ATP Weekly: Was dealing with pressure the key to Zverev beating Shelton in the US Open final? How do we rate the tournaments of Tiafoe, Michelsen, Fritz? Are we sleeping on Learner Tien? Did Alcaraz justify his return from injury?

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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There is so much NFL on ESPN right now. Monday Night Football, plus pregame and postgame. NFL Live, NFL Primetime. Everything you need to stay on top of every game, every week.

Steve Flink (0:58)

Unbelievable.

SPEAKER_2 (0:59)

And now, NFL Network is on the ESPN app. More football, more coverage, more ways to watch. Football's on. All season long on ESPN and streaming on the ESPN app.

Steve Flink (1:14)

My name is Klaar Tausen and I'm a friend of the show. Boom.

I am Francisco George and I'm a friend of the show.

John Silk (1:21)

Perfect. Hi, my name is Susan Lehmans and I'm a friend of the show.

My name is Zainab Samas and I'm a friend of the show. Boom.

SPEAKER_2 (1:31)

Hey guys, my name is Sasha Vickery and I'm a friend of the show.

SPEAKER_1 (1:35)

Boom.

John Silk (1:36)

Hi, my name is Lloyd Harris and I'm a friend of the show. Perfect.

Steve Flink (1:41)

Hi, my name is Jan Faria and I'm a friend of the show.

SPEAKER_1 (1:44)

Boom. Yes, sir.

John Silk (1:46)

Take one.

SPEAKER_1 (1:46)

Well done.

John Silk (1:47)

Hi, my name is Jasmine Paulini and I'm a friend of the show. Wow, Jasmine. You got it in one time.

Steve Flink (1:54)

Ready. Play.

John Silk (2:04)

Good afternoon. Good evening. Good morning.

Especially if you're in North or even South America, where I know it is still just the morning, 10 AM or approaching 10 AM Eastern Standard Time where Steve is. How are you doing this morning, Steve?

Steve Flink (2:18)

John, I'm doing very well. I just want to quickly say at the outset that anybody that doesn't love that intro that you do with all of those players just simply doesn't understand life.

John Silk (2:29)

Steve, that's a very kind and very fun way to begin the show.

The thing is, all of those players have a story and all of those players have ups and downs. I mean, when we filmed that, I would say in particular, Zeynep Somerz and Jaime Faria were probably not known to casual tennis fans and maybe even slightly beyond casual fans. But those two players are very well known now. Jaime, for example, in the last 19, 20 months has played on some of the biggest stages of all playing against some of the biggest players of them all. Zeynep Somerz has made a few good runs making Turkish tennis history.

I think both of the Grand Slam final appearances for Jasmine Paolini came shortly after, because I think that was 2024 we spoke, the beginning of 2024 anyway. So it was just ahead of her French Open and Wimbledon final appearances. So yeah, Lloyd Harris hasn't quite kicked on since since we spoke, but had an injury sort of hit a couple of years, in fact, more than that. But yeah, I think in a way, Steve, what's charming is, is I occasionally I speak to some super big players in the game, but they're not really friends of the show in the same way those players. I mean, Jamie Fadia, for example, we've been speaking for about three years now. And yeah, I saw him in Portugal a couple of months ago, and he's like, he's talking to me about my podcast. And just there was a bit more of a real connection there than, than if I got Carlos Alcaraz to say the same, who I've known from press conferences, but not much more. So I appreciate that intro from you, Steve. And I want to ask you, how was the open for you?

Steve Flink (4:12)

Oh, it was as usual, exhausting, exhilarating, compelling, just a great 15 days and weather largely held up well. And I thought it was a great tournament.

John Silk (4:28)

Steve, I think you might have thought I might ask you this question, I'm going to, or you might not, I might be catching you cold, but either way, it's fine. I think this year, more than most, there has been a bit of attention on the media, scrutiny on the media, particularly, of course, these new forms of media.