WEBVTT - Live & Direct: Jack Draper 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:17.320 Rennae, Greetings from New York, where I just returned from 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:18.360 a brief trip to London. 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:21.560 Oh, I know, we'll welcome everybody the Rennae Stubbs Podcast. 0:00:21.600 --> 0:00:25.320 We are separate again. I am on my way to Wimbledon. 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:28.720 I'm literally about to enter the airport and you were 0:00:28.720 --> 0:00:32.279 in New York City. Wimbledon is around the corner. Can 0:00:32.320 --> 0:00:35.159 we talk about Alcaraz also just you know, winning the 0:00:35.159 --> 0:00:37.479 French Open and popping over to the Old Queens and 0:00:37.600 --> 0:00:39.320 be like, you know what I can plan grass to 0:00:39.440 --> 0:00:42.120 remember I've wanted a couple of times and a couple 0:00:42.120 --> 0:00:45.400 of Wimbledon's. Remember that, guys, I mean, this guy's unreal 0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:48.640 goes and wins Queens. 0:00:48.640 --> 0:00:50.600 My favorite part of the interview where he was like, 0:00:50.640 --> 0:00:52.320 you know, I didn't really show up with any expectations, 0:00:52.320 --> 0:00:54.200 Like I had just had like one or two practices 0:00:54.200 --> 0:00:56.520 on grass, and so my goal here is to just 0:00:56.560 --> 0:00:59.080 like get some matches under my belt. And you know, 0:00:59.160 --> 0:01:02.760 sometimes especially with more media trained athletes, which I actually 0:01:02.760 --> 0:01:05.720 do not think Carlos Alcaraz is, you know, they kind 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:09.160 of like retreat to platitudes, to lower expectations so that 0:01:09.240 --> 0:01:12.679 they don't create headlines, which in today's tennis media climate 0:01:12.840 --> 0:01:15.400 is more nutso than ever, with people taking things out 0:01:15.440 --> 0:01:18.559 of context and creating like dishy, gossip y media headlines. 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:20.960 I mean, honestly, it's like it's overdue, like we haven't 0:01:21.000 --> 0:01:22.800 had this for a long time, and that we finally 0:01:22.840 --> 0:01:25.680 do where people are basically treating you know, tennis like 0:01:25.800 --> 0:01:29.559 the gossip machine as well as the legitimate news source 0:01:29.640 --> 0:01:33.280 that it is. But I believe him when he said, yeah, 0:01:33.280 --> 0:01:35.280 I wasn't expecting anything. I just turned up and maybe 0:01:35.280 --> 0:01:36.920 wanted some matches and then like ended up winning the 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:37.280 whole thing. 0:01:38.800 --> 0:01:42.240 I mean, listen, when you when you're as talented and 0:01:42.319 --> 0:01:46.720 as and just as malleable on all these surfaces. It's 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:48.520 why we talk about him being so good on the 0:01:48.600 --> 0:01:51.720 natural surfaces because also playing on grass, it's not only 0:01:51.760 --> 0:01:54.360 about changing the white that you play. And you you know, 0:01:54.560 --> 0:01:56.880 on clay, you've got to be strategic. You've got to 0:01:56.880 --> 0:01:59.040 be patient, you've got to wait for the right shot. 0:01:59.080 --> 0:02:01.520 You can't hit a certain to be out of position 0:02:01.600 --> 0:02:03.760 because the movement's a little bit more difficult on clay. 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:06.320 On grass, you've got to be explosive. You've also got 0:02:06.320 --> 0:02:08.760 to be very agile with your footwork. You've got to 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:12.000 be able to adjust the feel underneath your shoe to 0:02:12.040 --> 0:02:14.880 the grass and to a slippery surface, and the ball 0:02:14.919 --> 0:02:17.640 bounces lower, and you know you've got to serve you 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:19.240 the ball more wide. You've got to get you mean, 0:02:19.240 --> 0:02:21.760 there's so many different things about playing on grass compared 0:02:21.800 --> 0:02:26.080 to playing on clay, but yet he adjusts so easily 0:02:26.200 --> 0:02:29.800 because he is so creative. He is such an incredible athlete, 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:32.800 and of course the footwork aspect of playing on clay 0:02:32.840 --> 0:02:35.320 and playing on grass is so different, but he is 0:02:35.360 --> 0:02:39.120 so good at adapting on those surfaces, and he showed it. 0:02:39.240 --> 0:02:41.200 You know, we've clearly had enough tennis winning the French 0:02:41.240 --> 0:02:44.000 Open and took a few days off, as I said, 0:02:44.000 --> 0:02:46.359 went to Ibiza, had some fun and then you know, 0:02:46.480 --> 0:02:48.840 I think his joy for playing tennis is also what 0:02:48.919 --> 0:02:51.639 gets him through the early matches, because he's not like, oh, man, 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:54.520 I can't believe I'm playing another tournament so quickly after 0:02:54.560 --> 0:02:56.880 the French and you know, you do have those moments 0:02:56.880 --> 0:02:59.040 where you're like, oh, I've got to lay them back 0:02:59.120 --> 0:03:01.840 up again and like get serious and like have stress 0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:05.240 and pressure again. Okay, he goes into it going okay, 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:09.120 I'm playing again, it's kind of like Pete Davidson. Okay, okay, 0:03:09.160 --> 0:03:10.799 you know in SNL, like okay, I'm here. 0:03:11.280 --> 0:03:13.280 Oh it is totally Chad. 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:14.520 Yeah it's Chad. 0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:15.680 It's Chad. 0:03:16.400 --> 0:03:17.760 I think he's Chad. 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:23.040 I love that we had the women also playing. We 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:27.360 had some results out of Eastbourne, you know. And for 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:32.040 me just like this excitement of just the short grass 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:34.400 season where everyone's like you're either in it or you're not. 0:03:34.560 --> 0:03:36.440 Like there's some players who are just like, f this, 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:37.960 I hate this surface. 0:03:38.040 --> 0:03:39.040 I'm not going to do anything. 0:03:39.280 --> 0:03:41.800 And then you have players like Sasha Bublik who shows 0:03:41.840 --> 0:03:43.520 up and he's like, guess what you think I'm chaotic 0:03:43.600 --> 0:03:45.880 on other surfaces, get ready for grass, the most chaotic 0:03:45.880 --> 0:03:48.880 of services. Here I go. Takes down pretty much everybody, 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:51.480 including Meddy in the final in Zverev, in the semi 0:03:51.800 --> 0:03:54.920 in the second German tournament in a row on grass. 0:03:54.960 --> 0:03:57.080 I love to see it. Bublik is so fun. I 0:03:57.160 --> 0:03:59.720 just I absolutely love his tennis. I hate his facial hair. 0:04:01.320 --> 0:04:05.440 Words to the sailing team, just please please just the 0:04:05.560 --> 0:04:08.040 underbeard only is just such a tough look. I hate 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:11.920 to critique his appearance because otherwise he's totally enjoyable underlay fault. 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:14.080 But what did you make of the public run is 0:04:14.080 --> 0:04:16.440 this's just like the chaotic thing that sometimes happens on 0:04:16.560 --> 0:04:18.840 the surface, that is, you know, the most random. 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:22.440 Nowadays it is the most random. But it also really 0:04:22.520 --> 0:04:25.240 lends itself. Particularly grass, it's not at Wimbledon it still 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:27.839 plays a little bit like old school grass. It's quick, low, 0:04:27.880 --> 0:04:30.840 balancing all the things, and you have to be incredibly 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:33.479 aggressive on grass. You have to, you know, if you 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:35.640 see an opportunity to go for a winner, you do it. 0:04:35.720 --> 0:04:38.360 Like on clay you might see an opening for a winner, 0:04:38.400 --> 0:04:40.560 but if you don't hit it well, then again, as 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:43.880 I was talking about, your footing is different, how you 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:46.039 you know, how you have to defend the court is different, 0:04:46.040 --> 0:04:49.760 whereas on grass it's really you're not doing. Defense is 0:04:49.800 --> 0:04:53.760 not part of your thought process. It's more about seaball 0:04:54.240 --> 0:04:58.720 c space, hit ball, hit space, go be aggressive. So 0:04:58.880 --> 0:05:02.320 Bublic is the type of play that always takes risk. 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:05.599 That's how he plays. So for him, playing on grass 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:09.520 is ideal because it's like, oh risk, great, go for it. 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:12.279 And then obviously if you're playing well enough, you start 0:05:12.279 --> 0:05:14.800 getting into it and you start feeling good. About it. 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:18.000 You start serving big and flat. He serves so flat, 0:05:18.040 --> 0:05:20.120 and he hits it all so flat. They're playing on 0:05:20.160 --> 0:05:23.760 grass lands itself beautifully to his game. So look, he's 0:05:23.800 --> 0:05:25.680 not going to be anyone that someone wants to play 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:27.320 at Wimblein. I can tell you that right now. The 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:30.760 unpredictability that the under armed serving, like everything about him 0:05:30.880 --> 0:05:34.600 was just I mean, I remember coaching against him and 0:05:34.600 --> 0:05:38.560 mixed doubles once he played with Elena Rybakina against Sam 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:42.000 Stosur and her partner at the Strain and Open, and 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:44.080 I remember seeing him really kind of for the first 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:45.840 ish time i'd sort of seen him in the pre film. 0:05:45.880 --> 0:05:49.320 I'm like, this guy is nuts. He would go for 0:05:49.560 --> 0:05:52.080 one hundred and forty mile an hour second serves and 0:05:52.160 --> 0:05:54.280 I was like, I don't know what's going on here. 0:05:54.279 --> 0:05:57.839 This guy is absolutely bonkers. But having said that, he's 0:05:57.839 --> 0:06:02.880 that unpredictable character that on gross it's actually really beneficial 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:04.680 to be that way as long as you can keep you, 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:05.440 you know what together. 0:06:05.760 --> 0:06:07.760 I mean, you just described why I love playing on 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:09.600 grass so much, because my risk tolerance is high and 0:06:09.680 --> 0:06:13.600 my rally tolerance is so low. Like you and I are 0:06:13.600 --> 0:06:16.120 both very similar people who were like eh, let's see 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:18.279 what happens, you know, yeah, which I absolutely love and 0:06:18.320 --> 0:06:20.279 I love this bout black. All right, now, I just 0:06:20.320 --> 0:06:25.800 have to briefly introduce what we're about to hear, because 0:06:25.800 --> 0:06:28.240 we have a fantastic takeaway from our sit down with 0:06:28.680 --> 0:06:30.960 Jack Draper in London. We were lucky enough to get 0:06:31.040 --> 0:06:32.360 him on the pod. I was trying to get you, 0:06:32.400 --> 0:06:34.200 but you weren't there yet, and so I went over 0:06:34.240 --> 0:06:37.039 to London to do it myself, you know, portraying the 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:39.719 role of Renice Stubs in this interview as me Kaitlyn Thompson. 0:06:39.920 --> 0:06:42.000 But I have to say Jack Draper what a gentleman. 0:06:42.040 --> 0:06:44.120 First of all, he made the Semis of Queens, probably 0:06:44.120 --> 0:06:46.599 should have won that match against Jiri Lehechka and made the final, 0:06:47.400 --> 0:06:51.159 but kind of fiery in his you know, fiery in 0:06:51.200 --> 0:06:52.839 his loss, which actually I kind of thought was good. 0:06:52.839 --> 0:06:55.000 Like he's a chill customer, he's positive, he's nice, he 0:06:55.040 --> 0:06:56.760 was a lovely guy to chat too. But I kind 0:06:56.760 --> 0:06:58.160 of like to see some of that emotion. It makes 0:06:58.160 --> 0:06:59.960 me feel like he's probably pretty fired up for Wimbledon, 0:07:00.080 --> 0:07:03.520 and he should be. He semi'd in Madrid, he got 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:06.720 you know, his first Master's one thousand win earlier this 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:09.840 year in Indian wells like I'm a Jack Draper believer. 0:07:10.000 --> 0:07:14.240 Actually the lefty, big serving, big vibe guy is you know, 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:16.240 he's swaggy and he's got he's got some fire in 0:07:16.280 --> 0:07:19.160 his belly, which I love to see from a Brit candidly. 0:07:19.440 --> 0:07:22.200 Or remember what I said, he's gonna win Wimbledon. I 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:25.600 mean you did say it, you said. I love when 0:07:25.600 --> 0:07:26.960 I say that because I get all the people out 0:07:26.960 --> 0:07:28.640 there going, oh, what are you talking about? He's not 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:32.440 gonna win guys. I'm also at jokster. I say things 0:07:32.480 --> 0:07:36.080 sometimes to be a little bit you know, provocative, but 0:07:36.200 --> 0:07:38.240 I do believe that he's going to do well because 0:07:39.000 --> 0:07:41.760 you know, a Brit playing at London, you know at 0:07:41.760 --> 0:07:45.080 Wimbledon you have to you're two of you're off two 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:47.960 things right. In Australia, for example, Pat Rafter really struggled 0:07:47.960 --> 0:07:50.760 playing in Australia, but yeah he won two US Opens. 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:52.760 You know Sam Stosur is a struggle a little bit 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:55.400 in Australia. She's okay, but through the years she struggled. 0:07:55.880 --> 0:07:58.559 There's certain players that can play at home and play 0:07:58.600 --> 0:08:01.040 really well. Andy Murray is a big example. Look at 0:08:01.040 --> 0:08:03.440 the pressure that he had on his shoulders and was 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:06.120 able to you know, win Wimbledon, win a gold medal 0:08:06.200 --> 0:08:09.280 in London, like incredible how well he played at Wimbledon 0:08:09.320 --> 0:08:11.840 through the years, and I think Jack Draper is the 0:08:11.880 --> 0:08:16.720 personality that can actually embrace it and do well too 0:08:17.080 --> 0:08:18.600 at Wonderland. So I think the crowd's going to be 0:08:18.600 --> 0:08:21.800 incredibly behind him. He'll play on you know, center court, 0:08:21.880 --> 0:08:24.360 Court one. Maybe I doubt he's going to be on 0:08:24.440 --> 0:08:27.200 anything other than those courts, and frankly he shouldn't be. 0:08:28.400 --> 0:08:30.160 If he goes on court too, it'll be packed. But 0:08:30.520 --> 0:08:33.000 so I think this is a real opportunity again for 0:08:33.040 --> 0:08:36.840 a new face in British tennis to take the mantle 0:08:36.840 --> 0:08:38.880 from Andy now that he's gone, And I think Jack 0:08:38.960 --> 0:08:40.920 Draper is a real chance to win a Grand Slam 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:41.600 in his career. 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:44.640 I totally agree with you. I also like he was smart, 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:47.840 he was funny, he was engaged as you're here, and 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:52.760 also he took the tube. He wasn't in tow with 0:08:52.920 --> 0:08:55.360 a like an entourage of eight or nine people, which 0:08:55.400 --> 0:08:56.760 I think for a lot of people on the pro tour, 0:08:56.840 --> 0:08:58.400 men or women that would have been the case, like, 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:01.640 you know, a young talent in his hometown showing up, 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:04.160 you know, sort of refreshingly willing to engage with people 0:09:04.280 --> 0:09:06.439 was really cool. He didn't show up with a posse 0:09:06.440 --> 0:09:06.800 you know. 0:09:07.040 --> 0:09:09.200 Yeah, well, I like the guy that takes it tube. 0:09:09.200 --> 0:09:12.360 It's like us New Yorkers are taking the subway. We 0:09:12.520 --> 0:09:14.520 know it's the best way to get around, and we 0:09:14.559 --> 0:09:19.240 all know London traffic is not fun. So I think 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:20.880 that was probably the wisest thing for him to do. 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:24.760 And we as you will point out, Caitlin intelligent, funny 0:09:24.800 --> 0:09:28.160 guy and has a lot of pressure on his shoulders 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:29.600 going into these two weeks. But I think he's going 0:09:29.640 --> 0:09:31.600 to embrace it. I think he's going to do really well. 0:09:31.840 --> 0:09:32.160 You too. 0:09:32.200 --> 0:09:34.320 All right, without further ado, here's our chat with Jack 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:37.120 Draper. Rennae, safe travels. We'll see you on the grass. 0:09:38.040 --> 0:09:39.160 See you're on the grass kids. 0:09:39.160 --> 0:10:10.600 Hello everybody. What is going on? Hi—I'm Caitlin Thompson. I'm the 0:10:10.600 --> 0:10:13.720 founder of Racquet and I'm super super thrilled to be 0:10:13.800 --> 0:10:17.000 here with an edition of what we call live & 0:10:17.080 --> 0:10:20.719 Direct tonight. I am incredibly excited and privileged to meet 0:10:20.720 --> 0:10:23.800 somebody I have not met before. Who is your World 0:10:24.240 --> 0:10:28.600 number four, your British number one and a tall drink 0:10:28.600 --> 0:10:31.680 of water, Jack Draper, please join me in welcoming Jack Draper, 0:10:32.240 --> 0:10:35.520 thank you so much for being here Jack, thank you for 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:38.360 for coming as well. I appreciate it. You're a local, you 0:10:38.400 --> 0:10:39.000 took the tube. 0:10:39.559 --> 0:10:42.480 I did. Yeah, I live in Putney, so it's easy, 0:10:42.520 --> 0:10:44.040 too easy to get here to the tune. 0:10:44.480 --> 0:10:46.760 I love it in London. I was asking Jack as 0:10:46.760 --> 0:10:49.760 we were getting ready if he can walk down the 0:10:49.760 --> 0:10:51.199 street without getting recognized. 0:10:52.160 --> 0:10:53.800 So far you can, Yeah, I don't. 0:10:53.840 --> 0:10:57.439 I don't get reckon that that's going on too long, do you think. That's gonna last much longer? 0:10:57.559 --> 0:10:59.280 I don't know. I don't know. We'll find out. I'm 0:10:59.320 --> 0:10:59.960 pretty nookis. 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:04.560 You actually are extremely low key. But I do have 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:08.160 to say you have had certainly the best season of 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:10.319 your career, and I think if we were going to 0:11:10.400 --> 0:11:11.920 talk about this at the end of last year, I 0:11:11.920 --> 0:11:14.640 would have also said, you've had the best season of 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:17.120 your career last year. So it just kind of keeps 0:11:17.160 --> 0:11:19.400 getting better. Talk to us a little bit about the 0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:20.120 year so far. 0:11:20.880 --> 0:11:23.280 I've got a lot of confidence early on in my career, 0:11:23.320 --> 0:11:26.960 had a lot of injuries, a lot of setbacks. Yeah, 0:11:26.960 --> 0:11:28.880 a lot of adversity I had to sort of get through, 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:32.079 and then kind of as the last couple of years 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:34.079 gone by, I've I've still been the same. I've kept 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:36.440 the same work ethic. I've got really good people around me, 0:11:36.920 --> 0:11:38.959 and I think I've always had the tennis, but it's 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:41.959 just been getting the mentality and the physicality right to 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:43.560 perform at the highest level. 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:46.360 One of those people, as I understand it, is your brother. 0:11:47.040 --> 0:11:49.040 Having a brother on tour must be nice. 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:50.440 I can. 0:11:50.480 --> 0:11:52.480 Also, I have siblings, so I know that probably goes 0:11:52.520 --> 0:11:53.880 either way, right, Yeah. 0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:56.000 It's nice to me and my brother have unbelievable relationship 0:11:56.080 --> 0:12:00.840 somewhere and yeah, we understand be like no one else, 0:12:01.160 --> 0:12:03.840 and we live together and we don't argue too much. 0:12:03.880 --> 0:12:06.040 So it's nice to have blood around you. In the 0:12:06.040 --> 0:12:06.560 whole time. 0:12:07.360 --> 0:12:11.559 Let's talk a little bit about Indian Wells. Our team 0:12:11.600 --> 0:12:14.520 at Racquet has been watching you play for a couple 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:17.600 of years. Obviously, you did really well in our neck 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:20.440 of the woods in New York last year. We took 0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:23.839 some incredible photographs, if I must say so myself, of 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:27.000 you at Indian Wells and then you just kept winning 0:12:27.040 --> 0:12:30.120 and you kept winning and you kept winning. For those 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:33.400 of you who don't know about Indian Wells in Palm Springs, California, 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:35.520 it's the Fifth Slam, as they call it. 0:12:35.520 --> 0:12:36.640 It's a huge tournament. 0:12:37.080 --> 0:12:41.120 I would argue—don't tell Rennae this—that it's more important than the Australian Open 0:12:41.720 --> 0:12:45.560 Open for debate, she doesn't like when I Australia. But 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:48.720 it was a massive, massive tournament to win, and you 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:52.440 just looked like you felt so comfortable along those desert hard, 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:55.000 slow court to talk to us about that tournament because 0:12:55.040 --> 0:12:57.520 it was so far the biggest one that you've won. 0:12:57.600 --> 0:12:59.120 And it was really cool to watch up close. 0:12:59.520 --> 0:13:02.560 Yes, I mean, I don't know if anyone has seen 0:13:02.600 --> 0:13:07.240 Indian Wells, but the scenery layers just unbelievable to play, 0:13:07.280 --> 0:13:10.080 the crowds always amazing, and it is like the Fifth 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:14.320 Grand Slam tournament which everyone wants to win. And yeah, I 0:13:14.320 --> 0:13:16.400 was fortunate enough to play some really good tennis this year, 0:13:16.480 --> 0:13:18.560 be some really good players along the way, and it 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:21.640 definitely gave me a lot of confidence and just belief 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:23.280 that I belong right the top highest level. 0:13:23.320 --> 0:13:26.160 I suppose did you feel like a special feeling at 0:13:26.160 --> 0:13:28.840 the moment where you like, I only played in college, 0:13:28.880 --> 0:13:30.640 but even when I was a little kid, I was like, 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:33.560 I might win this thing. Actually, guess, hold on your hats. 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:35.480 Did you have any kind of premonition like that, like 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:38.200 maybe this was going to be yours to seize? 0:13:38.440 --> 0:13:41.079 No, not really. In tennis, I respect everyone who plays, 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:45.840 and they're unbelievable players. So to win it is, you know, 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:48.360 in tennis, it's a losing sport. Really, you know, every 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:51.400 week you're playing. Every week, you're trying your best to win. 0:13:51.520 --> 0:13:53.160 But there's so many, like I said, good players that 0:13:53.200 --> 0:13:55.800 can beat you. So I guess to win the title, 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:58.880 that's something that doesn't happen too often. Obviously, you want 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:01.959 it to happen all the time. You see with Federer 0:14:02.000 --> 0:14:05.040 and Rafa and no fact, they're just machines. They've done 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:06.520 it year of the year of the year. But I 0:14:06.559 --> 0:14:10.160 wouldn't say that's the norm for even good players. So 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:14.480 to come through on one of the biggest tournaments in 0:14:14.520 --> 0:14:18.640 the world something I'm still processing because in tennis you 0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:19.360 have to just keep going. 0:14:19.440 --> 0:14:22.360 Yeah, you got to keep going. I have two kind 0:14:22.360 --> 0:14:25.360 of follow up questions to that number one, Let's let's 0:14:25.560 --> 0:14:29.640 go with the Big three because you mentioned Rafa Roger Novak. 0:14:30.000 --> 0:14:32.800 Novak's going to be playing this Wimbledon, but he's kind 0:14:32.800 --> 0:14:35.360 of made some noise that he's, you know, probably certainly 0:14:35.360 --> 0:14:36.920 at the tail end of his career, if not the 0:14:37.000 --> 0:14:40.560 last year. You know, you're part of this generation that 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:45.520 is so exciting, so new, and really the post Big 0:14:45.600 --> 0:14:48.200 Three generation of young tennis players. What's that feel like? 0:14:48.200 --> 0:14:50.160 Are you guys all kind of pushing each other? It 0:14:50.200 --> 0:14:52.120 certainly looks that way from the outside. 0:14:52.240 --> 0:14:55.080 Yeah, definitely. I think tennis is in a really exciting place. 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:57.760 You've obviously got our presence in it. Who are kind 0:14:57.800 --> 0:15:00.280 of leading away a little bit with stuff. I would 0:15:00.280 --> 0:15:03.160 say they've they've really set the half of the next 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:06.720 group of players who are kind of following in their footsteps. 0:15:06.760 --> 0:15:11.040 Tennis has become like a really aggressive power sport, and 0:15:11.080 --> 0:15:14.400 so the margins are getting smaller and smaller. Yeah, but 0:15:14.480 --> 0:15:19.840 those guys have definitely stepped up after Rapper Roger Novak, 0:15:20.360 --> 0:15:23.360 and yeah, it's nice to be chasing them now like 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:25.160 others have chased those other top boys. 0:15:25.240 --> 0:15:27.000 Yeah, it feels like you guys are in a cohort 0:15:27.160 --> 0:15:30.280 like you're kind of in a little bit of a pack. 0:15:30.480 --> 0:15:31.440 I don't know if it feels like that. 0:15:31.480 --> 0:15:33.800 I don't know. There's a pack of really really good 0:15:33.880 --> 0:15:36.840 young players who are coming up who, yeah, don't want 0:15:36.880 --> 0:15:39.240 them to dominate like the ones before did. 0:15:39.400 --> 0:15:42.440 Right, everybody's hungry, you know, exactly, nobody's taken their crap! 0:15:43.240 --> 0:15:46.000 So we talked a little bit about Indian wells. It's 0:15:46.080 --> 0:15:49.280 on hard courts. You made a stellar run in Madrid 0:15:49.360 --> 0:15:52.840 this year on clay. And you just came off of 0:15:53.080 --> 0:15:56.520 an excellent run of Queens on grass. Yeah, I mean 0:15:56.560 --> 0:15:58.400 you're a local. Is this your like home? I mean, 0:15:58.440 --> 0:15:59.560 it's gotta be your home turf. 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:03.320 Yeah, it is home turf, it's always a bit different. 0:16:03.360 --> 0:16:05.520 Obviously coming home I'm not used to I'm used to 0:16:05.560 --> 0:16:08.080 being in the hotels and being out of my comfort zone, 0:16:08.280 --> 0:16:11.000 whereas I'm staying at home here obviously got crowd support 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:13.440 behind me. Whereas when I go away, I mean I 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:15.080 remember being in Australia at the start of the year 0:16:15.120 --> 0:16:17.360 and playing against Australians. I'm just getting like abuse for 0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:20.680 like four hours against other players, and that's the most 0:16:20.760 --> 0:16:23.000 mostly where I go. So to have the home support 0:16:23.040 --> 0:16:26.040 means that means a lot. Yeah, it's nice to be home, 0:16:26.120 --> 0:16:26.760 that's for sure. 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:30.960 And ahead of next week Wimbedon starts a week from today. 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:33.680 You know, it's a faster surface. You've got to get low. 0:16:33.760 --> 0:16:35.320 You got to take everything up the rise. How are 0:16:35.320 --> 0:16:36.720 you what are you tweaking? What are you working on 0:16:36.840 --> 0:16:37.160 right now? 0:16:37.280 --> 0:16:41.880 Is that what you do? Yeah, Like it's a different surface. You have to 0:16:41.880 --> 0:16:44.840 get used to it. Very different transition from playing on 0:16:44.840 --> 0:16:48.600 the hard courts. And yeah, I think people think, oh, 0:16:48.760 --> 0:16:51.480 just because you're from England, like you must love the grass. 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:54.120 It's like we never play on grass. So it's still 0:16:54.480 --> 0:16:58.320 a transition and adjustment. And yeah, getting used to that. 0:16:58.360 --> 0:17:01.000 And last week was good to get some and hopefully 0:17:01.400 --> 0:17:04.080 come when when and that can be playing some better standards. 0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:05.520 I mean they look pretty good to me. 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:08.360 Thank you high high standards. 0:17:08.359 --> 0:17:10.560 That's right. We don't know each other, but my standards 0:17:10.560 --> 0:17:12.960 are extremely high. All right, here we are, last couple 0:17:13.000 --> 0:17:14.320 of questions and then I'm going to let you get 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:18.520 to signing some collectibles doing a great This is not 0:17:18.640 --> 0:17:22.640 your first time in the collectible space. You did this 0:17:22.880 --> 0:17:25.119 in uh, you know, obviously we should say thank you 0:17:25.160 --> 0:17:28.920 to fanatics. Collectibles for having us tonight, we are going 0:17:28.920 --> 0:17:32.040 to take you back and sign some stuff. What is 0:17:32.080 --> 0:17:36.159 your what's your impression of the merch space, especially as 0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:38.560 people are starting to get you know, connected outs between 0:17:38.560 --> 0:17:40.919 collectibles and a sport like tennis, which kind of haven't 0:17:40.960 --> 0:17:42.720 been talking to each other so much in the last 0:17:42.720 --> 0:17:43.359 couple of years. 0:17:43.640 --> 0:17:45.440 Honestly, I don't know those about it, but I think 0:17:45.440 --> 0:17:48.200 it's a really cool concept, you know. I think having 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:51.600 something that you can keep, like I know that memorabilia 0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:55.280 for me has always been something that I've always held 0:17:55.320 --> 0:17:57.400 on to. You know, even if it's like an accreditation 0:17:57.480 --> 0:17:59.720 from a tournament, you know that that means a lot 0:17:59.760 --> 0:18:02.119 to me. So to have your favorite athletes, or to 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:04.440 have people that you're inspired by and to have their 0:18:04.480 --> 0:18:07.560 signature or to have something, you know, I think that 0:18:07.560 --> 0:18:08.760 that can be really inspiring. 0:18:09.240 --> 0:18:11.720 When we were talking about I was talking with the 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:14.840 Fanatics team earlier. They have some really special, rare stuff 0:18:14.840 --> 0:18:16.159 for you to sign that I don't know if you 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:19.960 it might be a surprise to you who gets who's 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:22.439 getting gifted if you get to walk out of here 0:18:22.440 --> 0:18:25.720 with something really special, because it's like mom, Grandma, I 0:18:25.760 --> 0:18:27.220 was saying, it would be my kid. 0:18:27.220 --> 0:18:32.879 Like something that I've done? Maybe my brother would like something. Joking, 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:34.760 he definitely wouldn't want anything. 0:18:34.920 --> 0:18:35.679 He has to live with you. 0:18:35.760 --> 0:18:41.480 So my god son. He's a little kid and he 0:18:41.560 --> 0:18:44.399 loves you. All that kind of start supporting him. 0:18:44.600 --> 0:18:47.600 Amazing. All right, we'll let you go. Good luck next week. 0:18:47.680 --> 0:18:48.400 Thank you so much. 0:18:48.440 --> 0:18:49.760 Thanks for being here. 0:18:50.040 --> 0:18:57.879 Please give it up for your British No. 1—let's go do some breaks. 0:18:57.880 --> 0:19:17.920 Thank you so much. Everybody.