tournament is rakina now poor poor old rakina though again pulls out of a tournament with an illness all the things that are going on with her so if she stays healthy she’s my pick to get through this but now I have to add down the bottom half of the draw you’ve got anur and Jessica paga now if they get through I mean they play in the fourth round to play probably rakina but Lila Fernandez is in there and she’s in the finals of eastborn so you know she plays well on grass so this whole section of the draw is the whole half of the draw the women’s is absolutely stacked with great grass scort players who know how to win at Wimbledon and this is a section that I would not want to be in no you’re absolutely right like jabber a finalist you’ve got Pula who just won a tournament last week Lea Fernandez in the final this week um robinus ktie B who just yeah I mean they’re all really this this is the section of the draw that you just go oh God nightmare I mean if you six best like kind of like hey who are the six best kind of grasscourt specific players and they put them all in that one section right there nightmare like actually there’s a thing on the WTA uh website right now where they do have the Grass Court power rankings and you know I’ll I’ll go through them for you it’s jabber first vova second because she won wion last year alexandrova osta Peno uh sabalenka pugula and then it goes Madison Keys pichova Bolta this is the top 10 and hadaj Maya and most of those are in that section of the draw so it’s just a nightmare yeah so I don’t know who’s gonna get through here I picked rabach to win the tournament so I have to go with her but I think Jessica Pula is a sneaky okay she comes in here she knows she was so close to being in the final last year up 41 points to go up 5-1 against vasova who then went on to win the tournament so I think Jesper guler comes in here fresh as a daisy she had barely has played this year with injuries and she comes in here super healthy super confident and I don’t know but I can’t change I picked Ren but if I had I like Pula as well and I also like like she’s a friend she’s an American I’m cheering for her and like you said she hasn’t played a lot this year she hasn’t played great but she just she kind of came off an injury and then won a tournament so she’s coming in with confidence I think there’s like that fine line of like the expectations for her aren’t that high right now so she’s kind of playing with a little more Loosey Goosey attitude and look I’m I’m cheering for her and I think she’s going to get through this and I just want to add I agree with you that’s but I I got to stick with my my my but one one little section in there Caroline wasaki to play against Alicia parks and Alicia Parks got through qualifying and has the biggest serve and the biggest game so she’s confident that is going to be a really fun match between those two um of the draw so there’s a lot of popcorn first rounds in that section and I as we said we can’t wait for it let’s flip to the other side or the bottom half of the draw and sabalenka you’d have to say of all the the draw I think that you know when you when we talk about all these players there’s still a lot of players in this section of the draw that can do really well one player obious said that’s in the finals again of um eastborn who plays really well on grass is Dar kakina she’s in that section of the draw um but but just you know when you look at this section of the draw any sort of matchups that stand out for you any players that stand out for you there’s there’s a lot there’s a couple of popcorn first rounds in this one too yeah I mean for me it’s it’s Coco go you know youve got Osaka in there everyone’s kind of like like you know is she going to bring that game that she played at the French Open against EGA to Wimbledon if she does like she’s a threat um yeah for me the most fun matchup is as aanka versus Sloan Stevens assuming assuming Sloan’s got her game together and she’s playing well those are two big names and two players that have had like tremendous Grand Slam success so um you know I we we’ll see what happens there I hope Sloan can get through that as a rank is a a phenomenal player but I um you know I expect that one to be a fun match to watch yeah I mean um chinan Jang up the top there Pavo chova I was actually I actually hit some tennis balls today um Sam because you know I’m playing in the Aldi I mean I I’m playing with my I practiced with my old doubles partner Sam stosa and my old player that I was coaching and we had so much fun we only hit for it half an hour because that’s all we could do and Sam actually said to me after that her glutes were hurting her about an hour later so I I did my job I must have um but but anyway um but it was so fun and we were hitting next to p enova and just us being able to hit without pressure it’s as you know it’s so different and being at Wimbledon be able to hit balls on that court and the courts are so perfect I mean I loved every second of it but uh pinin coova she certainly can play on all surfaces um so we’ll see who gets through that section but she has to play Taylor Townsen in the first round so Taylor we know very good on all surfaces as well um but alexandrova she’s a threat but guess who she plays ranu who’s had a couple of good wins she beat Jessica bagula last week I saw Jessica today and she said you know I was because part of me was thinking did she want to get out of there and get to Wimbledon and you know what it’s like you don’t want to right play too much tennis before and she goes no I was really trying so so obviously ranu is a threat um it’ll be nice to see but she has a nightmare draw first round it’ll be on Center Court or one so we’ll see but it’s nice to see Ro kind of with some momentum and and kind of getting herself back in the thick of things and playing a regular basis having consistent results so you’re right that is that is a nightmare draw playing alexandrova but it’s on Center Court the crowd’s gonna behind ronu and so that’s a somewhat of a popcorn match for me yeah for sure it is for me and there’s no question it’ll be fun there’s a couple of little popcorn Al also in there bza playing mova mova is back thank goodness but pulled out of eastborn after winning um a couple of matches and on the advice of her team hopefully she’s 100% coming into the tournament we know how well she can do here at this tournament it’s probably one of her favorite surfaces um but the winner of that match will then play the winner of Andrea and F to two young players that are going to be playing forever against one another that’s some popcorn tennis there with those two youngsters um so I’m looking forward to I mean Mir Andrea she can play on all surfaces but right I don’t know when you play someone about your age it it gets a little bit different it becomes a little bit more of a junior mentality so we’ll see who gets through that section of the draw but Sabal Lanka’s got to feel pretty good about that section but still there’s some good players like kasaka Andrea not not an easy section for her to get through no but yeah like you’re saying I like sabalenka right below sabalenka we’ve got your girl uh palini off the French Open final how’s her dra how does her game translate over to the grass it good she just you know she did well in eastborn lost a tough um match to kasaka so she comes here feeling pretty confident um she plays against a player that she probably should beat on grass in C hormo but she can play on grass too likes to come into that it’ll be that’ll be actually a fun match I have to say um but Maddie Keys is in that section with kostuk who can who can get through to the quarters there mty Keys has played really well through the years on grass and certainly at Wimbledon she knows how to play well here um she she lost a tough match today but look the bottom line is you’ve got aara you’ve got Emma Navaro um hopefully she can figure out a way to do well on the grass and I think she will probably get through that section but someone in there is also Carolina plova who made the finals against ashb a couple of years ago who’s not even seated so the women’s draw is just stacked with so many great players and I have to say not an easy first round for Coco goof she plays against Caroline Caroline dohy another American never fun to play an American but I tell you massive game she probably of the five biggest serves in This Woman’s draw dohy and she’s gonna go out there and swing away and and if things are ling in that’s going to be a tough one for Koko and like you said like we were saying earlier it’s the first round match no one comes out first round a lot of times it just plays lights out so if if Doh high can kind of go swing for swing and hold her serve the pressure kind of goes over to kok but if coko gets through that I like her to make a pretty deep run I think she’s gonna be confident gonna play well um and I and I like her to kind of you know make a semifinal or or hopefully even more than that yeah and I I saw her practicing today she was on 18 as as well um and looking really relaxed and and pretty happy so quick let’s do a little rapid fire for you my friend who is going to go the furthest of all the Americans in the draw we’ve got Coco G course Jessica bagula got Tommy Paul Ben Shelton give me your best I’m gonna go on the on the women’s side I’m gonna go with Pula I think she’s making a final and on the men’s side I’m gonna go with Fritz I think uh you know his section of the draw there you know it is a tough section but it’s with it’s with Vera it’s with Draper you know there there’s not any like you know he’s kind of avoiding alarz Center Novak um so I like Fritz to kind of get through there maybe make a quarter maybe a semi something like that okay well I have I did say rabar but I do think Pula as well and I think Tommy Paul I’m going to throw an upset in and I’m going to say Tommy Paul I saw Tommy today as well he looks super happy super relaxed he loves playing on the courts I love as you know we’ve talked about he’s implemented this coming into the net and playing this sort of grasscourt style of play on Hardcore and on Clay it has to translate on grass and I think that he’s a real threat in this tournament um and so I’m going to say Tommy Paul and Jess pugula but hey we’ve got some great players I think seie cter can also uh uh do that all right so speaking of Americans of course let’s do a little reminder here of course the Olympics begins July 26 across all the networks of NBC all the Olympic tennis matches streaming live on peacock through the day you’ll hear my trusty voice um during that time I can’t wait for it um but uh let’s get to it the American team Shelton TFO Seb cter Maddie Keys all have opted out in playing in Paris and I know that you are not surprised by this I’m not surprised by it um it just the Olympics for the Americans it it it’s not on the same level as as the majors I think they care about their their summer leading up to the US Open a little more and a lot of the you know TFO Shelton Corda those three especially they’re they’re so young they’re going to get more shots in the Olympics in their career um Madison Keys I guess I’m a little surprised with that not not that she’s old but I would have thought that she would have played it but um you know I think they just want to Gear Up play they all love playing the summer hardcourt season and that’s where their priority is over the Olympics right now are you surpris I mean are you surprised that they’re out I’m a little surprised by Madison and the only reason I’m surprised by Madison is because on Clay she plays very well she’s done well at the French Open before so look a lot of this has to do with the timing clearly but also the surface right you’re never going to see Ben’s never going to win a med medal on Clay Francis probably not on clay Seb quarter also probably not on Clay if it was on hardc I would say that they would play actually I would say if it was on hardc they would have all played because it’s just going straight into the hardc court season I’m a little surprised by Maddie just because I think she can do really well and she came so close to winning a bronze medal um previously so I know it means a lot to her but she has represented um the United States you know before in the Olympics but as has as has Francis so I don’t know we don’t really know officially um the team uh yet because we’ll figure it out but but look Tommy Paul these guys want to go back and play it’ll be interesting to see who ends up going but I I’m surprised and I’m not surprised but a little disappointed because it meant so much to me to play I know and it I hate to say this it I think sometimes for the tennis players the Olympics means more to players from other countries I don’t know why I don’t have an answer for it but it’s just uh that just what it is yeah well Australia we are sending aous group down there in austral we clearly are a little bit more patriotic than you that’s all I’m going to say I’m just kidding I’m kidding I’m kidding everybody out there all right so the update of all updates of course is that Rafa chose not to play wmbl and and we suspected this which is why also I’m surprised Novak’s playing because I think Novak really wants that gold medal but Rafa has decided no Wimbledon all the focus is on the Olympics you know how well he plays in Roland garas and he’s also decided to play doubles with Carlos alcarez tell me that’s not going to be the hottest ticket in tennis to have this summer oh it’s going to be huge and I think for Rafa look he’s he’s he’s got some injuries he’s not as fast he only has to cover 50% of a court now in that double so like he can really he can really get after it I think we’re gonna see him lay it all the line a lot of pressure on alcaraz to like hey like carry carry your idol here for a little bit at the Olympics but um well I hope they’re you know I don’t I’m not overly optimistic that Rafa is gonna make a run to a medal in singles but in doubles Rafa’s fantas I feel like Rafa has played about 20 doubles tournaments and won like 14 of them so well he’s won a gold medal before yeah listen he won a gold medal already in double so he knows how to do it um with a with a arguably a lesser player than alcarez but he doesn’t he doesn’t have to run alcarez covers the entire court by himself the guy so fast so I cannot wait to see those guys play um it will be as I said musty TV and possibly depending on how rough a plays and I’m G to I’m going to make a prediction here I think Rafa is going to surprise you at the Olympics best of three sets at Rolland garos I think he’s training his butt off right now to do well there and it would not surprise me and I think him losing the way he did it to zif in the first round where he played very well I think he feels like that guy got to the final and I played him tough he Sur for the second set he was able to break in the third I think he feels like he can play with these guys and with him over best of three on clay at Rand gas don’t be surprised if he’s playing for a medal that’s all I’m saying I’m I’m I’m with you on that a little bit and and because not every player’s playing you know what I mean we’ we’ve seen some of the Americans opt out who knows if Novak plays you know we just the draw is it’s not the French Open draw either we’ve got there’s going to be a few more soft spots in there yeah so you heard it here first all right so let’s build your ultimate tennis player using parts from any tennis player past or present all right so send us your your answers um I guess we should probably let’s play tennis R sign build your ultimate tennis player using parts from any tennis player Pastor pres Roger federa that’s all I need I think that’s think I was like just take feder for everything I’ll look good I mean I mean seriously he has every single shot and I agree that’s probably it but uh we’re going to answer it I guess when that time comes rodic serve jovic return by rinker’s backhand feder’s for forehand and composure and Nadal’s drive to win um my answers Wow Let’s your player all right so I’ll give you the shot and then you give me the player so let’s go let’s start with let’s start with serve I’ll take John esner and Serena Williams forehand Stephie graph and Roger Federer backand this is a tough one on the women’s side this is really 19 I think I at her Peak I will go with Venus Williams and on the men’s side oh this is hard I I’ll go with Novak like it um we’ll go with speed speed I’d say right now I’d say caros sarez I I’ve never seen anything like it in my life and on the women’s side it’s a tossup you know Stephie graph was one of the greatest movers I’ve ever seen so I would probably they say Stephy with a little bit maybe of Serena at her Peak as well yeah and we’ll go last category we go like you know mentality I guess the mental side of it I would pick rougher and because I never saw the guy quit on a point or ever in or shot ever um so I would say him and I would say mentality in the women’s game oh that’s so hard boy um I think Peak Monica CIS just tough as Nails tough as Nails yeah uh so yeah that’s my faor what about you let’s go serve serve Isner it’s that’s it’s too obvious on the woman’s side I can pick myself for the Ser but I’m going Isner serve on the woman’s side Serena all right forehand forehand I’m gonna go gosh it’s Rogers and for the women I mean Serena again Serena’s Serena Serena again Serena for everything no uh backhand backhand H I’m going to go Novak and on the women’s side I’ve always liked azarenka’s backhand I don’t really know answer I just like love watching her back end she just mate you could pick 10 women on the back end you pick Sher POA you could pick as a rank you could you can even pick eaga now you could pick Coco gos back in like oh has a rank for the sake of the debate I I like it I like it all right um mentality oh we got speed to Let’s speed first speed um I’m gonna go with uh on the men’s side I’m gonna go with Moni and and he might not be as fast as Al just fun speed you know like it’s just like fun to watch him R around and slide and on the women’s side um EA and I’m kind of combining like speed and movement I I love watching her move around the court I agree and I think she added the slide in that we haven’t seen too many do all right one thing that you didn’t add because clearly it didn’t matter to you as much and it should have um and you should good is what about volleys man voles oh yeah yeah volle um gosh I mean everyone back in the day had good volleys right and I didn’t watch a ton of tennis then so it’s hard for me not to say like Roger because like in my era he was like the only guy that had perfect Vol Roger volleys were not that they were good don’t don’t at me they were good give gonna give like a like a 60-year old Aussie that had good volleys you you’re not going to answer this question I would go with John M row yeah his are good I’m taking Roger and on the women’s side no way I would pick edberg and Pat rafter over Rafer over sorry over Rogers fies for sure yeah rapor I didn’t watch a lot of edberg raptor I’ll give you Raptor all right fine and on the women’s side for volleys I’ll take Martina naat toova and I mine Tak and listen I’ll take mine I’m just kidding you took your serve yeah I mean I I’ll take never to love to on the woman’s side yeah I mean Martina and John always on the tour till she was 50 years old yeah she was winning mixed doubles Grand Slams at 50 what anyway um so we thank everyone for their answers uh the Frankenstein of tennis there’s so many to choose from it was really hard and and listen any of those people we mentioned you can’t go wrong with any of them and if you want to just put Roger Federer that’s fine and Serena Williams right you just go feder Serena down the line and you’ve got a great player yeah yeah exactly all right everyone we cannot wait of course Wimbledon is around the corner I am here covering it Sam will be home watching it um and opining over the fact that if he didn’t play pickle ball he would still he would be here playing but we’ll save your spot for you Sam don’t worry the grass still will work for you when with your serve it’s going to be okay join us every day we can’t wait to show it to you thanks everyone of course for joining us here again on the French Connection brought to you by NBC Sports and Racket the next episode drops July 10th we’ll see you then and hopefully we’ll get a little surprise maybe uh guest for you to talk about all things that happened at Wimbledon and of course going into the NBC I just call them the NBC Olympics because really that that that music just just playing in my head already you know I won’t sing because I can’t sing uh but Sam can’t wait these two weeks are going to be great and then uh we get to talk about all of this again July 10th thanks for joining us today everyone say goodbye Sam you’re over here I always go the wrong way yeah I’m right and don’t worry everyone Sam will be available on his Instagram doing all kinds of fun things so follow him on Instagram and if you don’t you’re missing out you’re missing out that’s all I can say all right guys thanks for joining us today we’ll see you next time