WEBVTT - The Sit-Down with Paul McNamee (Part 2) 0:00:02.360 --> 0:00:04.800 Hello, and welcome to the sit Down. I'm Vive Christie, 0:00:04.880 --> 0:00:07.120 Managing editor of Australian Tennis Magazine, and. 0:00:07.080 --> 0:00:09.480 I'm Matt Trolo, a writer for ozopen dot com. 0:00:09.680 --> 0:00:11.719 And Matt, why are we sitting down this week with 0:00:11.760 --> 0:00:12.560 Paul McNamee. 0:00:12.840 --> 0:00:15.520 Well, we actually did earlier this year in April, but 0:00:15.560 --> 0:00:17.640 because we had such a long time with him back then, 0:00:17.680 --> 0:00:19.680 we were talking to him about the clay court season 0:00:19.760 --> 0:00:22.400 and his book about clay court tennis. While we had him. 0:00:22.440 --> 0:00:25.079 He's obviously a former tournament director of the Australian Open, 0:00:25.160 --> 0:00:27.159 so we asked him to kind of relive some of 0:00:27.200 --> 0:00:29.800 his favorite memories and we thought with the AO coming 0:00:29.920 --> 0:00:31.800 very soon, this would be the perfect time to run 0:00:31.840 --> 0:00:33.920 part two of that interview, which is much more of 0:00:33.960 --> 0:00:35.159 an Australian Open focus. 0:00:35.440 --> 0:00:38.600 Yeah, we've been very excited to revisit the second part 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:44.040 of this conversation. Let's hear what Paul has to say. 0:00:44.560 --> 0:00:46.559 You mentioned the Australian Open, and obviously you were the 0:00:46.600 --> 0:00:49.159 tournament director for more than a decade. I had a 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:51.480 question to ask you about the two thousand and five 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:54.560 AO because I remember that one really clearly, the centenary one, 0:00:54.600 --> 0:00:56.880 and it was so amazing on so many levels. But 0:00:57.040 --> 0:00:59.840 I had actually, just before this interview, chatted to a journalist, 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:03.480 Uzzi Pekowski about the Agassi Sampras ninety five final and 0:01:03.560 --> 0:01:05.600 she reminded me that was your first year as tournament 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:09.800 wil Dead then, and she said that you really move 0:01:09.880 --> 0:01:12.320 the tournament forward compared to nineteen ninety four, like that 0:01:12.440 --> 0:01:15.880 was when the serving man logo was introduced in night tennis. 0:01:15.680 --> 0:01:18.080 Atization we call italization. 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:20.240 And so I guess that kind of those two the 0:01:20.319 --> 0:01:22.280 ninety five and the two thousand and five AO kind 0:01:22.280 --> 0:01:26.120 of really successfully bookended your time. But did you do 0:01:26.160 --> 0:01:27.199 two thousand and six as well? 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:30.520 I did, Yeah, we're federal bat bagdatas and justin and 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:34.720 then didn't finish the match, which I wasn't happy about me. 0:01:36.240 --> 0:01:38.880 But those two I gets in particular, ninety five AO 0:01:38.920 --> 0:01:41.920 and five AO really significant for two reasons. Yeah, the 0:01:41.959 --> 0:01:44.440 sam Pra Saxi final and the centenary I think holds 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:48.600 the records. Saffon and Hewett the most watched tennis match 0:01:48.640 --> 0:01:49.640 in Australia. 0:01:49.160 --> 0:01:51.600 Well, it was the most watched TV program in the 0:01:51.640 --> 0:01:54.760 history of Australian television until the Matilda's semi final that's 0:01:54.880 --> 0:01:57.560 right now they've never had ratings since then. 0:01:57.680 --> 0:01:58.600 Yeah, as good as that. 0:01:58.880 --> 0:02:02.320 I mean, there'll be a debate where the nineteen Australia 0:02:02.440 --> 0:02:05.400 in two thousand ninety was the greatest, which I mean, 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:09.040 Craig and I can disagree. I'll say five. There was 0:02:09.080 --> 0:02:11.119 never a tournament logo five. The top four men made 0:02:11.120 --> 0:02:13.959 the Semis four. Four shows were in the top ten 0:02:15.000 --> 0:02:19.440 of the year in ratings Australia and the saffen Hewart 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:22.440 Final was the most watch mats, even ahead of raw 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:25.000 weddings until boy, that would be I don't ask me, 0:02:25.080 --> 0:02:31.800 but until until the until the Matilda's, So the Matilda's 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:34.400 break all records, but until then it was so. 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:36.040 It was an amazing year and. 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:40.160 You know, we had so much to celebrate that year, 0:02:40.200 --> 0:02:42.320 and it was just unbelievable and Rocket came back and 0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:44.160 that had hit with late and you know, there was 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:45.520 just so many things going on. 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:45.720 But. 0:02:49.080 --> 0:02:50.119 Recentably than the other ones. 0:02:50.160 --> 0:02:51.519 Well no, but there reason ninety. 0:02:51.320 --> 0:02:53.760 Five was important because the first time Agacy had played 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:57.160 and I kind of took advantage of that because I 0:02:57.240 --> 0:02:57.640 know he's not. 0:02:57.639 --> 0:02:59.639 A student of history of the game, you know, because. 0:02:59.680 --> 0:03:02.320 He played guys I don't know the guy and playing 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:04.880 they go, but he played the Davis Cup final from Germany. 0:03:05.080 --> 0:03:09.000 I did it here, okay, so Andre, because with Stubbs, 0:03:09.040 --> 0:03:11.280 he laid Stubs, a great guy, Colin Stubbs, and he 0:03:11.400 --> 0:03:13.400 had this thing that the players don't only want to 0:03:13.440 --> 0:03:15.520 play once at night at the Strain open back then 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:20.040 and I go, well, I'm sure Andre doesn't know that. 0:03:20.120 --> 0:03:23.160 So because it's his first so I said, Andre, look, 0:03:23.280 --> 0:03:25.000 you're gonna have to play twice at night, you know. 0:03:25.000 --> 0:03:26.480 He said, I can to me once the first week 0:03:26.480 --> 0:03:27.120 once or second? 0:03:27.360 --> 0:03:30.119 Yeah, no way. Then I knew it was done. We got, 0:03:30.160 --> 0:03:30.799 we've got, we won. 0:03:30.840 --> 0:03:33.000 And the second weekend I played Pat Rafter on this 0:03:33.639 --> 0:03:36.120 which was just off the scale, right, So we had this. 0:03:36.560 --> 0:03:39.440 So it all worked out, all worked out beautifully. And 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:41.680 ninety five and of course poor Pete, you know, he lost. 0:03:41.720 --> 0:03:45.360 Tim Gullitzen was confirmed out cancer and you know when 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:47.720 Pete was crying on the court in his match against Courier. 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:49.720 That was a quarter final we had and was the 0:03:49.760 --> 0:03:51.880 first time Sampus and Agacy, who were the two best 0:03:51.880 --> 0:03:54.360 players of that year, had played in a final of 0:03:54.360 --> 0:03:55.000 a Grand Slam. 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:56.320 And it happened here in Australia. 0:03:56.400 --> 0:03:58.560 So after that Jeff I went to Jeff and I said, 0:03:58.720 --> 0:04:00.200 you know, we've got to make our move on the 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:04.160 ATP because we had double we had equal ranking points 0:04:04.200 --> 0:04:06.080 with the other Slams. For the women's we didn't have 0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:07.920 it for the men's. We didn't have the same ranking 0:04:07.960 --> 0:04:10.040 points as the other three Grand Slams. People didn't realize that, 0:04:10.080 --> 0:04:12.120 so I said, now as the moment we had Sam 0:04:12.120 --> 0:04:14.720 Pazagacy was an off the sky tournament ninety five, So 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:18.360 we went and the ATP agreed to equal prior equal 0:04:18.440 --> 0:04:20.480 ranking points to the other. So that was the first 0:04:20.520 --> 0:04:23.440 time ninety six of the Australian Open had the same 0:04:24.000 --> 0:04:26.720 points as the other Grand Slams. And then we eventually 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:28.440 got the prize money up to equal the others and 0:04:28.440 --> 0:04:29.200 in fact exceeded. 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:33.520 So I don't particularly love the arms race between the Slams. 0:04:33.560 --> 0:04:36.400 I just think they're four equal partners of this beautiful 0:04:37.120 --> 0:04:40.320 chain called the Grand Slams. So we were never trying 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:45.000 to be better. I didn't think when I was in charge. 0:04:44.360 --> 0:04:45.320 But I felt that. 0:04:46.760 --> 0:04:49.600 To be the equal we probably needed to be a 0:04:49.600 --> 0:04:52.080 little bit better, you know, because we was just the history. 0:04:52.520 --> 0:04:54.120 We didn't have the history of the others in terms 0:04:54.160 --> 0:04:55.400 of the great players. 0:04:55.480 --> 0:04:58.480 So and it's just gone from strength and strength since 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:01.360 two thousand and six. I mean it, it's an incredible tournament. 0:05:01.880 --> 0:05:05.479 The facility is the best in the world. You know, 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:07.240 you know, it was a great year this year with 0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:08.640 Youanick center breaking through. 0:05:10.400 --> 0:05:14.279 You know, it's you know, it's very deep. 0:05:14.360 --> 0:05:16.560 You know, I love clay from a playing perspective, But 0:05:16.600 --> 0:05:18.719 of course this train Open is the closest to me 0:05:18.839 --> 0:05:22.919 because of twelve wonderful years I had here and for 0:05:23.000 --> 0:05:25.160 me personally, I won the junior event, this train Open, 0:05:25.200 --> 0:05:28.480 I won the doubles, and I've become tournament director. 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:30.000 So it means a lot to me. 0:05:30.279 --> 0:05:32.080 Yeah, yeah, in a nice kind of full circle that 0:05:32.120 --> 0:05:34.160 you went through all of the stages of it. You 0:05:34.240 --> 0:05:36.520 might have already said it, but was there a particular 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:40.240 Is there one greatest highlight for you as tournament director 0:05:40.240 --> 0:05:41.120 in those twelve years? 0:05:41.360 --> 0:05:46.480 Ooh, look, I think well two thousand and five was 0:05:47.240 --> 0:05:50.760 the standout year, the centenary and we did justice to 0:05:50.800 --> 0:05:54.320 the centenary of the tournament and. 0:05:56.080 --> 0:05:57.080 The semi finals. 0:05:56.800 --> 0:06:00.800 Were amazing when Leyton beat Roddick and Saffan came from 0:06:00.839 --> 0:06:03.880 match point down to beat Roger Federer, and then the 0:06:03.920 --> 0:06:05.080 final was incredible. 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:08.960 You know, Layton was winning that final. 0:06:09.000 --> 0:06:12.919 I mean he's a setup and and then control in 0:06:12.960 --> 0:06:20.400 the second set, and Ivan the physio, Layton's physio. Yeah, 0:06:21.800 --> 0:06:24.400 he gets caught out and caught by Layton. The first everything, no, 0:06:24.440 --> 0:06:26.960 probably all was good. Layton's winning the match. In the 0:06:27.000 --> 0:06:30.840 second set, it's like three to two. Layton on serve 0:06:30.960 --> 0:06:34.320 and Safin calls vib because they can choose which trainers 0:06:34.560 --> 0:06:36.520 that both players at the same trainer in the final, 0:06:36.560 --> 0:06:38.440 but the player gets to choose the final because they 0:06:38.440 --> 0:06:40.960 can choose which a TP got on tournament rep they want. 0:06:41.760 --> 0:06:45.240 Ivan goes out there and I go. He comes back, 0:06:45.240 --> 0:06:48.360 and I said, what's what's up with Marret? He goes, 0:06:49.320 --> 0:06:52.719 he said, he's He said, he's playing so badly. He's 0:06:52.760 --> 0:06:56.080 sad and he's lonely, and he just wanted somebody to 0:06:56.160 --> 0:06:56.520 talk to. 0:06:58.360 --> 0:07:01.160 He just wanted to talk about it a bad news feeling. 0:07:01.400 --> 0:07:03.680 So I said, I just listened to him and he said, look, 0:07:04.040 --> 0:07:04.960 I'm really lonely. 0:07:05.000 --> 0:07:05.880 This is awful, you know. 0:07:07.279 --> 0:07:12.160 Turned the match turned the match, broke broke Layton in 0:07:12.280 --> 0:07:15.559 the match, turned the match, turned the match. 0:07:16.800 --> 0:07:19.560 I didn't even take a pad at all or something. 0:07:20.080 --> 0:07:26.880 No, he just wanted someone to talk to. I remember 0:07:28.120 --> 0:07:30.320 thing about that year we had we had a life. 0:07:30.080 --> 0:07:33.760 Side for America Express at the Sydney Opera House and 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:36.720 on Australia Day we had Layton was playing a young 0:07:36.760 --> 0:07:38.880 Spanish guy who I knew was good because I had 0:07:38.960 --> 0:07:42.440 seen him play in Monte Carlo right when he was sixteen. 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:44.600 And this guy is amazing, right, so I. 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:48.680 Got that match is a big match, right, Hewitt and 0:07:48.760 --> 0:07:50.840 Nadal young, no one's heard of him here. 0:07:51.240 --> 0:07:53.240 That's on center court on Broad Lay Berna. 0:07:53.320 --> 0:07:57.800 And then then we've got al Alicia Mullen's playing Venus Williams. 0:07:57.840 --> 0:08:02.160 Oh yeah that match. Yeah, these are two on Australia 0:08:02.200 --> 0:08:04.720 Day Sidney. Your pro House is the Life site. 0:08:05.000 --> 0:08:07.240 You know how many people went to that life So 0:08:07.320 --> 0:08:11.320 that day seventy five thousand people went to the Opera 0:08:11.360 --> 0:08:13.960 House in Sydney to watch the Australia Open in Melbourne. 0:08:13.960 --> 0:08:15.920 There was more people that the tournament in Sydney was 0:08:16.000 --> 0:08:19.720 getting right for one day to watch Austrain up and 0:08:19.800 --> 0:08:20.680 that thing went. 0:08:20.960 --> 0:08:22.440 Look, you know they've. 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:25.880 Bad live sites, but this was seventy five thousand people Okay, 0:08:26.000 --> 0:08:27.920 if you had a mixed card you sat front, right, 0:08:27.960 --> 0:08:31.240 that was the only perk you had, right, But unbelievable 0:08:31.240 --> 0:08:35.240 and of course Alisha they both they both won. Alisha 0:08:35.240 --> 0:08:39.280 then got ripped off by bad line call against Davenport 0:08:39.320 --> 0:08:41.160 in the quarters, which was a tragedy. 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:43.319 So we had the line calling ready for the next year, 0:08:45.559 --> 0:08:49.920 you know. Yeah, now, how the poor there's a profession. 0:08:50.160 --> 0:08:52.199 It's almost extinct now up point, which is sad, but 0:08:52.760 --> 0:08:54.760 the reality is, you know, technology has moved on. 0:08:54.800 --> 0:08:57.920 But yeah, look that year has to be the highlight. 0:08:59.160 --> 0:09:01.880 Yeah, there was some amazing matches over the years years 0:09:01.920 --> 0:09:05.400 of course, but I still get a massive thrill going 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:06.680 to the torn And I was so sad? 0:09:07.000 --> 0:09:07.920 Was it on your program? 0:09:07.960 --> 0:09:10.640 The Packcash said that he feels sad every time he 0:09:10.720 --> 0:09:13.280 goes in into Melbourne Parker. He might have had his mind, 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:15.600 but it was the touch. 0:09:16.120 --> 0:09:24.320 It feels left out sometimes. Okay, that's the AI whatever 0:09:24.559 --> 0:09:26.600 I was. I was interviewed for that as well. 0:09:26.640 --> 0:09:29.520 I remember so Cash he just said how sad he 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:32.280 feels everything because he lost those two finals. But I mean, 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:35.760 but I feel sad that he feels so sad about it, 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:43.400 because you know, to be honest, today's the day, right, Yeah, absolutely, yeah, 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:45.080 So you know I don't feel that way. 0:09:45.160 --> 0:09:46.320 I mean, and I lost. 0:09:46.320 --> 0:09:48.160 I had match porn in the semis and lost in 0:09:48.200 --> 0:09:49.719 the singles, which is tough for some of them. Me 0:09:49.800 --> 0:09:53.280 I get one chance, didn't you know, didn't happen and 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:58.040 then I remember it? But yeah, yeah, I think you know. 0:09:58.960 --> 0:10:02.080 It is what it is. You know, this life stuff happens, 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:03.400 right exactly. 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:06.800 And you've talked a lot about coaching as well, and 0:10:06.960 --> 0:10:10.120 you obviously have a great coaching partnership with Shoe. I say, 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:14.160 she's having a great comeback to the sport now, which 0:10:14.200 --> 0:10:15.880 is what is she holding three of the four major 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:17.240 titles or something plus. 0:10:17.400 --> 0:10:19.640 Mixed, she's four in the last four. She's back to 0:10:19.679 --> 0:10:20.720 number one in the world. 0:10:20.520 --> 0:10:23.600 Which is absolutely incredible, amazing. Yeah, So what's it been 0:10:23.679 --> 0:10:26.160 like working with her? She's a very unorthodox player, obviously, 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:29.160 very and a great character in the game, and you're 0:10:29.160 --> 0:10:32.280 about to go to Madrid with her next. 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:34.160 Week next week? Yeah, yeah, next week. So what's that 0:10:34.280 --> 0:10:36.440 been like? Oh, look, it's been a roller coaster. 0:10:36.480 --> 0:10:38.079 I mean, she's been I mean I saw her play 0:10:38.760 --> 0:10:40.560 first time at Hopman Cup when I was running that 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:44.480 and I just saw the talent there and the way 0:10:44.520 --> 0:10:48.120 she played angles and chess in a way on god, 0:10:48.800 --> 0:10:50.679 she never really ever had a serve. To be honest, 0:10:50.720 --> 0:10:53.280 it's still still the case. SERVI has been probably the 0:10:53.320 --> 0:10:55.560 worst on the tour. So to get to another one 0:10:55.559 --> 0:10:57.520 in the world with no service pretty good. 0:10:58.000 --> 0:10:58.520 Pretty good. 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:04.840 And this time last year, no ranking whatsoever, no ranking whatsoever. 0:11:05.000 --> 0:11:07.720 Zero. Okay, she'd been out for nearly two years. 0:11:08.400 --> 0:11:10.840 Started in Madrid last year, the first match for nearly 0:11:10.880 --> 0:11:16.360 two years. I wasn't there. She lost first round. I 0:11:16.360 --> 0:11:18.360 went around, lost first round Rome. They went to Rolling 0:11:18.400 --> 0:11:20.400 Grass and I started teaming up with her there and 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:23.880 didn't have a partner, no ranking, but got into a 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:27.320 protected ranking but not seated. Ended up one minute to 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:29.719 go on the signing with a Chinese player who'd never 0:11:29.800 --> 0:11:32.080 done anything in doubles. But I said, can she serve, 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:33.920 as you know, she's a big girl. Could she serve 0:11:34.040 --> 0:11:36.360 because she hit the ballhard? Yeah, Well, the sign up 0:11:36.400 --> 0:11:39.920 with it unseated, they win, They win the French So 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:42.840 that was that was a pretty good start. So so Storm, 0:11:42.920 --> 0:11:44.360 you know, is out for maybe a year with a 0:11:44.400 --> 0:11:47.440 prote comeback with a protected ranking. Storm Storm standers, but 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:51.719 Storm Hunter excuse me, but Sue Way a year ago 0:11:51.840 --> 0:11:54.160 had no ranking either and got back to number one 0:11:54.200 --> 0:11:56.520 inside twelve months, which has never happened for it and 0:11:56.520 --> 0:11:57.400 will never happen again. 0:11:57.480 --> 0:11:59.880 But there is hope that it can be done. 0:12:00.000 --> 0:12:03.280 And then she Barbara came out after the baby retirement, 0:12:03.400 --> 0:12:05.600 played women and the end up winning. They lost, couldn't 0:12:05.600 --> 0:12:07.079 win a match, and they went Wimen and then she 0:12:07.080 --> 0:12:08.600 didn't know to play with the US Open, and I 0:12:08.640 --> 0:12:12.240 wasn't there, got the Semis. Then Assie opened, Elise Mertens 0:12:12.480 --> 0:12:14.360 split up with Storm and then. 0:12:14.360 --> 0:12:16.520 This is the thing, two different partners each time like 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:18.040 that you have to coach it differently. 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:20.000 But the end of the day, in doubles, it's about 0:12:20.000 --> 0:12:23.520 the team, not about the players. So the difficult thing 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:28.200 I think in the wimen'side in the doubles is that 0:12:28.240 --> 0:12:31.840 you're dealing with also the coach of their partner. And 0:12:31.880 --> 0:12:35.800 where I've been lucky is most of the time, nearly 0:12:35.840 --> 0:12:38.880 all the time, the coach of Suway's partners had many partners. 0:12:38.920 --> 0:12:40.679 She won these three slams with three different. 0:12:40.400 --> 0:12:45.800 Players, by the way, which is unusual that the coach 0:12:45.840 --> 0:12:48.160 of her partners have allowed me to take the lead role. 0:12:48.200 --> 0:12:50.320 I asked, one of us has to take the lead, 0:12:50.400 --> 0:12:52.400 because we are going there as a team to the God. 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:54.600 We're not going with You've got your coach. You've got 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:56.840 your coach, and we figure things out as we go. No, 0:12:57.440 --> 0:13:00.640 we we do the setup before for the match. 0:13:00.880 --> 0:13:04.240 You know, I scout the opponents heavily. We do the setup, 0:13:04.280 --> 0:13:05.360 we work on it. 0:13:05.400 --> 0:13:08.440 I mean for me, you know, I wrote sixty percent, 0:13:08.480 --> 0:13:11.640 but really I think seventy percent of the success happens 0:13:12.240 --> 0:13:14.920 before you ever walk on the court. I mean, that's 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:18.000 just the last bit playing the match. If you set 0:13:18.080 --> 0:13:20.199 up properly and you play half decent, you win that match. 0:13:20.800 --> 0:13:22.920 But you've got to set up. You've got to set up. 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:26.160 Well, and you've you've got to take away the strength 0:13:26.240 --> 0:13:29.559 of their opponent. You've got to eliminate their weapon from 0:13:29.600 --> 0:13:32.600 the match. So I look at their ponents, say what's 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:36.960 the what's their bigger threat? Ah, she's crossing a lot. Okay, 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:38.880 how do we take that out of the match. How 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:40.840 do we remove that from the match? So that players 0:13:41.280 --> 0:13:43.080 it's going to be so angry they're not doing what 0:13:43.080 --> 0:13:45.480 they love doing the best. So I'm very big on 0:13:45.679 --> 0:13:50.560 maximizing our setup, but trying to destroy the weapon of 0:13:50.600 --> 0:13:55.559 the opponent. And for example, you know a good example, 0:13:55.760 --> 0:13:57.480 let's say Gus rips the. 0:13:57.600 --> 0:13:59.280 Forehand cross caught on the juice side. 0:13:59.280 --> 0:14:01.760 That's point, is not a best shot, let's be honest. Okay, 0:14:01.760 --> 0:14:05.000 but she does rip across court very well on the 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:07.440 juice side. I think she's better on the outside and doubles, 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:10.760 but she's playing the juice side. So okay, we take 0:14:10.760 --> 0:14:12.680 that away, make her go down the line by part 0:14:12.760 --> 0:14:14.320 by playing I formation against that. 0:14:14.400 --> 0:14:16.600 So she's got to go down the line or she's 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:18.040 going to take or take the head off. She's going 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:19.640 to take that, but you can't take off Suway said, 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:20.440 she's too good there. 0:14:20.480 --> 0:14:24.400 So we put Suwey against the weapon because her volleying, 0:14:25.200 --> 0:14:27.600 you know, her finishing volleys are the best in the world. 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:32.160 So we find a way to set up that suits us. 0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:35.520 And sometimes she's she's the queen of the net and 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:37.320 sometimes she's the queen at the baseline. I like to 0:14:37.360 --> 0:14:39.680 have a queen at both the cents a good depending 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:42.040 on who the partner is. But you've got to play 0:14:42.080 --> 0:14:44.480 your role. I mean, this is Hollywood, this is you 0:14:44.600 --> 0:14:47.920 play a role. I mean, look, I'm going to say 0:14:47.960 --> 0:14:49.720 it like the Fire of the French last year. So 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:51.680 I was playing with Jina. They're playing i mean the 0:14:51.760 --> 0:14:56.880 big Allen Allen and Perez and Martina's and the Semis. 0:14:57.720 --> 0:15:01.520 Martina's in the Semis. In the final, they're playing Taylor 0:15:01.560 --> 0:15:05.160 Town's End and Laila Fernandez are pretty good. Right, we're 0:15:05.200 --> 0:15:09.640 getting smashed. But Gena Suez partner's not doing a job, 0:15:09.680 --> 0:15:11.400 which was to rip the balls. You're going to just 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:14.640 rip and let's Sue Way clean it up, right, just 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:17.960 tided it all up, and I'm going to Siso Jing. 0:15:18.040 --> 0:15:22.880 You know Gena's coach. Gena's not in the ball, Paul, Paul. 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:26.000 She's not feeling well. You know, she's she's feeling really 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:29.640 sick today and you know it's not happening. 0:15:33.200 --> 0:15:35.520 After the match, we'll get a doctor. Okay, but this 0:15:35.600 --> 0:15:36.640 is the final of the Slim. 0:15:38.760 --> 0:15:39.400 I don't care. 0:15:40.760 --> 0:15:42.720 I'm sorry she's sick, but we're going to match the winn. 0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:44.120 You we're down to set in the break. This is 0:15:44.160 --> 0:15:45.760 not going well. This is a final rolling gras. We 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:46.560 don't care a lot about. 0:15:46.640 --> 0:15:46.920 Okay. 0:15:47.560 --> 0:15:50.360 Now it's with with Gina, you know, so I just 0:15:50.480 --> 0:15:53.800 come on, come on, So they come down because now 0:15:53.840 --> 0:15:56.200 you can coach it now, which is almost cheating. 0:15:57.160 --> 0:15:58.640 Okay, it's changed the game. 0:15:58.800 --> 0:16:00.560 I mean you can say whatever you want, when you want, 0:16:00.640 --> 0:16:01.960 when you're down your room mysteriously. 0:16:02.520 --> 0:16:05.840 So it's okay. So Jenna Gena, I know you're not 0:16:05.880 --> 0:16:06.360 feeling well. 0:16:06.360 --> 0:16:09.720 I feel really bad for you know. Look, but you know, 0:16:09.840 --> 0:16:11.520 straight off the match we'll get a doctor. You know, 0:16:11.600 --> 0:16:13.200 but you know what, you're. 0:16:13.000 --> 0:16:17.800 Not doing your job. You're not hitting the ball. I 0:16:18.280 --> 0:16:21.080 don't care how sick you are, but you please, please, 0:16:21.120 --> 0:16:21.920 can you hit the ball. 0:16:22.600 --> 0:16:24.280 And you know, she started hitting the ball and gets 0:16:24.280 --> 0:16:26.320 a tiebreak, got back, they got a break, gets a tiebreak. 0:16:26.800 --> 0:16:29.800 Three on the tie base. She smashes this for wht 0:16:29.880 --> 0:16:33.480 and so hard past Townsend. It was like so big. 0:16:34.040 --> 0:16:36.640 I was ready to leave the stadium because I know 0:16:36.720 --> 0:16:37.640 the match is over. 0:16:37.760 --> 0:16:40.560 They've won this match. Now Gina has started ripping the ball. 0:16:40.680 --> 0:16:44.040 It's over six to one and the third wow, six 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:44.720 one and the third. 0:16:44.840 --> 0:16:48.360 But she started doing a job. And look, you know, 0:16:49.120 --> 0:16:49.400 she was. 0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:54.560 Sick and she didn't come to the to celebrate after 0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:55.600 dinner and she was sick. 0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:58.520 But I want to win the match. 0:17:00.440 --> 0:17:00.760 She did. 0:17:01.200 --> 0:17:07.240 She feel a lot better now. You've got to get 0:17:07.240 --> 0:17:10.160 on on with things. I like that. Today's the day. 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:11.320 Today is the day. 0:17:12.280 --> 0:17:14.560 Today's the day. Yeah, life lessons. 0:17:16.400 --> 0:17:19.119 Yeah, well, Paul, it's been great chatting with you today. 0:17:19.160 --> 0:17:22.280 We've we've covered many topics, but you know, we started 0:17:22.280 --> 0:17:25.240 talking about clay, so I thought we'd circle back and 0:17:25.359 --> 0:17:27.240 you know, do you still get out and play on 0:17:27.280 --> 0:17:27.960 a clay court? 0:17:28.040 --> 0:17:32.080 And I just did today? Yeah, I played a k 0:17:32.720 --> 0:17:36.680 with a good, good senior played brus Fergus. Yeah, we 0:17:37.080 --> 0:17:39.840 only plant clay. Come on clay court there. 0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:44.520 Well it's onto car, but it's probably the best onto. 0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:46.240 Car in Melbourne, but it's not clay. 0:17:46.800 --> 0:17:51.440 Okay, get the old bad bath whatever, but it's very good, 0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:53.000 but it's not clay. 0:17:53.080 --> 0:17:56.199 But yeah, I still play on and I love it. 0:17:56.240 --> 0:18:00.159 And I went to the World Masters last year in my 0:18:00.240 --> 0:18:01.800 age group and picked up a bronze. 0:18:02.240 --> 0:18:03.240 I got the bronze medal. 0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:05.639 Today someone dropped it off and yeah I've got a 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:08.320 bronze medal for the doubles in New Yorker last year. 0:18:08.320 --> 0:18:10.480 Because I'm based in Europe, so you can go do 0:18:10.640 --> 0:18:11.280 that sort of. 0:18:11.200 --> 0:18:11.720 Thing, you know. 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:15.520 So I'm lucky with my life I'm very lucky with 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:17.920 everything that I've been involved with in tennis. It's been 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:20.720 ups and downs with politics, but you know what, I'm 0:18:20.880 --> 0:18:24.000 so lucky to have had this journey right through and 0:18:26.359 --> 0:18:29.480 still feel part of the game and love coming in here. 0:18:29.600 --> 0:18:35.440 And you know, I feel like I've helped the engagement 0:18:35.440 --> 0:18:37.840 with Asia Pacific, which is kind of my role in Australia, 0:18:37.840 --> 0:18:40.520 which is very important, and I feel like that's been 0:18:41.119 --> 0:18:43.760 I've really enjoyed doing it, and every aspect of the 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:48.000 sport I've loved and you know, I you know, my 0:18:48.080 --> 0:18:50.040 parents introduced me to it. I just lost my mother 0:18:50.119 --> 0:18:53.119