Tripp’s Tennis Talk

It's Friday of week one and 5 of the top 8 WTA seeds are already gone. THIS. IS. MARCH.

Last week's winner and WTA Race #2 Elena Rybakina took the scenic route Thursday in Miami, allowing a 7-5, 4-1 lead to get complicated 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 against a very game Anna Kalinskaya. Other winners Thursday included Coco Gauff, Victoria Azarenka, Jessica Pegula, Lorenzo Sonego, and Jiri Lehecka. In off-court news, I read the Djokovic CNN piece. All that and more on today's episode of TTT.

Join me for a time-traveling adventure as I preview the Miami Open draws and talk through the Tuesday and Wednesday main draw results, highlighted by Bianca Andreescu's entertaining 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win over Emma Raducanu.
Note - Iga Swiatek withdrew today from the Miami Open. I forgot to mention it.

Carlos Alcaraz dropped by the Argon Production studios after he won the BNP Paribas Open to put the world on notice about his brilliance. Here is what he had to say.
Just kidding, this is me sitting in my house doing this. My last name is André.

Championship Sunday at the BNP Paribas Open is set. It'll be Sabalenka vs Rybakina and Alcaraz vs Medvedev. How did we get here? Listen to today's episode to find out!

In today's episode, we start with live comments from Maria Sakkari immediately following her comeback win 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 over Petra Kvitova. Earlier, the day session was relatively straightforward, with Tiafoe overpowering Norrie 6-4, 6-4, Sabalenka destroying Gauff 6-4, 6-0, and Medvedev holding off Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-5 for his eighteenth consecutive match win.
Also on today's episode, we hear from some of the victorious players and I read the statements from the Lesia Tsurenko situation.
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ATP #5 and BNP Paribas Open reigning champion Taylor Fritz opened his title defense with a challenging 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Ben Shelton in which the serve and forehand figured prominently for both players. It was their first career meeting in what has the potential of becoming a long-running rivalry. Meanwhile, #1 seed Carlos Alcaraz returned to big-tournament tennis with a breezy 6-3, 6-3 stroll against Thanasi Kokkinakis. Elsewhere, WTA #1 Iga Swiatek continues to serve up bakery products and #4 seed Ons Jabeur got a win coming back from an injury layoff.
All that and more on today's episode.
Music - "Mettavolution" by Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Oasis (n.) "a fertile spot in a desert, where water is found." There was enough water today to cause a rain delay!
Is Daniil Medvedev back? It certainly appears that way. First, he's back in terms of results; today he won his 15th consecutive match, beating Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-3 in a fun one with several long exciting rallies, one of which featured a Nakashima tweener. Second, it sounds like Meddy is back culturally. He is giving interesting answers in press again. He is being quirky and funny and honest again. I am back on the Meddy train! Let's go!
I'm inclined to not read too much into the Tsitsipas result, and not just because I didn't see the match (lol), but because he's had elbow trouble recently. Let's revisit come Monte Carlo, where he is the 2x defending champion.
Indian Wells was not an oasis for Tsitsipas. Will it be an oasis for Medvedev next weekend?
All that and more on today's episode.
Music - "Mettavolution" by Rodrigo y Gabriela.

In another kiboshed performance, 2020 US Open Champion and former ATP #3 Dominic Thiem squandered a set-and-break lead to Adrian Mannarino, falling 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 to the Frenchman. It was 5-5 in the final set tiebreak. Thiem's tantalizing failure punctuated a horrid start to his 2023 campaign (1-7 match record). Thiem's body language was visibly anguished throughout the match. The former Indian Wells champion is down to #102 in the rankings.
Dominic Thiem superfan Madeline sent me a quick voice memo in the aftermath of tonight's match.
On today's episode, we also hear from Andy Murray. I also do a score read and schedule preview.
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Music - "Mettavolution" by Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Gael Monfils returns to tennis after an injury layoff as a new dad. La Monf's comeback ended swiftly at the hands of Jordan Thompson but Gael feels "blessed" just the same.
Yibing Wu had an encounter with the net on match point. Jaume Munar noticed. Aurelie Tourte did not notice. Yibing Wu was awarded the victory. Two Wus won today: Yibing and Tung-Lin. That must be a first.
Plus - a journalist asks the White House Press Secretary about Novak Djokovic!
Music - "Mettavolution" by Rodrigo y Gabriela.