1 00:00:02,460 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Hi everyone and welcome to the AO Show and another 2 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:08,410 Speaker 1: episode of The Sit Down. I'm Viv Christie of Australian 3 00:00:08,430 --> 00:00:10,670 Speaker 1: Tennis Magazine and it's great to be joined by my 4 00:00:10,710 --> 00:00:13,090 Speaker 1: colleague Matt Trelope of ozopen.com. 5 00:00:13,410 --> 00:00:15,110 Speaker 2: Great to be chatting tennis with you again Matt. 6 00:00:15,530 --> 00:00:17,860 Speaker 3: It's good to be back Viv for the second edition 7 00:00:17,930 --> 00:00:20,380 Speaker 3: of The Sit Down. If listeners didn't hear last week 8 00:00:20,420 --> 00:00:23,820 Speaker 3: we debuted this new podcast stream which features interviews and 9 00:00:24,180 --> 00:00:27,790 Speaker 3: in-depth chats with people in the tennis industry and we 10 00:00:28,010 --> 00:00:30,510 Speaker 3: featured an interview that Nick McCarville did with Yannick Sinner 11 00:00:30,670 --> 00:00:32,669 Speaker 3: during his title run at the Australian Open, which was 12 00:00:32,690 --> 00:00:35,070 Speaker 3: a really good listen. I'd encourage everyone to go back 13 00:00:35,250 --> 00:00:37,930 Speaker 3: and check that out. And this week, we're back with 14 00:00:38,110 --> 00:00:40,510 Speaker 3: another interesting guest. Who have we got on this week? 15 00:00:40,770 --> 00:00:42,810 Speaker 2: Today, we actually talked to Marta Kostiuk. 16 00:00:42,930 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: So Marta caught up with Andrea Petkovic in January at 17 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: a great time in her career. 18 00:00:48,630 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 3: Absolutely a great time because she's had an incredible start 19 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,100 Speaker 3: to 2024. And after this chat, she's gone on to 20 00:00:54,140 --> 00:00:56,910 Speaker 3: continue that form got her first top five win in 21 00:00:56,950 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 3: San Diego. She went on to make the semifinals of 22 00:00:59,300 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 3: Indian Wells. She's on the brink of the top 25. 23 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:03,779 Speaker 3: It's all kind of coming together for her. And what 24 00:01:03,820 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 3: I loved about this chat is that she kind of 25 00:01:05,620 --> 00:01:08,820 Speaker 3: goes into the weeds of what have been the ingredients 26 00:01:08,860 --> 00:01:11,380 Speaker 3: behind her rise and how she's gotten to this point 27 00:01:11,620 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 3: and how she's trending in the right direction. 28 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, everything is trending up for Marta, really. And let's 29 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 2: hear what she has to say. 30 00:01:21,140 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 4: Well done, Marta. 31 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,810 Speaker 5: Into the quarterfinals for the first time and what a 32 00:01:24,860 --> 00:01:25,890 Speaker 5: performance it was. 33 00:01:26,030 --> 00:01:27,450 Speaker 4: I saw a lot of variety. 34 00:01:27,610 --> 00:01:31,470 Speaker 5: You won 21 out of 29 points at the net. 35 00:01:32,090 --> 00:01:32,950 Speaker 6: Proud, yes. 36 00:01:33,050 --> 00:01:33,750 Speaker 7: Not bad at all. 37 00:01:33,870 --> 00:01:36,230 Speaker 5: Are those the things you worked on in the off-season? 38 00:01:36,250 --> 00:01:38,390 Speaker 5: What are the things you implemented to get to your 39 00:01:38,730 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 5: quarterfinals for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament? 40 00:01:41,900 --> 00:01:44,529 Speaker 6: I don't think there is anything specific that we worked on. 41 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,500 Speaker 6: You know, like, okay, let's work on this specific shot. 42 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 6: But I think it was just more the. 43 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,260 Speaker 4: I used to have a very chaotic game. 44 00:01:54,700 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 6: I could do a lot of things, but they were 45 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,220 Speaker 6: never really in the proper order. So I think we've 46 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,970 Speaker 6: been working more like having... How do I say it? 47 00:02:03,090 --> 00:02:03,470 Speaker 7: More. 48 00:02:03,630 --> 00:02:04,430 Speaker 4: Structure, maybe? 49 00:02:04,510 --> 00:02:09,500 Speaker 6: Yes, more structure in my game. So, yeah, it makes 50 00:02:09,530 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 6: me feel more. 51 00:02:12,790 --> 00:02:13,889 Speaker 4: I forgot English, sorry. 52 00:02:14,650 --> 00:02:17,470 Speaker 5: It's a big day, quarter finals for the first time, 53 00:02:17,530 --> 00:02:18,010 Speaker 5: come on. 54 00:02:18,750 --> 00:02:22,450 Speaker 6: It makes me feel more confident on the court. On 55 00:02:22,510 --> 00:02:25,980 Speaker 6: important points, I know that I will not just decide 56 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 6: something that I've never done in my life. So yeah, 57 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,389 Speaker 6: I think this is the main Work, yeah. 58 00:02:34,690 --> 00:02:34,970 Speaker 5: Nice. 59 00:02:35,090 --> 00:02:37,590 Speaker 4: And you are a very expressive player. 60 00:02:37,730 --> 00:02:38,310 Speaker 5: I love that. 61 00:02:38,750 --> 00:02:40,810 Speaker 4: I don't have to know the score. 62 00:02:40,950 --> 00:02:41,510 Speaker 7: I take a. 63 00:02:41,490 --> 00:02:44,030 Speaker 5: Look at you and I know whether it's going well 64 00:02:44,430 --> 00:02:45,090 Speaker 5: or whether. 65 00:02:44,889 --> 00:02:45,850 Speaker 4: It's not going well. 66 00:02:46,190 --> 00:02:48,690 Speaker 5: How do you channel these emotions that you have to 67 00:02:48,730 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 5: play your best tennis? 68 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,470 Speaker 6: Well, I don't like to be very expressive, you know, 69 00:02:52,510 --> 00:02:55,260 Speaker 6: but there are just, you know, sometimes I'm better, but 70 00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:58,380 Speaker 6: sometimes it's really, I wish it would be better. 71 00:03:00,419 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 7: I don't know. 72 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:06,139 Speaker 6: I think, like, naturally, I'm a very emotional person and 73 00:03:06,260 --> 00:03:12,250 Speaker 6: very open and open-minded. And it's not always easy, you know, 74 00:03:12,290 --> 00:03:13,870 Speaker 6: to be calm and. 75 00:03:13,889 --> 00:03:17,670 Speaker 4: How do I say it? Like, very stable and, like, 76 00:03:17,690 --> 00:03:21,660 Speaker 4: you know, so... Yeah, I just... I try to accept myself, 77 00:03:21,750 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 4: you know, because... I don't think at a. 78 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 6: Certain point it just doesn't make sense to fight yourself, 79 00:03:26,900 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 6: you know, because there are just emotions that are going 80 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 6: through my head or through me that I just cannot 81 00:03:33,260 --> 00:03:38,510 Speaker 6: not express, cannot hide. And yeah, I think I've been 82 00:03:38,550 --> 00:03:42,910 Speaker 6: spending a lot of energy at times fighting myself, being 83 00:03:42,990 --> 00:03:45,910 Speaker 6: the way I'm not. And yeah, of course, I still 84 00:03:45,930 --> 00:03:47,650 Speaker 6: have to always look for this balance that is not 85 00:03:47,930 --> 00:03:51,350 Speaker 6: too much, that it doesn't, you know, change my game, 86 00:03:51,390 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 6: that it doesn't, How. 87 00:03:53,180 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 4: Do I say it? That it. 88 00:03:55,860 --> 00:03:56,100 Speaker 7: Yeah. 89 00:03:56,810 --> 00:03:59,710 Speaker 6: That it doesn't, you know, make me play worse in 90 00:03:59,750 --> 00:04:00,050 Speaker 6: a way. 91 00:04:00,150 --> 00:04:02,890 Speaker 4: So... But, you know, we're getting there slowly. 92 00:04:02,910 --> 00:04:03,610 Speaker 7: Yeah. 93 00:04:03,670 --> 00:04:07,340 Speaker 5: I mean, into the quarterfinals now. I'm not sure, but 94 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,260 Speaker 5: maybe you got married. Yeah. 95 00:04:11,180 --> 00:04:11,420 Speaker 4: I did. 96 00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:14,940 Speaker 7: And then... Yes, there it is. Show it off. 97 00:04:15,100 --> 00:04:18,260 Speaker 4: And then you reached the quarterfinals. Should you have gotten 98 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:19,490 Speaker 4: married before that? 99 00:04:19,850 --> 00:04:20,790 Speaker 5: No, no. 100 00:04:21,270 --> 00:04:24,750 Speaker 6: It was, honestly, it's like, I don't feel like it's 101 00:04:24,790 --> 00:04:26,589 Speaker 6: too early, but, you know, I'm very young. 102 00:04:26,810 --> 00:04:29,750 Speaker 4: And at times I'm like, whoa, I'm only 21. 103 00:04:29,750 --> 00:04:31,670 Speaker 6: If we're married for 10 years, I will. 104 00:04:31,589 --> 00:04:35,820 Speaker 4: Be only 31, you know. So it's like, it. 105 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 6: Was a very good decision, you know. I'm very happy and. 106 00:04:39,500 --> 00:04:41,510 Speaker 4: But, you know, I don't think I would want to 107 00:04:41,550 --> 00:04:44,130 Speaker 4: do it earlier. Even earlier, yeah. 108 00:04:44,670 --> 00:04:48,060 Speaker 5: Well, I hope if anybody has time to check on Instagram, 109 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:49,900 Speaker 5: there are beautiful photos of you two. 110 00:04:49,940 --> 00:04:50,770 Speaker 4: Congratulations. 111 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,950 Speaker 5: Another thing I came across your Instagram is I saw 112 00:04:53,990 --> 00:04:57,390 Speaker 5: you on a surfboard and you had an amazing comment. 113 00:04:57,430 --> 00:05:01,469 Speaker 5: You said, at least she died doing what she loves. 114 00:05:02,650 --> 00:05:05,510 Speaker 5: Did you get, of course, Australia's beautiful beaches? Did you 115 00:05:05,550 --> 00:05:07,930 Speaker 5: have time to do some surfing here in Australia or 116 00:05:07,950 --> 00:05:09,030 Speaker 5: were you too busy winning? 117 00:05:10,170 --> 00:05:12,500 Speaker 6: I didn't do any surfing in Australia and I don't 118 00:05:12,510 --> 00:05:16,219 Speaker 6: think I will because I'm very scared of the oceans, 119 00:05:16,620 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 6: of the water, yeah. So when we were surfing in LA, 120 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 6: there were stingrays. So my husband saw a stingray and 121 00:05:25,180 --> 00:05:28,620 Speaker 6: we flew off from the water. But then we came 122 00:05:28,670 --> 00:05:30,890 Speaker 6: back because we were like, we will die, but at 123 00:05:30,910 --> 00:05:32,950 Speaker 6: least we will die doing what we love. 124 00:05:33,870 --> 00:05:35,970 Speaker 4: And then I tried surfing in Maldives. 125 00:05:36,470 --> 00:05:39,650 Speaker 6: We had our honeymoon there and I almost died. 126 00:05:39,970 --> 00:05:41,170 Speaker 4: But really, I almost died. 127 00:05:41,470 --> 00:05:42,110 Speaker 7: How? 128 00:05:42,390 --> 00:05:42,910 Speaker 4: Yeah, I. 129 00:05:44,180 --> 00:05:47,500 Speaker 6: The waves were bigger than we thought. They were probably 130 00:05:47,540 --> 00:05:49,180 Speaker 6: like five times bigger than in LA. 131 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:50,820 Speaker 4: And we just, you know, we just. 132 00:05:51,339 --> 00:05:53,340 Speaker 6: Because it was our second time, we were too sure 133 00:05:53,380 --> 00:05:54,310 Speaker 6: of ourselves, you know. 134 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,890 Speaker 4: And in Maldives, there are rocks. 135 00:05:57,070 --> 00:05:59,950 Speaker 6: So where the wave breaks in the rocks and I 136 00:06:00,250 --> 00:06:01,490 Speaker 6: couldn't get out of it. 137 00:06:01,589 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 4: So I was hit by a wave twice. 138 00:06:05,710 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 6: Like I was right in this a curve and I 139 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:12,780 Speaker 6: was out of breath, so I almost died. 140 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 4: So then the next day we went surfing again, of course, 141 00:06:17,339 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 4: and I. 142 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,810 Speaker 6: Tried again and I managed to get up, but it's very, 143 00:06:20,820 --> 00:06:24,109 Speaker 6: I think it's very dangerous, so you have to pick 144 00:06:24,190 --> 00:06:28,570 Speaker 6: times and days when you can do it, but yeah, 145 00:06:28,589 --> 00:06:30,810 Speaker 6: I don't think in Australia, it's a lot of sharks 146 00:06:30,910 --> 00:06:35,620 Speaker 6: here and yeah, I'm traumatised from Maldives already. 147 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 5: So basically what you are saying, if you want to 148 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 5: be as successful as Marta Kostiuk, reach the quarterfinals, you 149 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 5: have to get married and then almost die. 150 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 4: Yeah. Perfect. We'll take that. 151 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:46,020 Speaker 3: Yes. 152 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:47,060 Speaker 4: Thank you very much. 153 00:06:47,100 --> 00:06:54,180 Speaker 7: Thank you. Thanks. Viv, Marta Kostiuk has achieved way more 154 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:55,420 Speaker 7: in her life at age 21. I'm 37 and it 155 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:55,940 Speaker 7: pales into. 156 00:06:59,540 --> 00:07:02,670 Speaker 3: I just listened to her talk. She's married. She's achieving 157 00:07:02,710 --> 00:07:05,710 Speaker 3: all this great stuff. She's barely out of university age 158 00:07:05,750 --> 00:07:08,510 Speaker 3: in Australia. I just think her age is such a 159 00:07:08,589 --> 00:07:11,690 Speaker 3: staggering element about her rise. It feels like she's been 160 00:07:11,730 --> 00:07:14,540 Speaker 3: around for such a long time. And then, yeah, when 161 00:07:14,580 --> 00:07:16,620 Speaker 3: she says that, you're kind of like, oh, wow, you're 162 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:17,860 Speaker 3: just in your formative years. 163 00:07:18,220 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I mean, I'm not 37. 164 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,380 Speaker 1: I wish I was 37. I'm a little bit older 165 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: than that. I wish I'd achieved half of what Marta 166 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,660 Speaker 1: has achieved. I mean, she was only, what, 14 when 167 00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: she won the Australian Open Girls title in 2017. So 168 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,470 Speaker 1: I think that's partly why we forget that she's still 169 00:07:36,530 --> 00:07:38,790 Speaker 1: so young, because she did so much so early in 170 00:07:38,850 --> 00:07:39,310 Speaker 1: her career. 171 00:07:39,690 --> 00:07:42,350 Speaker 7: Remember that era, too, when she used to win things? Yeah. 172 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 3: And she would backflip because she was doing gymnastics or 173 00:07:46,100 --> 00:07:48,530 Speaker 3: acrobatic sort of she was doing. She'd celebrate like ITF 174 00:07:48,550 --> 00:07:49,790 Speaker 3: titles and junior titles. 175 00:07:49,550 --> 00:07:51,590 Speaker 7: With a backflip. You know, it'd be nice if she 176 00:07:51,610 --> 00:07:52,130 Speaker 7: brought that back. 177 00:07:52,350 --> 00:07:54,350 Speaker 2: She's so much fun on court, isn't she? 178 00:07:54,410 --> 00:07:56,870 Speaker 1: I mean, I love listening to her say that she 179 00:07:56,910 --> 00:07:59,370 Speaker 1: used to have a very chaotic game and, you know, 180 00:07:59,390 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: she's trying to channel her emotions in a really positive way. 181 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: And I think she's doing all of those things, but 182 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: I also think those are what makes her so fun. 183 00:08:07,780 --> 00:08:10,100 Speaker 3: It struck me when she described her game as chaotic. 184 00:08:10,260 --> 00:08:12,300 Speaker 3: What a great word to use in not your native language. 185 00:08:12,830 --> 00:08:16,090 Speaker 3: But also, to me, the layman watching her play, her 186 00:08:16,130 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 3: game didn't look chaotic. Like, I mean, she was so talented. 187 00:08:19,180 --> 00:08:20,940 Speaker 3: She had all the shots, I guess, maybe at that 188 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,540 Speaker 3: high level, though, where you're discerning and, you know, you 189 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,300 Speaker 3: need to play with patterns and the right kind of 190 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,420 Speaker 3: tactics and things like that. Her version before she was 191 00:08:28,460 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 3: doing that was chaotic, but she had all of the ingredients. 192 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 3: I guess she just had to kind of put them 193 00:08:33,020 --> 00:08:35,229 Speaker 3: in the right order. And that's been happening a lot 194 00:08:35,470 --> 00:08:37,250 Speaker 3: under her coach, Sandra Zaniewska. 195 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah. 196 00:08:38,340 --> 00:08:40,459 Speaker 1: And she's one of the few players on tour to 197 00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: have a women's coach. And she's talked about how that 198 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 1: really works for her. Like she talks about how she communicates. 199 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,459 Speaker 1: She understands the way they communicate together. And yeah, it 200 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: seems to be just a really great package for her. 201 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,750 Speaker 3: I also loved hearing her being interviewed by Andrea Petkovic. 202 00:08:55,230 --> 00:08:57,650 Speaker 3: She's got a great energy. What an addition to our 203 00:08:57,670 --> 00:08:59,550 Speaker 3: team she was and to the world feed of the 204 00:08:59,570 --> 00:09:02,190 Speaker 3: Australian Open. She was doing on-court interviews and she was 205 00:09:02,230 --> 00:09:04,430 Speaker 3: in the commentary booth and I really enjoyed her insights. 206 00:09:04,950 --> 00:09:06,780 Speaker 3: it must be really cool for a tennis player to 207 00:09:06,820 --> 00:09:10,140 Speaker 3: get interviewed by another pro that understands them. I think 208 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 3: she helped bring out a lot in Kostjuk in that chat. 209 00:09:12,860 --> 00:09:15,420 Speaker 1: I think she really brought out the fun in her. 210 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:20,610 Speaker 1: I loved Andrea's really cheeky question about marriage and should 211 00:09:20,660 --> 00:09:22,550 Speaker 1: she have got married earlier? 212 00:09:22,570 --> 00:09:25,090 Speaker 7: I thought that was so much fun. And show it off. 213 00:09:25,150 --> 00:09:26,630 Speaker 7: I'm assuming that was a reference to the ring. 214 00:09:26,770 --> 00:09:28,170 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. 215 00:09:28,270 --> 00:09:30,930 Speaker 1: And, yeah, I hope that everyone did check out the 216 00:09:30,970 --> 00:09:33,990 Speaker 1: Instagram photos of her wedding because they are stunning. 217 00:09:34,070 --> 00:09:36,349 Speaker 2: And, you know, she had her dress designed by Wilson. 218 00:09:36,410 --> 00:09:38,630 Speaker 7: And a Cyprus location, I think it was. 219 00:09:38,650 --> 00:09:41,079 Speaker 2: Yeah, my gosh, what a few months that she's had. 220 00:09:41,100 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 7: Yeah, unbelievable. 221 00:09:42,380 --> 00:09:44,459 Speaker 1: We'll be back next week with another episode of The 222 00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: Sit Down. In the meantime, John and the team return 223 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: on Thursday with the AO Show Weekly. 224 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:50,900 Speaker 3: You can find all the details for how to contact 225 00:09:50,940 --> 00:09:53,630 Speaker 3: us in the show notes below. And as always, please subscribe, 226 00:09:53,690 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 3: rate and review. See you next week to do it 227 00:09:55,380 --> 00:09:55,660 Speaker 3: all again.