1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the sit Down. 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: I'm Matt Troloo, writer for ozopen dot com. 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 2: And I'm viv Christie, Managing editor of Australian Tennis magazine 4 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 2: and Matt, why are we sitting down this week with 5 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 2: Jill Crabis. 6 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: I actually got the idea almost by accident to chat 7 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: with Jill because I was doing some research into the 8 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: China Open and saw that she had taken part in 9 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 1: the first China Opens mixed doubles tournament back in two 10 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: thousand and four. When the event rejoined the calendar as 11 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: a mixed event, I thought, that's really cool. It's not 12 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: very common that there's mixed events outside of the Slams. 13 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: And then I knew that, you know, since playing, she's 14 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: gone on to become a commentator as part of the 15 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: AO team in the World Feed, and I've always wanted 16 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: to talk to her and she's got a great reputation 17 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: in the sport. So we set up the interview and 18 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: chatted to her just as she got back from her 19 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: commentary duties in the Asian Swing and yeah, we covered 20 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: a lot of ground. Thank you so much, Jill Crabis 21 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: for joining us this week on the sit down. It's 22 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: great to see you. 23 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 3: It's very great to see you. Thanks for having me. 24 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: Oh, you're absolutely welcome. What attracted you to the college pathway? 25 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: So obviously you also applied like NCIA singles and couples. 26 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: I did, Yeah, so cuting through that college pathway. What 27 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: kind of attracted you to approaching your tennis Korea that way? 28 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 3: I knew I always wanted to go pro to at 29 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 3: least try it, and it was a tough decision to 30 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 3: make out of high school because the coach that I 31 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 3: was working with at the time really wanted me to 32 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 3: go pro right away. And my parents didn't push me 33 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 3: either way. Or my parents are amazing, They didn't push 34 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 3: me in any sort of direction. But in the back 35 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 3: of my mind, as you know, a young kid, I 36 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 3: knew how important education was to my parents. So I 37 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 3: think even though they didn't tell me you need to 38 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 3: go to college, I think that was sort of stuck 39 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 3: in my brain just growing up. My mom was a teacher, 40 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 3: and so I knew that was an important part of everything. 41 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 3: So I think that kind of steered me towards the 42 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 3: college route instead of going pro. And I'm happy I 43 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 3: did that because at the time I don't quite think 44 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 3: I was ready maybe to go pro. And I think, 45 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 3: you know a lot of parents ask me if they 46 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 3: shouldn't go to college or should not go to college. 47 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 3: It's a very individual thing. And I think what the 48 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 3: universities are offering now, especially in the States, is you know, 49 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 3: you can just commit to a university, you can just 50 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 3: play for a year, you can go pro, and then 51 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 3: they'll guarantee you can come back and finish your education 52 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 3: whatever you want to, which I wish they offered that 53 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 3: when I was in Call. I mean, I think that's 54 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 3: an amazing deal. I don't know how anyone doesn't just 55 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 3: grab that, but I went the full four years. I 56 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 3: loved it. 57 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: Also, back when you went was if you left, you left, 58 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: like you couldn't come back. You wasn't guaranteed come back. 59 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 3: Exactly exactly, Yeah, because yeah, then if you wanted to 60 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 3: come back, you would have to probably pay for your 61 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 3: degree and all this and stuff. So it's kind of 62 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 3: a new concept and relatively new. I think it's been 63 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 3: offered now for seventy years something like that. So I 64 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 3: think it's fantastic if these players can take advantage of it. 65 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 3: But for me, like I went the whole four years. 66 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 3: I loved it. I think it was an important time 67 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 3: for any teenager growing up. I mean, normally it's your 68 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 3: first time away from home. You're learning to be independent 69 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 3: on your own. It is so hard to if you're 70 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 3: playing a sport in college to manage the sport with studies, 71 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 3: just timing wise, being able to and then you're on 72 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 3: the road competing, and so it's it's a good it's 73 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 3: a challenge, but it's a good challenge. I think it 74 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 3: just made you sort of stronger and time management, I 75 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 3: mean everything. I mean, I think just like sports teach 76 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 3: you so much about life. I think that's that was 77 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: such a good pathway for me, just to get a 78 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 3: better understanding myself how to manage everything and prepare myself 79 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 3: to turn pro after that for. 80 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: Sure, And I reckon look anecdotally, at least it seems 81 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: that more players are going through the college pathway. Well 82 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: rather maybe we're seeing maybe the same number are, but 83 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: we're seeing a lot more players go on to like 84 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: have top ten careers like Danny Yeah, like Emminavara's one, 85 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: John Easner was one. There was there were so many 86 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: and they're just Americans, like James yeah, like them. Yeah 87 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: there's hates, but now we're seeing Diana Schnader and we're 88 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: we're seeing a Ben Shelter, and so many seem to 89 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: be coming through the college pathway. Do you think all 90 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: those things you said about its benefits and you know 91 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: how it can help prepare you, do you think there's 92 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: more players that are aware that hate this is like 93 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: a really viable pathway. I don't have to turn pro 94 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: at seventeen or eighteen, I hope. 95 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 3: So I think you know, all of them are too, 96 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 3: are great examples about how they conduct themselves, how they're 97 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 3: able to compete so well because you play so many 98 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 3: matches in college too, and you know, it is about 99 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 3: learning how to deal with all those failures because you're 100 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 3: not going to obviously you're not going to win a lot, 101 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 3: you know. I think if you have a player that 102 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 3: wins like two to five tournaments in a year, it's 103 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 3: considered exceptional year. So you're losing like twenty three to 104 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 3: twenty five matches, and so you're just understanding that, Like 105 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 3: I said, managing everything, I think being a part of 106 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 3: a team, because that's not something you experience as much 107 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 3: when you're on the professional tour unless you're playing Davis 108 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 3: Cup or Bill Jean King Cup, but that happens. That 109 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 3: doesn't happen very often, so being able to work together, teamwork. 110 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 3: And the other thing that I think is so great 111 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 3: is so many plans are playing longer now, and I 112 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 3: almost feel like, oh, I hope that would relieve some 113 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 3: pressure for these fourteen fifteen year olds that you don't 114 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 3: have to be like number one in the world by 115 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 3: the time you're seventeen eighteen, which was kind of I 116 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 3: feel like a lot of kids felt that pressure to 117 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 3: do that maybe fifteen twenty years ago, But now that 118 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 3: everyone is having more of that longevity, I think it 119 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 3: gives the opening for players to feel Okay, okay, maybe 120 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 3: I can use that year and be okay going to 121 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 3: college and I'm still only nineteen twenty by the time 122 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 3: I get out. Even if you go for a year, 123 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 3: if you go for four years, you're still young at 124 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 3: twenty two going out in the tour. If you go 125 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 3: four years and get a degree, So I hope they 126 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: start feeling that that would be more of a viable option. 127 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you absolutely right. You there are people that 128 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: are picking out twenty nine winning their first but like, yeah, 129 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 1: there is, it's not you don't have to get it 130 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: all done straight away. 131 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 3: So yeah, there's time this time. 132 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 1: Yeah. So when you left college, obviously you went on 133 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: to have a great career yourself. You cracked the top forty, 134 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: you won a WTA title, and you played on the 135 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 1: WTAO Tour for more than a decade. How do you 136 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: reflect on your career now when you think about it, 137 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: if you think about it, I well, I. 138 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 3: Get the question a lot, and I mean I do 139 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 3: think about it. I think as a professional athlete, you 140 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 3: always there's going to be that sense you always wish 141 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 3: you could have done more. I mean, I don't think 142 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 3: that's ever going to go away. So there's that reflection 143 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 3: of I could have done better at this, and I 144 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 3: think that's just a natural thing to feel and to 145 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 3: think about. But you know, there's there's some coaches and 146 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 3: other people I talked to you that feel like I 147 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 3: definitely maxed out my career or went almost beyond what 148 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 3: they thought I was capable of. So I could view 149 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 3: it that way too. Because I wasn't the biggest player, 150 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 3: I wasn't the most powerful. That's going to overpower. But 151 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 3: when I mean only five foot three, and so it's 152 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 3: not like I'm going to dominate as far as power. 153 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 3: And you know, so I think when I reflect back 154 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 3: on that and what I was able to produce and 155 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 3: the success that I had, I mean, yes, I think 156 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 3: it was a good career, but you know, you always 157 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 3: wish you you could have done a little bit more. 158 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: Well, what do you think you were capable of? 159 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 3: That's a good question. I've never been asked that before. 160 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: Well, just hearing you say that, like people thought that 161 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: what you were capable of? In your own mind, what 162 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: did you think? 163 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 3: I mean, I think I My high was thirty nine, 164 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 3: so I definitely feel like I could have crafted the 165 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 3: top thirty. 166 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: I don't pretty don't. 167 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know, I know, I don't. I don't know 168 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 3: if I'm not quite sure if I believe deeply that 169 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 3: I could have gotten too the top ten, top twenty. 170 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 3: Maybe I think just you know, who I was competing 171 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 3: against and what I had, like the arsenal that I 172 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 3: had overall, So maybe that. But and I think I 173 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 3: felt like I could have consistently got further in slams 174 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 3: than I did. Yeah, so I feel like going deeper 175 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 3: in the slams, I felt like I could have done 176 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 3: that more often than I did. 177 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, you did that once, very famously in two thousand 178 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: and five at Wimbledon, which is what I wanted to 179 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: ask you about. Obviously, I'm speaking for you to get 180 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: asked a lot. You're very famous for beating Serena in 181 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: the third round of Wimbledon in five and reading back 182 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: for this interview, it turned out that was her earliest 183 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: Slam exit since nineteen ninety nine, which I didn't remember that, 184 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: so that was quite notable. I never remember that, is right. Yeah, 185 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: So do people still mention that match to you? 186 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 3: Yes, of course they do. I thought it might have 187 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 3: faded when she retired, but it hasn't. Yeah, No, I mean, 188 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 3: I you know, in the beginning, in the beginning, it 189 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 3: was great when it first happened because everyone was very 190 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 3: excit for me. My fellow peers on the tour are 191 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 3: very excited for me. And then ever since I retired, 192 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 3: like it was taught, it's talked about a lot when 193 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 3: I come into contact with friends or family or whatever. 194 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 3: And then of course I now that I'm a commentator 195 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 3: at Wimbledon one year because you mentioned it happened at Wimbland, 196 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 3: so at Wimblanne one year. I work for Women in 197 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 3: Radio Channel as a radio commentary there, and of course 198 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 3: we had to do the five year anniversary of when 199 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 3: the ten year anniversary of the So I don't think 200 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 3: it's ever going to end, which is fine. I mean, 201 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 3: it is one of my best ones of my career. 202 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: But yes, it was. I remember it actually really clearly. 203 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 2: It was. 204 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: It was such a big upset because Serena had won 205 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,599 Speaker 1: Wimbledon in two and o three and she'd made the 206 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: finally No. Four, so she was she basically lost one 207 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: match in four years at Wimbledon or something. 208 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 3: I didn't even I don't even remember that. 209 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, like she was she was had such a good 210 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: record at Wimbledon and I can't remember what she done 211 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: and O one, but I know she went she had 212 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: just years she was just constantly going deep at Wimbledon 213 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 1: or winning it and we're so good on grass. Yeah 214 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: what do you? How did how did you do it? Like? 215 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: What what kind together for you that day that made 216 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: that one of your best wins? 217 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 3: You know, this is a great story. So this is 218 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 3: the other thing I wish I would have done more 219 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 3: in my career because I really believe that it works. 220 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 3: Is First of all, I had played her before, because 221 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 3: I played her two years prior first round at wimbled 222 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 3: then on Center Court, and I had lost that one. 223 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 3: But I had played her at Miami in the quarter 224 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,319 Speaker 3: finals as well, so Miami I got destroyed by her. 225 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 3: But that was the first time I played her, and 226 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 3: I think it just felt the first time just felt 227 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 3: so intimidating, Like I looked across the court and this 228 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 3: is someone obviously that you have looked up to. You know, 229 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 3: they have so much success and they won so much. 230 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,679 Speaker 3: And so the first time I was across the court 231 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 3: from where I was like, oh my god, like just 232 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 3: had this presence and it just felt overwhelming. So then 233 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 3: the second time I lost first round at Wimbledon on 234 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 3: center court, and Center Court right away was like it 235 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 3: was a dream come true. And I was like I walked, 236 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 3: I walked out into the court, and I was like 237 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 3: and I started like getting teary eyed, and that was like, 238 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 3: oh my god, you're supposed to cry after the match 239 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 3: up before, like getting so emotional. But this is what 240 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 3: Claire's dream of is being able to make that walk 241 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 3: out out into center court. It was so I played well. 242 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 3: I lost in stresses, but I played well and it 243 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 3: was good performance, so I felt like I hulled myself well. 244 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 3: But when I played her in the start of round 245 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 3: at Wimbland in two thousand and five, what I did 246 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 3: that really stands out to me is I visualize so much, 247 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 3: and I know there's so much studies and research on 248 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 3: visualization and I cannot I can only express that. In 249 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 3: this case, I really felt like it was the difference 250 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,439 Speaker 3: for me to get through that match because my coach 251 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 3: Raj was beside me and he was like, you know, 252 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 3: he just like just picture yourself when he matchpoint over 253 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 3: and over and over again, like NonStop. And from that 254 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 3: moment on, well, first of all, I won my second 255 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 3: round against Mortoli and then Serena hadn't played it and 256 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 3: she was playing Santangoo. I remember just watching that match 257 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 3: and the first good sign was I really wanted Serena 258 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 3: to win because I really wanted to play her. So 259 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 3: that's a good sign because you want to be able 260 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 3: to play the best and you know, be able to 261 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 3: push herself and get through that win. But from the 262 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 3: moment my coach said that as soon as I was 263 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 3: on the court, I VISUALIZEDELF winning match point as soon 264 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 3: as I got in the transportation car. I saw myself 265 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 3: waiting matchpoint as soon as I got to the hotel, 266 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 3: like over I think I must have done it thousands 267 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 3: thousands of times that by the time I walked out 268 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 3: in the court, I was not thinking anything. And people 269 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 3: asked me all the time, like, what were you thinking 270 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 3: on match point? I was like, I was thinking nothing, 271 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 3: Like it didn't even I wasn't nervous. I think literally 272 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 3: I had internalized. I think from that visualization that it 273 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 3: just became automatic and the only thing I thought was 274 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 3: hit everything to reforehand that I thought. But I was 275 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 3: just like and I just don't remember thinking anything or 276 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:02,959 Speaker 3: worrying about anything. 277 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: And that's the dream stuff. 278 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 3: One yeah, and one point during that match, it was 279 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 3: a great match. It was a really long point. I 280 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 3: came to the net and it was such a good point. 281 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 3: We were going back and forth and she passed me 282 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 3: down a line. She had a winner, and the crowd 283 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 3: just erupted and I just remember thinking, I looked up 284 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 3: at this guy and I just remember thinking, oh my gosh, 285 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 3: this is what I played for because it was felt 286 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 3: so amazing. And I lost the point and that's that's 287 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 3: wuhtting you know where you're in a pretty good state. 288 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: I think absolutely well. I have a question visualizing yourself 289 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 1: winning match point. Did match point play out the way 290 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: you visualized it? 291 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:38,599 Speaker 3: Did not? 292 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: Was it? Was it similar character? No? I know exactly, 293 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: But wouldn't that be wouldn't that be eerie if you'd 294 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: visualize the match point and it's like, oh my god, 295 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 1: it came true. This is what I did on the 296 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 1: match point about you? 297 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:52,319 Speaker 3: That would be very euny. 298 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. You also mentioned beating Bartoli in the round before, 299 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 1: because even though at that point she hadn't gone on 300 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 1: to do great things, she made the wind and final 301 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: two years later and then she won it. So you 302 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: actually bet too Wimbledon champions in that run and made 303 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:08,600 Speaker 1: the fourth round of a Slam for that was your 304 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: deepest run at slam. You made the second week at Wimbledon. 305 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 3: Is that ye? 306 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: Do you consider that your greatest moment as a player 307 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: or is there another moment in your career that you 308 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: think about more fondly? 309 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 3: Stepped at the top and I have just actually played 310 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 3: better against for a toy that Serena like the bar 311 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 3: toy match. I just I felt like I probably closed 312 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 3: my eyes and everything was just doing what I wanted 313 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 3: to do. 314 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: Good. 315 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 3: It was just a good run. I mean, I think 316 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 3: also at the time it was called fed Cup, so 317 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 3: Billy Jing King Cup now but playing for fed Cup, 318 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 3: playing for my country for fed Cup and for the 319 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 3: Olympics also is way at the top two, which Beijing. 320 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, And then you know, I had a lot 321 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 3: of other good Wednesday cloisters and you know Dementieva Yankevich, 322 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 3: So I had had a lot of good wins. And 323 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 3: that's probably the other thing that I would have loved 324 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 3: is if I could continue that consistently, having those having 325 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 3: those wins consistently. 326 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: But yeah, yeah, what ultimately decided what ultimately soul? You 327 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: stopped playing tennis. 328 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 3: So I probably should have retired a year earlier than 329 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 3: I did, But it was it was very but the 330 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 3: reason I did it was very hard for me to 331 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 3: give it up. I love tennis so much and if 332 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 3: if you asked me, if I mean, I would do 333 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 3: my whole career over and a heartbeat. I just loved it. 334 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 3: So it's a very hard decision for me to come to. 335 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 3: I think it was my coach that was the one 336 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 3: that first started recognizing that, you know, my competitiveness started 337 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 3: going down. He felt like I didn't look like I 338 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 3: was enjoying myself as much. So, but I got caught 339 00:15:53,640 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 3: up in this sort of weird year where I I 340 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 3: loved being on the practice court and I all I 341 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 3: wanted to do was train and get better. But then 342 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 3: when I woke up for a match, I was tired. 343 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 3: I was not as excited, and he recognized that way 344 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 3: earlier than I did, and I was getting very confused 345 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 3: because I was like, yeah, but I love training like 346 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 3: I'm still loving it to some degree, and so that 347 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 3: confused me a lot, and I just it took me 348 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 3: a while to realize that I wasn't enjoying like the 349 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 3: stress of getting ready for a match, the stress of competing, 350 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 3: the stress of just going through matches was what I 351 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 3: didn't recognize right away. And so I mean, I wouldn't 352 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 3: of course, I don't want to retire earlier, but I 353 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 3: think that and that it was happening for longer than 354 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 3: I thought. But it was just because I was confused, okay, 355 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 3: And so I decided to retire at the US Open, 356 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 3: where all my friends are and my family could come 357 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 3: and yeah. 358 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: Okay, because from the outside it seems that like what 359 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: you've gone on to do in your career, like you 360 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: picked up you moved into the broadcasting space or I 361 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: think that same year for the WATA in twenty thirteen, 362 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: I did any yeah, yeah, and obviously you had the 363 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,479 Speaker 1: college degree to fall back on. So like a lot 364 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: of players talk about and professional athletes talk about the 365 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 1: difficulty of transitioning, like what am I without my sport 366 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: or what do I do next? But you seemed to 367 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: have options, so like did that make it easier for 368 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: you to transition or like was that always your plan 369 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: to go into the media afterwards? It was not. 370 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 3: Its actually happened by accident. But well so, as a 371 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 3: player get asked to do media stuff all the time, 372 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 3: especially in the United States. They usually asked the American 373 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,160 Speaker 3: because to do the sponsors and stuff and then sorry 374 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 3: about that. And then one year, one year at Indian 375 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 3: well or that year at any Wells, I don't know 376 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 3: if it was that year. Anyway, one year at Annia Wells, 377 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 3: you know, the media came and they're like, do you 378 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 3: mind just doing a visit to a radio booth up 379 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 3: top of the stadium? And I was like, yeah, sure, 380 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:54,679 Speaker 3: and I was just said yes, I did a lot 381 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 3: of that stuff. And so I went into the radio 382 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 3: booths at any Wells and just sat with them for 383 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 3: maybe a set of whatever match was playing on stadium 384 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 3: court and then they just and then all of a sudden, 385 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 3: they just kept asking me to do a couple of things. 386 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 3: And then I got connected with the BBC Radio because 387 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 3: they were on site as well, and then it ended 388 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 3: up being just networking stuff because then BBC Radio, the 389 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 3: woman there recommended me to the ATP Radio and then 390 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 3: did a lot with ATP Radio. And then ATP Radio 391 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 3: noticed that I was really enjoying the interviews, so then 392 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 3: he was like, would you be interested in doing interviews 393 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 3: on court? And I was like sure. So I just 394 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 3: started trying everything and it just happened that I had 395 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 3: a communications degree. I was not like thinking about anything 396 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 3: at the time, and my communications degree was completely different. 397 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 3: It was TV and film production, which, funnily enough, I'm 398 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 3: now starting to ask all questions about the production, which 399 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 3: I'm finding fascinating, which I loved. 400 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 1: Anyway, Yeah, you could move into that space to deliver 401 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: the tennis production. That's it. It's interesting to hear you 402 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: talk about your various commentary kind of uh over the years, 403 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: because you've worked across both too, is ip radio you've 404 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 1: worked for the WTA. Is there much of a difference 405 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: commentating WTI versus IPA matches or is it preparing exactly 406 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: the same? You call it the same? How do you 407 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 1: approach it? 408 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, I approached I approach both the same. Yeah, I 409 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 3: think I think what I I feel like the guys 410 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 3: are very good at being like open in their interviews. 411 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,199 Speaker 3: I think the women are getting better at that. I 412 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:30,880 Speaker 3: think the women guard themselves a little bit more than 413 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 3: the men in the interviews. But I do that. That's 414 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 3: actually where my pay roles is doing the interviews, Like 415 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 3: like how you're doing like the fit down? You get 416 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 3: a fact I love it, Yeahue I love it. You 417 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 3: get just to know their characters a little bit better. 418 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:44,719 Speaker 3: You can joke around with them, and I think that's 419 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 3: what the fans want to see, you know, they want 420 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 3: to see more of who the player is behind the 421 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 3: tennis player. But as far as commentator, you know, I approach, 422 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 3: I approach that pretty much pretty much the same, because 423 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 3: I I the way I I go more about you know, emotions, 424 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 3: and stuff like that and matchups, and but I do 425 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 3: like like kind of the emotions and the characters behind 426 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,359 Speaker 3: the players, because I do feel like that brings a 427 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 3: lot to the court and I kind of feed off that. 428 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 3: So for me, it's more about them as a tennis player, 429 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 3: but also them as a person on the court and 430 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 3: what they can bring, if that makes any sense. 431 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: You know, that does make sense too. I mean, do 432 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: are you like and that's certainly specific to interviews, but 433 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: do you find that also bleeds into your commentary as well? 434 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: Like what the yes is? Fourhands and back ends and 435 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: tactics and patterns, but like what are they feeling in 436 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: that moment? I think so, yeah, like how they might 437 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: respond personality wise and things like that. 438 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 3: Exactly, Yeah, because I try and put myself in their 439 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 3: shoes about how I respond to certain things, and then 440 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 3: from the interviews you get some pretty good insight, Like 441 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:55,360 Speaker 3: some there are some players that like like comparing more 442 00:20:55,480 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 3: quiet events to like Grand Slam, like how they deal 443 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 3: with that, how they approach that, and sometimes like I 444 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 3: know a few players that are just like especially at 445 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 3: the US Opening, can be so like energetic and chaotic 446 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 3: and stuff like that, and they just want to like 447 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 3: hide themselves in their room and get like room service 448 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 3: or just like can't deal with the chaos. And I 449 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 3: just find that interesting because like how do you approach 450 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 3: that mentally, like going on in the court and being 451 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 3: able to block all that out because you just can't 452 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 3: get you can't get away from the New York crowd. 453 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 3: You know, it's just like and it's going to be 454 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 3: noisy in Arthur ash Stadium, And like how do those 455 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,359 Speaker 3: different personalities and players deal with that? And I feel 456 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 3: like sometimes you can see it coming out of them 457 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 3: on the court. 458 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 1: That's so interesting too. That's a common thing that comes 459 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: up in tennis about the different energies of the tournaments. 460 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: And you always hear that about the US Open. How 461 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: did you because and that being your home Slam too 462 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: ad as an extra layer as well. Did you love 463 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: that chaos and buzz of New York? And also we're 464 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 1: interested to know how did it compare to the Australian Open. 465 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 3: I do like the buzz of New York, but the 466 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 3: US room is probably the most stressful one for me, yes, 467 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:05,639 Speaker 3: because it's my home Sufflam two. I only grew up 468 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 3: two and a half hour drive away from New York 469 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 3: City and Rhode Island, and so all my friends and 470 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:12,919 Speaker 3: family would come, and of course the one thing that 471 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 3: you want to do is perform really well in front 472 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 3: of all your friends and family. So that put a 473 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 3: whole other layer of stress on me. And I was 474 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 3: also trying to accommodate for my parents, like in the 475 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 3: player lounge, try and get if they needed anything. I 476 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 3: just felt like it was a hard It was a 477 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 3: hard one for me to relax. If you compared to 478 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 3: the Australian Open. The Australian Open, I think it is 479 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 3: lucky to be in a very good month of the 480 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 3: year because I think it's lucky that it's in January. 481 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 3: First spots, after everyone's taking a little bit of break. 482 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 3: Everyone is so gung ho to get going again. Everyone 483 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 3: from you know, Europe or is very happy to get 484 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 3: out of the cold into the warm sun. I mean 485 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 3: a lot of them train now. Allow a lot of 486 00:22:57,880 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 3: them go early now and train whether in Asia do you 487 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 3: buy whatever where it's warm and then go on to Australia. 488 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 3: But and everyone and a lot of the players haven't 489 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,360 Speaker 3: seen each other, you know, they've had that break now 490 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:09,679 Speaker 3: and that everyone's like congregating and happy to see each 491 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 3: other again. That's why it's called the Happy Flam. So 492 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 3: I think you guys are very lucky to have that 493 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 3: and that time of year. It's definitely not as chaotic. 494 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 3: And heck did it as New York because probably because 495 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 3: of where it's situated to. It's so close to the city. 496 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 3: You can walk to the site from the city, so 497 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 3: that's really convenient. So I think, you know, Australia has 498 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:30,159 Speaker 3: a lot of things going for it. 499 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, and we particularly love that slot on the calendar 500 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 1: too because it aligns perfectly when everyone's on like school 501 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: holidays and yeah, like so many people, that's that's our 502 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 1: big long summer break, Like there's lots of people that 503 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: are off work or school for six weeks and things 504 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,479 Speaker 1: like that. So yeah, in January, yeah, it was so 505 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 1: great being a kid, Like growing up, I was on 506 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 1: school holiday so you didn't have to miss school, you 507 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 1: could go to the Australian Open. Every day was a 508 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 1: day off, like it was their. Yeah, it's fantastic. So 509 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: we love that period is like you know, primetime in 510 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 1: Australia for an event like that because it's just a 511 00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:03,479 Speaker 1: lot so well with what everyone's doing. Do you find. 512 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 1: So you're part of the World Commentary World Feed commentary 513 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 1: team at the IO. Yeah, yeah, And so I've asked 514 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: you what you kind of love about the event, like 515 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,880 Speaker 1: is there anything unique about covering the IO. I don't 516 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: know whether it's like positions where you're on the court 517 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: or unique things about the tournament that separate it from 518 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: like other Slams to call or other tournaments. 519 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 3: I do like that that it's the same as Wimbledon, 520 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 3: that you can cover a lot of qurtes and you're 521 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 3: actually situated on the court, So that's really nice. Wimbland 522 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 3: does that as well. I actually don't go to the 523 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 3: French I do the French from Tennis channel in La 524 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 3: So I actually haven't been to Paris since I've played, 525 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:49,439 Speaker 3: so I can't comment on that, but I think just 526 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 3: I don't know, just the ground. The grounds at the 527 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 3: Australian Open are becoming so nice and spread out. I mean, 528 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 3: one of my favorite stadiums is that Here Arena just 529 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 3: a little sunken in and also the spacing around Here Arena, 530 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 3: and that's what I think Australia has done so well 531 00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 3: is just the way they've designed walking around the facility 532 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,159 Speaker 3: in the event and it's so spacious and there's so 533 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 3: much room. And but as far as like work, as 534 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,679 Speaker 3: far as commentating, I like all of them. I mean, 535 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:27,679 Speaker 3: I don't think there's anything maybe majorly different or or unique, 536 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 3: because I don't know. The one thing I say over 537 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 3: and over good to people when they ask me about 538 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 3: it is I love the teams that we have for 539 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 3: the world feed in every event for Australia, for well, 540 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 3: just you for the Slams, I just do world feed 541 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 3: for Australia. In the US Wimbled and I do Wimbling Radio, 542 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 3: and then the French I do obviously from LA. But 543 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 3: just the teams I think are fantastic. 544 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: Yeah they are. They're fantastic to listen to. We love 545 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: it all and. 546 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 3: We really are having that much fun. 547 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, it really sounds it. And obviously I've seen 548 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: you guys in like the the media cafe, things like this, 549 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: things that everywhere, like you all have lunch together, you 550 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: get coffees, like in between matches. You all seem like 551 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: a close group. So it's really it's really nice. What 552 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: is your like in terms in your broadcasting commentary career? 553 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: What's like your favorite interview you've done all the best 554 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: match you've called. 555 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:28,479 Speaker 3: Oh goodness, I think that's a really good question. I 556 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 3: think it has to be. Well, definitely, I called the 557 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:41,639 Speaker 3: Fetter Djokovic final at when Well then, oh yes, I 558 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 3: called that one radio So that was that was intense 559 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:51,439 Speaker 3: and exciting and a lot of drama, and so that 560 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 3: was a really exciting one. And I think probably. 561 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 1: And were you in center called in one of the 562 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 1: radio booths in the stadium, yeah, oh. 563 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 3: Wow, yes, okay, yeah. And then I think I don't 564 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 3: know if I don't know if you would say it 565 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 3: was the you know, the best match ever on the planet. 566 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 3: But when Osaka won her first blame against slam Againt 567 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 3: Serene at the US Open, I think that was exciting 568 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 3: to college just because obviously there was a lot of 569 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,119 Speaker 3: drama involved in Osaka, like coming up on the scene 570 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 3: and she was playing like her idol and so that 571 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 3: just had a lot of drama and twists to it 572 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 3: and stuff like that. I don't know, there's so there's 573 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,640 Speaker 3: so many and I feel like, especially now with the tennis, 574 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:38,640 Speaker 3: it's just absolutely insane. Like sometimes I'm having a hard 575 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 3: time wrapping my brain around how good these these matches 576 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 3: and players are. It's unbelievable. 577 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you that, Like, so, it's 578 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,360 Speaker 1: been just over ten years since you played, and now 579 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:50,359 Speaker 1: you've been watching so much tennis in that time since, 580 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: particularly women's tennis, because I guess you played on the 581 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:56,880 Speaker 1: women's Tour. How has the game evolved in that time 582 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: like that alluding to what you're alluding to now is 583 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:00,119 Speaker 1: just crazy what they can do. What do you is 584 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: it that in the last ten years has happened that's 585 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: taken the game to this new level? 586 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 3: I think, well, I think I do a lot of 587 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 3: the men too, but I think it applies both to 588 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 3: the women and the men. Is I mean, everyone's just 589 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 3: gotten so much stronger, they've gotten so much faster. I 590 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 3: think there's just more research and science behind like nutrition 591 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 3: and taking care of your body, and it's allowed these 592 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:24,360 Speaker 3: players to push themselves harder and faster. There's more sliding 593 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 3: on the court that I've ever seen before. I mean, 594 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 3: remember klim Kleisers was the first one that really kind 595 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 3: of did that, and now almost everyone is sliding on 596 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,679 Speaker 3: the hard court and it's absolutely ridiculous. And but I 597 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 3: just think, I mean, I guess it was bound to 598 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 3: happen with the speed and the strength, but watching how 599 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 3: fast If you can see these players in person, watching 600 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 3: how fast and how hard they hit the ball, I mean, 601 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 3: it's it's incredible. 602 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,959 Speaker 2: Great interview, Matt, Thanks for loved hearing all about Jill's 603 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 2: time in tennis, both in the past and her perspective now. 604 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 2: Especially loved her recollection of that win over Serena Williams 605 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 2: at Winwooden and how she used visualization ahead of the match. 606 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was obviously we were always going to ask 607 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: her about that win over Serena, but yeah, the details 608 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 1: she went into and those really cool nuggets of the time. 609 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: I didn't know so much of that stuff. Yeah, she 610 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 1: kind of manifested a victory. It was really it was 611 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 1: really amazing. 612 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think we all need to add a little 613 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 2: bit of visualization to our day. We'll be back next 614 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 2: week with another episode of the Sitdown. In the meantime, 615 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 2: you can listen to John and the team on the 616 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 2: AO Show this coming Thursday. Please remember to subscribe, rate, 617 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:33,719 Speaker 2: and review. 618 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:35,000 Speaker 3: See you next week, Matt. 619 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: Thanks for see you next week.