WEBVTT - The Sit-Down with Torben Beltz

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<v Speaker 1>Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the sit Down.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Matt Trolope, a writer for oz open dot com, and.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm Viv Christie, managing editor of Australian Tennis.

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<v Speaker 1>Magazine and Viv why are we this week sitting down

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<v Speaker 1>with Torburn?

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<v Speaker 3>Belts.

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<v Speaker 2>We're sitting down with Touburn this week because he is

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<v Speaker 2>quite a prominent figure in tennis in Germany and all

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<v Speaker 2>eyes will be on tennis in Germany this week week

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<v Speaker 2>when the Labor Cup is played in Berlin. Tauburn is

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<v Speaker 2>the former coach of Angelique Kerber. He talks about his

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<v Speaker 2>long partnership with her and why tennis is having a

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<v Speaker 2>resurgence in Germany right now.

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<v Speaker 1>And he also guided Germany to the United Cup title

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<v Speaker 1>this year, which is another reason he's so esteemed in

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<v Speaker 1>his country. You were lucky enough to do this interview

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<v Speaker 1>with Touburen. I didn't join for it, so I'm really

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<v Speaker 1>looking forward to listening now.

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<v Speaker 2>Toubin, thank you for your time today and thank you

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<v Speaker 2>for joining us on the sit Down. It's a pleasure

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<v Speaker 2>to be talking to you. Perhaps we could start from

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<v Speaker 2>the beginning and you could tell us about your start

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<v Speaker 2>in tennis.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, I was good. Yes, I was a titnis player

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<v Speaker 3>when I was young. I started with at a young age,

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<v Speaker 3>when I was six seven years old. It's a long

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<v Speaker 3>time ago now because at I'm forty seven now, so yes,

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<v Speaker 3>so I started by tennis. I was a very active

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<v Speaker 3>player when I was young. I was a good German player.

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<v Speaker 3>When I grew up, I played in Germany Bundesliga. I

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<v Speaker 3>went to the USA to study, so I got my

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<v Speaker 3>scholarship to play college tennis when I was around. After

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<v Speaker 3>my school in Germany, when I was eighteen nineteen, I

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<v Speaker 3>went for two years to America, to South Carolina to

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<v Speaker 3>study and to play tennis. And yep, that was my

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<v Speaker 3>growing up. And then after I couldn't make it on

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<v Speaker 3>the big tour myself. Then I started to coach. So

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<v Speaker 3>I started to coach in Germany with some club tennis coaching.

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<v Speaker 3>Then I then I came actually when Angel was sixteen

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<v Speaker 3>years old, so seventeen years old, Angee Kerber was looking

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<v Speaker 3>for a travel coach. So she was playing ITF junior

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<v Speaker 3>well slams and she was looking for a coach. So

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<v Speaker 3>the coaches from her they asked me if I want

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<v Speaker 3>to be the travel coach and the hitting partner at

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<v Speaker 3>that time. So I started a start to work with

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<v Speaker 3>Angy when she was sixteen seventeen. And also my first

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<v Speaker 3>long trip was also to Australia, so yeah, yeah, that

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<v Speaker 3>was she was playing IF juniors, so we played the

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<v Speaker 3>IF Junior Tour, We played the Taralgon I think it's

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<v Speaker 3>the name Timers also, so we went there and we

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<v Speaker 3>played the Australi Open Juniors. Yeah that was really fun,

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<v Speaker 3>really fun time. Wow, So that must have been long Viragal,

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<v Speaker 3>so long time ago.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, a long time ago created such amazing memories

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<v Speaker 2>and an amazing career. I mean that must have been

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<v Speaker 2>quite an experience for you going from Germany to US

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<v Speaker 2>college tennis.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, and that was for me was and I think

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<v Speaker 3>this is for many German players, you know, if they

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<v Speaker 3>playing good German level tennis, you know it's a good

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<v Speaker 3>step to still do your education but also to still

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<v Speaker 3>work on your tennis career and to try to make

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<v Speaker 3>it to the professional level. So that was a good

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's a good it's a good thing for fun,

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<v Speaker 3>like for people from from Germany or from Europe and

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<v Speaker 3>tried to combine the education and the tennis. So that

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<v Speaker 3>was also for me, it was a good thing. And

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<v Speaker 3>also I was okay. I wasn't okay German player in

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<v Speaker 3>the US. I really got lucky because I had a

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<v Speaker 3>really nice college, I had a really good coach, and

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<v Speaker 3>I really improved my tennis in America. So I was

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<v Speaker 3>really lucky to go to America. Was live and you.

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<v Speaker 2>Had you mentioned earlier, Andie was only sixteen or seventeen

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<v Speaker 2>when you first started working together. You had such longevity together,

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<v Speaker 2>Like I think it was almost twenty years that you'd

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<v Speaker 2>work together in the end. What was the secret to

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<v Speaker 2>that long relationship?

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<v Speaker 3>No, I think yes, I think it was really I

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<v Speaker 3>think we had a really good time. So we started

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<v Speaker 3>when she was sixteen seventeen years old, so that was

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<v Speaker 3>really great. So we had a good start and then

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<v Speaker 3>you know, and also like we didn't work for nineteen

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<v Speaker 3>or twenty years almost together, but we didn't work the

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<v Speaker 3>whole time we had. I think we started all over.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm not sure if we started four or five times.

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<v Speaker 3>So it was really like it was really like an

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<v Speaker 3>on and off relationship. But yeah, but I was really

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<v Speaker 3>happy to be with her when she had her big

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<v Speaker 3>year twenty sixteen, when she was winning everything, off Austraight Open,

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<v Speaker 3>And yeah, I think for me it was just it

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<v Speaker 3>was a great It was great to be part of

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<v Speaker 3>that journey. I would say. It was great to be

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<v Speaker 3>there at the start when she started to go to

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<v Speaker 3>play green Slam junior tournaments when she was sixteen seventeen,

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<v Speaker 3>and now it was great to see her finishing like

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<v Speaker 3>she did in Paris at the Olympics, with a really

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<v Speaker 3>high level of tennis, really competing really really hard, and

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<v Speaker 3>it was really fun for me to be part of

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<v Speaker 3>that storyline was really great and for sure, and that

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<v Speaker 3>you know, in the twenty years, it's not always always

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<v Speaker 3>nice and always good. We also had our tough, tough

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<v Speaker 3>part and also like you know, well like kind of

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<v Speaker 3>difficult times. But but but when I look back, I

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<v Speaker 3>really think only about the good times we had, and

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<v Speaker 3>really I think it was a great, great journey.

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<v Speaker 2>How emotional was it when she wound up her career

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<v Speaker 2>at the Paris Olympics.

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<v Speaker 3>Recently, Yeah, for sure, that was very emotional. She told

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<v Speaker 3>me like a week before we were practicing in Poland

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<v Speaker 3>and there she taught me, Hey, Torbin thinking about stopping

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<v Speaker 3>after Paris, And I was like, yeah, that's that's a

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<v Speaker 3>good at the end, and now when I look back,

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<v Speaker 3>I think it was really perfect. It was the perfect

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<v Speaker 3>ending for her. It was really because yeah, she was

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<v Speaker 3>playing at a great level. She was beating great players.

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<v Speaker 3>She lost against like like heartbreaking sixth seven third set

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<v Speaker 3>against Quinn Wenn who won the gold medal. So it

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<v Speaker 3>was really like it was that like kind of the

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<v Speaker 3>sherry of the cake we say it was really was

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<v Speaker 3>really great. And also like like like the response she

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<v Speaker 3>got after it from the German fans, from from the crowd.

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<v Speaker 3>Also like I mean, she played she she never played

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<v Speaker 3>that well in Paris, like she was you know, it

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<v Speaker 3>was not her favorite tournament and petrol and gross, but

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<v Speaker 3>she she fell in love now, she fell in love

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<v Speaker 3>now very late, but but she was playing it so

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<v Speaker 3>sort like such a good level on on the clay court,

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<v Speaker 3>and there was for me as a coach, was great

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<v Speaker 3>to see that that she could finish like this.

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<v Speaker 2>I think in your coaching career you have also coached

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<v Speaker 2>Emma Radakanu and Contevey and donove Kich. How do you

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<v Speaker 2>approach different playing styles and and different personalities.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, that's a good question because I really think that

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<v Speaker 3>every player needs kind of a different, different approach. I say,

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<v Speaker 3>I think Age is really different to Emma or to Dollar.

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<v Speaker 3>You know. Also, I think every player as a coach,

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<v Speaker 3>for me, you have to really try and to to

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<v Speaker 3>figure out and kind of to to see what what

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<v Speaker 3>she what she needs from you. You know, like like

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<v Speaker 3>some players that they need more the technic side. Some

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<v Speaker 3>some players they need more the technical side, you know.

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<v Speaker 3>And some players want to hang out more and do

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<v Speaker 3>like like like like dinners together or like like doing

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<v Speaker 3>some some games together. Some players really like only one

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<v Speaker 3>you on the tennis court with like like fully focused.

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<v Speaker 3>So it's really I think I think it's that I

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<v Speaker 3>think that that's also the tricky part, but also the

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<v Speaker 3>the part what I like about coaching. It's it's never

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<v Speaker 3>you know, it's it's it's it's never like a nine

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<v Speaker 3>to five job. It's really like it's it's really like

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<v Speaker 3>you have to be be ready for changes. You have

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<v Speaker 3>to adapt a little bit with with different personalities and

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<v Speaker 3>different different asks from the players. So I really think

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<v Speaker 3>that's that that makes the job as a coach really

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<v Speaker 3>interesting and really exciting. For sure.

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<v Speaker 2>Your experiences as a coach have been mostly on the

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<v Speaker 2>w t A Tour as I understand it. What what

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<v Speaker 2>are the nuances in coaching female players compared to male players,

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<v Speaker 2>do you think.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, that's for me tough to answer because I always

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<v Speaker 3>coached the side, not the men's side. I had had

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<v Speaker 3>I had a small play that at the United Cup

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<v Speaker 3>to be part of all those some MEHA matches like

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<v Speaker 3>which was really great to watch, like Sacha from so

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<v Speaker 3>close and play against top top a TP players like

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<v Speaker 3>like scy Pass at Alex Australia. So it was it

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<v Speaker 3>was really great. But I'm not sure if there's a

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<v Speaker 3>big difference. I think it's and I think, like I

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<v Speaker 3>just said that, you have to be really like trying

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<v Speaker 3>to figure out, especially in the beginning, what the player needs.

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's and I think that's on the men's side.

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's it's kind of the same thing. I

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<v Speaker 3>think you cannot say you have to do this for

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<v Speaker 3>men play and you have to do this for a

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<v Speaker 3>female player. I think it's really about the personality and

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<v Speaker 3>about the player. I think I would say it's not.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, we mean the game is a little bit different, yes,

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<v Speaker 3>but I think you have to try for me, as

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<v Speaker 3>a coach, you have to try to figure out, Hey,

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<v Speaker 3>what does the men or the women need to get

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<v Speaker 3>better every day? And what do they wanted? Every day's

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<v Speaker 3>kind of practice and every day kind of practice sessions.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I think it's for me. There's not a

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<v Speaker 3>big difference in coaching men or women. But this I

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<v Speaker 3>can only say because I never coast to men.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you touched on the United Cup. That was your

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<v Speaker 2>first experience of captaining a team for Germany? How did

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<v Speaker 2>you approach that responsibility?

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<v Speaker 3>I think that was for me also that was a

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<v Speaker 3>really great experience. It was great for me to be

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<v Speaker 3>like responsible for the team of Germany. Yes, and also

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<v Speaker 3>like I was also very lucky because the team was

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<v Speaker 3>really great. They played the year before twenty twenty three,

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<v Speaker 3>they also played almost the same team, same team, but

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<v Speaker 3>they did not play very well. I think they lost.

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<v Speaker 3>I was sure, I think how they played. But and

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<v Speaker 3>this year, I mean, the winning makes it more easy

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<v Speaker 3>and to have to have a good feeling and to

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<v Speaker 3>have good good atmosphere and the team. So yeah, so

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<v Speaker 3>we had a really good time.

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<v Speaker 2>Was that a career highlight when Germany went on to

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<v Speaker 2>win the title?

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<v Speaker 3>For sure there was for me. For me, it was

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<v Speaker 3>the what was the highlight for sure. Yes, I mean

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<v Speaker 3>I mean also the gwand Slam tournaments with the which

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<v Speaker 3>which Angy won, we together, like twenty sixteen, like you're

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<v Speaker 3>Australian Open and News Open. That was also a big

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<v Speaker 3>highlight for me. But but then you go like the Cup,

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<v Speaker 3>it's almost on the same level because we had every

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<v Speaker 3>day we had like a team thing together. We're playing

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<v Speaker 3>games together there, we had dinner together, and yeah, it

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<v Speaker 3>was just a great, great thing.

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<v Speaker 2>It sounds like the United Cup is an event that

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<v Speaker 2>you really enjoy.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, for sure, I really liked it. I think it's

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<v Speaker 3>a good, good way to begin the start of the year.

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's really great also for the players they

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<v Speaker 3>get a lot of matches in. I think it was good.

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<v Speaker 2>It was good for us and combining the men and

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<v Speaker 2>the women. How do you enjoy that format?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, for sure for sure. Also like this, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's also great to have like some practice

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<v Speaker 3>together with the women is great. I think we had

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<v Speaker 3>like Germany, have we had it? I just can can yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>I just can't say it from the from the part

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<v Speaker 3>of Germany. I think we had a really good time together.

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<v Speaker 3>And I really I think all all the players and

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<v Speaker 3>the team that had a good start of the year

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<v Speaker 3>that they were very happy.

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<v Speaker 2>Sure, I'd like to chat to you now about German tennis.

0:11:17.040 --> 0:11:19.560
<v Speaker 2>So there are so many role models in German tennis.

0:11:19.559 --> 0:11:22.719
<v Speaker 2>There's so many Grand Slam champions, former world number one.

0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:27.320
<v Speaker 2>What role do you think Steffie Graff and Boris Becker

0:11:27.480 --> 0:11:30.800
<v Speaker 2>and Michael Stick you know Wrot play in that.

0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:32.880
<v Speaker 3>No, I think I think they have a big role

0:11:32.880 --> 0:11:34.439
<v Speaker 3>in this. I think a really big role becose. I

0:11:34.440 --> 0:11:37.480
<v Speaker 3>mean this it was kind of my time growing up

0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:40.360
<v Speaker 3>also a little bit, and also for angled, so I

0:11:40.400 --> 0:11:43.360
<v Speaker 3>think I think for a nation it's very important to

0:11:43.440 --> 0:11:46.240
<v Speaker 3>have like like good players as a role model for

0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:49.280
<v Speaker 3>the younger kids to see, hey, if you work hard,

0:11:49.440 --> 0:11:51.520
<v Speaker 3>you know you can can reach it. We can see now.

0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:55.319
<v Speaker 3>Also like like Italy is kind of booming, they tell

0:11:55.320 --> 0:11:58.319
<v Speaker 3>you tennis because they have Janick Sinner and just me

0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:00.520
<v Speaker 3>and Pauline now in the top of tennis. Because I say,

0:12:01.040 --> 0:12:02.760
<v Speaker 3>I think you can see this also right now as

0:12:02.760 --> 0:12:05.440
<v Speaker 3>happening to Italy attempt so because everybody saying it's Tyan

0:12:05.480 --> 0:12:08.000
<v Speaker 3>tennis is so great right now because they have these

0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:10.920
<v Speaker 3>kind of role models and and I mean for us

0:12:11.000 --> 0:12:13.160
<v Speaker 3>in Germany. I think there was a really special time

0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:16.320
<v Speaker 3>to have Steffie and Borrows and they were like so

0:12:16.480 --> 0:12:20.400
<v Speaker 3>outstanding good players and and and all people started to

0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:22.320
<v Speaker 3>play and to start to play tennis. You know, they

0:12:22.360 --> 0:12:24.880
<v Speaker 3>started playing their backyards, that they they started to play

0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:27.240
<v Speaker 3>in the parking lots, you know, that they started to

0:12:27.240 --> 0:12:30.280
<v Speaker 3>play in the German clubs. They were really booming, and

0:12:31.120 --> 0:12:32.959
<v Speaker 3>I think there was a really good it was a

0:12:32.960 --> 0:12:35.360
<v Speaker 3>really good time for us. And also like and then

0:12:35.360 --> 0:12:37.319
<v Speaker 3>also like like like like like like the girls and

0:12:37.360 --> 0:12:40.559
<v Speaker 3>boys who came after Steffian Burrows, like we had like

0:12:40.559 --> 0:12:44.520
<v Speaker 3>like a g and Andrea Petkovic and Julia Gergiz. You know,

0:12:44.559 --> 0:12:47.800
<v Speaker 3>we we have so many good players who who try

0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.680
<v Speaker 3>and it was also like a big big ask for

0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:53.240
<v Speaker 3>them because every time when they were playing great, it

0:12:53.600 --> 0:12:55.440
<v Speaker 3>was like, hey, this is the new Steffie and guess

0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:57.520
<v Speaker 3>this is the new Staffy Garth coming now. So it

0:12:57.600 --> 0:12:59.800
<v Speaker 3>was also I think not easy to grow up like

0:13:00.240 --> 0:13:04.720
<v Speaker 3>after kind of Steffie. But but but but you could

0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:07.400
<v Speaker 3>see it's it. I think it's it motivates the players

0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:10.439
<v Speaker 3>and it's really really motivated and they really tried to

0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:12.680
<v Speaker 3>to to get on this level, which is really tough

0:13:12.720 --> 0:13:15.640
<v Speaker 3>because she want everything. But but I think it's it's

0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:18.640
<v Speaker 3>for for tennis in the nation. I think it's very

0:13:18.679 --> 0:13:21.120
<v Speaker 3>important to have like role models, like like we had

0:13:21.160 --> 0:13:24.320
<v Speaker 3>in the at the time with with with Steffie and Boris.

0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:26.800
<v Speaker 2>Who were your role models when you were growing up?

0:13:27.480 --> 0:13:30.680
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, we mean, for sure, for sure, Staffian Borrows was

0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:32.520
<v Speaker 3>a big part of that. And I also like, I mean,

0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:36.840
<v Speaker 3>for me, I always like the Andrew Agacy piece Templess,

0:13:36.920 --> 0:13:38.920
<v Speaker 3>you know, I like this kind of players also that

0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:40.800
<v Speaker 3>was kind of my time who I watched a lot

0:13:41.040 --> 0:13:44.080
<v Speaker 3>on tennis and who were playing Drasco tennis. So yeah,

0:13:44.160 --> 0:13:46.240
<v Speaker 3>I think these kind of players I looked up to.

0:13:46.679 --> 0:13:51.000
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, as I understand it, tennis is hugely popular in Germany.

0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:54.199
<v Speaker 2>From what I've read and understood, it's I think it's

0:13:54.240 --> 0:13:58.080
<v Speaker 2>the third most popular sport in your nation. What do

0:13:58.120 --> 0:14:00.000
<v Speaker 2>you think is the reason for that success?

0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:03.360
<v Speaker 3>I mean, yes, yes, I think, I mean, I think

0:14:03.400 --> 0:14:05.840
<v Speaker 3>for sure the reason is that we always had good

0:14:05.840 --> 0:14:08.240
<v Speaker 3>players in the top we all we have we have

0:14:08.280 --> 0:14:10.160
<v Speaker 3>such as well as now we know, which is great

0:14:10.200 --> 0:14:13.240
<v Speaker 3>for us. And we always had a g and we

0:14:13.280 --> 0:14:15.679
<v Speaker 3>always had good players here. I think this if you're

0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:18.480
<v Speaker 3>in the news in Germany with with with like like

0:14:18.600 --> 0:14:21.880
<v Speaker 3>sports results and good and good good results. I think

0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:24.200
<v Speaker 3>then that helps, you know. I mean, we can never

0:14:24.400 --> 0:14:28.360
<v Speaker 3>be as big as football because in Germany soccer it's

0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:31.640
<v Speaker 3>number one, you know. But but I think tennis is

0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:34.200
<v Speaker 3>right there, you know, so and many and it's easy

0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:36.960
<v Speaker 3>access also because we have so many tennis clubs. Yes,

0:14:37.040 --> 0:14:41.280
<v Speaker 3>thanks to thanks to the thing we just talked about,

0:14:41.320 --> 0:14:44.280
<v Speaker 3>but Jeffie and Borris, you know, thanks to that time,

0:14:44.320 --> 0:14:46.240
<v Speaker 3>we have so many tennis clubs right now. I think

0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:49.760
<v Speaker 3>in Germany also we have a good, good club tennis

0:14:50.120 --> 0:14:53.040
<v Speaker 3>level also, you know, like like like like when when

0:14:53.080 --> 0:14:55.760
<v Speaker 3>you start, when you are like like seven or eight

0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:58.120
<v Speaker 3>years old, you can start to play club matches against

0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:02.040
<v Speaker 3>other players. I think this is also helps. And yeah,

0:15:02.200 --> 0:15:04.120
<v Speaker 3>I think I think we have good coaches. I think

0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:07.600
<v Speaker 3>we have good club tennis. I think this makes the

0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:09.240
<v Speaker 3>sport really popular in Germany.

0:15:09.760 --> 0:15:12.680
<v Speaker 2>There seems to be a lot of professional tournaments in Germany.

0:15:12.840 --> 0:15:15.880
<v Speaker 2>You've got you know, Halle, Stuttgart. There's so many different

0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:17.760
<v Speaker 2>cities have professional tournaments.

0:15:17.960 --> 0:15:19.760
<v Speaker 3>I think also that helps, Yes, for sure, it helps.

0:15:19.760 --> 0:15:22.320
<v Speaker 3>So we have many we have many like like like

0:15:22.360 --> 0:15:24.520
<v Speaker 3>top events, you know, like you just said, like Suga,

0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.360
<v Speaker 3>but we also have many like junior tournaments. You know,

0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:29.480
<v Speaker 3>we have many junior tournaments. On the high level, we

0:15:29.520 --> 0:15:32.640
<v Speaker 3>also have we also have like every weekend. If you're

0:15:32.640 --> 0:15:34.840
<v Speaker 3>a club player, you can like at every weekend you

0:15:34.840 --> 0:15:37.960
<v Speaker 3>can play like like like uh kind of tournaments. You know.

0:15:37.960 --> 0:15:39.720
<v Speaker 3>Also that I think this is really helps and this

0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:41.800
<v Speaker 3>is really good for the German tennis.

0:15:42.200 --> 0:15:45.280
<v Speaker 2>How much excitement do you think the Live Cup will generate?

0:15:45.600 --> 0:15:47.240
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think it's gonna be that this is gonna

0:15:47.240 --> 0:15:49.280
<v Speaker 3>be big events. It's the only big event that's coming

0:15:49.280 --> 0:15:54.280
<v Speaker 3>to Berlin. I have been Berlin right now, so I

0:15:54.360 --> 0:15:57.120
<v Speaker 3>see some signs on the walls already. You know, it's good,

0:15:57.160 --> 0:15:59.520
<v Speaker 3>you know. So, yes, I think it's going to be

0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:01.680
<v Speaker 3>a graduate. The Labor Cup is always I always watched

0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:04.240
<v Speaker 3>it on TV. Maybe now it's coming to Berlin, Man,

0:16:04.280 --> 0:16:05.880
<v Speaker 3>maybe I have a chance to go to see it live.

0:16:06.160 --> 0:16:08.080
<v Speaker 3>I'm not sure yet as I'm here, if I'm around,

0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:11.640
<v Speaker 3>but I think everybody in Germany is very excited to

0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.600
<v Speaker 3>have the Labor Cup in Berlin and in Germany.

0:16:15.160 --> 0:16:18.040
<v Speaker 2>You mentioned Sascha Zerev earlier. Who are some of the

0:16:18.080 --> 0:16:20.480
<v Speaker 2>other German players that we should be looking.

0:16:20.240 --> 0:16:21.920
<v Speaker 3>Out for Yeah, I mean, I mean we we have,

0:16:21.960 --> 0:16:23.720
<v Speaker 3>we have, we have so that there's a tough question

0:16:23.760 --> 0:16:26.160
<v Speaker 3>because I don't want to miss anybody I don't about.

0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:28.760
<v Speaker 3>But we have many good players here, like you know,

0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:32.680
<v Speaker 3>like like like SaaS on one now, like yell At Dwarves.

0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:35.080
<v Speaker 3>You know, he's playing very good. I think I'm not

0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:36.720
<v Speaker 3>sure if he's also at the Labor Cup. I think

0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:38.920
<v Speaker 3>he's also. I think he's nominated also, so yeah, so

0:16:38.960 --> 0:16:41.440
<v Speaker 3>he is. He is a great guy. He just won

0:16:41.720 --> 0:16:43.800
<v Speaker 3>in Munich, he won a big tournament that was really

0:16:43.800 --> 0:16:47.040
<v Speaker 3>great for him. And yeah, he's so he has to

0:16:47.040 --> 0:16:49.880
<v Speaker 3>look out for him. Yeah, then we are. But we

0:16:49.960 --> 0:16:52.360
<v Speaker 3>have so many good players in Germany, like like Dominic

0:16:52.440 --> 0:16:55.560
<v Speaker 3>Cup for us coming back, our doubles team, Kevin Cravis,

0:16:55.600 --> 0:16:58.000
<v Speaker 3>Tim Purz, you know they they have they're great guys

0:16:58.040 --> 0:17:00.800
<v Speaker 3>and great players. On the female we have many young

0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:04.240
<v Speaker 3>players coming up also with Yeah, a lot of good

0:17:04.240 --> 0:17:07.280
<v Speaker 3>players coming up. So yeah, I think German tennis can

0:17:07.320 --> 0:17:10.640
<v Speaker 3>be very exciting and to look forwards and the suitside

0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:12.640
<v Speaker 3>in a good way for sure.

0:17:13.400 --> 0:17:16.159
<v Speaker 2>Back to you, what's next for you in tennis? Do

0:17:16.200 --> 0:17:16.560
<v Speaker 2>you think?

0:17:17.080 --> 0:17:19.320
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I mean for me it's really fresh right now,

0:17:19.359 --> 0:17:22.880
<v Speaker 3>so I just and just stopped last think two weeks ago.

0:17:23.000 --> 0:17:26.639
<v Speaker 3>Now the Olympics are two weeks ago for me, so

0:17:26.720 --> 0:17:29.720
<v Speaker 3>I'm just make up my mind and see what's coming next.

0:17:29.720 --> 0:17:32.280
<v Speaker 3>But now the next the next weeks, I will just

0:17:32.440 --> 0:17:36.119
<v Speaker 3>enjoying my time with my family and make up my

0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:37.200
<v Speaker 3>mind to see what's coming.

0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:44.080
<v Speaker 1>Viv congratulations. That was an awesome interview. I didn't actually

0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:47.200
<v Speaker 1>know that Torbyn had been with Kerber for that long.

0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:49.479
<v Speaker 1>Lucky that he started with her as an IF junior.

0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:53.800
<v Speaker 1>That's an incredibly long partnership and so fruitful. I remember

0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:56.760
<v Speaker 1>twenty sixteen really well when she broke through and won

0:17:56.800 --> 0:17:59.480
<v Speaker 1>that Australian Open title against Serena Williams. Was one of

0:17:59.560 --> 0:18:02.600
<v Speaker 1>my favorite finals, and seeing her celebrate with him afterwards

0:18:02.640 --> 0:18:05.880
<v Speaker 1>and be so emotional was a really beautiful moment. And

0:18:06.040 --> 0:18:07.760
<v Speaker 1>it sounds like he's had lots of beautiful moments with

0:18:07.800 --> 0:18:08.680
<v Speaker 1>Kerber over the time.

0:18:08.880 --> 0:18:11.919
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, thanks Matt. It was really great to talk to

0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:16.159
<v Speaker 2>such a highly respected and successful coach and sort of

0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:19.840
<v Speaker 2>to hear about the longevity of that relationship. And I

0:18:19.880 --> 0:18:21.920
<v Speaker 2>am really looking forward to seeing what he does next

0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:24.000
<v Speaker 2>in tennis. I don't think we've seen the last of him,

0:18:24.640 --> 0:18:27.159
<v Speaker 2>and we'll be back next week with another episode of

0:18:27.200 --> 0:18:29.639
<v Speaker 2>the sit Down, and in the meantime, you can listen

0:18:29.680 --> 0:18:32.920
<v Speaker 2>to John and the team on the Aoshow Weekly this Thursday.

0:18:33.359 --> 0:18:35.320
<v Speaker 1>And details, of course, for how to contact us are

0:18:35.320 --> 0:18:37.960
<v Speaker 1>in the show notes below, and remember to subscribe, rate

0:18:38.160 --> 0:18:40.320
<v Speaker 1>and review, and please get in touch with us if

0:18:40.359 --> 0:18:42.440
<v Speaker 1>you have any ideas of who you'd like us to

0:18:42.480 --> 0:18:44.760
<v Speaker 1>sit down with next. We're always open to ideas and

0:18:44.800 --> 0:18:46.159
<v Speaker 1>we'll see if we can make them happen.

0:18:46.280 --> 0:18:48.359
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, we would love to hear from you. See you

0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:49.600
<v Speaker 2>next week, MAP see I Viv