WEBVTT - Kimberly Birrell: “I think I’ve surprised quite a few people” 0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:04.280 Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the sit Down. 0:00:04.400 --> 0:00:07.600 I'm Mattrolope, a RATA and editor for oz open dot com. 0:00:07.400 --> 0:00:10.360 And I'm Victoria Rinikov, a producer at Tennis Australia and 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:13.520 the Australian Open. Matt, why are we sitting down with 0:00:13.680 --> 0:00:14.560 Kim Birel today? 0:00:14.760 --> 0:00:16.560 Well, Vick, we were lucky enough to sit down with 0:00:16.680 --> 0:00:19.079 Kim at the Billy Jinkin Cup Tie recently when she 0:00:19.160 --> 0:00:21.520 was in Melbourne at John Kyne Arena. But the chat 0:00:21.560 --> 0:00:23.200 wasn't just about that. This was a chance to go 0:00:23.280 --> 0:00:25.720 deep into her career journey. She's been playing at the 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:28.560 top level or at tour level now for almost a decade, 0:00:28.640 --> 0:00:31.120 but there's been some speed bumps along the way, including 0:00:31.160 --> 0:00:34.400 some time on the sidelines with an elbow surgery. But 0:00:34.479 --> 0:00:36.120 it was a chance to not only talk about how 0:00:36.159 --> 0:00:38.239 she overcame those setbacks and what she did with her 0:00:38.280 --> 0:00:41.600 time off, but how well she's rebounded. She's entrenched herself 0:00:41.600 --> 0:00:44.320 in the top one hundred, being Ossie number one, and 0:00:44.400 --> 0:00:46.680 had some great success at tour level and a really 0:00:46.720 --> 0:00:49.199 really good start to twenty twenty six. So yeah, it 0:00:49.280 --> 0:00:52.440 was really fascinating to hear her talk about that journey 0:00:52.479 --> 0:00:55.319 and its ups and downs and how it's trending up and. 0:00:55.320 --> 0:00:57.760 Since entering the top one hundred as well. It's been 0:00:57.800 --> 0:01:01.520 interesting to hear her perspective on playing all these tournaments 0:01:01.520 --> 0:01:03.640 for the first time, getting a bit of a different 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:06.920 experience on tour than she previously has had, so that 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:07.880 was really fascinating. 0:01:08.000 --> 0:01:11.760 We hope you guys enjoy it. Kim Yrel, thank you 0:01:11.880 --> 0:01:14.160 very much for joining us today on the Sitdown podcast. 0:01:14.240 --> 0:01:16.720 How are you? I'm great, Thanks, Matt, very excited to 0:01:16.720 --> 0:01:22.920 be here. It's well, it's a slightly different venue locker 0:01:23.000 --> 0:01:25.360 room undisclosed understood. 0:01:26.319 --> 0:01:28.800 Well, I've certainly never done a podcast interview in a 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:32.319 locker room before. Normally we're in the studio, but maybe 0:01:32.520 --> 0:01:34.480 for our listeners and viewers, you can give us a 0:01:34.480 --> 0:01:36.720 bit of context as to where we are and what 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:37.880 you're doing in Melbourne. 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:41.280 Well, we are here in the JCA or one of 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:45.080 the JCA locker rooms John Cane Arena where we're playing 0:01:45.200 --> 0:01:46.039 Billy Jean King. 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:49.600 Cup against Great Britain on Friday and Saturday. Very excited 0:01:49.600 --> 0:01:51.960 to be in melbs playing at home tied so. 0:01:52.000 --> 0:01:54.400 Good is it weird? Have you ever been to Melbourne 0:01:54.480 --> 0:01:55.080 in autumn. 0:01:55.800 --> 0:01:59.520 No, I haven't. I've been here in the winter once. 0:01:59.600 --> 0:02:01.680 I had my surgery done in the winter time, and 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:03.280 I must say all. 0:02:03.560 --> 0:02:06.200 Got experience as a Queensland I. 0:02:06.160 --> 0:02:08.400 Got some great Yeah, I got your roots from a 0:02:08.600 --> 0:02:10.959 restaurant that was like just to run the corner because 0:02:10.960 --> 0:02:15.400 I didn't want to leave the warmth. But it's really 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:16.840 cool to be here at a different time of year 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:19.240 and it's not as cold as well it was expecting, 0:02:20.160 --> 0:02:23.200 and just being in Australia to play any time of 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:24.680 the year is just the best. 0:02:24.800 --> 0:02:25.720 So grateful. 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:28.400 But your season as a whole, like coming into this tie, 0:02:28.440 --> 0:02:31.760 has been really great. You've already made two semi finals 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:34.280 and a third WT. You did a one twenty five 0:02:34.360 --> 0:02:38.000 k semi as well in Austin. You've come from outside 0:02:38.040 --> 0:02:39.800 the top one hundred and got back in the top seventy. 0:02:40.080 --> 0:02:43.000 You've won sixteen matches already, Like you must be pretty 0:02:43.000 --> 0:02:45.080 happy with how twenty six has started. 0:02:45.320 --> 0:02:45.560 Yeah. 0:02:45.720 --> 0:02:47.800 Thanks, it's really cool to hear it kind of like 0:02:47.840 --> 0:02:50.640 that because as tennis players, you're just moving. 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:52.600 From one to the next. 0:02:52.720 --> 0:02:54.720 You sort of don't even get really time to process. 0:02:54.800 --> 0:02:58.720 So yeah, I guess sixteen matches is a pretty good 0:02:58.720 --> 0:03:01.520 way to start the year. And overall, I'm just really 0:03:01.520 --> 0:03:04.320 proud of how I sort of picked myself back up 0:03:04.480 --> 0:03:07.040 last year and then have kind of kept the end 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:10.080 of last year, kept that momentum going and had a 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:12.680 really good week in Adelaide, gained so much confidence and 0:03:12.720 --> 0:03:14.560 then sort of maybe had a little bit of a 0:03:14.600 --> 0:03:16.880 dip here. I sort of wanted to perform better at 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:20.240 Ao than I did, but was again able to just 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:22.160 sort of pick myself back up. 0:03:22.040 --> 0:03:23.040 And get on with it. 0:03:23.240 --> 0:03:26.480 And I really thrive on hard court and I liked 0:03:26.520 --> 0:03:27.560 the US Swing. 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:29.520 So I have that to look forward to. And I 0:03:29.520 --> 0:03:31.600 also went to the Middle East for I played. Had 0:03:31.600 --> 0:03:34.320 played Doha before, but had never played Dubai. 0:03:34.000 --> 0:03:36.560 So that was a new experience and I really liked 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:40.960 the conditions there. And so yeah, you know when you 0:03:41.120 --> 0:03:43.680 just seems to be once you sort of get on 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:47.120 a roll, it's yeah, what I mean, Tylie is another 0:03:47.160 --> 0:03:49.920 one who's had an even better role than I have, 0:03:50.080 --> 0:03:53.760 And yeah, you just gain confidence. And I think it's 0:03:53.840 --> 0:03:57.560 just like the competing day in day out, you know, 0:03:57.680 --> 0:04:00.480 and those time moments seem to maybe go your way 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:01.440 a little bit more. 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:04.800 And yeah, I'm super proud at the start of my year. 0:04:05.360 --> 0:04:06.080 Well, I'm glad we. 0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:08.840 Got to mention those some statsy, so you could you 0:04:08.840 --> 0:04:11.400 could reflect on what you've done. You mentioned that it 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:13.640 was really good or important to you to pick yourself 0:04:13.720 --> 0:04:16.360 up at the end of last year after what were 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:17.320 you picking yourself up? 0:04:17.800 --> 0:04:21.920 Yes, well, I kind of just was in a bit 0:04:21.960 --> 0:04:24.760 of a lull, I guess I can call it. Hadn't 0:04:24.800 --> 0:04:29.760 won too many matches since had sort of Clay, and 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:32.599 then I just felt a little bit down because I 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:35.480 actually went into Clay. Probably when I spoke to you, 0:04:35.520 --> 0:04:37.880 I was like really pumped and putting on a not 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:38.559 a brave face. 0:04:38.600 --> 0:04:39.839 I was actually genuine you. 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:42.880 Were really hard to play your seniting prayers, I remember, yeah, yeah, yeah. 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:46.120 And then I actually had some good matches and had 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:49.719 sort of just lost a couple of really tight ones 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:52.599 where I felt like I played well and put myself 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:54.400 in a position to win and didn't quite get there. 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:56.680 And when that happens consecutive weeks in a row can 0:04:56.760 --> 0:04:57.400 kind of weigh on you. 0:04:57.440 --> 0:04:59.800 And then by the time I got to French, I 0:04:59.839 --> 0:05:02.640 was just not feeling too confident in a few things 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:05.000 areas of my game. And then I think that probably 0:05:05.000 --> 0:05:08.200 did affect the way my grass season went, although it 0:05:08.279 --> 0:05:12.039 was okay, but I think I can do better on 0:05:12.120 --> 0:05:16.360 grass than my season last year. And then yeah, sort 0:05:16.400 --> 0:05:19.320 of didn't come home. But by the end of a 0:05:19.400 --> 0:05:22.840 long trip, I was just a little bit fried by 0:05:22.880 --> 0:05:26.479 the end of the year and just not invest headspace 0:05:26.600 --> 0:05:27.040 with things. 0:05:27.120 --> 0:05:28.680 By the time I got to Asia. 0:05:28.360 --> 0:05:31.840 And didn't defend my points in Osaka, dropped out of 0:05:31.880 --> 0:05:34.080 the top one hundred, was kind of struggling with my 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:45.480 serve what else, And yeah, I guess was a bit 0:05:45.480 --> 0:05:50.800 of a turning point when I decided to go to 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:53.080 Chennai to play. 0:05:54.040 --> 0:05:55.479 What was it choosing between. 0:05:55.240 --> 0:05:57.880 Chennai or Hong Kong that week, and Hong Kong's one 0:05:57.880 --> 0:05:59.000 of my favorite tournaments. 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:00.599 But I knew that I was going to be seated 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:04.240 in Chennai and so exciting to there. 0:06:04.560 --> 0:06:05.120 Yeah. 0:06:05.320 --> 0:06:07.240 Yeah, I think they may have had it like two 0:06:07.279 --> 0:06:08.200 years now, okay. 0:06:09.600 --> 0:06:13.679 Yeah, And so just the conditions in India can be tough, 0:06:13.839 --> 0:06:15.800 like you have to watch what you eat, and it's 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:19.839 really hot, and we got there and it was raining 0:06:19.880 --> 0:06:22.240 two days straight. Didn't get to practice my first match. 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:24.760 I supposed to start matches in the afternoon, at four pm, 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:26.800 and then they ended up starting matches at eleven. I 0:06:26.880 --> 0:06:29.920 was first on and it was so hot and I 0:06:30.080 --> 0:06:33.120 didn't feel one hundred percent in the stomach and lost 0:06:33.120 --> 0:06:35.839 the first set six love or six to one. Yeah, 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:38.440 looking at my brother like he's sitting on the side, 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:45.159 just drenched in sweat as well, and not even movingspace. Yeah, 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:47.599 I was no. I was like, why did why did 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:49.960 you come here? We should have just gone home? And 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:53.400 then I think, yeah, I might have gone too the 0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:56.440 bathroom just like washed my face and then come back 0:06:56.520 --> 0:06:58.680 and maybe she had a little bit of a lull. 0:06:58.720 --> 0:07:00.599 I gained like a little bit of confident and ended 0:07:00.680 --> 0:07:04.359 up getting through that match and then just started to 0:07:04.440 --> 0:07:07.400 play better, and I felt like I was a little 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:09.080 bit more clear after spending a couple of weeks with 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:12.920 Pratty and what I needed to work on. And sometimes 0:07:12.960 --> 0:07:16.240 it just takes someone you know, saying things really and 0:07:16.320 --> 0:07:19.480 are not that bad, And that's sort of what she 0:07:19.560 --> 0:07:22.840 had been drilling into me the week before and Tokyo 0:07:22.960 --> 0:07:26.119 and Osaka and then yeah, I ended up beating Donna 0:07:26.160 --> 0:07:29.120 Vekitch that week and I was down five love in 0:07:29.160 --> 0:07:34.600 the third set around of Garland, like just I know 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:38.240 people will get and she's such a lovely person. 0:07:38.720 --> 0:07:39.920 And yeah, that was a bit of. 0:07:39.880 --> 0:07:42.200 A dramatic end to that match because I came back 0:07:42.240 --> 0:07:44.960 in one she wasn't feeling one hundred percent. So yeah, 0:07:45.240 --> 0:07:48.680 honestly that week was just a humongous turning point for me. 0:07:49.480 --> 0:07:52.200 And then yeah, I made the final, got back in 0:07:52.240 --> 0:07:54.160 the top hundred, and knew I was going to make 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:55.240 Mainjraw of Ao. 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:57.400 It was so many things, it was just all at 0:07:57.440 --> 0:08:00.920 once and then BJ after that. 0:08:00.960 --> 0:08:03.640 I honestly I went into that week they hadn't announced 0:08:03.640 --> 0:08:05.120 the team yet and I didn't think I was going 0:08:05.200 --> 0:08:07.800 to be picked with how many year had gone from 0:08:07.920 --> 0:08:10.800 the middle of the year to to that point. 0:08:11.040 --> 0:08:14.240 It's just when I've played two singles matches there in Hobart. 0:08:14.360 --> 0:08:16.560 So yeah, it was honest I look at little killed 0:08:16.880 --> 0:08:19.920 thinking about that because I don't know what would have 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:22.760 happened if I didn't go to India and had those exces. 0:08:22.960 --> 0:08:24.120 Also, like working with. 0:08:24.080 --> 0:08:27.200 My psychologist a lot and going back to like why 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:29.600 I played tennis to compete and I just love the 0:08:29.600 --> 0:08:32.200 battle and I really had to dictate that week and 0:08:32.400 --> 0:08:35.680 sort of just reminded me of my love of the game. 0:08:35.800 --> 0:08:38.720 Yeah, yeah, I didn't know that story. You might not 0:08:38.760 --> 0:08:41.280 have gone there. That's it's unly Yeah, and the fact 0:08:41.280 --> 0:08:44.600 it returned you to the top hundred. So you first 0:08:44.600 --> 0:08:47.120 got into the top hundred almost year earlier with that 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:49.839 great breakout run you had in Brisbane, and pretty much 0:08:49.880 --> 0:08:52.080 apart from a few weeks here and there, you've pretty 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:55.080 much been top hundred ever since. And it was just 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:57.840 and so that's beyond the year. That's getting towards eighteen 0:08:57.880 --> 0:09:00.319 months now that you're kind of like a rank far 0:09:00.520 --> 0:09:04.280 week in, week out, top one hundred player. What have 0:09:04.400 --> 0:09:07.280 you discovered or what can you tell us is required 0:09:07.880 --> 0:09:12.280 of the level to be up there as a tour 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:14.239 player direct entry into slams. 0:09:14.360 --> 0:09:15.079 What's the difference? 0:09:15.600 --> 0:09:17.679 Yeah, and just outside it, Well, honestly, I didn't think 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:19.240 there was going to be that much of a difference. 0:09:19.280 --> 0:09:20.959 If anything, I thought it was going to be easier, 0:09:21.320 --> 0:09:23.760 because when you're just on the cast, you're still playing 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:26.760 somewh my tfs, you're really grinding and qualifying every week, 0:09:26.840 --> 0:09:29.600 and you're checking the rankings constantly, and if you're just 0:09:29.640 --> 0:09:32.640 seeing that top one hundred is like the golden egg, 0:09:33.000 --> 0:09:35.840 like to get there and then I can relax. 0:09:36.120 --> 0:09:38.319 But it was almost like when I. 0:09:38.280 --> 0:09:42.920 Got there, I just the expectations of that I had 0:09:42.920 --> 0:09:46.040 for myself. The goal post just moved, like once I 0:09:46.080 --> 0:09:47.920 got to top hundred, maybe I could be top fifty, 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:48.160 and I. 0:09:48.240 --> 0:09:49.200 Really started to believe it. 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:51.640 And when that didn't happen, then I started to doubt 0:09:51.679 --> 0:09:56.560 myself a little bit. And just the overall how tough 0:09:56.960 --> 0:10:00.400 every single match is, Like when you're not seeing in 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:03.880 one thousands, you're in main draw and you can maybe 0:10:03.960 --> 0:10:05.880 get through one match, and then you're playing a seeded player. 0:10:05.920 --> 0:10:07.920 It was just the I think, just the depth of 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:11.120 everyone in the top one hundred and what's required, like 0:10:11.160 --> 0:10:15.120 physically but also mentally. It's week in and week out. 0:10:15.400 --> 0:10:21.960 It's almost more than you know I had experienced that, Yeah, 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:25.400 and then you just when you get there, you just 0:10:25.440 --> 0:10:27.680 want to stay there because you're at. 0:10:27.720 --> 0:10:30.760 Much nicer tournaments. And the schedule. 0:10:31.160 --> 0:10:33.280 One thing I found that I really liked was I 0:10:33.360 --> 0:10:36.360 knew my schedule more in advance, and it took away 0:10:36.720 --> 0:10:39.240 that kind of am I going here or here based 0:10:39.280 --> 0:10:40.920 on the cart I kind of knew in advance, So 0:10:40.920 --> 0:10:42.840 that was a new experience, which was a good one. 0:10:43.679 --> 0:10:46.280 I mean there's so many positives to it, obviously, Yeah, 0:10:46.320 --> 0:10:49.400 but that was one thing, just the challenging aspect of 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:52.400 it takes more out of you because the level's higher, 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:54.520 so you expect. 0:10:54.160 --> 0:10:54.679 More of yourself. 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:57.120 But you haven't managed to pretty much stay there. And 0:10:57.160 --> 0:10:58.880 you did nearly get to the top fifty. I think 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:03.199 he got to sixty one. Yeah, so I mean that's amazing, 0:11:03.240 --> 0:11:05.319 and you got back to sixty nine this year as well, 0:11:05.400 --> 0:11:07.920 or seventy in the world. And I know there's a 0:11:07.920 --> 0:11:10.160 bit of fluctuation, but yeah, you're kind of like, yeah, 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:11.880 does it feel are. 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:12.600 You more comfortable? 0:11:12.679 --> 0:11:15.280 Yeah, that initial shock of it, Yeah, a year on, 0:11:16.000 --> 0:11:18.320 does it feel more comfortable? Like is that your level? 0:11:18.520 --> 0:11:22.680 Yeah? We are, I think so. And yeah, I think 0:11:22.679 --> 0:11:24.679 there's like I don't know the exact stat but I. 0:11:24.600 --> 0:11:27.760 Think it's it's very common for players to get into 0:11:27.800 --> 0:11:30.480 the top hundred and then to drop out after about 0:11:30.520 --> 0:11:32.880 a year and then maybe it takes a little bit 0:11:32.920 --> 0:11:35.720 more time to get back in and then you sort 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:38.160 of settle. So I am really proud that I was 0:11:38.200 --> 0:11:41.080 able to hang on and stay inside the cut for 0:11:41.160 --> 0:11:44.440 the Slams, Like that's just a huge goal, And no, 0:11:44.520 --> 0:11:47.600 it is. I think I don't often give myself praise, 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:51.160 but for that I am super proud, because it's not easy. 0:11:51.360 --> 0:11:54.600 So yeah, I think now just when I. 0:11:54.520 --> 0:11:57.120 Play someone ranked inside the top hundred, I have so 0:11:57.200 --> 0:11:59.760 much more belief that I can win and compete. And 0:11:59.760 --> 0:12:02.520 it just comes from those runs on the board and 0:12:02.679 --> 0:12:05.200 really want to prove it to yourself. And then yeah, 0:12:05.280 --> 0:12:08.120 you just definitely feel much more comfortable and knowing more 0:12:08.120 --> 0:12:10.200 of the girls, practicing with more of them week in 0:12:10.240 --> 0:12:13.800 and week out, knowing how each tournament's run. This will 0:12:13.800 --> 0:12:16.439 be my second time, you know, going to Madrid, and 0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:18.480 it was my first time last year playing all the 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:21.160 one thousands and getting into mainjoy without having to qualify. 0:12:21.280 --> 0:12:23.360 So yeah, it was always like I've been on tour 0:12:23.520 --> 0:12:25.920 a long time and I'm, you know, a little bit 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:29.360 older than some girls already, but it still felt like 0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:31.240 I was my first year on tour. 0:12:31.880 --> 0:12:34.080 You're a bit wide eye, Oh my god, and I 0:12:34.120 --> 0:12:35.440 met the four Italico or whatever. 0:12:35.520 --> 0:12:39.360 Yeah. Yeah, things you've seen on TV, Yeah you totally Yeah. Yeah. 0:12:39.400 --> 0:12:42.920 Your breakout run in Brisbane that I referred to before 0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:48.080 was I guess perhaps even outperformed by what you did 0:12:48.120 --> 0:12:49.760 in Adelaide at the start of this year, you made 0:12:49.800 --> 0:12:52.559 it through to the Semis, also a five hundred event 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:56.400 leading up to the AO. But obviously the Brisbane one 0:12:56.520 --> 0:13:00.480 was at home, you know what was And you reflect 0:13:00.520 --> 0:13:02.800 on both of those runs, which were both so amazing. Yeah, 0:13:03.240 --> 0:13:05.760 is there one that's more significant than the other. 0:13:05.840 --> 0:13:07.520 Or both incredible? 0:13:07.600 --> 0:13:09.920 Probably Brisbane sticks out to me a little bit more, 0:13:10.000 --> 0:13:12.800 just because I had reached literally. 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:14.439 One hundred before that. 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:18.400 I got to one hundred and people were messaging me saying, congratulations, 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:20.640 you got to the top one hundred, top hundred for 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:21.199 the first time. 0:13:21.280 --> 0:13:23.120 I was like, and I didn't even play that week. 0:13:23.160 --> 0:13:25.160 It was just that someone dropped out and then I 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:30.080 went to But it didn't feel like as you know, 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:33.960 big as what I think Brisbane when I want a match, 0:13:34.800 --> 0:13:37.560 I think it was against Emma when I won that 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:38.520 match that it sort. 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:42.120 Of put me in Yeah, and you're just having my 0:13:42.200 --> 0:13:45.040 friends and as in my family. Yeah, I was first 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:49.040 and foremost and playing at home, and yeah, that was 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:49.800 really special. 0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:53.040 But Adelaide was great too, and a bit unexpected. 0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:55.040 Obviously I got a walkover in the second. 0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:56.680 Round, so that did a little bit of luck was 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.040 on my side there, but I think I was playing 0:13:59.080 --> 0:14:02.880 at a higher level than what I was in Brisbane 0:14:02.920 --> 0:14:05.320 the year. Yeah. Yeah, that's like my main goal is 0:14:05.360 --> 0:14:07.440 just to keep improving and I think if I can 0:14:07.520 --> 0:14:13.640 continue like on this trajectory of improvement, then hopefully I'll 0:14:13.640 --> 0:14:17.040 be in those situations again for sure. 0:14:17.679 --> 0:14:20.280 One thing that's interesting about your career too, and this 0:14:20.360 --> 0:14:22.600 is hard for Australians because you know, we travel a lot, 0:14:22.640 --> 0:14:25.160 as you were saying away for a long time, and 0:14:25.240 --> 0:14:27.280 when you have that support and family can sleep in 0:14:27.320 --> 0:14:29.240 your own bed, it can often be easy to succeed 0:14:29.240 --> 0:14:31.200 at home. But you've had some of your best tournament 0:14:31.200 --> 0:14:35.680 results overseas, so like Osaka final, Chennai, what you did 0:14:35.680 --> 0:14:38.600 in Austin Is that important to you to be able 0:14:38.600 --> 0:14:41.840 to go away to conditions you're not as used to 0:14:42.360 --> 0:14:44.160 doing it for the first time and still winning. 0:14:44.520 --> 0:14:46.760 Yeah, definitely. And I think for a little while it 0:14:46.840 --> 0:14:49.160 wasn't like that for me. It took a little bit 0:14:49.200 --> 0:14:51.440 of time where my best results were in Australia. The 0:14:51.440 --> 0:14:55.240 itfs that I want, we're here at home and so yeah, 0:14:55.280 --> 0:14:58.880 to have that really good result in Osaka definitely gave 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:03.440 me some extra confidence. And yeah, just being on tour 0:15:04.840 --> 0:15:09.800 like more now, and I mean it's just as an 0:15:09.800 --> 0:15:11.600 Aussie playing at home, it's just the best. 0:15:11.760 --> 0:15:13.840 Yeah, We're away the whole year. 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:18.560 And just looking into the crowd and seeing familiar faces. 0:15:18.640 --> 0:15:21.240 And for me, I'm very much a home. 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:24.520 Body and I love my friends and my family so much. 0:15:24.640 --> 0:15:28.400 So yeah, I think that is why I've played really 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:31.040 well at home. And then also at the start of 0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:33.320 the year, we're coming off of a training block where 0:15:33.360 --> 0:15:35.160 you actually get to practice. 0:15:34.720 --> 0:15:36.440 Things that we need to work on. 0:15:36.680 --> 0:15:39.800 And throughout the year, it's really tough to find those 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:44.040 moments in time where I can sacrifice a few things 0:15:44.040 --> 0:15:45.840 to improve in other areas. 0:15:45.920 --> 0:15:49.520 It's just you're constantly playing tournaments, so I mean, we 0:15:49.600 --> 0:15:50.240 do our best. 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:53.800 But I think that maybe why I've had my best 0:15:53.800 --> 0:15:57.120 results coming into January, where I just feel really good about, 0:15:57.360 --> 0:15:59.160 you know, areas that I've been able to improve and 0:15:59.160 --> 0:16:02.160 are feeling really fit it. 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:03.360 And show because you're definitely fresh them as well. 0:16:03.440 --> 0:16:06.840 Definitely, Yeah, yeah, for sure, looking back at your career, 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:09.480 you've made nine to A level quarter finals now, which 0:16:09.520 --> 0:16:11.240 is a lot. That might that might be the most 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:13.760 of anyone in the Billy Drinking Cup team. Not sure, 0:16:14.440 --> 0:16:16.680 but I think it's a lot, and it dates back 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:19.840 to twenty twenty three. So I wondered, was there a moment, 0:16:21.560 --> 0:16:23.800 a moment, or a result or a win that kind 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:27.000 of convinced you that you were potentially, like I am 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:29.920 good enough to crack that top hundred even before you 0:16:29.960 --> 0:16:32.680 got there, like the one that was the flip to. 0:16:32.640 --> 0:16:33.160 Switch for you. 0:16:33.560 --> 0:16:35.640 Yeah, I think I've kind of seen my career in 0:16:35.680 --> 0:16:38.400 two parts, like before my elbow surgery and after and 0:16:38.680 --> 0:16:41.360 before I had had some good results, you know, had 0:16:41.360 --> 0:16:46.720 a couple top twenty or at least one top ten wine. 0:16:46.160 --> 0:16:48.520 And I mean you started to get a taste of 0:16:48.520 --> 0:16:49.120 that them. 0:16:49.000 --> 0:16:50.960 And then it was put on pause and of course 0:16:51.040 --> 0:16:53.360 COVID so kind of had to start again, like to 0:16:53.400 --> 0:16:56.640 prove it to myself. And so I would say I 0:16:57.640 --> 0:17:02.760 really important match for me was playing Elise Mertens in Osaka, 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:06.640 because I thought that was really high level match and 0:17:06.760 --> 0:17:10.719 she's a great player, and I gritted through, like there 0:17:10.760 --> 0:17:12.679 were all of the sets were really tired, and she 0:17:12.720 --> 0:17:14.800 hurt herself just right at the end in the third set. 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:18.240 But yeah, like the first two sets were some of 0:17:18.240 --> 0:17:20.760 the best tennis I think I've played. And also working 0:17:20.760 --> 0:17:24.520 with Pratty, now I just feel so much more clear 0:17:24.560 --> 0:17:27.760 on my game, and knowing like some of her caliber 0:17:28.640 --> 0:17:29.439 just believes in me. 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:31.639 I think has been a big help. 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:35.280 You alluded to, Yes, your career in two parts, you 0:17:35.320 --> 0:17:38.560 have overcome a lot of injuries to get to this point. 0:17:39.160 --> 0:17:41.040 Is there a silver lining in that at all? 0:17:41.240 --> 0:17:41.520 Did you? 0:17:41.560 --> 0:17:43.320 Because you had a lot of time on the sidelines, 0:17:43.400 --> 0:17:45.560 So yeah, what did you do at that time? What 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:46.880 did you learn about yourself? 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:49.880 You know, because I got to be Yeah, I got 0:17:49.880 --> 0:17:53.399 to be basically a normal sort of early twenties. I 0:17:53.400 --> 0:17:55.439 was gonna say teenager, but I think it was a 0:17:55.440 --> 0:17:58.159 teenager at the start. But I mean a lot of 0:17:58.160 --> 0:18:02.040 that time was focused on getting better and my recovery, 0:18:02.080 --> 0:18:05.040 and I was very diligent with my rehab. But at 0:18:05.040 --> 0:18:06.719 the same time, I got to be home and I 0:18:06.720 --> 0:18:09.480 got to, you know, have some deeper connections with my 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:12.879 friends that I didn't really have at school. And that was, 0:18:13.400 --> 0:18:15.320 you know, at the same time as it sucked, because 0:18:15.320 --> 0:18:18.720 I all I wanted. I mean, if anyone said you 0:18:19.040 --> 0:18:20.720 take this away and you can be back on to her, 0:18:20.720 --> 0:18:23.320 I would have taken it. But at the same time, 0:18:23.480 --> 0:18:26.440 looking back now, I know that was an important time 0:18:26.480 --> 0:18:32.320