WEBVTT - Who will win Wimbledon? 0:00:01.480 --> 0:00:04.440 The time for talking is over the match clock showing 0:00:04.559 --> 0:00:09.879 four hours or twelve minutes. It's eable lots. I'm short 0:00:09.880 --> 0:00:11.640 for inthe inside mariche, the erotic. 0:00:13.360 --> 0:00:14.319 What's a smash like? 0:00:14.600 --> 0:00:15.120 It's good? 0:00:15.480 --> 0:00:16.840 It's good, good start. 0:00:17.040 --> 0:00:17.880 It's about eight. 0:00:21.239 --> 0:00:25.360 Love says love late like Lada and there's ten as 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:32.640 a like crest Emitch. Hi, everyone, welcome to the AO Show. 0:00:32.880 --> 0:00:35.519 I'm Matroloe jumping in again for John hooven Us. This 0:00:35.560 --> 0:00:38.680 week Wimbledon is almost upon us and today we preview 0:00:38.720 --> 0:00:41.680 all the storylines and spotlight the players to watch ahead 0:00:41.680 --> 0:00:44.760 of the game's grass court Grand Slam. Here's what's coming up. 0:00:45.200 --> 0:00:47.880 Casey de Lakworth sees Carlos el Karaz as the biggest 0:00:47.880 --> 0:00:49.560 threat to Novak Djokovic's crown. 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:52.199 That could potentially help al Karaz having a little bit 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:53.120 more time on the ball. 0:00:53.560 --> 0:00:56.360 Todd Woodbridge takes us behind the curtain at Wimbledon, where 0:00:56.360 --> 0:00:57.520 he is an honorary member. 0:00:57.720 --> 0:00:59.400 Such a big goal of mine to be able to 0:00:59.440 --> 0:01:02.080 get in to the members seated locker room. 0:01:01.920 --> 0:01:05.280 And King Klaisters discusses Nikkurios's chances a year on from 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:09.400 the Aussi's exciting run to the finals. That's all ahead 0:01:09.480 --> 0:01:15.800 on the AO Show four days out from the main 0:01:15.880 --> 0:01:20.440 drawer at Wimbledon. Here are the headlines. Elena Rabeikiner hopes 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:22.800 to recover from the lingering effects of a virus in 0:01:22.840 --> 0:01:26.920 the countdown to her Wimbledon title defense. Elsewhere, patri Kviteva 0:01:26.959 --> 0:01:30.200 and y Elena Ostapenko announced their intentions with grass court titles 0:01:30.240 --> 0:01:32.600 last week, while eagersh Fiontek is into a first ever 0:01:32.680 --> 0:01:35.920 quarter final on grass in bad Homburg. Number one seed 0:01:36.000 --> 0:01:39.240 Carlos Alkarez has notched to milestone, becoming the first player 0:01:39.440 --> 0:01:41.800 not in the Big four to earn the Wimbledon top 0:01:41.800 --> 0:01:45.080 seeding in twenty years. Alcoraz last week won the Queen's 0:01:45.080 --> 0:01:47.960 Club Tournament, his first title on grass and one that 0:01:48.000 --> 0:01:50.200 saw him take the world number one ranking back off 0:01:50.200 --> 0:01:53.080 Novak Jokovic. And speaking of Jokovic, hear after at the 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:55.080 All England Club this week for his first hit out 0:01:55.120 --> 0:01:58.440 on the grass, where he's targeting a fifth straight Wimbledon title. 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:02.240 I'm joy on the AO Show this week by Australian 0:02:02.280 --> 0:02:05.360 tennis great Casey de Laqua to talk all things Wimbledon. 0:02:05.400 --> 0:02:07.640 Thanks for joining us today, case Hi, Matt great to 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:10.000 see you again. Great to see you too, And I 0:02:10.000 --> 0:02:11.680 wanted to pick up on something you said on the 0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:14.359 podcast when we chatted two weeks ago, and I found 0:02:14.360 --> 0:02:17.359 it very interesting you said, I don't see anybody stopping 0:02:17.639 --> 0:02:20.400 Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, and kind of when you dig 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:22.919 into the stats, there's been a particularly great one that's 0:02:22.960 --> 0:02:25.560 come up in the last week or so that Djokovic 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:28.440 has won more matches at Wimbledon than the rest of 0:02:28.480 --> 0:02:33.520 the men's top twenty combined, which is extraordinary. And so 0:02:33.760 --> 0:02:36.040 it's probably you know, what you said holds a lot 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:38.040 of sway, and I think a lot of people agree 0:02:38.160 --> 0:02:41.160 with you that he's one of the most overwhelming favorites 0:02:41.160 --> 0:02:43.640 we've had. So maybe we can look at who his 0:02:43.680 --> 0:02:45.880 biggest challenges are now that we've got you know, we're 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:47.760 into week three of the grass court season, and we've 0:02:47.800 --> 0:02:49.680 seen most of the big names have at least one 0:02:49.720 --> 0:02:52.920 or two hitouts on the grass. You know who's impressing you? 0:02:53.200 --> 0:02:56.280 Yeah, well, look, obviously, firstly, on Novak, it's it is 0:02:56.440 --> 0:02:58.320 one of those things, isn't it. Where I mean, the 0:02:58.400 --> 0:03:01.880 statistic you've just you know, reeled off is pretty incredible, 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:04.640 and I guess we've had this era of you know, 0:03:04.919 --> 0:03:07.600 wondering if is it going to be Federer coming up 0:03:07.720 --> 0:03:09.600 or Nadal or who's going to kind of win. But 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:14.400 to have an overwhelming favorite lack in Novak is you know, 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:16.760 something that we haven't probably experienced in the men's game. 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:19.200 But I do just believe that he's just way ahead 0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:21.919 the rest of the field in terms of, you know, ability, 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:24.480 in terms of Grand Slam tennis, in terms of best 0:03:24.480 --> 0:03:29.640 of five tennis, Novak is definitely going to be extremely, extremely. 0:03:29.160 --> 0:03:29.760 Tough to beat. 0:03:30.200 --> 0:03:32.960 But obviously we saw some good tennis from Carlos al 0:03:33.000 --> 0:03:34.760 Krez last week. 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:36.960 He played, you know, really. 0:03:36.800 --> 0:03:39.440 Well, played a great match against Alex demon or our 0:03:39.440 --> 0:03:42.280 own Alex. But you know, I think there's definitely, you know, 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:43.480 a sits of pass on the. 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:46.000 Grass will fire up as well. 0:03:46.200 --> 0:03:49.760 I think, you know, there's obviously definitely players that can 0:03:49.840 --> 0:03:52.880 hold their own against Novak, But in terms of being 0:03:52.920 --> 0:03:56.000 able to break down Novak's game, you know, over the 0:03:56.040 --> 0:03:58.160 length of a five set match, I'm just not sure 0:03:58.200 --> 0:04:01.640 that you know, even in ol koraz As physically in 0:04:01.680 --> 0:04:04.120 Nepteers and that on a grass court, is going to 0:04:04.120 --> 0:04:05.280 be able to stop Novak. 0:04:05.320 --> 0:04:05.840 Djokovic. 0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:08.600 Yeah, will be interesting because the way the seedings are, 0:04:09.040 --> 0:04:10.840 they could only meet in the final, which would be 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:14.480 a pretty extraordinary Wimbledon final. Elkoraz sounds like he almost 0:04:14.480 --> 0:04:18.000 surprised himself by how quickly he improved on grass. This 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:21.200 was just his third grasscourt tournament ever at Queens and 0:04:21.240 --> 0:04:23.400 he won it, which I'm not sure if that's a record, 0:04:23.440 --> 0:04:25.960 but that's pretty quick progress. Even if he might not 0:04:26.000 --> 0:04:28.839 be completely ready at this stage just yet, he's still 0:04:28.839 --> 0:04:29.919 being raw on the surface. 0:04:30.120 --> 0:04:32.000 Yeah, And I think Wally and I spoke a little 0:04:32.000 --> 0:04:34.839 bit about when you have obviously he had a great 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:38.039 clay court season, and I think when you've had great 0:04:38.440 --> 0:04:42.159 momentum even from the clay sometimes transitioning to grass. Yes, 0:04:42.240 --> 0:04:46.640 there's probably some physical things around getting lower and staying 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:49.520 lower and that, but in terms of, you know, that 0:04:49.680 --> 0:04:53.400 confidence and that momentum that he's taken into the grass, 0:04:53.400 --> 0:04:56.240 I think is really well. The interesting thing for me 0:04:56.320 --> 0:04:59.400 is the grass at Wimbledon. I'm not entirely sure how 0:04:59.480 --> 0:05:02.240 Queens was playing, but I know that the grass at 0:05:02.279 --> 0:05:05.359 wimbled in the very first week plays very different to 0:05:05.400 --> 0:05:08.040 the grass the second week. So I think, you know, 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:11.320 the first week is always pretty tough to find your feet. 0:05:11.400 --> 0:05:13.800 It can be slow. I think people just think that, 0:05:14.160 --> 0:05:15.719 you know, grass, the ball is going to hit and 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:18.279 fly through, but it can actually be quite slow. So 0:05:18.320 --> 0:05:20.839 I feel like that could potentially help al Koraz having 0:05:20.880 --> 0:05:22.880 a little bit more time on the ball and then 0:05:22.920 --> 0:05:25.200 as the grass kind of you know, gets played on 0:05:25.240 --> 0:05:28.200 a fair bit, quickens up a little bit. So yeah, 0:05:28.200 --> 0:05:29.760 I think there's going to be a few factors in 0:05:29.839 --> 0:05:34.479 play over you know, the Wimbledon time. But obviously, you 0:05:34.520 --> 0:05:39.080 know Carlos al Koraz, you know, he's won two level titles. 0:05:39.120 --> 0:05:42.159 He's obviously you know, played a great final against Alex 0:05:42.200 --> 0:05:44.719 like I said, and so I think his confidence on 0:05:44.760 --> 0:05:46.880 grass is still going to be quite high. But that 0:05:46.920 --> 0:05:49.240 would be a pretty epic final, wouldn't it if we 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:52.279 were able to see al Carez and Novak. 0:05:52.640 --> 0:05:55.200 Oh yeah, because remember how much hype there was around 0:05:55.200 --> 0:05:57.520 the semi final rolling Garras, So this would be even 0:05:57.520 --> 0:06:00.760 bigger again, a Grand Slave final. I'd love to see it. 0:06:00.880 --> 0:06:02.920 So we'll see, We'll see what happens in the next 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:05.000 two weeks. I guess if we turn our attention to 0:06:05.320 --> 0:06:09.080 the women's side, Elena Robaikener as the defending champion, but 0:06:09.160 --> 0:06:11.760 she's had an interrupted lead up because it seems that 0:06:11.800 --> 0:06:14.200 she's suffering the lingering effects of this virus that knocked 0:06:14.200 --> 0:06:16.880 her out of Roland Garros. So she us a lot 0:06:16.920 --> 0:06:19.719 of people's favorites and she plays great on grass, but 0:06:19.760 --> 0:06:22.279 we haven't really seen a lot of her recently. So 0:06:22.760 --> 0:06:23.760 what do you think of her chances? 0:06:23.839 --> 0:06:25.920 Yeah, I think it's an interesting one in terms of 0:06:26.040 --> 0:06:30.640 like just the grasscourt season is so short. But what 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:33.320 we find, or I find with players at Wimbledon is 0:06:33.360 --> 0:06:36.040 sometimes you see players like a Tadiana Maria last year 0:06:36.040 --> 0:06:38.520 her semi final run. Sometimes you just need a couple 0:06:38.560 --> 0:06:41.000 of good matches on the grass. And I think for Rebeccina, 0:06:41.279 --> 0:06:44.280 she's just going to have to get some really good 0:06:44.320 --> 0:06:46.480 tennis in the early rounds of Wimbledon, and then I 0:06:46.520 --> 0:06:49.200 still feel like she's going to be confident because when 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:51.600 you win a Grand Slam title and you go back 0:06:51.640 --> 0:06:53.839 to that place that you've had such good results and 0:06:53.920 --> 0:06:57.440 such good energy and feeling, there's no doubt in my 0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:00.400 mind that that's going to help someone like Rebeccaa obviously 0:07:00.440 --> 0:07:03.440 if she's in good health. So I think we can't 0:07:03.520 --> 0:07:06.400 underestimate the fact that she's the defending champion. 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:08.719 Maybe you know, maybe there might be a. 0:07:08.720 --> 0:07:11.240 Little bit more of an expectation there in terms of 0:07:11.600 --> 0:07:13.880 what she achieved last year. But in the same breath, 0:07:13.960 --> 0:07:16.560 we've seen her persona, haven't we. We've seen how she 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:20.160 carries herself from the court. She's very astue in regards to, 0:07:20.920 --> 0:07:23.760 you know, keeping control of her emotions and stuff. So 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:24.880 I think she's going to. 0:07:26.360 --> 0:07:27.640 Very calm and collected, very. 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:28.280 Calm and collected. 0:07:28.360 --> 0:07:31.320 So I think the first few rounds will be interesting 0:07:31.440 --> 0:07:33.360 because she's obviously one of those players when she gets 0:07:33.360 --> 0:07:35.840 her serve. Going her serve last year and particularly in 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:38.920 the finals was unstoppable. So I think there's going to 0:07:39.120 --> 0:07:41.040 be a few factors in play. But I think she's 0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:43.600 still certainly one to keep an eye on, providing that 0:07:43.600 --> 0:07:45.640 she's in good health, and I think that first week 0:07:46.040 --> 0:07:50.239 again will be really interesting for someone that maybe hasn't 0:07:50.280 --> 0:07:53.080 had as much grass court tennis as potentially they would 0:07:53.120 --> 0:07:53.520 have liked. 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:57.000 Yeah, what, we hope she is healthy because when she's firing, 0:07:57.080 --> 0:07:58.400 she's yet she's phenomenal. 0:07:58.680 --> 0:08:00.400 There seem to be a lot more content here at 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:02.000 Wimbledon this time than there were. 0:08:02.080 --> 0:08:03.800 In Paris a few weeks ago, it was all about 0:08:03.800 --> 0:08:06.200 like the big three on the women's side, Fiontech, Sabolenka, 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:08.160 Rabaike and they'd won all the big lead ups and 0:08:08.280 --> 0:08:10.680 that's kind of how it went. Fion Tech one, Sabolenka 0:08:10.720 --> 0:08:13.040 made the semis At Wimbledon. There feels like there's a 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:16.000 lot more contenders. Who do you like among this, Like 0:08:16.200 --> 0:08:18.920 I guess this bigger bunch of potential favorites. 0:08:18.680 --> 0:08:21.680 Well, I think you know someone that won a title 0:08:21.720 --> 0:08:25.360 and who is won wimbleden before is a Petra Kaviteva. Yeah, 0:08:25.520 --> 0:08:28.440 you know, it's it's really hard because there's always a 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:31.800 feel with Petra, you know, a match or two throughout 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:34.360 a Grand Slam that maybe she just doesn't put in 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:37.560 her best performance. But I think when she can pull 0:08:37.559 --> 0:08:40.520 it together lefty on the grass. Obviously one in Berlin, 0:08:41.000 --> 0:08:43.760 you know, I think that was potentially her six grass 0:08:43.760 --> 0:08:46.719 court title. So in terms of grass court players, a 0:08:46.760 --> 0:08:49.360 Petra Kaviteva can get on it. Yeah, I think she 0:08:49.400 --> 0:08:50.920 can get on a good run. And I think she 0:08:51.080 --> 0:08:53.520 certainly won that. You wouldn't really want to, you know, 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:56.000 face it wimbled and at any time in the draw. 0:08:56.520 --> 0:08:58.200 So I think keeping eight at her, I think like 0:08:58.240 --> 0:09:02.080 a Coco Goff. You know, we know that she's got 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:04.280 some technical difficulties, I think, if you can get that 0:09:04.480 --> 0:09:07.120 ball hard and fast into her forehand, but there's no doubt, 0:09:07.120 --> 0:09:09.880 I think a Coco and let's not forget and on Jibur, 0:09:10.080 --> 0:09:12.800 I mean Wimbledon for her last year was you know, 0:09:12.960 --> 0:09:16.520 an epic run. She got through to the final, and 0:09:16.720 --> 0:09:19.960 it's definitely a title that she is obviously after. And 0:09:20.000 --> 0:09:22.120 then I think the other one is mukovad the one 0:09:22.160 --> 0:09:24.320 that obviously made the Paris, the. 0:09:24.800 --> 0:09:25.840 Roland Garris final. 0:09:25.920 --> 0:09:29.480 I feel like, you know, her game transitioning onto a 0:09:29.520 --> 0:09:33.800 grass court, you know, is really good. I think again, 0:09:33.920 --> 0:09:36.320 for someone like a Mukova, it's always been about her 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:38.720 body and injury management. But she seems like she's in 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:41.560 good health, so confidence as well. So I think there's 0:09:41.559 --> 0:09:44.200 a few, you know, different names on the women's side 0:09:44.200 --> 0:09:47.439 that certainly composed some challenges for Like you said, probably 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:49.760 those big three that we've spoken a lot about throughout 0:09:49.800 --> 0:09:50.160 this year. 0:09:50.440 --> 0:09:51.560 Mukova is an interesting one. 0:09:51.600 --> 0:09:53.320 I don't think we've seen her play a lead up 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:55.600 on grass, and you mentioned her body, maybe she maybe 0:09:55.600 --> 0:09:57.199 that's a bit of a protective thing. She's played a 0:09:57.200 --> 0:10:00.800 lot of tennis lately and resting that injury body. Hopefully 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:04.640 she's healthy too. This is also traditionally a fantastic time 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:06.840 on tour for the Aussies. They've got a great tradition 0:10:06.880 --> 0:10:09.280 of playing well on grass. You know, love this time 0:10:09.280 --> 0:10:11.160 of year in London, and it's been the same again 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:13.199 in twenty twenty three. Lots of great results from the 0:10:13.240 --> 0:10:16.000 Aussies at two level events and on the challenger circuit too. 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:18.280 So which of them do you think might fare best 0:10:18.360 --> 0:10:19.000 at Wimbledon. 0:10:19.080 --> 0:10:21.040 Yeah, it's been great, hasn't it on the singles and 0:10:21.120 --> 0:10:23.440 doubles court so far for all of the Aussies. They've 0:10:23.440 --> 0:10:27.480 all really put in some great performances. I think grass 0:10:27.520 --> 0:10:29.239 is one of those things for the Australians. 0:10:29.720 --> 0:10:30.839 It just feels like home. 0:10:31.000 --> 0:10:34.200 It feels like our backyard we grow up, you know, 0:10:34.280 --> 0:10:36.280 being exposed to a grass court where a lot of 0:10:36.320 --> 0:10:38.320 players don't necessarily. 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:42.640 Have the same situation. So yeah, I think, you know, 0:10:42.760 --> 0:10:43.439 in terms of. 0:10:44.160 --> 0:10:46.840 The women, really great to see Storm Hunter and Olivia 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:49.760 Gadeki into the last round of qualifying. I think that's 0:10:49.840 --> 0:10:52.760 awesome And let's hope that we can get a few 0:10:52.760 --> 0:10:55.000 more through qualifying. We had some good first round wins 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:58.319 as well. Obviously on the men's side, you know, oh sorry, 0:10:58.360 --> 0:11:01.240 and just on that disappointing obviously for ailer Tom Lanovitch 0:11:01.320 --> 0:11:05.000 not to be able to compete at Wimbledon, but such 0:11:05.040 --> 0:11:07.160 a shame, but I hope we all wish it well 0:11:07.200 --> 0:11:09.720 and good health for the rest of the season. And 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:12.480 obviously I think on the men's side, you know, Alex Deemnor, 0:11:13.400 --> 0:11:17.160 you know, he's definitely shown himself on the grass courts 0:11:17.200 --> 0:11:20.520 before making you know, another tour level final for someone 0:11:20.600 --> 0:11:24.280 like an Alex is awesome, and yeah, I think we've 0:11:24.280 --> 0:11:25.880 definitely got to keep an eye out for him. But 0:11:25.920 --> 0:11:28.840 then in the doubles, obviously we've got John Pierce had 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:31.720 some great success last week as well, continuing to win 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:34.840 titles on tour for consecutive number of years now. 0:11:34.920 --> 0:11:38.640 So lots of Aussies in form and keen to keep an. 0:11:38.600 --> 0:11:40.959 Eye on, yeah, which was the case in twenty twenty two. 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:44.280 We had so many Ossis in the finals of various events, 0:11:44.360 --> 0:11:46.480 winning it all, making the final, and it could be 0:11:46.559 --> 0:11:49.360 the same again. Before I'll let you go, o Casey 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:51.360 one thing we love to do with our guess is 0:11:51.400 --> 0:11:54.360 to get them to pick the Wimbledon winners. And I'm 0:11:54.360 --> 0:11:55.760 going to put you on the spot and ask for 0:11:55.840 --> 0:11:59.200 your men's and women's champion for this fortnight's stage. 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:03.000 One of the winners in at Roland Garras, which was 0:12:03.040 --> 0:12:06.439 Novak Djokovic. So I'm going to I'm going to stick 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:10.440 pretty pretty hard with Novak on the men's side and 0:12:10.520 --> 0:12:14.400 go with Novak on the women's side. I'm actually going 0:12:14.480 --> 0:12:17.080 to stick with my peak for Roland Garris, which was 0:12:17.080 --> 0:12:18.080 Arena Sablenka. 0:12:18.559 --> 0:12:19.480 I'm not sure why. 0:12:19.640 --> 0:12:22.240 I just feel like she's got the AO under a belt. 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:26.400 She's still shown consistency in regard to her mental kind 0:12:26.400 --> 0:12:29.120 of aptitude with what she's trying to do. I feel 0:12:29.120 --> 0:12:32.160 like if she can pull it together and serve well, Yeah, 0:12:32.200 --> 0:12:34.200 I'm going to go with Arena Sabalinka. I think she 0:12:34.240 --> 0:12:37.120 can do it, So she's my peak for the women. 0:12:37.360 --> 0:12:41.040 She's gone deep before semi finals in twenty twenty one. Yeah, 0:12:41.120 --> 0:12:43.840 for sure could see Sablenka doing well. Look, Casie, thanks 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:45.840 so much for joining us. Always good to chat to you. 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:49.280 And how are you going to be enjoying Wimbledon? I 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:51.520 know I'm going to be here in cold Melbourne. 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:53.240 Watching it on the TV from afar. Where will you 0:12:53.240 --> 0:12:54.360 be watching, Well, I'll. 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:56.680 Be watching it from the comfort of my own home obviously. 0:12:56.720 --> 0:12:58.560 I think a lot of Austrains, you know, they grow 0:12:58.640 --> 0:13:00.480 up with childhood memories of probably getting up in the 0:13:00.520 --> 0:13:01.920 middle of the night and watching Wimbledon. 0:13:02.120 --> 0:13:04.520 So yeah, I'm going to be you know. 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:10.320 TV on watching with great interest, both the Aussies but 0:13:10.400 --> 0:13:12.520 also the men's and the women's game and kind of 0:13:12.520 --> 0:13:15.840 seeing how this third Grand Slam of the year unfolds. 0:13:15.880 --> 0:13:17.080 It's always really exciting. 0:13:17.120 --> 0:13:19.640 This such quick turnaround from rolland Garris to Wimbledon, but 0:13:19.960 --> 0:13:23.040 a really exciting time. So yeah, let's go the Aussies 0:13:23.080 --> 0:13:25.040 and let's hope they all have a really great Wimbledon. 0:13:25.240 --> 0:13:27.200 Well we can't wait. Thanks again, Case, good to see 0:13:27.200 --> 0:13:28.080 you and chat soon. 0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:28.520 Thanks. 0:13:28.600 --> 0:13:33.600 Matt Todd Woodbridge is a. 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:36.319 Regular contributor to The AO Show, and we especially love 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:38.760 his insights at this time of year. Given his connection 0:13:38.840 --> 0:13:41.600 with Wimbledon. He holds the record for the most men's 0:13:41.600 --> 0:13:45.480 doubles titles in Wimbledon history with nine. He is also 0:13:45.520 --> 0:13:47.880 a mixed doubles champion there as well as a single 0:13:47.920 --> 0:13:51.360 semi finalist. In part one of this interview, Todd chatted 0:13:51.400 --> 0:13:54.439 to us from London about the tournament which most profoundly 0:13:54.559 --> 0:13:55.360 shaped his career. 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:58.280 Well, Todd, when did you? 0:13:59.160 --> 0:14:03.160 When did you get to And I would also love 0:14:03.200 --> 0:14:05.599 to hear a bit about how good the weather is 0:14:05.640 --> 0:14:07.760 over there, because that's what I'm hearing from everyone, particularly 0:14:07.800 --> 0:14:09.440 though were over there at Roland Garros and the weather 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:11.720 was amazing and it sounds like it's continued in London. 0:14:11.800 --> 0:14:14.760 And you told me off that it's hot in summery, 0:14:14.920 --> 0:14:18.160 So yeah, what's the buzz and the vibe like in London? 0:14:18.160 --> 0:14:19.440 It's a great time of year over there. 0:14:19.560 --> 0:14:24.760 Well, I got into into London Monday afternoon, the Monday 0:14:24.800 --> 0:14:28.480 of the Wimbledon qualifying starting out at Roehampton and up 0:14:28.560 --> 0:14:34.960 until today, which is Wednesday. 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:36.600 This is the first cloudy. 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:40.240 Day I've almost seen in around about fourteen days in 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:43.480 the UK. I've been in the Scottish Highlands for about 0:14:43.480 --> 0:14:46.680 ten days celebrating big family milestones of birthdays. 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:50.160 And eightieth, a fiftieth and a twenty first in our family. 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:54.840 So that's been really wonderful to get that opportunity. But 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:56.800 now it's back to the grindstone and back to work 0:14:56.840 --> 0:15:00.720 and getting in that mindset of tennis and Wimbledon, and 0:15:00.800 --> 0:15:03.880 for me it is the greatest time of year because 0:15:03.880 --> 0:15:07.560 as a former player and a young kid, it was 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:10.120 my absolute goal to get to Wimbled and to be 0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:12.680 able to get to see that center court, the Ivy 0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:16.240 clad on the famous Senate court and have maybe one 0:15:16.280 --> 0:15:18.320 day that opportunity to play. And it came really early 0:15:18.360 --> 0:15:21.520 for me at sixteen years of age and my very 0:15:21.600 --> 0:15:24.920 first when we're not qualified for a mixed doubles at Roehampton. 0:15:24.920 --> 0:15:27.240 They don't have qualifying anymore, and it gave me the 0:15:27.280 --> 0:15:30.320 opportunity to play on the main courts at the Championships. 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:33.360 I then went on played juniors that year as well 0:15:33.360 --> 0:15:36.760 in the singles and doubles. So it kind of means 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:39.560 everything to me this tournament in the game, and I 0:15:39.680 --> 0:15:43.640 come here with this youthful feeling of those memories of 0:15:43.720 --> 0:15:46.960 all of those years ago, and then it gives me. 0:15:48.600 --> 0:15:50.880 It gives me goosebumps every time I get to go 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:53.680 to the club, to the All England Club and walk 0:15:53.720 --> 0:15:56.000 through those gates. I don't think there's anything else in 0:15:56.040 --> 0:16:00.120 the world of tennis that has that same feeling ai 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:06.320 aura an energy about it. Even when you go potentially 0:16:06.720 --> 0:16:08.920 which I've done a couple of times midyear, when the 0:16:08.920 --> 0:16:12.200 tournament isn't on, it still gives that. I don't often 0:16:12.360 --> 0:16:16.600 get that feeling really when you go to Melbourne Park 0:16:17.480 --> 0:16:20.160 and it's not in tournament, because it looks completely different. 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:22.440 But the All England Club actually still looks the same, 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:24.520 and I guess that's what's special about that. 0:16:25.040 --> 0:16:27.160 Yeah, you paint an amazing picture of it, and for 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:29.520 people that have been there they and are lucky enough 0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:30.840 to experience that it is. 0:16:30.880 --> 0:16:32.480 It is as you describe. It is beautiful. 0:16:32.520 --> 0:16:34.960 It's got that history, it's got that quaintness, it's got 0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:37.000 the Ivy, it's an incredible place. 0:16:37.400 --> 0:16:38.840 You talked about aspiring to. 0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:41.440 Go to Wimbledon when you were younger, and that seems 0:16:41.440 --> 0:16:44.200 a common thing among Australians in particular this tournament, even 0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:46.800 though it's not the Australian Open, it still holds a 0:16:46.920 --> 0:16:49.280 very special place in the hearts of Australia, like particularly 0:16:49.360 --> 0:16:50.720 with our tennis culture here. 0:16:50.800 --> 0:16:51.280 Why is that? 0:16:51.400 --> 0:16:53.520 I think it It goes a long way back, and 0:16:53.600 --> 0:16:56.960 it goes back to if you think about Australians they've 0:16:56.960 --> 0:17:01.000 always loved to travel and the very first winners going 0:17:01.040 --> 0:17:02.720 over there with Sir Norman Brooks, so this shay and 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:05.520 Open Trophy is named after on the men's side, and 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:09.360 he won the tournament and it gave this vision of 0:17:09.880 --> 0:17:13.440 getting overseas and travel and playing tennis and something that 0:17:13.760 --> 0:17:15.800 our sport gives Australians. 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:16.360 The opportunity to do. 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:20.240 And when he started to win, and you go further on, 0:17:20.320 --> 0:17:23.160 you had John Bromige and Adrian Chris doing so well, 0:17:23.960 --> 0:17:28.680 and then you got into that golden era of Frank Sedgman, 0:17:29.840 --> 0:17:34.520 Lou Hoad and Ken rose Well making finals, John Newcombe, 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:38.280 Rod Lavor, Neil Fraser. We had so many champions and 0:17:38.760 --> 0:17:43.399 I would grow I grew up with getting up in 0:17:43.440 --> 0:17:45.040 the middle of the night. I'd go to bed at 0:17:45.040 --> 0:17:47.760 seven o'clock, sleep for two and a half three hours. 0:17:47.760 --> 0:17:48.840 Then my dad would wake. 0:17:48.680 --> 0:17:50.720 Me up to watch Wimbled and Live and it was 0:17:50.760 --> 0:17:53.280 the only thing and only time you get to watch 0:17:53.280 --> 0:17:55.520 it was that you had to get up to watch it. 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:58.480 And I just had those memories of getting up in 0:17:58.480 --> 0:18:00.320 the middle of the night, sitting there with it a 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:03.560 kerosene heater on in the middle of winter, watching the 0:18:03.600 --> 0:18:08.199 tennis and it gives you motivation, and you know, it 0:18:08.280 --> 0:18:10.359 is the oldest tournament in the world. 0:18:10.400 --> 0:18:12.280 It is where the game started and so. 0:18:12.280 --> 0:18:14.000 It has all of that history to it, and that's 0:18:14.000 --> 0:18:16.480 one of the great things of Wimbled and that moving 0:18:16.640 --> 0:18:19.760 into this modern era, the club and the management of 0:18:19.800 --> 0:18:22.960 the tournament have managed to maintain and I'll call it 0:18:23.119 --> 0:18:27.280 the facade of Wimbledon, because it's kept the look. 0:18:27.320 --> 0:18:28.360 And the feel. 0:18:28.640 --> 0:18:30.120 You know, a lot of times there they are under 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:32.560 pressure to change from grass because there wasn't enough grass 0:18:32.560 --> 0:18:33.120