1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Elena Dockettch's new book is coming out today. It's called Fearless, 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: finding the Power to Thrive, something I think Elena has 3 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,399 Speaker 1: done in spades, and she's going to join us right now. 4 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 2: Good morning morning. Hi, thank you for having me. 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: Well, thank you for joining us. Now, tell us about 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 1: the new book. Is this a sequel of sorts to 7 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: your first book, Unbreakable left? 8 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 2: My first book, Unbreakable was a feeling my life story. Yeah, 9 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 2: my autobiography, my memoir, and this is yeah, this is 10 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 2: a follow up. This is a little bit of also 11 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 2: what's happened in the last six years since Unbreakable came out, 12 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 2: a lot of the things that I've gone through and learned. 13 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 2: I'll go more in depth into why Unbreakable has changed 14 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 2: my life. And I say that the day that Unbreakable 15 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 2: came out was the best day of my life. And yeah, 16 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 2: I'll go into why that is. It's the importance of 17 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 2: sharing our story and being able to be able to 18 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 2: speak up and have a voice, and it's about normalizing 19 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 2: the conversation and reducing the stigma around I've used some 20 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 2: mental health and a lot of the other really important issues, 21 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 2: but ultimately I do want it to be a book 22 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 2: of hope and something where people can really find something 23 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: inspirational in that as well. I go into a few 24 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 2: things I've never spoken about, like an eating disorder. I 25 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 2: talk about body shaming. So there's a little bit of everything, 26 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 2: but ultimately it is about coming out the other end, 27 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 2: and now for me also it's about helping other people. 28 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 3: A lot of people going through those things. I mean, 29 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 3: you talk about people, especially on social media that can 30 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 3: be so cruel. But as we find you today in 31 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 3: twenty twenty three, Elena, are you just ignoring what anyone 32 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 3: says on socials these days? 33 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: Sometimes it's hard to I think the matter house from 34 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 2: you are how much I try to ignore it and 35 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 2: tect me. I use the block I use the block button, 36 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:51,919 Speaker 2: trust me. I think it is also, though, about calling 37 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: it out, and I've done that for the last couple 38 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 2: of years during the Australian summer. But this year, when 39 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 2: I was really trolled for yeah, my body size and 40 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 2: my weight, I called it out and people started to 41 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: really listen. And that's because I've been talking about it openly. 42 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 2: That's because I've gone out there and really without any hesitation, gone, look, 43 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 2: this is what I'm going through These are the messages 44 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 2: I'm getting, this is not okay. We need to really 45 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 2: call this out. And people started to listen this year, 46 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 2: which I'm so happy about, from the media, to the fans, 47 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 2: to anybody watching tennis, a lot of men as well, women, 48 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 2: young girls, So it's been amazing, and that is why 49 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 2: the power of actually sharing our stories is so important. 50 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 2: Silence is something that I grew up with, being trained 51 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 2: and raised and conditioned to be silent around abuse and silence, yeah, 52 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 2: silence covers a lot of the bad things in the world. 53 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: So speaking up and actually calling it out is so important. 54 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 2: And I feel really strongly about social media abuse controlling 55 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 2: because I don't think that we should be going through 56 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 2: it at all. I'm certainly not out here hurting anyone. 57 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 2: I'm in fact, I'm trying to help my social media 58 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 2: platform for something good. In fact, so we shouldn't have 59 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 2: to go through it, especially as I think if you 60 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 2: are in a public eye, we face that quite a lot. 61 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 2: So I think it's time to turn the script and 62 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:22,239 Speaker 2: actually call it out. 63 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: And it is will because also you know a lot 64 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 1: of people say I just ignore it. It is hard 65 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: to because it is just irrelevant white noise compared to 66 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: the important things that you're doing. But it's hard to 67 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: do that with the first book, Unbreakable. You know, speaking 68 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: of being silent and not speaking up. How many people 69 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: have you had come to you and say, because you 70 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: stop being silent and you spoke up, now I feel 71 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: like I can too. 72 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: Oh, you have no idea how many? And that is 73 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 2: the reason why I actually wrote this second book. It 74 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 2: is not It is not for me. It is far 75 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 2: the first one wasn't for me either. I say at 76 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 2: the end of Unbreakable, if it helps one person for me, 77 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: it's mission accomplished. That was my life dream to help someone. 78 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: And this is this book as well. It's for others. 79 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 2: You have no idea how many people come up to 80 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 2: me on the street or a lot of the events 81 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: and speaking events that I do, how many people are 82 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 2: going through different things. Then they say, look, I really 83 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 2: feel like through you and you speaking up, I am 84 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,359 Speaker 2: hurt and I feel like I actually have a voice, 85 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 2: or you've helped me find the courage to do something 86 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 2: that I never thought would be possible. So yeah, I 87 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 2: to be honest with you, I get talking about it 88 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 2: and I actually don't even look at myself as someone 89 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 2: that maybe has that impact. I think I'm a bit 90 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 2: shy and quite humble when it comes to that, but 91 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 2: it is, you know, to see it change other people's lives. You, Yeah, 92 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 2: it's just it's just unbelievable. And I think I get 93 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,679 Speaker 2: also a lot of inspiration from women like Grace Tame 94 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,719 Speaker 2: and a lot of women that have come out and 95 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 2: talked about their really really tough lives and stories and 96 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 2: it has inspired change and we've seen it. So yeah, 97 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 2: it definitely changes lives. That's why I feel so strongly 98 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 2: about normalizing the conversation. 99 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 3: Lady, you have well known in the public eye as 100 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 3: a youngster because you're such a prodigy as a young 101 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 3: tennis player. But where do you draw the line when 102 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 3: you talk about you and living in front of the 103 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 3: Australian public, in particular in the world public, in the 104 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 3: tennis world. What do you draw the line with personal 105 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 3: what you reveal in these books. Because you have mentioned 106 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 3: the end of it, you know, you've mentioned the end 107 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:35,919 Speaker 3: of a long term relationship and the like. Do you 108 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 3: sometimes go your question whether you're going to do that 109 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 3: or not and go that far? 110 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: No, I don't. I'm an open book I've been very open, raw, 111 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 2: honest about everything as well in Unbreakable as well as 112 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 2: this book. That is who I am. That's what I 113 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 2: want to stand for, and that's what I want my 114 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 2: legacy to be. I want to be very open and 115 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 2: honest because these are the things that people go through. I, 116 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,799 Speaker 2: for example, didn't have when I was growing up anyone 117 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 2: that I could look up to or resonate with when 118 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 2: it came to a lot of the things that I 119 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 2: was going through. So the more people that we can 120 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 2: have that are sharing their stories, the more lives we 121 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,919 Speaker 2: can change. So there is no for me, It's not 122 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 2: even a question. I am going to be very open 123 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 2: and honest, authentic, raw. That's who I am. The good 124 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 2: and the bad. I show it. I talk about it, 125 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 2: whether it's on social media that I try to use 126 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 2: for good or my books or interviews. So no, this 127 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 2: is what I stand for, this is who I am, 128 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 2: This is what I want my legacy to be. And 129 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,559 Speaker 2: like I said, I know that it helps other people 130 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 2: and safe life. 131 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 1: If someone had told seventeen and eighteen year old Ilana 132 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: that you were going to be an amazing motivational speaker, 133 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: would you have believed it? I mean, that's truth in itself. 134 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: How things can you can change your life, isn't it? 135 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 2: Yeah? No, absolutely not. Even if you told me that 136 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: seven or eight years ago, I wouldn't have No. I 137 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,039 Speaker 2: literally wouldn't believe it because I actually retired at twenty 138 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 2: nine and I suddled with that transition. I retired very 139 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 2: early for a tennis player, twenty nine year injuries and 140 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 2: mental health. So for me to actually be able to 141 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 2: completely reinlet myself and be able to do things I 142 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 2: never thought would be possible or that I would even 143 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: be good enough to be honest. That comes to my 144 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 2: commentary and TV career as well. It comes to writing books, 145 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 2: it comes to being a motivational speaker and being on 146 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 2: the full time on the speaking circuit. Yeah, absolutely not. 147 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 2: I would not have believed you, and I would have 148 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 2: told you that you're just making things up. It's a 149 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 2: little bit straight you lady. 150 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 3: Can I just take you back briefly, and I'm doing 151 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 3: a testing memory for what was like in your tennis 152 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 3: career As a sixteen year old at Wimbledon in nineteen 153 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 3: ninety nine, I watched you play the number one player 154 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 3: in the world, the Swiss, Miss Martina hingis what was 155 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 3: the feeling like as a sixteen year old where and 156 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 3: what was I like seeing your opponents realizing she's losing 157 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 3: control of the game and you beat it that night 158 00:07:58,080 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 3: and you were the talk of the tennis world. 159 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, it's special memories for me because to this 160 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 2: day that match still stands as one of the biggest 161 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 2: upsets in tennis history and on the Grand Slam stage. 162 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: And yeah, I will try to keep a lot of 163 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 2: those tennis memories for me in a positive because there 164 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 2: is unfortunately negative things that are connected to it and 165 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 2: the following year as well. For example, when I make 166 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 2: the semifinals and I talk about this in Unbreakable and 167 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 2: I have nowhere to sleep because my father doesn't allow 168 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 2: me to come back to the hotel. So and you 169 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 2: know what I think Ultimately now though, it's about turning 170 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 2: those negatives into positives. I refuse to look at it 171 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: as a negative. I will keep those amazing tennis results 172 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,559 Speaker 2: with me. I was four in the world, I was 173 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 2: top ten in the world in doubles as well. Yeah, 174 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 2: I will keep a lot of those things with me, 175 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 2: and I'm very proud of actually being able to play 176 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 2: at such a high level through adversity and going through 177 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 2: so much. So yeah, I'll keep it as a as 178 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: a positive, but at the same time I will use 179 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,679 Speaker 2: the kind of the negative experience to turn it into 180 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 2: something positive and to learn from it and for other 181 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: people as well. 182 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: I think you're amazing, Elanna. I love to see the 183 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: life that you've made for yourself, and the new book, 184 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: Fearless Finding the Power to Thrive is out today. Absolute 185 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: pleasure to have you joined us this morning. 186 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 2: Thanks, thank you so much. Thank you for the time 187 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,359 Speaker 2: and for talking to me. Thank you, Goodbye.