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00:00Four Americans, two singles titles up for grabs, so could this be a weekend to remember in New York?
00:06Coco Gauff and Jessica Pagula, they are both one win away from setting up an All-American Women's Final.
00:11But Elena Rabacchina and Irena Sabalenka, they stand in their way.
00:15On the men's side is Francis Tiafoe against Ben Shelton with a spot in the final on the line.
00:20So, joining me to break it all down is the host of Tuned Into Tennis with Miles Davis, the one
00:26and only Miles Davis.
00:27He is back. He made his tennis predictions last time.
00:30And he's here to join and talk some more U.S. help with me again.
00:33Miles, what's going on, my friend? How you doing?
00:36Dexter, I'm happy to be back.
00:38It has been a whirlwind of tennis results just in the last, like, 24 hours.
00:43So, I'm glad to be here to talk all about it.
00:45Yeah, man. It's been a whirlwind.
00:47It's been some late nights for some people. We'll get to that a little bit later.
00:50But a lot of good tennis going on.
00:52Miles, when you look at this, just to start with a big overview, we've got Francis Tiafoe.
00:56We've got Ben Shelton.
00:57We've got Coco Gauff.
00:59We've also got Jessica Gula in the semifinals.
01:02So, I'm going to have you do this.
01:04Put the American fan hat on for a second.
01:06What excites you the most about this group?
01:08And I see. I like that you put the hat on there.
01:11And whose tennis gives you the most confidence heading into the next round when you look at this group?
01:17Man, that American flag is looking beautiful next to a lot of those players' names.
01:22I think the person that gives me the most confidence is the person that has had the biggest career victory
01:28over the last couple of hours.
01:30And that is Mr. Ben Shelton, who took out Carlos Alcarez, the defending champion.
01:34That was his first ever win over Carlos Alcarez.
01:36That snapped a streak of, like, 10, 11, 12 straight five-set matches in a row that Carlos Alcarez had
01:44won.
01:45And Ben Shelton was right there with Carlos Alcarez the whole way.
01:49I think he thinks that was the best performance he's ever had.
01:52So I think it's right for me to say after watching that match, seeing how he kind of came through
01:58against the best tennis player of the last five years in Carlos Alcarez, that gives me the most confidence.
02:03And I think on the women's side, if I'm confident in any player that has the American flag, it's going
02:08to be Coco Gauff just because she's riding the win streak now.
02:11And she knows that she can come back from even match point and get the job done.
02:16So Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton, who were actually my pre-tournament picks, are looking pretty good.
02:22I'm glad you mentioned that because I was going to mention that.
02:25I said, okay, I see you.
02:26I see you here, Miles, out here riding with your pre-tournament picks, letting the people know that they are
02:30still alive.
02:31But let's talk with the ladies here as we get into things because Coco Gauff, your girl who you mentioned,
02:38she was shaky in a quarterfinals matchup.
02:41Shaky to start, let me be very clear.
02:43But she did save two match points against Mira Andriva, and she did come back and win.
02:48And when a player survives something like that, do you think she can come into the next match feeling like
02:53she's playing with house money or do the problems that put her in trouble in the first place still concerning?
03:01I feel like for Coco Gauff, I am taking the route of house money just because she's been there before.
03:07She's been in the final of the U.S. Open, has won it there, is riding this win streak since
03:13Cincinnati.
03:14And it kind of feels like it's all coming together for her.
03:17And previously, before that quarterfinal matchup, she hadn't dropped a set in the last handful of matches she's played.
03:23And sometimes, most times, actually, when you are the person trying to get your hand on a Grand Slam trophy,
03:30there comes a time where you have to be battle tested.
03:32Very few people just kind of walk an easy plank road to that title.
03:36You've got to get tested.
03:37And she was sure enough tested against Mira Andriva.
03:39So, I'm feeling good about her.
03:42I don't think there's any part of her game that is likely going to be 100% perfect.
03:47Nobody on tour is.
03:48But if she can put up the kind of play that she did the first four rounds and in that
03:53quarterfinal, getting through with not her best stuff on the day, she's looking stronger and stronger for that trophy.
03:59Now, there's no doubt about that.
04:00There is a feeling where you can be very impressed with the fact that she was able to win and
04:05get to the semis without her best stuff in the quarters.
04:07And Goff, she next gets Elena Rabakina coming up in the semis.
04:12If you're in Coco's corner, what's the game plan to make this match happen on Coco's terms?
04:16And what's the one thing she cannot afford to let Rabakina dictate here?
04:22If I'm talking to Coco Goff, she's got to keep those running shoes on because Rabakina is going to make
04:28her go from sideline to sideline with the way she's been playing.
04:31Funny enough, Rabakina just clinked the world number one ranking by getting to the semifinal.
04:36So when all is said and done, whether she leaves the trophy or not, Rabakina is going to be the
04:40current WTA world number one.
04:42And she's been playing well.
04:43She dropped a set in the quarterfinals to Jing Chin Nguyen.
04:46But Coco Goff knows how to play Rabakina.
04:49They just played in Cincinnati.
04:51Coco kind of maybe sort of should have taken that one.
04:55But I think if it becomes a roadrunners match, which Elena Rabakina doesn't want it to be, meaning it's about
05:01who covers the court better, that's going to benefit Coco Goff all day.
05:04And the one thing Coco Goff needs to have on her side, it sounds like the same old story with
05:09Coco, but she can't afford to give Elena Rabakina too many looks at just easy second serves.
05:14So she needs to kind of, you know, curtail the second serves and curtail the double faults, which she has
05:20been doing well on this win streak.
05:21But she can't just lay up too many easy picking second serves for Elena Rabakina because Rabakina is a great
05:27returner and Rabakina is the best serve on the women's game right now.
05:31So Coco just has to walk up to the service line, do what she's been doing, drop the 120 bombs
05:38and so on, and put the ball into play and make Rabakina run because that's not her strong suit.
05:43So I'm interested in what that matchup looks like.
05:44It's going to be very interesting to see what Coco could do.
05:47Can she make Rabakina run?
05:48Can that be interesting one in the other semifinal matchup?
05:51We've got Jessica Pagula versus Arena Sabalenka.
05:53That is a rematch of the 2024 U.S. Open final.
05:56What makes you believe that Jessica could change the ending this time?
06:01And where does she need to take the initiative to give herself that chance to come out on top?
06:08It's so tricky with Jessica Pagula because she's one of those players.
06:11I mentioned earlier, like nobody does 100% of things perfect on the court.
06:15She's somebody that I would kind of put in that argument to dispel it because she does so many things
06:20way above average.
06:22It's just that Sabalenka tends in that matchup to have just a couple of percentage percent gears that she can
06:29go to.
06:29Whereas Pagula, the base game that she brings is great, but I'm not sure that she's going to have the
06:36ability to kind of put the foot on the pedal and go that extra mile.
06:40However, Sabalenka hasn't looked the sharpest over the last two weeks.
06:45She's made herself to the semi.
06:47She loves the courts at the U.S. Open.
06:48But I think the best case scenario is that Pagula sticks with Sabalenka every step of the way.
06:54If Sabalenka goes out there and just completely jumps on her early and Pagula kind of can't catch up, then
07:01that's a problem.
07:02But if they keep each other kind of neck and neck, I think it's more evident now than ever that
07:08Sabalenka is going to have some trouble closing.
07:11Because she struggled with that in the last couple of matches in Grand Slams.
07:14And Pagula is not the person that you want to feel a little tighter on the neck and start choking
07:19a lot with.
07:19Because she can do everything well.
07:21Yes, she can.
07:21Leave the door open.
07:22She might be able to take advantage of things here in the semis.
07:25In your eyes, Miles, how realistic is an All-American women's final here?
07:30You know, between Goff and Rabakina and then Pagula against Sabalenka, which matchup gives the American the better opening, I
07:36would say, to get to the finals?
07:38And what would have to go right in your eyes for both American women to advance here?
07:44I'm hoping we get that All-American final.
07:47You know, my American flag hat is still on, even though you can't see it right now.
07:51It's still on.
07:52I think Rabakina, I think, is going to have to put in a slightly subpar performance to give Coco Goff
08:01the edge.
08:02Because she just beat Coco Goff.
08:03So that leads me to believe she can do it again on similar courts.
08:06But Coco Goff, like I said at the top, she's battle tested.
08:10She's saved match points.
08:11She's kind of playing with those house money.
08:13So I'm going to take Coco Goff.
08:15I got to stick with my pre-tournament pick, especially since she's this deep in the draw.
08:18And I am going to go with Pagula getting that upset over Sabalenka because I just see the entirety of
08:25the crowd, the moment, kind of propelling Pagula to keep that match tight.
08:30And if that match is tight, especially in the third set, I give Pagula the edge because she's showing something
08:38that I think has maybe been a little bit missing in her game in Grand Slam, which is that grit
08:42and that ability to elevate.
08:44And I think it's going to be the biggest opportunity that she's had in a while to kind of showcase
08:48that, hey, I can be steady and win the other lead-up tournaments, but I can also win the biggest
08:54tournament of them all in the U.S. Open.
08:55So I'm hoping that we get that All-American Coco versus Jesse final.
09:00I'm glad you mentioned the crowd here because I do think that could be a factor, not just for Pagula,
09:05but even for Coco because a good amount of the Americans that will be here at the U.S. Open
09:09are going to want, like you, to see that All-American final.
09:12And they're going to really get behind these players.
09:14And I'm really wondering how much of that is going to be a factor in what we see on the
09:19women's side and then on the men's side, which we're going to get to right now, because we all watched,
09:23well, I don't say we all, some of us watched the marathon match on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning as
09:30Ben Shelton took out Carlos Alcaraz in five sets.
09:34I'm personally not sure how you could follow an epic win like that because that was a lot for Ben
09:39Shelton.
09:40What did you see in that win that makes you trust Shelton against Francis Tiafoe, who will play in the
09:46semis?
09:47And also, I guess on the other side, where can Francis make Ben uncomfortable in this match?
09:54That's great questions because I think the thing that stuck out to me in Ben's win over Carlos Alcaraz was
10:00just his ability to kind of stay steadfast from the baseline and handle the barrage of shots that Carlos can
10:07kind of give to you,
10:08especially if he's really putting his weight behind the shots.
10:12And Ben withstood it.
10:13I mean, going into that match, it was always going to be advantage on the serve goes to Ben Shelton,
10:19advantage on the return goes to Carlos Alcaraz.
10:21But it was kind of flipped.
10:23Ben was able to step up to the service line, put his 145 mile per hour bombs in.
10:28And when it was time to return Carlos to serve, he was putting it at his feet.
10:32So he was making it difficult on both sides of the coin for Carlos Alcaraz.
10:35And if he can do stuff like that against Francis Tiafoe, I do give him the edge.
10:40But in however, it is hard sometimes in tennis to have what is unequivocally your best win and then follow
10:47that up with another win just because it takes so much out of you emotionally and mentally.
10:51And I'm sure his line in social media has been blowing up after getting that win over Carlos Alcaraz, you
10:55know.
10:56So it'll be interesting to see how he comes out.
10:58On the flip side, Francis cannot afford to do what he did in his quarterfinal against Alex Nicholson.
11:03And he came out super flat.
11:05He even said it like he was basically sleepwalking.
11:08The crowd was sleepwalking.
11:09The vibes were just not there until the last hour.
11:13And his opponent kind of just couldn't close it.
11:15Francis cannot afford to do that because Ben's going to come out firing, I think.
11:19They both need to come out firing.
11:20But if Francis is able to kind of do what I think is his greatest asset, which is a hybrid
11:26of aggression and coming to the net and knowing when to kind of stay back, he's going to be good.
11:33But I don't think he's going to he's going to do himself too many favors if he keeps that kind
11:37of mentality he had for the first two hours of his quarterfinal and just try to slug it from the
11:40baseline because Ben's playing too well.
11:42And I think his his pace to shot is a little bit heavier than Francis wants to see.
11:46But I'm super interested in that matchup.
11:48It has a lot of different layers to it, but I can't wait to see play out.
11:51Yeah, I can't wait to watch it because as you just talked about, we saw Tiafoe come back from down
11:56two sets against Alec Nicholson.
11:58And he did look sleepy in the first couple sets when he got down.
12:04The fact that he did come back, though, Miles, does that make you more confident in his ability to handle
12:09the semifinal pressure that's here now?
12:12Or are you concerned about how much that he had to spend, how much energy he had to spend just
12:18getting to the semifinals and coming back from two downs in the quarters?
12:24I am a little concerned because it's not just that quarterfinal two sets to love come back.
12:30He also was two sets to one down in the first round.
12:33So those two instances combined make me a little nervous about what is actually left in the Francis Tiafoe tank.
12:41He said some things post-match like, you know, I'm still running off of adrenaline.
12:44I'm going to be hurting after a while.
12:45And, you know, the body can only do as much as it can.
12:48And these are top tier, amazing athletes, but they also are human, you know.
12:52But on the flip side of that, I think there's something to be said for a little bit of destiny
12:58or a little bit of like alignment,
13:00because this is the third time Francis Tiafoe will be in the semifinals.
13:04I think things that are great come in threes, you know, third time's the charm.
13:09So I'm hoping that he takes everything that he's learned from the last four or five years of his career.
13:15And just pushes until the very end, because he has talked so much about he only needs this one shot
13:20and it's right in front of him.
13:22It's going to be a tough act to go through Ben Shelton and then whoever's on the other side of
13:25the net coming from the other side of the draw in the final.
13:28But I think he can do it because he's battle tested.
13:32He knows what it feels like to be a point or two away from being out of this tournament.
13:36He's gotten through that and he's done the work, as he said, in the offseason, doing the 75 hard and
13:41just kind of retooling his body and getting an extra percent.
13:44But he knows it's not going to be a big question of physically, can he do it?
13:48But can the tennis, the X's and O's and the mentality all align for him to get the job done?
13:53And I think after that match against Nicholson, he knows that this is his opportunity and he just has to
13:59leave it all out there.
14:01I wonder. And, you know, those are the intangibles in sports, right, Miles?
14:04And we just don't know sometimes, right, that that want to, I will say, that desire to want to win
14:09something.
14:09Can that push you through even when you haven't looked at your best, like we've seen from Francis Tiafoe at
14:14times?
14:14But it's interesting. Speaking of pushing through and desire, Ben Shelton's quarterfinal against Carlos Alcares.
14:21That finished after 3.30 a.m. Eastern. Now, I don't know about you, sir, but some of us, not
14:29saying me, some people like the late night drama.
14:33I don't know if you stayed. Did you stay up and watch all five sets? Did you watch everything?
14:37I did. Good for you. Yeah, I did.
14:40I've got to be honest with you. I tapped out after set number four. I had to go to bed.
14:45Couldn't do it. I tapped out after set number four.
14:47It was, and listen, I would have loved to finish watching. I watched the highlights in the morning, but, you
14:52know, I was trying to get on schedule.
14:53I got to start taking my daughter back to school, so I had to try to get things on schedule.
14:57I had to draw the line somewhere.
14:59Now, some people like- We have lives, you know?
15:00Yeah, you know, we got things going on, but some people, as I said, they like the late night drama,
15:05Miles, but when you look at the late night drama and the fact of, you kind of touched on this
15:10already, but everything that Shelton had to go through in beating Alcaraz and the high that he's been on and,
15:16you know, best win of his career and all that,
15:19just playing that long, playing that late, do you think that could have any cost to him in the semifinal?
15:26And when you're watching Ben Shelton, what would you watch for early in this match against Tiafoe to tell whether
15:32he's recovered right or he's just going straight off of adrenaline?
15:37What are you going to be looking for early on in this match with him?
15:41I am going to see how many little cupping marks I can notice on Ben Shelton's shoulder.
15:50Because he came out, I think, in the very first round of this tournament with like eight or nine big
15:55red cupping marks, which is a very common and popular way of recovering and kind of getting muscle tissue together.
16:02I'm not a physiotherapist, so don't quote me, but I know it's popular.
16:06I would imagine if it's not cupping, it's something that he had to really do to recover from that match
16:11because it was physical.
16:13I am just going to be looking for where his serve speeds are, how he's kind of getting in and
16:18out of the corners, because that was such a prevalent core part of why he beat Carlos Alcaraz, because he
16:24was able to match his athleticism.
16:26It's never that I thought Ben Shelton was not athletic, but the showcase he put against Carlos Alcaraz, there was
16:35really not a part of the court that he could cover.
16:37So if he's able to kind of replicate that, then it's going to be even more fireworks than there were
16:43against Carlos Alcaraz.
16:46I just hope that we're able to kind of get back on a regular sleeping pattern, but it's also New
16:50York, and they say that city doesn't sleep.
16:52So I don't know. Maybe this is just the vibe of this tournament. I don't know.
16:55Hey, man, as a native New Yorker, I know the city does never sleep, but I do have to sleep.
17:01I will say that. I do have to sleep, and I made the choice to get some sleep, but listen,
17:05it's really good.
17:06Before we hop on, I got a couple more things for you.
17:08Are you bothered, because this has been a big talk around the tennis community, are you bothered by the fact
17:13that there are matches that have gone this late?
17:15I know it's been a unique circumstance here in the quarterfinals where six of the first quarterfinal matches all went
17:21to distance, but does that bother you at all?
17:23Do you feel like the U.S. Open needs to change anything about this or anything around it, or it's
17:27just it is what it is?
17:29It does make me wonder, because I even said out loud when I was watching this, like just when the
17:34camera panned to the bowl of people inside Arthur Ashe, I was like, why is everybody getting home after this?
17:40Because what about the public transportation?
17:42Like, I think it kind of stops after a certain hour, and we were well past that hour.
17:46Oh, no, it keeps going.
17:48I don't know what's the Ubers and Lyft?
17:49It keeps going.
17:49The public transportation goes.
17:50Okay, good.
17:51It's just, it's not as, it doesn't run as often.
17:54You know, you're waiting longer for trains, but there's still public transportation options.
17:58Yeah.
17:59Good to know.
18:00Yes.
18:00Because I was thinking everybody was going to get a healthy Lyft or Uber charge after trying to leave Arthur
18:05Ashe Stadium.
18:06I'm sure they still did.
18:08Those who decided to not take public transportation, I'm sure they still did.
18:11Yeah, they got, they got deep pockets, but on the flip side of that, I think, I do think about
18:18the people that the camera really doesn't show, like the people who are over environmental services and laundry and getting
18:25the players to and from security, like the people that actually are boots on the ground, keeping that tournament alive
18:31and well-oiled, they are the ones that are kind of lighting the candles at all ends.
18:36If the tournament, if the matches aren't even finishing until 3 or 4 a.m., you got to think about
18:41the recuperation for getting back in session to get the whole grounds ready for another day of action.
18:47So I guess in some ways, if you're signing up as to work that or to volunteer that, you kind
18:53of know the nature of the beast, but we all have limits.
18:57People deserve rest.
18:59So I'm not sure if this particular instance of all of those matches going as deep as they have, and
19:04even in the earlier rounds, matches going, you know, deep into 2 a.m., touching 3 a.m., if they're
19:11going to try to implicate or use a curfew similar to what Wimbledon has going on.
19:17But there is a part of my brain that kind of likes the nicheness that this tournament brings, and it
19:23kind of just falls in line with that whole New York attitude, never sleeps.
19:28If there's going to be one tournament that has matches deep into the wee hours of the morning, it's going
19:34to be New York, you know?
19:35And after New York, the tennis season gets into this, like, weird, we care but don't care era.
19:42It happens every year.
19:43So I think if you're going to be playing until 4 or 5 a.m., do it in New York,
19:47you know?
19:47Fair points.
19:48All great points, including about some of the people that we do not see around the sport, behind the scenes,
19:53that work there at the grounds at the USTA and do a lot and have quick turnarounds and have to
19:57be back in for the day session the next day.
19:59It's a really great point.
20:01A couple more things for you, Myles.
20:03Going back to Tiafoe Shelton, if you could for the people, could you give us one winning adjustment for each
20:08player?
20:09And I just want to say this because we're looking at two Americans sharing the stage here in the semifinal
20:14matchup.
20:15But who do you think gets the crowd in his corner when the match gets tight?
20:20Because I think we both agree the crowd is going to matter here a ton.
20:23Who, which of these two players can really get the crowd behind them if things get tight?
20:30You know, the friend I was watching the match with last night made a remark about Ben Shelton, just kind
20:37of how his demeanor is.
20:39I look at Ben Shelton as pretty demonstrative, but maybe that doesn't really translate to the casual fan who only
20:46watches tennis a handful of times a year.
20:49But if you turn on a Francis Tiafoe match, especially if he's feeling good, you can see that he's just
20:55that little bit more demonstrative.
20:57And I feel like that falls in line with what the crowd wants to see in a semifinal, knowing we're
21:03going to get an American in the final.
21:04I think the crowd backs Francis Tiafoe just that bit much because we know that he's a little bit older.
21:11He's knocked on this door before.
21:13And I think there's just more people pulling to try to get him over that line.
21:18And I think he we know his story, you know, coming his parents coming from Sierra Leone, the story of
21:24him kind of, you know, being up under his father and in the maintenance room of these tennis camps and
21:30just kind of bit by bit getting to a point where he's now a full-fledged professional.
21:33It's an inspiring story.
21:35And I think that resonates with people.
21:36So I do think the crowd is going to be, like I said, 51-49 pro Francis.
21:43But there's definitely going to be some Ben Shelton lovers in there because he has a vibe, too, you know?
21:49Yeah, no, no doubt.
21:50Ben Shelton is a very energetic dude out there on the court, no doubt about it.
21:54And listen, I can see both of them in this match egging the crowd on, trying to get the crowd
21:59into it when they need them to.
22:00And I think that's good for the sport.
22:02I think that's good for the viewers and what they want to see in this match here.
22:06That's why it should be really intriguing, even though we know an American man will advance to the U.S.
22:11Open final here in 2026.
22:12Okay, Myles, here we go.
22:13Here we go.
22:14You know what time it is.
22:15It's prediction time for you again.
22:18Your predictions, they're looking good.
22:20They're looking good so far.
22:21If people watched our U.S. Open preview, it's looking good for our boy Myles David here.
22:26So here we go.
22:27Who wins Tiafoe Shelton?
22:30Does Coco advance?
22:31And does Jess advance?
22:34Who are you going with?
22:35Who are your winners here?
22:39There's a part of my brain after talking to you that wants to sub in Francis's name to be the
22:45champion.
22:46Oh, change.
22:48Change is good sometimes.
22:49There really, really is just because I've been on a journey with my guy Francis.
22:53And I think I'm going to lean into the fact that Francis takes that W, gets to his first Grand
22:58Slam final.
22:59And then on the other side of the draw, it's likely going to be Alexander's bearer.
23:05So I do have some pause because I don't think Francis enjoys that matchup.
23:08But if we're just talking who's getting to the final and repping the American flag, I'm going to wave and
23:15go Francis Tiafoe.
23:16So you're going against your pick of Ben Shelton, just to be clear.
23:20You're going against your pick of Ben Shelton.
23:23Which I'm waiting until the last minute.
23:25I'm going to be clear for the people.
23:26Somebody's going to say Miles David is a flip-flopping out here.
23:29Miles David is not.
23:30He is going with the vibe of how he feels.
23:32He's got some new information.
23:33And he's allowed to change.
23:35That is fine.
23:36Go ahead, sir.
23:36I'm sorry.
23:38Absolutely.
23:38Absolutely.
23:39I think I'm going to go Francis.
23:41And on the women's side, I'm going to stay fast with my Coco pick.
23:44She worried me in this quarterfinal, especially against Mira Andreva,
23:49who she had never lost to before.
23:51So I was like, this is an interesting time to get that first loss.
23:53But she came through.
23:54And I'm going to pick her to get through Rabacana.
23:57That'll be a tough match.
23:58And then she knows how to beat Pagula.
24:01She just beat Pagula in a final in Cincinnati three weeks ago.
24:04And she knows how to beat Sabalenka at the U.S. Open.
24:07She did it back in 2023.
24:08I think we're looking at a Francis Tiafoe and Coco Golf Championship weekend,
24:14which I think would just be immensely popular for the sport.
24:19For a bunch of different reasons.
24:20Like, I hope we get that.
24:22I think we are dangerously close to getting it.
24:25And I want to bite at the apple of seeing Francis and Coco interact
24:29with both of those big, huge trophies in their hands.
24:31I think that would be immensely wonderful for tennis.
24:35I really do.
24:35Man, I'm just thinking about it.
24:37That would be pretty dope.
24:39Huge.
24:40Let me ask you this.
24:41This is the last thing I want you.
24:42I would like you to try to finish a sentence for me, if you can.
24:45Because you just, you gave the American tennis fan a lot of hope here, Mr. David.
24:51For, finish the sentence for me.
24:53For an American to leave New York holding a singles trophy,
24:57the biggest thing that has to happen is blank.
25:00What's that blank?
25:03On both the men's and women's side?
25:05On both the men's and women's side.
25:06All together.
25:07Yeah.
25:08One for the men.
25:09You can answer it for one for the men and one for the women.
25:11The biggest thing that has to happen is blank.
25:12I got it.
25:13The biggest thing that needs to happen is for Francis Tiafoe to fully commit
25:19and believe in his tennis and what he's done this season to make himself
25:24the best player he has been and get the most wins on tour he ever has.
25:28He needs to fully believe that in the moment.
25:31That's what I think is going to separate him.
25:33And then for Coco Gauff, it's a little bit more tactical.
25:35I know Coco Gauff has belief and grit and passion in spades,
25:40but she needs to rely on what she's done tactically to get her serve where it is.
25:46If her serve is firing and she's moving and covering the court like she has
25:49over the past couple of weeks, she is a very tough out.
25:53So Coco Gauff needs to have their serve firing,
25:56and Francis Tiafoe needs to completely lean in and believe in himself
26:00and the work that he's done for us to get those Americans lifting those trophies.
26:04All right.
26:05You know, Miles David wants to see it.
26:06I know the people want to see it.
26:07The Americans holding trophies, singles trophies at the 2026 U.S. Open.
26:12My guy, Miles David, going with Coco Gauff on the women's side.
26:15Francis Tiafoe on the men's side.
26:18Although if that doesn't work out, you can remember he initially picked Ben Shelton.
26:21It's okay.
26:21You can remember that too.
26:22So he's got a little bit of cover.
26:24That is fine too.
26:25That is my guy, Miles David,
26:26the host of Tuned Into Tennis with Miles David.
26:30Check him out there.
26:30Check out his YouTube channel.
26:32It's really dope.
26:32If you love tennis, go hit the subscribe button there too.
26:35Miles, this was good, man.
26:36We've now talked twice through this U.S. Open tournament.
26:39I do think a third time is coming.
26:41We got to do this again.
26:43Hey, good things coming threes, man.
26:45It's always a fun time chopping it up with you.
26:48And hopefully next time we speak,
26:49we got some bright, shiny pictures we can put in the thumbnail
26:53of two Americans holding the trophy.
26:55That would be pretty dope.
26:58I hope that happens again, my brother.
26:59We will talk soon.
27:00Thank you so much.
27:02All right, man.
27:02Take care.
27:05All right.
27:06We'll see you next time.
27:07We'll see you next time.
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