WEBVTT - Casey Dellacqua on breakthroughs, beauty school and befriending Barty (The Sit-Down)

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<v Speaker 1>The roof was closed to Rod Labor arena. We better

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<v Speaker 1>get ready, it might be about to lift off. She's

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<v Speaker 1>never then passed the first round in five previous attempts,

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<v Speaker 1>but the Australian Open Causey de lacra.

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<v Speaker 2>Is in the round at sixteen.

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<v Speaker 3>Another win at the AO. After what you've done, you

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<v Speaker 3>were through to the second week the fourth rounds then

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<v Speaker 3>like yeah, interesting, it's a bit it's a bit sketchy maybe,

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<v Speaker 3>but yeah, watching that, like what do you remember? Just

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<v Speaker 3>because that was like taking it to another level. She's

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<v Speaker 3>a Grand Slam champion. That's Rod Labor, not John Caine.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, and won the tournament previously, and I don't think

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<v Speaker 4>anyone expected me to win. I think everyone at that point,

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<v Speaker 4>even my coach, was like, well, whatever happens, happens. And

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<v Speaker 4>I was like deep inside, I was like, no, I

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<v Speaker 4>can win, Like I knew I could win that match.

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<v Speaker 4>And it was very it's not very often that you

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<v Speaker 4>always had that type of self belief or confidence that

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<v Speaker 4>you were like what, it didn't matter who was doubt

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<v Speaker 4>and you're like, no Ah, I'm going to go and

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<v Speaker 4>win this one. And that was definitely one of those matches.

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<v Speaker 4>But when I say it's a bit of a blur.

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<v Speaker 4>I think it's because it was definitely the first breakthrough

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<v Speaker 4>tournament for me at a bigger scale, and so I

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<v Speaker 4>was just so in the moment and so present doing

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<v Speaker 4>that that as my career went on, I probably will

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<v Speaker 4>remember more moments, you know, a bit older, taking it

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<v Speaker 4>all in, appreciating the good and the bad times. That

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<v Speaker 4>that was just a very thrown thrown out there, just

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<v Speaker 4>being in the present and whatever happens, and you don't

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<v Speaker 4>get that feeling very much in life. I probably compare

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<v Speaker 4>it a bit too, trying to think where you get

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<v Speaker 4>that adrenaline where you're just like so oblivious, like I

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<v Speaker 4>don't know, maybe giving childbirth or something like that, but

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<v Speaker 4>like just that moment where you just like in this

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<v Speaker 4>different world. But yeah, it was pretty special and it

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<v Speaker 4>definitely flipped my career on its head for sure.

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<v Speaker 3>So I guess twenty and nine and ten were both

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<v Speaker 3>kind of injury mard for you. It was shoulder and foot.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, a couple of surgeries, yeah, shoulder and foot yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>And so I guess, yeah that made coming back in

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<v Speaker 3>twenty eleven and winning the French Open mixed doubles. It

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<v Speaker 3>must have yeah, that must have felt really good.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah it did.

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<v Speaker 4>And like, yeah, I had the shoulder surgery and luckily,

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<v Speaker 4>like I could still use my legs and stuff, so

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<v Speaker 4>I ran a lot. I did heaps of cross training

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<v Speaker 4>and that, and then with all of that, I got

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<v Speaker 4>some foot problems. So then I had some foot surgery

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<v Speaker 4>and I didn't want to come back until I knew

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<v Speaker 4>that I was like in tip top shape physically and

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<v Speaker 4>mentally and emotionally and all of that. When I was

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<v Speaker 4>out injured, I also did things that I've never done before.

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<v Speaker 4>I went to beauty school and I did my stick Yeah,

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<v Speaker 4>I did my stiff Gate three in beauty therapy. And

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<v Speaker 4>it was a bit of a running joke that with

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<v Speaker 4>you know, my other fellow Aussi tennis players that I'd

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<v Speaker 4>open a Delhi's day spa on tour. So I but

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<v Speaker 4>I did that. I made a new bunch of friends

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<v Speaker 4>through beauty school that were awesome to hang out with.

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<v Speaker 4>And yeah, I kind of just found myself a little

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<v Speaker 4>bit again as Casey away from the court and established

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<v Speaker 4>life in Sydney, and I went out, you know, I

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<v Speaker 4>went out and had a few parties and did things

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<v Speaker 4>that perhaps I had missed out on a little bit,

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<v Speaker 4>and then when I came back, I was ready to

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<v Speaker 4>go again. And little did I know I'd win my

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<v Speaker 4>first major at the French Open in the Mix in

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<v Speaker 4>twenty eleven as quickly as I did. But oh, I

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<v Speaker 4>was so reboarding and I think the whole like just

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<v Speaker 4>coming back playing with Scott Lipski, like who you know,

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<v Speaker 4>had been grinding away for a long time. We didn't

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<v Speaker 4>really know each other. We won so many close matches

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<v Speaker 4>and it was just like one of those tournaments that

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<v Speaker 4>I don't even know how we won it, but it

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<v Speaker 4>was just teamwork. It was communication, it was good energy

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<v Speaker 4>on the court, a few lucky points here and there,

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<v Speaker 4>but just putting yourself out there and then yeah, to

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<v Speaker 4>win it was like still obviously a highlight of my career.

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<v Speaker 2>And then just a couple of years after that, your

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<v Speaker 2>partnership with Ashbardy began in twenty thirteen. You made three

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<v Speaker 2>Grand Slam finals that year. Tell us about what made

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<v Speaker 2>you such great friends and playing partners.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, I am so grateful for my friendship with Ash,

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<v Speaker 4>and I know it's mutual in a sense that what

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<v Speaker 4>we were able to provide each other onto U was

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<v Speaker 4>exactly what we both needed, and that was you know,

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<v Speaker 4>having trust in someone ontour, honesty, loyalty, and we stuck

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<v Speaker 4>together and we were just good. We are just good friends.

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<v Speaker 4>And I think that translated onto the court in the

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<v Speaker 4>way that we you know, played doubles as well. So

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<v Speaker 4>I think we bonded over having very similar you know,

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<v Speaker 4>values and morals and how we like to go about things.

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<v Speaker 4>And yeah, and then we you know, complimented each other

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<v Speaker 4>on the doubles court, lefty rioty combo. We both you know,

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<v Speaker 4>just liked talking tactics. I mean there was not really

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<v Speaker 4>when I met Ash when she was young, I was

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<v Speaker 4>like this girl, I mean, her tennis brain is extraordinary.

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<v Speaker 4>So yeah, I think it was something that I really cherish,

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<v Speaker 4>my friendship with Ash and the time that we got

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<v Speaker 4>to spend on and off the court, the challenges, the

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<v Speaker 4>you know, we lost three Grand Slam finals that year,

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<v Speaker 4>but we always looked at the positives like we're an

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<v Speaker 4>Aussie pair and we've just made three Grand Slam doubles

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<v Speaker 4>finals and she was so young. So yeah, it was

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<v Speaker 4>a pretty special year twenty thirteen. And to do that

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<v Speaker 4>with Ash by my side was pretty cool.

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<v Speaker 2>Did you kind of feel like Ash's big sister at times.

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<v Speaker 4>I did. There's obviously like a bit of a gap

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<v Speaker 4>between us, so, but she's very mature and perhaps I'm

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<v Speaker 4>quite immature. I don't know, but I think we just

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<v Speaker 4>we had this real sisterhood. Yeah, and that is something

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<v Speaker 4>that is very hard to find often in tennis. I mean,

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<v Speaker 4>we have a very great, you know culture amongst us

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<v Speaker 4>Aussie women tennis players in general. So I think I

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<v Speaker 4>knew I had, you know, whether it be Stubbsy or

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<v Speaker 4>Alisha or Sam or Pratty, like we always had each other.

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<v Speaker 4>And then you know, I had Ash come along and

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<v Speaker 4>I was like, let's go mate, you know, we're gonna

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<v Speaker 4>be buddies too, And yeah, it was nice. It was

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<v Speaker 4>nice to have someone also just to chat about footy

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<v Speaker 4>or I don't know what you're gonna have for dinner,

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<v Speaker 4>or you know, maybe if I'm just having a bad day,

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<v Speaker 4>can you come over and let's you know, just have

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<v Speaker 4>a laugh. So that stuff was awesome. But yeah, I

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<v Speaker 4>didn't It didn't. It wasn't ever like organized either. It

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<v Speaker 4>was just like we're friends. And however I felt I

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<v Speaker 4>was helping Ash was purely just from a very natural

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<v Speaker 4>and organic way of when you meet someone and you connect.

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<v Speaker 4>And she did a lot for me too. She helped

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<v Speaker 4>me through some of my tough times on tour, and

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<v Speaker 4>I got youthfulness and I got a lot of perspective

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<v Speaker 4>from Ash as well in my own personal and career

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<v Speaker 4>as well. So I think it was a match made

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<v Speaker 4>in heaven in that sense.

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<v Speaker 2>If you'd like to hear the full episode of our

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<v Speaker 2>interview with Casey, search for the sit down or tap

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<v Speaker 2>the link in the episode Nights