1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: One of the most successful female tennis players of the 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: twenty first century is Maria Sharapova. She won Wimbledon at 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: the age of seventeen and won a total of five 4 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: Grand slams. Now she's retired from tennis and pursuing a 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: career as an investor. I had a chance recent to 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: sit down with her to talk about her new career 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: and her old career. You were recently inducted into the 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: International Tennis Hall of Fame, and the person who inducted 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: you was Serena Williams, who you played many times and 10 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: was your principal competitor. Was it awkward being inducted by her? 11 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: Or it was fun? 12 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 2: Awkward? Wasn't the right word, David. It was so exciting 13 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 2: and it was so thrilling. 14 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 1: Were you surprised at that she agreed to do it? 15 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 2: Well, it would have been. That would have been awkward, 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: because that is a call that I made. And I said, well, 17 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: there's no one else I'd rather be on that stage 18 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 2: than you, and she said, I'm honored. But it could 19 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 2: have gone the other way. Okay, it didn't, thankfully, and 20 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 2: she was incredible. She was very thoughtful. Her speech. Her 21 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 2: speech was really strong, but it was also very personal. 22 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 2: And there's that moment when she walked on stage of 23 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 2: like five to ten seconds when the crowd there was 24 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,559 Speaker 2: like a bit of silence and shock and there's way 25 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 2: through the crowd, and I was like, I think we 26 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 2: achieved what we wanted to achieve here. 27 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: So let's talk about what it's like to be the 28 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: number one tennis player in the world, your number one 29 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: female tennis player in the world, and you were for 30 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,279 Speaker 1: many years number one, and you won many singles titles 31 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: included Wimbledon. At the age of seventeen seems like an 32 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 1: ungodly young age to win. 33 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: It's a long time ago. 34 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: Just confirs. So, by the way, when you're won Wimbledon 35 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,119 Speaker 1: at age seventeen, I mean, did your world completely change? 36 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: Did you? I mean, you were so young then and 37 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: you weren't the number one ranked player at that time. 38 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: Did you? Were you surprised? And what did you do right? 39 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: If you? Did you call your parents? Were they there? 40 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 2: I did call my mom. She was actually on her 41 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: way to New York to meet me because I was 42 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: then going to fly to New York for some press engagement, 43 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: and she saw me win on television while I was 44 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: playing the Wimbledon final. And what changed, well, a lot 45 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 2: changes for the good and for the bad. In that moment. 46 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: You're you're such a young girl, and all the things 47 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: that come with it that you've never really expected in 48 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 2: your life. You know, an opportunity to say yes to 49 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: so many things when actually you should be saying no, 50 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 2: and you know, getting back on the horse and doing 51 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 2: the things that made you a champion on that day, 52 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 2: because while you're winning, everyone else is trying, is training 53 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 2: to beat you in the next tournament. I flew back 54 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 2: to Los Angeles shortly afterwards, as my coach was was 55 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 2: there and my family and I used to stay when 56 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 2: we visit him. We didn't have that much money at 57 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 2: the time, but we'd stayed in one of these hotels. 58 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 2: And after I won Wimbledon, my agent upgraded us to 59 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 2: a hotel and it had this like yellow rubber duck 60 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 2: next to the bath. And I called him and I said, 61 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: winning Wimbledon is the best thing that's ever happened to me. 62 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: And that's coming from a teenager's perspective. 63 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: No more hobbout and express or so that. 64 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 2: Was exactly the hotel we stayed up prior to anyone, 65 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 2: but then not an. 66 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 1: Ad in New York. You have to play at night? 67 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: Was that a problem playing at nights in New York? 68 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: I was intimidated by the night match in New York. Yeah, 69 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 2: it was loud, it was I'm also something, I'm like 70 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 2: quite an introvert, and I you know, I love to 71 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 2: do my work and I love to be with my team, 72 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 2: and so like going through that tunnel where you know, 73 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 2: Billy Jean King's quota's pressure is a privilege, it was 74 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 2: like very intimidating, and then the noise and the crowd 75 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: and you never really had a RESTful moment in New York. 76 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 2: But I embraced it. Yeah, I loved it. And then 77 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 2: we started doing like I worked with Nike for many 78 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 2: years and they created first ever athlete that weren't like 79 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 2: a separate dress for a night match. They created for 80 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: me it was an Audrey have Burned dress. And I 81 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 2: think like I just got like I got comfortable with 82 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 2: the environment of playing a night match. 83 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: So when you win Wimbledon, obviously you're excited. You're only 84 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: seventeen years old. Was there any match that could ever 85 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: replicate that's feeling of winning at Wimbledon? At seventeen or 86 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: was anything you want other championships? Was there anything ever 87 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: comparable to that? 88 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 2: Even winning the French Open to achieve a career Grand Slam. 89 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 2: I didn't think that I would feel like the strength 90 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 2: of that victory, but it really felt good because it 91 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 2: was a surface that was so challenging and it exposed 92 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,679 Speaker 2: all my weaknesses. And as an athlete, that is playing 93 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 2: in front of thousands of people, when you know that 94 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 2: there is a particular weakness in your game and you're 95 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 2: able to turn that around in front of people and 96 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 2: make that into one of your strengths, was a really 97 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 2: strong moment. 98 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: Well, when you were playing tennis, you were making more 99 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: money from endorsements than from the prize money, and I 100 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 1: think for like seventeen years in a row or eighteen 101 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: years in a row, you were the highest paid femal 102 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: athlete when you're take into account endorsements and other things. 103 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: So you kind of made yourself into a brand. Did 104 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 1: you consciously say I'm going to be a brand and 105 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 1: more than just an athlete and was that hard to 106 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: do or you were focused on the athletics and the 107 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: other things just came along. 108 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 2: As a female athlete, I was very well aware that 109 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 2: at a certain point in my career, whether it was 110 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 2: injury related, whether I would want to start a family, 111 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 2: whether I just lose interest in the sport. I knew 112 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 2: that the day would come to call it quits, and 113 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 2: it would come sooner than other professions. And I made 114 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 2: a very conscious effort of setting up a platform and 115 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 2: a foundation that would make me feel Going into a 116 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 2: second chapter of anyone's career, whether you're an athlete or 117 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 2: just coming from college and you're moving on to a 118 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,479 Speaker 2: new chapter in your life, is really really challenging, and 119 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: I knew that it was going to be important for 120 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: me to feel like I have a strong foundation in 121 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 2: order to grow in another chapter. 122 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 1: Now you're at the top of the game in tennis 123 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: for quite some time, and now you're in the business world. 124 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: You're on the board of Montclair. When you go on 125 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: to board meetings, Now, did they say, well, she's a 126 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: former athlete, you don't expect her to know much about 127 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 1: the business world, or do they actually say, we want 128 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: to hear your opinion on the business side of it, 129 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: and you bone up on the business side, and how 130 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 1: actively are you involved in the board meetings? 131 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was very intimidated by the role. I was 132 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 2: intimidated that I was asked in the first place. I 133 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,720 Speaker 2: knew Rama Raffini for several years, and it's very official. 134 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 2: It's like a un meeting. You're sitting around this large 135 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 2: I mean, you've attended several board meetings in your life, 136 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 2: but this is one of my first. And there's a 137 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: microphone and it's translation because it's an Italian public trading company, 138 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 2: so there's definitely like an intimidating factor to it, but 139 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 2: they're all very collaborative. I selfishly took on the role 140 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 2: because I felt like I could learn from a lot 141 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 2: of people sitting in that room. And I feel like 142 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 2: that's kind of been the trajectory of my career. Is 143 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 2: even though I was passionate and so deeply involved in 144 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 2: one thing, I stayed really open minded and curious out 145 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 2: other things. I let other people kind of guide my 146 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 2: education because I didn't have a formal education. So I 147 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: feel like this is, Oh. 148 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: If somebody is watching this and they say I have 149 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: a company that would benefit from having you on the board, 150 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: are you open to going on other boards? And if 151 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: you go on a board, would you want to invest 152 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: in the company or you just want to be on 153 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:18,119 Speaker 1: the board. 154 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 2: It depends on the company. I mean, you're really throwing 155 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 2: me on the foot. What's the company? Give me an example, Well, 156 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 2: I don't know. 157 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: Let's suppose Bernard or no calls you up and says 158 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: LVMH needs you on the board. I guess you would 159 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: probably say that might be a go attractive one. 160 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a no brainer. Okay, that's a very easy 161 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 2: test though. 162 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: World. Now do you invest in companies? 163 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: I do? 164 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, So you do you test the brands before, make 165 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 1: sure you actually like the brand. How do you decide 166 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: you're an investor or not? 167 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. One of my first investments was when I felt 168 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 2: like I had like financial security from endorsement deals and 169 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 2: I was using an SPF brand called Supergroup for many years. 170 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 2: Bought it at Sepour myself and found the founder there 171 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 2: were five employees at the time, and said, look, I 172 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: don't need I don't need a return on investment right now, 173 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 2: I'll use my platform. I love your product. And then 174 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 2: seven to nine years later they sold seventy five percent 175 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 2: of their company for seven hundred and fifty million. So 176 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 2: that was like my first, my first real investment in 177 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 2: the space, and it did really well for me, and 178 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 2: it was there was a testament to what I what 179 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 2: I think is important investment and correct me if I'm 180 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,719 Speaker 2: wrong is like being passionate about what you're investing in, 181 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 2: being a consumer, making sure that everyone around you is 182 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 2: a consumer and a strong team. 183 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: How do you compare the thrill of being in the 184 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: business where where you're either endorsing products or investing in 185 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: products with playing tennis? 186 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 2: There is no match point in business right, There's no 187 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 2: that like feeling of okay, now I either this one 188 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 2: point is on the line. I've gotten to this point 189 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 2: and it's make or break. So much will change, Like 190 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 2: there's none of that getting on your knees and waving 191 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 2: to the crowd. You know, And yes I missed those memories. 192 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 2: I missed those moments. But the adjustment period of working 193 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: through deals and getting to know founders and taking chances 194 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: on people who you've only know a certain amount of 195 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 2: time is very similar to my sport and what I 196 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 2: had to endure for many years. So although there are similarities, 197 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 2: there's not that like moment of victory. 198 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: When you were playing tennis. Let's go back to the beginning. 199 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: You were born in Russia, Siberia. Yeah, and. 200 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 2: Now I'm being interviewed by you. So cool. 201 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: You're born in Russia, But when your parents moved you 202 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: and your family out of there when you were relatively young, 203 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:49,839 Speaker 1: is that right? 204 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 2: Yes? I was born in Siberia. When I was too 205 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 2: we moved to Sochi, which is in the Black Sea, 206 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 2: and when I was five and a half years old, 207 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 2: we moved to Florida with my father. 208 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: So now I went there because you wanted to play tennis? 209 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: Is that right or not? 210 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 2: I mean at five and a half, you're not really 211 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 2: the one that's making decisions, right. 212 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: I have a three year old and five and a half. 213 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 2: Even though he acts like he wants, you know, he 214 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 2: knows everything. 215 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: But did your parents see and you athletic skill at 216 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: five and a half? That's so young? And were you 217 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: actually playing tennis before? And when did they say we 218 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: should move to Florida and you can be a better 219 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: tennis player. 220 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 2: So I started when I was four, and I started 221 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 2: playing tennis when I was four, and at five and 222 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 2: a half, my father took me to this exhibition in Moscow. 223 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 2: He saved up a little bit of money. We took 224 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 2: the train from Sochi and Martina and Abratilova was holding 225 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 2: like a kid's tennis clinic and there are a few 226 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 2: hundred kids. And she pulled my father aside and said, 227 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 2: your daughter has talent and you should go somewhere where 228 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 2: this talent can be developed. And my father read every 229 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 2: newspaper articles. He saw that the Williams sisters were training 230 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 2: in Florida. He saw that Anna Kunkova was training Florida, 231 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 2: and he's like, our path is going to Florida. 232 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: Did he have the money to do all that? 233 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 2: Not a lot. He landed with seven hundred dollars in. 234 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: His so he just came over with you. Your mother 235 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: stayed behind. 236 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, she stayed behind for two years. She couldn't get 237 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 2: a visa for the first two years. 238 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:09,839 Speaker 1: And how did he explain you're only five and a half. 239 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: How they explain that your mother was staying behind and 240 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: he was coming over with you. 241 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 2: We didn't know that at the time because we thought 242 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:16,199 Speaker 2: she'd come over sooner. 243 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: But then and so you joined a tennis academy. 244 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 2: We went to Bolataia, which is a famous academy. We 245 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 2: knocked on their door like middle of the night, said 246 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 2: we're here, and they're like, well, where's your money, like 247 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 2: we don't have any. And the coaches they welcomed me 248 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 2: into a program and then I went off to center 249 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 2: court after they saw me play, and I got a scholarship. 250 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: Okay, so you got a scholarship. But at what point 251 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: did you realize you actually were pretty good? I mean 252 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: not just a person who says I'm five and a half, 253 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:45,719 Speaker 1: I'm good. Lots of little kids at five and a 254 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 1: half say they're good. When did you realize you really 255 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 1: were better than the average five and a half year old? 256 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 2: I never allowed myself to say that. 257 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: So when you became a teenager, were you beating other 258 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,079 Speaker 1: teenagers at bolitary? 259 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 2: Thing about being a young athlete is your The process 260 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 2: is you play. You want to play against people that 261 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,079 Speaker 2: make you realize that you have weaknesses in your game. 262 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 2: So you set yourself up up against competition that is 263 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 2: either older, or stronger or better. And so if you 264 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 2: feel like you're constantly winning, you're not learning much. And 265 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 2: I found that like even winning and when you're a 266 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 2: teenager winning your twenties, that's not when you're doing your 267 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: best work. When you're doing your best work is when 268 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 2: you get off the court and you've just lost and 269 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 2: you have to face your team and you have to 270 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 2: get back to the drawing board and say, well, I 271 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 2: mean we have to figure it out because we thought 272 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 2: we were going to have a great day. 273 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: Well do you ever say to yourself, you know, I 274 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: really would rather do something else at seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, 275 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 1: twelve tennis? Isn't you know saw the young players get 276 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 1: burned out? You probably saw that at Poltariyye burn out. 277 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: Their parents take them there and after a while they say, 278 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: I don't really want to do this. You never got burnout, right. 279 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,959 Speaker 2: I loved what I did. I love being first in line. 280 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 2: I loved having the lesson at six am because that 281 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 2: I love the feeling of like there's like a physical 282 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,199 Speaker 2: exhaustion as an athlete at the end of the day, 283 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 2: where you do everything that's in your capacity to be better, 284 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 2: and as a female, I just I really related to 285 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 2: if I can get a little better five percent, one percent, 286 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 2: half percent, then I feel like I did great. 287 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: At what point did you realize you could be a 288 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: champion when you're fourteen fifteen? When did you realize you 289 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: could be a champion as opposed to I'm going to 290 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: be reasonably good. 291 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 2: I never believe. I never allowed myself to believe that 292 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 2: I could be a champion, because I always did my 293 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 2: best work when I felt like I was going to 294 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 2: jump off the cliff, like things weren't working well, because 295 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 2: I have to keep proving to myself that I needed 296 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 2: to work for it even harder, even deeper. I needed 297 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 2: to dig deeper. It's it's hard in tennis. You're playing 298 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,319 Speaker 2: ten months out of the year, and you may win 299 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 2: a Grand Slam, but in a few weeks you have 300 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 2: another one, so you feel like you're on top of 301 00:13:58,280 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 2: the world, and a few weeks later you can be 302 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,079 Speaker 2: you know, you're in the press room and everyone's ridiculing 303 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 2: you for losing the first round. 304 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: Now, when you're playing tennis, at the end of a match, 305 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: if you lose, or when the players go they shake 306 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 1: hands or they hug each other whatever they. 307 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:11,719 Speaker 2: Do rarely hug each other. 308 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, so, but you really don't like the other person. 309 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 1: Is it hard to kind of pretend you're like them 310 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,559 Speaker 1: when you're hugging them, or is that you get used 311 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 1: to that. 312 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 2: I was pretty honest about just about the relationship of 313 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 2: being an athlete to another athlete, Like I always found 314 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 2: it really difficult of sharing this thought of, oh, why 315 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 2: don't we have a drink or go out to dinner 316 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 2: and have an appetizer, Like when I'm trying to really 317 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 2: beat you the next day and I'm going to pump 318 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 2: my fist in your face, but then I'm going to 319 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 2: give you a hug after it Just it never really 320 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 2: made sense. 321 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: Okay, So like in the locker rooms before they get 322 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: the matches and you're in the locker room with your 323 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: people you're about to play, you have small talk with them, 324 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: or you just don't talk with them because you're trying 325 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: to you know, remember you're going to beat them, So 326 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: do you talk to them or you don't do anything. 327 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, small talk wasn't my specialty. I'll be honest. I 328 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 2: was very focused and I was very like the locker 329 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 2: room was my office, and you know, I wouldn't spend 330 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 2: much time there. I was, I was in and out. 331 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 2: I treated it as a really important profession. 332 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: And so today you don't play tennis at all. 333 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 2: I don't know proms, friends don't want to play with me. 334 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: Well, but I assume you get invited the pro ams 335 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: all the time and you don't want to do those 336 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: kind of things. 337 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 2: I guess the honest answer is I don't want to 338 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 2: be a sad version of my old self. Like I knew, 339 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 2: like what I loved about the sport was how how 340 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 2: quick it was, how reactive it was, how powerful it was. 341 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 2: When you don't play it for a long time, you 342 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 2: don't you don't have you know, you don't have that anymore. 343 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: Well, have you ever played mixed doubles? 344 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 2: I wasn't very good at mixed domes. Well, I wasn't 345 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 2: very good at sharing. 346 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: Okay, Well, if you ever wanted to play mixed doubles, 347 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: we could have a I could show up, you come 348 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: to my house at court and we would pretend that 349 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: you're just an average person who's visiting for the weekend, 350 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: and then we'll just see if we can win some money. 351 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 2: That we we just have one court. 352 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 1: I have one court per house. 353 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was kind of the answer I wanted to 354 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 2: get from him. 355 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: So, at any point in your tennis career, did you 356 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: say I've had enough and I'm just going to retire 357 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: at the top, or how much athletes sometimes stay a 358 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: little bit longer than they should. You didn't do that, 359 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: But did you ever worry about that problem staying too long. 360 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 2: It's a great question, and it's one that I think 361 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 2: every every athletes find finds a different answer to. Mine 362 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 2: came a little bit later than when I would have liked. 363 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 2: I think like stubbornness was a great quality that shaped 364 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 2: a lot of my victories. But in the end of 365 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 2: my career, I think it I think it became a 366 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 2: flaw because I was so stubborn to get healthy for 367 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: my shoulder to recover. I was also at an age 368 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 2: where just my body didn't recover as quickly, and so 369 00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 2: I for a year or two that stubborness got in 370 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 2: a way of other great things in my life. 371 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: Were your parents athletes themselves? 372 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:06,120 Speaker 2: My father thinks he's an athlete, but I lived. 373 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: Was he a competitive athlete? 374 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 2: I think the most fathers can occasionally relate that they're great. 375 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: Did he play any sport that we would have heard of? 376 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:18,200 Speaker 2: Or he played hockey? He's now cycles around the world. Yeah, 377 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 2: I mean he still thinks he's like in the Senior Olympic. 378 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: Obviously you're for you're tall. You're six foot two. 379 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 2: That's accurate. 380 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: Okay, six foot two, Okay, So there aren't that many 381 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 1: female tennis players that are six foot two. There are 382 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: maybe a few. So when did you realize you had 383 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: the physical strength and height to really be a really 384 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: great player? Was that when you were twelve, thirteen, fourteen? 385 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:47,159 Speaker 2: I didn't. I don't think I realized like the advantage 386 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 2: that I'd have if I was taller. And I didn't 387 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 2: grow until I won Wimbledon. I was still I was 388 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 2: like average height and I was still growing through that time. 389 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 2: But I do remember my father thinking, Okay, it would 390 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 2: be better if she grew, so before I went to sleep, 391 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 2: like hung a rod at the door and like for 392 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 2: like thirty seconds before I went to sleep, because my 393 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 2: parents would say, well, when you're sleeping is when you're 394 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 2: like bodies developing and you're growing. So they kind of 395 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 2: like made me stretch my body so. 396 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: That, okay, did you have siblings. 397 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: I didn't have siblings. 398 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,680 Speaker 1: Now, gay, I'm an only child myself, so. 399 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 2: It's great. I loved it. I still do. 400 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: What would you say is the thing you're most proud 401 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: of having done as a tennis player. Was it winning Wimbledon? 402 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 1: What was the highlight of your tennis career. 403 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 2: I'd say consistency. I think consistency is you can have 404 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 2: results and they could you know, come at different various 405 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 2: times in your career, but I was. I was consistent 406 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,679 Speaker 2: for many years. And you have to show up. You 407 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,120 Speaker 2: don't just show up to play first round of the finals, 408 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 2: but you have to show up for press conferences after 409 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:54,400 Speaker 2: before every match, before every tournament, and just the consistency 410 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 2: and the mental wear and tear of showing up week 411 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 2: in week out. So I felt like I could consistently 412 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 2: showed up for my team, for my sponsors, and for 413 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 2: a long period of time. I'd say that as I 414 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: look back, I'm proud of that. 415 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:12,440 Speaker 1: Now, when you're just watching tennis as an observer, who 416 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 1: do you like to watch in the let's say last 417 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: ten or twenty years. Are there certain players who have 418 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 1: such style or such athletic ability just like watching them 419 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 1: just as a fan? Or who would that be? 420 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 2: I think I've really enjoyed watching the sport from a 421 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 2: completely zoomed out perspective. I never allowed myself like when 422 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:36,360 Speaker 2: I was playing, they started like engaging fans and these 423 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 2: fan experiences like that was an entirely new world for me. 424 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 2: Like fans would come to practice, which for many years, 425 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 2: you know, practice courts were closed off. I mean now 426 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 2: the first week of the US Open is like a 427 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 2: fan week, right, You have mixed doubles during the US Open. 428 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 2: You have all these like parties, engagements that never happened 429 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 2: in my career. So I guess I've been intrigued by 430 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 2: the change. I also under stand the demands of that 431 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,439 Speaker 2: and how exhausting and physically challenging it is for those 432 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 2: players to go through a three week I mean, we're 433 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 2: in the second week of the US Open right now. 434 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 2: Players are playing the quarters in the semis. I mean 435 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 2: the engagements and the matches that they've had to play 436 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 2: and participate in the past two and a half weeks. 437 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 2: When this tournament's over, they're going to need a long vacation. 438 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: So in tennis, theoretically, when you're playing these championship matches 439 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: that coaches are not supposed to be telling you anything 440 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: that's changed. Now they can. They can give you hand 441 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: signals or they just tell. 442 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 2: You, well, yeah, whatever they want. 443 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: Okay, And so does that help you that much? We 444 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: just say, look, leave me alone. I know what I'm doing. 445 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 2: It depends how the match is going. There are a 446 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,520 Speaker 2: few times where I would tell my coach it's enough. 447 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 2: But yeah, I mean it's the stress of the situation. 448 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 2: I think guides the communication between the player and the coach. 449 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,640 Speaker 2: Some players love it. They openly communicate to their coaches. 450 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 2: I know Al Qraz does it very often, whereas others, 451 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 2: I think centered does it less often. 452 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: And did you get to know Nick Plitary? 453 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 2: I did? 454 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: And was He didn't not to play tennis, did he? 455 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: He was a coach. 456 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 2: He was a coach, and he he was more of 457 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 2: a mentor to me than a coach. He kind of guided. 458 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 2: He'd come on the court and he'd make you feel 459 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 2: like you were part of like his family, and that 460 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 2: was a really that was a special feeling, especially when 461 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 2: you didn't come from much and when you didn't have 462 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 2: much support around you. He was one of the first 463 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,640 Speaker 2: few coaches that kind of acknowledged. 464 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: So today you don't do any athletics at all or you, 465 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: I mean, you work out, but you're not. 466 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,360 Speaker 2: No, I just don't. Yeah, I don't play much time 467 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 2: and I should. I want to, But it's like a thing, 468 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 2: you know, you have to like string your racket. You 469 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 2: have to book a court. I don't have a court 470 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 2: at my house like you do. 471 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:49,400 Speaker 1: Well, so I have to go. 472 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 2: I have to go to a public place walking. 473 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: Around New York, people recognize you. And when people come 474 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:56,400 Speaker 1: up to you and say, can I have a selfie? 475 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 1: What do you say? 476 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 2: It happened yesterday. I was staying at the Ammon and 477 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 2: I went for a swim and I get out of 478 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 2: a pool and it was really awkward. Someone asked for 479 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 2: a photo and I, you know, and usually I'm very 480 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 2: open to photos, but in that instance, I was like, 481 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,439 Speaker 2: we're kind of in a private space, and you know, 482 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 2: perhaps we can do it another time and they're disciplined. 483 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:22,880 Speaker 1: Can you go to a restaurant and people don't bother you? 484 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 2: Yes? Yes, definitely okay? 485 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: And so do you miss people not coming up to 486 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: you saying hey, I know who you are or you 487 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 1: actually you're happy they don't come up to you. 488 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:37,680 Speaker 2: I think what I loved about recognition was like respect 489 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 2: for what you for what you did. I mean, it 490 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 2: was a lot of work. So when someone would come 491 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 2: up to you and say, you know, it was incredible 492 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 2: seeing what you achieved, or a young girl or boy 493 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 2: coming up and saying, you know, you were my idol. 494 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 2: That just that was a nice feeling of respect. But 495 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 2: I don't miss the things that. 496 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: Come In the end, if you could do anything different 497 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,439 Speaker 1: in your life other than this interview, what would you 498 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: what would you most have done different wish you had 499 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 1: done differently? You'd won more tournaments, not one as many, 500 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: not played as long, yea, what would you wish you 501 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 1: had done differently? 502 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 2: I like the thought of not of doing things and 503 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 2: letting them flow and leaning into things being hard and difficult. 504 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 2: I don't want to look back and say I should 505 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 2: have done something, because the reason I'm here, the reason 506 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 2: I want these events, was because I probably messed up 507 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 2: a few times and I lost some really tough matches, 508 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 2: and I lean into feeling like this doesn't feel good 509 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 2: and what am I going to do to change it. 510 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to hear more of my interviews. You 511 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: can subscribe and download my podcast on Spotify, Apple, or 512 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:50,359 Speaker 1: wherever you listen.