WEBVTT - The Sit-Down with Lleyton Hewitt

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<v Speaker 1>Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Sitdown.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm Matt trollope Arata foroz open dot Com and I'm Dve.

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<v Speaker 2>Christy, Managing editor of Australian Tennis magazine and Matt. This

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<v Speaker 2>week you managed to catch up with a great guest.

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<v Speaker 2>Tell me why you were sitting down with Layton Hewett.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, well, we went up and caught him at the

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<v Speaker 1>United Cup draw which was last Monday, which is actually,

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<v Speaker 1>for a bit of context for listeners, is probably why

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<v Speaker 1>you can hear a bit of like construction noise around

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<v Speaker 1>after the draw. They were kind of disassembling the stage

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<v Speaker 1>and packing up around us as we were talking, so

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<v Speaker 1>it was a little bit of.

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<v Speaker 3>A live site as it were.

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<v Speaker 1>But I actually really wanted to talk with him about

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<v Speaker 1>what's coming up for him because in January it will

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<v Speaker 1>be the twentieth anniversary of his run to the final

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<v Speaker 1>at AO two thousand and five, and also we are

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<v Speaker 1>soon to release the full match on YouTube of his

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<v Speaker 1>fourth round win over Rafa Nadal and we're actually going

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<v Speaker 1>to be writing a bit about that too, So it

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<v Speaker 1>was kind of like we got nostalgic with Layton. We

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<v Speaker 1>talked to him about his memories of that run and

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<v Speaker 1>how much of kind of a moment that was in Australia,

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<v Speaker 1>how much audience came along with that ride, and it

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<v Speaker 1>was really cool to hear his memories and how you

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<v Speaker 1>know he remembers it in such detail. And then of

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<v Speaker 1>course the Davis Cup Finals are coming up and he's

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<v Speaker 1>the team captain. So while I had him, we also

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<v Speaker 1>thought about it'd be a good chance to chat about

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<v Speaker 1>the Aussie's chances there and what a great season it's

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<v Speaker 1>been for the Green and Gold.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, whether it's the past, the president or the future,

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<v Speaker 2>there's a lot of ground to cover with Layton, so

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<v Speaker 2>let's hear what he has to say.

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<v Speaker 3>Latan, thanks very much for joining us today.

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<v Speaker 1>You're worries we're catching you at the United Cup draw,

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<v Speaker 1>But I think what I want to do is throw

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<v Speaker 1>forward to January because it will be the twentieth anniversary

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<v Speaker 1>of your run to the final at A two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and five.

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<v Speaker 3>Can you believe that was twenty years ago?

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<v Speaker 4>Now? It goes pretty quick when you think about it.

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<v Speaker 4>Certain parts of it I guess doesn't feel that long ago.

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<v Speaker 4>And then there's other times when it feels like, yeah,

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<v Speaker 4>the game keeps going to new levels all the time,

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<v Speaker 4>and it does feel like, yeah, a long time ago.

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<v Speaker 4>But ye see some great memories over that whole summer

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<v Speaker 4>of two thousand and five for me, not just at

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<v Speaker 4>the Australian Open, but leading into it, and I think

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<v Speaker 4>that sort of built up then, I guess the expectation

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<v Speaker 4>and obviously the crowd.

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<v Speaker 5>Involvement over the couple of weeks down in Melbourne.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, because you won't see as well. Yeah, the winning

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<v Speaker 3>four Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So what is the memory that stands out here most

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<v Speaker 1>about that summer because there were so many highlights for you?

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<v Speaker 3>Is there one that you're like that was awesome?

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<v Speaker 4>Not really, I guess in the end, Yeah, when you

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<v Speaker 4>come so close, so this the last mate you win

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<v Speaker 4>to get into the final, So probably the semi final

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<v Speaker 4>win against Andy Raddick And actually yeah, I had to

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<v Speaker 4>come down back from a set down in that match

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<v Speaker 4>and the second and third sets were extremely tight as well.

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<v Speaker 4>So probably just the satisfaction of getting over the line

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<v Speaker 4>in that match to know that I'd given myself a

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<v Speaker 4>chance to play on the last Sunday at the Australia and.

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<v Speaker 1>It was the Centenay year of the a of that

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<v Speaker 1>year and I remember Alisha also made the quarters of

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<v Speaker 1>the Women's There was such a buzz around the Aussies

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<v Speaker 1>that year. Do you reckon that contributed and buzz around

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<v Speaker 1>the Aussies and the tournament? Did that contribute your performance?

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<v Speaker 5>DI think well, it certainly helped.

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<v Speaker 4>But I think every year that I played I got

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<v Speaker 4>unbelievable support, So I don't think there was any different.

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<v Speaker 4>I think it was purely that I was a contender

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<v Speaker 4>that particular year that it obviously built up to a

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<v Speaker 4>bigger thing because I I was making a run. Plus

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<v Speaker 4>it felt like, to be honest, that I probably had

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<v Speaker 4>the toughest draw from the very first round that I'd

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<v Speaker 4>ever had in a Grand Slam. To be honest, every

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<v Speaker 4>single match I had tough opponents, and in those particular

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<v Speaker 4>rounds you'd probably expected them all to be second week

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<v Speaker 4>of a major. Yeah, So I felt like I was

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<v Speaker 4>playing this epic match every second day. And obviously my

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<v Speaker 4>matches never went that quick either, so they felt like

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<v Speaker 4>obviously long drawn out battles.

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<v Speaker 5>I think for everyone sitting across Australia.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I was literally going to ask you about that.

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<v Speaker 3>I have an undying memory.

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<v Speaker 1>I'd finished year twelve and I hadn't gone to UNI yet,

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<v Speaker 1>so I was on break and we were at a

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<v Speaker 1>house party and you were playing now Band Him in

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<v Speaker 1>the quarterfinals, and the party stopped and started gathering around

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<v Speaker 1>the TV and watching you in You Want Other ten

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<v Speaker 1>A in the and there was just that sense of

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<v Speaker 1>like the entire country getting behind you. And then the

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<v Speaker 1>staff and final had four or five million viewers. Were

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<v Speaker 1>you conscious of how big the following was, of what

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<v Speaker 1>was going on and did you like embrace it all?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah? No, no, I certainly embraced it, and I think

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<v Speaker 4>you can feel it, I guess throughout that when you're

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<v Speaker 4>at the tournament. But in terms of viewers watching at home,

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<v Speaker 4>obviously you got very little idea.

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<v Speaker 3>Did you know that they were all those hinny like that?

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<v Speaker 5>Probably not that big to be honest, But yeah, it

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<v Speaker 5>was awesome. Obviously.

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<v Speaker 4>I think the Nombania match might have been played on

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<v Speaker 4>Australia Day as well at the time, so there were

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<v Speaker 4>fireworks going.

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<v Speaker 5>Off mid match when we were playing.

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<v Speaker 4>We had the roof open, so there was a lot

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<v Speaker 4>of stuff going on and that turned into this absolute

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<v Speaker 4>epic five set match as well.

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<v Speaker 5>But as I said, it felt like every match was

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<v Speaker 5>nearly an epic match.

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<v Speaker 4>I had to play Raffa in the round of sixty,

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<v Speaker 4>you know, and normally you'd be playing him in quarter

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<v Speaker 4>semis or finals the Grand Slam, and that was a

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<v Speaker 4>day match which went the distance five sets as well.

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<v Speaker 5>So yeah, I felt like I was just.

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<v Speaker 4>Playing all these massive matches and obviously, yeah, it ended

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<v Speaker 4>up in the final.

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<v Speaker 3>I was going to ask you about the Raffer match

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<v Speaker 3>of you asleep. So you played him in No.

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<v Speaker 1>Four at the A in the third round, beat him

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<v Speaker 1>in straight sets. A year on he took you to five.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, getting through.

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<v Speaker 1>That must have been a huge confidence because but what

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<v Speaker 1>did you notice about that match, Like how quickly he

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<v Speaker 1>come on the time in.

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<v Speaker 5>The twelve minutes.

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<v Speaker 4>But even though I played him in the third round

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<v Speaker 4>the year before, you knew how good a player he

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<v Speaker 4>was going to be. I think I said at the

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<v Speaker 4>time that this kid's going to win the French over someday.

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<v Speaker 4>I didn't realize it was going to be the next year,

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<v Speaker 4>and so it.

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<v Speaker 5>Was pretty amazing. And then, you know, I it was

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<v Speaker 5>a tough.

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<v Speaker 4>Battle and in the end I probably got him physically,

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<v Speaker 4>to believe it or not, he was obviously still pretty

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<v Speaker 4>young at the time, but we played on a day

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<v Speaker 4>match on the center court and love Lave Arena, the

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<v Speaker 4>extremely hot conditions, and then when I won the fourth set,

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<v Speaker 4>I just felt physically I was able to get on

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<v Speaker 4>top of him and ended up running away with the

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<v Speaker 4>Fitzer three and for four.

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<v Speaker 1>Months later he went on to win Roland Garross. So

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<v Speaker 1>your prediction came true. It was so soon after that

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<v Speaker 1>were you did you think he was ready then to

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<v Speaker 1>win a major?

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<v Speaker 4>Like his game styles, who did play so he was

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<v Speaker 4>able to do things You could tell on the hard

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<v Speaker 4>court how hard it was going to be on a

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<v Speaker 4>clay court to try and play against that kind of

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<v Speaker 4>player playing that style. It was something completely different to

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<v Speaker 4>what you'd seen before. And for such a young kid

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<v Speaker 4>at seventeen eighteen years old, physically he was in very

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<v Speaker 4>good shape in terms of able to go toe to

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<v Speaker 4>toe against men, which not a lot of juniors are

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<v Speaker 4>able to do.

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<v Speaker 3>He's now just announced his retirement.

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<v Speaker 1>There was all that talk about how his punishing style

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<v Speaker 1>of play wouldn't lead to career longevity, and he played

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<v Speaker 1>for years to do.

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<v Speaker 5>With how mentally tough are years though as well.

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<v Speaker 4>I think there was a lot of times that he

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<v Speaker 4>played through pain and he was probably one of the

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<v Speaker 4>greatest players to ever be able to do that, I think,

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<v Speaker 4>and get the most out of himself in very tough

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<v Speaker 4>positions that he puts his body through, but that was

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<v Speaker 4>his style of tennis and how he got the most

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<v Speaker 4>out of himself.

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<v Speaker 1>Just on Davis Cupp and the year for Australian tennis

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<v Speaker 1>in general, it's been one of the better years for

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<v Speaker 1>Australian tennis. So many highlights and it's all kind of

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<v Speaker 1>dove tailing into but back in the final eight we've

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<v Speaker 1>made the last few years of finals, it's not just

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<v Speaker 1>demon at the time.

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<v Speaker 3>We've got such depth. How did to the good O this.

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<v Speaker 1>Year and kind of like what's the feeling around and

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<v Speaker 1>the moments around Australian tennis this time.

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<v Speaker 5>Oh, it's a great feeling around everyone.

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<v Speaker 4>And it's important in the team aspect that it's not

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<v Speaker 4>just one or two players feeling great.

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<v Speaker 5>Yeah, you want everyone going there feeling.

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<v Speaker 4>Like they're playing their part and doing the job that

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<v Speaker 4>you need them to do. And I think my whole

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<v Speaker 4>squad feels like that at the moment, which is great.

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<v Speaker 5>They feel like they're in career.

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<v Speaker 4>Best born, whether they're playing singles or doubles or having

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<v Speaker 4>to play practice sets against other players. They're all pushing

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<v Speaker 4>each other to get better, which has been really important

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<v Speaker 4>and that's helped us, I think, get so many guys

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<v Speaker 4>in the top.

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<v Speaker 5>Hundred now in the world where they were really but.

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<v Speaker 4>They belong there on the tour, a lot of guys

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<v Speaker 4>at career high rankings as well. We won obviously double

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<v Speaker 4>slams this year, we won gol Battle as well in dubbles,

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<v Speaker 4>and then alexis cementing himself as a top ten player

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<v Speaker 4>as well, so so many positives. Obviously, we go into

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<v Speaker 4>Malaga the Davis Cup quarter finals, have to play the US,

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<v Speaker 4>which is a tough ass. But yeah, we're obviously trying

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<v Speaker 4>to navigate our way through that and depending on the

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<v Speaker 4>matchups and trying to get that right and hopefully we

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<v Speaker 4>can give ourselves a chance. You know. We go there

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<v Speaker 4>and we've got to win three matches, you know, and

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<v Speaker 4>that's sort of the thinking is, we've got to navigate

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<v Speaker 4>our way of getting through three of these matches and

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<v Speaker 4>we can hold up the trophy, but it's certainly not

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<v Speaker 4>going to be used.

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<v Speaker 1>No, Well, you guys have done that. You've got them

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<v Speaker 1>you've won the two matches before. I guess they know

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<v Speaker 1>they can do it. Like you said, what's the difference

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<v Speaker 1>to get one more?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, I don't think the boys have done too much

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<v Speaker 4>wrong a little bit, especially last year. We're awfully unlucky

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<v Speaker 4>in the Popera match against Annoldy.

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<v Speaker 5>He had so many.

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<v Speaker 4>Break coourt opportunities and if he break early in the

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<v Speaker 4>first set, I have no doubt that he would have

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<v Speaker 4>run away with that match, and we just weren't quite able.

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<v Speaker 5>To get over the line there.

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<v Speaker 4>And if we're able to give ourselves a chance in

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<v Speaker 4>a live doubles for the Davis Cup final, I know

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<v Speaker 4>who I'm backing, so you know where people don't understand

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<v Speaker 4>how close we were.

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<v Speaker 2>Matt, congratulations. That was such a good interview with Layton.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks for finishing on the Davis Cup. You know, it

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<v Speaker 2>just brings back so many memories of Layton and the

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<v Speaker 2>Davis Cup, and for me, Layton at Rod Laver Arena

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<v Speaker 2>specifically is probably one of my most enduring memories in tennis.

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<v Speaker 2>I remember that semi final in two thousand and three.

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<v Speaker 2>He was down two sets and I my memory is correct,

0:09:24.520 --> 0:09:28.000
<v Speaker 2>three to five against Roger Federer and Yeah, just a

0:09:28.040 --> 0:09:30.160
<v Speaker 2>couple of points away from losing that match, which he

0:09:30.200 --> 0:09:33.320
<v Speaker 2>went on to win in five sets, and then he

0:09:33.400 --> 0:09:36.200
<v Speaker 2>beat one Collis Ferrero, also in five sets in the

0:09:36.200 --> 0:09:38.560
<v Speaker 2>final to lead a strow you to the title.

0:09:38.679 --> 0:09:40.600
<v Speaker 1>And that's the last time we won the Davis Cup

0:09:40.640 --> 0:09:43.319
<v Speaker 1>and we've come incredibly close since then. As he discussed

0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:45.640
<v Speaker 1>in the interview, it has been such a great year

0:09:45.679 --> 0:09:48.400
<v Speaker 1>for Ozzie tennis. They are bringing such momentum into the final.

0:09:48.440 --> 0:09:51.000
<v Speaker 1>Lad it'll be really interesting to see how they go.

0:09:51.880 --> 0:09:54.160
<v Speaker 1>It sounds like he's pretty boyed about the team's chances.

0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:57.000
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think, like you said, it's been such a

0:09:57.000 --> 0:09:59.800
<v Speaker 2>great year for Ozsie tennis generally, and they all kind

0:09:59.840 --> 0:10:02.839
<v Speaker 2>of get along really well and support each other during

0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:06.560
<v Speaker 2>the year, so I think it'll be all positives when

0:10:06.600 --> 0:10:07.320
<v Speaker 2>they head to Spain.

0:10:07.760 --> 0:10:09.960
<v Speaker 1>And what about if we're going down memory lane, what

0:10:09.960 --> 0:10:12.480
<v Speaker 1>do you remember about that centenary Australian Open in two

0:10:12.480 --> 0:10:14.880
<v Speaker 1>thousand and five. I hadn't started working in tennis yet,

0:10:14.880 --> 0:10:15.760
<v Speaker 1>but I think you were.

0:10:16.120 --> 0:10:18.559
<v Speaker 2>Yes, Yes, I've been working in tennis forever.

0:10:18.360 --> 0:10:20.160
<v Speaker 5>Match, so I do remember.

0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:21.120
<v Speaker 3>I was soon to join you.

0:10:21.880 --> 0:10:24.080
<v Speaker 2>I do remember it really well. I mean, there was

0:10:24.120 --> 0:10:27.640
<v Speaker 2>just so much excitement. It just felt like everyone was

0:10:27.679 --> 0:10:30.400
<v Speaker 2>along for the ride, and you know, it had been

0:10:30.720 --> 0:10:35.360
<v Speaker 2>such a long time since we had an Aussie finalist

0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:38.160
<v Speaker 2>in Melbourne, so yeah, there was a lot of excitement,

0:10:38.280 --> 0:10:41.360
<v Speaker 2>a lot of support and even when he lost the match,

0:10:41.400 --> 0:10:44.280
<v Speaker 2>of course there was disappointment, but it was a great

0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:47.840
<v Speaker 2>champion in Moran Seffon so and a great quality final

0:10:47.920 --> 0:10:50.440
<v Speaker 2>as well. So yeah, I felt like the buzz went

0:10:50.520 --> 0:10:51.680
<v Speaker 2>on for quite some time.

0:10:51.840 --> 0:10:54.920
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it was brilliant and viv In preparing for this interview,

0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:57.560
<v Speaker 1>you let me in on an incredible stat I'd never

0:10:57.600 --> 0:10:59.800
<v Speaker 1>heard before relating to Layton at rod Laver.

0:11:00.520 --> 0:11:04.640
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. An incredible fact about Layton is he only ever

0:11:04.720 --> 0:11:09.240
<v Speaker 2>played on one Australian Open match outside rod Laver Arena,

0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:13.000
<v Speaker 2>which was his very first appearance in nineteen ninety seven.

0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:15.800
<v Speaker 2>He was just fifteen years old and he played on

0:11:15.920 --> 0:11:17.880
<v Speaker 2>court three against Sergei Bugera.

0:11:18.120 --> 0:11:18.480
<v Speaker 1>Wow.

0:11:18.640 --> 0:11:21.679
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and in the twenty year Australian Open career he

0:11:21.720 --> 0:11:24.520
<v Speaker 2>played every other match on rod Laver Arena.

0:11:24.040 --> 0:11:25.960
<v Speaker 1>And then of course those couple of Davis Cup matches

0:11:25.960 --> 0:11:29.200
<v Speaker 1>as well. So yeah, what a story history. Thanks so

0:11:29.280 --> 0:11:31.000
<v Speaker 1>much for joining us on the sit down and we'll

0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:33.280
<v Speaker 1>be back again next Monday with another episode of the

0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:35.319
<v Speaker 1>sit Down, and in the meantime, you can listen to

0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:37.960
<v Speaker 1>John and the team this Thursday on the aoshow Weekly.

0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:40.360
<v Speaker 2>Details for how to contact us are in the show notes,

0:11:40.400 --> 0:11:44.280
<v Speaker 2>and please subscribe, rate and review. See you next week, Matt,

0:11:44.320 --> 0:11:44.840
<v Speaker 2>see viv