WEBVTT - Barbara Schett: From the wall to the world’s top 10 0:00:01.720 --> 0:00:04.440 Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the sit Down. 0:00:04.559 --> 0:00:07.520 I'm Matt Trolope Arata, an editor for oz open dot com. 0:00:07.560 --> 0:00:10.920 And I'm Big Christie, managing editor for Australian Tennis magazine. 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:12.760 And Matt, why are we sitting down this week with 0:00:12.840 --> 0:00:13.760 Barbara Schette. 0:00:14.000 --> 0:00:15.200 Well, we caught up with Barbara. 0:00:15.280 --> 0:00:18.079 She was just back home in Australia after spending a 0:00:18.079 --> 0:00:21.440 big stint in Europe. So she's both Austrian and Australian 0:00:21.840 --> 0:00:23.840 and has those two homes. So yeah, we caught her 0:00:23.840 --> 0:00:26.239 back at home where she lives in Musa and it 0:00:26.320 --> 0:00:28.360 was really a chance to kind of reflect on her 0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:32.120 amazing playing career. She emerged in a time that was 0:00:32.400 --> 0:00:35.640 a very nostalgic and iconic time in women's tennis in 0:00:35.680 --> 0:00:38.320 the late nineties and peaked in the top ten in 0:00:38.400 --> 0:00:40.720 nineteen ninety nine, which in this interview we talk about 0:00:40.800 --> 0:00:44.080 was full of so many amazing personalities as storylines that 0:00:44.840 --> 0:00:47.279 her career overlapped with that helped to find her. 0:00:47.720 --> 0:00:51.360 Yeah, and Barbara has seen tennis through many different lenses. 0:00:51.479 --> 0:00:55.080 She's been a professional player, she's had an incredible media career. 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:58.600 She's been behind the scenes at tournaments, and mentored players, 0:00:58.720 --> 0:01:02.640 and she was expansive in all of those areas. Barbara Schett, 0:01:02.760 --> 0:01:06.120 thank you for joining us on the sit down. We 0:01:06.360 --> 0:01:08.959 like to start by asking our guests where in the 0:01:08.959 --> 0:01:11.600 world we find them. So where do we find you today? 0:01:13.240 --> 0:01:16.680 You find me in Australia in NUSA heads. 0:01:16.720 --> 0:01:21.120 At the moment, it looks absolutely stunny in your backdrop. 0:01:21.200 --> 0:01:22.520 Were you telling us there were whales? 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:26.319 Oh yeah, it's pretty incredible. 0:01:26.400 --> 0:01:29.319 At the moment there's whales going past, and you know 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:31.640 sometimes when they're happy, they jump up and down and 0:01:31.720 --> 0:01:36.119 it's pretty amazing to watch them, especially for me being Austrian. 0:01:36.200 --> 0:01:38.280 You know, it's so surreal. 0:01:38.560 --> 0:01:41.520 I mean, we have cows in Austria. We don't have 0:01:41.680 --> 0:01:43.199 whales in Austria. 0:01:43.800 --> 0:01:47.640 Yes, well, I think you've actually almost answered my next question. 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:51.200 But you know, you do divide your time between Australia 0:01:51.280 --> 0:01:54.080 and I think you spend some time in Europe. Where 0:01:54.080 --> 0:01:57.200 do you prefer or do you have a favorite? 0:01:58.040 --> 0:01:59.800 That's a difficult question to answer. 0:01:59.800 --> 0:02:05.760 So my home is Australia and my other home is Austria. 0:02:05.840 --> 0:02:08.440 Where I live is Australia, and obviously it's my home 0:02:08.480 --> 0:02:10.040 as well because my family is here. 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:13.160 My husband, Josh and Noah our son. 0:02:14.320 --> 0:02:19.360 But then you know, Austria will always be where my 0:02:19.520 --> 0:02:22.240 roots are, where I've grown up, where my family is, 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:26.600 where my parents are, where my uncle and auntie is, 0:02:26.840 --> 0:02:30.440 and my brother and I always loved going home, so 0:02:30.520 --> 0:02:35.160 whenever I traveled to Europe, I feel like I'm going home. 0:02:35.240 --> 0:02:39.320 Whenever I travel from Europe to Australia, I feel like 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:40.400 I'm going home as well. 0:02:40.840 --> 0:02:41.480 That's lovely. 0:02:41.760 --> 0:02:46.360 Yes, well, speaking of Austria, take us back, I guess 0:02:46.360 --> 0:02:50.240 to your start in tennis. I remember actually a quote 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:52.320 from your playing days and you said, you know, there 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:55.280 was always skiing in Austria, almost on skis as soon 0:02:55.280 --> 0:02:56.080 as you could walk. 0:02:56.160 --> 0:02:58.239 So how did you get into tennis? 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:02.560 Well, of course skied when I was very young. You know, 0:03:02.639 --> 0:03:04.880 you pretty much have to hit the slopes at the 0:03:04.919 --> 0:03:08.280 age of three. My parents loved skiing, so I was 0:03:08.680 --> 0:03:11.400 went with them. But also it was a time when 0:03:11.480 --> 0:03:14.839 tennis became very popular when I was about three four 0:03:14.919 --> 0:03:19.200 years old, and my parents picked picked up tennis, so 0:03:19.360 --> 0:03:21.959 they started to learn it and they joined the club. 0:03:23.000 --> 0:03:26.040 And obviously the kids, my brother and I were always 0:03:27.360 --> 0:03:29.160 had to hang out at the tennis courts as well. 0:03:29.200 --> 0:03:31.080 So we started to play tennis as well. 0:03:32.040 --> 0:03:35.560 My parents have taught my brother who's seven years old, 0:03:36.960 --> 0:03:40.240 more tennis, and they taught me because I was just 0:03:40.280 --> 0:03:43.720 too little. I was pained in about on the court, 0:03:43.800 --> 0:03:47.839 running around being crazy. And those days, don't forget we 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:53.040 had clay courts. There weren't any shoes, you know, clay 0:03:53.040 --> 0:03:57.080 coat shoes for little kids, and you were banned on 0:03:57.120 --> 0:03:59.880 the clay courts if you wouldn't wear any clay coad shoes. 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:04.600 So I didn't get to play that much there. But 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:08.200 the way I started was besides my parents, was actually 0:04:08.280 --> 0:04:11.680 hitting against the tennis wall, and that's where it started. 0:04:11.800 --> 0:04:14.040 And that tennis wall still. 0:04:13.880 --> 0:04:17.520 Exists, and so many of our guests say that a 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:20.760 tennis wall is part of their origin story. It's really interesting. 0:04:21.279 --> 0:04:22.080 Lots of tennis walls. 0:04:22.160 --> 0:04:25.320 Yeah, yeah, And it's not forgiving the tennis well, you know, 0:04:25.440 --> 0:04:27.279 you play against it. If you don't play against it 0:04:27.400 --> 0:04:29.159 in a nice way, it comes back badly. 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:35.120 So you kind of, you know, start hitting the ball cleanly. 0:04:35.279 --> 0:04:38.600 And I remember when I was little, like gave myself tasked, 0:04:38.600 --> 0:04:40.760 you know, twenty times I have to hit the forehead 0:04:40.880 --> 0:04:43.080 nicely and the back end nicely. 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:47.440 And that's yeah, and that's how I started. I just 0:04:47.600 --> 0:04:50.080 loved it. I spent hours and hours there. 0:04:50.520 --> 0:04:52.039 Amazing. Yeah. 0:04:52.080 --> 0:04:54.400 So at what age was it then when you realized, oh, 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:57.520 actually maybe a professional career is possible, or that you 0:04:57.520 --> 0:04:59.640 were good enough to go to that level. 0:05:00.360 --> 0:05:02.599 So going back to the tennis wall, at the age 0:05:02.640 --> 0:05:06.640 of six, in the next door club, there was a 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:10.080 coach from the federation, the Tirolean federations like the Queensland 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:14.640 Tennis Federation, and she saw me hitting against the wall 0:05:14.640 --> 0:05:15.360 and she thought. 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:16.400 Oh, this girl is pretty good. 0:05:16.520 --> 0:05:19.599 So she spoke to my mom and dad and said, oh, 0:05:20.480 --> 0:05:23.480 can Barbara come around at some stage and just hit 0:05:23.480 --> 0:05:25.120 a few balls. I want to have a closer look 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:26.240 at her. 0:05:27.040 --> 0:05:28.560 And I did that. 0:05:29.600 --> 0:05:33.200 I became part of the Tyrolean Tennis Federation and I 0:05:33.240 --> 0:05:38.760 practiced twice a week for fifty minutes with them, and then. 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:40.719 I just just became more and more and more. 0:05:41.080 --> 0:05:43.599 Obviously, when I was in Innsbruck back with my mom 0:05:43.640 --> 0:05:47.160 and dad and at the age of fourteen, I went 0:05:47.360 --> 0:05:52.120 to Vienna to the Institute of Sport, and that's where 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:54.640 I was like, Okay, I actually would like to do 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:58.320 this professionally. I won pretty much everything in Austria, my 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:00.680 age group and my age group of bars. I've already 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:05.200 played few junior tournaments internationally, which is much easier in 0:06:05.240 --> 0:06:08.320 Europe because you just drive, yeah, sitting in a car 0:06:08.360 --> 0:06:11.120 and you drive over the board and you play your 0:06:11.279 --> 0:06:15.760 your junior tournaments there. So at the age of fourteen, 0:06:15.880 --> 0:06:17.600 I was like, okay, I would like to give it 0:06:17.640 --> 0:06:18.039 a crack. 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:21.920 Okay, that makes sense. And what did you have any 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:24.760 like I know, obviously got into tennis for your family, 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:26.479 but like, were there any players at the time that 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:28.880 you were watching the inspired you or that you I 0:06:28.880 --> 0:06:31.400 don't know, homology game on or anything like that at 0:06:31.440 --> 0:06:32.640 that around that time. 0:06:34.160 --> 0:06:37.120 Yeah, there were obviously Internationally. I was always a big 0:06:37.120 --> 0:06:38.320 fan of beyond. 0:06:37.960 --> 0:06:41.080 Borg and Martina and Avtilo prisy adverts. 0:06:41.120 --> 0:06:45.599 I loved watching that. My parents always loved watching tennis, 0:06:45.640 --> 0:06:49.440 so we were glued in front of the TV watching tennis. 0:06:49.880 --> 0:06:52.880 And then in Austria there was Thomas Muster, there was 0:06:53.040 --> 0:06:56.279 Judied Wisner, who were about ten years older than me, 0:06:56.320 --> 0:06:59.599 and they were already playing on the tour. And obviously 0:06:59.680 --> 0:07:02.960 Thomas also became number one in the world. Student was 0:07:03.200 --> 0:07:07.120 top twenty or top fifteen in the world. So they 0:07:07.200 --> 0:07:14.120 were definitely idols of mine. I wouldn't say that I 0:07:14.160 --> 0:07:20.480 played like them, quite the opposite, but yeah, so I 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:22.800 think it's really important to have role models when you 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:23.200 grow up. 0:07:23.440 --> 0:07:27.000 Yes, and you mentioned age fourteen. We think that's when 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:31.880 you made your debut on like your pro debut in kitchball. 0:07:33.160 --> 0:07:36.240 So yeah, well that's extremely well, thank you for that 0:07:36.320 --> 0:07:40.320 incredible background research. But that's that's extremely young. That doesn't 0:07:40.320 --> 0:07:42.520 happen very often these days. At a fourteen year old 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:46.480 would play a pro match. What do you remember of that, Like, 0:07:46.520 --> 0:07:47.400 what was that experience? 0:07:47.480 --> 0:07:50.679 Like, First of all, there was no age rule those days, 0:07:50.760 --> 0:07:52.520 so you could just quit at the age. 0:07:52.280 --> 0:07:53.520 Of thirteen fourteen. 0:07:54.440 --> 0:07:56.880 That changed later on, but I got a wild cut 0:07:56.960 --> 0:08:01.120 into qualities there. Kidsboo Is had an hour away from 0:08:01.120 --> 0:08:04.520 Innsbruck and was a big women's event. Then it was 0:08:05.440 --> 0:08:10.320 I think a tier they called them tears those years. 0:08:10.320 --> 0:08:12.280 I think it was a tree or something like that. 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:18.160 And I remember that day vividly because I was there 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:22.400 with my coach and obviously very nervous playing my first 0:08:22.400 --> 0:08:25.480 match on the WTA Tour in Qualis and all eyes 0:08:25.520 --> 0:08:31.440 were on me as well, and actually something pretty major 0:08:31.600 --> 0:08:35.199 happened that the day before I. 0:08:35.200 --> 0:08:36.640 Played my first round match. 0:08:36.720 --> 0:08:43.320 There, I you know, I became a woman basically, you know, 0:08:44.160 --> 0:08:50.800 I had my first menstruation in Kidsburg and obviously it 0:08:50.960 --> 0:08:52.720 was just a big thing. 0:08:52.840 --> 0:08:55.240 You know. My mother was like, oh, you're a woman now. 0:08:55.640 --> 0:08:56.640 I was feeling. 0:08:56.320 --> 0:09:00.720 Hople I I was feeling sick, you know, my stomach 0:09:00.800 --> 0:09:02.680 was about to explode. 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:04.480 And yeah. 0:09:04.520 --> 0:09:07.800 So the first match on a WTA, so it didn't 0:09:07.800 --> 0:09:10.640 go very well because all was worried about was that, 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:13.560 you know, it was I was making a mess on 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:17.560 the lord. So that was my first WTA match. 0:09:18.240 --> 0:09:18.680 Wow. 0:09:20.520 --> 0:09:23.600 I know, wow, not great timing for you. 0:09:23.679 --> 0:09:26.920 I'm sorry about that, but good. I'm sorry to be 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:29.480 that open, but no, it has to be said. 0:09:29.880 --> 0:09:31.560 Yeah, absolutely, yes. 0:09:32.480 --> 0:09:36.319 You went on to obviously have an amazing career, top 0:09:36.440 --> 0:09:41.000 ten in singles and in doubles. How did those disciplines, 0:09:41.200 --> 0:09:43.880 I guess serve each other. You know, doubles help singles, 0:09:43.880 --> 0:09:45.560 and I guess singles helps doubles as well. 0:09:46.280 --> 0:09:46.480 Well. 0:09:46.559 --> 0:09:49.160 My big goal was to become top ten in the 0:09:49.160 --> 0:09:51.840 world because there was one other Austrian, Barba Paulos, who 0:09:51.960 --> 0:09:52.920 was ten in the world. 0:09:53.040 --> 0:09:55.360 I wanted to be better than her, so that was 0:09:55.400 --> 0:09:56.240 my main focus. 0:09:56.280 --> 0:09:59.719 So I loved playing singles because I loved that one, 0:09:59.760 --> 0:10:02.839 and on competition, all I wanted to do is just 0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:06.600 play matches. Obviously you have to train as well, but 0:10:06.679 --> 0:10:11.160 that was my big passion to just measure myself, you know, 0:10:11.240 --> 0:10:12.040 to someone else. 0:10:12.120 --> 0:10:17.000 And doubles was something I didn't put any emphasis on. 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:21.680 I played it because I usually really liked my my 0:10:21.880 --> 0:10:25.080 doubles partners. We were friends and we turned out to 0:10:25.120 --> 0:10:29.280 be really successful, like with Pettishneeder for example. I played 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:31.400 for many years with Sylvia Farina. 0:10:31.120 --> 0:10:34.960 Played and korney Kova. I played with Mary Peers. 0:10:35.000 --> 0:10:38.720 We did a few semifinals at Grand Slams and I 0:10:38.800 --> 0:10:44.560 never really practiced doubles, but I always felt really happy 0:10:44.559 --> 0:10:46.760 and relaxed on the court, and I'm sure it helped 0:10:46.760 --> 0:10:50.120 me my single game as well, because I did a 0:10:50.160 --> 0:10:51.360 lot of returning, a. 0:10:51.240 --> 0:10:54.440 Lot of serving, not so much volling maybe, but. 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:59.439 Every now and then I would scare people and came 0:10:59.520 --> 0:10:59.960 to the net. 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:03.640 But yeah, doubles was just fun. 0:11:03.800 --> 0:11:05.360 It was fun, and I played a bit of mixed 0:11:05.400 --> 0:11:06.640 as well, which was fun. 0:11:07.040 --> 0:11:08.240 But the emphasis was. 0:11:08.200 --> 0:11:13.200 Always yeah, of course you mentioned, you know, some of 0:11:13.200 --> 0:11:16.400 your doubles partners. I think you also played with Martina 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:19.640 Hingis at one stage. It was such a fun era, 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:21.920 you know, it was kind of you know, lots of 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:25.920 fun personalities and kind of a glamorous era as well. 0:11:25.920 --> 0:11:28.160 What was it like to be a part of all 0:11:28.200 --> 0:11:28.439 of that. 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:29.680 Oh, it was amazing. 0:11:29.880 --> 0:11:32.400 I mean, you know, when I was top ten, I 0:11:32.400 --> 0:11:35.120 think Martina was number one in the world, Martina Hingis 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:41.359 and Lindsay Devenport, the Wink Up, Mary Pierce, Jennifer Capriati, 0:11:43.000 --> 0:11:46.559 and with a lot of those girls, I had really 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:51.920 close friendships. Uncapable for example, even Majoli. We traveled with 0:11:52.120 --> 0:11:55.680 very small teams then, so I basically just traveled with 0:11:55.760 --> 0:11:59.920 my coach and maybe sometimes a fitness coach because it 0:12:00.120 --> 0:12:02.760 was just too expensive, you know, and nobody did it really, 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:05.600 So we had a lot of time to hang out 0:12:05.840 --> 0:12:09.199 and we would go for dinners, we would go to movies. 0:12:09.280 --> 0:12:14.040 We would be there for each other when somebody had 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:18.040 personal problems or something like that. So it was a 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:20.560 great era, I have to say it was. The tennis 0:12:20.640 --> 0:12:22.640 was very good. I thought there was a high level. 0:12:23.600 --> 0:12:25.920 I mean you mentioned that I played with Martina Hingis. 0:12:25.920 --> 0:12:30.680 I remember we won the tournament in Hamburg, and I 0:12:30.720 --> 0:12:32.840 didn't have to do anything. I just served and returned. 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:35.560 She did everything else. She was just there all the time. 0:12:35.559 --> 0:12:37.600 And I'm like, this is this is easy, this is 0:12:37.600 --> 0:12:44.120 pretty crazy. But we had a We had great friendships 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:49.600 at that time, and these friendships are still present even 0:12:49.679 --> 0:12:51.480 my earliest birthday yesterday, I get. 0:12:51.559 --> 0:12:54.600 Fall, for example, and. 0:12:53.840 --> 0:12:57.360 I celebrated my big birthday this year and they came 0:12:57.840 --> 0:13:01.080 and along and Eva and lots of other friends. So 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:05.600 I think we shared such a precious time on the tour, 0:13:05.880 --> 0:13:08.800 which will keep us always connected. 0:13:09.320 --> 0:13:11.559 Yeah that sounds really lovely. 0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:15.640 Yeah, that does sound really lovely. Yeah, it was an 0:13:15.679 --> 0:13:18.440 incredibly deep era that you said, Like when you listed 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:20.200 those players in the top ten, who was the most 0:13:20.240 --> 0:13:22.600 difficult for you to face, because looking back at your career, 0:13:22.640 --> 0:13:25.600 you faced pretty much everyone at the top around that time, 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:29.360 and yeah, they're they're icons of the game, some of 0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:32.079 the people you mentioned, Yeah, who what was it like 0:13:32.160 --> 0:13:32.440 to face? 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:37.880 Yeah, it was toughest. I didn't love playing against the 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:38.560 heart hitters. 0:13:38.679 --> 0:13:42.960 So for example, somebody like Lindsa Devcord was very hard 0:13:42.960 --> 0:13:45.040 for me to play against because she served well and 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:48.520 she played every book you sentimeters in front of the baseline, 0:13:48.559 --> 0:13:52.760 so I always felt like I was on the pressure. Obviously, 0:13:52.800 --> 0:13:57.520 the Williams sisters. Later on, Stephie Graff was very hard 0:13:57.559 --> 0:13:59.120 for me to play against as well. 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:01.480 Because she was a big role model too. 0:14:03.120 --> 0:14:05.760 I preferred to play against Martina hing Is because she 0:14:05.800 --> 0:14:08.360 didn't play she did, she didn't hit the ball very hard, 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:11.280 and that was for me. 0:14:11.320 --> 0:14:12.520 I felt like I had a bit. 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:16.760 More time, you know, to be creative, and so so 0:14:16.880 --> 0:14:20.200 I enjoyed playing against her. I didn't mind playing against 0:14:20.320 --> 0:14:23.920 Kim Kleistos or is Justina Ena for example, or a 0:14:24.080 --> 0:14:29.000 Rancha Sanchez Vicario, but the hard hitters, they were my 0:14:29.000 --> 0:14:29.960 biggest problem. 0:14:30.080 --> 0:14:34.400 Yeah, no, that makes sense. Ninety nine was the year 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:37.200 that was such a fantastic year in tenna, specifically because 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:40.840 of so many things that it was such a so 0:14:40.840 --> 0:14:43.880 many massive stories happened then. So yeah, Martina was number one, 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:46.320 That's when Serena won her first Grand Slam, It's when 0:14:46.360 --> 0:14:49.440 Stephie retired. There were lots of things that all happened 0:14:49.440 --> 0:14:51.520 around then, and it's the year that you had your 0:14:51.520 --> 0:14:53.680 best season. You were top ten. I think you finished 0:14:53.680 --> 0:14:56.560 the year maybe number eight or seven. That year so 0:14:56.640 --> 0:14:58.680 what was it like, what was clicking for you in 0:14:58.760 --> 0:15:00.960 ninety nine, And this is particular special that had happened 0:15:00.960 --> 0:15:03.360 in that year where so many players were at the 0:15:03.360 --> 0:15:04.120 top with you. 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:06.440 I was just really consistent. 0:15:07.600 --> 0:15:10.960 I'd never had that one big result, you know, where 0:15:10.960 --> 0:15:13.360 I went into a final of a Grand Slam. To 0:15:13.400 --> 0:15:16.440 be honest, I always also never really believed in it, 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:21.160 which was now in hindsight, was a mistake. My big 0:15:21.160 --> 0:15:23.680 goal was always to crack the top ten, and once 0:15:23.720 --> 0:15:27.120 I did that, I was like, I'm happy, you know 0:15:27.240 --> 0:15:30.360 with this. And when I was seven in the world, 0:15:30.360 --> 0:15:33.960 I thought, try to get to number six maybe, And 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:35.400 I never got to number six. 0:15:37.240 --> 0:15:39.320 So it was a great era. 0:15:40.080 --> 0:15:43.640 I mean, you know, it was a time where people 0:15:43.720 --> 0:15:44.400 knew all. 0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:46.360 The players with their first name. 0:15:47.040 --> 0:15:50.040 You know, there was Martina, that was Mary, there was Jennifer, 0:15:50.440 --> 0:15:55.240 Venus Serena, and that was pretty cool, I thought. And 0:15:56.840 --> 0:16:00.880 they were trailblazers as well in a way, you know, 0:16:00.960 --> 0:16:05.359 in that generation, and I think there were exciting players 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:09.120 with big personalities as well, lots of different personalities. 0:16:10.600 --> 0:16:13.160 I remember when Stephie retired at. 0:16:12.960 --> 0:16:17.640 The Masters in New York at Madison Square Garden, we 0:16:17.720 --> 0:16:21.200 had a big goodbye ceremony and I had goosebumps there to. 0:16:21.240 --> 0:16:25.800 Be there, you know, and with her farewell, and it was. 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:28.840 There were a lot of very magical moments. 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:31.960 Yeah, even the Masters being at Madison Square Garden, Like 0:16:32.000 --> 0:16:34.640 what an iconic venue that was. That was amazing too, 0:16:35.720 --> 0:16:37.760 also in New York. That leads us into our next question. 0:16:37.800 --> 0:16:40.000 You had your best Grand Slam result at the US Open. 0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:41.400 I'm not sure if that comes back to you now. 0:16:41.400 --> 0:16:43.240 The US Open is just a few weeks away, but 0:16:43.560 --> 0:16:45.800 we were looking at the scores you won by to 0:16:45.840 --> 0:16:48.560 reach the quarterfinals. You only dropped nine games to reach 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:51.960 the quarters. You were like bageling everyone. What was that 0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:54.040 where you were playing maybe your your best tennis you 0:16:54.080 --> 0:16:56.200 ended up playing losing to Venus in the quarters. 0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:59.000 Yeah. I was so confident at that time. 0:16:59.120 --> 0:17:01.560 I just knew when I went on the court, I 0:17:01.640 --> 0:17:02.760 was going to win that match. 0:17:02.880 --> 0:17:05.400 I'm not going to lose that And I. 0:17:05.440 --> 0:17:09.040 Felt very fit physically, I felt mentally very strong, and 0:17:09.800 --> 0:17:14.480 I knew my tennis was there. So unfortunately, my grandmother 0:17:14.600 --> 0:17:17.880 passed away the day before my match against Venus, and 0:17:17.920 --> 0:17:23.639 that shook me around a lot, because you know, I 0:17:23.680 --> 0:17:27.439 was very upset that a very close relationship with her. 0:17:27.680 --> 0:17:30.199 My parents are very upset. To see your parents very 0:17:30.280 --> 0:17:32.399 upset was upsetting me. 0:17:32.800 --> 0:17:33.680 So I wasn't on the. 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:37.240 Court against Venus really, which was a shame because I 0:17:37.280 --> 0:17:39.960 think if I would have been there one hundred percent mentally, 0:17:41.359 --> 0:17:44.919 maybe the score would have been differently, maybe than my 0:17:45.040 --> 0:17:48.119 career would have turned another way as well, you know. 0:17:48.760 --> 0:17:51.840 But you know, I'm still very happy with that result, 0:17:51.960 --> 0:17:55.159 and I think of it many times, especially when the 0:17:55.240 --> 0:18:00.000 US Open comes around, and yeah, to lose against Venus, 0:17:59.840 --> 0:18:02.120 I think she won. Did she win that title then? 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:03.760 Or did Serena win that? 0:18:04.080 --> 0:18:07.000 Serena won that one. That was the arena one, her 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:09.159 first slave, So that was It was a huge tournament 0:18:09.200 --> 0:18:11.560 in Tennessee history anyway because of what was happening. 0:18:12.640 --> 0:18:14.520 But yeah, it was the beginning of the end for 0:18:14.600 --> 0:18:15.240 everyone else. 0:18:16.760 --> 0:18:19.360 Well you say that, but you did get one back 0:18:19.400 --> 0:18:22.640 on Venus at Roland Garross. I think it was in 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:25.280 two thousand and one, So that's, you know, one of 0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:26.720 your amazing wins. 0:18:26.840 --> 0:18:28.439 What matches stand out for you? 0:18:29.000 --> 0:18:33.439 That one definitely, because I remember had a horrible run before. 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:36.879 I've lost four or five times first round. My self 0:18:36.920 --> 0:18:43.040 confidence was very low and then I draw Venus Williams, 0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:46.760 number second, number two seed at the French Open, and 0:18:47.320 --> 0:18:49.359 I was thinking, oh my god, I better pack my 0:18:49.440 --> 0:18:52.119 bags right away and you know, be ready to go 0:18:52.200 --> 0:18:52.760 home again. 0:18:53.040 --> 0:18:57.480 But then there was a point where I didn't care anymore. 0:18:57.560 --> 0:19:01.439 I just said, okay, Bobsy, get out there and just 0:19:01.600 --> 0:19:03.960 enjoy it. You know, what's the worst thing that can happen. 0:19:04.040 --> 0:19:06.560 You can just lose, and then I've played my best tennis, 0:19:06.600 --> 0:19:10.959 you know. And Venus was missing a lot on her 0:19:10.960 --> 0:19:15.960 forehand and I just kept on playing to her forehand 0:19:16.000 --> 0:19:18.480 and forehand. And we played the match on Susan Longland, 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:23.000 which is the second biggest courts, and it was packed 0:19:23.040 --> 0:19:27.560 and the people started chanting for me, and it was 0:19:27.600 --> 0:19:31.520 one of the biggest upsets. And I really enjoyed it 0:19:31.560 --> 0:19:33.679 and I love it. And if you would ask me 0:19:33.760 --> 0:19:37.280 who I've played against in the second and a third 0:19:37.320 --> 0:19:39.119 and I would have no clue. I just remember that 0:19:39.200 --> 0:19:41.680 I lost against Justina, and now I think. 0:19:42.000 --> 0:19:43.840 But see even then, like, yes, you beat Venus, you 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:46.240 lose to Justine another icon. It was just such an 0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:47.639 incredible field at that time. 0:19:48.080 --> 0:19:52.000 It certainly was you always had, I guess, kind of 0:19:52.480 --> 0:19:56.199 a special connection to the Australian Open. You played your 0:19:56.240 --> 0:20:00.040 first Grands I'm in qualifying here and you also, I 0:20:00.080 --> 0:20:04.360 had your last tournament here at the Austraine Open, and 0:20:04.720 --> 0:20:07.080 you know, you obviously made the US Open quarters, but 0:20:07.359 --> 0:20:09.719 had such great consistency here in Melbourne. 0:20:09.800 --> 0:20:11.720 What brought out your best tennis? 0:20:12.880 --> 0:20:15.320 I always loved playing the Australian Open. It was always 0:20:15.400 --> 0:20:19.440 my favorite Grand Slam, even before I had this connection, 0:20:19.680 --> 0:20:24.480 you know, with Australia with Josh obviously, but everybody was 0:20:24.520 --> 0:20:28.920 always so happy. And then getting out of Europe winter time, 0:20:29.280 --> 0:20:33.320 you know, it snowing, it's cold, it was just lovely, 0:20:33.560 --> 0:20:37.360 and I mean it's for a reason that it's called 0:20:37.400 --> 0:20:41.080 the Happy Slam for many years, and and. 0:20:41.600 --> 0:20:44.560 Yeah, I just loved the atmosphere. 0:20:44.640 --> 0:20:47.000 And I always had a lot of support at the 0:20:47.040 --> 0:20:49.720 Australian Open, and that made me play better there. 0:20:49.800 --> 0:20:52.480 So I was very consistent. I played a lot of 0:20:52.480 --> 0:20:53.440 times fourth. 0:20:53.240 --> 0:21:02.120 Round and yeah, and kind of I think I kind 0:21:02.119 --> 0:21:05.640 of started my Grand Slam tournaments there and I played 0:21:05.840 --> 0:21:09.720 juniors there as well and made the finals the same year. 0:21:09.760 --> 0:21:11.920 I think I played qualis as far as I remember, 0:21:12.440 --> 0:21:15.919 and I had my first heat stroke in Australia. That 0:21:16.240 --> 0:21:19.280