Transcript
kati: Hi.
Kristine Zeller: Hi.
kati: Hi everyone.
Kristine Zeller: Hi. Happy Sunday.
kati: Happy Sunday.
Kristine Zeller: you
kati: The Tenderness Bakery is back. It is the 30th of August. Sunday the 30th of August 2026, which means nothing less than that the US Open 2026 are starting today.
Kristine Zeller: Yes, and maybe we also have to mention the time when we record this because you might listen to this. a bit later. And so we are recording at one o 'clock. German time, Berlin time.
kati: Mm hmm. Yes, that's right. so we're quite For us, it's the middle of the day. This time in ah New York, everyone's still, ah well, they're not asleep anymore. They're starting to wake up, maybe.
kati: <unk>s Starting to get ready for the day. And um games start um typically and at the US Open at about 11 o 'clock in the morning, you ah US s Eastern.
kati: ah time. ah for most of the court and midday So 12 PM for um Arthur Ashe, which is the biggest court. Where?
kati: One could say they try and put the most important matches, the most interesting matches, the most crowd -worthy matches every day. So that means that for um for the Germans or the Europeans, um all the fun starts in the later afternoon.
kati: So about 5 o 'clock in the afternoon, 6 o 'clock in the afternoon, you can start watching the US Open every day, at least for the first week.
Kristine Zeller: Yes, and if you like, you can watch throughout the night. Up until...
kati: Yes.
Kristine Zeller: I don't know, four o 'clock, five o 'clock, German time or whatever, European time. So not for me though. I will try to go to bed. More or less at the same time as usual, which is around 10 o 'clock.
Kristine Zeller: But let's see how exciting the matches are and whether I can keep up this promise.
kati: Yeah, but tell us a bit, Christina. So you'll be watching... In the... um Late afternoons, early evenings. That means you'll only catch the day sessions.
kati: if at all. And then what about the night sessions? So the stuff that happens. in the afternoon in new york or in the evening what do you do with those
Kristine Zeller: Yes. I mean, it's so sad, right? Because you feel like you're sleeping and in parallel, like the most exciting battles are happening.
kati: Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: in another place of the earth.
kati: Yeah. yeah
Kristine Zeller: And I think that's so unfortunate, but... we have to work with it right and typically what I did the last years was I always get up quite early right you know that so normally I get up at 5 or 5 30 or something and A lot of the days they are still playing then.
kati: Mm hmm.
kati: Yeah, they are.
Kristine Zeller: And... um I personally, I am tending more towards... I'm accepting spoilers. For live action. Yeah.
kati: Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: And so therefore, mostly. The instant I wake up, I take my phone, and I have a look whether there are still some matching matches going on, and if there is an exciting match going on, which is actually most of the time, because it is the night sessions, which...
Kristine Zeller: I mean, are not always exciting, but they can be very exciting. So therefore, normally I switch on the TV. at 5, 5 .30 in the morning, which obviously I would not do normally. But um yeah, I have a cup of tea and then I start watching some live tennis action, if there is some. And after that's finished, I normally would go for some of the highlights or maybe also re -watch.
Kristine Zeller: bigger parts of a certain match if I saw that this match looked exciting on paper or something. um But mostly due to the fact that I start to work. 9 .30 more or less or 10 o 'clock latest.
Kristine Zeller: I'm not able to kind of re -watch whole whole the whole match because i mean it's the best of five um for men's and this is yeah I mean, it can be up to five hours, right? So it is quite problematic to to rewatch whole matches, at least for me. Sometimes I have them up and running next to me while I'm working, but that's also not always possible, right? So therefore, I tend to go more for the highlights and rewatching parts of matches that I...
Kristine Zeller: was particularly interested in maybe, or that I heard about were super exciting. And I don't know, some exciting tie break action happening or something. How about you?
kati: Yeah, I mean, we both know that we're fundamentally different in that. like I really do not care what's live and what's... What's recorded. But I hate highlights.
kati: I also hate like if there's several games going on, also like in soccer or something, when there's like a conference version where it switches between the different matches. No.
kati: No, no, like I want the vibes. Yeah, I'd rather watch one match entirely and have all the emotions and the slow bits and then the unexpected bits and then the that like really. be and feel the whole.
kati: process that everyone goes through while they're watching it than having like this
kati: short form cut together snippy little thing where it's just like one exciting thing to the next where I don't really know well what I mean I mean what did everyone feel in between what was that like was that unexpected or was that was it completely clear that this was going to happen like what what was going on so I absolutely I I hate highlights like I hate them with a passion I hate spoilers Like I will hide from any form of social media or news for the longest time during tournaments like this.
kati: And like my biggest nightmare is if I would somehow. enter an epic five set match of a person that I adore at like four.
kati: 4 -4 in the fifth set. or five two or something in this fifth set where it's like almost over And I find out that I hate them.
kati: Like, I would hate that.
Kristine Zeller: isn
kati: I would really that would be. terrible. I would miss out on all the excitement of, is this going to go on? Is the person going to turn the match? Did the person who was unexpected win the fourth set? So I'd rather feel it all.
kati: And. live through some of the duds then Yeah. have that spoiler so we're very very different
Kristine Zeller: and For me always is that the feeling is more than I have. Oh, I woke up at exactly the right time. Now everything is happening and right in there. So I really love that. I do agree to the fact that the highlights, of course, are not very emotional, right? You only see the height. I mean. That's what the name says, right? It's just the highlight shots or like the highlight scenes or something. So it's really not very emotional.
Kristine Zeller: Bye. but you can get some. Emotional highlights by Amin. tuning into the matches that are still live right in the morning so this also gives me a few hours of emotional emotional tennis and for me totally social media is the emotion of it all when you see like the reactions maybe of people in the crowd or the reaction of the players or the reaction of the box or whatever. So I really like these.
Kristine Zeller: these highlight reels and everything that they do. So i'm I really... Do enjoy social media. More. then I normally enjoy social media while the... yeah all the grand slams last because i think the social media that they do is actually amazing across the slams i really enjoy it and i love to watch it and um Yeah, I get the part that you get spoilers, of course, if you tune into social media and haven't watched a certain game.
Kristine Zeller: But yeah, I'm not so opposed to spoilers. I'm i'm ah really more open to... Yeah, i think I think rather for me, it would be like if there is a spoiler that somebody won and I saw it is an interesting game, then I would go back and watch it.
Kristine Zeller: But I wouldn't mind that I already know. what the outcome was. So i would I would rather think, oh, okay, cool. This looks like a cool match. Let's go in and and watch it. Obviously we are different here.
kati: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's like the whole like emotion on. ah you know, on the snip of a finger, like now you've got to feel because this is a 30 second reel and this has to make you feel something. I don't.
kati: I don't like that. It seems so it seems like cheap dopamine. It's like, no, I need to work through this game to really get what this actually means.
Kristine Zeller: I mean... I do agree partly with that, but... Given a certain time restriction that you have in the day, you can only look at so many games, right? Because they...
Kristine Zeller: They had just last so long, at least. some of them.
kati: Exactly. That's why I'd watch one. I'd rather watch one and really like... go through it all with the players and the crowd and whoever. And occasionally you'll catch a dud.
kati: But, you know, you you went through it. But um then... than not and i still consume the social media of it like Afterwards I'll, I'll watch them. Like I won't watch highlights, highlight videos. Like I won't, but like, I'll see like social media.
kati: photos especially of it or comments on it to see like what the discussions were afterwards but only afterwards Like I want to. I want to go through the matches first. And there there are i mean there are certain players where I will definitely...
kati: seek out and watch their matches and the way we work because the two of us obviously communicate a lot about tennis is that christine is just not allowed to
Kristine Zeller: Not anymore, apart from this podcast.
kati: Yeah, she's but she's not allowed to say anything until I basically give her the green light the next morning that I'm done with anything that's important. So you're allowed to speak now.
kati: I've only seen up to so and so by the time I went to bed. I'll be watching the rest tomorrow. And, um yeah, I really think this is a challenge that is spoken about too little um in international sports fandom because it's like... um Also, the way the... um The games are then offered to you.
kati: like um you you need to find out who actually is going to be able to give you the long form content in replay version. And then you have to. like find out how they communicate. For example, for a very long time, or I think two years ago, the ah the streaming service that was offering the US Open.
kati: the um the replays. so if you wanted to re -watch a match that that was on, would have a thumbnail of the winner. And I thought that was the stupidest thing because it's like.
kati: No, I'm about to watch. Two and a half hours of tennis. I don't want to know who wins. That's the whole point. So I used to have to like cover up the screen. So I would only scroll down to where, you know, just the words were so I could like click on it. Like I have dedication to no spoilers.
kati: uh and um but they've changed that so that's a good thing but really yeah it's no social media it's like staying off your your socials in the morning staying off the news in the morning avoiding billboards ah when it comes to big tournaments or games so they're gonna spoiler not speaking to people who you might know who are also tennis fans. What I also hate is like group WhatsApp chats.
kati: where people like write stuff about live sport that's going on. It's like, I know. Like don't spoiler that for me. Like I had that during the Olympics sometimes that like these random group chats that I'm in with like loads of people or like parent groups of the kids or something someone would drop something about this great sport achievement that I was still in the process of watching because I was in a different time zone than whatever was going on.
kati: The Olympics, we were in America. People were watching Europe. I was constantly getting spoilers from people and random groups. I had to leave all these group chats. um for the for the olympics so people would stop spoilering i have a big dedication to not being spoiled in sport
Kristine Zeller: You know what I find most annoying with um watching tennis? um i found it most annoying we had the discussion about this i think a few weeks ago um that i am constantly in the process of Canceling subscriptions and restarting them.
Kristine Zeller: for the various services and streaming services that offer the the games, right the the matches.
kati: Yeah, but this is only for the Grand Slams, right?
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, but still.
kati: Yeah, but it's only the full Grand Slams. All other tennis, all other, I don't know how many ATP or WTA. a tournaments there are per year.
Kristine Zeller: but I don't know. Many.
kati: I don't know 12.
Kristine Zeller: Constantly.
kati: 30 or something.
Kristine Zeller: Mm.
kati: I don't know. All of them are, at least in Germany, are offered by one provider. And that provider also offers one of the Grand Slams, I think. So you've got the entire tour plus one slam from one provider.
Kristine Zeller: Yes.
kati: But yeah, the other three, you need a different one.
Kristine Zeller: Yes, but still, um for the non -grand slams, I'm not watching every tournament there. So I will, I don't know, for every every other tournament or I don't know, sometimes I even don't don't watch ah an ATP 500 or whatever event.
kati: Cool.
Kristine Zeller: So therefore, I would also cancel my subscription subscription there that I don't have to keep on paying.
kati: Sure. Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: So therefore, I end up... kind I don't know, I would say five or six times a year. Maybe more. I do restart a subscription or cancel it. And I really find. find it so annoying.
Kristine Zeller: I find it so annoying.
kati: It's very funny because one one realizes that you don't come from soccer. fandom because in soccer fandom you already have the problem that just to watch a regular soccer league. And it's the same, I think.
kati: with the NBA in America, if you're an American. and the WNBA in America. Just to watch the regular lead league, you need three different subscriptions. Because every single day.
kati: or format is owned by a different. streaming provider. So if you just want to watch one team, even if you only want watch one team. But you want to watch every game of theirs because you're a huge fan of, I don't know. dotmont or something.
kati: you um You need... In Germany too. Maybe three. streaming providers if you also want to watch the Champions League. So. You know, if you you yeah you only have tennis.
Kristine Zeller: It is still annoying though.
kati: you Yes, but you only have tennis to deal with. but i if you
Kristine Zeller: Yeah. But it's enough to really annoy me. Oh God. And always finding out which is now the service provider for that particular event I want to watch.
kati: Yeah, totally.
Kristine Zeller: Oh God. I really hate it.
kati: Yeah, yeah, no, no, I feel you. But anyway, so if you're watching in... in um In Germany... um You have several options. you can um There's one provider who also um provides all of the reviews. There's another provider who does the live streaming, which is WOW, which you might know. The one who does the also offers the full... replays of the games.
kati: is Sport Europe, is that what they're called? Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: Yes, I think so.
kati: Support Europe. And then of course you have the option of just. Not doing all that and watching.
Kristine Zeller: I have seen, though, today in WoW Sports, which is the subscription I currently have, and that they also offer the re -live, like the re -watching of past games.
kati: Highlights.
kati: me
Kristine Zeller: But I've only seen it written there, and of course... I haven't had the chance to properly tested because... Let's see how this now really works once the Grand Slam starts. but I'm holding currently off of...
Kristine Zeller: subscribing to spots europe because i fast want to test whether i can see like the live game.
kati: Yeah, if they actually do do the relives after all.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah.
kati: I think they might do it with some matches or something
Kristine Zeller: Yes, maybe
kati: yeah We will see. We will see tomorrow morning. When we wake up. And we wonder what's happened in one of the... um evening matches. So the tournament starts today.
kati: And typically right until the end of the tournament, each round is played on two days. Right? So there's always two... um two days of tennis games for round one, then the people who win that move on to round two.
kati: And there's always two days, only the first round. At the US Open, this isn't like that in all Grand Slams, but at the US Open, the first round is played over three days. Because it's a lot of games, right? It's 128 players on each side.
kati: um and these games need to be played and so they spread it out over three days and so for three days now we will be having round one. And then we will be having.
kati: For example, if you're a fan of a certain player, you'll be but able to watch them every two days um if you want to catch every one of their their matches as long as they're in the tournament. So we're starting today and... um It's going to be five o 'clock.
kati: German time where the first games start. What games today are you looking forward to, Christina?
Kristine Zeller: Um. Yeah, I'm wondering whether I start with that or whether I start with something else. Because... um I just wanted to show you something. that I did.
Kristine Zeller: But I will answer you your question first and I'll show you later.
kati: Okay. Okay. Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: and talk to the people who can't see our screen.
kati: That's fine. Yes.
Kristine Zeller: and So matches to watch for day one. Um, Me personally, I was not very excited about the matches today. I find it's really a bit of a slower start.
Kristine Zeller: There are a few that I will have a watch but there's... Only a very few where I would really be so invested that I watch. Like most of it.
kati: Mm hmm.
Kristine Zeller: So I really. For me, like as you know, the the tournament probably starts tomorrow. So basically on Monday, like the second day. Because Carlos Alcaraz is starting then. But anyway, I have a few watches me matches to watch out for for for day one. Shall we start with the men or with the women?
Kristine Zeller: Because I have more for the women actually on day one.
kati: I would just say. i only have i actually have three where i'm really going to make an effort to go and uh and check them out in detail so just mention Two and I'll mention two.
Kristine Zeller: Okay. So for the men, I would be looking into Novak, of course. right Novak Djokovic starts today. um but Not really today for us, right? It's going to be tomorrow. so Maybe if it's going to be a longer match, it could theoretically still be on when I'm up. So then I would watch it live like the rest of it, the last half an hour or something of it. But if not, then this would be a re -live that I would start watching once I get up.
kati: It starts at one o 'clock in the morning about.
Kristine Zeller: um Yeah. yeahp roundabout and for the women which one am i most interested in Hmm.
Kristine Zeller: Like. It's maybe a bit of a strange pick. and A pick that you probably would not. Would not make, but let's see. I think my pick number one would be watching the match of Krejcikova -Rakimova.
Kristine Zeller: I'm not even sure whether I pronounced her name um right.
kati: Mm hmm.
Kristine Zeller: But um I have not seen... much of Krejcikova yet, I think.
kati: h
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, maybe only a few games, if I'm honest. And haven't what like I haven't watched like properly any game with her, I would say. and And some experts mention that she might be a problem for Sabalenka.
Kristine Zeller: And I just wanted to get to, to get a better feel of for Craig Cheekover because I, as I said, I haven't watched. so much of her so maybe that would be the one that i'm would be most interested in but there are quite a few more i think for the women
kati: Yes, I watched a few of her matches. I think she had a good run at Wimbledon, right?
Kristine Zeller: Yeah.
kati: This here. Yes, I watched her play there. It's definitely fun fun to watch. i can I can understand that. Yes, my number one match of the game is definitely also a Norvax match, which I will be watching in full length as soon as I wake up. That is going to be the first thing I do. starting to watch that.
kati: um also a different challenge of re -watching matches sometimes if the match is still on They don't let you start. watching it at a different moment than the moment the match is in.
Kristine Zeller: Or they only let you let you get back two hours or something and not until the very start of the match.
kati: It's just such a mess. So you actually have to wait until the match is over and then... Hmm. problems. No, the women's match I'm most looking forward to is Svitolina against Sierra.
kati: I find Sierra's...
Kristine Zeller: Yeah it's also on my list.
kati: really feisty player and um Switzerland is just amazing. And for them two to be meeting in the first, but they're also starting at one o 'clock.
Kristine Zeller: We just love her.
kati: So they're both starting at the same time. But as I guess the women will definitely be finished by the time we get up. I think that's what I will start with. The only risk is that. then during commentary I will get spoilers about Novak.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, that could happen.
kati: That will happen. So I got to...
Kristine Zeller: unfortunate.
kati: keep my cards close to my chest and figure out.
Kristine Zeller: You know, and another match that I'm... Trying to re -watch or at least watch the highlights of something would be the public match.
kati: Yes.
Kristine Zeller: Because I do love Bublik as a player because he is very chaotic. So I think he can play excellently. So I think, oh God, I have seen matches with him playing really, oh my God, I was so, so, so struck by how he played. But then in between, he can do just...
Kristine Zeller: crazy things and it's I think it's always such a mixed bag and you never know what to get so I really love watching public play And um yeah, therefore, um I will also watch this game. But it is also very late. It's going to start not before 2 o 'clock. the next day. so
kati: Yeah, it's the one right after, it's on Louis Armstrong, right after Svitolina and Sierra. So it's on the same.
Kristine Zeller: so Yep.
kati: caught So whenever the ladies are done. um they'll be walking on that one more like that that'll be on when you wake up
Kristine Zeller: Yep. And apart from that, Pegula is also starting right today, starting from six o 'clock. I think that um she's playing against Ruth.
kati: Yes. Arthur Ashe first on. Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah. So I think I will have a look maybe at that. And also Kostjuk versus Hunter is a match for the women that I think. could be interesting. At least I will have a look.
kati: That's true. What did you want to show me?
Kristine Zeller: yeah I wanted to show you that I wanted to do a little challenge with myself um this us open so i did predict Round four, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. for both men and women.
Kristine Zeller: And did... Print out, actually.
kati: Mm hmm.
Kristine Zeller: the draw because um i have not seen this before but on the u .s open website you can print a draw PDF. file basically.
kati: Well, that's because that's how they do the draw. They just send out the pdf that you then Printed. hu
Kristine Zeller: That's how ah I printed it.
kati: Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: And um what I did, I just... looked into I didn't do the predictions for round two and three I only started with round four then quarterfinal semifinal
kati: But how does that work? Because how do you know who's... If you don't do the predictions for one to three, how do you know who's in round four?
Kristine Zeller: I just looked at the respective quarter and thought, who are the ones most likely to end up in round four?
kati: Ah, so you so you basically didn't do every individual matchup, but you did choose one person from the...
Kristine Zeller: I didn't look at the whole path
Kristine Zeller: Yeah. Yeah.
kati: What is it then? 16 people? I don't know.
Kristine Zeller: yeah Yeah, I think, yeah, in round four.
kati: That then land in... Round four.
Kristine Zeller: Yep.
kati: Mm hmm.
Kristine Zeller: Yes, and um I did it because... you know I just want to do a little check mark how many i did I did get right at the end of the at the end of the tournament.
kati: That's funny.
Kristine Zeller: And um yeah, I think it's um also interesting because it gives you a bit of a feeling as to... which quarter or which half or so is more difficult.
Kristine Zeller: Um... to play in. Or it looks more difficult, right? You never know, but looks more difficult on paper. and And for the men, that would be definitely, for me, the bottom half.
Kristine Zeller: That's the half of Carlos Alcaraz, unfortunately. um but Because he has, oh my God, he has so many big names, right? it Towards the end could be Novak, Ben Shelton, Arthur Fies. So that's going to be very tricky, I think, this half.
Kristine Zeller: And um for the women, it was actually also the bottom half that I thought was more tricky. and With Mira Andreeva in there, Anissi Mova, Coco Goff, Svante Grybakina, Osaka. So... um Yeah, that's going to be a bit more tricky. So that means maybe for Coco and for Carlos.
Kristine Zeller: the way to the final is a bit more tricky than, for example, for Sabalenka, who is in the top half for the women. or... I don't know. Zverev even maybe who's in the top half for for the ban.
kati: Yeah. that I somehow always find in tennis.
Kristine Zeller: I think.
kati: It's kind of like... I find it's really interesting to to look at it once, but then it's just like... It's not like you can change anything.
Kristine Zeller: No.
kati: It's not like you can change anything.
Kristine Zeller: No.
kati: You can't change anything and you cannot. Even let's say prepare because you don't even know if you're going to get there. You know, in soccer, if there's a soccer tournament. And you're in group A. Right? And you know you're going to play again you're going to play against all the three or four teams in... in group a so you can prepare for group a and everything with tennis with the draw you have no idea if you're even going to be playing the second round because it's just either you win and you move on or you lose and every single round that goes on, half of the players disappear.
kati: Right?
Kristine Zeller: It's so hard, right?
kati: Yeah, in every round, half of the players disappear. So therefore, I kind of think the draw is kind of like... It also doesn't really matter. Because... It's not like anyone's changing anything today because of the draw, you know what I mean?
Kristine Zeller: No, but I think it's interesting as a fan. to have a look at if you have a certain player that you're very most interested in or who you're a big fan of to see what his or her route to the final would be and whom he or she would theoretically have to play against to win the tournament. So I really enjoy these these games. At least I always have a...
Kristine Zeller: Have a look for Carlos Ackers and where he ends up in which half. Unfortunately, from my perspective, he's ended up in the... in the tougher half.
kati: I also found find that in past years, most of the people that went out... Like when high ranked favorites went out, it was seldomly against other high ranked players. It was often a completely...
kati: random situation. Sometime at the... at the beginning which i would never i like i i normally don't even know who they are Right?
Kristine Zeller: No, it could happen.
kati: I'm
Kristine Zeller: And I think that's also part of the reason why the sport is so exciting.
kati: Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: right Because it's always, I mean, i I had just another discussion with my husband on. kind of why I love tennis so much. And I think part of it is that there's so much happening in one match.
kati: Mm.
Kristine Zeller: It is just... Oh my... I think all the time things are happening. Right. It's just. Due to the fact that, of course, you're playing point for point for point for point. All of these points can be spectacular in it in in themselves. But then also the matches go through different phases, right? Parts of it are boring. Parts of it are super exciting. And then from one second to the next, it can switch from the one phase into the other. you know You've never seen it coming. Then there could be something happening. I don't know.
Kristine Zeller: some injury or or whatever, or struggling with heat or something. So there's just always going so much, like there's so much drama, so much action on the court. And i I think it's also so brutal because obviously the tennis players are all alone. They are just all alone and they have to just depend on themselves and their body to to make it and also on their mind, right? To be mentally strong enough to make it. So I just think that's so great.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, whereas I again thought with with the German soccer, oh my God, you have an hour and nothing is happening. It's just not my sport. But I don't want to be against people loving soccer and I know I'm...
Kristine Zeller: probably the only person in Germany not loving soccer so therefore but I mean tennis
kati: oh i don't know about that
Kristine Zeller: It's just the best sport in the world.
kati: Yeah, some would say that. Tennis. just takes much too long.
Kristine Zeller: yeah
kati: And that actually there's only like you watch for five hours and actually only the last five minutes are important. right so i think there's lines of arguments for everything i watch it all so i don't you don't need to convince me of either because i'll i'll i'll take it all i will definitely take it all so since you've done that fancy um exercise already who is reaching the final in men's and women's and who's winning Like on paper.
kati: Not what you want, but what you think is going to happen.
Kristine Zeller: Um, yeah. I think this is, at least for the men, this is mixing up.
kati: Okay.
Kristine Zeller: So for the men's, I think it will be Carlos. I think it will be Carlos, and I hope it will be Carlos, um because... I just think he'll do it.
Kristine Zeller: I think he is just this type of person where everybody thinks, oh, he will for sure not win like in this tournament. And you never know, because for those not who do not know, Carlos Acaras just came back from a, I think, six month or five month break for playing pen.
kati: since April. So I don't know, April, May, June, July, August, four, four, five.
Kristine Zeller: Hmm? Mm. Very long.
kati: Four or five months.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, so a very long break of not playing tennis because he had a wrist injury and it looked like it was also.
kati: um
Kristine Zeller: a bit of a more serious wrist injury. And I mean, wrists and tennis players, this is a problem, right? So you never know. And of course, like everybody's saying, you never know um how far he's going he's going to be. to come. and because obviously you never know how long his wrist holds. And it's also many people are saying it's a problem that he's starting now with a best of five tournament instead of a best of three tournament. So it means he has to win at least three sets.
Kristine Zeller: which could go on for five sets. um So therefore also quite a long time. So this is obviously more of a strain to the wrist than having to play only best of three. so two winning sets. um And so therefore there's a lot of skepticism around him coming back to the US Open and a lot of skepticism about just his general state of health. And of course I do not know about that. And I also do not know how long his wrist will hold, but if it will hold.
Kristine Zeller: I mean. I just think he is so... His energy is so 100 % there. And I mean, of course he was nervous when he was stepping on the court with um Serena Williams, as we discussed in the last episode. But in general, I think his attitude is so good, so positive.
Kristine Zeller: So much energy. So I really believe in him. to win the tournament, even though I think his path is quite... Rough. End. I think also in favor of him him winning the tournament is, of course, that Yannick Sinner is not there because he has got a knee injury and cannot play in the US Open. So he is currently the number one. um ranked tennis player in the world and cannot. compete, and of course this is helping Carlos. and I also think what helps Carlos is that Zverev, who is now seated.
Kristine Zeller: um number one player for the us ah US Open has not been that strong. in the very recent past at least. Of course, he's won his first Grand Slam this year, but at least in the recent past, um he has not been that strong. And I think that will also help Carlos. So therefore, long answer for a short question. I think it's going to be Carlos.
kati: And who's he playing? I also asked you, who since you did the exercise, who's he playing in the final?
Kristine Zeller: I think he will be playing in the final Fritz.
kati: Yeah, could happen.
Kristine Zeller: Could also be Zverev, right? But... um I think it's going to be Fritz.
kati: I don't think so. Yeah, I also think Carlos is winning.
Kristine Zeller: That's good.
kati: I also think Carlos is going to Win.
Kristine Zeller: Hmm. There was an...
kati: But he's not who I want to win.
Kristine Zeller: Okay, go ahead.
kati: You also want him to win, right?
Kristine Zeller: Who do you...
kati: If you could wave a magic wand for US s Open 2026, you would also choose Carlos, right?
Kristine Zeller: Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: 100 percent. Yes.
kati: No, if I could wave a wand and in the men's for US Open 2026 and choose who to win, it would.
Kristine Zeller: Oh, let me have a guess.
kati: Of course you know.
Kristine Zeller: Okay.
kati: Who would it be?
Kristine Zeller: Okay, then say Novak.
kati: Of course. Nova Djokovic. He... Deserves the 25. I want him to reach his 25th Grand Slam. It's not like he hasn't already achieved everything you can in tennis.
kati: and is rightly the greatest player of all time, no matter which metric you would even choose in tennis. I think he somehow still feels like he owes himself or someone else. He needs to prove that he can do the 25. And just for his peace of mind.
kati: I would love him. to get his 25 in front of his kids. in New York. I would love that. I would love that so much for him. And therefore, um I really, really, really wish if I could wave a magic wand, that's what I would have happen.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, i I do agree. This would be lovely for Novak and I would love this for him. But maybe before you start asking about the women. um Have you seen on Instagram that Carlos Alcaraz is now rocking a colorful jewelry bracelet stack?
kati: No, but I wanted to comment on another fashion accessoire of his, but not the jewelry stack. What's up with the jewelry stack? Tell me about that.
Kristine Zeller: He didn't wear it on court.
kati: I'm looking. i'm I'm opening it up now. Is it on his... his ah
Kristine Zeller: Ah. I think it was the o US Open um Instagram channel.
kati: Interesting. Yep.
Kristine Zeller: and It was not on court. It was when he was interviewed for some sort of social media activity or something. But I saw that he was wearing, I think, this... fanli I think it's fun cleaves, you know, these flower -like.
Kristine Zeller: Hmm. Kleeblatt is a German word. Like these flower like bracelets. with these very thin little chains and then these flowers in between.
kati: but ah but and But not the Louis Vuitton flowers.
Kristine Zeller: Mm -mm. No, I think it didn't look like the Louis Vuitton flowers, but maybe you can identify it differently.
kati: I'm looking.
Kristine Zeller: But he wore, I think, two.
kati: I think I know which video I mean. Was he at that that flipboard?
Kristine Zeller: All right.
Kristine Zeller: I'm not sure
kati: Okay, carry on talking.
Kristine Zeller: um he was he was He was wearing, I think, a stack of two or three of those with different colors.
kati: Mm hmm.
Kristine Zeller: And it was very much giving Arina Sabalenka, you know, because she's always in for colorful.
kati: m Okay, I can see it. Yeah, those are the those are the lu i think those are the Louis flowers.
Kristine Zeller: jewelry.
Kristine Zeller: Hmm. We need to find out. We need to find out. But anyway, I think it's cool because... I mean, it allows men to be more flexible and open in fashion and just rocking different styles. And I do love that for them.
Kristine Zeller: And I mean, we will talk about the kids of, of the players, I think sometime, but I mean. His hairband. is fantastic. It does give me so much 90s vibes.
kati: The glittery one.
Kristine Zeller: ah I just love his fashion style so much.
kati: Yeah, look, I found it already.
Kristine Zeller: I think he's never been more fashionable going into the US Open and I love that for him.
kati: You're in luck, Zalando's done a dupe of it already in different colours.
Kristine Zeller: and for us.
Kristine Zeller: ah
kati: Or is offering a dupe of it already in different colours?
Kristine Zeller: ah Yeah.
kati: I'm showing you via the screen. You can go and stack right up. No, I think I'm pretty sure they're the, ah, interesting. No, you're right. Wow, they are very similar. They are the Van Cleef & Apples.
Kristine Zeller: m
kati: But oh boy, are they similar to the Louis Vuittons.
Kristine Zeller: We will never know what the true brand is, but...
kati: No, no, they are like I will show you again on the screen
Kristine Zeller: Uh -huh.
kati: Hmm. I'm having a look if they have a name so you guys can... Check it out if you want to. Um...
Kristine Zeller: You should check them out on Carlos' style for sure.
kati: Alhambra. It's called Alhambra. I think the...
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, those were the ones.
kati: Yeah, it's called Alhambra and it's in its original form.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, that dude. They come in different colors, right?
kati: um in Here it's all black, yes, but there are different colors and they only cost you 7 ,000 euros a bracelet.
Kristine Zeller: m
Kristine Zeller: Okay, well.
kati: Schnäppchen we say in German. ha
Kristine Zeller: what How about the dupe Zalando offers? ha ha
kati: That was 40 euros.
Kristine Zeller: ah Okay.
kati: Winnie! Yeah. Like... You know I think everyone should do what their budget allows.
Kristine Zeller: I'll go for that. oh
kati: hu
Kristine Zeller: here
kati: Yes, please.
Kristine Zeller: But anyway, really I really, really loved men going more into fashion and being more creative with it and going for colorful jewelry. And oh my gosh, he could wear everything.
kati: Definitely. In exactly the same video that you were referring to because of his bracelets. um which is by the way the one where he was at the flip board he was playing this little game with the us open social media team i would like to point out a different accessory that he was wearing there and that is his cap
Kristine Zeller: Was it the one with the wings?
kati: He was... Yes. So he was wearing a black Nike cap. nike's is his his kit sponsor uh with wings and a 72 on the side and I have been searching the internet.
kati: for people who realize what I think this is an homage to. But I seem to be the only one, so most likely I'm wrong.
Kristine Zeller: Okay, hit me.
kati: I think it looks exactly, exactly like a Formula One podium cap.
Kristine Zeller: Oh, yeah.
kati: Exactly.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, I can see that.
kati: Like, I've taken a screenshot, especially to show you, but every single time in Formula One, the players win.
Kristine Zeller: I can see that.
kati: You know, they do that champagne thing. People will will know what I'm meaning. But they also, all three of them, get a cap to wear from Pirelli. Pirelli is the company who does the um the tires. And I'm showing you.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, it does look similar.
kati: That's exactly, why am I, do I do i need to make a reel about this?
Kristine Zeller: I'm sorry.
kati: Am I the person on the internet who realized this? Because I find it's really interesting because this is Carlos's cap. I'm showing Christina again a picture of it.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, I remember.
kati: You will see it.
Kristine Zeller: yeah
kati: He wore it on media day.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah.
kati: So it's everywhere, him in this black cap.
Kristine Zeller: Yep.
kati: And it looks exactly like the freaking Pirelli podium caps. So. I find it such an interesting move from Nike because not they are doing all kinds of homages to other sports in... the things that they are putting. dressing him in so they do the whole nyx homage with his kit as we already discussed and i'm sure we will discuss in further detail at another point but now they're also doing an f1 homage with the cap
Kristine Zeller: He has to bring the audience to all the sports, basically, the poor guy. ha
kati: Lot of pressure. Now, i don't know I don't know if that's what it is. Or if it's just like a... The other way around. That it's basically because it's giving an homage to the Knicks Knicks fans are maybe looking at tennis Because he's doing an homage to f1 f1 fans are looking at tennis
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, but that's what I mean with he needs to bring the crowds to the... To the tournament. You mean to bring it to tennis? Oh, no, I thought you meant it the other way around.
kati: Yes, I think it's that way around. I think it's that way around.
Kristine Zeller: Oh, could be.
kati: ah Because, you know, it's it's more it's like ah um ah a not political and nice form of a dog whistle.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, could be.
kati: Because you know you only realize that if if you only know if you know This is why I'm like, am I the first person in the world to realize this is a is if there's a shout out to F1? Do I need to be the girl making the reel standing there or the guy going? Look at this cup that Carlos Alcaraz won at Media Day. It is obviously an homage. Tick! to F1, one of the strongest growing sports there is.
kati: And then with the cap, you know, I thought. I thought that was cool. And I'm very proud of myself that I caught the connection. I had a look if someone else maybe said it's something else that maybe I don't know. Like maybe it's a reference because it's such a.
Kristine Zeller: It's very um standing is standing out a lot, right?
kati: Unusual. Yeah, it's super unusual.
Kristine Zeller: The cap.
kati: Like it's not a normal.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah.
kati: normal tennis cap.
Kristine Zeller: No. I think it's super ugly.
kati: so
Kristine Zeller: I really hate this cap. Bye.
kati: it's ah it's It completely stands out.
Kristine Zeller: You can have different opinions on this cap.
kati: No, no, I'm not saying it's beautiful.
Kristine Zeller: yeah
kati: That's not the point. But I just think it's so obvious that it must mean something.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah. Yes, it's very in your face.
kati: yeah and the 72 at the side that's normally where in formula one it says first second or third so you like depending on if you were first second or third you you you wear the the cap and here it says 72 which is where nike was founded so they kind of did like a nike homage there and then it has the square nike logo on the front which is where There's a square Pirelli.
kati: print so There's so many elements of it where I'm like, this is a Formula One podium cap.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, but I think this could be.
kati: Okay, I'm proud of myself.
Kristine Zeller: Yes, I think this could be, and you should be proud of yourself. And by the way, um I just wanted to add one more thing. Why I'm... proud of the male tennis players not only the male but we're talking males now um this week or like the in the past days because one thing is I'm proud of Carlos Alcaraz for allowing men to wear jewelry in colors right so I think that's cool and the second thing was I am again so proud of Roger Federer
kati: Yes.
Kristine Zeller: crying so much. When he was... um like having his speech because he was entering the Hall of Fame, right? So there's a tennis Hall of Fame, like an international tennis Hall of Fame, and it is on Rhode Island. And and Mary Carrillo, who's ah a tennis, a female tennis player. and oh Oh, my God.
Kristine Zeller: Something is happening in my house. So Mary Carrillo was um entering the um Tennis Hall of Fame and also ah mar Roger Federer did that. And Roger Federer cried so much when he had his speech.
Kristine Zeller: And he always is very emotional, right? He is. just an emotional guy, but I always.
kati: Yes.
Kristine Zeller: love this so much when he is embracing this and when he's not ashamed of it when when he allows the tears to flow and to show his emotions in public because i think we need more men showing a their emotions in public and b daring to wear colorful jewelry.
Kristine Zeller: So therefore I think it has been a few good days for men.
kati: Totally.
kati: Totally there as well. Also another F1 reference, Kimi Antonelli, who's the current leader of the Formula One race. um to the championship this year when he he won his I think it was his first podium this or his first race this year.
kati: And he's 19 years old, very young. And when he did, he said on the radio, he was like, I'm going to cry. So he didn't even try and...
Kristine Zeller: Really good.
kati: He didn't just cry and he didn't try to hide it. He was like, I'm going to cry. This is it. I'm gonna cry. Yes.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, we love that.
kati: We love that. Hot boys cry.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah.
kati: Shout out. By the way, back to the women. Who's winning? Try it. Who's winning the women?
Kristine Zeller: Do you want to start?
kati: On your... ah Yeah, ah because you did the fancy thingamajigging. What does the fancy thingamajigging show who's winning the women?
Kristine Zeller: Okay, so I should i start. Okay.
kati: Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: um The fancy thing who's winning with the women. I think it's Coco Gauff. I think it's Coco Gauff. um just because she has been so strong in the recent past.
Kristine Zeller: I mean, she has also won.
kati: She won Cincinnati, which was the last tournament, which is very often a follow, like a pre.
Kristine Zeller: Mm.
kati: qualification for winning the US Open.
Kristine Zeller: Yes, and I think we've seen Coco Gauff very much distressed over the... past years, right? There have been phases where she was really down, not knowing at all with what was happening to her game, really, really struggling. And of course, there were also of other times, right? she She has won the US Open before, so she's... she has been also really great right especially in the us open but i just think Over the past few months, she is just carrying herself.
Kristine Zeller: with such a high self -esteem and she's very just, you know, coming into a room and is full aware of. kind of everything she brings with her and all the aura and she embraces it and she is just Yeah, he she has just grown into kind of this role that she's meant to play for US tennis. And I feel like she is just so...
Kristine Zeller: strong and kind of feels calm inside herself at least that's what it looks like to me from the outside but I do really trust her to win. um to win this time, to win the US Open. And also because... On the other hand side of course her biggest Oh. Yeah, I mean, her biggest rival, Arina Sabalenka, has been quite...
Kristine Zeller: She has been struggling over the past month. um She has not really won a lot um in the recent past. So therefore, I think she's also coming in very insecure, which obviously helps Coco. And the other big threat to Coco, Rebecca, is very unsure whether she will be able to. go really until the end because she just has this foot or i think ankle
Kristine Zeller: Oh, she had it in Cincinnati and she yeah she even had to kind of stop playing there. So she is starting now, but. I think that doesn't. Doesn't sound so well. So let's see if she's ah if she's even going to be playing a lot.
kati: You think those two are the biggest threats? I didn't want to go to two and three, but... Because you mentioned them.
Kristine Zeller: Oh, I have another one, but I want to talk about it. about later when you ask me who I want to win.
kati: All right, okay. No, no, for me, the two big, I also think Coco's going to win. I think her biggest threats are either Pegula or Svantec.
kati: Those are for me if I would think about if it's not her who's it then who's picking up the pieces I think it's those one of those two. but yeah no I think that would be really fun um I think if your prediction is right and Fritz reaches the final, I think it will be fun because... um you know the americans are just so strong going into this tournament And I think other than different years everything is really up in arms. There's so many different options. um of who could possibly...
kati: have a run, who could do really well. And I don't know if you already heard about this, but it's theoretically possible that after this tournament, four different women are number one.
kati: So it's just wild. How close? Everything is.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, it's so close, right?
kati: Yeah, so.
Kristine Zeller: But that's also making it so special and so exciting and so interesting.
kati: Totally. But yeah, um you've already teased it. Who do you... If you could make... wave a magic wand and make somebody US Open 2026 female winner, who would that be?
Kristine Zeller: That would be Igor Sviontek.
kati: Really, you would wish for Iga to be the winner?
Kristine Zeller: just because Mm hmm. Yeah.
kati: Interesting. Tell me more.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah.
kati: Didn't know you were an IGA fan.
Kristine Zeller: I'm a big IGA fan and and the reason for that is because I can relate to her struggles so much personally.
kati: Mm hmm.
Kristine Zeller: Because she... Amen. Of course, I cannot relate to anything that she's doing, right? She's living a completely different life. I didn't want to say that. And I also cannot play tennis. So i i can't I can't relate to that part at all, obviously. But I can relate to her pesnet personality and sometimes being overwhelmed with everything that's happening and you know fighting these inner demons constantly to...
Kristine Zeller: kind of been able to Yeah to bring this peak performance and um i just think she has had such few rough very rough months over the past year or... or maybe even a bit longer. So I think, I mean, obviously she was really strong before that, right? She was number one for quite... quite some time and then she was really struggling and it's now down to I don't know even what's her current ATP ranking. Do you know that?
kati: No.
Kristine Zeller: She is seated. it's Number six. No, eight. She's seeded number eight right now. So yeah, she will be somewhere there in the in the rankings as well, I guess. um Yeah, so therefore I think it is just great that she has been fighting so hard. um to come back over the past few months, right? So she has been quite good. Her form is really good. Her her mental state is in a really strong...
Kristine Zeller: she's really in a strong position. So therefore I think. I just would love it so much for her. if she would win the US Open. But I just, I don't think it will happen. Unfortunately, I think Koko Goff is too strong. But I would really love Swiatek to go at least very deep in this tournament.
kati: Yes. I understand that. I'm not an IGA fan. I never have been. I don't find her game very exciting. Her service motion always kind of drives me a bit crazy And she shows too little emotion for me to really get into it like I don't need someone who's like uber dramatic.
kati: But I kind of want to see the people feel.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, she's very...
kati: And she doesn't give me that. like with or
Kristine Zeller: she's very quiet right as a person and also as a player
kati: Yeah. Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, I really like that. She's like a very... beautiful diamond underwater where you really have to look a bit to see the sparkle.
Kristine Zeller: I love her.
kati: I have two. But I have one. where I think if they would play against each other, that's who I would go for. So I think that's always the ultimate test. Like if they were playing against each other in the final.
kati: even if it's theoretically not possible to get there. um I would want Svitolina.
Kristine Zeller: and She's so cool.
kati: I would. Oh, I would give a lot for her to win. She... um She's been playing for quite a long time. She's one of the older players on the tour. She's the mum. um And I remember when she came back from her maternity leave and I watched the first games that she played about three years ago or something, or when she like really stepped back in to the game. She was so fit.
kati: like she has gotten so fit and I respect like she is playing I think the best talents of her life now in an era where she's a parent in an era where she's a an older woman than so many of the young women there where recovery just takes longer Like she's really stepping into her.
kati: prime in that phase of life. And I think it would be the most awesome thing for them. Mum. to win her first time. Grand slam title.
kati: And so therefore the second option would be Naomi Osaka.
Kristine Zeller: That would be cool.
kati: Though for her, it wouldn't be first time, but she would be the first time winning as a mom. Right. So the Grand Slam, she won the four. She won them before she had her her child.
Kristine Zeller: And also Swetolina is from the Ukraine, right? We would also love that.
kati: Yes.
Kristine Zeller: Two. Win a slam.
kati: Yeah, just so much about her. I just think she's awesome. I think she really is the fittest than I saw. I saw her play live ah several times already, including this time in ah this year in Berlin, and she is just...
kati: She's so strong. And. feisty and she is so good at defending And... um I really like a good defender in all sports. I have ah a passion for. the defense, which is like the less.
kati: maybe exciting part of the game and where less people look. But I think I really admire good defense in all sports and she's a great defender. And so, yeah, um yeah that's that's who I would wave my magic wand for.
Kristine Zeller: Okay, let's see. So send us some comments on who you think. We'll win. The year's open.
kati: and whose And who would you would like to win?
Kristine Zeller: Yes, and who you would like to. I'll cut it before we end. I had one more thing that I definitely wanted to wanted to discuss with you.
kati: Please do.
Kristine Zeller: um I'm sure you've seen it on Instagram or social media in general. Did you see the Lacoste Club? Action happening at the Plaza Hotel.
kati: The party.
Kristine Zeller: Sorry.
kati: The party they did, the party.
Kristine Zeller: The pate.
kati: Yes, yes I did. It was lovely.
Kristine Zeller: oh my god that looked so great they did um the plaza hotel is a very famous old hotel in New York. And what they did is together with Lacoste, they did turn one, I think it might be normally a ballroom or it looks like one. It does have these chandeliers and it's a very elegant, super big room. They turned this into an indoor.
Kristine Zeller: Tennis court. But the tennis court was chandeliers. And it this looked, oh my God, it like the whole thing was just so classy with all these. macarons and I don't know, pastries that looked like various different.
Kristine Zeller: tennis type things or Lacoste type things, right? There were crocodiles and and polo shirts made from from pastry.
kati: um
Kristine Zeller: And oh my God, that all looked so beautifully done. oh I really loved that. And then of course they invited like the biggest names to play on this indoor court for one for one evening.
Kristine Zeller: I think Novak was there and... ah ah A lot of other really big names of tennis.
kati: If Alice was there, Dimitrov was there.
Kristine Zeller: Yeah, if at least. Mm hmm. And I thought, oh my God. That looked so fabulous, this event. I thought that was maybe the place to be. And of course, Rhode Island.
Kristine Zeller: to be there when Roger Federer was entering the famous Hall of Fame for for tennis.
kati: You can already see that my different k Christina has a taste for the... Sophisticated. Okay.
Kristine Zeller: Sometimes, yes.
kati: Rhode Island is definitely also more on the sophisticated agenda. than other parts of this planet. And in New York, I think the Plaza Hotel is also... ha Not the edgiest, most urban corner.
kati: of New York that you can visit.
Kristine Zeller: Didn't look like an edgy corner, no.
kati: No, no, not so much. Not so much. All right. Well I think that's it for today. um I have some other notes of stuff that's coming up, but I think we can talk about it in the next days when these people come onto the court um and we can actually comment on like what they're doing. um
kati: We will be coming to you almost daily now. for the US Open. And thank you so much for ah the kind of people who gave us feedback on the first ah pod, by the way. Really appreciated. We're far outside our comfort zone here. So, um and on the other hand, having a lot of fun because...
kati: I mean. We normally didn't take an hour to chat about tennis a day before the US Open, but I love it.
Kristine Zeller: No. Huge pleasure.
kati: I don't want to give away a single minute of it.
Kristine Zeller: Mm -hmm.
kati: So it's more like a gift to ourselves that we have a reason to tell our husbands they need to take care of the kids now because we're busy doing our...
Kristine Zeller: Yeah.
Kristine Zeller: We need to discuss tennis.
kati: We need to discuss. I'm sorry. I have to discuss tennis now. um Yeah, so we'll be coming. Please leave us reviews. um It is really the fact that a fan... podcasts run by women no matter what sport it is they often get bashed down by
kati: other people who think that talking about sport means you have to be a theoretical expert and or player in the sport um and ah therefore we're happy for anybody who celebrates um female fandom especially of tennis together with us and leaves us a kind review on a platform of your choice that will be super super helpful um for us and yeah any feedback that you have any wishes that you have any questions that you have any thoughts that you have um pop it in the comments
kati: And we will meet you there and we will see you tomorrow to discuss. What? The first day was like, if there were actual full -length reviews on Christina's player or not. If Norvac survived the first round or not.
kati: Oh my God.
Kristine Zeller: He will.
kati: All right. Oh my, fingers crossed. Okay. We will listen to you and talk to you and see you tomorrow. Bye.
Kristine Zeller: Bye -bye.
