WEBVTT - The Sit-Down: Best of 2025 feat. Hingis, Rafter, Clijsters, Henman and more! 0:00:04.160 --> 0:00:04.800 Hey, it's Zavy. 0:00:05.200 --> 0:00:07.320 The tennis is taking a quick break this week, but 0:00:07.360 --> 0:00:09.840 we've still got something special for you. Highlights reel from 0:00:09.840 --> 0:00:12.560 our sister podcast. To sit down, We'll pulled together some 0:00:12.600 --> 0:00:14.880 of the best interviews from season two, kicking off with 0:00:14.920 --> 0:00:17.840 Matt and Viv chat with the legendary Martina Hingis. 0:00:19.000 --> 0:00:23.239 The end of the season in ninety six, I felt like, 0:00:23.680 --> 0:00:26.520 you know, I finally kind of got into the groove. 0:00:26.560 --> 0:00:29.400 I won my first tournaments and at the end of 0:00:29.440 --> 0:00:32.760 the season and I had beaten some top ten players 0:00:33.200 --> 0:00:34.639 and I felt like, Okay, you. 0:00:34.600 --> 0:00:38.720 Know, maybe it's my time to shine. 0:00:38.760 --> 0:00:41.879 But everybody was also a little bit suspicious, is she, 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:43.520 you know, ready enough? 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:46.800 Is she grown up enough to actually win a major? 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:51.400 And in my way, in my little you know, back 0:00:51.440 --> 0:00:53.800 of my head, I was like, I'm going to show you. 0:00:53.800 --> 0:00:56.760 You know, yeah, I don't know. 0:00:56.920 --> 0:00:59.160 It was just still amazing when you look back at 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:01.320 it at such a young age to be able to 0:01:01.360 --> 0:01:02.240 win a Slam. 0:01:02.400 --> 0:01:05.920 Yes, of course, we were a different generation looking at it. 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:10.240 We had Monica Sellis and Jennifer Capriati who would win 0:01:10.720 --> 0:01:14.800 one big tournaments bigot wins at being teenagers. So at 0:01:14.800 --> 0:01:17.400 that time it was a little bit normal and I 0:01:17.440 --> 0:01:20.959 always tried to like beat Jennifer Capriati's records even as 0:01:20.959 --> 0:01:25.000 a junior, so that was something that But of course, 0:01:25.520 --> 0:01:27.640 you know, it was also a big relief to be 0:01:27.680 --> 0:01:30.680 able to win my first major as being you know, 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:34.440 high seat and one of the favorites to win the tournament. 0:01:34.640 --> 0:01:37.560 You still hold the record of as the youngest woman 0:01:37.640 --> 0:01:41.280 to win a Grand Slam singles title. These days we 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:44.679 say not as many teenagers at the top of the game. 0:01:45.040 --> 0:01:46.600 Why do you think that is the case. 0:01:47.560 --> 0:01:51.520 I think one of it is maybe because the game 0:01:51.600 --> 0:01:57.680 has evolved. It is has gotten probably more physical, also 0:01:57.760 --> 0:02:00.760 because of the records and the strings. Is a natural 0:02:00.800 --> 0:02:05.200 evolution of the sport, that is. But even after me, 0:02:05.320 --> 0:02:09.519 you had a Maria Sharapova who almost you know, got 0:02:09.560 --> 0:02:11.600 close with winning her. 0:02:11.560 --> 0:02:14.400 Title at Wimbledon or Coco Golf. 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:17.920 You know, you still get the kind of players that 0:02:18.120 --> 0:02:22.560 have that special something to be able to win as teenager, 0:02:22.680 --> 0:02:26.919 or Emma ra Dukano when she came from qualifying winning 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:30.760 the US Open title. So I do still believe that 0:02:30.840 --> 0:02:35.880 it is possible to win Grand Slams at a young age. 0:02:36.120 --> 0:02:38.760 But definitely what has changed is like you have to 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:44.160 be a discipline, you have to be fully focused, and 0:02:44.440 --> 0:02:47.919 it's maybe what the generation has changed. 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:51.880 To win a Grand Slam, you need to win seven 0:02:51.960 --> 0:02:55.919 matches within two weeks. So sometimes players have a highlight, 0:02:56.080 --> 0:02:59.400 you know, they they win a great match or two 0:02:59.480 --> 0:03:02.919 couple of round and then all of a sudden, they're 0:03:02.960 --> 0:03:03.720 already happy. 0:03:03.800 --> 0:03:06.720 That's what I sometimes miss about the game today that 0:03:06.840 --> 0:03:08.359 I think, Okay, you know. 0:03:08.320 --> 0:03:12.560 They're satisfied too quickly with their successes. 0:03:12.560 --> 0:03:15.200 And even if they win a title, they're not able 0:03:15.240 --> 0:03:20.120 to continue at that high level because everybody puts them already, 0:03:20.200 --> 0:03:25.480 like you know, on a big as favorites. But yeah, 0:03:25.520 --> 0:03:27.360 on the other hand, like I really that's why I 0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:31.560 like to watch someone like Cocoa goth and If because 0:03:31.600 --> 0:03:38.120 she's completely determined and professional about her sports and what 0:03:38.160 --> 0:03:39.120 she wants to achieve. 0:03:39.760 --> 0:03:42.040 It's really cool hearing you talk about the current generation 0:03:42.120 --> 0:03:45.760 because what they're doing on court now is your name 0:03:45.840 --> 0:03:47.600 is coming up in association with a lot of what 0:03:47.640 --> 0:03:51.000 they're doing. Two years ago, when igersh Fiontek won thirty 0:03:51.040 --> 0:03:53.040 seven matches in a row, everyone kind of dug into 0:03:53.040 --> 0:03:54.960 the record books to see, oh, who did that last time? 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:57.040 And it was you, but it was twenty five years ago. 0:03:57.400 --> 0:04:01.320 And then this year we were looking at Sablenka and 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:03.560 she's trying to go for three Australian Open titles in 0:04:03.600 --> 0:04:04.680 a row and we did the same thing. Who was 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:05.600 the last person that did that? 0:04:05.680 --> 0:04:06.160 And it was you? 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:09.280 And so what is it like to hear the current 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:11.800 world number one and two kind of bringing up your 0:04:11.840 --> 0:04:13.360 milestones again? What's that like to hear? 0:04:14.640 --> 0:04:16.919 Yeah, and I do follow tennis. 0:04:17.160 --> 0:04:20.760 I'm not totally aware of that, so I'm also doing 0:04:20.800 --> 0:04:26.360 some commentary obviously, and it. 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:26.400 Makes me proud. Yeah. 0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:28.680 I mean at that time, you're thinking, okay, you know, 0:04:28.800 --> 0:04:33.120 it's almost normal that you were winning those titles. 0:04:32.680 --> 0:04:34.839 Because everybody expects you to do well. 0:04:34.880 --> 0:04:38.400 And as later on when I became number one, so 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:42.280 every tournament you go to, everybody expects you to always succeed. 0:04:41.960 --> 0:04:45.760 And win, and so it was the same. 0:04:46.040 --> 0:04:49.360 I was looking obviously, you have that kind of pressure 0:04:49.400 --> 0:04:51.880 when you have such a winning streak. Then all of 0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:54.640 a sudden, it's like you also get as a player. 0:04:54.960 --> 0:04:57.440 I almost thought, like you get tight. You know, when 0:04:57.680 --> 0:05:00.640 is that next time that you're going to lose? Eventually 0:05:00.640 --> 0:05:05.320 it's gonna happen but yeah, and also yeah, you talk 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:09.320 about sap Alenka, I mean she's you know, she definitely 0:05:09.320 --> 0:05:13.159 deserves to be number one now with her past or 0:05:13.200 --> 0:05:16.960 this year, the way she she played with winning Grand Slams. 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:20.039 But also I enjoy watching like Mira Andreva. You know, 0:05:20.320 --> 0:05:23.120 she was one of those that she made like quarter 0:05:23.200 --> 0:05:28.400 final semifinals, excuse me, at various events like at the 0:05:28.440 --> 0:05:30.400 French or she did well in Australia and all of 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:33.320 a sudden my name came up. And it was also 0:05:33.400 --> 0:05:36.560 funny because she this year, she asked me if I 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:39.440 would want to coach her, and I'm a big fan 0:05:39.480 --> 0:05:43.040 of hers, the way she plays, and unfortunately I couldn't 0:05:43.080 --> 0:05:46.480 take that job because of my daughter going to kindergarten 0:05:46.560 --> 0:05:50.240 and I'm not able to travel as much. But yeah, 0:05:50.279 --> 0:05:53.480 Concida Martinez is doing a great job of helping her 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:59.360 on the way and defining her game and making her 0:05:59.360 --> 0:05:59.960 a better play. 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:02.320 So we'll see how far she's gonna take it. 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:06.200 Were there any players that you particularly loved to compeigne against. 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:15.880 I think that generation we all were really educated players. 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:19.839 I would say like we all had really good foundation, 0:06:20.080 --> 0:06:24.599 whether it was the Williams sisters, Lindsay Devin Poor, Monica Sellis. 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:26.760 Jennifer Capriati. 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:30.360 Obviously the couple finals I played against her and later 0:06:30.480 --> 0:06:32.680 it was Kim Clysies and Justine Hannen. 0:06:33.120 --> 0:06:36.440 So I think we had really good foundations and basics 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:38.760 and how to play the game. 0:06:39.320 --> 0:06:43.680 Sometimes again, today what I miss is not having a 0:06:43.720 --> 0:06:44.640 plan B or C. 0:06:45.880 --> 0:06:49.320 Like most of the players. If they do plan A 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:50.440 and it doesn't. 0:06:50.160 --> 0:06:54.239 Work out, they have a hard time or they struggle 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:57.279 a little bit to find a solution a way to win. 0:06:57.640 --> 0:06:58.920 And that's what champions do. 0:06:59.040 --> 0:07:01.520 Sometimes you just need to win the match and it 0:07:01.520 --> 0:07:04.360 doesn't matter how you can be just ballooning all of 0:07:04.400 --> 0:07:07.120 a sudden and not just hitting winners from the baseline. 0:07:07.480 --> 0:07:09.800 And yeah, that's I think. 0:07:09.640 --> 0:07:13.800 We all had this capability to find a way to 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:15.800 win in that generation. 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:19.160 That was tring to sit down with my Tina Hinkers. 0:07:19.200 --> 0:07:21.560 Scroll back up to episode one for the full interview. 0:07:22.040 --> 0:07:24.880 Next up, Matt sat down with two time US Open 0:07:24.960 --> 0:07:27.200 champ Pat Rafter when he was in Melbourne Head of 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:28.320 AO twenty twenty five. 0:07:29.560 --> 0:07:32.720 Paddle is a fun game, it's new, it's exciting. I'm learning, 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:35.480 you know tennis, I don't. I'm not learning anymore. I'm 0:07:35.520 --> 0:07:38.000 sort of done with the learning part. 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:40.200 Of that's fair. So you said earlier that tennis was 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:42.640 your job. Do you play it much these days now 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:43.160 that you're atire. 0:07:43.280 --> 0:07:45.600 I don't. I never looked to play tennis. So I 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:47.680 have a tennis caught at home. The only time I 0:07:47.680 --> 0:07:49.320 get on the court is if i'm my daughter and 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:51.200 my son are in town and well, my wife really 0:07:51.240 --> 0:07:53.680 wants to hit, so that's the only time I play it. 0:07:54.760 --> 0:07:56.240 So do your kids have a bit of an interesting 0:07:56.280 --> 0:07:56.920 tennis Yeah. 0:07:57.360 --> 0:07:59.680 I made them play when they were young. They needed 0:07:59.720 --> 0:08:01.600 to play the game, They need to have some understanding, 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:03.800 and they really enjoy It's a life sport for them. 0:08:03.840 --> 0:08:07.240 Then you know, there's obviously all different levels of tennis, 0:08:07.280 --> 0:08:09.840 and then they're they're at their own level, but they 0:08:09.880 --> 0:08:13.440 love it. And so for me, it is a lifetime 0:08:13.480 --> 0:08:15.440 sport that I wanted to teach. Like swimming, you know, 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:18.120 you have to learn to swim. Tennis is another game 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:20.600 for me that was very passionate for me to for 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:22.760 them to get involved with. If I sit in that 0:08:22.880 --> 0:08:25.400 same moment of the new ninety seven US Open, when 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:29.120 it's it's just not I still don't enjoy it. It's 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:31.280 it's sort of interesting when I talk about it and 0:08:31.320 --> 0:08:33.680 get brought up in conversation questions. I will reflect on 0:08:33.760 --> 0:08:35.760 it and then I can answer the questions based on 0:08:35.800 --> 0:08:39.320 my memories of that experience. But I don't sit around. 0:08:39.640 --> 0:08:43.120 I don't want to go into it. Okay, should we 0:08:43.160 --> 0:08:43.520 s get. 0:08:45.520 --> 0:08:45.559 It? 0:08:45.880 --> 0:08:48.640 It's it's a part that it's a past and I'm 0:08:48.640 --> 0:08:50.600 done with it, and I don't. 0:08:50.679 --> 0:08:53.160 Yeah, it's but like when you reflect on it is 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:55.520 if it obviously it doesn't come imagine you said it's 0:08:55.520 --> 0:08:57.200 the past, But when you reflect on it is the 0:08:57.280 --> 0:08:59.400 emotional like I'm really satisfied with what I did, or 0:08:59.440 --> 0:09:01.760 you're like, oh, I don't connect with it anymore. 0:09:01.880 --> 0:09:03.920 Different. I think I'm talking about more of the emotional 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:06.400 feeling because you can actually take yourself back into all 0:09:06.440 --> 0:09:08.200 the feelings of it, you know, if you go deep 0:09:08.240 --> 0:09:10.360 into it. Yeah, that bit I don't go into. 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:12.600 I go. 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:17.360 We're with the to look back and reflect on, you know, 0:09:17.520 --> 0:09:21.880 just the achievements. So so proud of what I was 0:09:21.880 --> 0:09:25.320 able to achieve with my career, with my ability. I'm 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:28.920 as staked, you know. But I don't sit there. But 0:09:28.960 --> 0:09:30.480 if you want me to reflect on the moments and 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:32.920 the situations and the feelings and take myself back into 0:09:32.920 --> 0:09:38.240 Wimbledon and those times. Yeah, those things I don't go into. 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:40.559 No, that's fair, and I wasn't going to ask me 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:42.280 about that. I was actually going to talk about those 0:09:42.320 --> 0:09:45.240 things because researching for this interview, I know your career 0:09:45.320 --> 0:09:46.720 very well. I watched you when I was growing up, 0:09:46.720 --> 0:09:48.719 but there were some things that came up that I 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:51.400 was like, I didn't know, Pat did that like you? 0:09:51.440 --> 0:09:51.880 Apparently. 0:09:51.960 --> 0:09:53.600 I'm not sure if you know this, but you are 0:09:54.280 --> 0:09:57.280 one of only three men in open air history. The 0:09:57.320 --> 0:10:00.880 others are labor in Edinburgh to make the semis of 0:10:00.920 --> 0:10:03.079 all the slams in singles and doubles, and you're the 0:10:03.080 --> 0:10:04.480 most recent person that's ever done that. 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:07.760 Did you know that? I knew there's a few of us. 0:10:07.760 --> 0:10:08.960 I thought they might have been more than that. 0:10:09.000 --> 0:10:09.520 Apparently not. 0:10:10.320 --> 0:10:11.920 So you're in a very select little group of this 0:10:12.040 --> 0:10:15.680 kind of nice complete singles, doubles, all the surfaces, all 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:18.959 the majors, and yeah, you're apparently the last one that 0:10:19.040 --> 0:10:21.120 did that. Whenever you achieved that, it might have been 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:23.480 late nineties, early two thousands, I'm not sure it would be. 0:10:24.720 --> 0:10:27.880 Yeah, doubles, singles. Well, I guess by I don't know. 0:10:29.760 --> 0:10:31.360 But I guess when you look at your career, you 0:10:31.400 --> 0:10:34.640 won majors, you were world number one, you represented your country, 0:10:34.960 --> 0:10:37.240 you won master's titles. You kind of did all of 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:39.360 the things that the tennact. 0:10:39.559 --> 0:10:40.839 I just didn't do a lot of it, you know 0:10:40.880 --> 0:10:42.200 what I mean. I didn't win seven of them. I 0:10:42.200 --> 0:10:46.840 didn't win people do I know? I know, but I 0:10:46.880 --> 0:10:50.200 think as you know, you know, you put yourself in 0:10:50.240 --> 0:10:54.040 the number one category of players. You know, I'd be 0:10:54.120 --> 0:10:56.920 the worst performing number one category player in many. 0:10:56.760 --> 0:10:58.240 Ways, the worst number one. 0:10:58.280 --> 0:11:01.080 It's still a title to hold you one, I know, 0:11:01.160 --> 0:11:03.360 but you put yourself in that category a bit. It's 0:11:03.440 --> 0:11:05.080 probably the worst, I take it. 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:07.880 When do you think you were at your career peak? 0:11:08.120 --> 0:11:11.440 What year or what time? Ninety eight? That's something else. 0:11:11.440 --> 0:11:14.400 You're the first person to do the America the Summer 0:11:14.480 --> 0:11:18.559 Slam since Canada, Canada, since the US to do. 0:11:18.559 --> 0:11:20.360 Did Andy Rotick do it after meon yep? And then 0:11:20.360 --> 0:11:23.559 a couple other place things have done. Rafa has it's you? 0:11:24.160 --> 0:11:24.480 That's it? 0:11:24.640 --> 0:11:28.760 That's it? See very select group. So ninety eight was 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:32.440 your peak? Do you have what's your favorite or finest win. 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:36.079 And I mean it could be a match, or it 0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:36.840 could be a tournament. 0:11:37.960 --> 0:11:40.800 I think the whole thing is a combination. But the 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:43.600 ninety seven US Open win, my first Grand Slam win, 0:11:43.840 --> 0:11:47.280 is the most memorable because that was to me winning 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:50.079 a Grand Slam. That's what it's all about. It might 0:11:50.080 --> 0:11:52.920 not have been the prettiest match, but in terms of 0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:56.280 career changing, it was definitely winning the US Open final. 0:11:56.760 --> 0:11:59.120 And there's obviously great matches I played. I played a 0:11:59.160 --> 0:12:01.800 lot of great matches with Andre Agason, a couple of 0:12:01.880 --> 0:12:05.040 Wemble and few at Wembland, so yeah, awesome. And I 0:12:05.080 --> 0:12:07.679 got to play in center court at Wimbledon in ninety three. 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:09.600 I qualified, got to the third round, played. 0:12:09.400 --> 0:12:12.240 Andrea ninety three cent co Wilden. 0:12:12.280 --> 0:12:12.920 I didn't know that I. 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:14.560 Kicked my ass, but it was so much fun. 0:12:15.400 --> 0:12:15.880 That's awesome. 0:12:15.960 --> 0:12:17.319 Well you got him back later at Wimbledon. 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:20.520 Yeah, he got me again in ninety nine. Then I've 0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:22.840 been in two thousand and two thousand and one, so too. 0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:24.560 All let's go three semis in a row. 0:12:24.800 --> 0:12:25.000 Yeah. 0:12:26.000 --> 0:12:29.000 We actually had Donna Kelso, the WTA supervisor on now 0:12:29.000 --> 0:12:30.560 podcast a couple of weeks ago, and we asked her, 0:12:30.600 --> 0:12:32.160 you know, you've been in tennis for thirty years, what 0:12:32.280 --> 0:12:34.280 are some of your memories. You're always working, but if 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:36.040 you were ever watching, what do you remember? And she said, 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:38.760 you're ninety seven US Open wings. She remembers that as 0:12:38.760 --> 0:12:41.199 an Australian And I remember I was allowed to go 0:12:41.280 --> 0:12:43.720 to school late that day because it was like eight 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:45.800 thirty in the morning in Australia and we were just 0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:47.800 watching waiting. We match went and then we could get 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:49.160 in the car to go to school. 0:12:50.520 --> 0:12:50.720 Cool. 0:12:50.840 --> 0:12:52.280 I was going to ask you one other thing. Yes, 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:55.560 when people talk to you about your tennis career, whether 0:12:55.600 --> 0:12:57.319 it's in an interview, if it's just like people on 0:12:57.360 --> 0:12:59.920 the street, I'm not sure. What's the one match they 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:00.440 bring up. 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:05.319 Oh, probably the two thousand and one Goran match, the 0:13:05.840 --> 0:13:08.880 final final, because it's a funny one because I played 0:13:09.000 --> 0:13:10.719 Sampus the year before in the final. They don't bring 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:13.040 that up very much. But the Go Run match they 0:13:13.040 --> 0:13:15.120 bring up a lot. I think there's just so many 0:13:15.120 --> 0:13:20.360 emotions going on between both of us. Where Peter one 0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:23.240 fifteen Wimblin's, I don't know, he won a lot of them. 0:13:23.520 --> 0:13:26.959 Tennis is healthy. The Aussie Open has become. It's bigger 0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:32.040 than any player right now. It's an event like Wimbledon. 0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:36.600 It doesn't matter if you had two hundred the top 0:13:36.600 --> 0:13:38.480 two hundred players in the world rock up over one 0:13:38.520 --> 0:13:40.319 hundred and two hundred. People will come and watch it. 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:40.959 You know. 0:13:41.120 --> 0:13:44.120 It's just healthy because of the event is so amazing 0:13:46.040 --> 0:13:50.800 and top players will always come along. And we're seeing 0:13:50.920 --> 0:13:53.720 again strength with Sinner and Alkhasm. 0:13:53.720 --> 0:13:54.120 My god. 0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:56.400 I mean you look at them play and go, wow, 0:13:56.480 --> 0:14:00.559 they're awesome. So they keep coming. It keeps happy and 0:14:00.640 --> 0:14:03.480 they will continue to keep happen in the men's and 0:14:03.559 --> 0:14:06.000 the women's game. Thanks Pat. 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:07.840 That was from episode two if you want to hear 0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:10.679 the full interview. Now he's Matt again, this time catching 0:14:10.800 --> 0:14:13.839 up with twenty eleven AO champion Kim Clousters about in 0:14:13.960 --> 0:14:14.600 Indian wells. 0:14:16.160 --> 0:14:18.640 The best part about doing this with Andy is I 0:14:18.679 --> 0:14:21.880 don't feel like I'm on a podcast, which is great 0:14:22.000 --> 0:14:26.040 because we used to reach out through text messages when 0:14:26.080 --> 0:14:28.480 we were watching tennis games and we would go back 0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:30.280 and forth about like what do you think about this? Well, 0:14:30.280 --> 0:14:33.680 I think so and so and yeah, and like we 0:14:33.960 --> 0:14:36.320 just have that conversation. Even now, like when we're talking 0:14:36.360 --> 0:14:39.120 about like a different topic or a match that we're 0:14:39.160 --> 0:14:41.720 both watching at the same time. He's like, stop, we 0:14:42.520 --> 0:14:45.400 got to stop talking about this, Like let's just keep 0:14:45.440 --> 0:14:47.960 this for the podcast. Like we don't prepare anything. Everything 0:14:48.080 --> 0:14:51.480 is really very kind of like yeah, our opinions and 0:14:51.560 --> 0:14:54.440 how we feel. And I love his tennis brain. I 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:55.680 love learning from him. 0:14:55.960 --> 0:14:57.720 I love the thought of you too, though, sitting at 0:14:57.760 --> 0:14:59.880 home watching tennis and texting each other, Like that's real 0:15:00.040 --> 0:15:02.600 tennis fandom. I have that with you know, friends of 0:15:02.680 --> 0:15:05.080 mine who are not players, like we do that, And 0:15:05.600 --> 0:15:08.720 that has come across I think thinking about your career, 0:15:08.760 --> 0:15:10.960 particularly since you stopped playing. I mean, you're involved with 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:13.040 the Hall of Fame, You've done a bit of media. 0:15:13.520 --> 0:15:16.520 You've also coached, you have an academy, you've played Legends 0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:18.480 events as well. It sounds like you were real It 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:20.400 comes across that you're a real fan of the game. 0:15:20.520 --> 0:15:20.960 Is that fair? 0:15:21.200 --> 0:15:23.560 I love the sport like I fell in love with 0:15:23.640 --> 0:15:25.400 it when I was almost five years old, and I 0:15:25.480 --> 0:15:27.360 still love playing. Like people ask me here like do 0:15:27.400 --> 0:15:29.880 you miss playing here? And I'm like, no, I don't, 0:15:29.960 --> 0:15:32.600 Like I don't miss playing here. I still love playing 0:15:32.640 --> 0:15:34.920 tennis and it can be in a local, small little 0:15:35.000 --> 0:15:38.160 tennis court and you know in New Jersey or any 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:42.040 public court, Like I love the sport and yeah, it's 0:15:42.200 --> 0:15:45.880 it's it's a true passion. And I know it's very rare, 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:48.360 like you know, I see it with my kids too, 0:15:48.440 --> 0:15:50.600 Like it's I know, it was really rare to have 0:15:50.720 --> 0:15:54.840 found something very naturally that wasn't kind of pushed on 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:57.760 me from my parents or anything like, to find something 0:15:57.800 --> 0:16:00.440 that you've loved from such a young age agent to 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:04.760 you know grow into yeah, have it grow into you know, 0:16:04.880 --> 0:16:07.200 me still being connected into the sport, right. And I 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:09.520 never thought when I was a professional player that I 0:16:09.560 --> 0:16:12.680 would still be you know, connected and have this whole 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:15.760 tennis family at the at the Hall of Fame and 0:16:16.120 --> 0:16:18.520 now being able to you know, do the be legendary 0:16:18.600 --> 0:16:21.360 program and talk to you know, young kids around the world, 0:16:21.520 --> 0:16:24.160 Like I never thought of those things. And it's amazing 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:28.400 how tennis kind of brings people together. And that's the 0:16:28.480 --> 0:16:30.120 beauty of the sport is that we get you know, 0:16:30.240 --> 0:16:33.960 the sport is yeah, so well known around the world, 0:16:34.040 --> 0:16:36.840 and we have to thank a lot of the you know, 0:16:37.320 --> 0:16:41.080 the women that that kind of paved the way for us. Yea, 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:44.320 you know, early on, right, the Billy Jean Kings and 0:16:44.720 --> 0:16:46.840 I mean from there on, you know, never had to 0:16:46.880 --> 0:16:49.160 lover Chrissy Everett. I mean, I you know, there's so 0:16:49.320 --> 0:16:53.320 many to name, but it's I'll never forget that I 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:56.440 was eighteen years old when I played. No, I was younger, 0:16:56.880 --> 0:16:59.880 but I played the juniors at the US Open and 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:03.480 listen to Billy Jean King speak and you know, she 0:17:03.680 --> 0:17:07.159 was very you know, she has a very powerful personality 0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:10.560 and her passion is so strong, and just listening to 0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:12.720 her at a young age, I think I was fourteen 0:17:13.240 --> 0:17:17.200 and listening to her talk about the impact and the 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:19.920 you know what it took for them to get to 0:17:20.080 --> 0:17:22.960 the level where tennis was back then and now I'm 0:17:23.000 --> 0:17:28.080 talking maybe nineteen ninety eight or so. It was amazing. 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:31.560 Like it just stuck with me to be, you know, 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:35.280 always be ready to you know, sign your autographs, take 0:17:35.320 --> 0:17:38.600 the pictures, be available accessible to you know, the media, 0:17:38.800 --> 0:17:41.720 the fans, I mean, And that's what it is. 0:17:41.880 --> 0:17:42.800 It's it's you. 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:45.040 I see it with my daughter now, she loves basketball. 0:17:45.320 --> 0:17:47.240 You know, being able to connect with the players that 0:17:47.320 --> 0:17:50.760 you like or that you watch on TV makes makes 0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:53.359 the world a difference and makes the kids believe that 0:17:54.359 --> 0:17:56.480 this is a world that is actually accessible and not 0:17:56.640 --> 0:17:57.880 just something that I watch on TV. 0:17:58.160 --> 0:17:59.960 The Istralian Open Wing that you had with your fis 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:03.760 Grand Slam title as a mother, and your name comes 0:18:03.840 --> 0:18:06.359 up a lot, particularly now, because there are so many 0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:09.440 big names that have made recent comebacks to the tour 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:12.920 as moms, but you're the only one that's ever managed 0:18:12.920 --> 0:18:15.240 to win a Grand Slam. I mean, obviously Evon, Gula Gong, 0:18:15.280 --> 0:18:17.000 Macra Coort did it, but I think you're the most 0:18:17.040 --> 0:18:20.200 recent player to win a Grand Slam as a mum. 0:18:20.240 --> 0:18:22.080 And we've seen a lot of players do well and 0:18:22.160 --> 0:18:24.600 come close, but they've never done what you did, And 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:27.440 I just wonder, Well, it's a hard question, I guess, 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:28.280 but why do you think that is? 0:18:31.160 --> 0:18:31.639 I don't know. 0:18:32.640 --> 0:18:38.359 I feel like Serena definitely was the one that has 0:18:38.440 --> 0:18:41.720 come the closest right to winning. I think I don't 0:18:41.720 --> 0:18:43.640 know how many finals she made, I think maybe three 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:45.560 or something as a mom when she came back. 0:18:47.400 --> 0:18:48.600 Yeah, I don't know. 0:18:48.760 --> 0:18:52.159 I feel I'm so ready for a new mom to 0:18:52.400 --> 0:18:56.040 do hold a Grand Slam trophy because I'm proud seeing 0:18:56.160 --> 0:18:58.240 you know, so many women in the draw and see 0:18:58.280 --> 0:19:01.000 the kids walk around here and seeing in their family 0:19:01.080 --> 0:19:05.119 members in the in the player's restaurant, and that's what 0:19:05.280 --> 0:19:05.920 it's all about. 0:19:06.040 --> 0:19:07.800 I mean, I remember the first year. 0:19:07.880 --> 0:19:09.720