Transcript
Lifestyle of Longevity: Hi. And then I say, hi.
K: No. Hi. That's better. listen see
Lifestyle of Longevity: Because we have no time, so I thought I'd shorten the introduction and just say, hi.
K: Okay, let's go.
Lifestyle of Longevity: With us again. We are here at the Tennis Bakery, your fan podcast for tennis. um checking out what's going on on the tennis courts of the world and outside the tennis courts with the tennis players. And with me is Christine. Hello Christine.
K: Hello.
Lifestyle of Longevity: And myself, I'm Kati. And we are Super Tennis Fans. And we are covering currently the US Open for you guys. And we just experienced the women's semis.
Lifestyle of Longevity: The Women's Semis 2026. Oh. Before we carry on, I must say. please review this podcast. on any platform of your choice.
K: Please. please.
Lifestyle of Longevity: and follow. But now I'll continue. um Yes, the women's semis, and they were so late, they were a night session in New York, that we could not watch any of it yesterday.
Lifestyle of Longevity: um So we had to watch all. today, which is Friday, which is actually the day of the men's semis, but you know, time differences and all. And I actually stopped watching the second one. 30 seconds ago.
Lifestyle of Longevity: So i have not seen I have not seen anything on social media.
K: Right on time.
Lifestyle of Longevity: i have I have no idea because I had such a busy day today that I had no time to to really watch. i was To make it in time, I was literally skipping every single break, so I have...
Lifestyle of Longevity: Very little observations from either match because I was just skipping the breaks all the time. to um be able to watch the content as much as possible. I don't really enjoy that that much. But...
Lifestyle of Longevity: It made me. appear here now. So here I am. And um how was your watching experience? because you Did you even watch them? Because I know if they're on the next day, you sometimes don't watch the entire match, but rather highlights. What did you do?
K: No, I watched them all. I did not watch, I think. 15 minutes of the first set of the second match.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Mm hmm.
K: Because I had to shower. when that was un whiteed on my TV and I couldn't stop it because I wouldn't have had the time to. and finish it otherwise on time.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Carry on, yeah.
K: and So therefore I've seen most of it.
Lifestyle of Longevity: hmm
K: Also I've seen it spoiler free. I haven't checked. anything beforehand so Yeah.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Oh. That's cool.
K: I thought that's...
Lifestyle of Longevity: That's not always the case with you. How was that experience for you?
K: Well, I've done it several times, right? This and like I always do it like for the special matches.
Lifestyle of Longevity: For Carlos, right? Yeah.
K: And I think. Women's semifinals can be considered a very special match or special matches and therefore I watched them without. Spoilering anything. um before I watched them.
K: And I nearly died watching like this is the second one because of excitement. But anyway, I think it is, oh my God, it must have been so amazing to have had this night session ticket.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yes. I mean, in general, women semis normally deliver.
K: Mmm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: It's normally an awesome ticket. Like, great to have. i think it's I personally think it's better than the final ticket because you get two. And they're normally really awesome matches. So I really hope I get to watch women's semis um of a Grand Slam. one day um because yeah, they were awesome. And we had the first match that was on was Sabalenka against Pegula.
Lifestyle of Longevity: So seeds one and three. And the second match that was on was Koko Gov against Rybakina. So seeds two, or in the order I said them, four and two. And um yeah. They delivered all the stuff that we thought.
Lifestyle of Longevity: This fabulous lineup of female tennis players um all would offer us. Should we start with the Sabalenka match? So...
K: Let's do that.
Lifestyle of Longevity: The Sabalenka match. um To me, This was... Her. being so much in her big girl panties that she's like finally arrived in her big girl panties.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Like. She was locked
K: She's living in them.
Lifestyle of Longevity: in There was one moment... in the first set where I was like Is she forgetting? That she has the big girl panties on. That she's learned how to do this. Come on, Sabi.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Get your crap together. And oh boy, did she get her stuff together. She was playing so. Well, it was. awesome I really enjoyed it. And I think there was a bit of an extra oomph because um she was playing against Jessica Pegula. And if she had lost the match, she would not only have fallen from firsts.
Lifestyle of Longevity: ah first ranked. First Worldwide to... second on Monday, she would have fallen to third. And that, of course, that's a hush.
K: She could not allow that to happen.
Lifestyle of Longevity: That's a harsh blow. So no. She got her stuff together.
K: I think. I think she was playing so well. It it it felt like she was like 120 % focused.
Lifestyle of Longevity: So well.
Lifestyle of Longevity: So focused.
K: concentrated it it seemed like I mean obviously she was nervous but it seemed like she wasn't
Lifestyle of Longevity: Nope.
K: It just felt like she was 100 % in her zone. Just doing what she does best. And, oh. It felt so free. I really felt very happy for her because this must be such an awesome feeling.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Hmm.
K: to dominate. Like, I mean, it wasn't any match, right? It's a semifinals and Pegula is really good, right? Also, it wasn't the case that Pegula was playing super bad or anything, right? It was just that Sabalenka played so well. It was just a pure joy.
K: to watch this because it was just fantastic.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yeah, they both had, I think, almost 80 % first serves, at least in the first set. so Both were just. on such high quality. They were just... Locked in. And the only thing I was thinking was...
Lifestyle of Longevity: It again, sadly, shows I think Pegula... She doesn't have the next level. Like... She's so good. She's so good, but she doesn't have that.
Lifestyle of Longevity: one other little switch that one oomph that one other thing that I think you need to get through the last one or two. rounds of a grand slam you know so you have to like find this new level of yourself this new locked in this this new level of tennis where you're playing like lights out and she just consistently no matter when she goes on to tennis court she plays so reliably well But she doesn't have the extra oomph, it seems.
Lifestyle of Longevity: And it's so sad, so frustrating.
K: It is frustrating. and Did you see that? Was it with this match? i'm Not 100 % sure. and There was this situation where there was a confusion because there was a ball on court that was immense. tennis ball.
Lifestyle of Longevity: oh i saw there was a confusion i did not know it was because it was a men's ball they have different balls
K: Yeah. that Yeah, that was the first time that I heard that they are playing with different balls. So the men have... black lettering on them and the women read
Lifestyle of Longevity: oh
K: And they didn't specify what was different. I wanted to look it up, but I forgot it. I will do it now once once you start talking about other things. yeah I will look it up because I was not aware. Well, you were aware that they have different balls.
Lifestyle of Longevity: No. No, no
K: Hmm. But I find it interesting because there must be something, I don't know. Maybe they're harder or like heavier or something for the men. I don't know. I will look it up now.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yes. Very good. You look that up now. So that was a sad experience to see the dress Again, somehow didn't find another level, which was a shame, but I was rooting for Sabalenka because I'm rooting for her to win this thing. And she um ah she has this new thing or quite new thing, which she doesn't always do, but she's doing it a lot at the moment where she covers her herself in that towel in the breaks.
K: Yeah.
Lifestyle of Longevity: And I think it's working for her.
K: Yeah. it I think so, too. It's kind of her. focus zone yes i i've also seen that and i think it's a good idea because it must be so overwhelming right because at the u .s open also like in between um or when they have the breaks the music is so loud they also have these lights thingies going on and people are loud.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yeah.
K: It must be all so overwhelming. to kind of take a step back and hide
Lifestyle of Longevity: And then. ah celebrities. Like they... they The cameramen go around showing all the celebrities and show them on the big screen.
K: me
Lifestyle of Longevity: And I mean. It's just bananas. So yeah, Sabi locked in. Sabi got it done in two. Sabi on to the finals. And I'm saying it now already, Sumbie for the win.
K: Is she so strong? Who is going to beat her?
Lifestyle of Longevity: Well, Rybakina potentially, but...
K: No, I honestly also think it will be Sabalenka. I mean, she must be flying high. By the way, I... am I have ah i've had a look what the difference is between the men's and the women's tennis balls.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yeah. Mm -hmm. Mm hmm.
K: And it says that for the women. And. they call They call them regular duty bowls. and they have less felt. So they tend to travel slightly faster through the air.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Mm -hmm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Mm hmm.
K: And for the men, they have extra duty balls and they have thicker, denser felt, making them slightly slower and more durable on hard courts. Hmm. Oh, and the reason is largely historical. It says the US s Open wanted the women's game to play a little faster.
K: Hmm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Also, not everyone does it.
K: Um... I will check that out now. Here it sounds like only the ear is open, to it but I will check it out now.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Okay, continue. I will move on to the next game um because time. ah And the the next game that followed up in the same night session.
Lifestyle of Longevity: like you said awesome ticket was coco go off against ribakina ribakina won this won this match in three coco won the first especially compared to her quarterfinal coco was there during the first set and I felt like Rebecca and I was kind of overwhelmed by the force and the quality and the presence that Coco was on the court. And as it progressed, it's not that Coco got worse, but Rybakina just got better.
Lifestyle of Longevity: And if Rybakina has a good day... she she I think she's better than Coco. On a good day, she's just better than Coco. she's Therefore, she's going to be number one on Monday. She's just...
Lifestyle of Longevity: ice in her veins. This woman, she was just locking herself in and The vibes were awesome, especially in the third set. It was like during the the Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz match. It was really the whole stadium was up and screaming and shouting. and Rebecca Nasser for the match. failed to serve the match, Coco broke her back.
Lifestyle of Longevity: But then she broke Coco to take the match.
K: Yeah, but you you didn't mention that Rebecca was serving for the match. For the first time.
Lifestyle of Longevity: That's what I just said.
K: When she bra no when she broke right?
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yeah.
K: It was on a break. And then Coco did the re -break. And then we had another re -break from Rebecca. So it was going back and forth and back and forth. And all of that. you know, kind of close to the end, I was really dying in front of the TV.
K: I thought, my God.
Lifestyle of Longevity: I thought that's what I just said but apparently I didn't say it in the right way. I was trying to...
K: No, because you didn't say that Rebecca had the first match point because she but she broke already, right?
Lifestyle of Longevity: Trying to say just that.
K: I think this is also very special that this kind of was this three -time back and forth between them. And oh God, I found it so exciting. I really love that, that the finish of that match.
K: Um. By the way.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Mm hmm.
K: and It is... Back to the tennis balls. And the gender difference is only there for the US Open. It's not the case for the other slams there and they use the same balls.
Lifestyle of Longevity: maybe it's something to do with the hardcore oh no australian opens hardcore too anyway okay interesting um
K: oh We don't know. Yeah. I thought it's so too. Yeah, so well done, Rebecca.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yes. so
K: All right. And again, she didn't. outwardly celebrate or something I mean she smiled of course but there was no kind of yeah, it didn't look like a big celebration or something, right? When she won.
K: Again. so She didn't listen listen to our podcast from... From yesterday.
Lifestyle of Longevity: She did. All she did, she just really doesn't care.
K: She didn't. Oh yeah, maybe.
Lifestyle of Longevity: She just does not care. She's like whatever
K: Yeah, she's doing her thing and it is working.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Whatever. She's doing nothing. It's working and it's frustrating. um But ah yeah, so the major vibes. Michelle Obama was in the stadium.
Lifestyle of Longevity: ah So many celebrities in the say stadium, so many black celebrities in the stadium, all rooting for Coco to get to the final.
K: Yeah, that's really cool.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Sadly, it's not happening. um
K: No, both of the Americans. We're kicked out, right?
Lifestyle of Longevity: Out. Yeah, could have been an All -American final, but yet.
K: Today off. yesterday.
Lifestyle of Longevity: yet yet it's not happening um we got a russian and a oh how do you say that in english
K: Yep. Nope.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Kazakh. Peace. a woman from Kazakhstan who mined.
K: Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. Yeah.
Lifestyle of Longevity: You're going, no, no. You are not coming into this final.
K: No, we still have ah an American and with the men's, right? Who could, theoretically. come through.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Well there will at least be one American in the final. Well, there is one American in the final for stop.
K: Hmm.
K: Right, yeah.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yeah.
K: you're You're right, because he's playing against Ben Shelton. Yeah. Mm -hmm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: That's right. So in any kind of way, there will be an American man in the final, but no American woman. And we have um the women there and we can talk a bit tomorrow about who we think is going to win.
K: Mm -mm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: But um yes, it was cute. and The only thing. two small things um that i saw beside the court like i didn't see a lot was sabalenka mentioning that she has apparently a ritual that before the match she always goes to the same restaurant in new york and the day before the semis they had a private function but she rocked up apparently was just like i'm sorry but i have to eat here now And they made it work. They made it work.
K: I think it must be so cool for those people who rented out this restaurant. And and then you have Savalanca joining your private party.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Maybe they don't care for tennis.
K: How cool.
K: Who could not care for tennis?
Lifestyle of Longevity: Lots of people. um Not the ones listening to this podcast, obviously, but... Lots of people. So, but anyway, they know her because, well, the the people who who run the restaurant let her do that and she will be back, which is cool. And the other one was, I saw and I wanted to say, did you see Coco's little box that she has her fruit in?
K: No, mm -mm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: So she, as we already discussed, she she eats fruit. during in between not any like gel packs or anything she eats fruit and she has like a little tu
K: But she also had good gel packs today.
Lifestyle of Longevity: I'm sure, I don't know she what she exclusively does, but she... has a little Tupperware. It's plastic. i want I think we need to send her feedback, but it's plastic and it has a red plastic lid And in it is cut fruit. So you could see cut little watermelon.
Lifestyle of Longevity: um cut bits of what look like strawberry. and grapes. Those three. And she like takes it out and she opens it up and then she has one or two. And i was the times where they showed her, you could tell that she was mainly focusing on the grapes.
Lifestyle of Longevity: which I found interesting. Because. I think the last thing I would take if I was offered that fruit platter. maybe she has like a thing, like in certain situations I eat the grapes and others I eat the strawberry, you know, maybe she has.
K: For sure.
Lifestyle of Longevity: certain style that she doesn' I find she doesn't seem like a person who has so many...
K: For sure.
Lifestyle of Longevity: like rituals as the other ones, but no. And also that her, her nails, do you know that their new balance branded her nails?
K: No. i didn't see that
Lifestyle of Longevity: So she has she She always has gel nails. But her gel nails, I only saw this yesterday. because I'd already seen they have different patterns on them. I saw this when I was looking for her aura ring or.
Lifestyle of Longevity: her not present aura ring. um
K: The ring that's still not present.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Hmm. yeah but the she actually has like a new balance branding on her nails like it's um different like stripes and colors and so you can now like rent like you can market your nails.
K: I think that brought her maybe another million.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Like it's a thing. That's a thing. Yeah. in the cute colors of her of her outfit um yeah so
K: also Also interesting, you know, like the people at New Balance, what might they have? thought about because um they maybe realized she's doing a collaboration with aura And there will be a lot of focus on her hands.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Hmm. Maybe.
K: Wouldn't that be a good time to kind of go for the nails?
Lifestyle of Longevity: You know, that's the kind of thing startups would think of. I kind of think corporates don't move that fast.
K: Could be.
Lifestyle of Longevity: that they would actually see that and be like, oh yeah, right, we have to like. Mark at her nails. No, I think more like her savvy mom was like. What else can we do? Girl, you always get your nails done. Let's get you a sponsor for your nails.
Lifestyle of Longevity: I think that's what happened. Savvy Mama. got got that deal done. No, Coco out. I have not heard anything like of her press conference or whatever. I'm going to look at it later because I really want to know how she reacts. um Yeah, so we have Sabalenka and Rybakina in the final and we will discuss, ah like preview that a bit tomorrow because today what's coming up... are of course the men's finals, but not only the men's finals.
Lifestyle of Longevity: We also have the women's doubles finals coming up and Taylor Townsend is going for the US Open um Grand slam. in the women's doubles. So she didn't do it in her singles, but she was still playing in the doubles with Siniakova.
Lifestyle of Longevity: The seeded one. I say, go get him. Taylor, go get him.
K: Hmm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Go get that US Open title.
K: Now is the time.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Now is your time.
K: Mm -hmm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: They are starting up on Arthur Ashe and then only will they continue. um So the people that bought the ticket for the first men's final, they get both. They also get the women's doubles final, which is awesome.
K: Especially if Taylor Townsend is playing.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Exactly! What an awesome ticket! Anyway, so um she's playing first and then... um That's going to start at six o 'clock in the afternoon, our time.
Lifestyle of Longevity: And then we have Zverev. Against. Khachanov. Kachanov. KK
Lifestyle of Longevity: against kk um that's starting not before nine o 'clock in the evening at our time and this is quite unusual because typically um because they had the shorter break they only had one day break the other men's final had two days break that game is typically played second on so in the evening but they are playing first on because Of course the prime time matches the last one and I mean who are we kidding?
Lifestyle of Longevity: the most exciting match of of the day. is tfo against shelton which is the nighttime match and i was really torn about like Am I going to get upset about it? Because of course.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Zverev's completely in the nighttime rhythm. Right, he's been playing nighttime The whole... time so far and it kind of not only it not only shortens his recovery time versus the others it also completely takes him out of the rhythm so I was upset about that but then I thought well It's against Khachanov.
Lifestyle of Longevity: With all due respect, That is the easier match compared to whoever he's going to play in the final if he makes it. to the final. So rather have the adjustment to...
Lifestyle of Longevity: playing in the afternoon. now and take a hit with your performance potentially because you'll still most likely be up to beating Hachanov I mean let's see Maybe not.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Who knows? But I would think so. um and then be um more in the rhythm of playing in the afternoon when you play in the finals if you pass because the men's finals is going to be in the afternoon on sunday So I'm thinking, I guess he agreed. Maybe they asked him if it would be all right to swap it. Maybe they didn't. But if they asked him, I can imagine that he said.
Lifestyle of Longevity: that he prefers that. What do you think?
K: Yeah no I totally agree. I totally agree and I think they didn't ask. Because if there are two men in the semifinal, they will for sure put this on to the night session. But anyway.
Lifestyle of Longevity: He's the first seed. If it if it was Carlos. Or Novak.
K: Yeah. But it's...
Lifestyle of Longevity: or sinner, they would have asked them.
K: it's It's not them. Anyway, so I think we do agree.
Lifestyle of Longevity: So.
K: that Zverev is going to win this match. I think he will win win this quite easily. Because it seems like he's... come into full form right last um last match or even the match before, I think it was.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Last match he he wasn't in. Last match he was crap.
K: Then it was a match before. I think I didn't see the last one.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Exactly. The tabila one.
K: Hmm.
Lifestyle of Longevity: That's the point. He had one strong performance, which was the tabila one. And then he had a not so good performance again, which is why... I'm wondering who's going to show up.
Lifestyle of Longevity: The thing is... So far, whoever showed up got through.
K: Yes I do think he will win.
Lifestyle of Longevity: So.
K: I do think he will win.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Um, Yeah, well, see, no, he was terrible in the last match.
K: Yeah.
Lifestyle of Longevity: I mean, there's just no. Just know. So, yeah, let's just see what happens. The more exciting match and one I'm so much looking forward to is the TFO Shelton one.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Who do you think is going to win that?
K: ah Shelton. I think Ben Shelton is going to win this if he plays. as he played against Carlos. And also I want Ben to win. Because then at least...
K: Then. wins the whole tournament, tournament hopefully, against Zverev. And that would be. Kind of at least a little bit of a consolation for kicking out Carlos.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yeah
K: So. What that means is I think Ben is going to win.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Ahem.
K: this match. and then the next.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Hmm. I don't know about the next. I want to see both of these matches before I so think about who I think is going to win the whole thing. Um... Because I find...
Lifestyle of Longevity: None of them have been so consistently good as Sabalenka has that I would say I already see them going right the way through. All these players have had major hiccups. So...
Lifestyle of Longevity: And it's really like, who's gonna which version of them is going to show up? tfo shelton i really don't know i find shelton is a guy he really feeds off the crowd And he's going to have the challenge that the crowd isn't.
Lifestyle of Longevity: 100 % behind him. Quite the contrary, there might even be more for TFO. He's the more popular player. and Not by a lot. but like by a bit in the United States.
Lifestyle of Longevity: and so um it's just gonna be really interesting how how everything plays out with the With the people watching because you could really tell in the fifth set against Carlos how he was feeding off the USA USA chance
Lifestyle of Longevity: I mean... They can still try USA, right? Go for it. You kind of have to channel. Didn't Sabalek Lenka once say that in a match that she, whenever they were cheering for the opponent, she always just imagined they were cheering for her.
K: Yeah, could be. It it was some player. I'm not sure whether it was her, but yeah.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yeah, somebody, and I think maybe they're going to just have to be like, whatever happens, everyone's for me. All these people were for me, so they're still for me now. Okay, so you think, Ben, but who do you... And do also and you also want him to win because...
K: I think it's the other way around. I mostly want him to win. And I also think. He's going to win.
Lifestyle of Longevity: ah
K: You know, that's because he kicked out Carlos. And yeah, as I said. If you do that, then please also win the whole to a tournament.
Lifestyle of Longevity: I think that Zverev, if he gets through the final, has a... Bigger chance against TFO. because just from the way they play and they they rile each other up, I feel like he can deal better with with TFO than he can deal with Ben Shelton. So from a Sparrow perspective.
Lifestyle of Longevity: I would want TFO to pass. Um... But I mean... I mean, what's not to like about both of them? I really like TFO. I really like Shelton. I have no, for different reasons, I like both of them. I have no favorite.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Just give me a good tennis match.
K: Yes, I'm really looking forward to that one.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Give me a good tennis match and make sure there's enough time for me to watch it. and the remains of the Zverev match before I go to your house tomorrow.
K: Ugh. it's
Lifestyle of Longevity: That's
K: see Yeah.
Lifestyle of Longevity: the most difficult element of it. Because.
K: If we have two five setters. going each. Four and a half hours.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Yeah, but what are we going to do then? Because you're going to spoil all one of your kids. if Something's going to happen.
K: Yeah, that could be. That could happen. yeah we'll see we'll deal with that tomorrow once we see like the how long the matches went
Lifestyle of Longevity: This is bad. Anyway so I think that was it for today.
K: Yep.
Lifestyle of Longevity: Short and sweet. And we will be back tomorrow to discuss the... men's semis which is typically another fabulous ticket for Grand Slam. So these are really the best days.
Lifestyle of Longevity: The semis days I think are the best days.
K: Yeah, let's see. Talk to you tomorrow.
Lifestyle of Longevity: All right Bye.
