2025 Prediction Special

In this episode of the podcast, the hosts discuss their predictions for the upcoming tennis season, including Grand Slam winners for both men's and women's singles. They share personal updates, recount their weekends, and engage in light-hearted banter while analysing the current state of tennis and the players to watch in the upcoming tournaments. In this engaging podcast episode, the hosts delve into their predictions for the upcoming tennis season, analysing player performances, and making bold forecasts about rankings and potential scandals in the sport. The conversation is lively and filled with humour, showcasing the hosts' passion for tennis and their insights into the players' futures.

What do you predict for the 2025 tennis season?

Let us know what you think of this week’s pod and anything you’d like to hear being discussed in future episodes - you might even get a shout out!
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Transcript

0:36

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen to Loosely Strung tennis podcast. This week is our predictions special featuring Price's vape. What? Top 5 on the tour this year. Banned substance. raspberry. Yeah. a top so... Aye, wait to see this though, just sorry, while we're on the topic, you know vapes are getting banned because they're not disposable anymore. What? A detachable vape? wow, that's great. That's it, we promote health, good living. We were once sponsored by AG1, now we're sponsored by Vapes. Is it time to admit that you had just put a face over the camera and it was utter shit? thing I've ever tasted in my life. I wish we could actually put out the video that I did the first time when I tried it. I was just like... It was so bad, But yeah, boys. Just the three of us this week. Skinny in the Dam. Yeah, ho ho, ho ho. Just visiting museums, I think, apparently, so, we'll see. museum on the red light district. on a child less than 12 months old, but I'm... I digress. We'll never know. And Gary, just can't make it today. I'm sure you're all good. Right, anyhow boys, you've been up too much this weekend. Or last weekend, sorry. Battening down the hatches, storm Daragh giving us an absolute doing on board the MV Alfa. Alfa? Alfred. It was absolutely raging. I spent all day, the first day we were tied up for the weather, out and cleaned all the windows, made it all look nice and then just get bartered with salt water overnight, which was the highlight of my weekend, washing windows twice. tough one man. Ross P, N A I'm starting rehab this week, not the drugs and alcohol version. The ankle is feeling good so I'm going to properly try and batter in some rehab this week and start from now. I've got a on. You know why? I think it's because I'm sitting up and I've got a different chair. Usually I'm in the baby chair which is really low down and I think over the time I've been on it it's been slowly breaking under my weight. So I'm on a new chair, it's a higher up, I've got like, back straight, I've got a hat on, and I'm like, I've also had a coffee like, an hour ago, and I never have coffee, so I'm feeling like... the night for you boys, like, that's an odd coffee time. That's mental mate. had to drive to Govan so I needed to get bit more caffeine. yeah, just to get through Govan. Thanks man. you been doing the day, mate, other than sleeping the last six hours, really? I had a huge weekend man. For someone who's closing in on his 30s, two nights out in a row, is an absolute slog man. I'm sure you'll take this as a positive, but don't take it the wrong way if you do. I just cannot imagine you having 30. I don't think it's possible. think I'll be... Yeah, I know. Exactly for me as well. There's no way I'm closing in on Mark McGrath. I am... am... I'm mid-twenties for life. But no, two days out in a row, really felt it. Yesterday just was a fucking struggle getting up, man, but... Look, it's Christmas time. You've got to battle through these days. We're back on the pod, baby. Let's get smashing through. nice pun. That's a great pun there, Calum. Nice one, bro. we're going to start with some news but there's not really much tennis news except from, I don't even know if I covered this last week, the Davis Cup move into, we did, so that's all the push. So basically that's all that's happened. we don't really have much to say in terms of news, just Simone Hallepp fighting her case as usual about the drugs ban. I feel like that's going to be a big... topic of conversation for the next year or so because obviously it gets more interesting and I'm sure we'll have some predictions and I'm sure some of them will be to do with drugs. But we'll be battered on right away. I know it's only three of us so it might be a short up on today but we'll batter on and try and get some predictions and some chat from. So where do you want to start boys? I think we go with slam winners on men and women's side. That's a good start. The ones that everyone knows. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. sure that you've got the predictions from Skinny and Gary. Mm-hmm. I have indeed. And what we'll do, we'll all discuss one at a time. We'll go Australian first. Yeah, so... You know what I mean? We'll not work through them one at like four in a row. You know what I mean. Right, well we'll start with Skinny's Grand Slam winner for the men's singles Novak Djokovic. A bitch. Murray asterisk on that. I'm gonna tell you right now, I'm right behind them, that was my choice too. No way. Just... I know I'm not a woman but I can feel it in my waters. What about Gary? What was Gary's choice? something about work probably, hang on, I'll just tell you. He's put Jannik Sinner. other. I've got to go with Gary here as well man, y'know, I was gonna smash it. Ross Payne. I'm with Pricey and Skinny. Well, technically, I mean, this is going to be the first year that I'm not going to be able to vote for Andy Murray, but I'm still going to find a way to vote for Andy Murray, which is through Novak Djokovic, so I'll go for Novak. this year? Wow, so we've got three Novacs and two Sinners for Australia. We'll jump on to... I actually don't think anyone else... I don't think anyone else is in contention. No, I don't think Alcraz is a mush out, honestly. It sounds ridiculous saying it, it sounds so daft saying it. And I think if it's not one of those two, it'll be an outsider. It's not gonna be like a Rublev or a Tsitsipas I think... think it would be as Zverev of either. I think it is one of the two of them and that's it. funny you say that actually we'll come to that in a minute okay and will we do the women's side as well have we got winners so for mr Skinner we've got Sabalenka winning it and for mr Brown also Sabalenka hard to look past I think other than maybe a shock return to the sport for Ash Barty but otherwise I think we're looking at Sabalenka Yeah, I've gone Sabalenka as well. I think she'll dominate 2025. I had Sabalenka but I also had Rybakina so I'm gonna go Rybakina just to be, cause I'm not gonna go to the same year you guys, just to be different. yeah, Rybakina, I've almost got Rybakina basically doing the Grand Slam next year so. years trying to get Ross Peete not to be Ross Peete and now we're back on him. Anyway, I like it. basically a clean sweep except from one right back in the vote. just think that Sabalenka, too much of an absolute machine. I Iga's head will be maybe wee bit distracted after everything that's going on. She'll just smash through everyone. fuck yeah. Well, depends who's on that at all. Dun dun dun! Right, Roland Garros, the French Open. be a bit crap about the fence open after Rafa I was actually just gonna say it, will we bother? Yeah, it's sickening because I don't actually know who I want to win. I have no, I don't know who I want to win. Like, I think everyone just assumes that Nadal fans are gonna get behind Alcaraz. Like, I'm not, I'm more behind Sinner, other than the whole drug thing. I'm trying to keep it PC, Yeah, I'm definitely, I mean, I called it, like I said. A good few pods ago I was always on team center right from the start even when he was just a bit of a ditty Anyway, but for Gary Brown for Roland Garros and also for Mr. Skinner to Alcaraz Shouts mmm okay yeah I've got Alcraz as well to be fair to be fair yeah I've got Alcraz. Who have you got? Damon Oer? Damon Oer? Fritz? I have Alexander's Verive. What? I meant... I've got them as well. I was going to put this very, but I just really don't want it to happen, so didn't want to put it out there as a positive, like, vibe. political correctness aside, cracking player, I think he would have beaten Rafa that day if he hadn't broken his ankle. I genuinely believe he was pumping Rafa. I mean, you'd never write the guy off and he would have went into it. set and it's probably some of the greatest match point saves or set point saves I've ever seen. But it just looked like would he be a wee bit fitter than Rafa at that point? Maybe. I think that was it. I think he's getting back. He's number two in the world just now. He's getting back to that. he had such an underrated season last season, Zverev was in and about it. mate, so underrated. He had tough losses. Basically Taylor Fritz stopped him from winning everything. Which is mental to think about, like he stopped him from everything. I do think he has a chance. think women... Did you see that? What? What is that? How? I didn't program that. That is crazy. How do you do that? when you make a love heart with your hands it comes up on the screen with a love heart. well, it must be an iPad thing. Brexit. What is going on? What if you do that? Does that do anything? No? No. Okay. Does it do a thumbs up as well? This is crazy man. Anyhow guys, anyhow, women, women-wise, women-wise, I'm gonna take a punt and say everyone's the same. Well, I've got to see you on tape. I probably not. Has Iga ever lost at Moolingaros, except from being a kid? So I'm banking on her winning that. My head says Fiontech but for a bit of content I would love Osta Penko. Hmm. Me too. bigger drama queen than Ross P. And I love it. I wanted to say Mark McGrath, but I feel as if he gets far too many mentions on this podcast for someone who just likes us all the time. He moaned for about two years for not getting a mention and he's been slated twice today and he's only mentioned. Yeah, exactly. I know. Yeah, I've got an Eager. and everyone going to Sue Untech except Ross P, who is? I've got Paolini I'm going Paolini. Jasmine. Okay, yeah, it's my pick guys, so move on if you want, but it's Paolini for me. Excellent. So we'll move on to... slam of all time. One day. Wimbledon. I'll start with Ross Skinner who's gone with Alcaraz again. Okay. We're very creative in our pics here. I know it. yeah, honest. So any thoughts on Algaraz before I move on to Gary Brown? Yeah, I'm on Alkali's trainer, I'm on the Zverev train again, I'm afraid. Big serving man. I'm not trying to ruffle feathers here. I just have a feeling last season is gonna have lit a fire under his ass, And he's gonna just come out swinging. Anyway, sorry. you'll have bloody OJ Simpson winning America here, hahahahah Chris Brown for pundit of the Year. god. I yeah, I was just, Hosting the after party. Mate, imagine a P-Diddy Tournament, it was like on ice skates but it's all just baby oil. no, anyway, sorry, anyway. Gary has gone on a separate limb and I like it, Ross Pee will be right behind this Jack Draper for Wimbledon. Mmm, I think that's a bit early. It's a early. me Draper doesn't win a Ever. Not that she, I think it does though. I does. he does but anyway that's for another conversation I think it's a decent shout from Gary I can see him doing well in the tournament and was quite surprised that Murray wasn't more involved with Draper now we've obviously seen him with Djokovic well that may be something down the line we can think about it we can talk about it when it happens and then Ross P I'll give you a chance. is, he certainly is. You get nominated for Coach of the Year, I'm sure. you wouldn't be patching them, you'd be keeping them just now, maybe in the future, yeah? You changed that up? I think, when you're almost, almost out and you're getting to semi-final. Yeah, yeah. Then he comes in goes, do this formula, you know. I've got Sinner for Wimbledon. I've got Sinner. See I was torn between that. thought Sinner lost to Alcaraz. Yeah, he lost to Djokovic but he was unwell. And it was really close. Five sets. we must be coming up to, well, when it comes up to Queen's, that Clipper Calum going, he won't. What if Alcresc wins Queen's? He won't. That was a great clip. That was when we got, that's when we got big time on the 48 listeners. Right, so who's the consensus? The woman, sorry, Skinny has put Sabalenka, Fair, and Gary has put Coco Gauff who I didn't. even share their thought on what they're thinking of any of these. I'm having powerlady if I'm on board. which had a good run last year. I'm going Raducanu Boring! I I am. think she is, if she can get a first half of the season in without having to do some modelling thing that takes her out for four months of the season, then I reckon form-wise she can comfortably win Wimbledon. I think on grass she's insane. played the first round of Wimbledon it would probably be our third match of the season. Yeah, and that's my worry. If she can play though, if she can play the full season, then I think she's got a great chance of actually going far in Wimbledon. And once you get to that second week, especially on the women's side, you can win it. You can win it. Yeah. she really shouldn't have won it, it was just hype. Like, she was excellent, she was excellent and she deserved it. I'm going to put my money where my mouth is and that's what I Radhika Anand to do. If she puts her money where her mouth is and comes out fit and trains and plays loads of tournaments, even if she doesn't, if she has a few tough results but just keeps plugging, I'll back her next year. I will. I love that. Ross B. are you making a face about again? Sorry, right, right. Okay, we'll cut that bit out. Ross P, who are you going with? Don't say Anjubu ever again. She has not got that dog in her head. No. Yeah, she's cut. She is this- my god, she is this latter, aren't you- No, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I had Rebacca, right? I had Rebacca. But you've made me want to go to Zubur. So I'm going with Zubur next year, right? Ons... I'm on the... I'm not calling him Minister of Happiness though, that's a bullshit nickname. But I'm on Zubur. is just like the Zlatan Ibrahima victory Err, yes, onto the USA. The Trump Open. That's a- US-I! That's a- You want my shirt? USA? Skinner have both come in with Sinner Wow! They've been so funny! Thank god they went on this week! I'm having Taylor Fritz. Taylor Tets. Tailor tits? Eh, tailor frats? Tailor tits. you've had tailor tits? I'm having Taylor Fritz, they are both having Senna, Calum and Ross P hit me with it. Novak. I'm going for a Novak bookend season. He's going to bookend everybody. think. Yeah, he's gonna book it, he's gonna win Oz and he'll win the US Open. Yeah, I'm pretty certain about that actually. made for deaf. Great shout, he was up there for me man, he was up there. He loves a hardcore, like he's a terminal animal. at a slam. I just think he'll get another chance. And he said he's going to change his game, he, to try and beat these guys. So maybe he's motivated this year. There's a chance. title he's won multiple times then. Is that what your shout out is for next year? Yeah. It's just that it's such a crazy stat man. Absolutely mental. like that as well, I've not won a title more than once. Yep, nice one. Okay. Okay. go to, we'll move on. no, the women, They've gone, well, no, for the women, they've gone Sabalenka and Radikanu from Gary Brown. Okay. I don't have much to say about that. I don't know, if I'm honest. I was going to go golf. I think I'll be American winner. I'll American winner. Yeah, who's that mental one that's pure angry? The American one. Yeah. t- what's her name? What's her name? She should have retired but she's doing another year. exactly who I'm talking about. Danielle Collins. That's who I think could be on the show. love her. I'm biting right behind her. Yeah, that's a great shit, I'd like to see how I'm in it. Shee-meet. Right, you're in number ones, I'm guessing. was pretty, pretty similar. Gone by my... Yeah, true. okay, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, All right, OK. OK, move on then. me with his two slams is Vered. Actually, no, I won't be heard, just in case I'm right. Sorry, Pricey, shut up. So, US Open, I went for Sviatek, so I think she's gonna have a shit year until US Open, then she's gonna reignite the fire, and then 2026, she'll win like three to four. Fair enough. Remember I am an oracle. Remember I am an oracle. Remember this. that in there Ross P, that's really added to the pod. Anyway, year end number ones for me, Satisferiv. center. What? War number one? Yes, sir. world number one. No vac, no vac, no vac, no vac, no vac slash any money, no vac slash any money. tournaments to be number one. No, but he's not got that many points to defend in terms of slams this next year. So see if he wins one or two slams, he'll shoot right back up. That's a huge ask. Anyway, Gary hasn't sent me Jira number one so I'm gonna choose one for him. Tia 4 and Ross and Skinny has chosen one but I'm gonna choose one for him. Goo Goo Quirton. No, he has chosen one and it is Jannik Sinner. Boring boring boring boring boring. Yeah. Just copy and paste job. that fucking Hallmark movie. Those two guys, Gary and Skinny's pick, it's that fucking Hallmark Christmas movie man. Just copy and paste. Skinny for the females has gone Sabalenka and Gary as he hasn't chosen one has gone Danny Collins. Kia vone! I'm gonna go stop blank as well. Yeah, I think we're all in agreement it's going to be between Sioux and Teckensavalinga. No, no, no, again, again, overlooked. But it's fine, don't worry about it, it's fine. it's... Rebacca, Rebacca. right, thanks. Hey, it's boys! with her show. Let's look at some randomers. some suits. like some random shouts. Yeah, you said Skinny sent a few in. I've got five skinny shouts here, they're called. I would have done pricey's picks, but we'll go with skinny's shouts. He's gone with five, I'll read them out and we can have live reactions to them. Gentlemen, we'll start with the first one, which I disagree with myself. Felix to be back in the top 15 players. You 15, the top 15. 15, that's not even a good, that's not even a good shout. That's terrible. Al Kharaz isn't going to win 12 slams. Look, that's a terrible shoot. Yeah, I agree. I also don't think he will, which makes it even worse. Yeah means noth- fair enough, fair enough. Yeah. Yeah. shots to go, so that's quite a to go. another prime example of Skinny just Googling a random tennis player's name and using them on the podcast. Emma Navarro to get into a Grand Slam Final. Who the fuck is that? Okay. Okay. She's a... She's a rich kid. She's a rich kid. No, she's... No, Navarro's also extremely rich. She's really good actually. It's probably quite a good shirt. Yeah, it's not bad to be fair. I really tried to dunk on that. Okay, third one. number 8 in world as well, by the way. I'll eat humble pie there. Third one, sits the pass to be outside of the top 25. other pies, sorry. I because Rusty keeps saying I'm Okay. Yeah, yeah, I like that to be fair. No, like it. happened. Yeah, top 10 I give you that. Top 25 is a big gap. Yeah. Yeah, that's a big gap. The next one I'm really intrigued by, because all he needs is a good run and a good draw and I totally agree with this shout. Beratini to be a Grand Slam semi-finalist. possible. I'd love it. Craig Brown, eat your heart out. think he's got his mojo back as well after a Davis Cup. Yeah, he's got bit more spunk in him again. I'd love to see that. I'd love to see that guy do well. Handsome bastard, player I've bought from the start. Right. You can't just claim random players because you like them a bit. You just like, I got him before any of you. When did you start back in Berettini pricing? well, so... Right, we're moving on before I get exposed here. The last one is another Italian based one from Skinny. don't know why this is a shout, but I'll respect it and read it. Mazzetti to be the fourth best Italian in the world rankings by the year end. Very specific, very niche. But it's a shout. fuck that shit! That was a passion kill! We are shit. Why do people listen to us? This is at our best. brilliant. Boys, I have a couple shouts to be fair. Last year I did predict Hugo Lambert top 10 and he was one match away from being top 10. One match, but he didn't make it, so I guess the prediction failed. This year I've got Jack Draper being top 10. Okay, yep, I almost had that as well. I'd agree with you. No, I'd agree there. I'd agree. There's a good chance. I've just got a Brit, basically a Brit watch here, Jacob Fearnley. Can't price. Pricy 2.0, wanna be pricey. I've got him top 50 as well. Can I ask you a question regarding Draper? See for Draper, who do you think drops out the top 10? And he goes in. Have a good life. yeah, yeah, yeah. it, yes! Rude Blav, if there was no clay season, Casper Rude probably wouldn't be top 50. Casper's good. So know what Kerio said as well Yeah, Your Ozay might Dumonore had an incredible season but I could see him dropping as well. I think there could be quite a few new people, top 10, but then again it seems to just be the same people over and over again, doesn't it? So, I don't know, we'll see. But I think Jack Draper will nick in. And yeah, that would be quite nice to see. Hopefully he gets a good run. Callum was actually really, your shout was really close to my shout but in an opposite direction. My shout of the year was the Cam Norrie facade will die. There'll be no more big Cam Norrie. think it's dead already. I'm going to win the semifinal it's been put down, I think. He was top 10 and stuff, but I think he's done. is done for me. Yeah, I think it is. My other shout is, my other big shout was that I reckon the drugs scandal that's going on in tennis just now will increase. I reckon there's going to be a couple more that come out of a couple shockers. You're like, holy fuck. Because I reckon now it's going to be pretty intense on the old drug cycle. Imagine. That would be huge. I think it's going be interesting. We'll see what comes out. I think there'll be a massive scandal next year in tennis. I've just got this feeling we're building up to it. So, fingers crossed, because it makes it better for us. it'll be a good podcast now. Yeah. Anyone else any shouts for next year? Did Gary have a show? No, I'm not adding him Gary. Just, just, again, he's five. one out of 52 podcasts next year. I predict that Sverev will win more slams than Gary Blathin podcasts. You It'd make me quite good if it went in. Well boys, unless Ross Peer or Callum Price have a prediction, we could be closing in on the end of this podcast. I've got two, I've got two, but pricey have you got any? I'm all podcast out man, I just wanna listen. Okay, I've got two very quick ones that I'm not gonna ask any top 50 moments of next year. I've only got two. World number one, I think will change hands three times. I think we'll have three different world number ones. Men's side, men's side, I world number one, women's side will only be one or two. I think that Radekano top 20 was mother shit. But she'll push on from, she'll kick on. Is that one of her old? Phrases, they'll kick on. We'll kick on from the Belgian King Cup where she won five in a row. She was posting about it etc. So I think she'll kick on from that. But yeah, there you go. Yeah, I think fair shout, trust Pete, I can't really argue. a motherfucking podcast. Last one, quick, one. Dimitrov will finish world number five next year. Nah, but you ruined it. Ruined the pod. at world number five. Djokovic, I'll get damage off. that we didn't know we needed. The face of we didn't know we needed. Djokovic vs Demetro. top five with the winch is Zverev Medvedev Alkiraz Djokovic Pricey you got one? You got a quick top five? don't have it off the top of my head but I do only just off the of my head. I'm having Zverev's and Alkidai's and Medvedev's, Djokovic's. That was good and quick. I've got Novak Alkaraz Sinan made with Demetrov. One handed backhand boy, he's in there. Amazing. Boys, superb podcast. Nice having yous. Pricey good to have you back. And we will be back next week with a... Listener's special. Come on! Get your questions set in! Twitter, Instagram, X, whatever it's called now. Threads. I don't know who's on that. Actually, when I log into the Instagram for... Loosely strung, it gives me the option to sign in as Gary Brown and into his account now, so that's fucking weird. No, no, I was like, what the fuck? But yeah, guys, thank you for listening. Please leave any comments at the end if you've made it this far. If not, then fuck off. Over and out, boys. yes. Over and out, boys. See you later. Bye bye!