DEBATE: ATP Doubles Proposals + Wimbledon 2026 Review

**Dan Kiernan** (0:08)
Hello, and a big welcome to Control the Controllables and our Wimbledon Review 2026
And big apologies. I know that some of you have been waiting.
We normally get these done a couple of days after the event. But just on a little bit of a personal note, we've had a difficult week in our family as my amazing mam, as we always call up in the Northeast, passed away earlier this week. And I just want to dedicate this episode and I guess a little, little story on when I set the podcast up, she was diagnosed with dementia eight years ago, seven, eight years ago. And one of the things she used to do in the early stages of dementia is she would sit and listen to the podcasts. And that was something that kept her very connected to me. And she told me, my kind of heart sank, that that's what she was doing. And that was always a big driver for this podcast. That when I was speaking, I was always speaking to mam, living in Spain and traveling the world as a coach, never got home quite as much as I would like. And I guess it's very fitting that in a week that we've had as a family, as we've said our goodbyes to her, that this episode is absolutely dedicated to her. She loved the podcast. She loved tennis.
She loved Wimbledon. And the fact that it's the Wimbledon review is all the extra special. So rest in peace to my amazing mam. And I hope you enjoy what is an incredible episode. You know, it's an episode that does get a little bit fiery as we are talking about a passionate subject of ours, which is tennis and how we continue to develop the sport of tennis in the news that happened during Wimbledon as they were talking about the getting rid of doubles type narrative that has been put in place. That is a big part of the discussion that we have on this episode today. And as well as talking about the great champions, the Nosková, the Czechs that are taking over once again at Wimbledon. And then Yannick Sinner's first Grand Slam win of 2026, his fifth Grand Slam, and playing a final against Alexander Zverev, a much improved Alexander Zverev. It's amazing what getting Roland Garros under your belt does. Then, of course, Arthur Ferry and his run, which was, as everyone kept on calling it, a fairy tale run for a British player. I think this is a good one. It's Calvin Betton is with us. He comes in a little bit late into this conversation. Freddie Nielsen, an ever-present on the show, and Kieron Vorster as well, with a little bit of a towards-the-end Candy Reid jumped in and joined us as well. So always thank those guys for their time. And I hope you enjoyed it. Our Wimbledon 2026 review.
So Wimbledon 2026 review panelists, how are we doing?

**Freddie Nielsen** (3:27)
Good, thanks.

**Dan Kiernan** (3:28)
How are you? Good, thank you. And I know, sorry, we're a few days late, guys, but I think it could be interesting for us to look at this one with a week's reflection. Sometimes we only have 24 hours reflection.
Looking back on Wimbledon 2026, where are we going to start, Fred?

**Freddie Nielsen** (3:47)
I think my takeaway is a little bit the same from French Open. It seems like the ones that have been dominating are starting to maybe show a little bit of weakness and running out of steam. And it's going to open up for a little bit. We talked about it in Paris, the Wild West, which results in it makes a little more interesting and on men's and women's sides. So it seems like the days where you go into a slam and basically all the match are open are coming back. So for me, it makes it a little bit interesting. If you look at it from a non analyzing spectator view, obviously analyzing the tennis and I think the quality is a little more random, but I don't mind it as a spectator because I found it to be a little bit boring at times as well, that it was so stale. But yeah, I think it's interesting. I like it.

**Dan Kiernan** (4:36)
Even on the men's side?

**Freddie Nielsen** (4:37)
Yeah, I think I think Sinner didn't look great. I think he got away with a few scares. Obviously he played his best tenets when he needed to. But my takeaway was he was such a big favorite in Paris and in Wimbledon and he had no physical scares in Wimbledon. But I wasn't convinced by his tenets in the first few rounds. He got away with a few and it left me with the, if I were another player, I would be thinking that he might be there for the taking even though he ended up winning. And yeah, I think if a guy like Sfery was starting to make rounds and finals, I think he might be going in to a few years where he has his best years and he could be potentially disrupting the top two a little bit if they continue showing.