1 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:04,860 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, and welcome to another episode of The Sit Down. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,380 Speaker 1: I'm Matt Trollope, a writer from ozopen.com. 3 00:00:07,580 --> 00:00:10,810 Speaker 2: And I'm Brie Stewart, Head of Content, Strategy and Operations 4 00:00:10,910 --> 00:00:11,770 Speaker 2: at Tennis Australia. 5 00:00:12,070 --> 00:00:14,210 Speaker 1: And Brie, why are we sitting down with Pat Cash 6 00:00:14,230 --> 00:00:14,550 Speaker 1: this week? 7 00:00:15,110 --> 00:00:18,790 Speaker 2: Well, Viv Christie, who is generally here with Matt, is 8 00:00:18,870 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 2: currently in Wimbledon. Lucky duck. And why not sit down 9 00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 2: with someone like Pat Cash, given his illustrious career? He's 10 00:00:28,540 --> 00:00:31,100 Speaker 2: a very, very important Aussie in the tennis world. 11 00:00:31,180 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: And. 12 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:34,500 Speaker 2: she was really lucky to get to sit down with him. 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, let's hear what the 1987 Wimbledon champion had to say. 14 00:00:41,740 --> 00:00:45,870 Speaker 3: Pat, thank you for joining us from a very wet 15 00:00:46,030 --> 00:00:49,670 Speaker 3: and somewhat cold Wimbledon. But if I remember correctly, the 16 00:00:49,690 --> 00:00:52,830 Speaker 3: sun was shining in 1987 when you won the men's title. 17 00:00:53,310 --> 00:00:55,690 Speaker 4: What's it like to return to the All England Club 18 00:00:55,750 --> 00:00:56,350 Speaker 4: as a champion? 19 00:00:57,670 --> 00:00:59,980 Speaker 5: Well, it's a great privilege. I mean, I'm lucky I've 20 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 5: I've lived in London, so I have the opportunity to 21 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:04,770 Speaker 5: come back whenever I like. One of the benefits of 22 00:01:04,780 --> 00:01:07,649 Speaker 5: winning the title is you become a member. Uh, and, uh, 23 00:01:08,270 --> 00:01:10,910 Speaker 5: they often joke, but I think there is some, some, some, uh, 24 00:01:11,010 --> 00:01:13,410 Speaker 5: reality in it that the easiest way to, to, for 25 00:01:13,430 --> 00:01:15,750 Speaker 5: an Australian or foreigner to get a membership is to 26 00:01:15,770 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 5: win the championship. So it's, uh, it's, it's, it's a 27 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:21,140 Speaker 5: bit tongue in cheek, but, but it is a very, 28 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,100 Speaker 5: very exclusive club. And, but it's a really nice club. It's, uh, it's, 29 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 5: it's actually not old and as snobby as, you know, 30 00:01:26,580 --> 00:01:30,500 Speaker 5: I certainly when I first came, came here, but, um, It's, 31 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 5: you know, and they, the club has tried to be, 32 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:38,210 Speaker 5: you know, in the forefront of tennis and changes of 33 00:01:38,250 --> 00:01:40,490 Speaker 5: tennis because they were the first slam to invite the 34 00:01:40,850 --> 00:01:44,530 Speaker 5: pro players. Back in the day, Ken Rosewell and Laver 35 00:01:44,550 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 5: and these guys to come and play a tournament. And 36 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 5: they said, well, yeah, we're going to have pros. So 37 00:01:49,780 --> 00:01:51,820 Speaker 5: the first, you wouldn't believe it, Wimbledon of all clubs 38 00:01:51,900 --> 00:01:54,060 Speaker 5: were the first ones to say, yeah, we'll welcome the 39 00:01:54,100 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 5: professional players. So they were always trying to be, ahead 40 00:01:56,970 --> 00:01:59,410 Speaker 5: of the game. I'm not as excited as I used 41 00:01:59,430 --> 00:02:01,630 Speaker 5: to be because I can come here quite regularly, but 42 00:02:01,690 --> 00:02:04,810 Speaker 5: I'm always very, very proud to show friends or guests 43 00:02:04,830 --> 00:02:07,090 Speaker 5: around the trophy room and say, hey, my name's on that. 44 00:02:07,790 --> 00:02:11,950 Speaker 5: And in a weird, a very weird way, a few 45 00:02:11,990 --> 00:02:14,190 Speaker 5: years ago, when Andy Murray won his second title and 46 00:02:14,210 --> 00:02:16,810 Speaker 5: I went into the locker room afterwards, as a memory, 47 00:02:16,830 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 5: not allowed in the locker room, only if you're a 48 00:02:18,180 --> 00:02:20,820 Speaker 5: coach or a player. But they let me in the 49 00:02:20,860 --> 00:02:24,140 Speaker 5: locker room and then there was the trophy. And I 50 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 5: saw Murray that was just sitting there and I was 51 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,530 Speaker 5: having a chat with Ivan Lendl and his wife were there, Samantha. And, 52 00:02:31,150 --> 00:02:32,709 Speaker 5: and I looked at, I just looked at the trophy, 53 00:02:32,750 --> 00:02:34,330 Speaker 5: but for some reason I didn't look for my name. 54 00:02:34,790 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 5: I don't know what, isn't that strange? Cause afterwards somebody said, Oh, 55 00:02:37,050 --> 00:02:38,650 Speaker 5: is your name still on there? I was like, I 56 00:02:38,669 --> 00:02:42,450 Speaker 5: didn't even look. I assumed it is. So I'm hoping 57 00:02:42,470 --> 00:02:43,090 Speaker 5: it's still on there. 58 00:02:43,770 --> 00:02:45,630 Speaker 4: Do you come here often outside tournament time? 59 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,180 Speaker 5: Yeah, I do. Often enough. I mean, I've been coaching 60 00:02:49,220 --> 00:02:51,020 Speaker 5: on the, on the, on and off the tour for 61 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:52,910 Speaker 5: the last sort of 10 years, eight, 10 years. And, 62 00:02:53,550 --> 00:02:55,130 Speaker 5: So when I'm off the road and I want to 63 00:02:55,150 --> 00:02:57,290 Speaker 5: have a hit of tennis, I live not too far 64 00:02:57,310 --> 00:03:01,130 Speaker 5: away from Queens Club, so that's usually been my preferred one. 65 00:03:01,169 --> 00:03:06,070 Speaker 5: But the indoor courts here were very, very average until 66 00:03:06,380 --> 00:03:08,419 Speaker 5: they built a beautiful new centre a couple of years ago. 67 00:03:08,500 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 5: So now I try and come here as often as 68 00:03:10,780 --> 00:03:12,419 Speaker 5: I can. There's a lot of good players, a lot 69 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:18,060 Speaker 5: of ex-Brit members, Davis Cup players and Fed Cup, Billie 70 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,519 Speaker 5: Jean King Cup players here. So there's actually quite a 71 00:03:20,540 --> 00:03:23,890 Speaker 5: lot of good players at the club. You know, there's... Amateurs, 72 00:03:23,930 --> 00:03:32,050 Speaker 5: of course. So I do get to come when I want, 73 00:03:32,490 --> 00:03:34,549 Speaker 5: which is great. But it's always very exciting, of course, 74 00:03:35,070 --> 00:03:38,930 Speaker 5: when the tournament's on. Because for 11 months of the year, 75 00:03:39,030 --> 00:03:42,030 Speaker 5: it's dead quiet. So you walk around here and you 76 00:03:42,060 --> 00:03:44,170 Speaker 5: see the tours coming through. And that's about it. 77 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,300 Speaker 3: And obviously, one thing that changed for you is that 78 00:03:47,340 --> 00:03:49,460 Speaker 3: you become a member of the All England Club. But 79 00:03:49,820 --> 00:03:52,340 Speaker 3: what else changed for you when you became a Wimbledon champion? 80 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:53,180 Speaker 2: Well. 81 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,860 Speaker 5: I suppose at the time I didn't think anything was 82 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,170 Speaker 5: going to change, but, um, it seemed to be that 83 00:04:00,590 --> 00:04:03,970 Speaker 5: I didn't really change, but every, everybody else around me did, um, 84 00:04:04,030 --> 00:04:06,290 Speaker 5: so to speak. Um, so there's a lot of stuff 85 00:04:06,850 --> 00:04:09,370 Speaker 5: going around. I'm still a father. Um, I'll soon to be, uh, 86 00:04:10,990 --> 00:04:13,130 Speaker 5: I'll soon to be a father of two. Not that 87 00:04:13,180 --> 00:04:16,300 Speaker 5: long after my, it was the championships of the next 88 00:04:16,339 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 5: year before I played the defendant. I was another one, uh, 89 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,230 Speaker 5: on the way. Um, and it was, uh, So yeah, 90 00:04:23,270 --> 00:04:25,870 Speaker 5: that was my, that and my career were my priorities, 91 00:04:25,970 --> 00:04:29,550 Speaker 5: but I did feel a lot of, a lot of pressure, 92 00:04:29,850 --> 00:04:32,410 Speaker 5: external pressure and, and no one put more pressure on, 93 00:04:32,630 --> 00:04:34,419 Speaker 5: on me than myself. I mean, that was, that was, 94 00:04:34,460 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 5: I think for the worst thing is I thought, okay, 95 00:04:36,140 --> 00:04:40,219 Speaker 5: I won, I won Wimbledon and reflecting back on it, 96 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,940 Speaker 5: it was, um, the, one of the weirdest things ever. 97 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 5: I came in the locker room and I finally got 98 00:04:45,700 --> 00:04:48,300 Speaker 5: to have a good chat with the team. Obviously I 99 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 5: climbed up the stands and gave him a quick hug, but, um, 100 00:04:52,180 --> 00:04:54,740 Speaker 5: You know, I had a good, and one of the 101 00:04:54,779 --> 00:04:56,970 Speaker 5: first things I said, I was with my sports psychologist, 102 00:04:57,010 --> 00:05:00,170 Speaker 5: Jeff Bond, who was from the AIS. And he was 103 00:05:00,230 --> 00:05:02,510 Speaker 5: over there, and Ian Barclay, of course, my coach. And 104 00:05:03,010 --> 00:05:04,330 Speaker 5: one of the first things I said was, let's go 105 00:05:04,350 --> 00:05:06,790 Speaker 5: and win the US Open. And they just sort of 106 00:05:06,850 --> 00:05:12,620 Speaker 5: looked at me with this blank look. And I thought, yeah, 107 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 5: come on, you know, I want to win. And it's like, mate, 108 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 5: they almost basically, they're looking, I only reflected on it later. 109 00:05:17,540 --> 00:05:20,060 Speaker 5: It was that they kind of looked at me and went, mate, 110 00:05:20,100 --> 00:05:21,630 Speaker 5: you just want to win, why don't you enjoy it? 111 00:05:22,390 --> 00:05:25,010 Speaker 5: you know, and it was, and it's, and I just, 112 00:05:25,190 --> 00:05:26,969 Speaker 5: for some reason, I mean, I, of course I enjoyed 113 00:05:27,010 --> 00:05:28,870 Speaker 5: it at the moment, but I was, I was always, 114 00:05:29,270 --> 00:05:33,470 Speaker 5: and that's what I suppose high achievers or perfectionists have. 115 00:05:33,510 --> 00:05:36,210 Speaker 5: They're always looking for something else and looking for another. 116 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,540 Speaker 5: And I thought it was very weird. And I've heard, 117 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 5: I heard this a lot from in interviews from other, 118 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,820 Speaker 5: some gold medalists and other champions there. And it's, it's 119 00:05:45,900 --> 00:05:48,239 Speaker 5: very hard to sort of enjoy the, enjoy the moment. 120 00:05:48,260 --> 00:05:50,820 Speaker 5: And I think hopefully players have learned from our mistakes, 121 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,860 Speaker 5: but you know, it was, It was so disturbing, I think, 122 00:05:55,900 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 5: to me, that and the way that I put stress 123 00:05:59,100 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 5: on myself in every single tournament. I ended up getting 124 00:06:01,740 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 5: a tattoo on my arm, which was about smelling the roses. 125 00:06:04,700 --> 00:06:09,170 Speaker 5: I got a rose tattoo on my arm saying, this 126 00:06:09,210 --> 00:06:13,370 Speaker 5: too shall pass, which means that the bad will pass, 127 00:06:13,830 --> 00:06:16,130 Speaker 5: but the good will pass. So enjoy it. Smell the roses. 128 00:06:16,610 --> 00:06:18,390 Speaker 5: So that's a constant reminder. It's on my arm, and 129 00:06:18,410 --> 00:06:20,570 Speaker 5: I have to look at it. And to this day, 130 00:06:20,589 --> 00:06:22,890 Speaker 5: I have a ritual ritual. where if I see a 131 00:06:22,930 --> 00:06:24,630 Speaker 5: rose bush, doesn't matter what I'm doing, if I'm going 132 00:06:24,650 --> 00:06:26,970 Speaker 5: for a jog or whatever, I will stop and I'll 133 00:06:26,990 --> 00:06:29,210 Speaker 5: smell the roses just to have a couple of seconds 134 00:06:29,250 --> 00:06:32,140 Speaker 5: to go, you know what, try and enjoy this. And 135 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 5: I do now. I really do. I've changed. But at 136 00:06:34,980 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 5: the time, you know, there was the pressure, the expectations 137 00:06:38,620 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 5: on myself, and certainly everybody else changed. I hadn't changed. 138 00:06:42,700 --> 00:06:45,909 Speaker 5: I always put pressure on myself. But I put more 139 00:06:45,970 --> 00:06:48,250 Speaker 5: pressure to say, and I think that also the fact 140 00:06:48,290 --> 00:06:50,490 Speaker 5: that people were saying, oh, you know, Boris Becker went 141 00:06:50,550 --> 00:06:52,810 Speaker 5: out early and you didn't beat Boris. I heard that 142 00:06:52,830 --> 00:06:56,770 Speaker 5: a couple of times, and the guys, Peter Doohan, he's 143 00:06:56,790 --> 00:06:58,140 Speaker 5: a good mate of mine, but he was giving me, 144 00:06:58,150 --> 00:07:00,590 Speaker 5: he beat Boris Becker, he's passed away, he's a good 145 00:07:00,630 --> 00:07:02,330 Speaker 5: mate of mine, but yeah, he used to say stuff 146 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,100 Speaker 5: like that, hey, how much percentage of the prize money 147 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,420 Speaker 5: are you going to give me for beating Boris? And, 148 00:07:06,460 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 5: you know, and I sort of kind of laughed about that, 149 00:07:08,660 --> 00:07:11,500 Speaker 5: I go, well, you know, and I thought, hmm, so 150 00:07:11,540 --> 00:07:14,700 Speaker 5: actually I played him in the Sydney Indoors, and that 151 00:07:14,740 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 5: was a big match for me to beat him, and 152 00:07:16,100 --> 00:07:18,350 Speaker 5: I beat him in that, in a way, and I 153 00:07:18,350 --> 00:07:20,190 Speaker 5: remember going to the press conference and saying, yeah, I've 154 00:07:20,210 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 5: done it, you know, I've showed people that you know, 155 00:07:22,500 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 5: I can beat anybody. And they sort of looked at 156 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,290 Speaker 5: me and go, yeah, we kind of knew that. Um, 157 00:07:26,380 --> 00:07:29,110 Speaker 5: but for me, I was, that was important. And so, 158 00:07:29,130 --> 00:07:30,510 Speaker 5: you know, there was a couple of things I wanted 159 00:07:30,530 --> 00:07:32,650 Speaker 5: to tick off my, tick off my list and, uh, 160 00:07:33,230 --> 00:07:36,470 Speaker 5: you know, obviously proving to myself, uh, that, uh, that 161 00:07:36,490 --> 00:07:38,540 Speaker 5: I was, you know, I could, could have beaten Boris at, 162 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,980 Speaker 5: you know, he was obviously two time champion. Um, and, uh, yeah, 163 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 5: going on to try and win another grand slam, which 164 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,940 Speaker 5: I didn't quite get done in, obviously in Australia and, um, 165 00:07:49,850 --> 00:07:50,310 Speaker 5: or elsewhere. 166 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. 167 00:07:50,730 --> 00:07:53,450 Speaker 3: Was there ever a moment where you sort of stopped 168 00:07:53,510 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 3: and really appreciated that you'd become a Wimbledon champion? 169 00:07:56,700 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 5: Every day. Pretty much now every day. I still pinch myself. 170 00:08:02,260 --> 00:08:04,380 Speaker 5: I mean, today I've just gone in and talked to 171 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 5: some corporate guests and I can't believe it. And I 172 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,790 Speaker 5: said to my manager yesterday, I said, thank God I 173 00:08:12,810 --> 00:08:19,550 Speaker 5: won Wimbledon. You know, it's just, it's something, he said, mate, 174 00:08:19,570 --> 00:08:22,620 Speaker 5: you've done something that, it's near impossible to do you 175 00:08:22,670 --> 00:08:25,370 Speaker 5: know people admire that you know you might see your 176 00:08:25,610 --> 00:08:27,770 Speaker 5: normal person but you're actually not you're actually a bit 177 00:08:27,790 --> 00:08:29,910 Speaker 5: of a freak because you won Wimbledon and I'm like 178 00:08:29,950 --> 00:08:31,850 Speaker 5: oh not really you know if there's lots of other 179 00:08:31,890 --> 00:08:34,069 Speaker 5: people he said well not really I don't know how 180 00:08:34,090 --> 00:08:36,209 Speaker 5: many men have won 30 or 40 not many in 181 00:08:36,510 --> 00:08:40,350 Speaker 5: the whole history of the sport of one Wimbledon so 182 00:08:40,370 --> 00:08:43,530 Speaker 5: you know kind of think wow yeah so every once 183 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 5: in a while I need reminding but basically you know 184 00:08:46,780 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 5: pretty much you know I'm reminded daily but you know, 185 00:08:50,900 --> 00:08:54,260 Speaker 5: I don't take it for granted, but, um, yeah, I 186 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:56,700 Speaker 5: think I'm pretty, very, very normal person. Uh, you know, 187 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,260 Speaker 5: I don't, I don't go around showing my members badge 188 00:08:59,340 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 5: or any of that stuff. Uh, you know, that's, that's 189 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:03,740 Speaker 5: not what it's about. It's the fact that I did, 190 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:05,980 Speaker 5: I've done it and I didn't look at the, the 191 00:09:06,020 --> 00:09:09,599 Speaker 5: name on the trophy. Um, you know, and that's, that's 192 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:11,060 Speaker 5: not important to me. I didn't even know where my 193 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:12,020 Speaker 5: replica trophy is. 194 00:09:12,460 --> 00:09:12,660 Speaker 3: Yeah. 195 00:09:13,300 --> 00:09:13,900 Speaker 4: You still don't know? 196 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,100 Speaker 5: I still don't know. I think it's at Kooyong. 197 00:09:16,340 --> 00:09:16,660 Speaker 2: Right. 198 00:09:17,059 --> 00:09:18,459 Speaker 5: But I'm not sure. I've walked past, I've been at 199 00:09:18,500 --> 00:09:22,350 Speaker 5: Kooyong for the, the, uh, The tournament there, the lead-up tournament, 200 00:09:22,390 --> 00:09:25,010 Speaker 5: passed it about 20 times. I never stopped to look. Maybe, 201 00:09:25,290 --> 00:09:27,330 Speaker 5: I think it is. But that's not important to me. 202 00:09:27,610 --> 00:09:30,170 Speaker 5: And I know the people, when Borg was saying he 203 00:09:30,190 --> 00:09:32,510 Speaker 5: was going to sell one of his trophies, and everybody 204 00:09:32,530 --> 00:09:36,489 Speaker 5: was hysterical. But Mackinac, no, no, no, we're going to 205 00:09:36,530 --> 00:09:38,140 Speaker 5: buy it for you, Borg, so you can keep it. 206 00:09:38,190 --> 00:09:40,449 Speaker 5: And he was like, and I kind of got it. 207 00:09:40,470 --> 00:09:42,690 Speaker 5: I said, it's only a trophy. I mean, it's nice, 208 00:09:43,010 --> 00:09:45,589 Speaker 5: but it's nice to have. But he's got five, Bjorn. 209 00:09:45,690 --> 00:09:48,810 Speaker 5: I'm not going to give my one away, but I'm 210 00:09:48,850 --> 00:09:51,130 Speaker 5: not overly concerned about that sort of stuff. 211 00:09:51,730 --> 00:09:54,179 Speaker 3: And what about your headband? You were famous for your headband. 212 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:55,839 Speaker 3: Do you have any of your headbands from? 213 00:09:55,860 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 5: I've got my head i have i got headbands in 214 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 5: here because everybody seems everybody seems to want one um 215 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 5: somewhere and usually they just like i mean i give 216 00:10:05,740 --> 00:10:08,010 Speaker 5: them out i've never sold any so my headband was 217 00:10:08,030 --> 00:10:10,050 Speaker 5: just about having a bit of fun and doing a 218 00:10:10,070 --> 00:10:12,770 Speaker 5: bit of bit of rock and roll and a tribute 219 00:10:12,790 --> 00:10:15,030 Speaker 5: to cheap trick with my favorite band and still one 220 00:10:15,050 --> 00:10:17,990 Speaker 5: of my favorite bands and uh you know just this 221 00:10:18,050 --> 00:10:21,010 Speaker 5: morning actually i i I love still playing guitar, and 222 00:10:21,030 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 5: I play a little band around London. And I put 223 00:10:26,740 --> 00:10:28,219 Speaker 5: my guitar on for a bit of practice because I 224 00:10:29,220 --> 00:10:31,719 Speaker 5: got a gig at the end of the tournament. And 225 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,030 Speaker 5: I had my Rick Nielsen guitar strap, which he gave me. 226 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,300 Speaker 5: He was the guitarist from Cheap Trick, which I got 227 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:40,590 Speaker 5: the inspiration for the Czech headband. He presented me his 228 00:10:40,630 --> 00:10:43,530 Speaker 5: guitar strap, which basically looks exactly like my headband, which 229 00:10:43,590 --> 00:10:44,050 Speaker 5: is the whole point. 230 00:10:44,070 --> 00:10:44,140 Speaker 3: Wow. 231 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 5: And I strapped it on today. Every time I pick 232 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 5: that up, I go, that's bloody cool. 233 00:10:48,980 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 3: The other way you brought your individual touch to Wimbledon was, 234 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 3: of course, climbing up into the stands. 235 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:56,130 Speaker 4: Are you proud of that legacy when you see the 236 00:10:56,170 --> 00:10:58,010 Speaker 4: players doing it now? I am. 237 00:10:58,030 --> 00:11:02,390 Speaker 5: I actually am very proud. And I think it was 238 00:11:02,410 --> 00:11:07,449 Speaker 5: a natural sort of reaction. But because of the stuffiness 239 00:11:07,490 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 5: of tennis or whatever, that nobody had done it or 240 00:11:09,740 --> 00:11:12,199 Speaker 5: been stupid enough to do it. And I was stupid 241 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,189 Speaker 5: enough to do it. And get myself in a little 242 00:11:14,210 --> 00:11:16,550 Speaker 5: bit of trouble but nothing i couldn't handle but a 243 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:18,100 Speaker 5: bit of a slap on the wrist from the club 244 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:19,780 Speaker 5: to not do that again and you kept the royal 245 00:11:19,820 --> 00:11:23,420 Speaker 5: family waiting blah blah blah nothing too dramatic but it's 246 00:11:23,460 --> 00:11:24,860 Speaker 5: a natural sort of thing to want to share with 247 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:28,300 Speaker 5: your team and and for me that was the team 248 00:11:28,340 --> 00:11:31,430 Speaker 5: that i had was was really the first the first 249 00:11:31,470 --> 00:11:34,850 Speaker 5: team in in in tennis um you know now you 250 00:11:34,870 --> 00:11:36,850 Speaker 5: look at the box and you see you know physios 251 00:11:36,870 --> 00:11:39,670 Speaker 5: and trainers and coaches and assistant coaches and tech people 252 00:11:39,710 --> 00:11:46,030 Speaker 5: and whatever string strings and uh Uh, John McEnroe's walking past. 253 00:11:46,170 --> 00:11:48,660 Speaker 5: Hey Mac, where are you going? I got to talk 254 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 5: to you in a minute. Are you busy? 255 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 2: Okay. 256 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 5: All right. I'll see you. I'll catch you. He's playing 257 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,020 Speaker 5: a gig as well at the end of the tournament. 258 00:12:01,250 --> 00:12:02,630 Speaker 5: I want to know what songs he's playing. 259 00:12:03,290 --> 00:12:03,550 Speaker 2: Sorry. 260 00:12:03,929 --> 00:12:07,110 Speaker 5: Um, yeah, it was, it was a moment in my 261 00:12:07,150 --> 00:12:11,390 Speaker 5: career where, where it was suggested to me and I accepted, um, 262 00:12:11,610 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 5: from wiser people, than me that I needed some sports 263 00:12:14,900 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 5: psychology help. Um, I don't think I really lost any 264 00:12:18,110 --> 00:12:22,430 Speaker 5: matches because of, because of my temper or going off. Uh, 265 00:12:23,429 --> 00:12:26,130 Speaker 5: but I could be, I could certainly could have been better. And, 266 00:12:26,870 --> 00:12:29,670 Speaker 5: and of course I'd been injured, um, you know, almost 267 00:12:29,690 --> 00:12:33,470 Speaker 5: a year off with a back injury. Uh, and you know, 268 00:12:33,490 --> 00:12:36,369 Speaker 5: I was a young father. So, you know, there was 269 00:12:36,390 --> 00:12:37,550 Speaker 5: a whole lot of, there was quite a few things 270 00:12:37,570 --> 00:12:39,949 Speaker 5: going on. So much like a business or whatever, I 271 00:12:39,970 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 5: brought in the consultants, there were specialists and, You know, 272 00:12:43,100 --> 00:12:46,819 Speaker 5: that was the physio and then the trainer. And David 273 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 5: Zuka there, who's the Olympic physio. I had Jeff Bond, 274 00:12:52,140 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 5: who was the Olympic sports psychologist. I had Dr. Anne Quinn, 275 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,850 Speaker 5: who's my lifelong friend and the best trainer there was. 276 00:13:00,110 --> 00:13:01,790 Speaker 5: I was very, very lucky. You need a bit of luck, 277 00:13:01,809 --> 00:13:05,150 Speaker 5: of course. I had super lucky to get her. And 278 00:13:05,910 --> 00:13:09,429 Speaker 5: she was amazing for me. Got me fitter than any player. 279 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 5: faster than any player cutting edge training she had you 280 00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:16,099 Speaker 5: know and supplements all that sort of stuff which I 281 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 5: wasn't wasn't known and then and of course Barker's my 282 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 5: coach who's been there from almost day one uh so 283 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 5: we had a great we had a great team and 284 00:13:24,700 --> 00:13:26,619 Speaker 5: I actually had my orthopedic surgeon there he was in 285 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,540 Speaker 5: the back he got him some tickets as well he 286 00:13:29,580 --> 00:13:32,329 Speaker 5: was more coming over for a holiday but um so 287 00:13:32,350 --> 00:13:34,870 Speaker 5: I had this team and and for me it was 288 00:13:34,929 --> 00:13:36,890 Speaker 5: very special it was important for me to share that 289 00:13:37,470 --> 00:13:39,410 Speaker 5: that that with them and of course my father was 290 00:13:39,470 --> 00:13:44,030 Speaker 5: up there and and my partner, the mother of my son, 291 00:13:44,429 --> 00:13:48,970 Speaker 5: and I don't know, it just didn't feel right to 292 00:13:49,010 --> 00:13:51,550 Speaker 5: be back on the court alone, so I made up 293 00:13:51,570 --> 00:13:54,050 Speaker 5: my mind to do it the night before, but didn't 294 00:13:54,070 --> 00:13:58,199 Speaker 5: think much about it, and then afterwards, you know, sort 295 00:13:58,220 --> 00:14:00,179 Speaker 5: of so much in the moment, and I was looking 296 00:14:00,260 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 5: up to them and going, they're so far away, this 297 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,100 Speaker 5: just doesn't feel right, and so that's when I made 298 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:08,970 Speaker 5: the decision to go, and I eventually made it. That 299 00:14:09,030 --> 00:14:12,569 Speaker 5: wasn't very elegant by any means. It almost became the 300 00:14:12,630 --> 00:14:14,569 Speaker 5: most embarrassing moment of my life from one of the 301 00:14:14,610 --> 00:14:17,689 Speaker 5: best moments in my life about a minute earlier. So 302 00:14:17,710 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 5: I couldn't find my way up there. But I eventually 303 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 5: did it. And, you know, the rest is history. But, 304 00:14:24,780 --> 00:14:26,940 Speaker 5: you know, I'm glad they cleared a pathway for the 305 00:14:26,980 --> 00:14:28,900 Speaker 5: players to see their teams. 306 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,100 Speaker 3: Well, you created lots of kind of enduring memories. I 307 00:14:32,140 --> 00:14:35,300 Speaker 3: always remember you had such a special bond with your coach, 308 00:14:35,780 --> 00:14:37,930 Speaker 3: Ian Barclay. That was such a long relationship. 309 00:14:38,250 --> 00:14:40,830 Speaker 5: Yeah, and Ian's still here. He comes every year he 310 00:14:40,850 --> 00:14:43,830 Speaker 5: can when none of us are getting any younger. So 311 00:14:43,970 --> 00:14:46,250 Speaker 5: it's great to see him. I had dinner with him 312 00:14:46,290 --> 00:14:50,130 Speaker 5: the other day and had a great chat with him. 313 00:14:50,150 --> 00:14:53,550 Speaker 5: He's still on top of the tennis. And he lived 314 00:14:53,580 --> 00:14:55,170 Speaker 5: in England for a while, so he coached quite a 315 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,550 Speaker 5: lot of the players who have now become coaches. So 316 00:14:58,570 --> 00:15:00,750 Speaker 5: he ends up running into the coach of Jack Draper 317 00:15:00,790 --> 00:15:05,890 Speaker 5: and others. But yeah, it's, and he looks the same 318 00:15:06,010 --> 00:15:08,170 Speaker 5: because he looked, he had gray hair and a gray 319 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 5: mustache back then when he was only 40. And now 320 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 5: he's got the same. He's got slightly less hair, but 321 00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:14,900 Speaker 5: he looks exactly the same. People look at him and go, 322 00:15:14,900 --> 00:15:17,300 Speaker 5: you look exactly the same. And he does. He's a 323 00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 5: bit slower, of course. Yeah, I mean, Ian was my 324 00:15:20,850 --> 00:15:24,250 Speaker 5: second father and his son was my best buddies and, 325 00:15:24,790 --> 00:15:27,470 Speaker 5: you know, a mad Hawthorne supporter. So, We always had 326 00:15:27,530 --> 00:15:29,070 Speaker 5: some fun. We had a lot of success, the Hawks, 327 00:15:29,090 --> 00:15:37,740 Speaker 5: at that time of the 80s. He was like my dad. 328 00:15:37,750 --> 00:15:39,260 Speaker 5: My dad used to get on the phone and my 329 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 5: dad was almost the, I don't know, the person who 330 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,660 Speaker 5: kept on. He did some finance and he was a lawyer. 331 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:54,670 Speaker 5: He kept an eye on that along with IMG management group. 332 00:15:55,690 --> 00:15:57,750 Speaker 5: We had a I thought we had a bloody good team, 333 00:15:57,770 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 5: which was really a modern, a modern, very modern version or, 334 00:16:00,670 --> 00:16:02,940 Speaker 5: you know, very modern version back then. 335 00:16:03,100 --> 00:16:03,300 Speaker 2: Yeah. 336 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 3: And in that campaign, you beat Paul McNamee, Guy Fouger, Ginny. 337 00:16:08,140 --> 00:16:12,380 Speaker 4: Connors, Yvonne Lindell. What do you remember from the tennis itself? 338 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:14,820 Speaker 5: Well, I remember that all of a sudden, the weather 339 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 5: came from this sort of weather, miserably cold for weeks 340 00:16:18,180 --> 00:16:22,470 Speaker 5: to boiling hot. It became very fast, which suited me. 341 00:16:22,490 --> 00:16:25,490 Speaker 5: I think one of the toughest matches was certainly playing Paul, 342 00:16:25,630 --> 00:16:27,470 Speaker 5: Paul McNamee, who, You know, he was one of my 343 00:16:27,510 --> 00:16:30,830 Speaker 5: best buddies. We played doubles together. Mac was a great 344 00:16:30,870 --> 00:16:34,890 Speaker 5: influence on me, you know, a super role model. Showed 345 00:16:34,910 --> 00:16:38,870 Speaker 5: me the ropes, you know, around the circuit and certainly 346 00:16:38,930 --> 00:16:43,450 Speaker 5: dealing with, you know, the other things, you know, the 347 00:16:43,850 --> 00:16:46,250 Speaker 5: tennis association management, all that sort of stuff, you know. 348 00:16:47,870 --> 00:16:50,290 Speaker 5: So he was a great, you know, I wouldn't have 349 00:16:50,610 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 5: had the success without Paul's support. and I had to 350 00:16:54,100 --> 00:16:56,239 Speaker 5: play him, you know, and I thought, well, this is 351 00:16:56,260 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 5: my year, and it was tough. He knew my game, so, 352 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:02,940 Speaker 5: you know, he wasn't, he knew where the weaknesses were, 353 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 5: and he was going after them, and that was a really, 354 00:17:06,609 --> 00:17:09,350 Speaker 5: really tricky match. I ended up winning, but it wasn't easy, 355 00:17:10,630 --> 00:17:13,790 Speaker 5: and it was three really tough sets, and then the 356 00:17:13,810 --> 00:17:17,950 Speaker 5: next round, Michael Shapers, the heat started coming, and the Dutchman, 357 00:17:17,990 --> 00:17:20,570 Speaker 5: and I really struggled, but I got, ended up getting 358 00:17:20,590 --> 00:17:24,859 Speaker 5: through in four sets and I sort of had to 359 00:17:25,220 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 5: pull my head in. That was a very frustrating match 360 00:17:27,220 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 5: and I don't know, I was yelling and screaming and 361 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 5: pulling my hair out and everything like that. And, you know, 362 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 5: thank God I had Jeff Bond, the sports psychologist there, because, 363 00:17:35,859 --> 00:17:37,869 Speaker 5: you know, we went to work on that and said, okay, 364 00:17:38,050 --> 00:17:40,070 Speaker 5: we can improve on this area. You're going to get 365 00:17:40,109 --> 00:17:42,709 Speaker 5: frustrated in these tournaments. And I thought Shapers was going 366 00:17:42,730 --> 00:17:44,790 Speaker 5: to be the easiest player of the whole tournament. And 367 00:17:44,810 --> 00:17:48,109 Speaker 5: here he was making the toughest for me. And I 368 00:17:48,150 --> 00:17:51,210 Speaker 5: improved from then a lot and playing for Jay, I started, 369 00:17:51,670 --> 00:17:56,950 Speaker 5: really playing well, Villander, Jimmy Connors had a great run 370 00:17:56,990 --> 00:17:59,219 Speaker 5: in the tournament and I knew I had to get 371 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 5: on top of him and I won the first set, 372 00:18:06,619 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 5: it was a bit of a struggle for the set 373 00:18:08,260 --> 00:18:09,940 Speaker 5: and he broke me back and the crowd were going 374 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,500 Speaker 5: crazy because here he was at the end of his career. 35, 375 00:18:13,500 --> 00:18:17,260 Speaker 5: you think 35 back then, now you're looking at Djokovic 376 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:21,179 Speaker 5: who's 36 and Murray still going, barely still going but 377 00:18:21,570 --> 00:18:25,070 Speaker 5: you know, 35, yeah, it's old, but it's not that old, 378 00:18:25,570 --> 00:18:29,290 Speaker 5: I suppose now. I always had that opinion as well, but, um, 379 00:18:30,810 --> 00:18:33,150 Speaker 5: but I, you know, the crowd were really getting into it. Uh, 380 00:18:33,230 --> 00:18:35,650 Speaker 5: so I ended up getting through Jimmy playing really well 381 00:18:35,670 --> 00:18:37,650 Speaker 5: at the end and getting into the final. I felt 382 00:18:37,690 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 5: very confident against Ivan. I'd beaten him at the Australian open. Um, 383 00:18:41,220 --> 00:18:43,820 Speaker 5: my shoulder wasn't great during the Australian open semifinal. I 384 00:18:43,859 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 5: wasn't serving nearly a hundred percent. And, um, And I 385 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 5: beat Ivan and I figured, well, if I can beat 386 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 5: him now that I'm fully fit, you know, I've got to, 387 00:18:54,420 --> 00:18:56,370 Speaker 5: you know, I should do it. But it's one thing 388 00:18:56,869 --> 00:18:58,870 Speaker 5: wanting to do it, another thing actually doing it. So 389 00:18:58,890 --> 00:19:01,830 Speaker 5: I knew Ivan was going to be tough. He hit 390 00:19:01,850 --> 00:19:04,550 Speaker 5: the ball harder than just about anybody. Probably Boris Becker 391 00:19:04,570 --> 00:19:08,090 Speaker 5: was the hardest hitter, but Ivan hit the ball really hard. 392 00:19:09,410 --> 00:19:11,230 Speaker 5: And so I just had to try and make him 393 00:19:11,270 --> 00:19:13,950 Speaker 5: volley and try and put it together as best I could. 394 00:19:13,990 --> 00:19:15,910 Speaker 5: And it was, you know, it was two really tight 395 00:19:15,950 --> 00:19:17,030 Speaker 5: sets that could have gone either way. 396 00:19:17,420 --> 00:19:20,500 Speaker 3: You mentioned playing against Paul, Paul McNamee, and that was 397 00:19:20,540 --> 00:19:23,400 Speaker 3: such a tough match for you. I mean, Aussie camaraderie, 398 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,990 Speaker 3: it's always such a feature of Wimbledon through the generations. 399 00:19:27,530 --> 00:19:30,070 Speaker 3: It must be pleasing for you to see that that 400 00:19:30,130 --> 00:19:31,010 Speaker 3: still exists now. 401 00:19:31,910 --> 00:19:34,930 Speaker 5: It should do. It really should. I think the camaraderie 402 00:19:34,970 --> 00:19:37,389 Speaker 5: came back in the early days when the guys would 403 00:19:37,410 --> 00:19:39,710 Speaker 5: travel together for months and months and months. And, yeah, 404 00:19:41,190 --> 00:19:44,490 Speaker 5: of course they'll incredibly competitive, but, you know, there wasn't, 405 00:19:45,050 --> 00:19:46,570 Speaker 5: I suppose there wasn't a lot of, there wasn't really 406 00:19:46,609 --> 00:19:49,030 Speaker 5: money in it. So they you know, it's like, well, 407 00:19:50,190 --> 00:19:56,510 Speaker 5: that element of, you know, lifestyle, I suppose, didn't really 408 00:19:56,550 --> 00:19:59,409 Speaker 5: come into it, you know, if you, you know, if 409 00:19:59,470 --> 00:20:01,990 Speaker 5: I lose to an Aussie first round, then, you know, 410 00:20:02,630 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 5: I get, I get, you know, a decent check, but, 411 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:06,660 Speaker 5: you know, all of a sudden, he's got a really 412 00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:08,500 Speaker 5: good check, you know, hey, I want, I need that, 413 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,270 Speaker 5: you know, I want to pay my coach, and, and 414 00:20:11,310 --> 00:20:14,590 Speaker 5: now I can't type of thing, but, um, but the, 415 00:20:14,790 --> 00:20:18,790 Speaker 5: and I know I've always been raised to help the young, 416 00:20:19,050 --> 00:20:21,949 Speaker 5: younger players or younger people or, or whatever. Maybe it's 417 00:20:22,090 --> 00:20:25,310 Speaker 5: just in me as a young, young father that always 418 00:20:25,770 --> 00:20:28,310 Speaker 5: wanted to help people, but it was installed in me 419 00:20:28,690 --> 00:20:33,420 Speaker 5: by the older guys, Neil Fraser and, and, and, and whatever. And, um, 420 00:20:34,859 --> 00:20:38,550 Speaker 5: and I think that's, that's, uh, That's really important. And 421 00:20:38,609 --> 00:20:40,490 Speaker 5: in the big world of business and everything else that 422 00:20:40,510 --> 00:20:42,750 Speaker 5: goes on, there's always going to be friction between people 423 00:20:42,790 --> 00:20:45,570 Speaker 5: and players and whatever. But at the end of the day, 424 00:20:45,590 --> 00:20:49,540 Speaker 5: it's about people coming out there and enjoying tennis and 425 00:20:49,580 --> 00:20:50,980 Speaker 5: being able to have a shot. 426 00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:55,740 Speaker 3: That Aussie spirit also translated to you for Davis Cup. 427 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,740 Speaker 3: You had some great success in Davis Cup. You must 428 00:20:58,780 --> 00:21:01,940 Speaker 3: be proud to have had both individual heights and team 429 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:02,590 Speaker 3: heights as well. 430 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 5: Yeah the Davis Cup was just awesome you know just 431 00:21:05,619 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 5: looking back at those times they were probably the most 432 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:10,979 Speaker 5: fun times of my career. Also some of the most 433 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:12,919 Speaker 5: disappointing because you know you don't perform well for your 434 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,429 Speaker 5: country you feel really really like you've let down your 435 00:21:15,470 --> 00:21:18,129 Speaker 5: mates and and your country and you know I was 436 00:21:18,150 --> 00:21:20,530 Speaker 5: fortunate enough to have a great team and you know 437 00:21:20,890 --> 00:21:23,490 Speaker 5: certainly in 83 when I first came on the circuit 438 00:21:23,510 --> 00:21:26,710 Speaker 5: you know I'd watched John Alexander play in the Davis 439 00:21:26,730 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 5: Cup and he was a bit of a hero of 440 00:21:28,420 --> 00:21:31,180 Speaker 5: mine and I wanted to model my serve after after 441 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 5: JA and you know he did well and I remember 442 00:21:33,510 --> 00:21:37,530 Speaker 5: seeing him beat Panetta in the Italian White City at 443 00:21:37,570 --> 00:21:39,810 Speaker 5: the semifinals of the Davis Cup. You know, that was 444 00:21:40,090 --> 00:21:42,869 Speaker 5: sort of an endearing moment. I can actually see in 445 00:21:42,910 --> 00:21:46,010 Speaker 5: my mind Frey's holding up J.A. 's hand and it's 446 00:21:46,030 --> 00:21:48,810 Speaker 5: sort of half twisted over the back of his head. J.A. 447 00:21:48,850 --> 00:21:52,010 Speaker 5: looks completely drenched in sweat, looks exhausted. But they were 448 00:21:52,330 --> 00:21:54,310 Speaker 5: big moments for me when I came on the circuit. 449 00:21:54,330 --> 00:21:54,510 Speaker 2: J.A. 450 00:21:54,630 --> 00:21:59,210 Speaker 5: Was still there. And Brad Druitt was, you know, he 451 00:21:59,260 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 5: became a good friend there. a late, great Brad Druitt 452 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 5: is a friend of all of us. We were sort 453 00:22:04,820 --> 00:22:11,180 Speaker 5: of orange boys with the Mackers, the Supermacks, and playing 454 00:22:11,540 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 5: in Perth against, McEnroe was coming out. That was a 455 00:22:15,060 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 5: great moment for me. I always wanted to play for 456 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:20,300 Speaker 5: my country and got the opportunity the next year. We 457 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 5: had a great mentality of, we'll just give it a shot. 458 00:22:26,540 --> 00:22:28,880 Speaker 5: We got a great chance here. We got playing every 459 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,889 Speaker 5: match in Australia. at uh you know let's see how 460 00:22:31,930 --> 00:22:34,909 Speaker 5: far we can go and we always we dedicated ourselves 461 00:22:34,950 --> 00:22:35,510 Speaker 5: to this and. 462 00:22:35,450 --> 00:22:38,230 Speaker 3: So many of those moments were on a grass court 463 00:22:38,300 --> 00:22:41,140 Speaker 3: so Aussies in grass it's a pretty special thing isn't 464 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 3: it yeah. 465 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,940 Speaker 5: Well we had uh I suppose we've got some DNA 466 00:22:46,180 --> 00:22:49,090 Speaker 5: uh from the throwback now now that we don't play 467 00:22:49,109 --> 00:22:51,430 Speaker 5: a lot on the grass and uh I mean what 468 00:22:51,450 --> 00:22:55,570 Speaker 5: a great line of of teachers we had you know 469 00:22:55,590 --> 00:22:59,050 Speaker 5: we had from the sedge frank sedgeman all the way 470 00:22:59,090 --> 00:23:01,909 Speaker 5: through mo you know ken rose was here yesterday and 471 00:23:01,930 --> 00:23:05,380 Speaker 5: you know i remember vividly watching ken rose was back 472 00:23:05,410 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 5: and i've got videos i have him on my phone 473 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 5: saved in my favorites i show my player how to 474 00:23:09,660 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 5: play as how to hit a slice back in and 475 00:23:12,140 --> 00:23:13,820 Speaker 5: when they start chopping on the ball i go check 476 00:23:13,859 --> 00:23:15,980 Speaker 5: this out and this is how you hit a slice 477 00:23:16,020 --> 00:23:20,340 Speaker 5: back in um and uh you know uh you know 478 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:24,380 Speaker 5: the nuke of course and and roachie the the doubles 479 00:23:24,460 --> 00:23:26,109 Speaker 5: and You know, we just had a great line of 480 00:23:26,270 --> 00:23:28,830 Speaker 5: teachers that taught us. And Neil Fraser, of course, the 481 00:23:28,850 --> 00:23:33,750 Speaker 5: Davis Cup captain, you know, was the most beautiful left-handed serve. 482 00:23:33,770 --> 00:23:36,209 Speaker 5: I watched some of the old video and some photos 483 00:23:36,250 --> 00:23:39,940 Speaker 5: of him. Now I'm knowing more about technique. Honestly, there's 484 00:23:39,980 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 5: a photo at Kuyong that is worth anybody going past 485 00:23:43,060 --> 00:23:49,220 Speaker 5: and watching Fraser's mid-serves action. It is absolutely poetry in motion. 486 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,889 Speaker 5: It is the most technically perfect serve. I think I've 487 00:23:53,060 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 5: ever seen. And that was from Frays back on those days. 488 00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 5: So he's a great teacher on the grass. They knew 489 00:23:59,260 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 5: how to play on the grass. So I was bloody 490 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,400 Speaker 5: lucky to have those sort of guys. And Barkers, of course, 491 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:08,830 Speaker 5: he didn't play top-level international stuff, but he played all 492 00:24:08,869 --> 00:24:10,689 Speaker 5: the country tournaments. He knew how to play on the grass. 493 00:24:10,730 --> 00:24:13,429 Speaker 5: And now it's more hardcore play on the grass. I'd 494 00:24:13,470 --> 00:24:16,110 Speaker 5: love to see somebody tearing in and really getting around 495 00:24:16,130 --> 00:24:19,510 Speaker 5: the net and making trouble for the players. They're quite... 496 00:24:20,300 --> 00:24:21,669 Speaker 5: you know he takes a lot of courage to be 497 00:24:21,690 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 5: a servant volleyer because the risk is you know that 498 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 5: you have to hit the ball really close to the 499 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:28,180 Speaker 5: net on the volleys and there's a lot of lunge 500 00:24:28,220 --> 00:24:30,500 Speaker 5: volleys a lot of low volleys they have to skim 501 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:32,900 Speaker 5: over the net I don't think the players are brave 502 00:24:32,940 --> 00:24:34,700 Speaker 5: enough to be to do it I mean it's quite 503 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:40,300 Speaker 5: simple are they a bunch of chickens yeah because it 504 00:24:40,340 --> 00:24:42,100 Speaker 5: takes a lot of guts to go in there is 505 00:24:42,140 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 5: it stupid maybe it's a bit more stupid these days 506 00:24:44,500 --> 00:24:47,699 Speaker 5: because you're going to get passed and But it's still 507 00:24:47,850 --> 00:24:51,930 Speaker 5: absolutely an opportunity to do that. And hopefully somebody will 508 00:24:51,970 --> 00:24:54,450 Speaker 5: come in, a big serve volley, who can really volley. 509 00:24:54,930 --> 00:24:58,110 Speaker 5: Now there's some big servers who volley-ish, you know. But, 510 00:24:58,730 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 5: you know, it is easy to pass. The rackets and 511 00:25:00,580 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 5: the strings make it easy to pass and lob. Lobbing 512 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 5: is the worst thing. Passing, because you usually hit the 513 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,219 Speaker 5: ball pretty hard on the pass. It's reasonably flat. But 514 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,660 Speaker 5: you're a sucker for a lob. And guys like Andy 515 00:25:11,700 --> 00:25:15,709 Speaker 5: Murray use these new strings to hit the ball. which 516 00:25:15,750 --> 00:25:18,470 Speaker 5: would drop at least three or four, five feet out 517 00:25:19,310 --> 00:25:21,470 Speaker 5: in our day with those strings, drop in now by 518 00:25:21,490 --> 00:25:23,980 Speaker 5: a foot. You know, that's how much spin the ball drops, 519 00:25:24,020 --> 00:25:27,140 Speaker 5: and you're a sitting duck. So, yeah, the game's changed. 520 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,780 Speaker 5: There's still elements to, you know, it's still a grass court. 521 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 5: It's still pretty quick. And as far as I know, 522 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 5: I joke with my players. They go, oh, what do 523 00:25:39,780 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 5: we do with the modern game at 10? I say, look, 524 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:43,950 Speaker 5: take them out on the grass court, and I go, 525 00:25:44,740 --> 00:25:47,620 Speaker 5: can you notice something different about this? And they go, 526 00:25:47,660 --> 00:25:51,120 Speaker 5: I don't know. I said, well, guess what? The net 527 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:53,220 Speaker 5: is the same height and the dimensions are the same 528 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 5: size and you've still got the same damn rules as 529 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 5: in my day. So let me tell you how it works. 530 00:25:58,820 --> 00:26:01,270 Speaker 5: And it's usually a bit of a joke, but I 531 00:26:01,330 --> 00:26:03,369 Speaker 5: often do that with a player who's coming on a 532 00:26:03,630 --> 00:26:05,929 Speaker 5: center court match and a young player is coming on. 533 00:26:05,990 --> 00:26:07,389 Speaker 5: I come out and he goes, have a look at 534 00:26:07,410 --> 00:26:09,169 Speaker 5: that center court. Tell me what's different. They go, oh, 535 00:26:09,210 --> 00:26:12,550 Speaker 5: the stands. Oh, the umpire's chair is further back. Oh, 536 00:26:12,670 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 5: seats are this and that. No, no, have a look. 537 00:26:15,420 --> 00:26:18,880 Speaker 5: Have a look, tell me. And they, oh, they're always 538 00:26:18,900 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 5: picking something else out. Oh, the line's going to be 539 00:26:22,460 --> 00:26:25,909 Speaker 5: further back. No, no, no, keep looking. What's the difference? Oh, 540 00:26:25,930 --> 00:26:28,910 Speaker 5: I can't see anything. Exactly. Exactly. It's the same damn 541 00:26:28,970 --> 00:26:31,950 Speaker 5: size cord, the same size net. So don't worry about it. 542 00:26:32,010 --> 00:26:33,610 Speaker 5: You know, you've been playing on this for years. You'll 543 00:26:33,630 --> 00:26:36,290 Speaker 5: be fine. So it's the same thing with a grass cord. 544 00:26:36,350 --> 00:26:38,649 Speaker 5: It's still a grass cord. It's still pretty quick. Not 545 00:26:39,260 --> 00:26:42,159 Speaker 5: on maybe on days like today, but when it gets hot, it's... 546 00:26:42,859 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 5: The grass is as fast, if not faster than back 547 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 5: in my day. More like Australian open grass, bouncy, fast. 548 00:26:48,940 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 5: I'll probably get that towards the end of the tournament, 549 00:26:50,820 --> 00:26:52,180 Speaker 5: but definitely not today. 550 00:26:55,470 --> 00:26:58,490 Speaker 2: So Pat Cash talking about the summer and the heat 551 00:26:58,550 --> 00:27:01,750 Speaker 2: and how the ball bounces differently during that period. And 552 00:27:01,970 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 2: there's obviously a lot of rain there at the moment. Very, 553 00:27:04,900 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 2: very different conditions, I would be guessing. 554 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 5: Very different. 555 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:09,379 Speaker 1: And I'm also intrigued to know where Viv and Pat 556 00:27:09,420 --> 00:27:11,700 Speaker 1: sat down to actually do the interview because it sounds 557 00:27:11,740 --> 00:27:13,830 Speaker 1: like it was in a thoroughfare something and some pretty 558 00:27:13,869 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: famous people milling around. 559 00:27:14,940 --> 00:27:19,670 Speaker 2: Well, I loved when he stopped talking to Viv and went, hey, McEnroe, 560 00:27:19,710 --> 00:27:21,889 Speaker 2: I want to catch you a bit later. It just 561 00:27:21,910 --> 00:27:24,850 Speaker 2: felt really, really natural. Absolutely. So I hope you enjoyed 562 00:27:24,890 --> 00:27:27,210 Speaker 2: that as much as we did. Matt and Viv will 563 00:27:27,230 --> 00:27:30,030 Speaker 2: be back again next Monday. And in the meantime, you 564 00:27:30,050 --> 00:27:32,450 Speaker 2: can listen to myself and John and the team this 565 00:27:32,530 --> 00:27:34,190 Speaker 2: Thursday on the AO Show Weekly. 566 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:36,260 Speaker 1: And details for how to contact us are in the 567 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 1: show notes below. And as always, please subscribe, rate and review. 568 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:40,100 Speaker 5: See you later, Brie. 569 00:27:40,310 --> 00:27:40,609 Speaker 2: See ya.